Recipe: Pecorino-Romano Cheese Sauce

The other night, we had thawed chicken breasts, leftover grilled veggies, and three cups of heavy cream crowded together in the fridge, and for me this was just another night of "how can I pull these things together to create a dinner that tastes good AND helps clear out the fridge." The answer was simple: Make a sauce with the cream and toss it with the chicken, veggies, and maybe some pasta (which, of course, we always have on hand in the pantry). So, sauce. Cheese sauce made the most sense. But what kind of cheese? Well, I had an assortment to choose from— Gouda, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Jarlsberg—and I chose Pecorino-Romano, craving its distinct salty flavor. A little garlic, some onion and seasonings, and a splash of chicken broth added to the cream and cheese mix created a velvety, salty sauce that brightened up lightly-seasoned chicken and previously-grilled veggies.

Yields: About 1-1.5 cups
Prep. time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10-15 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. butter
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• Approx. 1/4 cup chicken stock/broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2-3/4 cup shredded/grated Pecorino-Romano cheese
• 1/2 tsp. white pepper (or more, to taste)
• 1 tbsp. dried basil (or more, to taste)
• 1 tsp. dried oregano (or more, to taste)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Cornstarch (mixed with water; as needed)

Directions

In a medium pot over medium-low heat, melt the butter, then add the garlic and onion and cook for approx. 3-4 minutes, until the mixture is fragrant and slightly soft. Add the chicken stock, then slowly whisk in the heavy cream and increase the heat to medium. When the mixture starts to bubble slightly around the edges, slowly add in the cheese, whisking constantly. Increase the heat slightly and continue to whisk until the cheese is almost completely melted. Whisk in a little regular milk if the mixture seems a little thick or lumpy. Add the white pepper, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper and whisk to combine. Let the mixture cook over medium to medium-high heat until thickened. If it seems a little thin, add a little bit of cornstarch (mix about 1 tsp. cornstarch with about 2 tbsp. cold water, then add it to the sauce). Serve over chicken, pasta, rice, vegetables, potatoes, etc. 

This sauce is creamy, salty, cheesy, and surprisingly light despite the heavy cream. It may seem quite salty and strong when tasted straight from the pot, but once tossed with warm pasta or poured over roasted red potatoes or a grilled chicken breast, it's absolutely perfect—bright and flavorful. We had it as a pasta sauce, tossed with pieces of sauteed chicken, whole wheat farfalle pasta, and grilled vegetables (squash, zucchini, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and onion) and it was ridiculously tasty. We had some sauce leftover, so we ate it over breaded chicken breasts and roasted new potatoes the next night, and it worked so well. Despite being a cream sauce, its bright, cheesy flavor works well in warm weather dishes.

Cake, creme brulee, and chicken, oh my!

So, evidently, we're either competing to see who can cook the most or my mother and I are just insane. Right now, I've got a lavendar-vanilla creme mixture steeping for creme brulee, an olive oil cake just came out of the oven, and I've got a cheese sauce bubbling away on the stove. Oh, and there are pieces of chicken and veggies waiting to get sauteed in a pan and more chicken is being pounded out mercilessly by my mother. The sad (or great?) part is, we're only cooking for two things: tonight's dinner and my mother's bookclub tomorrow. I am not looking forward to washing all of these dishes, but wow, do I love spending time in the kitchen.

Not-so-great photo courtesy of my phone

Recipe: Homemade Pancakes

To start this very warm Memorial Day off right, my parents and I decided to cook up pancakes and bacon for breakfast, and add a side of mixed berries to help make us forget about all of the carbs and bacon fat we'd be consuming. While you could be lazy and make pancakes from a boxed mix, it's so easy to make up homemade batter and you probably already have all of the ingredients in your fridge and pantry. These pancakes are fluffy and flavorful, and as my dad commented, they have better body and texture than the boxed stuff. Try them out, and pair them with your favorite breakfast foods, like eggs, sausage, or fresh fruit. Add nuts, berries, or chocolate chips to the batter to create fun, flavored pancakes.

Yields: Approx. 15 pancakes (depends on what size you make them)
Prep. time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 2-4 minutes per batch
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 3 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tbsp. vegetable or canola oil
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg
• Butter, just enough to use for cooking the pancakes
• Maple syrup, butter, fruit, and other toppings, as desired

Directions
In a large bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients, then add in all of the wet ingredients. Mix/stir until smooth. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat or heat a (pancake) griddle to approx. 375*F (we use a griddle because it fits more pancakes). Add a little butter to the pan/griddle, then spoon out the pancake mixture and pour into even sized circles (we do about 4 inch wide pancakes) and cook for about a minute. Flip the pancakes over when the edges start to look a little dry and the middle of the pancake starts to bubble. Cook for another minute. The pancakes will be cooked through and golden brown on both sides. Serve hot with butter, syrup, or other toppings of your choice. Perfect paired with breakfast meats, hash browns, and/or fruit.

These pancakes have just a touch of sweet and salty, with that perfect fluffy-as-a-cloud texture and softness that soaks up creamy butter and sticky-sweet syrup. Perfect for breakfast on the weekends!

Recipe: Chicken and Penne Pasta with Wilted Spinach and Grape Tomatoes

To be honest, there's really not much of a story behind tonight's meal. Haha. I wanted to make something quick and easy, and I was craving that delicious pop of a hot grape tomato, so I paired chicken and pasta with fresh grape tomatoes and baby spinach to create a simple, summery dish.

Serves: 4
Prep. time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15-20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 8 oz. penne pasta, or other small pasta (farfalle, medium shells, rigatoni, etc.)
• Olive oil (enough to lightly coat the bottom of a large pan)
• 4 tbsp. butter
• 2 chicken breasts, sliced into 2 inch long pieces
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1-2 cups grape/cherry tomatoes
• 4-6 oz. baby spinach (remove any big stems from leaves)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 5-6 basil leaves, chiffonade cut
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste (at least 1 tsp.)
• Italian seasoning, to taste
• Italian cheese, as desired

Directions

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil, then add pasta and cook according to package instructions (about 11-15 minutes). In the meantime, heat a little olive oil and 2 tbsp. butter in a large pan over medium heat. Season the chicken with a little salt and pepper, then add it to the pan. Cook until no longer pink on the outside, then add the onion and continue to cook until the onion pieces soften slightly. Add the remaining butter along with the white wine, tomatoes, spinach, and garlic and cook over medium heat. Add salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning as the mixture cooks. When the pasta is done, drain it and return it to the pot with a splash of olive oil and a little butter. Add the chicken mixture to it, along with the fresh basil, and toss to combine. Serve with grated Italian cheese and additional crushed red pepper flakes, as desired.

Simple, fresh, flavorful. What more can I say? The hot grape tomatoes pop when you bite into them, and their juices blend perfectly into the garlicky, buttery flavors in the dish. Wilted spinach adds color and flavor and tender chicken and pasta are always the perfect combination.

Recipe: Pasta and Prosciutto in a Creamy Leek Sauce

It's been pretty rainy and dreary so far this week, and the grey skies and cool temperatures definitely make me crave comfort foods—mac&cheese, pancakes, hot tea—and this rich and creamy pasta dish certainly fits the bill. With sweet and oniony leeks and shallots, fresh garlic, salty prosciutto, and buttery cream, this pasta dish has it all—it's rich, flavorful, and definitely the perfect comfort food.

Serves: 4
Prep. time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking time: 15-20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) butter, cut into pieces
• Olive oil (enough to lightly coat the bottom of a large pan)
• 4 oz. prosciutto, roughly chopped (about 1-2 inch pieces)
• 2 leeks, thinly sliced (leeks are notorious for being sandy and dirty, so be sure to soak and clean them thoroughly, and only use the white part for the dish)
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1&1/2 to 2 cups heavy cream
• Milk (preferably 2%), as needed
• 8 oz. angel hair pasta, or other long pasta (spaghetti, linguine, etc.)
• 4-6 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade cut
• Dried thyme, to taste
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Grated Italian cheese, as desired

Directions

Heat the 4 tbsp. butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pieces of prosciutto and cook until just starting to brown and crisp, then add the leeks and shallots. Once the leeks and shallots have started to soften (about 5 minutes), add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the chicken stock and slowly stir in the heavy cream, then add salt, pepper, and thyme. Let the sauce bubble and thicken over medium-low heat—add milk if needed to add a little volume to the sauce, and be sure to taste test to make sure the flavor is good. While the sauce is bubbling away, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions (about 4-5 minutes). Drain the pasta and return it to the pot, then pour the thickened sauce over it, add fresh basil, and toss to combine. Serve topped with Italian cheese.

This sauce is incredibly flavorful—it's sweet, salty, oniony, buttery—and the heavy cream and splash of milk make it so creamy and rich. Fresh basil helps cut through the richness and a sprinkling of Italian cheese blends perfectly into the dish. Prosciutto is a nice change from chicken or no meat at all, and its salty flavor works well with the other flavors in the sauce. It's perfect for a cool evening, yet easily made into a warm weather dish with the addition of a garden salad and a glass of white wine.

Recipe: Chicken and Broccoli Pasta in a Brown Butter Cream Sauce

So, despite the lack of recipe posts lately, I have, in fact, been cooking—I've just been making a lot of repeat meals (stir fry, pasta dishes, etc.) that have already shown up on the blog. The other night, we decided that the lovely warm weather warranted dining out on the back porch and I wanted to make something new; something that would be light yet flavorful, and work well with the nice weather. This creamy pasta dish does it all, combining seasoned chicken, fresh broccoli, tender pasta, and a delicious brown butter sauce swirled with heavy cream. The sauce is rich and creamy, but incredibly light and it blends perfectly with the other ingredients in the dish.

Serves: 4
Prep. time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 8 oz. penne pasta, or other small pasta (ziti, farfalle, gemelli, etc.)
• 1 whole head/bunch broccoli (approx. 2-4 cups), cut into florets
• 2 chicken breasts, cut into 1-2 inch cubes
• Salt, pepper, and paprika to season the chicken (about 1 tsp. of each)
• Olive oil, enough to lightly coat the bottom of a large pan
• 1-2 small onions, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 7 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp. heavy cream
• Basil, chiffonade, if desired
• Italian cheese (Parmesan or Romano), if desired

Directions
Heat a little olive oil in a large pan over medium heat, then add the seasoned chicken pieces and cook until no longer pink in the middle, then remove the chicken and set it aside on a plate or in a dish (be sure to cover it to keep the heat in). Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add the pasta and cook according to package instructions (about 10-13 minutes). When you have 4-5 minutes left, add the broccoli to the pot and cook it along with the pasta. While the pasta and broccoli are cooking, heat a little olive oil over medium heat in the same pan used for the chicken, then add the onion and cook until slightly soft and lightly browned (about 5-10 minutes). Add the garlic and 1 tbsp. unsalted butter and cook for a minute or two, until fragrant. Add the white wine and the cooked chicken to the pan and cook until the wine has reduced a little bit (about 5 minutes). When the pasta and broccoli are done, drain and return to the pot, then add the chicken mixture in and cover the pot. In a small pot, heat the remaining 6 tbsp. unsalted butter over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until it's melted and starts to brown lightly (there will be some specks of brown in the bottom—this is normal) and smells fragrant and nutty. Immediately remove from heat (if you cook it too long, it will burn and taste terrible). Slowly whisk the heavy cream into the melted butter until completely incorporated. Pour the brown butter cream sauce over the pasta mixture and toss to combine.. Serve with grated Italian cheese and basil.

This dish is light, creamy, and buttery—perfect for a warm summer night. Fresh broccoli adds color and freshness to this dish and lightly seasoned chicken pairs perfectly with the sauce and pasta. The brown butter cream sauce has a nutty, buttery flavor that's absolutely delicious—you may just want to start putting it on everything you eat.