Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Alfredo

I'm still not sure how I feel about goat cheese, but this type of recipe leans me in a more positive feeling direction. And, it is really, really fast, perfect for days like today when your staff meeting runs long. Original recipe here, but I did make several changes.

Ingredients:
whole wheat linguine*
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
4-5 small cloves of garlic, minced
3/4 cup Greek yogurt
1/4-1/2 cup non-fat milk
4 oz herbed goat cheese
2/3 cup grated parmesan
1 jar roasted red peppers, drained
salt and pepper, to taste
1 small jar artichoke hearts**, rinsed and drained
1 cup peas**
1 cup cooked, shredded chicken**

Directions:
Cook the linguine to al dente, drain, and set aside. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a non-stick pan, and saute the garlic and onion for 5 minutes or so. Mix the Greek yogurt and milk together to the texture you want, then add the yogurt mixture and goat cheese to the pan. Turn the heat to low, and toss until everything is smooth and melted. Put the yogurt and onion mixture in the food processor, along with the parmesan and red peppers, but put the pan back on the stove, and turn the heat back up to medium. Saute the peas, artichoke hearts, and chicken for a few minutes while you process the yogurt and onion mixture until it is smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste (it took about 1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper for me). Toss it with the linguine and artichoke hearts, peas, and chicken, and garnish with basil before serving.

* I used between 1/3 and 1/2 of a box and it was enough for half of this recipe. I like my pasta pretty saucy (ha!), so make more or less as you desire. I am guessing this sauce would freeze really well also.
**these are optional ingredients

I really liked this, and will probably make it again, for several reasons. I think this could be really versatile, for one. It seems like any soft cheese would work well in this recipe, so if goat cheese isn't your thing, try something else. Secondly, you could add any vegetables you like. I bet this would be really good with asparagus. Also, it is really fast. It took me 15 minutes from start to finish (although my chicken was already cooked). In addition, while I really don't use a lot of canned foods anymore, this recipe lends itself to using healthy canned foods like roasted red peppers (a giant pain to make on my own), and asparagus hearts (also a giant pain to access from a raw asparagus). And finally, this is a large recipe, so it would be easy to cut in half, or freeze for later. As is, it made enough for my dinner and probably 3 lunches, and I only used half of the sauce.

Rating: 4.5/5
Why? I think the sauce needed basil, which I guess would make it closer to this red pepper pesto, but I just think it needed something. Next time!!

Roasted Red Pepper Penne

I may have mentioned my love of basil here before, but seriously, I LOVE basil. I don't have much planting space - just a little balcony - but I am planning on planting only basil this year. Otherwise, I spend $4 a week on a 6 oz box of organic basil at Safeway, and I use all of it each week. So this recipe has become an instant favorite, as it incorporates a full cup of basil as well as another favorite, red peppers. Original recipe from here (via pinterest, of course), but I have changed it a bit to make it a little healthier.

Ingredients:
1.5 cups penne pasta
1/8 cup olive oil
4 whole garlic cloves
1/3 cup pine nuts
2-3 chopped roma tomatoes
1/3 cup grated parmesan
1 jar roasted red bell peppers, drained
1 cup fresh basil leaves
salt and pepper
1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1/4-1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cooked shredded chicken

Cook the pasta. Meanwhile, heat the oil and garlic over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, then add the pine nuts and heat for another 1-2 minutes. Put the oil, garlic, and pine nuts into a food processor, then toss the tomatoes into the warm pan and let them break down just slightly (1-2 minutes, tops). Back at the food processor, pulse the warm oil mixture. Then add the parmesan and pulse again, then add the bell peppers, basil, salt and pepper and pulse until smooth. I like mine a little creamy, so I add a little Greek yogurt and milk, then pour it over the cooked and drained pasta. Stir it all together, then stir in the chicken and tomatoes. Top with chopped basil and parmesan cheese and serve.

Seriously, this stuff is awesome. And if your chicken is already cooked, it comes together in about 20 minutes. I love how much basil is in this (of course) and since I use whole wheat pasta, it is really filling. In the original recipe, she used cream instead of Greek yogurt and milk, and used 1/3 cup of oil, but I hate oily pesto and so I cut it down significantly. I also sometimes throw in a dash of hazelnut oil just for kicks, but that isn't really necessary.

Rating? 5/5
Why? It's simple, delicious, and filling.

Jalapeno Poppers

Back in college, my friends and I looked forward to that one month a year when Sonic would have half price jalapeno poppers. Growing up, I had never really eated jalapenos, especially jalapenos that hadn't been chopped up and put into something else, and these were amazing! As I got older, of course I realized that the poppers were really unhealthy, so I stopped eating them, until I found this recipe on allrecipes.com.

4 oz neufchatel cheese

3 oz grated sharp cheddar

2 oz grated mozzarella

1/8 cup sour cream
7-8 jalapenos
1 egg
1 Tlbs milk
1 cup breadcrumbs
2 Tlbs dried parsley
1/2 tsp paprika
salt and pepper

Wash the peppers and bring a small pan of water to a rolling boil. Drop the peppers into the boiling water and boil for 2 minutes. Then put them under running cold water to blanch them. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, slice them lengthwise and remove the seeds, membranes, and stems. Mix the neufchatel, mozzarella, cheddar and sour cream together in a bowl. In another small bowl, mix the egg and the milk (I put the milk and egg in a bowl with a tight lid, then shake it until well mixed). In another small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, parsley, paprika, salt and pepper. Take one half of a pepper, dip the skin side in the egg/milk mixture, then in the breadcrumbs, and place it in a pan. Repeat with all the peppers. Then take a spoon (or a plastic bag with the corner cut out) and put the cheese mixture in each of the peppers. Sprinkle the remainder of the breadcrumb mixture on top of the cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

This is pretty good as is, but when I make it again, I will increase the amount of grated cheese and reduce the amount of neufchatel cheese. I think the filling is a little too creamy, but that is my personal taste. This is not going to taste like fried poppers, but it is crunchy on the outside, and definitely is pretty close to the fried popper feel. The original recipe called for mayonnaise instead of sour cream, but I hate mayo, so I never have it in the house.

Rating: 4/5

Why? Nothing can replace the serious crunch of the Sonic poppers, but I do like these quite a lot. It is an excellent way to use leftover jalapenos (because I always end up with too many) and they make a great snack, as they are easy to freeze and reheat.