Mushroom Artichoke Tortellini

There are some days when I have nothing planned to cook and really don't feel like eating out.  When those days come, I try to pull something together out of what I have in the fridge/pantry.  This is one of those recipes.  I threw it together and it ended up tasting really good.  I was surprised at that flavor of the sauce.  This is definitely a quick, easy meal that can be thrown together.  Leave a comment below....let me know what you put together when there is nothing really planned!

Ingredients:

1 cup mushrooms slice, more if you like mushrooms
1 1/2 cup artichoke hearts, mine were halves, so I cut them up into smaller pieces
1/2 bunch green onions, chopped
1 can tomato sauce
1 can tomato paste
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 package tortellini
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped garlic, about 2 cloves

Saute mushrooms in olive oil and garlic.  Once tender, add in artichoke hearts, tomato sauce, tomato paste and chicken broth.  Stir to mix everything together.

Cook tortellini according to directions.  Timing is everything with the tortellini.  They only take around 10 minutes to cook and you DO NOT want to over cook them...then they start falling apart and don't look appetizing.

Once the tortellini is a couple minutes from being finished, add green onions to sauce.  Serve sauce over tortellini and garnish with fresh parsley and shredded Parmesan cheese.

Chicken Pasta

 This is a recipe I threw together in a pinch.  It ended up tasting amazing and I would definitely make it again!

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts cut into small squares
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 large cans of diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
2 small cans of mushrooms
3 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
parsley flakes
1 package thin spaghetti, cook as directed.

Serves 4

Heat olive oil in a frying pay, add garlic and red pepper flakes, saute.  Add chicken and cook thoroughly.  Add diced tomatoes and mushrooms.  Cook until heated.
Cook pasta as directed, drain and add 1 tablespoon of shredded Parmesan and a pinch of parsley.  Coat cooked noodles in cheese and parsley, stir until combined.

Top pasta with sauce.  Garnish with parsley and Parmesan.

Chicken Fried Rice

This is a simple dinner or side dish.  Feel free to add any kind of meat you want.  I buy the vegetable mix in the freezer section.  I like having the variety of vegetable in my fried rice opposed to just peas and carrots.

Ingredients:

2 cups of rice, cook according to directions (I use brown rice)

2 cups frozen vegetable mix

2 chicken breasts, cut into very small pieces, salt and pepper as desired

1/2 cup soy sauce, I use light...use soy sauce to match the flavor you like

3 eggs

1 teaspoon siracha hot sauce

Steam rice according to directions.  While steaming rice, cook chicken in a frying pan and remove.  Crack eggs into same pan and scramble, breaking into smaller pieces.  Once egg is scrambled and fried, add in cooked rice, soy sauce and hot sauce if desired.  Stir and fry the rice.  Add chicken and vegetables.  Cook until vegetables are heated thoroughly.

The Perfect Way to Figure Out Dinner

This isn't a recipe post, but is probably even better.  I had found this site 3 or 4 years, back when it first started.  This site helps to make planning dinner a lot easier. How many times have you come home to make dinner and can't figure out what you want, or have no time or energy to run to the grocery store?

On this site, you tell them what you have on hand and they give you dinner ideas!  Use up what you have on hand!

Check it out!  Supercook

I promise, you'll love it!