Food photography can be bewildering at times.

When I looked through the viewfinder, the main thing I saw was this luscious, creamy goat cheese sauce covering every bite of this dish.  But strangely after uploading my photos — of course after having devoured this for lunch with a friend — the sauce is just barely visible.  What the what?!

Still.  Ttake my word for it.  You goat-cheese-lovers will go nuts over this one.

I definitely did!  This was my first time making a goat cheese sauce, and it made me regret the years of just dotting my pastas with little crumbles here and there.  This sauce is ridiculous!!!  So full of great, well-balanced flavor with just a few ingredients.  And, it only took about three minutes to whip up, making this pasta a 20-minute meal.  Yet one more reason why I will be making it again.  Stat.

Pasta with Goat Cheese, Chicken, Asparagus & Mushrooms Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. pasta of choice
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• salt and freshly-ground black pepper
• 1 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bunch (about 1 lb.) asparagus, ends trimmed then cut into 2″ pieces
• 16 oz (2 cartons) fresh button or baby bella mushrooms, halved
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 8 oz. goat cheese
• 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Method:

Prepare pasta al dente according to package instructions.  (I would add the pasta to the boiling water around the time you begin cooking the asparagus and mushrooms.)

Season the chicken with salt and freshly-ground black pepper.  Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil over medium-high heat.  When oil is shimmering, add the chicken and cook 5-7 minutes (flipping halfway through) until the outside is lightly golden and the center is no longer pink.  Remove chicken and set aside.  Add the remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil, and once it has heated, add the shallot.  Saute for 2 minutes, then add the asparagus and mushrooms.  Continue cooking for another 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove skillet from heat.

While the vegetables are cooking, heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Add flour, and whisk quickly to combine, then let cook for 1 minute.  Add 1 cup of the pasta water, goat cheese, Parmesan cheese, and a generous pinch of salt and freshly-ground black pepper, and whisk to combine.  Cook for 1 minute, then reduce heat to low until the pasta is ready.  If the sauce is too thick, gradually add additional tablespoons of pasta water until you reach the desired consistency.

Drain the pasta once it has cooked, then immediately toss with the goat cheese sauce, chicken and vegetables.  Serve garnished with additional Parmesan cheese.

Ali’s Tip:

I imagine this sauce would also be fantastic when made with feta cheese!

A few weeks ago, my friends Christin, James and I were sitting around brainstorming what to cook for the big game this year.  And when I asked James’ advice, thinking that I already had a decently complete selection of game day recipes on the site, the conversation went about like this:

James: “Do you have a recipe for chicken nachos?”
Me: “Mmmm, I have apple nachos!  But no, not so much on the chicken…”
James: “Bean dip?”
Me: “Mmmm, no.”
James: “Potato skins?  Sliders?  Wings?”
Me: “I’m beginning to think my recipes are kind of girly.  What do guys like?!?”
James: “Two words: BUFFALO CHICKEN.”
Me: “Noted.”  :)

So behold…my first buffalo chicken recipe on the site.  And actually, after tasting these little guys, I’m pretty sure it won’t be my last.  These crispy little wonton cups are simply filled with buffalo chicken, topped with some blue cheese and green onions.  Easy peasy, and super addictive.  I actually recommend making a double batch, because these will disappear at your party pronto.

What are your favorite game day apps?  Any more advice for this “girly” little food blogger for some dude food?  ;)

Buffalo Chicken Cups Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 24 wonton wrappers
• 1 Tbsp. butter, melted
• 1/2 cup cayenne hot sauce (I recommend Frank’s “Red Hot”)
• 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
• 3 scallions, sliced thinly

Method:

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

Brush chicken breasts with olive oil, and then sprinkle evenly with the smoked paprika and chili powder.  Place in a baking dish and cook for 20-30 minutes, or until the center is no longer pink and the juices run clear.  Remove chicken and let cool, then shred.

Meanwhile, fit a wonton wrapper into each of 24 mini baking cups, pressing the wrappers carefully but firmly into sides of cups.  (Be careful to keep the corners of each wonton wrapper open; otherwise you will not be able to fill them!)  Bake for 5 minutes or until very lightly browned. Keep wontons in baking cups.

In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the melted butter and hot sauce.  Add the chicken and stir until well coated.  Then fill each wonton cup with a tablespoon or two of chicken, and then top with a pinch of blue cheese.  Return wonton cups to oven and cook for another 5-10 minutes, or until cheese is soft and melty.  Remove and top with sliced scallions, and serve warm.  These are best served immediately.

Ali’s Tip:

If you’d like to save a step, you can easily substitute a rotisserie chicken for this recipe.  Just shred it, and follow the steps to mix it with the hot sauce, etc.

Remember what a terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad accusation it was when we were young to be a (gasp!)….copycat???

Well, in the world of home cooking and trying to live on a budget, I learned years ago that it pays — with budgeting and health — to figure out how to copycat my favorite restaurant recipes at home.  And it’s often not that hard!

Case in point.  Panera Bread’s® delicious and oh-so-popular “Fuji Apple Chicken Salad”.

My office happens to be just down the street from a Panera.  And probably more often than I should, I find myself standing at their pickup line waiting for my soup and salad.  And of course, everyone is “ooohing” and “ahhhhing” as they watch everyone else’s meals be prepared.  (Brilliant business model, yes?)  Sure enough, it always seems like every third person is ordering this salad.  And with good reason!  The combination of apple chips, grilled chicken, glazed pecans, red onions, tomatoes, gorgonzola, and a white balsamic vinaigrette on a bed of mixed greens is pretty much a guaranteed success.  I have always thought so!  (Well, minus the tomatoes.  I’m picky with my salads.)

Of course, once I realized I could make these at home with fresh ingredients year-round for a fraction of the price, this salad began gracing my table even more often!  So thought I’d share it with you.  Super simple.  Quite healthy.  Tastes wonderfully like the original.  Give it a go!

Favorite Apple Chicken Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

Salad Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 (10 oz.) bag mixed greens
• quarter of a red onion, sliced thinly
• 2 cups apple chips
• 1 cup glazed pecans
• 1/2 cup gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
• 1 cup freshly-diced tomatoes (optional)

White Balsamic Vinaigrette Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar (or regular balsamic vinegar)
• 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup olive oil

Method:

To Make The Salad:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Prepare a baking sheet with aluminum foil, then mist it with cooking spray or oil.

Brush chicken breasts with olive oil, then season with a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper.  (Or you can add your favorite seasonings.)  Place on prepared baking sheet, and cook for 20-30 minutes, or until internal temperature is 160 degrees and the juices run clear.  Remove and let chicken cool for at least 10 minutes, then slice or shred.

Toss the remaining five ingredients together, then add your desired amount of vinaigrette.  Toss and serve immediately.

***All ingredient amounts are approximate.  I usually just toss in a little of this, a little of that.***

To Make The Vinaigrette:

Whisk all ingredients together until blended.

Ali’s Tip:

You can take the time to prepare each of these ingredients “homemade”…..or take a few shortcuts.  When pressed for time, I’ll often substitute in rotisserie chicken meat, storebought glazed pecans and apple chips.

Source:

Inspired by the “Fuji Apple Salad” from Panera Bread®.

‘Tis the season for apple cider…and apple cider recipes!

After making these delicious caramel apple cider cookies earlier this month, I thought it would be fun to make some sort of main dish with my favorite homemade apple cider.  So after picking up some simple (and very inexpensive!) ingredients, I ended up with this amazing apple cider baked chicken recipe!

It only takes about ten minutes to prep (perfect before work in the morning), and then after marinating all day, you just pop everything in the oven.  And voila!  This simple and healthy dish — celebrating the goodness of baked apples, chicken, potatoes, lemons and herbs — will be ready to go.

(And did I mention that your home will smell absolutely amazing?!?)

Definitely a fantastic meal to bookmark for apple cider season!

Apple Cider Baked Chicken Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, peeled and cut into eighths
• 1 large lemon, sliced into thin rounds
• 2 cups apple cider, homemade or storebought
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
• 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 6-8 chicken legs or thighs
• 2 large apples, each sliced into eighths
• 1 lb. small, red or Yukon Gold potatoes, halved

Method:

Place a gallon size heavy-duty zip-top bag into a large bowl.  Place the onion and next 10 ingredients into the zip-top bag, combining well. Add the chicken to the marinade.  Close the bag, place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange the chicken pieces in a large roasting pan skin-side up.  Pour all of the marinade, including onions and lemons over and around the pieces. Tuck the apples and potatoes around the chicken. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring once halfway through to re-coat everything with the marinade.

Arrange chicken and potatoes on a platter and sprinkle with chopped fresh thyme.

Ali’s Tip:

Feel free to add some mushrooms, red peppers and/or other favorite vegetables to this!

Source:

Adapted from the U.S. Apple Association.

Oh my goodness — the last two weeks of life have been crazy! Between having to work 55-hour weeks while transitioning into a new job, putting in an offer on a new house, fighting through my first winter cold, and getting my first iPhone (whoo!), I have to admit that this foodie hasn’t spent much time in the kitchen.  So thus…my absence from the blogosphere.

But I’m back today!   And have a yummy new recipe to share for one of my all-time favorite meals — chicken tortilla soup!  Two years ago when I began this blog, I posted a recipe for slow cooker chicken tortilla soup, which was one of my favorite 10-minute-prep recipes, made from mostly canned ingredients.  But I also make this soup often from fresher ingredients, and love experimenting with different broth flavors.  So thought I would share with you a delicious recipe I made this week.

Without a doubt, the key to this recipe is the toasted pasillo (also known as “ancho” or “negro”) chiles.  Thankfully, these chiles are now available in pretty much any grocery store.  And have no fear — toasting these chiles is super simple and only takes a minute or two.  It’s hard to describe the chiles’ flavor, but trust me that their smoky, earthy goodness combines perfectly with the avocados, cilantro, fresh tortillas chips, and Mexican cheese.  I can’t get enough of it.  :)

If by chance your grocery store doesn’t carry pasillo chiles, you can always substitute in ancho chile powder or chipotle powder.  But I would recommend trying the new technique if you haven’t before.  (And if you have a gas stove, it’s even twice as much fun!)  Enjoy!

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1-2 medium dried pasilla (negro) chiles, stemmed and seeded**
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes in juice
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 medium white onion, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 quarts good-quality chicken broth
• 1 large epazote sprig (optional)
• 4 (about 1 1/4 pounds total) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 large ripe avocado, pitted, flesh scooped from the skin and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Mexican melting cheese (like Chihuahua, quesadilla or asadero) or Monterrey Jack
• 4 cups roughly-broken tortilla chips
• 1/2 cup Mexican crema, sour cream or creme fraîche for garnish
• 1 large lime, cut into 6 wedges, for serving
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro, for serving
• 1/2 cup cotija cheese, for serving (optional)

Method:

Quickly toast a chile by turning it an inch or two above an open flame for a few seconds until its aroma fills the kitchen. (Lacking an open flame, toast it in a dry pan over medium heat, pressing it flat for a few seconds, then flipping it over and pressing it again.) Repeat with second chile if desired.  Break the chile into pieces and put in a blender jar along with the tomatoes with their juice. (A food processor will work, though it won’t completely puree the chile.)

Heat the oil in a medium (4-quart) saucepan over medium-high. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 7 minutes. Scoop up the onion and garlic with a slotted spoon, pressing them against the side of the pan to leave behind as much oil as possible, and transfer to the blender. Process until smooth.

Return the pan to medium-high heat. When quite hot, add the puree and stir nearly constantly, until thickened to the consistency of tomato paste, about 6 minutes. Add the broth and epazote, if using. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. Taste and season with salt, usually about a generous teaspoon (depending on the saltiness of the broth).

Just before serving, add the chicken to the simmering broth. Divide the avocado, cheese and tortilla chips between serving bowls. When the chicken is done, usually about 5 minutes, ladle the soup into the bowls. Garnish with the crema, cilantro, and extra cotija cheese and tortilla chips if desired. Pass the lime separately.

**If you choose to substitute ancho chile powder for the actual chiles, add in about 1 tablespoon of ancho chile powder halfway through cooking the onion.

Ali’s Tip:

Feel free to substitute in shredded rotisserie chicken if you would like to save a step in this recipe!

Source:

Slightly adapted from Rick Bayless.

This summer I was approached by my friend Kelly, along with two other amazing girls from our church, to help out with the annual benefit for the Kyrie Foundation (an organization raising support/awareness of pediatric brain cancer research).  She was looking for some help making warm hors d’oeuvres’ for the event….for 200 people!!!  Any of you who followed my blog back during my last catering experience knew that I swore off cooking for more than a dining-room-full of people ever again.  But a great cause and good friends are apparently persuasive.  :)

So this past weekend, we decided to do a “test run” of the six main appetizers we will be making to serve at the event (alongside some other apps donated by some beloved local restaurants).  I was assigned to create some sort of chicken salad on endive recipe, so thought I would share with you what I came up with!

Basically, I just combined some of my favorite autumn green salad ingredients into a simple chicken salad — crisp apples, seasoned chicken, gorgonzola (or blue cheese) and lots of toasted pecans.  Yum!  I actually made the initial test version with blue cheese, which was delicious, but we decided to use gorgonzola for the event since we already have some other blue cheese dishes.  All in all, it was extremely easy, quick, and the presentation is oh-la-la classy with the endive.  The girls gave the recipe a big thumbs up, so would definitely recommend it to you all as well!

Wish me luck in November when we make (ahem) 350 of these little guys!!  Ha — I’ll be sure to post some pictures of the craziness.  (But all for a great cause!!)

Chicken, Apple & Gorgonzola Salad in Endive Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 apple, cored and diced (I used Fuji)
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup chopped cooked chicken (optional)
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 4 oz. gorgonzla or blue cheese, crumbled
• 5 Tbsp. mayo
• 1/2 tsp. rosemary powder (or 1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary)
• pinch of salt and freshly-ground black pepper
• 3 Belgian endives, leaves separated
• 1/2 toasted pecans, chopped

Method:

In a medium mixing bowl, toss apples with lemon juice until well-coated.  Add in chicken, celery, cheese, mayo, and rosemary, and stir until combined.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Scoop your desired size of serving into one endive leaf, then sprinkle it with toasted pecans.  Repeat with remaining salad and endive leaves.  Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Ali’s Tip:

If you opt to add chicken to these, I would highly recommend seasoning the chicken with some herbs before it is cooked to add a little extra flavor.  Otherwise, the flavor of the chicken will likely blend into the other ingredients.

It’s cabbage season again!  And to celebrate our long-awaited “cold” front here in Kansas City (well, a drop from the 100′s to the 90′s again), I decided to make some cabbage soup.  But to mix things up, thought it would be fun to include all of the yummy flavors in my favorite Chinese appetizer — egg rolls!

When I googled the concept, I realized I wasn’t the first to try this idea.  But I improvised my own recipe on the fly, and it turned out to be delicious!!  I’ve always loved a light soup filled with vegetables, but especially loved the hint of ginger, soy sauce, and (my favorite ingredient) sesame oil in this simple soup.  I also borrowed the idea from some other bloggers of frying up some egg roll (or wonton) wrappers to serve on top of the soup.  My friend, Christin, who helped me taste test said that was her favorite touch.  ;)

So if you love egg rolls, and you love simple, flavorful, and healthy soups, I’d definitely recommend giving this one a try!

Egg Roll Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• half a yellow or white onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups chopped fresh cabbage
• 1/2 cup grated carrots
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken or pork (*see note below*)
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 2 tsp. soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp. sesame oil
• salt and pepper, to taste
• optional garnish: sliced green onions

Method:

In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add onion, and saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add garlic and saute for 1 minute.  Add cabbage, carrots, chicken broth, chicken or pork, and ginger, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low, and let simmer for 10-15 minutes.  Add soy sauce and sesame oil, then season with salt and pepper if needed.

Remove from heat and serve immediately, garnished with additional green onions if you would like.

Ali’s Tip:

You can use just about any kind of chicken for this (shredded or ground), or any kind of pork (shredded, sliced or ground).  Just be sure that it is cooked before adding it to the soup.

Being that it’s the middle of May and strangely freezing right now — yes, suddenly we went from weather in the 90′s back to highs in the low-50s — I’ve been craving warm soups.  So amongst some other favorite winter soup recipes I have pulled back out, I also recently gave this easy chicken tortellini soup recipe from Real Simple a try.

“Easy” is no exaggeration.  Made with fresh or frozen tortellini and shredded rotisserie chicken, this yummy soup literally cooks up in 15-20 minutes, with only about 2 minutes of that time being prep.  And it was delicious!!  I added in some extra rosemary to season the broth, which I loved.  And for any of you who love broth, I’d definitely recommend adding in an extra 3-4 cups of chicken broth (along with some extra rosemary, salt and pepper).  But otherwise, this was great “as is”!

Definitely a terrific “simple” soup to warm you up on a cold day…even if that falls in the middle of May!  :)

Easy Chicken Tortellini Soup Recipe
(From Real Simple)

Ingredients:

• 4  carrots, cut into bite-size pieces
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 8 ounces cheese tortellini (fresh or frozen)
• 1 1/2 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded
• kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 tsp. ground rosemary (or 2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

Method:

In a large saucepan, simmer the carrots in the broth until tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

Add the tortellini and simmer until tender, 2 to 4 minutes.

Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes more; season salt, pepper and rosemary, then sprinkle with the parsley.  Serve warm.

Ali’s Tip:

This would of course also be great with different kinds of tortellini.  Also feel free to experiment with seasonings!

I love Caesar salads.

But…I have to admit I do not love Caesar salad dressings made with raw eggs (even at restaurants).  I also do not love salad dressings that have the calorie count of an entire meal.  Which of course, traditional Caesar salad dressings are usually made with practically an entire jar of mayo (yikes).  I also do not like dealing with whole anchovies.  But thankfully for us in the twenty-first century, there is a brilliant cheap alternative at grocery stores — anchovie paste.  Brilliant!

So for anyone out there like me who is looking for an egg-free, lighter, yet still oh-sooooooo-delicious Caesar salad recipe, here is my favorite one!  The dressing is still wonderfully creamy and full of the classic lemony, well-seasoned flavors.  And when topped with grilled chicken, homemade croutons, and freshly-shaved Parmesan, I think it actually knocks the socks off any Caesar salad I’ve had in a restaurant.

So if you’ve never made a homemade Caesar salad before, or if you’re just looking for a lighter new recipe, I’d definitely encourage you to give this one a try!  Bon appetit!

Chicken Caesar Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tsp. anchovy paste
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
• 1-2 Tbsp. freshly-squeezed lemon juice (adjust to taste)
• 1/4 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
• generous pinch of salt and freshly-ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Salad Ingredients:

• 2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3 Tbsp. canola or vegetable oil
• 1 head of romaine lettuce
• 2 cups croutons, homemade or storebought
• freshly-shaved Parmesan cheese
• caesar dressing

Method:

To Make The Dressing:

Whisk first eight ingredients together in a small bowl until well-combined.  Then, while still whisking, slowly drizzle in the olive oil.  Continue whisking together until well blended.  Season with extra salt and/or pepper if needed.

To Make The Salad:

First, prepare the chicken.  Place chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap. Pound breasts with a meat mallet until they have reached a uniform thickness (about 3/8″), then sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet, heat canola oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Carefully add two chicken breasts to pan.  (Feel free to add more if you’re pan is big enough — just don’t crowd them.)  Cook until both sides are lightly golden and chicken is cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to cutting board and slice into thin strips.  Repeat with remaining chicken breasts.

While chicken is cooking, prepare the lettuce (and croutons, if making homemade).  Wash and dry the lettuce, and then tear or chop into bite-sized pieces.  Toss with dressing, then serve topped with chicken, croutons and Parmesan.

Ali’s Tip:

Also great with grilled salmon, shrimp, steak, tofu, or even scallops!

A few weeks ago, I asked the guys at work if they had any suggestions for a new blog recipe.  Without missing a beat, my coworker, Kevin, insisted that I must try their family’s famous pesto pasta dish.  He claimed it was his absolute “favorite”, and that it always disappeared pretty much instantly whenever it was made.

Of course, being the carb-loving girl that I am, I’m never one to turn down pasta — especially when pesto is involved.  So after he emailed me the recipe, I rounded up the ingredients and gave it a go!  Although, I did make one last-minute change at the grocery store, nixing the bell peppers the recipe called for (I’m weird – not a big fan of peppers in pasta), and instead decided to throw in some fresh baby arugula.  (But if you’re a pepper fan, Kevin says that they are amazing!)  :)

Well, for any of you who might be doubtful (like I admittedly was) that this simple list of ingredients could yield such a home run….doubt no more.  This pasta is AMAZING!  For whatever reason, the ingredient combination totally just worked. The pesto of course gave everything a base of great flavor, but the asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, and arugula combination sent this over the top.  Oh so tasty.  (Seriously, I’m not usually one to get excited about leftovers, but actually stretched this batch for 4 meals!!)  The fun thing is that this recipe also transitions perfectly into being a cold pasta salad.

So if you’re looking for a super-flavorful, super-delicious new pasta recipe, I highly recommend giving this one a try!  Thanks, Kevin and Tracy!

Pesto Pasta with Chicken, Asparagus & Arugula Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. pasta of your choice (I used campanelle)
• 1 jar of sundried tomatoes, drained (reserve 2 Tbsp. oil)
• 1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 2″ pieces
• 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 cup basil pesto, homemade or storebought
• 2-3 cups baby arugula
• freshly-grated or shaved Parmesan

Method:

Bring a large pot three-fourths full of salted water to a boil.  Then add the pasta, and cook until al dente, according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 Tbsp. of the oil from the jar of sundried tomatoes (or you can use plain olive oil) over medium heat.  When the oil is shimmering, add the asparagus and sprinkle with freshly-ground black pepper.  Cook for 2 minutes.  Then add in the (now drained) sundried tomatoes, and continue cooking for another 4-5 minutes, or until asparagus are done.  Then remove from heat.

When pasta is done, drain the excess water from the pot.  Then add in the asparagus/tomatoes, pesto, chicken, arugula, and pesto, and toss until well-combined.  Sprinkle with shaved or grated Parmesan.

Either serve warm, or refrigerate and serve cold.

Ali’s Tip:

This would be even better with some toasted pine nuts thrown in.  Yum!