For the Love of Pasta

After a long day at work, what could be more satisfying than an ooey, gooey, creamy pasta dish right?  When I was pregnant with my daughter, I could not even think about eating meat, so one of my go to dishes then was plain spaghetti noodles with butter and ketchup.  I know some of you, the ones who have never had it, are thinking yuck, but believe me it is really quite tasty.  Well, my pregnancy induced vegetarianism days are looonnggg over and many years have passed, but my love of pasta lingers.  My daughter inherited my love of pasta and if I didn't know better, sometimes I wonder if we have Italian ancestors.  One of our favorites is my Creamy Chicken Spaghetti.  You could actually change this to a casserole by using a different pasta, such as bow tie, Penne, or Orecchiette and adding about 8 ounces more half-and-half.  Layer the sauce and pasta.  Then top with about 1/2 cup more shredded cheese or Parmesan and bake at 350 till bubbly.  Try my recipe and let me know how well you like it!

April's Creamy Chicken Spaghetti

April's Creamy Chicken Spaghetti

• 1 pound Chicken Breast
• 1 small onion
• 2 small carrots
• 1 cup chopped sweet peppers, preferably multi-colored
• 5 cloves garlic
• 16 ounces half-and-half or heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups Shredded Six-cheese blend or any shredded cheese you like
• 1 Tablespoon Salt
• 1 pound Thin Spaghetti
• 1 Tablespoon Salt for boiling spaghetti
• 3-4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1/2 Teaspoon Oregano
• 1/2 Teaspoon Marjoram
• 1/2 Teaspoon Paprika
• 2 Tablespoons fresh Parsley
• 1/4 Cup Parmesan, grated

Cooking Directions

1. Fill a stockpot 2/3 full with water and 1 tablespoon salt. Saute the onions, garlic, carrots, and peppers in the olive oil in a large saute pan. Cut the chicken breast into small cubes and add to the pan. Cook for about 8 - 10 minutes. Add the half-and half or heavy cream, the oregano, marjoram and paprika. Lower the heat and simmer while your pasta cooks. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 8 minutes (if you use a different pasta, cook according to package instructions). Drain your pasta. Add the 1 1/2 cups cheese and stir well. Portion into pasta bowls and top the pasta with a generous amount of sauce. Garnish with grated Parmesan and parsley. Enjoy!