“Marry Me” Chicken & TortelliniTime: 40 mins

Original Recipe: https://craftycookbook.com/marry-me-chicken-tortellini/

Note, I didn't name this dish. "Marry Me Chicken" has been around for a while, it always features pan fried chicken breast served in a sun dried tomato cream sauce. This version serves it up over tortellini tossed in extra sauce.

Ingredients

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast16-20 oz fresh or frozen cheese tortellini2 cups half-and-half, or 1 cup cream + 1 cup whole milk1 ½ tsp chicken better than bouillon, or chicken bouillon cubes⅓ cup sun dried tomatoes, drained and chopped fine½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, or sub basil or parsley1 tbsp freshly minced garlic¼ cup all-purpose flour½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (add more to make it spicy, or omit if very sensitive to spice)½ tsp dried oreganoolive oilgarlic powderfreshly cracked black peppersaltInstructions

Fillet the chicken breast(s) and pound to a thin, even thickness. Season all over with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Pour flour onto a shallow plate and dredge the chicken in it, shaking off any excess.Warm 2 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat, sear breasts for about 3 mins per side, until golden, then remove to a cutting board. Slice into the largest piece to ensure it’s cooked through, then tent with foil to keep warm. Do not wipe the pan clean. Turn off the heat to allow the pan to cool slightly.Meanwhile, begin boiling a large pot of salted water. Cook the tortellini per package instructions while preparing the rest of the meal. Drain and cover to keep warm until needed. (Most cook times are short, so wait until the sauce is almost done)In the pan you cooked the chicken, cook the garlic and red pepper flakes over medium heat until fragrant (about 1 minute), add more oil if needed. Next, add the half-and-half and reduce heat to medium low. Add the bouillon and oregano, mix well and scrape any browned bits into the sauce. Once simmering, add the parmesan (reserving a little for garnish) and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is the consistency of thick cream, about 10 minutes.After simmering, add the chopped sun dried tomatoes and mix well. Add the chicken back to the pan and spoon sauce over it until it’s coated. Warm it in the pan for 1-2 minutes, then remove to a cutting board and cut into bite sized pieces.Toss the tortellini in the sauce, then plate into serving dishes. Top with the chicken, then garnish with the reserved parmesan and fresh thyme.If you make this recipe, I'd love to hear how it went and any feedback you have in the comments section!

A. Meat Sauce

- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

- 3 large carrots, peeled & finely chopped

- 1 large onion, diced

- 4 large cloves garlic, minced

- 1 green bell pepper, diced

- 16 ounces lean ground beef

- 8 ounces ground pork

- ¾ cup red wine

- 2 cans, or fresh (28 ounces) diced tomatoes

- 1 tablespoon tomato paste

- 1/2 tablespoon ketchup

- Course kosher salt (Diamond Crystal Brand) and fresh, or dried, Italian herbs (oregano, rosemary, thyme).

INSTRUCTIONS

In a 10 or 12 inch heavy-bottomed stainless steel or cast-iron skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until sufficiently pre-heated. Add onion and carrots, season slightly with a healthy pinch of kosher salt. Sauté until translucent, about 8 minutes.Add garlic and bell pepper. Continue cooking until garlic is fragrant but not scorched.Increase heat to high. Add beef and pork and cook, breaking apart the meat with a wooden spoon until mostly browned. Approximately 10 minutes.Add wine and deglaze. Boil off the wine until it is mostly evaporated, 3-4 minutes at least.Stir in tomatoes with all liquid if using canned. Reheat to boiling and then reduce heat to medium-low.Add ketchup and tomato pasteSeason with more salt and select italian herbs to your liking.Simmer the now mostly completed sauce, uncovered, for at least 20 minutes or until the sauce has thickened sufficiently.Preheat oven to 375.B. Béchamel

- Metal whisk

- 2 tablespoons butter

- 3 tablespoons flour

- 2 cups of milk, heated to just under a boil

- Salt and white pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

In a 2 or 3 quart saucepan, melt butter over low heat.Once butter is completely melted and covering the bottom of your saucepan, blend in the flour by small amounts, stirring frequently with whisk.Once all flour is blended in, continue cooking for 2 minutes without browning or coloring the mixture.Remove from heat. Allow to slightly cool and then pour in the heated milk in one swift motion. Immediately and quickly blend the mixture together with whisk.Return saucepan to the stove over medium-high heat and continue stirring quickly until the sauce comes to boil.Boil for about 1 minute, while stirring, until sauce is thick enough to coat and cling to the back of a spoon.Remove from heat and season slightly with kosher salt and white pepper. Careful not to over-season as to avoid overpowering the dish.If sauce is too thin, boil it down while stirring continually until reduced and thickened. If sauce is too thick, simmer and thin out with milk added in a tablespoon at a time. If sauce is lumpy, either strain or blend it and then simmer for a few minutes.C. Filling

INSTRUCTIONS

- 1-2 cups freshly made béchamel

- 7 ounces, approximate, ricotta cheese

- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese.

In roughly equal parts, combine all ingredients, stir well, and taste.Reserve some parmesan to both top unbaked lasagna and garnish completed lasagna.D. Assembly

INSTRUCTIONS

- 1 package (8 to 9 ounces) of no-boil lasagna noodles.

In the bottom of a 13x9 baking dish, ladle about 1 cup of meat sauce to evenly coat the bottom of the dish.Arrange 3-4 (depending on width of noodles) noodles over sauce, careful not to overlap or touch sides of the dish.Ladle 1 ½ cups meat sauce over noodles.Spread about ¾ - 1 cup of filling over meat sauce. Best method is to use a tablespoon, dropping dollops across the layer and then spreading slightly. The filling will loosen while cooking so it does not have to be perfect.Repeat steps 2-4 with all remaining ingredients until you finish with a final layer of meat sauce.Top assembled lasagna with filling and freshly grated parmesan.Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes in preheated oven at 375.Remove foil and bake for 15 additional minutes.Remove dish from the oven and raise oven rack to the highest position. Set broiler to high and place uncovered lasagna on topmost rack directly under heat elements. Broil carefully, with over door ajar, until the top is perfectly crisped and brown.Turn off heat, remove from oven and rest for a minimum of 15 minutes.With a serrated knife, divide lasagna into equal portions and guide your cuts by the small gaps between noodles.Serve garnished with fresh chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese. Pair with peperoncinis and the rest of that bottle of red wine.

I thought it would be cool to make a very traditional Ragu alla Bolognese; i.e. the sauce that was the catalyst for the famed 'Spaghetti Bolognese' dish a lot of us know and love. This dish is said to have originated in Italy's Bologna region hence the name. For anyone interested it was Pelligrino Artusi who first published ragu as a recipe back in 1891.

The below recipe is just for the ragu sauce - it will make enough to top 6 servings of pasta. Best pasta to serve this with is tagliatelle, fettucine, or pappardelle.

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 3+ hours

Total Time: Approx 6 hours

Servings: 6

EQUIPMENTSaucepanINGREDIENTS• 250g beef, hand minced (chuck, brisket, short rib, shank all work)⁣• 250g pork, hand minced (shoulder is best)⁣• Extra Virgin Olive Oil⁣ (EVOO)• 1 onion, diced⁣• 1 rib celery, diced⁣• 1 carrot, diced⁣• 2.5 tbs tomato paste (concentrated)⁣• 1 cup red wine⁣• 1 cup stock (chicken or beef) + more for topping up ⁣• 1 cup whole milk⁣• 1 cinnamon stick⁣• 1 bay leaf⁣

• a largish segment of lemon peel⁣• A little pinch of nutmeg⁣• Salt & black pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONSUse a sharp knife or a heavy cleaver to finely chop the meat into a course mince.Heat a heavy bottomed pot on high-heat add enough EVOO to cover the bottom about 1/4 inch thick then add beef and saute for 6-7 minutes until browned on the outside. Remove the beef with a slotted spoon ensuring you leave rendered fat in the pot and set aside.Repeat the above step for the pork.Add onions, carrot, celery and saute for 15 - 20 minutes.Add red wine, then the beef and pork back in, then tomato paste, stock, milk, cinnammon, bay leaf, nutmeg, lemon peel. Give everything a good stir and season with salt (about 1 tbs) and black pepperSimmer on low heat for 3-6 hours - taste every half an hour; if it gets dry top up with either water or stock. It's done when the meat is tender and no longer chewy; obviously the longer you cook the more tender/melt in your mouth it will get. TO SERVETagliatelle Egg Pasta (cook according to packet instructions and add as much ragu as you like and a dash of reserved pasta water to make it a little saucy)Grated Parmiggiano Reggiano cheeseCracked Black pepperGlass of Red Wine! For those interested, below is a 2 min video of cooking process end to end.

Ingredients for pumpkin gnocchi, from this recipe

8 ounces pumpkin puree1 cup all-purpose flour1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese1/2 cup ricotta cheese1 large egg1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmegWhole cloves, to help mimic pumpkin stemsToothpicks or food safe string, for shaping

Instructions

Prepare the pumpkin by draining some of the liquid out. To do this line a bowl or a strainer with a few layers of paper towels, then place the pumpkin puree on top of the paper towels. Let this sit for 10 minutes.Gently mix together all of the ingredients in a large bowl. A soft but pliable dough will form, if the dough is too wet or sticky, add additional flour as needed 1 tablespoon at a time.Sprinkle a little flour on a clean countertop or cutting board.Taking about 1 tablespoon of dough at a time, roll the dough between your palms to create a ball shape, set the ball onto your floured surface. Repeat this until all the dough has been rolled.Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil, season the water with a pinch of kosher salt.Using the side of a toothpick or a piece of string to create pumpkin markings on each dough ball, then very gently press down the top just a bit to make the ball a little more squat in shape.Once all of the gnocchi are shaped and the water is boiling, carefully slide them into the pot of water.Let the gnocchi boil until they begin to float, once they are floating give them another minute or two then take them out of the water.Place a whole clove into the top of each gnocchi to look like a pumpkin stem. Serve gnocchi with your favorite sauce! (it is recommended to remove the clove before eating.)

Ingredients for creamy spinach sauce

2 tablespoon unsalted butter2 tablespoon flour1 teaspoon garlic minced¾ cup whole milk1 cup heavy cream1 teaspoon Italian seasonings½ each Salt & pepper to taste8 oz baby spinach¼ cup parmesan cheese freshly grated½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese1 teaspoon red chili flakesFresh basil to garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium flame. Add butter, once butter is melted, sprinkle the flour and cook for a minute.
Add the minced garlic along with the milk, heavy cream, Italian seasonings, salt and pepper. Cook until the sauce thickens for 4-5 minutes.
Add the baby spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted.
Sprinkle the parmesan cheese over the sauce. Cook for a minute until everything comes together. Place [pumpkin 
gnocchi] in the sauceLayer the skillet with mozzarella cheese on top and sprinkle some red chili flakes. Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes until the cheeses are melted and bubbling.
Garnish the cheesy [pumpkin gnocchi] skillet with fresh basil and serve while it is still warm.


Just followed the recipe from Cafe Delites: https://cafedelites.com/creamy-tuscan-chicken/ Super easy and can be done with many sides. I personally made some buttery mashed potatoes. I used:

4 chicken breasts

salt&pepper to taste

1 1/2 tsp paprika

3 tbs oil from the sun-dried tomatoes jar

For the sauce:

6 cloves minced garlic

jar of sun-dried tomatoes

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 cup double cream

3 cups spinach

1/2 cup grated parmesan

some parsley to top with

(i didn’t use onion powder even though it’s mentioned in the recipe)

Season the chicken with the salt, pepper and paprika and then sear on the pan until golden and cooked-through. Set aside.In the same pan, heat up the rest of the oil and fry the garlic for 1-2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the mustard and mix it in.Reduce heat and add in the cream, cook to a gentle simmer. Add some more salt and pepper.Add the spinach and cook until the leaves are wilt in the sauce. Then add the parmesan. Cook for another 2 minutes.Add the chicken, top up with parsley and serve :)

Mushroom Risotto with Parmigiano Reggiano and Fresh Italian Parsley

For full recipe and lots of tips & tricks, visit: https://maplewoodroad.com/food/what-is-risotto-mushroom-risotto/

INGREDIENTSRisotto1 c Arborio rice2 Tbsp butter, divided1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil1/2 c dry white wine4 c beef stock, warmed up (I use Knorr bouillon cubes)1/2 c freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepperKosher salt, as neededMushrooms8 oz baby portobello (aka baby bellas, cremini, etc), thinly sliced to 1/4"1 Tbsp butter1 to 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil1/4 c shallots or yellow onion, chopped1 Tbsp minced garlic1 Tbsp soy sauce1 tsp thyme and/or sage1/2 tsp kosher salt1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper1/2 c roughly chopped flat leaf Italian parsley

INSTRUCTIONSBasic RisottoHeat 1 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil in a saucepan until you hear a light sizzle and the butter begins to bubble.Add 1 c of Arborio rice and stir evenly and thoroughly.After a minute or so – when the rice gets glossy (not brown), add 1/2 c of dry white wine and keep stirring. Once the wine starts to bubble, it will be absorbed quickly (within about 2 minutes), so make sure you have 4 c of beef stock warmed and ready. Add one ladle of stock at a time and stir. Adjust the heat so it’s barely boiling. Just a couple bubbles here and there.Once the liquid is absorbed, add another ladle of stock, stir, and repeat. Watch, smell, and taste. From adding the first ladle to the last, it takes about 25 minutes from start to finish. Taste, but be careful with adding salt too soon. The stock will add additional salt, and so will the salty Parmigiano Reggiano. When the rice is done, add (at least) 1 Tbsp butter and (at least) 1/2 c of Parmigiano Reggiano (the good stuff). Stir for about 2 minutes and add a couple cranks of black pepper (1/4 tsp).Mushroom RisottoHeat 1 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/4 c chopped shallots and cook for 2 minutes until translucent.Add 8 oz sliced mushrooms, 1 Tbsp minced garlic, 1 tsp dry thyme and/or sage, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, and season with 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper. Stir occasionally and cook (simmer) for about 8 minutes. Once the mushrooms have absorbed all the liquids, taste them and add more salt if necessary. Remove from the saucepan and set aside. Next, cook the risotto as outlined in the Basic Risotto recipe above.Once the risotto is ready in its creamy deliciousness, put the cooked mushrooms back in the risotto and stir it all together.Sprinkle with some roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley and pour yourself a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. You deserve it.

Ingredients Spätzle Dough

1/4 cup (50 ml) Water ( might have to add more)2 Cup (250g) Flour3 Eggs1tsp (5g) SaltIngredients Fried Onions

1-2 Cups Vegetable Oil1/2 OnionIngredients Cheese Spaetzle

12-14 Oz (340- 400 g) Strong flavored Cheese (le Gruyere, Strong Cheddar,...)4 Slices of Bacon1/2 Onion1/4-1/2Cup Heavy CreamBroil for 5 minutes

Directions Spaetzle

Mix all dry ingredient togetherAdd liquid ingredientsKnead the dough for around 10-12 minutes, with a wooden spoon until the dough gets smooth and you can see some big bubbles.let the dough rest in a bowl covered with some plastic wrap for at least 30 min.Boil one big pot of salt waterUse your spaetzle tool and form the spaetzle. Pusher for short round Spaetzle, Board for long and thin Spaetzle -> check out the tutorial clip linked at the bottomBoil it for 3-5 minutes, drain them and put them asideDirections Fried Onions

Cut the onion into small slices, I recommend using a mandolinBoil the onions in salted water for 5 minutesDrain and dry them afterwardsFry the Onions in Vegetable oil for 5 minutes or until they are lightly brown.Put them on paper twol and let the access fat drip off.Directions Cheese Spaetzle

Cut the Bacon slices into small stripes and roast them for a few minutes before you add the 1/2 diced onion to the pan ( I recommend using a cast iron pan)After the Onions are soft and the bacon is almost crispy you are going to add some butter and the spaetzle. Saute it for a few minutes until the access water is gone.Slowly add the Cheese in several batches. As oosn as the first batch is melted add the heavy cream to the speatzle. As soon as it is incorporated nicely add the left over cheese.Stir frequently until everything i smelted and nicely combined.Depending on the cheese you used, you might have to season the Spaetzle as well ( salt, Peper, Nutmeg...) whatever you likePut the pan into the broiler for 5 minutes until golden brownTopp it off with the crispy onionsEnjoy your homemade Spaetzle

Video tutorial for the Spaetzle making process: Spaetzle Making Tutorial

You can also check out the video to see full instructions: you don't like FISHY TASTE, feel free to adjust the amount of dried seafood ingredients. Thanks for all your feedback.

Ingredients

For the broth

• 1 whole stewing chicken or 3 lbs chicken bones

• 1 piece kombu

• 1/4 cup dried scallops (optional if it's too fishy for you)

• 1/4 cup anchovies (adjust the amount to your taste)

• 1/4 cup bonito flakes

• 1/4 cup dried shrimps (adjust the amount to your taste)

• 1/2 inch ginger thinly sliced

For the tare

• 1 cup soy sauce

• 1 piece kombu

• 1/2 cup mirin

• 1/2 cup sake

• 8 scallions

• 1/2 cup bonito flakes

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1/2 inch ginger thinly sliced

8 gloves garlic crushed

Instructions

Put all the ingredients for the broth In a pressure cooker. Add about 3 quarts of water. Select the "soup" setting, and set the timer for 90 minutes. Strain the broth through a colander or fine-mesh sieve. Skim the fatty oil off the top of the broth. Set aside.Place all the ingredients for the tare in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring it to a boil and then reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl.In a large bowl, add 2 tablespoons of tare. Ladle about 2 cups of the broth. Place the cooked ramen noodles. Taste to see if the broth needs more tare. Add any toppings that you like, such as chashu (see my recipe linked above), menma, corn, toasted seaweed or soft boiled egg. Garnish with green onions.

Chicken

4 tbsp canola oil4 boneless skinless chicken thighs3/4 cup panko1/4 cup grated Parmesan1 cup milk2 tbsp flourCajun sauce

1 tbsp butterOld bayPaprikaCayenne1 small yellow bell pepper diced1 small red bell pepper diced1 small red onion diced3 minced garlic cloves2-3 tsp chili flakes1 1/4 pints of heavy cream1 cup chicken broth1 box of farfalle pastaInstructions:

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat.Add yellow and red bell peppers, and onion to same skillet,until crisp-tender, about 4 minutesAdd garlic and crushed red pepper to skillet and saute 3 minutes.Add whipping cream and chicken stock.Simmer until sauce re-heats and thickens slightly, about 5 minutesAdd 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese to sauce, stirring to incorporate.Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low, simmer; sauce will reduce andPound chicken thighs until very thin (the thinner the better).Mix panko breadcrumbs, flour, and Parmesan cheese together. Season with salt and pepper and Italian seasoningPlace milk in dish for dipping.Dip chicken in breadcrumb mixture and then in milk and then back in breadcrumbsPlace in cast iron pan that the oil has been heated in and fry at medium high temperature until golden crisp and cooked through.Add more oil as needed.Remove and drain chicken; keep warm.Meanwhile, cook farfalle pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite.Save some pasta water. Drain remaining water and return to pot.Add sauce and toss to coat, slowly adding reserved pasta water as neededPlace pasta with sauce on plate, and top with chicken thighs.Serve, adding additional Parmesan and chili flakes to taste