Spring Entertaining
Spring is officially here! We have had rainy and warm days and a lot of cool evenings. I especially love the cool evening as I can grab a glass of vino or a nice cocktail and head outside to relax on the patio.
I recently posted a great pasta recipe on my Instagram that I wanted to share with you. It’s one of those quick and easy meals to put together on a weeknight after a hard day at work. I find that pasta is always a good dish when I want something comforting and quick. In fact, this recipe is in the running for my upcoming cookbook “Comfort for Every Season”. Yes, I am already working on another cookbook. I am very excited about the project and looking forward to sharing more with you in the future!
In the meantime, with the weather changing it’s the perfect time to start planning your at home entertaining events. One of the ideas I have had is to host some tasting events at home. This event would feature two to three alcoholic beverages which I’ll pair with a dish to compliment the beverage. Recently I became interested in Japanese whiskey and sake so I plan to feature both of these items and one other beverage that is still to be determined.
To take advantage of this nicer weather this event will be outdoors and I’ll be working on my tablescape along with the dishes over the next few weeks. I will definitely be sharing some of my ideas and my dishes once everything is finalized. However do not be afraid to get planning on your spring or summer event. Feel free to drop me a line if you want to discuss your ideas and I am always available to consult or plan your event!!
Chicken, Bacon and Spinach Pasta
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb chicken (rotisserie chicken shredded)
Salt to taste
1.5 cups heavy cream
½ cup Parmesan cheese shredded
5 tomatoes or cherry tomatoes (chopped)
3 cups fresh spinach or 1 cup cooked spinach
5 garlic cloves minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes crushed
6 turkey bacon strips
10 oz penne pasta (for gluten-free version, use gluten-free brown-rice penne)
½ cup Parmesan cheese shredded, for serving
Directions
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet, on medium-high heat and cook your bacon. While the turkey bacon is cooking, shred your chicken and set it aside.
In a saucepan add your tomatoes and garlic and sauté them over medium high heat. Then add the crushed red pepper, and stir in the heavy cream and let it come to a simmer.
In a large pot boil the penne pasta until al dente. In the meantime, add the chicken and grated Parmesan cheese into the saucepan. When the pasta is finished cooking, make sure to reserve a cup of pasta water and set it aside while you drain your pasta, then add the pasta and the reserved water to the saucepan and mix to make sure your pasta is well coated. Add the spinach on top of the pasta and cover with a sauce pan lid to let it wilt. Remove the top and mix the spinach together with pasta and sauce.
When serving, top the pasta with shredded Parmesan cheese, chopped bacon and fresh basil leaves.
***Cook Notes: I use turkey bacon for this recipe because we do not eat pork but you are free to use pork bacon. You can also use chicken thighs or breast as well (seasoned however you’d like) - it’s just easier to use a rotisserie chicken during the week as it saves time.
