Chicken Lombardy

This is my absolutely favorite new recipe.  It takes a little bit of effort, but I promise it is worth it. It's cheesy and has just the right balance of wine and earthiness from the mushrooms... Divine.  You will not be disappointed in this recipe, I promise.

Ingredients:
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
⅓ cup butter (divided)
½ cup flour
8 oz sliced mushrooms
¾ cup marsala wine
½ cup chicken stock
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
½ cup shredded mozzarella
½ cup monterey jack cheese
2 green onions, sliced

Directions:
Heat a large skillet (I love my cast iron for this recipe) over medium-high heat and add 1 tbs butter and 1 tbs of olive oil.  Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until they begin to brown; remove them and set aside.

Slice chicken breasts in half lengthwise. Dredge each flattened piece in the flour. In the same pan you cooked the mushrooms in, add another tbs of the butter and add 2-4 chicken breast pieces (don't over crowd pan) and brown well on all sides. Repeat process until all chicken is browned. Add more butter and olive oil as needed.  Don’t drain the drippings as you will need them for the marsala sauce.

After all the chicken is browned, using the same pan with the collected drippings, add the wine, chicken stock, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees or low broil. Add the chicken back to the sauce and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes.  Top chicken with the mushrooms, onions and cheeses.

Place in oven for 2-3 minutes or until golden and bubbly.  Goes well with polenta or mashed potatoes. Serves 4. 

Penne with Peppers & Sausage

As a busy mom I am always looking for fast and easy weeknight meals.  This is one that the whole family loves and is very easy to put together, making it perfect for a weeknight dinner.

Ingredients:
1lb of penne pasta
3 bell peppers (red, yellow, green) sliced
1 small onion sliced
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 package of Jennie O Turkey Kielbasa chopped into bite sized pieces
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Prepare penne according to package instructions.  While pasta cooks saute onions, garlic and peppers in a non-stick skillet over medium heat.  When the peppers begin to caramelize add the can of tomatoes and the sausage.  Cook until heated through, then add to the cooked pasta.  Serves 6.

Chicken Parmesan Baked Pasta

This is one of those easy breezy staple recipes that you will love having in your cooking repertoire.  It is a snap to put together, delicious enough to serve guests, and even the kiddos don't complain about it.  I mean who doesn't love pasta, chicken and cheese?

Ingredients:
1 pkg of penne or similar shaped pasta
1 jar of marinara sauce
2 cups of leftover shredded chicken (I use the breasts from a rotisserie chicken and shred them)
1/2 cup of parmesan cheese
2 cups of mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup of panko bread crumbs
1tsp Italian seasoning
salt and pepper
basil or parsley for garnish

Directions:
Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package recommends. When pasta is cooked, drain, return to the pot and add the jar of marinara sauce and the shredded chicken and stir well.  Add salt and pepper to taste. (You probably won't need much salt because of the cheese.) Add half of the pasta to a greased baking dish.  Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella cheese over the pasta.  Add the rest of the pasta and top with the remaining mozzarella cheese.  Combine bread crumbs, parmesan and Italian seasonings in a small bowl.  Evenly sprinkle over the top of the casserole and bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes or until golden brown.  Top with fresh herbs and serve.  Serves 6.

Sneak Peak at My Fall Home

I'm so excited that September is finally here!  I know that technically Fall doesn't begin for a few more weeks, but that's just a minor detail that I'm choosing to ignore right now.

I have been working like crazy on some new decor for my very favorite season, which means, I've been swapping pillows, rearranging, cleaning and (don't tell the hubby) shopping!!  Over the weekend I went to Homegoods and scored a few really cute decorations for the house.  I'm working on a full blog post with all the results, but I'm not quite done yet.  For now I thought I'd share a quick peek at my fall dining table. Don't mind the unopened packages of pumpkins, I wasn't sure where to put them yet and I didn't want them to feel left out!  I hope my space will inspire you to break out the oranges and golds and maybe even splurge on a Pumpkin Spice Latte!

Happy Fall All!

Stuffed Figs

It's been a while since I posted a new recipe.  Life happens and we all get swept up in the everyday details.  My oldest daughter, Lily Claire started second grade last week and now that she's back to school, I'm hoping to have a little more free time to work on my blog.

I had some figs that came from my father in law's fig tree and I learned how to make this recipe a few years ago when I took some classes at Le Cordon Bleu academy.  It's a special recipe because fresh figs are only available for a few weeks around here.  I hope you can find some at your local farmer's market and that you'll give this recipe a try.  It's one of my favorite appetizers of all time.

Ingredients:
1 pkg (about a dozen figs)
5-6 slices of thin prosciutto
1 wedge of Gorgonzola (or other blue cheese if preferred)
balsamic glaze (reduced balsamic vinegar)

Directions:
Rinse and dry figs, then slice them in half.  Using kitchen shears cut the prosciutto in half the long way.  Cut a small piece of the blue cheese and place on the inside part of the fig, then wrap with a thin piece of the prosciutto.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until the cheese just begins to melt.  Allow to cool and transfer to a serving platter and drizzle with balsamic glaze.

Happy Sunday

Where has the time gone?  This summer has flown by and I can't believe that Lily Claire will be starting second grade in less than two weeks!  We've definitely had a busy summer, but we've also taken some time to relax and play.  My dear friend Laurie Theriault came by a few weeks ago and captured these stunning pictures of my girls, with our sweet first baby, (fur baby) Paris.  I thought I'd share my favorites with you today.

I hope you are all taking a moment to play, relax and enjoy the little things on this beautiful Sunday!

*All photo credit goes Laurie Theriault Photography.

More Summer Vacation

It's been a busy summer around our house and we are making the most of the last few weeks before school starts back. By the way, it sure starts early now days!!  We just got back from a lovely trip to Monterey, and let me tell you, if you haven't been there you have to make plans to go.  Especially if you live in California!  Even if you don't it's worth the visit.  I thought I'd share a few pictures from our trip with you today.

Hope you are all making the most of your summer too!