Pasta with Kale & Roasted Tomatoes

This is a simple weeknight dinner filled with veggies and delicious flavor. 

It’s ready in less than 30 minutes to boot!

We really enjoyed the combination of the roasted tomatoes with the peas, kale and pasta. I think you will too!

Pasta with Kale & Roasted Tomatoes – Adapted from Real Simple

Ingredients

• 2 C spiral pasta, uncooked 
• 1 C frozen peas
• 2.5 C frozen chopped kale
• 1 medium chicken breast, cooked and diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• salt & pepper, to taste
• 1/2 C chicken broth
• 1/2 C half and half
• 1/4 C reserved pasta water
• 1/3 C Parmesan cheese
• 10-20 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved & roasted

Directions

Begin by cooking pasta according to directions; add peas in the last 3 minutes of boiling.  Drain (reserving up to 1/2 C pasta water) and set aside.

Meanwhile, sauté 1 minced garlic clove, with 1 medium cooked and diced chicken breast in a large skillet for 2-3 minutes. 

Add in 2.5 C chopped kale and sauté until kale is wilted, about 2-3 minutes. 

Add in 1/2 C broth along with 1/2 C half and half and reduce heat to a simmer, simmer for 2-3 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper. 

Remove from the heat and stir in pasta, peas, roasted tomatoes.

Then add Parmesan cheese. 

If the dish seems a little dry, add up to 1/4 C reserved pasta water.

Serve warm.

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Crockpot Chicken Pot Pie

If you are just joining us, we are in the middle of Crockpot Chicken Week!  All week long, 5 recipes using leftover crockpot chicken… and all recipes are made in the crockpot.  I had a great question yesterday from a reader about if you can feed 5-6 people on one chicken.  While I haven’t tried it, I would venture yes. 

Here’s how: Use smaller amounts of meat in each dish and load up on the veggies.  For example, in yesterday’s soup – use 3/4 C shredded cooked chicken rather than the 1 to 1 1/2 C suggested.  Add more carrots, celery, barley, rice & lentils.  Think of meat as the side dish, adding flavor to your favorite veggies.      

For today’s recipe, up the veggies; go for 5-6 C!  It’s easy and delicious.  The recipe comes from one of my favorite food bloggers, Megan from What Megan’s Making.  It takes about 4 hours from start to finish if you use frozen veggies.  If you use fresh veggies, plan for 6-8 hours, which will provide enough time for the veggies to cook completely. 

Crockpot Chicken Pot Pie – Adapted from Megan

Ingredients

• 8 oz mushrooms, fresh or canned
• 3 T minced onion
• 4-5 C frozen mixed veggies (peas, corn, green beans, carrots preferred)
• 1/3 C white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 – 3/4 C leftover shredded cooked chicken
• 1/3 C chicken broth
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/3 C milk or cream
• Pinch of thyme
• 1 recipe cheesy biscuits

Directions

In a large crockpot (4-6 quart), combine 8 oz mushrooms (we used canned, drained) with 3 T minced onion and 4-5 C mixed frozen veggies. 

Sprinkle the veggie mixture with 1/3 C white whole wheat flour.  All purpose may also be used, but we go for all whole wheat all the time. 

Add 1/2 – 3/4 C shredded cooked chicken, leftover from your whole chicken cooked earlier this week.  Alternatively, if canned chicken is your thing, you could use that here. 

Stir the mixture and season with salt and pepper. 

Pour in 1/3 C leftover chicken broth.  Stir. 

Season with a pinch of thyme.  Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours until warmed through, veggies are hot and the sauce has thickened. 

Thirty-minutes before serving prepare cheesy biscuits.  You can find the directions here.  Additionally, at this point, add 1/3 C milk to the pot pie cooking away in the crockpot.  Turn the heat up to high and cook until the biscuits are done. 

Top each serving with 1-2 biscuits. 

Enjoy!

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Rice Cooker Risotto

We took our favorite spring-time risotto recipe and adapted it for the rice cooker!

While the texture of the risotto is different than that made in the pan, the risotto was excellent – and had a yummy consistency. 

And, the best part was – the rice cooker did all the work!

Rice Cooker Risotto – Adapted from Finding Joy in My Kitchen

Ingredients

• 4 C chicken broth
• 2 C brown rice
• 1 T minced onion
• 1/4 C dry white wine
• 1 C chopped carrots
• 1 C chopped broccoli
• 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
• 8 oz. mushrooms, chopped
• 1 medium zucchini, shredded
• 1 C peas
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/2 C Parmesan cheese
• Cooked, diced chicken – optional

Directions

Begin by combining 2 C brown rice, 1 T minced onion, 4 C chicken broth & 1/4 C dry white wine into the base of your rice cooker. 

Cover and begin to cook the rice.  Meanwhile, finely chop all the veggies and place them in a large bowl. 

If you have a steamer basket, place the diced veggies into the steamer atop your rice cooker. Don’t worry about veggies falling into the rice – they’re going to end up there anyway!  If you’d rather, either microwave or sauté the veggies until crisp-tender.  If you sauté them, use a large pan and add 1 tsp. olive oil.   

Cook until veggies are steamed and rice is just about done.  Give the rice a stir or two – it should be moist and have a little liquid remaining. 

If the rice is too dry, add a little more chicken broth or white wine at this step.  Then, add in all the steamed veggies. 

Stir in the veggies.  Then, add the cheese. 

Stir in the peas (they should be steamed or cooked before adding). 

If desired, add in some cooked, diced chicken.  We did this with our leftovers to add a little protein and it was delicious. 

Enjoy!

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Paneer Mutter Masala

Paneer Mutter Masala is again something very special which we would like to order in a restaurant.  Every home cook will have their own version for this gravy with few minor changes.  When it comes to these restaurant special gravies like Butter Chicken, Paneer Makhani etc.
There is always one recipe which I totally depend on is,Varevah.  Almost everybody who watched  his video recipes will definitely start following his recipes.  His videos are always simple and easy to follow and interesting to watch too.  Needless to say his recipe never fails, no wonder he has got so many fans.

Whenever I had these gravies like paneer makhani or paneer mutter masala, I never thought it would be so easy for me to make at home.  Sometimes it makes you feel really good when you are able to recreate this restaurant menu at home.  With big thanks to Varevah for sharing this recipe, let's see how to make it.

Preparation Time:10 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:
Paneer- 100 gms ( diced in cubes )
Peas- 200 gms ( boiled )
Onion- 1 big sized chopped finely
Tomato- 2 medium sized chopped finely
Ginger garlic paste-1 tsp
Chilly powder- 1 tsp
Coriander powder- 2 tsp
Garam masala- 1/2 tsp
Kasoori methi-1 tsp
Cashew nut-4 nuts
Ketchup- 2 tsp
Cumin seeds-1 tsp
Cinnamonstick- 1/2 inch stick
Oil- 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Cream-2 tsp ( optional )

Method:
Boil the peas and keep it separately.  Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and cinnamon stick.  After a minute,add ginger garlic paste, keep the heat in medium and stir well.  Now add the cashews and onions , stir well until they looks transparent.  To get the onions cooked quickly, you can add a little bit of salt. Now add the tomatoes and stir well.  Cover the pan and cook till the tomatoes get soft and mushy.  Now add kasurimethi,chilly powder and coriander powder to it.  Add some water , cover the pan and cook till it looks like gravy.  After few minutes,switch of the stove.  Blend the mixture in a blender until  it's pureed well.  Pour the ground mixture again in a pan and start cooking it in medium heat.  Now add the ketchup and salt to taste.  Add the diced paneer and cooked peas.  Cover the pan and let  it cook for a minute or two.  Finally add the garam masala and stir well.  Just before serving, you can drizzle some cream on top or just serve it without cream with naan or roti's.

Linking this recipe with Comfort Food 

 

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Rava Peas Tikki

Just like all mums, I too have the same worries every day night before going to bed, what lunch / snack I'm going to pack for kid.  As a mum our responsibility doesn't end  just  by packing the food, it's also our responsibility to make sure that he / she likes it and enjoys the food.

Each and every kid is unique and they have different taste buds, only a mum will know what her child needs.  So here is a simple dish which I adapted from Tarldala's Cookbook ( Cooking for kids ).  It's a very simple, nutritious and very easy to make i.e. , you can pack it very easily for your kids even on a busy weekday morning.  According to your kids taste you can vary few flavours or the vegetables like instead of peas, you can also add corn, carrot or even broccoli.


Preparation Time : 10 minutes
Cooking Time : 15 minutes

Ingredients:
For the Outer Layer:
Rava / Semolina - 1/2 cup
Water- 1 cup
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Oil- 1 tsp
Salt- 1/4 tsp

For the filling: ( Mix all the filling ingredients together )
Boiled and crushed peas- 1/2 cup
Chaat masala- 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil  for frying

Method:
Prepare the outer layer :
Heat the water along with the salt in a pan.  When water starts boiling add the rava little by little and keep stirring continuously.  Add turmeric and stir until it comes together like a dough.  Take it off from heat, add about a teaspoon of oil.  Cover it and leave the dough for about 5 minutes.
Divide the dough in to 8 equal rounds and divide the filling into 8 equal rounds. Apply oil to your hand and  flatten the dough in the middle of your palms. Place the filling in the middle and cover it without any cracks and flatten it again slightly.  Heat the oil in a pan and fry the tikki's in medium heat until they look light brown in colour.  Serve it warm with tomato ketchup .  To pack in a lunch box, let it cool down for a while, wrap it in aluminium foil and pack tightly in a lunch box.

Sending this to Cooking With Seeds- Peas, Snacks Mela, Kid's Delight- Colour Palette hosted by Veg junction originally started by Srivalli

 

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