Recipes

I have no idea how we started getting a Kraft Food magazine but it is wonderful and I highly recommend it to everyone. Chris and I have been very thankful for this magazine. When we first started our regular routine.. taking Hannah to day care and both of us working 40 hours a week.. we realized that we only have 3 hours a day with Hannah, Monday thru Friday. We practically stopped eating real stuff at night. We would do chips and salsa, or cereal, or Ramon noodles, or grill cheese. None of these are bad and we still do this sometimes but we were doing this EVERY night. This magazine came one day and it had tons of great recipes that take about 30 minutes to make. That is the perfect amount of time for us and it is easier now that Hannah is eating with us. Anyway, it is amazing what a real meal together at least twice a week can do for a family, even a small one like ours. I have tried two this week that are great. I thought I would share. This is especially for you, Elizabeth, because I thought they may be good ones to modify so that those who want meat could have it and those who don't, wouldn't have to have it.

Italian Chicken and Tomato Pasta Toss

Ingredients:
3 cups medium curly egg noodles, uncooked
1Tbsp olive oil
1lb boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces
2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes halved
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (I used a little dab of the stuff in the bottle.)
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

Cook noodles as directed on package
Meanwhile heat oil in large nonstick skillet on med-high heat. Add chicken; cook 6 minutes or until cooked through, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes, dressing and garlic. Cook and stir 3 minutes or until heated through.
Drain pasta. Toss with chicken mixture and basil; sprinkle with cheese.

I am not a cook. Most of you know that. This means I am a recipe girl. I do not like to vary from it. My husband is a great cook and can vary from any recipe and it will still taste wonderful. I received some inspiration from him on this next one. (AND we didn't have all the ingredients in the house.) So, I will write it just as it is written and then at the end I will tell you how I changed it up and it was GREAT!

Creamy Bow-Tie Pasta with Chicken and Broccoli

Ingredients:
3 cups (8oz) bow tie pasta uncooked
4 cups broccoli florets
3 Tbsp Roasted Red Pepper Italian with Parmesan Dressing
6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 1/2 pounds)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups tomato basil spaghetti sauce
4 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

Cook past as directed on package, adding broccoli to the cooking water for the last 3 min. of the pasta cooking time. Meanwhile, heat dressing in large nonstick skillet on med heat. Add chicken and garlic; cook 5 min. Turn chicken over; continue cooking 4 to 5 min. or until chicken is cooked through.
Drain pasta mixture in colander; return to pan and set aside. Add pasta sauce and cream cheese to chicken in skillet; cook on med-low heat 2 to 3 min. or until cream cheese is completely melted, mixture is well blended, and chicken is coated with sauce, stirring occasionally. Remove chicken from skillet and keep warm. Add sauce mixture to pasta mixture, mix well. Transfer to 6 serving bowls.
Cut chicken crosswise into thick slices; fan out chicken over pasta mixture in each bowl. Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese.

(( I cut the chicken into bite size pieces. I drained the chicken after cooking it. I used plain Italian dressing. I used frozen copped broccoli. I stirred the chicken in with the whole mixture and did not just leave it on top. ))

I hope you all enjoy.