Ok off my admiration soapbox.
It all started with her getting a show on Food Network. I immediately stalked her recipes to find any and all that I wanted to make. I think I printed around 20. Then, she made Cajun Chicken Pasta. I knew I had to try it. While shopping for the ingredients, I came to the all important heavy cream (If you try many of her recipes, you will learn that there is no acceptable substitute for heavy cream.) This recipe only needed a cup of heavy cream. I decided to buy a quart of heavy cream instead of the pint. I told Jerome, "I'm just going to have to make more Pioneer Woman recipes so that I don't waste this heavy cream by letting it go bad." ;-) Don't worry I will post all 3 recipes here. Right now! =)
Recipe #1 - Cajun Chicken Pasta. One word: Devine.
- 3 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Cut Into Cubes
- 3 teaspoons Cajun Spice Mix, More To Taste
- 1 pound Fettuccine
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 1 whole Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
- 1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
- 1/2 whole Large Red Onion, Sliced
- 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
- 4 whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced
- 2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
- 1/2 cup White Wine
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- Cayenne Pepper To Taste
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
- Salt To Taste
- Chopped Fresh Parsley, To Taste
Preparation Instructions
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain when pasta is still al dente; do not overcook!
Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun spice over chicken pieces. Toss around to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy skillet over high heat. Add half the chicken in a single layer; do not stir. Allow chicken to brown on one side, about 1 minute. Flip to the other side and cook an additional minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a clean plate.
Repeat with remaining chicken. Remove chicken, leaving pan on high heat.
Add remaining olive oil and butter. When heated, add peppers, onions, and garlic. Sprinkle on remaining Cajun spice, and add salt if needed. Cook over very high heat for 1 minute, stirring gently and trying to get the vegetables as dark/black as possible. Add tomatoes and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Remove all vegetables from the pan.
With the pan over high heat, pour in the wine and chicken broth. Cook on high for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in cream, stirring/whisking constantly. Cook sauce over medium-low heat for a few minutes, until cream starts to thicken the mixture. Taste and add freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and/or salt to taste. Sauce should be spicy!
Finally, add chicken and vegetables to sauce, making sure to include all the juices that have drained onto the plate. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until mixture is bubbly and hot. Add drained fettuccine and toss to combine.
Top with chopped fresh parsley and chow down!
Recipe #2 - Italian Chicken Soup. My mom made this recipe with whatever she had for this recipe in the kitchen. This uses 2 cups of heavy cream. (Side note: I have eaten this for leftovers twice already, Jerome has had it once & we have 2 more lunches left to eat from it. So, lesson: It makes a lot but soooo worth it!) Mom didn't have any fresh jalapenos. I bet it would be that extra little seasoning/spice that we thought the soup needed.
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| Her photo |
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| My photo of my leftovers! |
Ingredients
- 1 box Ditalini Pasta (very Short Macaroni-type Pasta Noodles)
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 whole Cut Up Fryer Chicken
- 8 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
- 1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
- 2 whole Green Bell Peppers, Diced
- 2 stalks Celery, Diced
- 2 whole Fresh Jalapenos, Diced
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 can (28-ounce) Can Whole Tomatoes
- 2 cups Heavy Cream
- 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 4 Tablespoons Minced Fresh Oregano
- Salt And Freshly Ground Pepper, To Taste
- Parmesan Cheese Shavings, For Serving
Preparation Instructions
Cook pasta in a pot according to package directions, being sure not to overcook it. Drain and rinse in cold water to cool. Toss in 1 tablespoon olive oil and set aside.
Place chicken in a large pot or dutch oven and cover in chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer chicken, covered, for 30 minutes. Turn off heat and leave covered for 30 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and shred meat. Discard bones and set meat aside.
Dice canned tomatoes and return them to their juice. Set aside.
Heat a small skillet over medium high heat. Add olive oil and oregano and turn off heat, stirring over the next minute to keep oregano from burning. Set this aside.
Either pour off chicken broth into a separate container or use a new pot to saute onion, green pepper, celery, and jalapenos in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat until tender and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add chicken broth, shredded chicken, and tomatoes with their juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add cooked pasta, cream, and all the oregano and olive oil from the small skillet. Stir to combine. Turn off heat.
Serve with lots of Parmesan sprinkled on the top--the more the better! Crusty Italian bread is good, too.
Recipe #3 - Pasta alla Vodka. When I saw this on Pioneer Woman's show, she was making a recipe for her hubby to try. He is a picky eater, not as bad as my dad but almost. When he approved of it, I knew it would be acceptable at home. (However, I did not anticipate that the lack of meat would become an issue for my dad. Jerome grilled up a pork tenderloin on the side.) She called it Penne alla Vodka since that was the type of pasta she used (and it is the traditional name). I ended up buying the pasta in the recipe that I have linked you too, reginette (it looks like lasagna noodles but skinnier). Jerome ended up cooking this recipe (he couldn't wait for it to be made anymore.) and he broke the pieces in half to make them a little shorter. They twisted around the fork perfectly and I can't see us ever making this recipe with any other kind of pasta. This also used the last cup of heavy cream in the quart-sized container I had bought.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Pasta
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 1 whole Medium Onion, Chopped Finely
- 2 cloves (to 3 Cloves) Garlic, Chopped
- 3/4 cups (to 1 Cup) Vodka
- 1 can (About 14 Oz.) Tomato Puree
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 1 pinch Red Pepper Flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon (to 1/2 Teaspoon) Salt
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
- 1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
Preparation Instructions
Cook pasta according to package directions, being careful not to overcook.
In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and butter. When butter is melted, add in chopped onion and garlic. Stir and allow to cook for two minutes. Pour in vodka. Stir and cook for three minutes. Add in tomato puree and stir.
Reduce heat to low and stir in cream. Allow to simmer, being careful not to overheat. Stir in red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water in case sauce is too thick. Add cooked pasta to the sauce, tossing to combine. Splash in a little water if it needs it. Stir in Parmesan cheese.
Pour mixture into large serving bowl. Garnish with more Parmesan cheese.
Eat it out of the serving bowl. Faint. Repeat as needed.
I really truly hope you enjoy all 3 of these Pioneer Woman recipes like my family did.
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