Spicy Fettuccine Alfredo Marinara

Some days I can't decide if I want some creamy alfredo drenched pasta or some good old-fashioned spaghetti. This poses a dilemma but why not have both? AT THE SAME TIME!?! Seriously! Why are carbs so freaking delicious? 

Spicy Fettuccine Alfredo Marinara

1 tbsp vegetable shortening

1 lb. box fettuccine

1 tsp salt

2 lbs. ground hot Italian sausage

1 sweet onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp Cajun seasoning, divided

¼ red chili pepper flakes

2 tsp oregano, chopped

2 tsp basil, chopped

15 oz. can tomato sauce

3 oz. tomato paste

¼ cup butter

½ tbsp flour

1 ½ cups heavy cream

4 oz. parmesan cheese, shredded

2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

¼ tsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp parsley, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9”x13” baking dish with shortening. Set aside. In a stock pot, bring water to a boil for the pasta. Add salt once the water is boiling and then add the pasta. 

Cook for about 10 minutes, or until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup of pasta water. Set aside and drain the pasta in a large colander. Add the pasta back to the stock pot and set aside. In a large skillet, cook the sausage and onions over medium high heat until the sausage is browned and the onions are tender. Add the garlic to the sausage and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. 

Add ½ tsp of Cajun seasoning, pepper flakes, oregano, and basil to the sausage. Stir and allow to cook for about 1 minute. 

Then, add the tomato sauce and paste. Stir to combine. Cover and lower heat to medium low. 

Let it simmer while you make the white sauce, stirring occasionally. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter. Whisk to combine until it is smooth. Slowly pour in the heavy cream, whisking constantly until the flour mixture and cream are well combined and not lumpy. 

Add in the Parmesan a little at a time. Continue stirring until melted. Add ¼ tsp Cajun seasoning. 

Next, add in the reserved pasta water and stir. Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta in the stock pot. Use tongs to gently mix the sauce and pasta together. Once all the pasta is well incorporated, add the pasta to the baking dish. Spread the pasta out evenly. 

Add the sausage mixture over the top of the pasta and spread evenly. 

Top the sausage mixture with mozzarella cheese. 

Bake the uncovered for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the remaining Cajun seasoning, paprika and parsley over the top of the cheese. Allow the dish to cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

NOTES:

I prefer to use fresh herbs but you can used dried herbs you'd like. You may want to scale the measurement back a bit. The grasshoppers went to town on my herb garden so I ended up using dried basil and everything came out just fine.

If you a pressed for time (or feeling a little lazy), you can always use store bought marinara and/or alfredo sauce. This will trim some cooking time as well as eliminate some dirty dishes.

ENJOY!!

~ Asha Cole

Baked Rigatoni & Italian Sausage

Baked pasta dishes are one of my favorite comfort foods only second to pizza. What can I say? I really like carbs, gooey cheese, and marinara sauce.

Baked Rigatoni & Italian Sausage

1 lb. rigatoni pasta

1 lb. ground Italian sausage

1/2 sweet onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

24 oz. marinara sauce

1/2 tsp red chili flakes

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp Cajun seasoning

2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

2 tbsp parsley, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9"x13" casserole dish by spreading a thin layer of vegetable shortening inside the dish or spray with cooking spray.

 In a stock pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add the rigatoni and allow to boil for about 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain the cooked pasta in a colander. Set aside.

 While the pasta is boiling, brown the sausage over medium high heat. When the meat starts to brown, add the onions and allow to cook for about 8 minutes or until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute or until fragrant. 

Add the marinara sauce, chili flakes, black pepper, and Cajun seasoning to the meat. Reduce the heat to medium and allow to simmer for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Add the pasta to the prepared casserole dish. Once the pasta sauce has simmered and is warmed through, add the sauce to the casserole dish with the pasta. 

Gently mix the sauce and pasta until everything is well distributed evenly in the dish. 

Sprinkle the cheeses over the pasta. 

Place the dish into the preheated oven and bake uncovered for about 15 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and sprinkle parsley. Allow the pasta to cool for a few minutes before serving. Serve with some garlic bread.

NOTES:

I like to use spicy sausage AND spicy marinara.

ENJOY!

~ Asha Cole

Chicken Parmesan

Some nights, I just want a little taste of Italy at home. Of course, someone's Italian grandmother would definitely scold me for using store bought sauce. She'd probably also tell me that this isn't REALLY an authentic Italian dish. 

In any case, this Chicken Parmesan feature crispy chicken, some marinara, and gooey melted cheese. That enough to fulfill any craving I have for an Italian inspired comfort dish.

Chicken Parmesan

1/2 cup flour

2 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning, divided

1 tsp black pepper

1 1/2 tsp garlic powder, divided

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

3 eggs, beaten

2 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

2 tsp Italian seasoning

3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and sliced in half lengthwise

1 cup vegetable oil, for frying

2 cups marinara or spaghetti sauce, store bought is fine but homemade is best

2 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a plastic storage bag, combine the flour, 1 tsp Cajun seasoning, black pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne by sealing the bag and shaking it. Pour the flour mixture into a shallow bowl. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and the remaining garlic powder. Set aside. In another plastic storage bag, combine the panko, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning. Pour the panko mixture into a shallow bowl. Set aside. 

Cover the chicken cutlets with plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet, pound the chicken until it is about 1/2" thick. Use a paper towels to pat the chicken dry. Place the chicken onto a large plate and season both sides of the chicken with the remaining Cajun seasoning. Set aside. 

Dredge a chicken cutlet in the flour mixture, shaking off the excess flour. Next, dip the chicken in the egg mixture. Drain off the excess egg. Next, coat the chicken with the panko mixture, pressing the breadcrumbs into the chicken to ensure it adheres well. Set the breaded chicken cutlets onto a clean plate. Repeat these steps for each piece of chicken until all of the cutlets are breaded. Set aside. 

In a large deep skillet, heat the oil over medium high. Once the oil is glistening, add the chicken to the hot oil. Do this in batches. Do not overcrowd the skillet. I usually fry two pieces at a time. Fry the cutlets for about 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Feel free to adjust the heat, if needed. 

When the chicken is golden brown, remove them from the heat and place them on a wire cooling rack over a baking sheet. Repeat these steps until all of the chicken has been browned.

 Leaving the chicken on the wire rack, spoon some of the marinara sauce over each fried cutlet and top with mozzarella cheese and parsley. Place the chicken into the oven and bake for about 10 minutes. The cheese should be melty and bubbly. If you want the cheese a little more brown, on the top you can put the oven on broil for about 1-2 minutes. Watch it closely so it doesn't burn. Remove from the oven and serve warm. I typically serve this with spaghetti, a simple salad, and some variation of garlic bread like Garlic Pull Apart Rolls.

NOTES:

It is very important to watch the temperature of the oil to ensure crispy chicken. Adjust it as needed. If it isn't hot enough, you will end up with soggy chicken. If it is too hot, you'll end up with burnt breading and raw chicken.

Be sure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F before serving. I always check it before turning the oven to broil. If it hasn't reach that temperature yet, I leave it in the oven for a little longer. 

Leftover chicken parmesan makes a great sandwich! 😉

ENJOY!

~ Asha Cole