Rotini comes to the rescue on busy weeknights
Although any time of year can be busy, the start of school often puts families into overdrive. To survive hectic weeknights, be prepared for mealtime by finding a few fast and easy dishes that your family likes and keeping the ingredients on hand in your freezer. refrigerator and pantry.
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For extra flavor, use the oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes instead of plain olive oil.
Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Toss
16 ounces uncooked rotini pasta
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into bite-size pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil or canola oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese. optional
Cook rotini according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a 5-quart pot, heat oil and sauté chicken, garlic, basil and oregano until chicken is cooked. Add sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and toss with pasta. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese if desired. Makes 8 servings.
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This recipe works as a main dish or side dish. For a more filling entree, add cooked chicken and heat through.
Spinach Tomato Toss
8 ounces uncooked rotini
3 cups chopped seeded plum tomatoes
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil or canola oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
Cook rotini according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, sauté the tomatoes, spinach, onions and garlic in oil until tomatoes are softened. Sprinkle with salt; reduce heat. Stir in feta; heat until warmed. Drain rotini; toss with tomato mixture. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
When cooking pasta, boil plenty of water (about 4 quarts water for every 1 pound of pasta). This reduces the likelihood that the pasta will stick together and it helps the pasta cook more evenly.
If spaghetti doesn’t fit in a pot, resist the temptation to break it. Use a wooden spoon to bend it into the water as it cooks.
Al dente is another Italian phrase; translated it means “to the tooth.” It refers to perfectly cooked pasta, which should be firm when bitten into but still be slightly chewy. If it’s mushy, it’s overcooked. While throwing pasta against the wall might sound like fun, biting into it is the only reliable way to check for doneness.
The Practical Pantry ©2005 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
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