Make Ahead Breakfast Caserole

This is a great dish for the holidays or if you have guests staying over. Make it anytime the day before, refrigerate overnight and simply bake it in the oven while hanging out with friends of family. What's also great about this dish is you can change the vegetables and seasonings. I like to start with a egg, bacon, and potato base and then change up the toppings. You could do a country style like I did with peppers and onions or go for a vegetarian version without the bacon and adding in broccoli and mushrooms. 

Ingredients:
1 lbs. bacon, cut into 1/2 inch strips
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, seed removed and finely diced
12 large eggs
1 cup milk
3 cups frozen diced potatoes (no need to thaw or cook the potatoes)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
salt and pepper
2 green onions, chopped 

Directions:

1. In a large skillet cook bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook until crispy. Remove bacon to a paper lined towel. 

2. While bacon cooks, whisk eggs and milk in a large bowl. Add in 1 cup of the cheese, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, and half of chopped green onions and whisk to combine. 

3. Drain bacon fat from skillet but leave 1 tsp. in pan. Add onion and bell pepper. Season with a small sprinkle of salt and pepper. Cook until vegetables are tender and slightly charred, about 4 minutes. Turn off heat and set vegetables aside. 

4. Thinly coat a large baking pan or casserole with butter. Add potatoes evenly to the pan. Top potatoes with the cooked vegetables. Add a thin layer using half of the bacon bits. Top everything with egg mixture. Gently stir everything in the pan with a fork to make sure everything is evenly distributed and coated with the egg mixture. Top with the remaining cheese. 

5. At this point you can either cover the casserole over night until ready to bake or bake it right away. If refrigerating, make sure to cover the top of the casserole directly with plastic wrap. Then cover with aluminum foil. 

6. When ready to cook the casserole, preheat the oven to 350. Cook in the oven, uncovered for 20 minutes until the eggs start to set. Carefully add remaining bacon to the top of the casserole. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes until the eggs are firm and the top is slightly golden brown. Let stand for 5 minutes. Cut into squares and serve warm. 

Lobster Salad Crostini

I was given an afternoon off from work so I decided to spend it cooking! I had some lobster tails in the freezer and I wanted to come up with an upscale appetizer to utilize them. I decided to combine a basic lobster salad and top it on a garlic crostini. The biggest tip for this appetizer is to make sure not to overcook the lobster, it will get tough and rubbery. 

Ingredients:

1 large Lobster tail
Baguette - cut into 1/4 in slices, enough for 8 pieces
1 tbsp Mayo
2 tsp lemon juice, divided
1 tbsp chopped parsley, divided
2 tsp finely diced shallot 
1 garlic clove, peeled and left whole
2 tbsp butter 
Salt and pepper

Directions: 

1. Cook lobster tail. Boil a large pot of salted water. Boil lobster for 3 minutes (a little longer if it’s a larger lobster tail) the key here is to not over cook it or it will get tough and rubbery. Remove cooked tail to a cutting board to cool. Once cool enough to handle, cut lobster into large chunks. 
 
2. Make shallot and Mayo mixture. In a small bowl combine diced shallot and 1 tsp. lemon juice. Allow to sit for 5 minutes to “cook” shallots. Add Mayo, 1 tsp of parsley and salt and pepper. Stir to combine. 
 
3. Make crostini. Toast baguette slices under a preheated broiler until lightly browned. Rub garlic clove over toasted bread. Top crostini with a spread of butter. 
 
4. Assemble crostini. Add chopped lobster into Mayo mix. Stir until combined. You want a lot of lobster with a small amount of Mayo just holding it together. Taste mix for salt and pepper and add more if needed. Top crostini with a small mound of lobster mix. Top with a fresh squeeze of lemon juice and chopped parsley to garnish. Serve immediately 
  

 

Latkes

It's Hanukkah and all of these posts about latkes was making me crave them. I'd never made them before but I love potato so I knew it was going to turn out fine. This recipe is from Ina Garten. I think my favorite part of the latkes (besides the crispy delicious potato) was the fun of topping them. I know it's not very traditional but topping them with sour cream, bacon bits, and green onion was incredibly delicious. 

Ingredients:
2 large baking potatoes (russets)
3 tbsp grated onion
1 large egg, whisked
3 tbsp flour
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp pepper
canola or avocado oil

Directions:

1. Peel the potatoes and grate them on a box grater. Wrap the grated potatoes in a kitchen towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Combine the potatoes in a bowl with the grated onion, egg, flour, salt and pepper. Mix well. 

2. Add a light coating of oil in a large saute pan. Heat over medium high heat until oil shimmers. Place a tablespoon of the potato mixture into the pan. Form pancakes around the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until crispy and golden brown. Turn the pancakes over and cook for another 2 minutes until second side is crispy as well. 

3. Place cooked pancakes on a paper towel to soak up the excess oil. Make sure to season with a small pinch of salt as soon as they are cooked to season them. Serve warm. 

Chicken Piccata

 I'm always looking for new ways to cook chicken. This chicken piccata is a dish I'm super familiar with but have never made at home. I couldn't believe how quickly this dish came together. This recipe is for the chicken only but I served mine with some israeli cous cous (tiny balls of pasta). This dish could also be served with a leafy green salad, pasta, or some herb rice. 

Ingredients:

1 lbs chicken cutlets or chicken tenders
1 cup flour, for dredging
10 tbsp. butter, divided
4 tbsp. olive oil
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 tbsp. garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 tbsp. capers, lightly drained
Salt and pepper
Chopped parsley for garnish

Directions:

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Place the flour on a plate. Dredge the chicken in flour and shake off any excess. Discard the flour when finished dredging. 

2. Heat 3 tbsp. butter and 2 tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet set over medium high heat until the butter has melted. 

3. Working in batches, taking car not to crowd the pan, add the chicken pieces and saute until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side, and cooked through. Set the chicken aside on a plate while you finished the sauce. You can cover the chicken loosely in foil to keep warm. 

4. Add rest of butter and olive oil to pan with chicken drippings. Add the shallot to the pan and saute over medium low until soft and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. 

5. Add chicken stock and simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. 

6. Reduce heat to low, then stir in capers, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Taste sauce and check for salt and pepper. Add parsley to sauce if using. 

7. Place cooked chicken on a plate. Top with piccata sauce. Serve with your favorite pasta, salad, or rice. 

Quiche Lorraine

 This recipe is such a hit, I was immediately slice into the quiche and always forget to take a photo LOL. If you're feeling extra fancy you can make your own pie crust but the frozen pie shells save a lot of work. This quiche is great for lunch with a small green salad. 

Ingredients:
1 frozen pie shell

1 tbsp. butter

1 small yellow onion, very thinly sliced

3 strips of bacon

2 tsp fresh thyme leaves

1/2 cup shredded gruyere

2 eggs
1 cup heavy cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375. 

2. Thaw pie shell according to package directions. Press a piece of parchment over the crust, then fill with pie weights, raw beans, or rice. Put the pan on a baking sheet. Bake pie shell until crust is set and golden around the edges, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and discard parchment paper and weights. Allow crust to cool for 20 minutes. 

3. While pie crust is baking, cook the bacon in a medium skillet over medium low heat until bacon is crispy. Remove to a paper towel lined plate and allow to cool. Once cooled, cut bacon into 1/2 inch pieces and set aside. 

4. Add thinly sliced onions to saute pan with 1 tbsp. of bacon fat. Add the fresh thyme and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook onions for about 10 minutes until slightly browned and softened. Allow to cool slightly in pan. 

5. Once pie crust is cooked and cooled, add onion mixture to bottom of pie shell. Next add a layer of the bacon bits. Finally add a layer of the shredded gruyere. The key to this step is even distribution around the pie crust. That way you get a little bit of each ingredient in every bit. 

6. In a small bowl whisk the heavy cream and eggs until combined. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour cream mixture over the ingredients in the pie shell. Try to make it an even layer. 

7. Bake quiche on the baking sheet until set and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving. 

Serving Options:

1. Serve a wedge of quiche as is with a sprinkle of chives to garnish. 

2. Serve a wedge of quiche with a small side salad of mixed greens with a lemon vinaigrette. 

Tomatillo Salsa

I was making some street style tacos with carne asada, chopped onion, lime, and cilantro. I wanted to add some more flavor and spice so I tried out a salsa made from tomatillos instead of tomato. The tomatillos added a really nice acidity which brightened up the whole dish. Took me about 10 minutes to make and was really easy. 

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs tomatillos, outer papery husks removed
1/2 cup chopped white onion
2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup cilantro leaves (or parsley)
2 jalapeno peppers or 1 serrano pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut in half
1 tbsp. lime juice
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Cut the tomatillos in half and place cut side down on a foil lined baking sheet. Add garlic cloves in their skin as well as the jalapenos to the sheet tray. Place under broiler for about 5 minutes until the tomatillos and jalapenos are slightly blackened. Remove from pan and allow to cool. 

2. While tomatillos, garlic and jalapeno roast, put all other ingredients into a blender. 

3. Once cooled to the touch, roughly chop jalapeno and add to blender. Remove garlic skins, roughly chop, and add to blender. Add tomatillos to blender. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to blender.

4. Blend everything together using the pulse button. Combine until desired texture is reached. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust if needed. 

5. Put salsa into a air tight container and allow to cool in the fridge for at least 4 hours. Serve over some tacos or enchiladas and enjoy. 

Seared Tuna with Avocado, Soy, and Jalapeno Dressing

I was super lucky to be given a bunch of fresh tuna - thanks Bucky! I typically like to eat tuna in poke so I did some of the same flavors with a pan seared tuna and rice. When searing the tuna, make sure to count in your head how long you cook each side to make the sear as even as possible on both sides. 

2 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped

1/2 jalapeno, sliced (keep seeds and ribs if you want more spice)

1 tsp grated fresh ginger

1 garlic clove, grated

1 limes, juiced

1/2 tsp sugar

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 (6-ounce) block sushi-quality tuna

1 ripe avocado, halved, peeled, pitted, and sliced

1 cup white rice, cooked according to package directions

Directions: 

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the cilantro, jalapeno, ginger, garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Stir the ingredients together until well incorporated.

2. Place a skillet over medium-high heat and coat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season the tuna generously with salt and pepper. Lay the tuna in the hot oil and sear for 1 minute on each side to form a slight crust. Pour 1/2 of the cilantro mixture into the pan to coat the fish. Serve the seared tuna with the sliced avocado and the remaining cilantro sauce drizzled over the whole plate.

Lemon Orzo Pasta with Chicken, Spinach, and Tomatoes

I found this pasta in a 30 Minute Meals book with Rachel Ray. She had a different dressing for the pasta but I liked the idea of cooking the thinly sliced spinach in the pasta. I went with a lemon dressing for the pasta since it would add some nice brightness to this summer dish. You could make this a main course by adding some grilled chicken or keep it vegetarian for a great make ahead side dish.

Ingredients:

Dressing:
2 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, grated or finely minced
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. red chili flakes
1/2 tsp. italian seasoning

Pasta:
1/2 lb orzo pasta
1 cup fresh spinach, thinly sliced
1/2 lb cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup shredded chicken, optional
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 Tbsp chopped basil

Directions:
1. Boil a large pot of salted water. Combine all dressing ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk together until combined. Set aside.

2. Cook orzo pasta according to package directions. (Typically 4-6 minutes depending on the brand).

3. While pasta cooks, thinly slice spinach leaves and halve cherry tomatoes. Add to bowl with dressing but wait to stir together.

4. Once pasta is cooked, drain excess water and add to bowl with dressing and veggies. Toss everything together. The goal is for the hot pasta to slightly wilt the spinach and warm the tomatoes. The pasta will soak up some of the dressing. Add in half of the parmesan cheese and basil and stir gently until combined.

5. Take pasta mixture and put on a plate. Top with reserved parmesan cheese and basil. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Chocolate Chip Cookies - Hilton Hotels Recipe

So it's quarantine, which means restaurants and hotels are releasing "secret" recipes. This cookie recipe is super similar to the one I normally make (the toll house cookie recipe) with two surprising ingredients - cinnamon and lemon juice! The small additions of those flavors really elevated the cookie! The Hilton recipe has rolled oats and walnuts which I left out.

Ingredients:
2 sticks of butter, at room temp
3/4 cup + 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Optional:
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup chopped walnuts, lightly toasted


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

2. Add butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar to a bowl. Combine with an electric mixer until well mixed and slightly fluffy, 2-4 minutes.

3. Add eggs to butter mixture one at a time and mix until well combined. Add in vanilla extract and lemon and mix until combined.

4. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a small bowl (and rolled oats if using). With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture to butter mixture. Mix until just combined, do not over mix.

5. Add chocolate chips to dough (and walnuts if using). Stir gently by hand until mixed in.

6. Put balls of dough (about 2-3 tbsp) onto a parchment lined sheet pan. Bake in preheated oven for 20-23 minutes, turning sheet tray 180 half way through for even cooking.

7. Remove from oven and remove from pan. Serve slightly warm, maybe with some ice cream.

Chicken Tetrazinni - Keene Family Recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 pound angle hair pasta
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup water
3 Tbsp. grated parmesan
3 Tbsp. white wine
2 cups shredded chicken
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 Tbsp olive oil

Directions:

Make Ahead:
Combine soup, cheese, water, and chicken in a bowl. Add in sour cream and wine. Stir everything until combined but be careful to break up chicken too much. Cover with plastic wrap and store in fridge for up to 24 hours.

When Ready to Eat:
1. Preheat an oven to 350. Remove sauce from fridge to bring to room temp. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

2. Once boiling, cook noodles to package direction. Combine cooked noodles into pre-made sauce.  Stir gently until everything is combined. Pour into a buttered baking dish.

3. Combine bread crumbs and olive oil in a small bowl. Top pasta with bread crumb mid. Bake for 30 minutes until heated through and bread crumbs are lightly toasted. Serve warm with a sprinkle of basil on top and a side of your favorite vegetables.

Fried Potato Balls - Potato Croquette

This recipe is courtesy of quarantine. I was bored, wanted a snack, had left over mashed potatoes, and wanted to try something new.

Ingredients:
1 cup left over mashed potatoes
1/4 cup shredded cheese (mozzarella or cheddar)
2 tsp. chives or parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 egg
1 cup panko bread crumbs
canola oil for frying

Directions:
1. Combine mashed potatoes, cheese, and half of herbs. Season with salt, pepper, cayenne and garlic powder. Stir until everything is well mixed.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk egg. In a third separate plate, lay out bread crumbs.

3. Roll mashed potato mixture into small 1 inch wide balls. Coat them lightly in egg and then coat them in bread crumbs tapping off the excess. Put onto a plate until ready to fry.

4. Preheat a saucepan full of canola oil to 350. Drop 2-3 breaded potato balls in a time into the hot oil. Fry for about 2-3 minutes until golden brown on all sides. Remove from oil and put onto a paper towel lined plate. Season with a pinch of salt while potato balls are still hot.

5. After frying all of the potato balls, move to a serving platter. Serve with some dipping sauces. I recommend ketchup, sour cream, or a garlic mayo. Top with remaining fresh herbs.

Proscuitto Wrapped Chicken with Pasta

With the pandemic going on, we're doing more meal kits. It's kind of like having to color with 4 crayons instead of your normal 64 but grateful to have food options at all. This one was from Hello Fresh. It was pretty quick to make and I plan to add this to my future arsenal.

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts
4 slices proscuitto
1/2 cup mozarella
6 oz spaghetti
14 oz marinara sauce
1 tsp. italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. red chili flake
1 tbsp. butter
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 sprigs basil, leaves picked and thinly sliced

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

2. Wash and pat chicken dry with paper towels. Season with pepper. (avoid salt at this stage because the prosciutto is very salty). Lay two slices of prosciutto besides one another on a flat surface. Tightly roll prosciutto around chicken. Repeat with remaining prosciutto and chicken.

3. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large, preferably ovenproof, pan over medium-high heat. Add wrapped chicken (prosciutto seam down) and sear until browned, 2-3 minutes per side (it'll finish cooking in the next step).

4. Top seared chicken with mozzarella. Transfer oven safe pan to preheated oven on the top rack. Cook until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 155, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven and set chicken aside to rest.

5. While chicken is roasting, cook the noodles. Once water is boiling, add spaghetti to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes.

5. Heat pan used for chicken over medium high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil, italian seasoning and red chili flakes and cook until toasted, about 1 minute. Stir in marinara sauce and 1/4 cup of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until lightly thickened, 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

6. Stir spaghetti, half the basil, half the parmesan, and 1 tbsp. butter into sauce. Season generously with salt and pepper. Divide between two plates and top with chicken. Garnish with remaining basil and parmesan.

Healthy Chicken-Spinach Salad with Rosemary-Mustard Vinaigrette

Found this recipe in a super old cook book. It was meant for salmon but my husband, Brian, isn't a huge seafood lover to I used chicken breast instead. Next time I plan to cut up the spinach and chicken into smaller pieces and toss everything together more like a salad. I also want to add some roasted tomato while the chicken cooks and some bacon bits for texture. Can't wait to make this dish again in Summer when it's hot out!

Ingredients
2 chicken breasts - boneless and skinless
4 slices bacon, cooked until crispy and cut into bite size pieces
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1/2 cup diced cucumber, skin and seeds removed
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. finely minced fresh rosemary
1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. light mayonnaise
1 package fresh spinach 

Directions:
1. Preheat broiler. Season chicken with a drizzle of olive oil and a tsp. of salt and a tsp. of pepper. Rub seasoning all over. Lay chicken breast on a foil lined sheet pan. Broil until chicken hits 155 degrees, about 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven, cover with foil, and allow to rest 5 minutes.

2. While chicken is cooking, make dressing. Combine lemon juice, rosemary, mustard and mayonnaise in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add red onion and cucumber to dressing. Set aside.

3. Once chicken has rested, slice into pieces. Toss spinach and bacon bits with half of dressing and cucumber/onion mixture until well coated. Place 1 cup of spinach mixture onto a plate. Add the chicken slices over the spinach and then top with the dressing mixture. Serve with lemon slices for garnish.

Pepperoni Pizza Bread

I found this recipe from Pillsbury and thought it would be an easy appetizer. It was really tasty but if I'm going to do a pizza appetizer, I would just order a pizza and make my life easier for a party. If you want to make this, feel free to add your own touch with your favorite pizza toppings like sausage and peppers or pepperoni and pineapple. 

Ingredients:

1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury crescent dough sheet (or pizza dough)

1 cup shredded mozzarella

40 slices pepperonis

1 egg

1 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. 

2. Unroll crescent dough sheet onto cookie sheet. Spread dough evenly around pan. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over dough, leaving 1/2 inch border around edges. 

3. Place pepperoni slices evenly across cheese. Fold short end of dough just over edge of pepperoni. Starting with the long end, roll dough, pinching to seal. Place seam side down on cookie sheet. 

4. Mix egg with 1 Tbsp. water. Brush egg mixture over dough in a thin, even layer. (You will have egg mix leftover). 

5. Mix parmesan cheese and italian seasoning in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over dough. 

6. Back 14 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into 2-inch thick slices. Serve with pizza sauce or marinara sauce for dipping. 

Thai Beef Salad

This is a great healthy but filling dish. I could see making it again in summer for a light dinner. The balance of the tenderness of the steak with the crunch of the cabbage and broccoli slaw. It also had a great contrast of savory and sweet because of the oranges. Will definitely be making this one again!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
2 Tbsp. lime juice
1 1/2 tsp. low sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp. Thai fish sauce
1 1/2 tsp. honey
1 tsp. lime zest
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/2 small serrano chile, seeds and ribs removed
1 tsp. olive oil
2 (4-6 ounce) beef tenderloin steaks, trimmed of excess fat
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup shredded napa cabbage
1/4 english cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeds removed, and cut into half moons
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 (12 ounce) package broccoli coleslaw
1 (4 ounce) can mandarin oranges in light syrup, drained

Directions:
1. Combine the basil leaves, lime juice, soy sauce, fish sauce, honey, lime zest, garlic, and serrano in a food processor and process until smooth.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season steaks on all sides with salt and pepper. Add steaks to pan and cook on 4 minutes on each side to get a nice sear. Finish steaks in a preheated 350 oven until steaks are cooked to desired doneness. Remove steak from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice steaks.

3. Combine cabbage, cucumber, green onion, broccoli slaw, and oranges in a large bowl. Toss in dressing made in step 1. Arrange some slaw onto a plate and top with thinly sliced steaks. Serve while steak is still warm.

One-Pot Lemon Chicken Rigatoni

I've always wanted to try the technique of cooking pasta in the sauce instead of in boiling water. The final result had a lot more depth of flavor in the actual noodle. It makes sense when you think about it, you'll get more flavor boiling the pasta in liquid with more flavor (stock vs water). This recipe is a take on the Pillsbury recipe for this dish. The next time I make it, I plan to add more vegetables like broccoli, red bell pepper, and/or cherry tomatoes to add more flavor and texture.

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. butter
2 tsp. finely chopped garlic (about 2 cloves)
3 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. lemon zest
3 cups uncooked rigatoni
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (like rotisserie chicken)
1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
(Vegetables of your choice like broccoli, red bell pepper, or cherry tomatoes)
Chopped fresh basil leaves for garnish

Directions:
1. In a large pot melt butter over medium high heat. Add garlic and saute 1 minute, stirring frequently to prevent browning.

2. Add chicken stock, lemon juice, rigatoni, salt and pepper to the pot. Heat to boiling then reduce to simmer. Simmer for 14 to 16 minutes, stirring occasionally until pasta is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.

3. Stir in chicken and vegetables of choice. Continue to cook 2 minutes until heated through. Add heavy cream and cook 1 more minute over low heat.

4. Remove from heat. Stir in red pepper flakes and parmesan cheese. Serve on a bowl or plate and garnish with more parmesan cheese and the fresh basil.