They say, “When you’re here, you’re family”, but sometimes I feel a family meal is best spent at home. Dining out is a luxury I enjoy, but sometimes nothing beats some home cooking. Cooking as a team can be a lot of fun as well. My Grandmother used to say, “A family that cooks together, stays together.” So this week, my mom, my brother and I all took part in cooking this dish. I’ll tell you, we shared many laughs during the process and the final product was truly a reward!
1 cup green bell pepper, julienne
1 cup red bell pepper, julienne
1 3/4 cups broccoli florets, cut small
1 cup zucchini, slice 1/4 ” then halve
1 cup yellow squash, slice 1/4″ then halve
3 Tbs pure olive oil
Pasta
6 cups fresh fettuccine; cook, drain
1 Tbs pure olive oil
San Marco sauce
3 Tbs pure olive oil
2 lbs chicken thigh meat (skinless/boneless, cut in 1″ cubes)
2 large yellow onions, 1/8″ dice
1 cup carrots; peel, julienne
1 Tbs garlic, chop fine
1 cup chicken broth
1 can Italian plum tomatoes, (28 ounces) w/juice
1 tsp dry oregano
1 tsp dry rosemary
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp Wondra flour
Preheat a heavy non-aluminum 6-qt pot over medium-high heat and add the olive oil.
Once oil becomes hot, add the chicken pieces and sautee turning frequently for 5 or minutes until lightly browned on all sides.
Add the onions and carrots and sautee, until the onions are translucent, about 2 minutes.
Add the garlic and sautee about 30 seconds. Do not burn the garlic.
Immediately add the chicken broth to the pot. Stir to loosen bits and pieces from the pan.
Add all additional ingredients including the flour, lower the heat to a simmer and cover the pot. Simmer lightly, stirring occasionally, until the chicken meat pieces are tender, about 5 to 10 minutes.
While the sauce is finishing cooking, add 3 TBS oil to a heavy skillet and sautee the bell peppers, squashes and broccoli over medium heat until just tender and crisp.
Add the vegetables to the sauce when the chicken meat is cooked, blend all together and turn off the heat.
Add salt, pepper and herb levels to taste.
Toss the cooked pasta with 1 TBS oil to prevent sticking and add to the sauce; mix chicken, vegetables and sauce completely and serve along with Parmesan cheese.
