Skillet Ziti with Chicken and Broccoli

Adapted from Simple and Delicious (Feb./March 2011, page 30).

Prep: 20 min / Cook: 20-30 min.
Yield: 4-6 servings

1 lb. chicken, cut into short 1/4" strips
1 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup fat-free milk
2 1/2 cups uncooked ziti (I used mini)
1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets
1 red bell pepper, roasted and chopped or julienned*
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper, if desired.  Saute in a large skillet in butter until no longer pink.  Remove.

In the same skillet, saute onion in olive oil until tender.  Add garlic, pepper flakes, and oregano; cook 1 minute longer.  Stir in broth and milk; bring to a boil.  Add ziti; cover and cook 7-8 minutes or until ziti is tender, stirring occasionally.  Add zucchini and red peppers during last 5 minutes of cooking.

Return chicken to skillet; heat through.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

*Brush bell pepper with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Roast in a 375F oven for about 15-20 minutes, rotating about every 5 minutes.  Allow to cool slightly before removing stem, seeds, skin, etc.

Notes:
- You can buy jars of roasted red peppers if you don't want to roast it yourself.  The original recipe called for 1 cup.
- The "sauce" is a little thin, but it really didn't bother me.  I don't think it was supposed to be a sauce in the sense that Alfredo and marinara are--you know, thick and obviously there.

Crunchy Broccoli Salad

From Healthy Cooking (April/May 2010), page 43.

Prep/Total Time: 20 min
Yield: 10 servings

8 cups fresh broccoli florets
3 green onions, thinly sliced
3/4 cup dried cranberries
3 Tbs. canola oil
3 Tbs. seasoned rice vinegar
2 Tbs. sugar
1/4 cup sunflower kernels
3 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

In a large bowl, combine broccoli, onions, and cranberries.  In a small bowl, combine oil, vinegar, and sugar; drizzle over broccoli and toss to coat.  Chill until serving.

Sprinkle with sunflower seeds and bacon.

Notes:
- The original recipe calls for an entire bunch of green onions, which seemed a bit much to me.  It also called for 1/2 cup cranberries, but I wanted more.  The nutrition facts listed below are for the original recipe.
- I didn't have seasoned rice vinegar, so I used regular.  I also decided to add about 1/8 tsp. ground ginger to the dressing and used already cooked and crumbled real bacon from a little bag that I bought at the store.  Cheating, I know.

Nutrition Facts (for original recipe):
3/4 cup = 121 calories, 7 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 2 mg cholesterol, 233 mg sodium, 14 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 3 g protein.

Chicken and Broccoli

From Mom Larsen.

Serves 4-6.

1 lb. chicken, cut in strips
1 can cream of chicken soup

1 1/2 cups frozen broccoli (thawed) or 2 cups fresh broccoli pieces

1/2 cup shredded cheddar or Swiss cheese

1/2 cup milk
2 Tbs. oil
2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
2 Tbs. chopped pimiento

Saute chicken in oil until tender.

Add soup, milk, mustard, and cheese; cook over medium heat, stirring until smooth.

Add broccoli and pimiento and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes or until tender crisp.  Serve over rice or pasta.

Notes:
- I probably used 1/3 cup each of cheddar and Swiss cheeses.
- Fresh broccoli will take longer than 2 minutes to cook.  You could always parboil it it ahead of time if you want.

Chicken Tortellini Alfredo

From Simple and Delicious (March/April 2010), page 48.

Prep: 10 minutes / Total: about 30 minutes
Serves 4.

1 pkg. (9 oz.) refrigerated spinach or cheese tortellini
2 cups fresh broccoli florets
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup fresh baby carrots
3 Tbs. olive oil, divided
1 large onion, cut into wedges
1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
3/4 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 jar (15 oz.) Alfredo sauce
1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. dried oregano

Cook the tortellini according to package directions.  Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute broccoli and carrots in 2 Tsp. oil for 5-6 minutes or until crisp-tender.  Stir in the mushrooms, onion, and garlic; saute vegetables 3-4 minutes longer or until the vegetables are tender.  Remove vegetables and keep warm.

In the same skillet, cook chicken in remaining oil over medium heat for 4-6 minutes or until no longer pink.  Return vegetables to skillet.  Stir in Alfredo sauce and seasonings; heat through.  Drain tortellini; ad to chicken mixture.  Toss to coat.

Notes:
- I used half of a 19 oz. package of frozen cheese tortellini.
- I totally estimated my vegetable amounts.  My guess is I probably used at least 1/2 cup more each of broccoli, carrots, and mushrooms.
- Instead of tossing in the carrots whole, I sliced them.  Who wants whole baby carrots in a pasta dish?
- One large onion seemed like a lot to me, so I used what would probably equal a small onion (or a little less).
- I never measure garlic except by cloves.  I used one clove for this recipe, which I'm sure was less than what it called for.  Still, I think it was enough.
- Again, don't weigh my chicken--I count out chicken breasts.  This recipe was a two Costco-sized chicken breast recipe, which is usually how much I use when approximately a pound is called for.
- I didn't have a full jar of Alfredo sauce, so I used what I had and added a few spoonfuls of the chunky mushroom spaghetti sauce I had.  Mmmm.
- Perhaps I wasn't in a measuring mood--I didn't measure the spices either!  I think I used close to the right amounts for Italian seasoning and oregano, but I can never stick to the called-for amounts of basil because I love it so much.  I probably used about 1/2 tsp.
- I would really recommend timing your tortellini so it finishes cooking just in time to add it.  I cooked mine at the beginning without checking the package to see how long it would take, so it ended up hanging out in the strainer while everything else finished.  The pasta I used should probably have started cooking when the chicken did.
- To make meatless, omit chicken and increase vegetables, especially mushrooms.

Tortellini Chicken Soup

From Mom Larsen.

Combine in a large pot and bring to a boil:
3 (10.75 oz) cans chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrots
½ cup water
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp basil
½ tsp oregano

Add 7 oz. package cheese tortellini. Simmer uncovered 30 minutes.

Add 9 oz. fresh or frozen broccoli. Simmer additional 5-10 minute or until broccoli is tender.

Serve with grated parmesan cheese.

Notes:
- Meatless Version: Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.  Use cream of mushroom soup instead of cream of chicken soup.  Omit chicken and add more vegetables and pasta.

Speedy Chicken Stirfry

From Kraft Foods.

Prep: 10 min. Total: 25 min
Makes 4 servings, 2 cups each

8 oz. angel hair pasta (capellini), uncooked
2 cups broccoli florets
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
½ cup Asian Toasted Sesame dressing (or similar)
2 Tbs. soy sauce
¼ tsp. each ground ginger, garlic powder, crushed red pepper
1/3 cup chopped dry roasted peanuts

Cook pasta as directed on package, adding broccoli to the boiling water with pasta.

Meanwhile, spray a large, nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 6 to 8 min. or until cooked through, stirring occasionally. Stir in dressing, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and crushed red pepper; cook 1 min, stirring occasionally.

Drain pasta mixture and add to skillet; toss. Sprinkle with the peanuts.

Notes:
- Meatless Version: Omit chicken.  Increase broccoli or add other vegetables (carrots, peppers, snow peas).

Double Cheese Pasta Primavera

From Kraft Foods.

Prep: 10 min. + optional marinating /  Cook: 20 min.
Serves 4.

1 pkg. (12 oz.) Shells and Cheese dinner
4 Tbs. Italian dressing, divided
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup chopped red or green bell pepper (about 1 medium)
1 cup frozen baby peas
1 chicken breast, diced or sliced
¼ tsp dried basil
2 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese

Marinate chicken in 2 Tbs. Italian dressing for 30 min (optional).

Cook over high heat until no longer pink. Prepare Shells and Cheese as directed on package. 

Meanwhile, heat 2 Tbs. Italian dressing in a large skillet on medium heat with chicken. Add broccoli and peppers; cook and stir 5 min. or until crisp-tender. Stir in peas; cook until heated through.

Add Shells and Cheese and basil. Mix.

Top with Parmesan cheese.

Notes:
- If you don't have time to marinate the chicken, it's okay to cook it up in the dressing instead.
- If you have fresh basil on hand, use 1 Tbs. instead of dried.
- Meatless Version: Omit chicken.  This recipe didn't originally call for it anyway!

Beef Noodle Bowl

From Kraft Foods.

Prep: 10 min. / Total: 30 min.
Yield: 4 servings, 2 cups each.

8 oz. linguine, uncooked
3 cups broccoli florets
3 medium carrots, peeled, sliced (about 2 cups)
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 lb. beef sirloin steak, cut into strips
½ cup Italian dressing
½ cup teriyaki sauce
2 tsp. ground ginger

Cook pasta as directed on package, adding broccoli and carrots to the cooking water for the last 5-6 minutes of the pasta cooking time. Pasta will take a little longer to cook than normal because of the vegetables. Drain pasta mixture.

Meanwhile, heat oil in large nonstick skillet. Add meat; cook until browned on all sides, stirring occasionally. Stir in dressing, teriyaki sauce, and ginger; cook until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.

Toss pasta and meat mixtures in large serving bowl.

Notes:
- Sometimes I use more pasta than the recipe calls for--there's enough sauce.
- Optional: For added crunch, sprinkle with ½ cup dry roasted peanuts just before serving.
- Variation: Instead of ginger and Italian dressing, use ¼ cup Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing and reduce teriyaki sauce to 1 Tbs.

Flavorful Beef Stirfry

From Quick Cooking (Jan./Feb. 2000), page 19.

Prep: 15-20 min / Cook: 10 min
Yield: 4 servings (or more)

2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons sugar
6 tablespoons soy sauce
¼ cup white wine, apple juice, or water
1 pound boneless beef round steak, cut into thin strips
3 cups broccoli florets
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
1 package (6 ounces) frozen pea pods, thawed
2 tablespoons chopped onion
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 can (8 ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained
Hot cooked rice

In a bowl, combine cornstarch, sugar, soy sauce and wine, apple juice, or water until smooth. Add beef and toss to coat; set aside.

In a large skillet, stir-fry broccoli, carrots, pea pods, and onion in 1 tablespoon oil for 1 minute. Stir in water chestnuts. Cover and simmer for 4 minutes; remove and keep warm.

In the same skillet, stir-fry beef in remaining oil until meat reaches desired doneness. Return vegetables to pan; toss. Serve over rice.

Notes:
- Meatless Version: Omit the beef or replace it.  Substitution ideas: firm tofu, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, additional vegetables (carrots, broccoli, pea pods, water chestnuts).  After removing vegetables from pan, add sauce and cook, stirring, until bubbly.  Complete recipe as directed.
- Make it Healthier: Use low-sodium soy sauce, use water instead of wine or juice, increase vegetables, reduce meat, cut oil by half, and serve over brown rice.

Short Thyme Broccoli

From Simple and Delicious (March/April 2006), page 9.

Prep/Total Time: 15 min

1/2 pound fresh broccoli florets
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 teaspoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon salt

Place the broccoli and 1in. of water in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5-8 minutes or until crisp-tender. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the oil, lemon juice, salt, and thyme. Drain broccoli; toss with oil mixture.

Nutrition Facts:
3/4 cup = 45 calories, 4 g fat (trace saturated fat), 0 mg cholesterol, 88 mg sodium, 3 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 2 g protein.

Broccoli with Beef

From Dad Larsen.

Mix in a bowl:

1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
¾ teaspoon ground ginger
2 Tablespoons oil

Mix into the above marinade and set aside:

1-1¼ pounds steak, thinly sliced across the grain

Mix in a small bowl and set aside (gravy):

1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 to 2 Tablespoons oyster-flavor sauce
½ cup water

Sauté 4 cups fresh broccoli in 3 Tablespoons oil over high heat for about 1 minute.
(Strip leaves and outer fibers from stalks and discard. Cut flowerets to get 1-inch heads and 1-inch stems. Cut stalks diagonally at a 45˚ angle, ¼ inch thick. If stalks are more than 1 inch in diameter, cut in half lengthwise first before cutting diagonally.)

Add 2 to 3 tablespoons water to broccoli. Cover to steam until barely tender. (Takes less than 5 minutes.) Remove broccoli from pan.

In 2 batches, sauté marinated meat in 2 Tablespoons oil over high heat until meat is browned on the outside and pink on the inside. Remove from pan.

Add gravy ingredients to pan, scraping bottom of pan and stirring until bubbly and slightly thickened.

Return meat and broccoli to pan until just heated, tossing to blend.

Serve over rice.