what's cooking: last week's menu

What a tasty week!

Monday - leftovers from our Valentine's Day feast
Tuesday - Creamy Rigatoni "K" (I actually made up my own recipe! It's below.)
Wednesday - Butternut Squash Flatbread
Thursday - Pork Chops with Sweet Potato Fries (see below) and Wilted Arugula
Friday - Vegetarian Chili* with Rosemary Biscuits (see below)

Favorite? It's a toss up: either the rigatoni or the flatbread. Both were so good. And they heated up just as well the next day for lunch. Mmm... I'm hungry just thinking about them!
Worst? Wilted arugula. I forgot that I hate steamed greens. I managed to choke down 4 bites before I had to throw it out. blech blech blech

*I omitted the turkey because it was a Friday during Lent (no meat!) and instead added a third can of beans plus 1 canful of frozen corn.

(From top: Rigatoni, Flatbread, Chili)

Creamy Rigatoni "K"
It seems like there's a lot going on at once, but this dish really is simple to put together.

Start by boiling a large pot of salted water and cooking 1 lb of rigatoni until just before al dente. Return pasta to pot and set aside.

Meanwhile, make Mario Batali's bechamel sauce. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place 2 boneless/skinless chicken breasts on a foil-lined baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Bake until cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Slice into bite-size pieces and set aside.

While chicken is cooking, saute one package of sliced white button mushrooms in 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper and saute until soft and fragrant. Set aside on a papertowel lined plate.

Grate 2 cups of asiago cheese, reserving 1/2 cup. In a large bowl, combine asiago, 1 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1-1/2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary.

Now it's time to put it all together...

To the pasta pot add: the cooled bechamel sauce, the chopped chicken, the mushrooms and the cheeses and rosemary. Toss together so everything is combined and pasta is evenly coated. Pour into a greased 13x9" casserole dish. Top with the 1/2 cup of grated asiago. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until cheese is golden. Let cool for 5 minutes and serve.

I hope you enjoy! Let me know if you try it!

Roasted Sweet-Potato Fries
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Scrub 2-3 medium sweet potatoes and pat dry. Halve lengthwise; quarter each half lengthwise. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss sweet potatoes with 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp coarse salt, 1/4 tsp ground pepper and 1 tbsp olive oil until coated. Arrange, cut sides down, in a single layer. Roast; turning potatoes halfway through until tender and browned about 30 minutes.

Rosemary Biscuits
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
In a medium bowl, whisk 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, 1-1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp crushed dried rosemary, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Make a well in center, and add 4 tbsp melted butter and 1/2 cup milk. Stir just until dough comes together. Divide dough into 6 mounds on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 10 to 12 minutes.

(Both recipes are adapted from Everyday Food magazine)