Grilled Chicken Alfredo Fettuccine

I feel like I'm eating at the Olive Garden whenever I make this dish, especially when I made it like their Steak Gorgonzola Alfredo. I'm a food genius.

Ingredients:

6 chicken breast cutlets, grilled
¼ cup butter
2 cups heavy cream
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese

16 oz fettuccine or linguine pasta

Directions:

COOK pasta as directed on package.

HEAT grill skillet with 1-2 Tbsp olive oil on high setting to sear chicken.

GRILL chicken and add garlic pepper spice (optional).

COMBINE butter, cream, salt, and pepper in a skillet. Bring to a boil then simmer for 4 minutes.

STIR in Parmesan cheese and add chicken, cut into strips or cubes.

SERVE sauce over pasta.

Alternative Method

I adapted the recipe by cutting beef tenderloin into medallions and searing them in a skillet for about 45 seconds on each side then cooking them for 2-3 minutes. I added Gorgonzola cheese to the Alfredo sauce then I served the medallions over the sauce and pasta—Steak Gorgonzola Alfredo. YUM! I had a scrumptious picture but it accidentally got erased. Next time I make it I'll post it.

Gina's Tips

I only cook as much pasta as we need for our family rather than the full package. I cook the chicken in a cast iron grill skillet; it cooks quickly. You can leave the chicken whole when you serve it. I like to have it cut into strips or cubes and then mixed into the sauce.

My Big Fat Greek Salad

My friend Becky had me over for lunch a while back and she made this Greek salad that tasted so good. I made it for my family and we ate it as a main dish but you can also have it as a side dish. The kids didn't care for the Greek taste but Steve and I love it.

Ingredients:

2 cups medium pasta shells, cooked

½ cup celery, chopped

½ cup Kalamata olives

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

½ cup Greek dressing

½ cup mayonnaise

1 ½ tsp oregano

¾ tsp black pepper

1 cup Feta cheese, crumbled

1 cup Grape or Cherry tomatoes

Directions:

MIX pasta shells, celery, olives, and Parmesan cheese in bowl

MIX Greek dressing, mayonnaise, oregano, and black pepper in another bowl

TOSS pasta mixture with dressing mixture

CHILL 1-2 hours

STIR in Feta cheese and tomatoes and serve

Gina's Tips

I like to cut the small tomatoes in half or even quarters. I also cut the olives in half so their strong flavor isn't too overwhelming and they spread further. If I don't have celery on hand I use cucumbers.

Food Quote of the Day

"My doctor told me to stop having intimate dinners for four unless there are three other people."

—Orson Welles, author

Corned Beef & Cabbage

We ate this traditional Irish meal tonight. My kids did not care for the cabbage, I expected as much. The corned beef was good all around though. It would have been even better with potatoes.

Ingredients:

2-3 lb corned beef brisket

4 slices bacon

4 tablespoons butter

1 head green cabbage, coarsely chopped

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Spices for brisket: (most corned beef comes with a spice packet)

Peppercorns

Allspice

Cloves

Thyme

Onion

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 350ºF. Place brisket into pan and fill bottom with about 1 inch of water or enough to just cover brisket. Sprinkle with spices, cover with foil, and bake 50 minutes for every pound of brisket.

COOK the bacon in large pot over medium heat until almost crisp. Remove the bacon from the pot and set aside. Melt the butter in the pot with the bacon grease. Add the cabbage, stirring well to coat the cabbage. Add about 1/3 cup water, and salt and pepper, to taste. Cover pot with a lid, and cook over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the bacon into small pieces.

REMOVE the lid from the pot, and scatter chunks of corned beef and chopped bacon over top of the cabbage. Cover and cook until desired doneness.

Gina's Tips

I adapted this from a Kraft recipe. If you want it as easy as the original recipe then use canned corned beef instead. Cabbage is one of those vegetables that naturally contains water in its leaves. Begin by adding just a small amount of water. As cabbage cooks, if it needs more liquid, then add more water.

I have also made this in the crock pot and it turns out beautifully.  I cover the brisket with water, pour the spice packet over the top of it and put it on low for 8 hours.

Irish Soda Bread

Happy St. Patrick's Day! My Mom and my sisters came over this morning to watch a movie with me. I answered the door with my leprechaun hat on and I said "oh, me lucky day. Go in and get a pot-o-gold." I had mini pots with two Andes mints inside for everybody. I also made some Irish soda bread.

Prep Time:

15 min

Total Time:

1 hr 15 min

Makes

16 servings, 1 wedge each

Ingredients:

3-1/4 cups flour

1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp sugar, divided

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter

1-1/3 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup currants or raisins

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Mix flour, 1/3 cup of the sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add buttermilk and raisins; mix just until moistened. 

PLACE dough on floured surface; knead 10 times. Shape into round loaf, 2-1/2 inches thick. Place on greased baking sheet. Cut deep 1/2-inch "X" in top of dough. Sprinkle with remaining 1 Tbsp sugar. 

BAKE 1 hour or until golden brown. Cool completely on wire rack. Cut into 16 wedges to serve.

Gina's Tips

I sprinkled brown sugar on top of the loaf before baking it rather than regular granulated sugar. I think the next time I bake it I will add some honey and brown sugar to the recipe to sweeten it. Maybe I'll substitute the raisins with pecans or chocolate chips. It was really good with butter on it.

Star Guacamole

My Mom made guacamole often and it was super easy. It's great for kids who don't like spicy or chunkc of tomatoes in it.

Ingredients:

1 whole avocado
1 Tbsp sour cream
Garlic salt to taste

Directions:

SLICE avocado in half, scoop out of shell and place in bowl.
STIR in sour cream and mix in garlic salt to taste. Serve.

Chicken & Pinto Tostadas

Prep Time:
20 min

Total Time:

8 hours 20 min

Makes:

12 servings (2 tostadas each)

My sister April fed this to me and my family a long time ago and I got hooked on it. I cook it at least once a month. It is a Betty Crocker meal for the crock pot. It is ridiculously easy and my kids always ask for seconds. Whenever Joran sees what I have made he says "Yay…tostadas!" If you know Joran, this does not happen often. It must be good if he is excited about eating it. I adapted the recipe because I like to double it.

Ingredients:

4-6 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)

1 cup thick n' chunky salsa
½ cup water
2 Tbsp taco seasoning mix (1.25 oz package)
1 can (15 oz) pinto beans, drained
Lettuce
Sour cream
Guacamole

Directions:

PLACE chicken in slow cooker.

MIX salsa, water, and taco seasoning in small bowl; pour over chicken.

COVER and cook on Low setting for 8 to 10 hours.

REMOVE chicken from cooker and place in bowl or on cutting board. Using 2 forks, pull into shreds. Return chicken to cooker.

STIR in beans. Increase heat setting to High. Cover; cook 15 to 20 minutes.

SERVE chicken mixture over tostada shells. Top with lettuce, sour cream, and guacamole.

Gina's Tips

I place as much chicken as fits on the bottom of my crock pot. If you halve the recipe, the amount of taco seasoning mix remains the same. I did not double that part. I use my Mom's simple and tasty guacamole recipe. I will post it soon with a picture. It is one whole avocado, about a Tbsp of sour cream, and garlic salt to taste.

Delectable Dish & Tastiest Treat—2009

I have decided that every year I will choose the recipes I liked the best for both a main dish and a dessert during that entire year. It is the Academy Awards for food. Which food gets the Oscar? Decisions, decisions. This year I had no trouble at all deciding.

The winner of the 2009 Delectable Dish is…Steak Diane with Sautéed Potatoes and Peas. It was hands down the most delicious recipe I have made this past year. If you don't try it you are missing out.

The winner of the 2009 Tastiest Treat is…Molten Chocolate Cakes. These winners are both mouthwatering.

Here are the recipe links:

http://go-bite-me.blogspot.com/2009/12/steak-diane-with-sauteed-potatoes-and.html

http://go-bite-me.blogspot.com/2009/07/molten-chocolate-cakes.html

I want to know what your favorite recipes on this blog have been this past year. What have you been eating people?