First Ever - Monday Meals

By popular demand, I am going to start a weekly post called Monday Meals. As many of you know, I love to cook. I try to cook a homemade dinner every night of the week. Not because I have a desire to one-up Martha, but because I honestly find it relaxing.

For those of you that start to have heart palpitations when the meal is more complicated than frozen veggies, I assure you, I wasn't always this way.

To help ease you in, each Monday I am going to share an Ann pro-tip and a recipe. Help me out by trying the recipe and sharing your thoughts. Or, if the thought of cooking is just too daunting, share your comments if I have made the meal for you. Or, feel free to request recipes for future Monday Meals.

Enjoy!


5.14 Protip
Buy a big knife!
For those of you who don't own a big, scary knife. I PROMISE it will make cooking safer and easier. The less effort it takes to cut a tomato (or produce of your choice), the less likely you are to have a knife slip and end up in your finger!


5.14 Recipe
Pasta Primavera
1 Medium Sweet Onion
1 Sweet Bell Pepper
1 Cup Sliced Mushrooms
2 Clove of Garlic
3 Tbs. Flat-leaf Parsley
2 Chicken Breasts
1 Cup Fresh Parmesan (finely grated)
1 Cup Milk
1 Cup (small) Heavy Cream
1/2 cup (1 stick) Butter
4 Tablespoons Flour
1 lb. (1 box) of Pasta

Preheat broiler (or oven to 450).
Lightly toss Chicken in olive oil and season liberally with Salt & Pepper.
Broil/bake chicken for about 15 minutes, turning once.
Cook pasta in salted water.
Slice the Onion, Pepper, and Mushrooms and saute in olive oil or butter.
Finely chop of press garlic and add to vegetables. Salt & Pepper to taste.
In a separate sauce pan, melt the butter and whisk in the flour.
Allow to cook until pale brown (this is a rue).
Slowly whisk in the Milk & Cream, incorporating all of the rue.
Allow the mixture to come to a simmer and thicken.
Whisk in the cheese until completely melted.
Season with Salt, Pepper, and Parsley.
Slice Chicken and toss with vegetables and pasta.

Click to view and print the recipe card.