J.Christian's Restaurant: Cavatelli

If I could recreate this dish... I would. It is the Cavatelli from J.Christian's in Wallingford, CT. 

**Homemade ricotta dumplings, lobster meat, pea puree, prosciutto di parma, mascarpone**

I highly recommend this dish for lunch if you are ever in Wallingford, CT!!!

Italian Chicken, Broccoli, Onions with Pesto Pasta

One of Mr. Bear's Favorite Easy Dinners (inspired by the H's chicken, brocc, and pasta dinner)

2 heads broccoli - chopped

1/2 white onion - chopped

spray Pam

olive oil

Jan's crazy salt

4 chicken breast tenderloins

1/2 cup Italian dressing

1 box thin spaghetti

1/4 cup store bought pesto

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

1. Marinate chicken in Italian dressing for at least 1 hour in the fridge.  

2. Drizzle olive oil on a cold skillet. Turn on medium heat and add onions. Cook for 3 minutes and add broccoli. Spray broccoli and onions with Pam. Season with crazy salt (I use lots - use however much you like). Cook over medium heat until onions and broccoli are softened (15 minutes). 

3. While broccoli and onions are cooking, spray a skillet with Pam and place over medium heat. Add chicken. Cook 6 minutes on each side. I like to cut my chicken while it is cooking into bite sized pieces. Drizzle with Italian dressing and season with salt and pepper. 

4. Boil salted water in saucepan. Add spaghetti. Cook until soft. Drain and place back into saucepan. Add pesto and parmesan cheese, stir until pasta is coated. If pasta is dry, add olive oil.  

5. Assemble veggies, pasta, and chicken on a plate. Top with crazy salt and more grated cheese. ENJOY!

Broccoli Black Olive Bread

Sadly I forgot to take a picture of the stuffed bread I made for the Super Bowl last night - 

so this photo from RachelRay will have to suffice.  

1 storebought pizza dough - allow to rise at room temp

2 cups chopped broccoli

1/4 cup diced white onion

1 clove minced fresh garlic

1 can black medium pitted olives, sliced

1 cup shredded mozzarella

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon garlic salt

Cooking Spray

Olive Oil

A small cup of milk (any kind)
Flour

large cookie sheet

pastry brush

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Drizzle olive oil in a medium skillet. Cook white onion and garlic over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add broccoli, season with salt, pepper, red pepper, and garlic salt. Cook broccoli until bright green (5-6 min). Allow to cool 2 minutes.

2. Spray a large cookie sheet with cooking spray. Use flour to coat your hands before handling the pizza dough - on a clean flour coated counter, roll the dough to a size that is big enough for your cookie sheet. Transfer the dough to the cookie sheet.

3.  Place broccoli in the center of the dough. Top with olives and shredded cheese. Fold both sides of the dough up over the broccoli and press the edges together - you should have a dough-y log. Seal the ends of the dough together by folding the dough in together (as if you were wrapping a gift). 

4. Carefully flip the bread over so that the seam is on the bottom. Use the pastry brush to paint the dough with the milk. Bake for 30 minutes - wetting the dough with the milk every 8-10 minutes. 

5. Serve with your favorite marinara!