Pasta with Thyme-Mint Cream Sauce

Pasta with Thyme-Mint Cream Sauce

Pasta with Thyme-Mint Cream Sauce

Chicken Pasta with Thyme-Mint Cream Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

* 1 pound pasta, such as linguine or fettucini

* 2 Tbsp olive oil

* 1 1/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes (optional)

* Salt and freshly ground black pepper

* 1/2 cup of dry white wine (optional)

* 1/2 cup chicken stock

* 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

* 2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint

* 1 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme

* 1 teaspoon lemon zest

* 2 teaspoons honey

* 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar or apple cider vinegar

* 1/2 teaspoon salt and more salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

1 Heat 4 quarts of salted* water in a large pot for the pasta. As the water heats, prepare the chicken. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium high. Season the chicken pieces generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the chicken pieces, spreading them out initially and then not stirring them, so they have an opportunity to brown. Once lightly browned on one side, use tongs to flip the pieces over so they brown on the second side. When pieces are browned on both sides, and just cooked through, remove to a paper towel lined plate.

2 Deglaze the pan with white wine. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken stock and let liquids reduce by half (turn up the heat if necessary). Add the cream, mint, thyme, lemon zest, honey, salt, and vinegar. Reduce the sauce by half again.

3 Once the pasta water is boiling, add the pasta and cook following directions on pasta package. When pasta is ready, drain and add to cream sauce when cream sauce has been reduced by half and is thick enough to coat a spoon. Add chicken to the pasta and sauce. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

* Use a teaspoon of salt for every quart of water. Some people wait until the water is boiling to add the salt. Makes little difference to me. Just make sure you get the salt in the pasta water or your pasta will be tasteless.

Serve immediately. Garnish with a little chopped fresh mint and thyme. Serves 4-6.

More banana bread! :)

And for a new variation... add 1 teaspoon of banana extract to the glaze. And thicken with more powdered sugar for a heftier frosting! YUM! :P

HOLIDAY BANANA BREAD! :)

***After two years of experimenting and testing, the recipe is perfected! :)

Ingredients:
- - -
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil OR 1 cup light butter
½ cup brown sugar
2/3 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp rum extract
4 ripe bananas
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2 ½ cups flour
¼ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 ¼ tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
- - -
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1 cup dice maraschino cherries
- - -
1/4 cup butter
2 Tblsp cream
1 tsp rum or banana extract
2 cups powdered sugar
1 drop red or yellow food coloring
- - -

Cream wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, stir together dry ingredients. Add dry mixture to wet ingredients. Mix until smooth.

Fold in one cup mini chocolate chips and one cup diced maraschino cherries.

Pour into two greased and floured bread pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 50 minutes or until a knife comes clean.

Frosting: Melt butter. Add cream, rum or banana extract, powdered sugar, food coloring. Mix until smooth. Pour onto bread.