Classic Chicken Pot Pie

Classic Chicken Pot Pie - comforting, traditional home cooking from scratch. 

When Jon and I got married I really didn't cook much at all. I was a vegetarian at the time, so I had the tofu and vegetable stir fry meals perfected, and could make stuffed peppers and tacos using both real and "fake" ground meat, but that was about it.  Jon loves to tell the story of the first time we hosted dinner for friends and I decided to make a roast pork tenderloin. I wanted to infuse it with some garlic flavor, so instead of marinating or rubbing it, I decided to put full cloves of garlic in the pork. Well, that's fine and all, but I didn't push the cloves all the way in, so they were all sticking up all over the pork. Jon jokes that I made porcupine pork.  Not my proudest moment, but I was inspired to learn more and keep trying. I started reading recipes like crazy, but never liked to cook from them exactly, not even the first time making something new. That is what started my love of experimenting and cooking, and is a big part of why I don't like to bake - too much measuring!! I'd rather wing it and go on flavors.  I started this blog almost 10 years ago when I was still very much a beginner. I look back at some of my recipes from 10 years ago and besides being horrified at the pictures, they make me laugh but also smile because I see how much I have learned. And I'm so glad that I truly LOVE to cook and that my daughter thinks I am the best cook ever :)  It is for that reason that I have started to revisit some of my much older posts not only to take updated pictures, but to make some changes to the recipes. Most recently I updated a Chicken Pot Pie recipe. 

Chicken Pot Pie is such a comforting and traditional dish. And really, it's not that hard to make, even completely from scratch. Ok, I can't lie - you know that I didn't make the crust from scratch. But with so many good store bought pie crusts out there, I don't see a reason. What is important to me is a good stock as the base. You won't find any cream soups in this recipe. 

So here it is - my updated Classic Chicken Pot Pie based on my old adaptation of a Martha Stewart Recipe. 

Don't be overwhelmed by the list of ingredients and steps. I'll break it down like this for you -  Step 1 - cook your chicken which also is the stock making step.  Step 2 - chop and saute your veggies.

Step 3 - add liquid to make the sauce.  Step 4 - put in a dish, cover with pie crust and bake. Enjoy!!!

One final tip before we get to the recipe. Look at that picture above - see how some of the sauce bubbles out and down the sides of the dish? To avoid making a total mess of your oven, place a large piece of foil or a cookie sheet on the rack below the rack the pot pie is on to catch any drips. 

Classic Chicken Pot Pie Loosely adapted from Martha Stewart Ingredients
For Step 1: 

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 stalk of celery cut into chunks
• 1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 2 c low sodium chicken broth
• 1 c water

For Step 2: 

• 4 Tbsp butter
• 1 brown Russet potato, diced into small bit sized pieces (if you do this ahead of time, just store the diced potatoes in a bowl covered with water)
• 1 large carrot, peeled and diced (same size and potato pieces)
• 1/2 red pepper, chopped
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 4 large white mushrooms, chopped
• 1/4 c frozen corn
• 1/4 c frozen peas
• 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper

For Step 3: 

• 4 Tbsp flour
• 2 cups of reserved stock (from step one, cooking the chicken)
• 1/2 c heavy cream

For Step 4: 

• 1 refrigerated pie crust

Directions

• Step 1: Place the chicken in a pot with the thyme, peppercorns, bay leaves, celery, onion, pinch each of salt and pepper. Add the chicken broth and then add water slowly until your chicken is just covered. Bring to a boil and then let simmer until the chicken is cooked through (180 degrees), about 15-20 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate. Pour the contents of the pot through a colander into another pot; discard what is left in the colander and reserve the stock. Cut chicken into bite sized cubes.
• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. 
• Step 2: Melt the butter in a large saute pan. Add the potatoes and saute for 5 minutes, until turning translucent. Add the carrots, red pepper and onion and saute for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms, peas and corn and stir. Season with salt and pepper. 
• Step 3: Add the flour to the pan and stir, coating all of the veggies. Slowly add the stock, stirring as you add it to thicken the sauce. The slower you add the sauce, the thicker you will be able to make your sauce. Once you have added all of the stock, add the cream and stir. Bring to a simmer, stirring often, and let simmer 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken. 
• Step 4: Transfer the chicken-veggie mixture to a deep dish pie plate. Top with the pie crust, cutting off anything hanging over the edges. Cut a few slits in the top. Bake until the crust is golden, about 30 minutes. Make sure you put a piece of foil or a cookie sheet on the rack below the pie as it may bubble over. 
• Let the pot pie sit for several minutes before serving. 
• Tip: makes great leftovers! 

Grilled Flank Steak Crostini

An elegant appetizer for entertaining - crusty, toasted bread topped with creamy melted cheese and thinly sliced grilled flank steak. 

Our friends were in town on business recently so we were lucky to spend a fun night with them over good food and of course, lots of good wine. We definitely don't get to see them enough so this midweek visit was a special treat. 
As soon as the visit was planned I started to discuss the menu with my friend Jeff who shares my love of food and cooking. My husband tried to contribute (I'm lucky he loves to cook, too!), but whenever Jeff visits the food is always our thing. 
I knew our menu would include several courses. We ended up with three appetizer courses an an entree. Honestly, but the time we were done with apps I didn't even need an entree, but after an hour break we got back to cooking. 
Our favorite appetizer was this grilled flank steak crostini. I love crostini with different toppings, so for this one we decided on melted cheese and thinly sliced grilled flank steak. From there I just winged it and made several kinds of crostini with different toppings. 

Look how beautiful!!! 
Half of the crostini had melted provolone and steak, while the other half were topped with blue cheese and the steak. Toppings I used were chopped grilled red onions and sliced roasted red peppers. Once the crostini came out of the oven I topped some of them with cold tomato bruschetta topping and fresh arugula. 
I can't even pick which combination of ingredients were my favorite - they were all good!! They were so good that the next night my husband and I made more for dinner with the few leftovers that we had, and I plan on making them for a girls' night I am hosting next week (as long as the blizzard doesn't mess up my grilling plans!!). Yes, THAT good!

Grilled Flank Steak Crostini Original Recipe by Mary Ellen of Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations
Ingredients

• 1 baguette sliced into 3/4 inch pieces on the bias (a slight diagonal slice)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
• 1 flank steak
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Cheese (I used sliced provolone on half and crumbled blue cheese on the other half)
• Other toppings, such as:
• 1 roasted red pepper, sliced
• 2 rings red onion, grilled and chopped
• Fresh arugula

Directions

• Heat grill to high. Season flank steak liberally with salt, pepper and dried thyme. Cook __ min per side, flipping only once, to medium rare (or medium, depending on your liking). Let rest 10 minutes before slicing into very thin slices.
• In the meantime, heat your oven to 400 degrees. 
• Place the baguette slices on a cookie sheet and brush with olive oil. Put in the oven for 5-7 minutes, until crispy.
• Remove from the oven and rub each baguette with the raw garlic. Top each baguette with cheese, steak, and other toppings, except the arugula (optional: put some more cheese on top). Return to the oven and turn your broiler on high for 2 minutes or until the cheese has melted. 
• NOTE: if you don't want your steak to cook any more under the broiler, only top the baguettes with cheese and other toppings and broil. Top with the steak after removing from the oven.
• Optional: top with some fresh arugula and drizzle with olive oil before serving. 

Spicy Quinoa Corn Chowder

A take on corn chowder using quinoa instead of potatoes, and with a spicy kick!

On Christmas Eve we were hanging out with family at my parents' house. My cousin handed my daughter a gift that she immediately started to open. When she got some of the paper off, she saw the American Girl logo on the box and started to get really excited. Meanwhile, we are all sitting there thinking "oh no, she thinks it is a doll." There is no way it was a doll, it was a flat, square box.  She continues to rip off the paper as we all hold our breath. Well, once she saw that the box contained her own set of cooking utensils, she screamed "YES!!!!" over and over and kept jumping up and down. BEST reaction EVER, and my cousin wins the prize for best gift ever! 

In addition to the cooking tools, we gave our daughter a set of plastic chopping knives, so she now has her own drawer in the kitchen with all of her tools. Every time she is ready to cook with me she pulls out every single tool, even if she only needs a knife and a spoon, grabs her stool and gets to work. 

The last time we cooked together we made this Spicy Quinoa Corn Chowder - a hearty yet healthy soup using quinoa in place of potatoes, and only a touch of cream. 

I like a bit of kick in my corn chowder, so the minced jalapeno adds just the perfect amount. I round it out with some chili powder and cumin for that smoky flavor. The next time you want a chowder, try using quinoa - it worked so well in this soup and one cup was a delicious and filling lunch. 

Spicy Quinoa Corn Chowder Original Recipe by Mary Ellen of Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations
Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp light olive oil
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 stalk of celery, diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 jalapeno, seeds and stems removed, minced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 sm can creamed corn
• 3/4 c frozen corn
• 1/2 c quinoa, rinsed
• 1 tsp each chili powder and cumin
• 1/2 tsp each salt and black pepper
• 4 c low sodium chicken (or vegetable) broth
• 1/2 c light cream

Directions

• Heat olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven
• Add the carrots, celery and onion; saute 2 minutes
• Add the jalapeno, garlic and red pepper; saute 2-3 minutes
• Add the frozen corn and creamed corn; stir
• Add the quinoa and spiced, stir to combine
• Add the broth and bring to a boil. Cover, lower heat and let simmer 15-20 minutes until quinoa has cooked through.
• Add the cream and stir. Adjust seasoning if necessary

Oven Baked Chicken Burritos in a Creamy and Cheesy Roasted Jalapeno Sauce

Easy shredded chicken in the crockpot for oven-baked burritos topped with an out-of-this-world creamy and cheesy roasted jalapeno sauce

I love enchiladas and could probably eat them daily. The soft tortillas, different fillings, all smothered in a delicious sauce.. I think it's the sauce that gets me. I'm not the biggest burrito fan because of the lack of sauce, so when I spotted a recipe for smothered burritos I was all over it. 

This recipe is SO easy because your chicken cooks in the crockpot all day, so it's really just making the sauce (which can be done in advance) and then assembling the burritos and baking them. This is definitely easy enough for a weeknight.

The original recipe called for canned green chiles for the sauce, but I really prefer the smoky and fresh flavor from roasted jalapenos. The canned ones tend to be a bit tangy, in my opinion. If you have a gas cooktop it's really easy to roast your own jalapenos. Alternatively you could char them on an outdoor grill or even a fire pit. All you need is open flame. 

My advice - make extra!!! These were so, so good that I was so excited to have leftovers the next day. The chicken was so tender and flavorful. The tortillas were nicely crisped in the oven, and the sauce MADE these burritos. Smoky and full of a subtle heat, creamy, salty and just spoon-licking good. Seriously, I was licking the spoon. And leftover sauce is the perfect nacho topping! 

I will absolutely be adding these to my rotation... you should too!


Oven-Baked Chicken Burritos in a Creamy & Cheesy Roasted Jalapeno Sauce
Loosely Adapted from: Carlsbad Cravings

Shredded Chicken Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless chicken breasts
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 c salsa (I prefer hot, mild or medium would work too)
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 jalapenos, chopped
• 1 14.5 can diced tomatoes with their juices
• 1 Tbsp each: chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano
• 1 tsp each salt, black pepper, chipotle chili powder

Shredded Chicken Directions

• Rub chicken with olive oil and place in the bottom of your crockpot
• Add the salsa, brown sugar, jalapenos, tomatoes, and all spices
• Cook on high 2-4 hours or low 6-7 hours until chicken is cooked through. 
• Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred with 2 forks OR use your stand mixer to shred chicken on low speed (my favorite use for my KitchenAid mixer!)
• Return chicken to the crockpot and keep warm until ready to assemble burritos.

Creamy Roasted Jalapeno Sauce Ingredients

• 2 jalapeno peppers
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 3 Tbsp flour
• 2 c low sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp each salt, black pepper, cumin
• 1/2 c sour cream
• 1/2 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• Hot sauce to taste (optional)

Creamy Roasted Jalapeno Sauce Directions

• Roast your jalapenos - place the jalapenos over an open flame until all of the skin is completely charred. Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. After 10-15 minutes, peel off the charred skin (you may want to wear gloves!). Cut off the top of each jalapeno and slice down one side to open the jalapeno flat. Scrape away the seeds and then chop the jalapenos.
• Heat olive oil and butter in a sauce pan. 
• Whisk in the flour and stir until combined and slightly bubbling, about 3 minutes
• Lower the heat to medium and slowly whisk in the chicken broth and add the spices. Continue to stir for about 3 minutes. 
• Remove from heat and stir in the chopped jalapenos, sour cream and cheese. Taste and add hot sauce if you want more heat. 
• You can make this a day in advance and then slowly reheat it on low, stirring often, when you are ready to make your burritos.

The Burritos

• 4-6 flour tortillas (burrito size)
• 1 c shredded cheddar cheese
• Cooking Spray
• Toppings (tomatoes, cilantro, avocado, etc)

• Line a cookie sheet with foil and top with cooling racks.
• Fill your burrito with chicken (drain the chicken from the liquid first, or just use tongs to pull out the chicken - you don't want liquid in your burrito), top with some cheese, and roll by folding in the sides and rolling as you continue to tuck in the sides. Place seam side down and spray with cooking spray (both sides).
• Cook on 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Turn on the broiler at the end to quickly crisp; flip burritos over and crisp other side. 
• Serve topped with the warm sauce and toppings.

Kale and White Bean Soup with Sausage

I'm often asked "what's your favorite thing to cook?" I can't name just one, but I do have a top 3 list.

First -simply for the way flavors come together and the ease of serving and cleanup - would be one-pot/one-pan/one baking dish dinners. Things like braised meats with veggies, stews, roasted chicken with potatoes and veggies, chicken or pork with a pan sauce, or skillet casseroles. I'm constantly looking for new one-pot creations!

Second is risotto. It's an elegant starter, entree or side, and it is extremely versatile. I have made risotto over 30 ways with all different ingredients and flavors from traditional to fusion recipes. I love the process, the gentle stirring, and watching the rice puff and soften as it turns into a creamy dish.

Finally, soup. You can spend hours simmering a complex soup or pull one together rather quickly (like the one in this post). I love building the flavors and slowly adding ingredients - I never make a dump soup in a crockpot. I love all kinds of soups - creamy, broth based, vegetarian, chicken, beef, traditional, international. I could eat soup daily, and in the colder months I often do. Any Sunday night you can find several containers of soup all packaged up for lunches for the week.

I created this soup because I had a bag of kale we didn't use up over the weekend. While I have used spinach and escarole in soups, to me kale is the perfect leafy green for soup. It wilts just enough to do well in a soup, but also holds up enough to add some great textures.

This soup, even before adding the sausage, had the most amazing, rich and perfectly salty flavor - the secret is including the Parmesan rind!  Just one tip before we get to the recipe - I prefer to keep the sausage separate from the soup until ready to serve. This keeps the soup from getting overly greasy or salty. The sausage you use is completely up to you - hot Italian, sweet, chicken, etc.

Kale and White Bean Soup with Sausage
Original Recipe by Mary Ellen of Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 white or yellow onion, diced
• 1 14.5oz can of white beans
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 pinches Kosher salt
• Small Parmesan rind
• 6 c low sodium chicken broth 
• 1.5 cups chopped Kale leaves, stems removed
• 1/2 lb cooked, crumbled sausage (your choice; I used hot Italian sausage)

Directions

• Heat olive oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven or large soup pot
• Add the onions and garlic; saute 2 minutes
• Add the white beans, stir to combine.
• Add the thyme, oregano, salt, pepper, Parmesan rind and broth. Stir, cover and let simmer 15 minutes.
• Remove the lid and add the kale. Simmer another 5 minutes. Adjust salt and pepper if needed. 
• In the meantime, cook your sausage (breaking up to crumble) and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. 
• Serve soup with 1-2 Tbsp of the cooked sausage. 

Homemade Egg Noodles for Soup

No noodles for your soup? No problem! 

These homemade egg noodles come together quickly with just two ingredients and some muscle! 

A few weeks ago I was making a pot of my Homemade Chicken Soup when I walked to my pantry to grab a bag of egg noodles only to find I didn't have any!!! I really, really wanted noodles with my soup but did not feel like going back to the store in the cold rain.

So what's a girl to do? Make her own, of course!

I don't know why I decided so quickly that I'd make my own. I have never made my own pasta before, I don't have a pasta attachment, and I had no idea if it would be quick and easy or a big project.

Luckily, after just a bit of research, I realized I could do this quickly using a rolling pin, pizza cutter and some muscle. There are many different recipes out there, some using a dough hook, some using beaten eggs, some adding butter and or milk. Since it was my first time I went with a basic recipe using just eggs and four.

These aren't the prettiest noodles - they are more rustic - but you can't beat homemade noodles.

I learned a few things making these noodles. First, I really need to work on my upper body strength!! Rolling takes a lot of muscle, but then again I'm not that strong and I NEVER use a rolling pin so I'm not used to the motion.

 Second, you really want to get the dough thin and even. A few of my noodles were thicker on the ends or in the middle, so they didn't cook evenly.

Finally, along the same lines as rolling the dough out evenly, cut them evenly. All of your noodles should be the same width.

You can cook these noodles long or cut them into smaller shapes - it's up to you, what you prefer, and how you will be using them.

So the next time you are in need of noodles, give these a try!

Homemade Egg Noodles for Soup
Source: The Pioneer Woman
Note: this is for 2 people. The Pioneer Woman's rule of thumb for the recipe is # eggs = # ppl, and 1 c flour per every 2 eggs.

• 2 whole eggs
• 1 c all purpose flour

Make a well in the center of your pile of flour and crack in your eggs. Slowly mix together with your hands.

Turn it out onto a floured surface and knead (roll, punch, push, etc.) by hand until dough becomes smooth and pliable, adding flour to the surface as needed. 

Let the dough rest for a little while (10-15 min) before starting the next step - rolling 

When you're ready, roll out the dough using a rolling pin on a floured surface as thinly as it will go. 

Cut the dough into noodles (strips) using a knife or pizza cutter.

Please the cut noodles on a floured surface and allow them to dry before cooking.

To cook the noodles, just boil them in salted (salted!!!!) water for 2-3 minutes. Fresh noodles cook quickly so be careful not to overcook. 

Homemade Chicken Soup

A homemade chicken soup with a healthy yet rich broth. 

If you haven't made chicken soup from scratch before, you have to try it - it's so easy! And if you HAVE made it, you have to try my trick for the most amazing broth. Read on! 

Homemade chicken soup is the ultimate healthy comfort food. Just smelling it simmering away on the stove makes you feel warm and relaxed. I love this soup so much that I have been making it every 2 weeks this fall and winter. 

There is nothing hard about making chicken soup from scratch. Its basically chicken, veggies and herbs simmered in water. 

But to give my chicken soup a richer flavor, there are two things that I love to do - 

First, browning the chicken and then deglazing the pan ensures that you get the most out of your chicken, and way more flavor than just simmering your chicken. 

Second, I puree the veggies once cooked and then add them back to the broth. This is still a broth based soup, but just a touch more thick and velvety from the pureed veggies. And just look at that color!

I use 2 split chicken breasts to make 6 servings of soup. Just 2 chicken breasts give you a lot of meat, so I'll often use 2/3 of it for serving in the soup, and then turn the rest into chicken salad for 2 lunches. So 8 servings of food from 2 chicken breasts that cost me $8? Can't beat that!

One final tip - if you like to eat your soup with noodles, cook the separately. If you cook them in the broth they will soak up (waste) too much of your broth. I made homemade noodles for the first time to go with this soup. Only 2 ingredients and no pasta attachment needed, just a rolling pin! Check out the recipe for the noodles here!

Homemade Chicken Soup
Original Recipe by Mary Ellen of Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations

Ingredients

• 2 bone in split chicken breasts
• Approx 1/2 tsp each salt, black pepper, dried thyme, poultry seasoning
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 8 cups water
• 2 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped (including the leafy ends)
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 bay leaf

Directions

• Heat olive oil in a large saute pan
• Season the chicken with the salt, pepper, thyme and poultry seasoning. Add the chicken to the pan and brown, approx 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a large soup pot. Take 1/4 c of your water and add it to the saute pan over high heat to deglaze the pan, scraping up all of the brown bits. Once you have scraped everything up, pour this water over the chicken in the soup pot.
• Add your chopped veggies, the rest of the water and the bay leaf to the soup pot. Cover and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for 1 hour.
• Transfer the chicken to a plate; let cool and then pick all of the meat off.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer all of the veggies to a blender or cup of a handheld stick blender. Puree until smooth, and then return the puree to the broth. 
• Adjust salt and pepper if needed before serving. Serve with chopped chicken and (optional) noodles. 

The perfect cookie - Snickerdoodles

Soft on the inside, crispy on the outside, and with just the perfect amount of sweetness and cinnamon, Snickerdoodles are my absolute favorite Christmas cookie. Look how beautifully fluffy they are! 

My dad has been making snickerdoodles for years. A few years ago I told him I was going to try making them myself and he seem surprised. He knows I'm not a baker so he warned me that snickerdoodles are hard cookies to make. I took that as a challenge.

I knew that the key ingredient in snickerdoodles was cream of tartar. This special ingredient is what separates snickerdoodles from other sugar cookies. The cream of tartar is what gives them their tangy chew, everything I love about a good snickerdoodle.

I didn't find these cookies to be difficult at all, and my daughter had the best time coating the cookies with cinnamon sugar. These cookies will always be on my Christmas baking list!

Snickerdoodles

Source: Real Simple

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
• 1 c (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 c light brown sugar
• 1 1/4 c granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions

• Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt.
• With an electric mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, and 1 c of the granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
• Reduce speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated.
• In a shallow bowl, combine the cinnamon and remaining 1/4 c of granulated sugar.
• Form cookie dough into balls (each equal to 1 level Tbsp). Roll the balls in the cinnamon sugar mixture and place on parchment lined baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart.
• Bake until the edges are golden, 12-14 minutes.
• Cool slightly on the baking sheets, and then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

1. 
   
2. 
   

Cheese Tortellini Primavera in a Light Garlic Cream Sauce

Cheese Tortellini with Fresh Vegetables in a Light Garlic Cream Sauce - A quick and easy meal that comes together in 20 minutes! 

Yes, you read that correctly. 20 minutes! 
Tortellini is a great pasta to use when you need to cut down on cooking time. Where other pasta shapes can take 8-12 minutes to cook, you will have perfect tortellini in about 5 minutes. 
As far as timing, chop your veggies and get out your other ingredients while the water is coming to a boil. Once the water boils, toss your veggies in for one minute. Blanching the veggies will cut down on your sauteeing time. Then, you make the sauce when you drop the tortellini. The sauce and tortellini will be done at the same time, and then all you need to do is toss it all together. 

This is a great Meatless Monday meal, a perfect quick weeknight dinner, and makes great leftovers (if you have any!) for lunch the next day. 

print recipe

Cheese Tortellini Primavera in a Garlic Cream Sauce

by Mary Ellen of Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations 
November-4-2016

Ingredients

• 1 small head broccoli, chopped into florets
• 1 large carrot, sliced
• 1/2 each red and green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 of a small yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 12oz bag of frozen tortellini
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• Splash of white wine
• 1/2 c low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/4 c light cream
• A few pinches each salt and pepper
• 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning (like McCormick's Perfect Pinch)
• 1/2 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Once it is at a full boil, toss in the broccoli and carrots. Cook for one minute and then remove with a slotted spoon into a colander and run under cold water. Drain well. Return the water to a boil and put in the tortellini.Cook for approximately 5 minutes, or until the tortellini pops to the top of the water.
- Heat olive oil in a large saute pan.
- Toss in the onions and garlic; saute 1 min.
- Add the broccoli, carrots, red and green pepper, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning; saute 1 min.
- Add the white wine, stir for 20 seconds before adding the broth. Bring to a gentle simmer and then add the cream and Parmesan cheese.
- Drain the tortellini and add to the veggie/sauce mixture. Toss and serve.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 10 mins Total time: 20 mins Yield: 4 Servings

Buffalo Chicken BLT Wraps

Restaurant-style wrap with crispy chicken tenders tossed in buffalo sauce, cold lettuce and tomatoes, and smoky bacon. 

When you go to your neighborhood restaurants - you know, like quick, casual places, nothing too fancy, good food, and big portions - do you have a favorite thing to order, or do you always try something new? I love trying new things, but at some restaurants, I have a favorite dish and order it every time we go.

A local bar and grill has a chicken wrap on their menu that I just LOVE. It's a pretty straight-forward wrap with buffalo chicken and veggies, so I decided to recreate it at home. I added bacon though because, well, bacon!!

I fried up the chicken while the bacon was cooking, and that's pretty much all the prep that goes into this dish. 

My key to crispy chicken tenders with breading that stays put instead of sliding off the chicken when you take a bite is simple. Cornstarch. Instead of using flour as your first breading step, use cornstarch. Your breading will stick to your chicken in a thick layer and won't go anywhere when you cut it or take a bite. 

Look at how beautifully crunchy and crispy that chicken looks!

Once the chicken and bacon are cooked, you simply layer your wrap with greens, bacon, tomatoes, and the chicken tossed in buffalo sauce. Drizzle on a little ranch dressing and wrap it all up.

For a pub style meal at home, give this chicken wrap a try!

print recipe

Buffalo Chicken BLT Wrap

by Mary Ellen of Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations,  November-1-2016

Ingredients

• 2 lbs, Boneless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
• A few pinches each Salt and pepper
• 1 c Cornstarch
• 2 Eggs, beaten
• 1 c Breadcrumbs
• 1 Tbsp each Spices (onion powder, garlic powder)
• 1/4 c Vegetable oil
• 8 slices Bacon, cooked
• 2 cups Lettuce/greens of your choice
• 1 large Tomato, sliced
• 1/2 c Buffalo sauce
• 4 Tortilla wraps, large
• 1 Tbsp (per wrap)  Ranch dressing

Instructions

- Set up your breading station: put cornstarch in the first bowl, beaten eggs in second, and breadcrumbs seasoned with onion and garlic powder in a third. Place paper towels on a large plate and top with a cooling rack. - Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat - Season chicken strips with salt and pepper. Roll in the cornstarch, shake off any excess. Coat with egg and then roll in the breadcrumbs, fully coating the chicken. - Place the chicken in the pan and fry for 4 minutes until one side is golden brown. Flip and brown the other side for 4 minutes. Check the temperature - chicken should reach 170 degrees. Cook until the chicken is at the correct temperature. Transfer to the cooling rack. - Toss the chicken with buffalo sauce - Assemble the wrap by layering greens, bacon, tomatoes, chicken, and some ranch dressing. Fold in the ends and roll, tucking the ends in as you go so you end up with a nice, tight burrito shaped roll. Slice in half and serve.

Yield: 4 wraps