Monday, January 11, 2010

Grandma Cindy's Chicken Chimis

1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
10 oz. can Ro-tel original
2-3 t. seasoning
WW tortillas
shredded cheese (optional)
butter/oil
green enchilada sauce

Seasoning mix
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. onion powder

Preheat oven to 350*. Warm package of tortillas. Put butter and/or oil on baking sheet and put in oven just until melted. Then place tortillas on pan before rolling to coat the outsides with the butter. Add a couple of spoonfuls of chicken mix and a bit of cheese if desired. Fold and roll if using large tortillas, or just roll for small tortillas. Bake for 12-15 min. Top with sauce.

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Asparagus Pasta

1 lb fresh asparagus, tough ends trimmed
1 tsp finely grated fresh lemon zest
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb whole wheat penne or pasta of choice
1/4 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano

Cut asparagus into 1" pieces, reserving tips separately. Cook asparagus stems in 5 to 6 qrt boiling water with 2 Tbsp salt until very tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a colander, reserving cooking water in pot, and rinse under cold water. Drain asparagus well and transfer to a food processor or blender.

Cook asparagus tips in same boiling water until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer with slotted spoon to colander, reserving boiling water in pot, and rinse under cold water. Drain tips well.

Purée asparagus stems with zest, oil, and 1/2 cup asparagus cooking water. Transfer sauce to a 4-qrt saucepan.

Cook pasta in boiling asparagus cooking water until it still offers considerable resistance to the tooth, around three fourths of the recommended cooking time. Reserve 2 cup cooking water and drain pasta.

Add pasta, asparagus tips, and 1/2 cup reserved water to asparagus sauce and cook over high heat, stirring, 3 to 5 minutes, or until pasta is almost al dente and sauce coats pasta. Add more cooking water, 1/4 cup at a time, until sauce coats pasta but is a little loose (the cheese will thicken it slightly).

Stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring, until cheese is melted.

Serve immediately.

Tips from Chelsea: I drizzle the tips with EVOO and a bit of kosher salt and roast them for about 6-8 minutes at 450 instead of boiling them, they are crispy and YUM that way. Most of the time I will also grill a couple of chicken breasts, cut them into chunks and throw them in. That really makes it into a full dinner.