One Pot Spicy Chicken Riggies

I have a Twin Cousin.

Or at least that's how I think of her anyway. We're only two months apart in age, share a lot of the same interests, and our moms happen to be identical twins. I love having a Twin Cousin!

A few years ago, my TC and her family moved to New York State for a brief time. Because she's just as food-obsessed as I am, she raved about many of the new dishes she discovered while they were there.

One of them happened to be this thoroughly revolting-sounding dish called chicken riggies. I don't even want to tell you what went through my mind when I saw "riggie." I can say it was something to the effect of: what on earth are riggies and which part of the chicken did they come from??

Thankfully I've been educated! Now I know that "riggies" is just another term for rigatoni pasta. And after finding this One Pot Wonder Recipe of this favored regional dish, I can see why it's so popular!

One Pot Spicy Chicken Riggies
Recipe adapted from Host the Toast
Prep time: 15 minutes   Cook time: 45 minutes

2 tbsp EVOO
1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
5 cloves of garlic, minced
3 jalapenos
2 (14.5oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 cup white wine
1 cup water
3/4lb rigatoni pasta
1/4 cup butter (1/2 a stick)
1 tsp dried basil (or 2 tsp fresh)
1/2 tsp salt
Crushed red pepper flakes, optional
1/4 cup half & half
1 cup grated Parmesan

1. Preheat the EVOO in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until just browned, but not cooked through. Add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds.

I diced the chicken kinda small. I don't always like biting into big chunks of chicken.

2. OPTIONAL "ROASTING" STEP: If you'd like to add a little flavor-depth to the jalapenos, and you have a gas stove, turn on one of the burners to medium low. Spear one end of a jalapeno with a fork and hold it over the flame. As the skin blisters and blackens (this will make popping sounds too), rotate it to roast all sides. Place the roasted peppers in a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. After a few minutes to steam, the peels will easily slide off. Seed and chop the peppers.

Watch your fingers

I should have let these blacken a bit more, but they were still good!

3. Add chopped, roasted peppers to the chicken, and saute for a minute. Add the diced tomatoes, wine, and water and stir to combine.

Mmmmmmmmmmmm...chicken and peppers and garlic...mmmmmmmm.

I know, this looks like soup. Don't panic! The pasta will soak up a lot of this.

4. Add the dry pasta to the pot and bring to a low boil. If the liquid looks low, add a bit more water. Continue to boil, stirring often, until the pasta is cooked to al dente, about 15-20 minutes.

I heart One-Pot Meals

My almost 7 year-old is obsessed with butter now.
Apparently having the word "butt" in it makes it fabulously funny.

5. Reduce heat to low and add in the butter, basil, salt, and some red pepper flakes, if using. When the butter completely melts into the pasta, add in the half & half and Parmesan, and heat through.

Oh Dairy State. I heart you too!

Now, before any Heat Lovers out there start piling on the red pepper flakes, taste this first!! I used what I though were fairly mild jalapenos. They weren't that mild. And there were three of them. I can honestly say that I LOVED this dish, but truth-be-told my eyeballs were sweating about halfway through it. It had some zing!

I think the heat is what makes it so fantastic though. Here is this wonderfully creamy, cheesy, pasta-y, tomato-y, chicken-y hot dish of comfort that is totally warming on it's own. But then you add this slow building heat from the peppers and suddenly you realize that no, it really is getting warm in here and WOW my sinuses are suddenly very clear!

I absolutely cannot WAIT to make this one again.

p.s. This makes a TON. Enough that I will be freezing half of this the next time around.

This Week's Meal Plan

Once I am able to think through the fog in my head, which won't be too much longer now thanks to prescription drugs, I should be able to get some more recipes up. Ones like bbq rib burgers, chicken riggies, cranberry granola, marinated flank steak, steak fajitas....oh yeah, I have quite the list for you!

At least I've got a meal plan for you!

Thursday

• Easter means looooots of eggs. Lots. As in "dear God what was I thinking?!" amounts of eggs. In our house though, eggs means Cobb Salad. And with some nice fresh bread to go with, I think I could forgive myself for buying so many eggs.

Friday

• I think we might do pizza and popcorn for everyone this week.

Saturday

• Burgers. I'm intrigued by the idea of topping mine with some shredded bbq pork (yay freezer!), couple slices of bacon, and some really good cheese, all on a pretzel bun. These are things that run through my head. Terrible, I know.
• Twice-baked potatoes
• Roasted broccoli

Sunday

• New Recipe! Turkey Tetrazzini. This recipe makes a lot so I'll bake half for dinner, and freeze half for another night.
• Field greens salad

Monday

• Baked Blood Orange Tilapia, using a dressing/marinade I picked up at the farmer's market.
• Basmati rice
• Steamed veggies

Tuesday

• Date Night! My kiddos will either be dining on pb&j or shells & cheese. 

Wednesday

• Leftovers

Happy planning!!

This Week's Meal Plan

Every family has their seasons. Crazy season. Cake season. Travel season. Doctor Appointment season. Baby season. The list of seasons goes on forever.

My family? We're in Travel season. It's also Try to Find a Swimsuit that Fits season but I'll save that ugly drama for another day. Aaaaanyway, this time of year, pretty much every year, one or all of us is traveling. Usually it's just my husband on the road, though I've been known to run away with the boys now and then. Travel season is exhausting. We are in a short lull in between trips this weekend, but the whole season still leaves me more than slightly frazzled.

So frazzled that as I type this I'm also trying to finish up today's last-minute grocery list so Kieran (who is thankfully zoned out to Cat in the Hat right now) and I can hit the store within the hour; then get home to tackle that laundry, which includes somehow de-cat-hairing the futon downstairs so my parents have a clean spot to sleep.

*sigh* It's another day of neverending neeeedtogetthisdoneNOW. Including meal planning. At least I can check one thing off the list!

Thursday

• Freezer Find. My freezer will unleash her glorious bounty while I try to make order of Laundry and Grocery Chaos.

Friday

• Sooo much family coming into town for Easter Weekend that I'm taking some help. I'll still make a vat of popcorn, but Papa Murphy's will take the lion's share of the pizza-making.

Saturday

• Again, with family in town and a big, homemade meal planned for Easter, it's quite possible we'll head out to a restaurant. I have one in mind but I'll wait and see what place our parents are curious to try.

Sunday This happy, holiday meal is made possible by the team effort of Family. I'd go completely bonkers if I tried to do this all myself! I know from experience for this to be very much true. Thank God I've learned my lesson.

• New Recipe! Baked Ham with #9 Glaze
• Oatmeal Pan Bread (thank you Mommy-In-Law!)
• Some kind of salad (thank you Mommy!)
• Sauteed fresh green beans with bacon
• French Silk Pie with Coconut Crust (thank you Mommy!)

Monday

• Mac & cheese
• Steamed veggies

Tuesday

• Grilled brats and hot dogs
• Roasted potatoes & carrots

Wednesday

• Leftovers

Happy planning!!

Chia Seed Breakfast Pudding

This is probably my new favorite way to get all things healthy and wondrous into my kids.

And I even bought a great big tub of chia seeds, just so I could make this more often.

Chia Seed Breakfast Pudding
Recipe from Giada de Laurentiis
Prep time: 5 minutes   Standing time: 30 minutes   Chill time: Overnight

Pudding:
1 cup vanilla-flavored unsweetened almond milk
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Salt
1/4 cup chia seeds

Topping:
2 cups fruit of your choice
4 tsp maple syrup
1/4 cup nuts of your choice, toasted

1. In a medium bowl, gently whisk together the almond milk, Greek yogurt, 2 tbsp maple syrup, vanilla extract, and 1/8 tsp salt until smooth.

It's kinda hard to take an action shot of yourself whisking.

2. Whisk in the chia seeds; let stand for 30 minutes. Stir the pudding to make sure the seeds are evenly distributed throughout. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Chia seeds have similar health benefits to flax seed, but don't need to be ground up.

3. Just before serving, toss the fruit in a bowl with 4 tsp maple syrup. Stir in the toasted nuts.

I've been buying big bags of frozen blueberries lately.
It's nice to have back-up fruit in my freezer for my little Fruit Monsters.

4. Spoon the pudding into four bowls or glasses, top with the sweetened fruit and nut mixture.

Step 1: Spoon into serving vessels. I used tumblers

Step 2: Top with sweetened fruit. You can also easily layer this.

Step 3: I chose to leave my nuts separate for a final crunchy topping.

My boys get so excited over this pudding that sometimes I wonder if I should make this a dessert. It's that good! I prefer though to make this a great protein-packed side to a carb-filled meal such as pancakes, french toast, or waffles. In fact, as much as they love pancakes, when this pudding appears on the table it is always the first thing to disappear. Can't argue with that kind of cooking praise!

This Week's Meal Plan

This kinda sums up how I'm feeling about dinners this week. It happens on occasion, especially when my sinuses can't decide if I've got allergies, a cold, or an infection. Regardless of what it is, let's just say that breathing is a challenge and sleeping is even harder.

So yeah, on weeks like this, sitting down to plan meals is more of a chore than a pleasure. But it still has to be done.

Thursday

• New Recipe! Teriyaki Meatball Bowls
• Rice

Friday

• While Rob and I will probably have pizza, I think I'm leaning more toward a Snack Fest for my boys. Something along the lines of popcorn (of course), cheese & crackers, berries or grapes, apple slices, carrot sticks with dip....

Saturday

• We're off to a late-afternoon birthday party! I have a strong suspicion it will end in a meal, but just in case it doesn't, we'll swing through a drive-through on our way home.

Sunday

• Microwave Tuna Casserole
• New Recipe! Roasted Carrots with Spiced Yogurt

Monday

• Maple-Walnut Chicken
• Fresh bread
• Field greens salad

Tuesday

• Leftovers

Wednesday

• Kheema

Happy planning!!

This Week's Meal Plan

It's one of those week's where I wish I didn't have a grocery budget.

I have my Recipe-Lustful Eye on a couple of seriously gorgeous looking recipes that sound sooooooooo good but also call for ingredients that are soooooooooo expensive. Not outrageously so, but enough that I really shouldn't try all of these recipes in one week.

Especially weeks when I need more big ticket items like diapers and laundry detergent.

But my problem is I'm so focused on two of these recipes, I can't really think of anything else that sounds good. That's kinda how it works for me. I get inspired by one or two recipes, which contribute to how I shape up meals for the remainder of the week. And I'm resisting this week's inspiration, which totally sucks because now I have no idea what to make when.

Maybe if I just pick one, that will help. Because I need to get groceries, and I can't do that without a meal plan in place.

I can do this!!

Thursday

• New Recipe! Cinnamon Oatmeal Pancakes. I don't feel like dealing with Dinnertime Drama tonight. Whenever I feel like that, breakfast-for-dinner is often the best way to go. And since it's a typical Milwaukee-Gray Day, I think the therapeutic powers of cinnamon will be a nice, happy touch.
• Warm applesauce, using the apples I have left in our fruit basket.

Friday

• Shells & cheese. Gavin's new favorite apparently, which my boys will enjoy with their sitter as Rob and I get a rare night out.

Saturday

• Chicken Azteca. I haven't made this in a while so I'm kinda surprised Rob hasn't asked me for it. Oh well, now I get to surprise him!
• Rice. Because I like my azteca over rice.

Sunday

• New Recipe! Blackened Shrimp and Corn Chowder. I'm doing it. I'm going to make shrimp fit into my budget this week so I can try this delectable sounding soup!
• Fresh bread.

Monday

• Lemon Pork Tenderloin. I was inspired by extra room in my grocery budget two weeks ago to pick up a couple tenderloins and whip up this marinade. This recipe freezes beautifully, which makes it one of my favorites to have around.  P.S. I'll give you Bonus Chocolate Points if you can spot the movie reference I just made. ;)
• Baked potatoes
• Field greens salad

Tuesday

• Leftovers

Wednesday

• New Recipe! One-Pot Spicy Chicken Riggies. My cousin and her family spent a couple years in New York, where I guess chicken riggies is a hugely popular dish. I'm intrigued enough to give this a try at least!

Happy planning!!

Pork Chops with Pears in a Port Wine Sauce

Don't freak out on me. I know how this post sounds already.

It sounds fancy. And fancy has, historically, meant hard.

But this is me, remember? Do I give you hard dishes? If I can't prepare an excellent meal with a six year-old trying to show me his latest Lego creation while my two year-old tries desperately to "help" me by either eating half my ingredients or dumping them on the floor, then I don't tell you about it.

And I'm telling you about this recipe. So that means it can be prepared with even the most insane distractions.

Pork Chops with Pears in a Port Wine Sauce
Recipe from Ellie Krieger
Prep time: 5 minutes   Cook time: about 25 minutes

1 large, firm-ripe pear (or a couple medium ones)
Cooking spray
4 pork chops, about 3/4" thick
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup chicken stock
3/4 cup port wine
1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1. Core, and slice the pears into 1/2" thick slices.

If peels bother you, take them off. I was too lazy to bother with it though.

2. Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and preheat over medium-high heat. Add the pears and cook, stirring once or twice, until warmed and slightly softened but still retain their shape, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer the pears to a plate.

Don't be afraid to SEASON. Flavor doesn't just happen by itself.

3. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper. Spray the skillet with additional cooking spray, then add the chops and cook until just slightly blush in the center, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer the chops to a second plate and cover to keep warm.

Trying to go for some good color.

4. Add the broth and port to the skillet, raise the heat to high, and cook until the liquid is reduced by about half, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the mustard and whisk until dissolved, then return the pears to the pan and stir to combine. Drizzle the pear and port sauce over the chops and serve.

A 4-ingredient pan sauce. EASY!!

If you want to step up the sauce a little more, add a little bit of butter right at the end. This adds a glossy shine to the sauce, and a touch of rich flavor too. Yummy!!

And, for the record, my older son creates amazing Lego structures. My younger son is quite hilarious to have around in the kitchen (these pears were thoroughly taste-tested). And this meal absolutely fantastic, even with all my crazy distractions!