Crazy Girl's Kitchen

Get Ready:

• 1 lb Rotini Pasta, cooked
• 1.5 lb broccoli florets, cooked
• 2 Tsp granulated garlic
• 1 Tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp dried basil leaves
• 3/4 cup sliced black olives
• 5 Tsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper

Now let’s play:

Toss everything together.

After-play thougths:

I think Rotini is the best shape of pasta for this recipe, but you can substitute it with any other shape desired. Also, there are couple of ways to cook broccoli – saute, bake, blanch, steam, etc. The best and simplest way I find is to use a very large pot for cooking pasta, pour broccoli into the pot 3 minutes before the pasta is done, and then drain the whole thing.

Get ready:

• 2 Tsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 cooked chicken breasted, diced
• 2 medium zucchini, diced
• 2 cups black olives
• 2 14oz cans tomato sauce
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 lb spaghetti, cooked and drained (reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water)
• salt and pepper to taste
• grated Parmesan cheese if desired

Now let’s play:

Heat up olive oil in a large saute pan at medium high heat, and saute minced garlic with red pepper flakes for two minutes. Add zucchini, saute for 2 minutes. Add chicken stock, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Add chicken, olive, tomato sauce, white wine, dried thyme, and dried basil. Stir together well, and cook for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss with drained pasta (if sauce seems dry, add reserved pasta water). Serve immediately (4-6 servings).

After-play thoughts:

If you use chicken breasts baked at home, chicken stock can be substitute with the juice from baking. Also, you can shred the chicken cubes to make it almost like some sort of chicken ragu sauce.

Get ready:

• 4 Tsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 6 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried theme
• 1lb barley
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 15oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup black olives, chopped
• 2 lb shrimp (thawed if frozen)
• salt and pepper to taste

Now let’s play:

Heat up 2 Tsp olive oil and saute chopped onion with a pinch of salt for 3 minutes. Add 2 cloves of minced garlic and saute for another 2 minutes. Add barley, basil, theme, and chicken stock. Bring to boil and then simmer for 20-30 minutes. Stir in olives and beans. Set aside. Heat up the other 2 Tsp olive oil in a separate pan. Add the rest of minced garlic. Infuse the oil for 2 minutes. Add shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Cook about 2 minutes on one side and another minute on the other side until it’s pink and cooked through. Scoop the barley mix onto a serving dish or plates, and pour shrimp with the garlic sauce on the top. Serve immediately (about 4-6 servings).

After-play thoughts:

It’s very easy to over-cook shrimp. I find it helpful if you only cook for 2 minutes on the first side at medium heat, flip, watch closely so you can fish the shrimp out as soon as they start to curve up. As to the size of the shrimp used in this receipt, “31/40 per lb” seems to be the best.

Get ready:

• 2 Tsp butter
• 2 Tsp olive oil, plus extra for finishing
• 1 lb orzo
• 2 cloves diced garlic
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 (28oz) can diced tomato
• 2 diced English cucumber
• 1 cup sliced black olive
• 1 Tsp dried oregano
• 1 Tsp dried basil
• salt & pepper to taste

Now let’s play:

Turn the heat to medium high. Melt the butter with olive oil in a 5 qt sauce pan. Toast the orzo with garlic until slightly golden brown (stir frequently). Pour the chicken stock into the pan and bring to boil. Stir frequently until the orzo absorbs all the liquid. Drop the heat to medium low.  Stir in the diced tomato, diced cucumber, sliced black olive, dried oregano, and dried basil. Cook for about two minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Drizzle some olive oil on the mix. Serve immediately (6-8 servings).

After-play thoughts:

Cucumber is not an traditional ingredient in pasta dishes, but it is incredibly delicious. Give a try; otherwise, substitute it with zucchini.