I'm just a busy wife and mom who loves to cook (and hates to clean up afterward), balancing the many hats I wear and trying to look cool, calm, and collected while doing it...

Oh, and I rarely measure anything when I cook, so consider yourself warned. Love good food. Try new things. Eat to your heart's content.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Penne with Chicken and Mushrooms in Pumpkin Cream Sauce

Well, as promised in my first post, here's the recipe I said I would post. It's kind of my own variation of the Pampered Chef's Harvest Pasta Skillet (a vegetarian one-pot recipe which is super yummy too!) So without further ado...

 Penne with Chicken and Mushrooms in Pumpkin Cream Sauce

16 oz penne pasta
8 oz sliced mushrooms
1 Tbsp. olive oil (I used the kind that's infused with rosemary, but whatever you have is fine)
1-2 Tbsp. butter
5 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp or so 21 Seasoning Salute from Trader Joe's (Or whatever salt-free seasoning you've got)
1 15 oz. can solid packed pumpkin
2ish cups chicken broth
1 cup (maybe a tad more) of fat free half & half
1-2 Tbsp. Moroccan Rub from Pampered Chef *
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (divided)
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced
Salt & Pepper
1/4 cup shelled, chopped pistachios

Ok, so first you cook the pasta, pretty much according to directions, except don't let it cook all the way. Maybe only cook it half way.
While that's cooking, you saute the mushrooms and garlic in the oil and butter with the no-salt seasoning stuff in a large pan.
In a large bowl, mix the pumpkin, broth, 1/2 & 1/2 and Moroccan Rub (*a mix of sweet and savory spices, cinnamon, cumin, ginger and lemon. You can just use more of the non-salty seasoning if you want...) until well combined (no more chunks of pumpkin puree). Add the pumpkin/broth mixture to the pan with the mushrooms and garlic. Add 1/4 cup or so of grated Parmesan cheese and the cooked chicken. It'll be really thin... that's how you want it for now.
Now add the 1/2 way done pasta to the sauce, and mix well so its all coated. Let the pasta finish cooking uncovered in the sauce (the sauce will be absorbed by the pasta and will thicken...) when it's done, top with the remaining 1/4 cup or so of Parmesan and the chopped pistachios... Now eat. :) This makes at least 6 servings.


 
 

2 comments:

  1. Yay! You should post the recipe for that uber yummy bad for you potatoes that you had at the thanksgiving feast for the preschool!

    ReplyDelete