One of my all-time favorite recipes from the year 2009 was the recipe I’m featuring today. Whenever I offered to prepare a meal at the culinary school, this was the requested menu. The general idea when the recipe was written, (As I recall, 2009 was a ways back there.) was a very light and easy dish that would cover all the bases.
As you reveal each ingredient you will find there’s a bit of both olive oil and butter in the recipe. This is about the only ‘culprit’ area you will find in the dish. There is a however coming…..what about the parmesan cheese? My suggestion would be to use it with a light hand. Parmesan is so delicious in sauces and foods, but we’re looking at a very large amount of salt. I’m not a huge fan of goat cheese, but it would probably work nicely instead of parmesan. Even a grated Jarlsberg would fill the bill.
Our family is busy with track season. I keep working at creative meals to take to the track. Man cannot survive on hot dogs, brats and burgers 3 nights a week. Think of all the nitrates and sodium, not a good menu for an athlete or a parent.
It takes a great deal of planning to keep the modern family eating healthy these days. I’m waiting on the automobile industry to put small microwaves in cars! I am dead serious! I already have a traveling refrigerator, and a microwave would be the icing on the cake. I know, next I’ll want an oven in the car!
Two Walmart chickens picked clean should provide enough meat for 2-4 meals in a family of four. There’s always chicken and noodles, chicken quesadillas, chicken salad, chicken burritos and chicken lasagna. This week I cooked 3 lbs. of beef stew meat, in the pressure cooker, with tex-mex seasonings. This will work great for tacos, burritos, taco salads, enchiladas, sandwiches, nachos and so much more.
I hope you enjoy trying my chicken and spinach pasta dish. If you don’t care for lemon I’m sure you could turn this into an orange chicken dish. As we look ahead May Day is next week. Need to downsize on a few plants? Turn a few sprouts into May Day baskets! Deliver the basket at the front door and disappear, it is so much fun.
Enjoy time in the kitchen with those you love. Simply yours, The Covered Dish.
Lemon Chicken and Spinach Pasta
12 ounces, pre-cooked pasta, penne or bow tie are good choices.
2 cups pre-cooked chicken breast or turkey
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound spinach, stems removed
4 garlic cloves, pressed
6 small green onions
½ lemon, thinly sliced
Seasoning salt or salt & pepper
½ cup dry white wine
2-3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon lemon zest
Parmesan cheese to garnish, shredded
Pre-cook pasta in salted water, drain and spray with Pam or a bit of olive oil. Set aside.
In a large skillet heat the olive oil with garlic, green onions and lemon slices. Stir in the pre-cooked chicken or turkey. Season with seasoning salt or salt and pepper. After all ingredients are heated thoroughly bring in the white wine and cook until the wine is evaporated. Remove lemon slices. Melt the butter within the skillet and toss in the spinach, cooking until wilted. Lastly add as much of the cooked pasta to your dish as you desire, gently stir. Complete the creation by sprinkling lemon zest across the top of the dish along with the parmesan cheese. Serves 4-6 persons.
Enjoy!
-Debbie Dance Uhrig
