Pasta pesto chicken

Wheat pasta is a healthy option of eating pasta! Also the chicken , adds a balance of protein that makes this dish a great meal.
This is one of the favorite ways of having pasta, rich creamy sauce and the combination of chicken with wheat pasta is liked by my family.



Ingredients
1 pound boneless skinless chicken cut into 1 inch cubes
salt to taste
1/2 tsp Thyme ( fresh or dried)
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp fresh finely chopped rosemary herb
2 tbsp butter
1 small onion chopped finely
2  garlic cloves  finely chopped
1 small roma tomato chopped finely 
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 shredded Parmesan cheese 
1 tsp crushed red chili 
1 tsp black pepper
1 box wheat pasta shells
1 small jar store bought pesto 

                                                                                 

                                                                   

  

Cook chicken 

Saute onions, garlic and latter add chopped tomatoes

Add cooked chicken to creamy sauce 

Add cooked pasta 

Pasta Pesto Chicken 

Method:

1. Fill up a medium cooking pot with water to cook the penne pasta (see recipe on pasta box)
Strain the cooked pasta and keep aside.
2. Clean chicken cubes,Coat with salt,thyme, seasoning, garlic powder and rosemary. In a pan, melt two tablespoon of butter, add chicken to cook on both sides, for about 5 to 6 minutes per side.
3. Once cooked, set aside, do not wipe or clean the skillet, as it has all the  flavors.
In the same pan, melt another two tablespoons of butter, saute onions, garlic and tomatoes. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, to taste.
Add 3 to 4 tablespoon of pesto(more or less depends upon how much you like pesto)
Pour heavy cream, stir to make a creamy sauce. Add in Parmesan cheese.
Add chicken. Allow everything to simmer together for 5 to 10 minutes. Add red crushed chili and salt to taste.
Pour in cooked pasta and cook with sauce for another 5 minutes.
Serve warm pasta with Italian  bread and enjoy ;)

Cannoli, a Sicilian dessert

Cannoli is an Italy dessert, from the region of Sicily. they are tube shaped fried pastry shell, filled with  creamy filling of ricotta, sugar and vanilla essence. You can dust them with powdered sugar. A perfect ending to an Italian or any meal :)
I  first tried these yummilicious cannoli's in a Italian area in Boston, when I went o meet my daughter who studies in Harvard in Boston. The store had a great display of cannoli's and enjoyed the taste, while sipping some coffee, that goes great with cannoli.
This made me want to search for that perfect recipe that would excite my taste buds and here it is tried and tasted!!

Ingredients: ( To prepare the dough for pastry shells)
1.5 cup flour
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp cold unsalted butter cut into pieces
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup white wine( I prefer to use white wine, original recipe also says Marsala wine, choice is yours )
                       

                                           

    

Ingredients 

For filling 
1.5 cup ricotta cheese ( strain the excess water out from ricotta cheese, you can use a muslin or cheese cloth and drain the water out) at least 30  minutes before  using, refrigerate.
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla essence 
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips ( optional , you can use pistachios or any other nuts, or candied cherries as a topping)
1 egg for egg wash
Vegetable Oil for frying 
Powdered sugar to dust over prepared  Cannoli

Method: for preparing dough
1. For the dough sieve together flour ,salt and sugar into a mixing bowl. Add the cold chopped butter, rubbing the butter into the flour with your fingers, till it appears coarse. Add in egg and mix in wine . Form a dough ball and flatten over a flat surface. Wrap a plastic wrap and allow the dough to cool.

Sieved dough, salt,sugar and cold butter 

Add egg yolk and white wine to dough

Knead and wrap dough in plastic wrap

Method for preparing filling.
1.Put the drained ricotta, into another mixing bowl, add sugar, vanilla essence and cinnamon.
2.Mix heavy cream with a whisk, and using a spoon gently folded cream into  ricotta.Stir in chocolate chips and put this  filling mixture into a pastry bag, that has no tip and refrigerate till ready to use.
                         

whisk ricotta cheese, sugar 

Add cinnamon powder, vanilla essence

Add whipped full cream and choco chips 

Fold carefully and store as filling in refrigerator 

For preparing  Cannoli's
1.Remove the plastic wrap, and place  dough on to a flat surface, dusted with flour. Using a rolling pin, roll out a thin sheet of dough approximately 1/4 th thickness.
2.Using a glass bowl or any bowl that is about 2 to 3 inch in diameter cut out disc's of  dough.
3.Using  cannoli mold, wrap each cut out circle onto the mold.Seal the ends with a little egg wash, and flare the ends, this alos helps with the filling later on.
4.Heat oil to 250 F and using kitchen tongs carefully submerge the wrapped cannoli to cook the shells, on medium heat. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, and remove the cannoli mold from oil , using a tong onto a paper towel. Gently using a towel,hold the mold and slide off the prepared shell off the mold.
5.Repeat the process to complete making all the pastry shells.

                                   

Dough 

Divide dough into halves

Roll out dough as big as 1/4 inch thickness 

Using a cup cut out smaller circles of dough and wrap each on a cannoli mold 

Seal ends with an egg wash 

Filling the cannoli shells:
1. Just before serving, using a pastry bag without a tip squeeze out the filling into both ends of pastry shell.
Even you can use a ziploc bag, fill the bag with ricotta filling, seal from one side and clip off a slit on the corner of the other side.
Dust with powdered sugar and serve, enjoy with coffee or after a meal :)
       

Cannoli's 

 One can  prepare the Cannoli's about 60 minutes before and refrigerate to enjoy later. Don't store filled shells for longer time as crispy shells is better.

Cherry Tomatoes and Ricotta baked Crostini

Crostini in Italian means,  thin slices of bread, drizzled with olive oil and toasted. Served as an appetizer, though this recipe can satisfy as a side dish at lunch. The toppings over the bread consists of savory such as cheese, shrimp , or simply saute vegetables .My dish has a topping that has been inspired by a recipe seen on a cooking show. My daughter prepared these crostini's by making slight alternations to recipe and they turned out delicious!!!
Cherry tomatoes are  grape tomatoes, they are juicy  and sweet and go great with cheese!
Thin slices of bruschetta , topped with dollops of ricotta and baked in the oven tastes divine, and hard to resist :))) 

                                             

Cherry tomatoes and herbs, with balsamic vinegar

Baked crostinis

Ready to eat 

Red cherry tomatoes and ricotta cheese crostini

Lets get started

Ingredients
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil and more for drizzling
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp brown sugar
salt to taste
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
1 loaf bruschetta bread cut diagonally into 1/2 inch thickness slices.
Fresh Oregano leaves sprigs about 3 to 4 

Method:
1. Using a medium bowl, combine sugar, olive oil, vinegar ,salt and add cherry tomatoes, mix to coat tomatoes  evenly with this mixture. Add fresh basil leaves sprigs, for added aroma and taste.
2.Bake onto a silver foil lined baking sheet,at 350 F for about 10 to 12 minutes. As tomatoes appear to soften, remove from the oven. Keep aside.
3. Arrange the sliced crostini on another  baking sheet. Sprinkle few drops olive oil onto bread slices and bake for 4 to 5 minutes, at 350 F. Remove as this appear toasted and add a spoonful of ricotta cheese on the bread tops, sprinkle a dash of balsamic vinegar onto the ricotta cheese. Add  cherry tomatoes on the top, and put them back in the oven for 3 to 4 minutes, tastes nice warm and softened,take out from oven and enjoy.
Great as an appetizer or even perfect as an afternoon lunch dish.

Creamy Pasta in Vodka sauce

A creamy pasta , cooked in vodka sauce :)) and served with garlic bread!! This is a dish my daughter made for us and we just loved the flavor and smooth texture of pasta, that we make a point to remind her to make it often :))  
The recipe has simple ingredients with bold flavors, give it a try and you will want more!!
We just love this dish , hope you'll enjoy it too!!


                                                                   

Saute Onions and garlic

Add strained pasta to creamy  vodka sauce 

Creamy Pasta in Vodka Sauce 

Ingredients
1 box  pasta shells ( You can use penne, bow pasta )
1 can tomato sauce ( Roma tomatoes, but you can pick your choice )
2 cloves of garlic peeled and chopped finely
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp salt
1 tsp red chili flakes
1/2 cup vodka ( I prefer Grey goose but again take the vodka you would like to drink)
1/2 cup full cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 
3 to 4 Fresh basil  leaves finely chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method 

1.Heat 2 cups of water , add 1 tsp salt and pasta shells, boil  for about 10 to 15 minutes. Check to see if cooked, ( should become soft, but not over cooked) strain and keep aside.
2.Heat a medium size skillet, Add unsalted butter and 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil, add in finely chopped onions. Saute for a minute or  two, as the appear translucent , add in garlic, continue stirring, for another minute. Remove from heat, and pour in the vodka, return skillet to burner, carefully allowing most of the vodka to evaporate. 3.Add in the tomatoes sauce , continue stirring. Add in salt, and red chili flakes, basil and lower heat and check for taste. Add in 1/2 tsp sugar if the tomatoes are too sour.
4.Next stir in the full cream, continue cooking, as the sauce starts to thicken, add in Parmesan cheese.
add the strained pasta and mix well. 
5.Served topped with some sprinkled Parmesan cheese and chopped basil leaves.