Recipe: Chicken Pappardelle

Pappardelle In My Belly!

Not too long after posting about my Roasted Tomato and Garlic Pesto Pasta recipe, I fell in love with this dish. It seems I like pasta as much as the blue Texas sky.

Pappardelle? It’s a wonderfully wide noodle that hails from Tuscany. It was during a trip to Italy when I first discovered a delightful dish of pappardelle resting underneath cinghiale (wild boar) paired with a nice glass of red. Despite the fact that Italy is half the size of Texas, its 20 regions are wildly diverse in geography, dialect, and food. Pappardelle is authentic to the hills of Tuscany.

Try this dish and I’ll hope you enjoy it!

Foodie Tips:

❤  You can find pappardelle pasta at Central Market and HEB.

Pappardelle costs about $5 and it’s worth its weight in gold!

If you’re adventurous you can also make pappardelle by hand – here’s a fun video that shows you the magic:

❤  Many foodies prefer to cook pasta 1 minute less than the package directions indicate for al dente perfection! What does “al dente” mean? In Italian… “to the tooth,” which implies the pasta is tender, but not mushy.

❤  I once had an Italian finger shaken at me for using red sauce from a jar. “Why would you use jarred sauce?” If you’re not in a hurry, try my homemade red sauce recipe.

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons  |  Olive Oil
1 ½ Pounds  |  Chicken Breast or Boneless Thighs, Chopped Into Chunks
To Taste  |  Salt and Pepper
1  |  Yellow Onion, Diced
2 Stalks  |  Celery, Diced
1  |  Red Pepper, Diced
1 ½ Teaspoons  |  Fresh Rosemary, Chopped
½ Teaspoon  |  Red Pepper Flakes
2 Cups  |  Bertolli Organic Pasta Sauce (Olive Oil, Garlic & Basil)
⅔ Cup  |  Chicken Broth
1 Pound  |  Pappardelle
¼ Cup  |  Italian Flat Leaf Parsley, Chopped
To Love  |  Parmigiano-Reggiano, Shredded

What To Do:

1. Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven or medium-sized pot over medium-high heat.

2. Season the chicken with the salt and pepper and saute it until golden brown (about 5 minutes).

3. Add the onion, celery, and red pepper – cook until the onion is soft and translucent (about 3 minutes).

4. Add the fresh rosemary and red pepper flakes. Cook 1-2 minutes to marry.

5. Add the pasta sauce and broth, stir, and bring to a boil. Shred the chicken with a fork or wooden spoon. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

6. While the sauce is simmering, prepare the pappardelle and add to the sauce.

7. Transfer your chicken pappardelle to a pasta bowl (or plate). Top with freshly chopped parsley and parmigiano-reggiano. Molto bene!

~ Joe Paul Reider

Home Style Austin Founder
Austin Realtor®
Keller Williams Realty, Inc.

Email: JoePaul@KW.com
Mobile: 512-222-3302
Web: JoePaul.KWRealty.com

❤ Love Food? In a click and a scroll you can visit more of my favorite recipes – there’s more than 50 recipes here on the Home Style Austin blog!

 

 

Recipe: Roasted Tomato and Garlic Pesto Pasta

Pasta! Pasta!

One of the greatest culinary lessons I learned traveling abroad is the greatness of the well-prepared simple dish.

I created this pasta dish using some of my favorite ingredients – tomatoes, garlic, pasta, and cheese. What’s not to like about that?

Foodie Tips:

❤  When you’re in a pinch for time, feel free to use your favorite jarred pesto sauce. For an extra-special touch, I make my very own homemade pesto. You can freeze it ahead of time so it’s already ready when you are!

❤  If you want a little more tomato-garlic “zing” to the dish you can easily double the roasted tomato-garlic ingredients (the first five shown below). A lotta tomato goes a long way! :)

❤  This dish makes a great accompaniment with bruschetta, insalata caprese, or your favorite soup. ← Click these green links for more of my favorite recipes!

Ingredients:

2-3 Cups  |  Cherry Tomatoes (or Grape Tomatoes), Whole
3-5 Cloves  |  Garlic, Peeled and Left Whole
1 Teaspoon  | Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon  | Black Pepper, Freshly Ground
2 Tablespoons  |  Olive Oil (for roasting)
1 Pound  |  Rigatoni Pasta
2 Tablespoons  |  Olive Oil (for sauttéing)
¼ Cup  |  Basil Pesto
To Serve  |  A Drizzling of More Olive Oil
To Serve  |  Parmigiano-Reggiano, Freshly Grated

What To Do:

1. Roast The Veggies: Preheat oven to 400°F. Meanwhile, place the tomatoes, garlic, salt, pepper and 2 Tablespoons of oil in a medium-sized bowl and stir until well mingled. Transfer the mix to a 13″ x 9″ baking dish. Oven roast for 20 minutes – no stirring required!

2. Make Pasta: While the veggies are roasting, prepare the rigatoni al dente (about 1 minute less than the package directions). For best results, do not overcook the pasta!

3. Let’s Tumble: Heat 2 Tablespoons of the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Transfer the roasted vegetables to the skillet. Using a slotted spoon or wok strainer, transfer the pasta to the skillet, including some of the pasta water so the dish retains its moisture. Add the pesto and drizzle with the last of the oil (to taste). Sauté and stir to coat.

4. To Serve: Spoon into bowls and top with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

~ Joe Paul Reider

Home Style Austin Founder
Austin Realtor®
Keller Williams Realty, Inc.

Email: JoePaul@KW.com
Mobile: 512-222-3302
Web: JoePaul.KWRealty.com

❤ Love Food? In a click and a scroll you can visit more of my favorite recipes! There’s more than 50 of them here on the Home Style Austin blog!

 

 

Recipe : Basil Pesto

A Family Favorite

Enjoy this delicious pesto recipe that’s great on pasta, ensalata caprese, bruschetta and just about anything your heart desires.

Foodie Tips:

❤  Never use a knife to cut your basil leaves; always hand tear basil to prevent it from browning.

❤  Don’t underestimate the power of basil; it thrives in the Texas sun and loves water. Our garden usually has 4-5 basil plants that keep our kitchen filled with its deliciously aromatic fragrance.

❤  Vitamin C is a preservative that will help retain the beautiful green color of this pesto. If you’re going to enjoy the pesto fresh without storing leftovers, you can omit this ingredient.

Ingredients: 

2 Cups  |  Firmly Packed Fresh Basil Leaves
⅓ Cup  |  Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Tablespoons  |  Pine Nuts, Toasted
½ Teaspoon  |  Garlic Cloves, Minced
To Taste  |  Gray Sea Salt
To Taste  |  Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Optional: Pinch  |  Powdered Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)
¼ Cup  |  Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions: 

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. While it’s getting ready prepare an ice water bath in a large bowl.

2. Put the basil in a large sieve and plunge it into the boiling water. Immediately immerse all the basil and stir so that it blanches evenly. Blanch for about 15 seconds. Remove, shake off the excess water, then plunge the basil into the ice water bath and stir again so it cools as fast as possible. Drain well.

3. Squeeze the water out of the basil with your hands until very dry. Roughly chop the basil and put in a blender. Add the garlic, salt and pepper to taste, olive oil, pine nuts, and the Vitamin C, if using. Blend for at least 30 seconds. In this way the green of the basil will thoroughly color the oil. Add the cheese and pulse to combine.

The pesto will keep several days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. Yields about ¾ cup, enough for 1 pound of pasta. Enjoy!

~ Joe Paul Reider

Home Style Austin Founder and Foodie
Austin Realtor®
Keller Williams Realty, Inc.

❤ Love Food? In a click and a scroll you can visit more of my favorite recipes!

Avocado and Chicken Enchiladas

Avocado Creamy Good!

When our friend Penny shared this recipe we knew we had to make this dish.

Sour cream, avocado, chicken and cheese can only mean one thing – we’re having seconds.

Foodie Tips:

❤  I like the tasty heat of jalapeño combined with the creamy sour cream sauce. If you’re a little heat-shy you can omit the jalapeño.

❤  We found our Mexican cheese mixture at our neighborhood HEB which was a blend of Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Asadero and Quesadilla Cheeses. You can substitute your favorite cheese – Pepper Jack would work well.

❤  Great sidekicks for this dish can include my spicy stuffed cornbread, chicken tortilla soup or a fresh garden salad.

Ingredients: 

For The Sauce:

1 Tablespoon  |  Unsalted Butter (I suggest Falfurrias)
1  |  Jalapeño, Chopped With Or Without Seeds (optional)
1 Clove  |  Garlic, Minced
1 Tablespoon  |  Flour
1 Cup  |  Chicken Stock
2 Teaspoons  |  Cumin
¼ Teaspoon  |  Salt
½ Teaspoon  |  Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
½ Cup  |  Cilantro, Chopped
1 Cup  |  Your Favorite Salsa Verde (we used Trader Joe’s Salsa Verde)
½ Cup  |  Sour Cream

For The Enchiladas:

4 Cups  |  Rotisserie Chicken Breast, Shredded
4 Cups  |  Mexican Blend Cheese, Shredded And Divided Into Two 2-Cup Piles
3  |  Avocados, Peeled And Chopped
8  |  Flour Tortillas

Directions:

1. Make The Sauce: In a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat sauté the garlic and jalapeño in butter for about 1 minute. Stir in the flour and cook for two minutes. Add the stock, cumin, salt, pepper and stir until everything comes to a boil. Remove the sauce from the heat and add the sour cream and cilantro; combine well and set aside.

2.  Prep Your Baking Dish: Coat the bottom of a 9″ x 13″ baking dish with nonstick spray. Pour ½ cup of your sour cream sauce and spread it to evenly coat the bottom of the dish. Preheat oven to 375°F.

3. Make Your Enchiladas: [Note: For this step only work from 2 cups of cheese for your enchilada filling so you will have 2 cups to sprinkle on top.] Top a tortilla with the chicken, cheese, avocado and a spoonful of the sour cream sauce. Roll up the enchilada and place it seam side down in your baking dish. Repeat this process until all your enchiladas are made. If you have any extra chicken or avocado no worries – you can sprinkle this on top of your enchiladas. Pour the remaining sauce on top of the enchiladas, cover with the last 2 cups of the Mexican cheese mixture.

4. Bake Away: Place in your preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is bubbly-gooey. Remove from oven and let rest a few minutes. You can garnish with a little more chopped cilantro or chopped avocado.

Hope you enjoy this dish!

 

~ Joe Paul Reider

Home Style Austin Founder
Austin Realtor®
Keller Williams Realty, Inc.

❤ Love Food? In a click and a scroll you can visit more of my favorite recipes!

Spicy Stuffed Cornbread Recipe

Cornbread With A Kick

This week with cold, icy weather blowing into Austin, there’s nothing I like better than cooking in a warm kitchen.

This spicy stuffed cornbread recipe packs a flavorful kick and will transform mere yellow cornbread mix into a sensationally savory dish that you can eat solo or paired with your favorite main course, like my family’s recipe for homemade chili.

You’ll never think of mere cornbread the same way again! And it surely warms-up the chilliest of days … and nights.

Foodie Tip:

❤  For an extra-savory dish you can add some browned beef or chorizo to amp-up the cornbread.

Ingredients: 

the stuffing:

15.25 Ounce Can  |  Whole Kernel Fiesta Corn, Drained
15 Ounce Can  |  HEB Texas Style Borracho Beans With Shiner Bock, Drained
7 Ounce Can  |  Diced Green Chiles, Drained
1  |  Fresh Jalapeño, Diced (Including Seeds)
To Taste  |  Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
1 Pat  |  Butter (I suggest Falfurrias Brand Butter)
2 Cups  |  Colby Jack or Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
2-3  |  Green Onions, Sliced Thin (Optional Garnish)

the cornbread: 

You can use your favorite packaged cornbread or if you’re shy of one, here’s a recipe I like to make from scratch:

1 ¼ Cups  |  All-Purpose Flour
¾ Cup  |  Quaker Brand Enriched Corn Meal
¼ Cup  |  Sugar
2 Teaspoons  |  Baking Powder
½ Teaspoon   |  Salt
1 Cup  |  Whole Milk
¼ Cup  |  Vegetable Oil
1  |  Cage Free Egg, Beaten

Directions: 

0. Preheat oven to 400°F (or to the baking temperature specified for your chosen cornbread recipe).

1. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the first five ingredients for the stuffing. Set aside.

2. Prepare your cornbread mix according to package instructions. If making the scratch cornbread recipe (from above) combine all dry ingredients together. Add the milk, oil and egg and stir. Set aside.

3. Butter a 9-inch square skillet or pan. Place the skillet (or pan) into your warm oven for about 5 minutes.

4. Remove your warmed skillet from the oven. Add half your cornbread mixture into the skillet. Top the cornbread mixture with your stuffing mixture. Add 1 cup of the cheese on top then pour the rest of the cornbread mixture on the very top.

5. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until light golden brown and a knife or wooden pick inserted in the center removes clean.

6. Remove the stuffed cornbread from the oven, sprinkle the last cup of cheese on top then return to the oven until the cheese is bubbly awesome.

7. Remove the cornbread from the oven, garnish with some green onions (if you’d like) the let rest a few minutes.

Serve warm and enjoy!

 

 

~ Joe Paul Reider

Home Style Austin Founder
Austin Realtor®
Keller Williams Realty, Inc.

❤ Love Food? In a click and a scroll you can visit more of my favorite recipes!

Home Style Austin Orzo Salad Recipe

A Great-Tasting Orzo Salad

If you love orzo short-cut pasta as much as I do, you’ll want to try this Home Style Austin house favorite – you might find it becoming a regular side or main dish at your dinner table.

Foodie Tips:

• You can make this salad ahead of time and let it chill in the refrigerator – perfect to take on-the-go for a picnic or to the office for lunchtime.
• You can also serve it warm and introduce some protein to make it a main course meal; adding chicken or roasted rotisserie chicken makes this dish delicious!
• If you’re shy with raw onion you can eliminate it or reduce it to ¼ cup.
• I added goat cheese to lessen the intensity of the blue cheese flavor (sorry, blue cheese); if you prefer one cheese over the other you can go all the way and use ½ cup of your favorite cheese.
• Don’t have – or can’t get – Trader Joe’s Artichoke Antipasto? You can substitute 2-4 ounces of marinated artichoke hearts.

Ingredients: 

½ Cup  |  Orzo Pasta (Prepared)
2 -3 Ounces  |  Trader Joe’s Artichoke Antipasto
1 Medium  |  Tomato, Chopped
½ Cup  |  Celery, Chopped
½ Cup |  Red Onion, Chopped
¼ Cup  |  Crumbled Goat Cheese
¼ Cup  |  Crumbled Blue Cheese
½ Cup |  Black Olives, Chopped
2 Tablespoons  |  Fresh Italian Flat Leaf Parsley, Chopped (Optional)
1 Tablespoon  |  Fresh Lemon Juice
½ Teaspoon  |  Dry Oregano
½ Teaspoon  |  Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

Directions: 

1. Prepare the orzo according to package directions, drain and chill in the refrigerator while you’re preparing the rest of the ingredients.

2. When the remaining ingredients are all ready stir them into the orzo and chill 1-2 hours.

Yields: 4-6 servings. Enjoy!

Love this recipe? We want to hear from you!

 

 

~ Joe Paul Reider

Home Style Austin Founder
Austin Realtor®
Keller Williams Realty, Inc.

❤ Love Food? In a click and a scroll you can visit more of my favorite recipes!

 

Joe’s Bruschetta Completa Recipe

❤ Valentine’s Day 2014 Featured Post ❤

Bruschetta Completes Me

As an avid traveler to Italy, I fell in love with the simplicity of Italian foods.

While Italian bruschetta (sounds like “brew-ske-tuh“) may sometimes omit the tomato mixture, this is my own recipe for making a tasty and simple tomato bruschetta that’s sure to “complete you,” (hence the recipe’s name – a personal term of endearment). I usually serve this bruschetta as an appetizer, although I’ve been known to enjoy a few slices as my main course as I love tomatoes and bread.

Foodie Tips:

• I found my ciabatta at my local Austin HEB. It comes in loaves or mini-loaves. I prefer to buy the thickest loaves I can find. If you have a personal favorite Austin artisan bread company that you like, share the love.
• I strive to serve my bruschetta fresh out of the oven. I know I’ve prepared my bruschetta perfectly when the bread is warm and the tomatoes are just a bit cool; it’s a great combination! You can also serve this dish at room temperature. To prevent soggy bread, top the toasted bread with the tomato mixture just before serving.

Ingredients: 

3  |  Roma Tomatoes, Seeded and Chopped
1  |  Garlic Clove, Peeled and Pressed (or minced)
6-8  |  Fresh Basil Leaves, Torn by Hand
1-2 Tablespoons  |  Extra Virgin Olive Oil (use the good stuff)
To Taste  |  Kosher Salt and Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
Loaf  |  Ciabatta Bread, Sliced Horizontally Then Sliced Into Serving Pieces
Splash  |  Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2-3  |  Garlic Cloves, Peeled and Cracked (yields 4-6 pieces of bread)

What To Do:

1. In a medium-sized bowl stir the tomatoes, fresh minced garlic, basil, oil, salt and pepper. Set aside and let marinate 20-30 minutes.

2. About 20 minutes into the marination, preheat your oven to high/broil.

3. Place your sliced ciabatta on a cookie sheet lined with foil and place a tiny splash of more olive oil on top of the bread.

4. Toast the bread in your oven for 3-5 minutes (please, no burning).

5. While your bread is in the oven, stir your marinated tomatoes then pop them in the refrigerator for a few minutes to chill a bit.

6. Remove the bread from the oven. Rub 1-2 slices of bread with a cracked piece of garlic (with fork or hand) and let rest for 2-3 minutes. Rub new cracked garlic cloves on the remaining bread slices (1 garlic clove will yield 1-2 slices of bread).

7. Top bread with your fresh tomato mixture and serve.

Buon appetito!

~ Joe Paul Reider

Home Style Austin Founder
Austin Realtor®
Keller Williams Realty, Inc.

❤ Love Valentine’s Day? Visit our post called “Valentine’s Day The Home Style Way” for our ideas for how to make your day extra special at home. We’re pairing our favorite appetizer, main course, desserts and wine along with some great “at-home” movie recommendations sure to melt hearts.

Egg In A Cup Recipe

When We Say “Cup,” Bacon Is Implied  :)

Ingredients:

8 Slices  |  Bacon
6   |  Cage Free Eggs
1 Cup  |  Cheddar Cheese
1 Tablespoon  |  Fresh Thyme, Chopped
1 Tablespoon  |  Fresh Parsley, Chopped
To Taste  |  Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

What To Do: 

0. Preheat oven to 400°F.

1. Cook the strips of bacon in a pan over medium heat until browned, but not crunchy-crispy. Transfer bacon to a plate topped with paper towels to drain and cool.

2. Spray 6 wells of a muffin tin with non stick cooking spray. Take a piece of bacon and wrap around the side of each muffin well. Cut the remaining two pieces of bacon into thirds and place each piece in the bottom of the muffin well to form the bottom of the bacon cup.

3. Crack one egg into each cup. Top each with a sprinkle of cheese, thyme, parsley and the black pepper.

4. Bake until set (about 10-12 minutes). If all goes well the egg will be slightly runny when you cut into it!

Yields: 6 Servings

Food Tips: 

  Use your choice(s) of cheese. I’m partial to cheddar, but pepper jack and goat cheese are favorites, too!
  Sweet and savory make great breakfast buddies for this dish ~ Serve with a side of fresh fruits (grapes, pineapple and melon). Nobody leaves hungry!

~ Joe Paul Reider

Home Style Austin Founder
Austin Realtor®
Keller Williams Realty, Inc.