Hi mums and dads!

The rules of prepping food for my kids (that they will willingly eat) are fairly predictable:

1.  They will eat anything in a creamy, cheesy sauce
2. They will eat pretty much any vegetable, as long as they can’t see it or pick it out
3. They will eat almost anything that is fried and crispy, or wrapped in crunchy puff pastry

So, along this vein, creamy pasta dishes in our house are always a hit.  They are EASY to make and a great way to hide veggies and I don’t have to constantly prompt my kids to keep eating. The ingredients (like everything in my kitchen) always vary depending on what I have in the fridge.

You can use this recipe and substitute pretty much any protein in for the chicken and add/substitute vegetables too.

 

INGREDIENTS

A brown onion – finely diced

4 cloves of garlic (or a tsp of minced garlic out of a jar if you are lazy – but it doesn’t taste as good) – finely diced

3-4 chicken thigh fillets sliced into strips/cubed

+/- 200g bacon (optional)

200g of sliced mushrooms (use Swiss browns, button or field – it doesn’t matter)

250mL cream (I use light, lactose free)

4 chicken stock cubes (you can use vegetable or beef stock (gives a richer flavour) if you want) dissolved in about a quarter cup of boiling water

Half head of cauliflower – chopped into florets, boiled and then pureed (to this you can add whatever vegies you like eg pumpkin, carrot whatever – just boil and puree together OR you can actually do this recipe without vegies altogether if you wish)

1 packet of fresh, ready made pasta

Couple of handfuls of Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

 

METHOD

1. Prep your vegies by boiling until soft and then puree in a food processor – set aside.
2. Heat oil and saute onion and garlic until softened and fragrant
3.  Add your chicken (+/- bacon) and toss until brown
4.  Add the sliced mushroom and saute
5.  Add the stock cubes dissolved in a little hot water
6. Add your pureed vegetables
7. Add the cream, bring to simmer and reduce heat.  Simmer gently for about 10-15 min to reduce (Cooking tip**:   If it boils, the cream will split and not look nice, but still taste much the same)
8. Boil some water and cook your pasta until al dente – drain and set aside, reserving a little pasta water
9.  Toss your hot pasta into your sauce and mix till well coated
10. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle (heavily) with Parmesan
11. Serve immediately

 

Would love to hear how your family goes with this recipe

Post me comments, like and SHARE, SHARE, SHARE away!

Happy eating1

 

xx Megs