I’m so thankful for my “baby” sister. In addition to being a genuine Christian, Kristy is beautiful, witty, and just plain fun. We laugh till we cry when we’re together. She has always been one of the greatest blessings in my life.
In addition to enriching my life with her sparkle and wisdom, Kristy often enriches my palate with her creative cooking. Every time we go to Oklahoma for a visit, I come home with at least a couple of new recipes jotted down. For instance, did you know you can make homemade sherbet with just a 2-liter bottle of orange soda and a can of sweetened condensed milk?
A couple of weeks ago I posted some pictures on my facebook wall of a meal I made which I called “Summer Supper.” The pasta dish was invented by my sister. Not only is it delicious, but you can easily adapt it to suit your tastes. Here are the recipes:
Garden Pasta with Chicken
I’ll describe this dish by layers.
Bottom Layer- Cook your pasta of choice, such as spaghetti, penne, or bow tie.
Sauce Layer- Saute some shallots (or onion) in a little olive oil, then add your favorite jarred sauce.
Veggie Layer- In olive oil, saute whatever fresh vegetables & seasonings you like. I chose zucchini, squash, artichoke hearts, banana peppers (because they were ready to pick from my garden), scallions, and garlic. I seasoned it with Cavender’s All-Purpose Greek Seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, salt & pepper. Saute till crisp-tender, then toss in some fresh basil ribbons.
Chicken Layer- Marinate some chicken breasts in whatever floats your boat (I used pesto), then grill and slice.
To Serve- Top the spaghetti, sauce, and veggies with sliced chicken and shaved parmesan. Garnish with fresh basil.
Variations: Instead of doing a skillet saute, you can throw the vegetables on the grill (as Kristy does) along with the chicken. Also, Kristy recently made this dish using leftover parmesan-crusted chicken. Yum!
This is the Artisan Bread I served with the pasta dish. The recipe can be found at:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Artisan-Bread-in-Five-Minutes-a-Day/
Prayer for Today: Thank you, Lord, for the heart-filling warmth of dear family, and the belly-filling comfort of good food. May I never take your constant blessings for granted.
Life and Favor (Job 10:12) 