Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Delicious (and quick) dinner idea

OK, so Pasta Primavera means "Spring Pasta," (and it's the end of summer) but it's so good I could eat it year-round. I adapted a recipe I found online, and this is so good that when I made it last night, I didn't even think to take a picture for my blog. And then I ate it. And it was good. If you've got about a half an hour, a bunch of pantry "basics," and a hungry tummy, I highly recommend this recipe.

(2)
Bell Peppers sliced into strips (red/yellow/orange are good, but green will also do)
(1) Medium Yellow Onion sliced into strips (or circles, whatever!)
(3) Carrots cut into coins or strips
(1 or 2) Baby Zucchini cut into coins or strips
(1) Yellow Squash cut into coins or strips
(6) White Mushrooms (or whatever you've got) sliced

(You could leave off or add veggies you've also got around.)

Put all of the above on a cookie sheet with a lip. Drizzle with about
1/2 cup olive oil and add good salt and pepper. Sprinkle on 1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning (you'll find this in the spice aisle at the grocery store.) You kind of have to have the Italian Seasoning, I think.

Roast @ 425 for 10 minutes. Stir/flip veggies around to help them cook more evenly, then roast for 10 more minutes.

In the meantime, boil 1 box of your favorite pasta (bow ties are good and what I use. My favorite brand is Barilla.) It'll be trickier to eat if you use spaghetti or other long/skinny pastas. But by all means, use what you've got.

When veggies are done, combine them with the drained pasta and add about a half a cup grated Parmesan and/or Romano cheese
. This is also good with cooked chicken breasts/strips, or you could also do shrimp. If you want to have delicious chicken breasts with it, here's what I do: take two good sized boneless/skinless chicken breasts and start them FIRST. Put them in a little non-stick pan with a drizzle of olive oil on medium-low heat. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder. Let these little guys cook while you're doing everything else. Flip them over to cook the other side. Make sure they're cooked all the way through. I do NOT cut them into strips before cooking, because it keeps the breasts very tender and juicy. If you cut them into strips, they will cook faster, but not be as delicious. Slice cooked breasts into strips and just toss them into your pasta/veggies and mix, or arrange them artfully on top.

This is a really healthy, quick, and delicious meal that will impress your friends or keep you full and happy. Plus, most of this is stuff you're going to have around anyway. And since you have just eaten your veggies, you can treat yourself to a slice of chocolate cake.

2 comments:

Sherry :o) said...

Yum Theresa...I do something similiar, only in a pan with a little olive oil, veggies, seasoning, cook lightly and then add stewed tomatoes or sliced tomatoes, cook a little longer and pour over bow ties...add a scoop of ricotta cheese...Yum, yum... And the chocolate cake idea is the best part!

marylin & poussy said...

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Best regards marylin