Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

Found this knock off recipe of the Chicken Con Broccoli from Olive Garden and thought I'd give it a try. Turned out way yummy. Only problem was it didn't make enough alfredo sauce for a whole box of pasta. I think next time I'll double the sauce recipe and that should be perfect, maybe even have a little extra for dipping sauce for breadsticks! Yum!

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

Alfredo Sauce (recipe below)

2-3 cooked chicken breasts, diced (I like to boil mine. Throw raw chicken in a pot, fill with water so it covers chicken. I also usually throw in some big chunks of onion and sometimes garlic, and some fresh cracked pepper. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through)

1-2 cups fresh chopped broccoli, cooked and hot

fettuccine, cooked according to package directions. (I used penne because it's what I had)

Cook chicken in method desired. Add chicken and broccoli to Alfredo sauce and heat through. Serve over hot, cooked fettuccine.

Alfredo Sauce:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

2 cups heavy cream

1/8 tsp. garlic powder

1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon (1 clove) minced garlic

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic with the butter. Add cream, garlic powder, and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 to 12 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Trust me, it will thicken. When sauce has reached desired consistency, stir in Parmesan cheese. Use for Chicken Broccoli Alfredo, or just serve as is over fettuccine. Serves 4-6.

Tortellini Bacon Broccoli Salad

Trent isn't a big fan of pasta salad, but I managed to find one that he really liked. I made it a few days ago and have been snacking on it every day. It's just as good or better days after it was made!

Tortellini Bacon Broccoli Salad

recipe from allrecipes.com

Ingredients
2 (9 ounce) packages refrigerated three-cheese tortellini
1 pound bacon
4 cups chopped broccoli
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 cup bottled coleslaw dressing

Directions
1.Cook the tortellini according to the package directions, drain, rinse with cold water, and refrigerate until cool, about 30 minutes.
2.Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate. Chop the bacon into 1/2-inch pieces while still a little warm.
3.Place the tortellini, bacon, broccoli, grape tomatoes, and green onions into a salad bowl. Pour the dressing over the ingredients, and toss lightly to coat. Chill in refrigerator before serving.

Pesto pasta with chicken and sundried tomatoes

This dish has become a favorite to make of mine. I love pesto, so fresh and somewhat healthy. And I love sundried tomatoes. But my favoite part has to be the toasted pine nuts. For some reason they just really make the dish for me. I've eaten it without them, and it just wasn't the same. It makes a lot, so it'll feed us for a couple days. Maxon even loves it!

Pesto Pasta with Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

1 (16 ounce) package bow tie pasta 1 teaspoon olive oil (or oil from sun-dried tomatoes) 2 cloves garlic, minced 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and cut into strips 1 cup pesto sauce (store bought, or recipe follows) Parmesan cheese ½ cup pine nuts

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2.	Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic until tender, then stir in chicken. Cook until chicken is golden, and cooked through.
3.	In a large bowl, combine pasta, chicken, sun-dried tomatoes and pesto. Toss to coat evenly. Toast pine nuts (400 degrees for a few minutes until golden brown) Sprinkle parmesan cheese and toasted pine nuts on top. Pesto Sauce INGREDIENTS: ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 cup fresh basil leaves ½ tsp salt 2 cloves garlic ½ cup toasted pine nuts ½ cup parmesan cheese Blend all together in a blender or food processor. Makes about 1 cup.