Category: Main Dishes
Tuscan Penne Skillet
Looking for the perfect light summer meal with some substance to it? Here’s your dish!
Ben said this one reminded him of the pasta bar from the Great Hall, one of the dining halls on Duke’s West Campus. Ordinarily I probably wouldn’t have taken that as the greatest compliment… but since we enjoyed so many dinner dates over humongous bowls of that pasta stir-fry when we were dating at Duke, I decided to take it as one. Besides, who can pass up a big bowl of pasta with a huge heap of fresh veggies, some smoky turkey sausage, and melted mozzarella cheese to top it all off!?
I added some of my balsamic finishing syrup on top (since I put balsamic on just about everything) and a few more red pepper flakes. This dinner definitely did the trick!
Tuscan Penne Skillet
Recipe Type: One-dish meals; Pasta
Cuisine: Italian
Author:
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8
Ingredients
- 12 oz uncooked whole wheat penne pasta
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp minced garlic (or 2 garlic cloves, chopped)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 lower-fat turkey sausage links, fully cooked and chopped into thin (about 1/8″) slices
- 1 1/2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1 head broccoli florets, chopped into large pieces
- 1/2 can black olives, chopped roughly (I did halves and quarters)
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth (I think I used closer to two, since I added so many veggies!)
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes, for a bit more heat
- salt and pepper
- 6 oz baby spinach leaves
- mozzarella or parmesan cheese for topping
Instructions
- Cook penne according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add onions, garlic, and turkey sausage, and cook, stirring, until browned- about 4-5 minutes.
- Add broccoli, tomatoes, broth, red pepper flakes, dried basil, and cook on medium-low heat until broccoli and tomatoes are tender and some of the liquid has evaporated. Slightly press down on tomatoes to release their juices and crush them.
- Add black olives and spinach. Cook, stirring, until spinach is wilted.
- When pasta is done, drain and stir into the veggie and sausage skillet.
- Season with salt and pepper, and top with cheese and more red pepper flakes, as desired!
Pesto Chicken Monte Cristos
Pesto Chicken Monte Cristos
Recipe Type: Gourmet Sandwiches
Cuisine: Italian
Author:
Ingredients
- 3 small loaves of sweet Italian bread (or similar white fluffy bread good for soaking)
- 2 tbsp pesto
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp honey
- 3 chicken breasts, thawed and pounded thinly
- olive oil
- 1 tomato, sliced
- 1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- fresh baby spinach (about 1 cup total)
- 6 thin slices of cheddar cheese
- dried basil, for sprinkling
- salt and pepper
- **(For egg mixture):
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet on medium-high. Add garlic and red onion to skillet and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Slice each roll lengthwise and spread each side with either pesto (1 tbsp per sandwich) or dijon and honey.
- Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add to skillet. Cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side, or until juices run clear. Remove from pan, slice thinly, and place on top of one side of each roll. Top with roasted red onion, sliced tomato, and spinach. Finally, top with cheddar cheese slices (2 per sandwich) and sprinkle with dried basil.
- Crack eggs into a shallow bowl, add milk, and beat together. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and add cheese.
- Dunk each sandwich, one at a time, into the egg mixture (both sides) and shake off excess. Cook on medium-low heat (watch for burning!) for about 3 minutes per side, until golden brown and cheese is melted. Slice in half and serve!
Southwest Benedict over Greens n’ Grains
Ingredients:
1 egg
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup quinoa, toasted (see directions below)
salt and pepper
cooking spray
shredded cheese
additional cilantro, for serving
sour cream and salsa, for serving
Directions:
To a medium sized bowl, add quinoa. Cover with water and soak for a few minutes. Then stir with a whisk until the quinoa turns the water cloudy (the film from the grain is being rinsed away). Strain quinoa in a fine mesh sieve.
Heat a large skillet on medium high. Add the quinoa and stir continuously with the whisk until it turns golden-brown and smells “nutty.”
When ready to cook, add quinoa to a saucepan with 1 cup water (2:1 ratio). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the grains split.
To the previously-used skillet, crack an egg gently, making sure not to break the yolk. Sprinkle it lightly with salt and pepper. Cook on medium-low heat for about 1-2 minutes, or until bottom sets. Flip and cook the other side. Remove from heat when egg is set. The yolk should still be runny!
Layer spinach, 1/4 cup quinoa, 1/2 cup corn and bean salsa, and fried egg in a shallow bowl. Sprinkle with additional pepper, cilantro, and shredded cheese. Serve with salsa and sour cream if desired!
Tuna Lentil Burgers with Chargrilled Corn Salad
Ingredients:
1 6 oz can chunk light tuna, drained
1/2 cup cooked lentils
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs, Italian style
1/2 onion, minced
1 red bell pepper, minced
1 stalk celery, minced
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp dried dill weed
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
a dash of Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
cooking spray or olive oil
For the spinach and corn topping:
1/4 cup frozen corn kernels
1 cup fresh baby spinach
Crusty bread, for serving
Directions:
Combine all ingredients (except corn and spinach) in a medium bowl. Mash with hands. Form into balls 2-3″ in diameter and pack tightly with hands. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Heat a skillet on medium-high. Coat with cooking spray (or olive oil). Press patties down into pan (to desired thickness- I pressed them down until they were about 1/2″ thick) and cook for 2-3 minutes per side, until browned and heated through. Set aside. (Makes about 6 small patties).
In hot skillet, cook corn and spinach until spinach is wilted and corn is charred.
Serve over my homemade Classic Gazpacho from last week, topped with the chargrilled corn and spinach salad. Also delicious with crusty bread for dipping!
Sweet Apple & Turkey Rollup
Ingredients:
1 whole wheat tortilla
2 tsp apple jelly (or apple butter)
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 slices deli turkey
1 slice Sargento thin sliced Swiss cheese
baby spinach (about 1/2 cup)
2 thin slices tomato
3 thin slices of apple, chopped roughly (I used red but green would work too, just a bit more tart!)
salt and pepper, to taste
Spread jelly on one side of tortilla. Top with Dijon mustard. Layer spinach, turkey, tomato, apple, and Swiss cheese on top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in oven at 375 for about 8 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
Claire Tastes 