Holiday visit and a good meal
Jace and I drove to my Aunt Ally's house last night, to visit with her, my Aunt Jeanne and my Grandma. Poor Ally had to race back to a cookie party because she had forgotten her reading glasses, so I cooked dinner while Jace helped Jeanne with the tree. Ally had planned some kind of chicken and herb pasta dish and told me to use anything I could find in her kitchen.
I put some water on medium, so that when I was ready to boil the pasta, I wouldn't have to wait so long. I tenderized the chicken she had marinated, and the washed and quartered vine tomatoes. The tomatoes went into a glass dish sprayed with Pam, and then I drizzled olive oil over the top. sprinkled it with garlic salt and chopped fresh basil over the tomatoes. Those went in the oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. The chicken was grilled on a panini press, while I sauteed onions in butter and olive oil. I added sun-dried tomatoes to the onions, and when the chicken was done, I cut it into bite-size pieces and chopped more basil and fresh parsley. That all went into the saute pan, with more olive oil and some garlic.
I started the tri-color bow tie pasta when there was about 12 minutes to go for the tomatoes. I dumped the tomatoes into the saute pan and gave it a good stir, then drained the pasta and put it back into its pot. I tossed the pasta with olive oil, dumped the onions, chicken, herbs and tomatoes over it and mixed it up. Ally had shredded parmesan, so I tossed that in too. We served the pasta from the pot, with crushed red pepper and parmesan on the table. Ally added balsamic vinegar to hers, I wish I'd thought of that. I'm sure the acidity added a nice touch to the dish. As it was though, I earned raves.
Ally doesn't have the best kitchen for cooking, but it beats mine because she has a dishwasher and some open counterspace for prep work.
After dinner, Ally had cupcakes from a "cupcakery" in Madison. Those were nummy. Jace finished helping get the tree put up, and climbed the ladder to put the star on top and start the lights. Grandma, Jeanne and Ally were trimming the tree as we left.
My grandmother gave me a Finnish cookbook as a Christmas gift, and signed the inside for me. We had fun flipping through it and talking about the recipes.
It was a nice evening, and lovely to spend time my family before the holidays.
I put some water on medium, so that when I was ready to boil the pasta, I wouldn't have to wait so long. I tenderized the chicken she had marinated, and the washed and quartered vine tomatoes. The tomatoes went into a glass dish sprayed with Pam, and then I drizzled olive oil over the top. sprinkled it with garlic salt and chopped fresh basil over the tomatoes. Those went in the oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. The chicken was grilled on a panini press, while I sauteed onions in butter and olive oil. I added sun-dried tomatoes to the onions, and when the chicken was done, I cut it into bite-size pieces and chopped more basil and fresh parsley. That all went into the saute pan, with more olive oil and some garlic.
I started the tri-color bow tie pasta when there was about 12 minutes to go for the tomatoes. I dumped the tomatoes into the saute pan and gave it a good stir, then drained the pasta and put it back into its pot. I tossed the pasta with olive oil, dumped the onions, chicken, herbs and tomatoes over it and mixed it up. Ally had shredded parmesan, so I tossed that in too. We served the pasta from the pot, with crushed red pepper and parmesan on the table. Ally added balsamic vinegar to hers, I wish I'd thought of that. I'm sure the acidity added a nice touch to the dish. As it was though, I earned raves.
Ally doesn't have the best kitchen for cooking, but it beats mine because she has a dishwasher and some open counterspace for prep work.
After dinner, Ally had cupcakes from a "cupcakery" in Madison. Those were nummy. Jace finished helping get the tree put up, and climbed the ladder to put the star on top and start the lights. Grandma, Jeanne and Ally were trimming the tree as we left.
My grandmother gave me a Finnish cookbook as a Christmas gift, and signed the inside for me. We had fun flipping through it and talking about the recipes.
It was a nice evening, and lovely to spend time my family before the holidays.