Saturday Night Chicken and Pasta Cook Up

 Comfort pg 111 {4 servings} Stove
4 oz whole wheat linguine
1 ¼ lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts
¾ t salt
¼ t black pepper
3 t olive oil
¾ lb cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 shallots, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 t finely chopped thyme leaves
½ c dry white wine or marsala wine
½ c chicken broth
¼ c half and half
4 T freshly grated parmesan
2 T chopped fresh parsley
1. Cook linguine according to package directions. Drain and keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, sprinkle chicken with ½ t salt and the pepper. Heat 1 ½ t oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Cut chicken crosswise into slices; keep warm.
3. Add mushrooms, shallots, garlic, thyme, remaining ¼ t oil and remaining ¼ t salt to skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
4. Add wine, broth, and half and half to skillet; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened, 3-4 minutes. Return chicken with any accumulated juices to skillet. Add linguine; toss until coated with sauce and heated through, 1-2 minutes longer.  Serve sprinkled with parmesan and parsley.

Cheesy Bacon Chicken Casserole

•4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
•6 strips of quality bacon – cooked and crumbled
•2 (10-ounce) cans cream of chicken soup
•2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
•1 box (16 ounces) dried spiral pasta
•2 teaspoons garlic powder
•Salt and pepper to taste
Cook and crumble bacon. While bacon is cooking, cut chicken into bite-sized chunks. Set cooked bacon aside for later use. In the same pan, cook chicken in bacon drippings. Add garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste.
While chicken is cooking, prepare pasta according to directions. Spray a 9×13 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 400.

Drain pasta, return to pot. Add chicken, both cans of cream of chicken soup, 1 cup of Monterrey Jack cheese – stir to mix well. Pour into prepared baking dish.
Top with crumbled bacon.Top with remaining cup of Monterrey Jack cheese.Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes, just until cheese is melted and beginning to brown on top.

Ham Tetrazzini Recipe

All in one large skillet or pot:
Bring to a boil 2 Cups water
Add 1 chicken bouillon cube
2 Tablespoons minced onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 Tablespoon dried parsley
Once this has come to a boil, reduce heat to medium and add:
4 wedges of Laughing Cow light cheese (I used the White American flavor but the Swiss or garlic flavor would work well)
1 cup milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
Simmer and stir until the cheese wedges are melted and smooth.
Add 12 ounces (about 2 cups) of diced ham
4 ounces of pasta (I used Dreamfields brand linguine)
Stir to combine. Cover and simmer 10-15 minutes (stirring occasionally) until the pasta is aldente.
Add 2 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese, stir to combine and serve.
Makes 4 hearty servings