Skillet Chicken with Broccoli, Pasta & Parmesan

This is the closest thing to Macaroni Grill's Pasta Milano I've tried. The recipe makes it look more difficult than it actually is, I promise. It's really, really good right after you cook it and the leftovers are fantastic.

2-3 chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 T olive oil
1 onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
12 ounces penne {I used whole wheat}
4 1/4 cup water
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
4-5 cups broccoli {I used 4 and didn't think it was enough}
{I think I'll add 8 oz. of sliced mushrooms next time}
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed & coarsely chopped
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup grated parmesan
1 1/2 T lemon juice

Season the chicken with salt & pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 1 minute without stirring. Stir the chicken and continue to cook until most, but not all, of the pink color has disappeared, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a clean bowl and set aside.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, the onion and 1/2 tsp salt to the skillet. Return to medium-high heat and cook until the onion is softened. Stir in the garlic, oregano and red pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the pasta, 3 cups of water and the broth. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the liquid is very thick and almost completely absorbed, 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes and remaining 1 1/4 cups water. Cover, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the broccoli turns bright green and is almost tender, 2-3 minutes.

Uncover and return the heat to medium-high. Stir in the cream, parmesan and reserved chicken with any accumulated juices and continue to simmer, uncovered, until the sauce is thickened and the chicken is cooked and heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with more parmesan cheese.

I printed this recipe off a blog several months ago but have no idea which one. If I figure it out, I'll update this post to give credit where credit is due.

Great Harvest Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is as close as I have ever gotten to duplicating the Great Harvest Chocolate Chip Cookie!

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups brown sugar (I used dark)
1 cup butter
2 cups rolled oats
2 eggs
2 Tbsp molasses
1 Tbsp milk
1 pkg chocolate chips

Combine flour, baking pwd, baking soda and salt. Cream butter and brown sugar. Add eggs, molasses, and milk. Add oats and then the dry ingredients. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop dough and drop 3 inches apart on baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 13-15 minutes (until they start to brown around the edges). Let them cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes.

Cheesecake Cookies

I got this recipe from the Dec/Jan 2010 issue of Cook's Country, and it's amazing. The filling might drip onto your cookie sheets as it bakes, so definitely use parchment paper. Otherwise they'll really stick. Oh, and I made half of these with cherry filling (which the recipe calls for) and the other half with raspberry, and they both worked really well. Enjoy!

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
20 tablespoons (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 (20-ounce) cans cherry pie filling, drained

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in bowl. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese, butter, and sugar until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture, and mix until just combined. Refrigerate dough until firm, at least 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 350*F; line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll dough into 1 1/2-inch balls, then roll each ball in graham cracker crumbs. Place balls 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Using a tablespoon measure, make indentation in center of each ball. Place 3 cherries in center of each indentation. Bake until golden around edges, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool 5 minutes on sheets, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Yield: Approx 4 1/2 dozen cookies