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leftovers

Chicken Caprese Pasta Recipe

entrees, leftoversSheri SpalloneComment
Chicken Caprese Pasta Recipe

Chicken Caprese Pasta Recipe

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time:  20 Minutes
Difficulty:  Easy

Happy Spring friends!  Old man winter has finally loosened his grasp here in Pennsylvania, and signs of warmer weather are emerging everywhere...the Forsythia are awakening, the daffodils are smiling, the birds are playing, and the weather people are forecasting summer-like temperatures this weekend.  Amen!  To celebrate the return of Spring and warmth, I am excited to share this quick and easy, summer-like Chicken Caprese Pasta Recipe.

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Nothing screams warm weather like juicy ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, and savory basil (aka Caprese).  I absolutely love this refreshing combination and by adding leftover chicken and pasta to the mix, dinner is easy peasy.  So if you want to tantalize your family's taste buds with an easy meal and celebrate the fresh taste of summer, grab some plump juicy tomatoes, Cherchies® Basil Pizzazz Seasoning, fresh mozzarella cheese, and create this deliciously satisfying summer-like dish.  Your family will thank you.  

Let us know how you liked this dish and as always, thank you for visiting our blog!  


Ingredients

  • 1 package of spaghetti, cooked according to directions
  • 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup diced fresh mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup light cream
  • 1 pound grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 cup prepared pesto (or make it homemade with our Perfect Pesto Recipe)
  • 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Cherchies® Basil Pizzazz
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, diced (cooked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store or leftover chicken would work really well here)
  • 1 Tablespoon Tbsp) fresh chopped basil for garnish


Preparation
Cook spaghetti according to package directions in salted water, and drain.  Rinse, dry, and slice cherry or grape tomatoes in half and set aside.

While spaghetti is cooking, prepare the sauce.   In a large skillet, add the cream cheese, light cream, pesto, and Cherchies® Basil Pizzazz.  Cook on low for 5 minutes.  The sauce should begin to thicken.  Add the tomatoes, parmesan and mozzarella cheeses to the sauce, stirring occasionally to prevent from sticking to the bottom of the skillet.  Towards the end of the cooking process, add the diced cooked chicken. 

When the pasta has finished cooking, drain the pasta and add to the skillet with the cheese mixture.  Cook for a couple of minutes.  Garnish with fresh basil and dinner is ready in under 30 minutes!

Bon appetito!

Chicken Caprese Pasta Recipe

Chicken Caprese Pasta Recipe

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Irish Vegetable Soup Recipe

entrees, leftovers, lunch, side dishesSheri Spallone8 Comments
Irish Vegetable Soup Recipe

Irish Vegetable Soup Recipe

Happy 2018! Now that the holidays are behind us, I am sure many, like me, have a plethora of leftovers, including vegetables from the vegetable tray. Am I right? Instead of tossing the veggies, dice them up to create this unique, flavorful Irish Vegetable Soup.

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Vegetable soup is very satisfying and full of fresh vegetables and herbs, but not necessarily noteworthy, in my opinion. But travel across the ocean to The Emerald Isle (Ireland), and you will find not only breathtaking countryside with warm and friendly native folk but also delicious vegetable soup presented entirely differently than in the States. Instead of chunky vegetables swimming in a sea of full-bodied broth, the Irish version is a smooth, pureed blend of root vegetables, garlic, herbs, cream, and butter.

There is nothing like travel to cause a bit of culture shock, particularly in the cuisine, but I am rarely shocked by soup! My hubby and I traveled to Ireland last summer to celebrate our 25th Anniversary, and this humble dish graced almost every pub and fancy restaurant throughout the country. I admit that I was initially skeptical about pureed vegetable soup, but my husband and I sheepishly smirked at each other and indulged.

Wow! If I had been alone, I might have licked the entire bowl clean! It was so tasty and filling that I had to recreate this pool of deliciousness at home!

When I re-created this soup, I thought the texture alone would indeed send my teenagers running, but it didn't! The aroma drew them out of their rooms. "Mom, what smells so good?" "Vegetable soup," I replied. "Would you like to try it? It is Ireland's version." They liked it so much that this soup now appears often in our meal rotation.  

So, for my version, I used potatoes (sweet or regular), garlic, Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning, celery, parsnips, carrots, onions, and sometimes leftover vegetables like broccoli or spinach. And, because you puree the entire batch, even the most discerning vegetable haters might enjoy this dish. It is a great way to get your family to eat more veggies. You need to try this version of vegetable soup. It is easy, delicious, and satisfying, and you may never return to the chunkier version again!

Thanks for stopping by:) Comment below if you have tried this recipe. Visit us again for more family-tested recipes, entertaining ideas, and cooking tips using all our favorite Cherchies® gourmet products.

Follow us on social media: Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp.) butter

  • 1 small onion, diced

  • 2 ribs of celery, washed and diced

  • 3 carrots, peeled and diced

  • 1 parsnip, peeled and diced

  • 3 potatoes with skins on, diced (feel free to substitute sweet potatoes)

  • 1 tomato, chopped

  • 1/2 cup spinach (optional)

  • 2 cloves of garlic

  • 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Cherchies® Garlic or Cherchies® Garlic'n Herbs Seasoning Blends, divided

  • 1/2 teaspoon (tsp) ground pepper

  • 2 cups vegetable broth (ok to substitute chicken broth)

  • 1/4 cup half & half (substitute fat-free greek yogurt for a lighter version)

  • Blender


Preparation  

Add butter, celery, onions, garlic, parsnips, and carrots to a large soup pot or dutch oven.  Season with 1 teaspoon (tsp) Cherchies® Garlic or Garlic'n Herbs Seasoning blend and pepper.  Sauté the vegetables, until onions are translucent.

Add the vegetable or chicken broth to the pot.  Add potatoes, tomato, and rest of the Garlic Seasoning to the soup pot.   Throw in some Kale or Spinach of leftover broccoli if you have it on hand (optional).  Simmer until potatoes are soft and then add the half and half.

Once vegetables are finished cooking, turn off the stove and allow the soup to cool for five minutes.  Now onto the blender.  Carefully add the soup ingredients to a blender, making sure to only fill the blender half-full.  You may have do a couple of batches.  To ensure the hot soup does not explode everywhere, remove the center portion of the blender to allow steam to escape and put a clean towel over top.  If you have a blender that is equipped to handle soup, then this step is not necessary.  Hold the lid covered with the towel down and puree.  Or, wait until the soup has cooled about 20 minutes or so and then puree.

Pour the pureed soup into your favorite soup bowl, serve with bread, and enjoy this tasty version of Ireland's vegetable soup!  If you are feeling fancy, carefully add a little half and half and make a fun design.   Enjoy!

Irish Vegetable Soup Recipe

Irish Vegetable Soup Recipe

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Recipe Roundup- 25 Amazing Chicken Recipes

leftovers, recipe round upSheri SpalloneComment
Recipe Roundup- 25 Amazing Chicken Recipes

Recipe Roundup- 25 Amazing Chicken Recipes

Originally posted in 2017 (Updated 2/21/2024)

Hello friends. Do you have a favorite protein you like to cook with? Our family loves chicken (or turkey around the holidays) in all its forms. Whether in salads, sandwiches, soups, appetizers, main dishes, etc., chicken is a staple in our household that undoubtedly appears on our menu several times a week, as opposed to beef and pork. I love it because it is versatile and adaptable to various flavors, cooking methods, and recipes, it's economical (have I mentioned we have college students with hearty appetites?), and it's a healthier version, as opposed to red meats. Win-win!

Because we love you and we love chicken, we've gathered up our favorite chicken recipes to share with you. Also, enjoy some fun chicken facts below.  

Thanks for stopping by:) Comment below if you have made any of these delicious recipes. Come back again for more family-tested recipes, entertaining ideas, and cooking tips using all our favorite Cherchies® gourmet products.

Follow us on social media: Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Fun Facts About Chicken 

Let's talk chicken.  

  • Did you know that Americans eat more than 85 pounds of poultry annually, and chicken is more widely consumed than other meat? (https://kochfoods.com/about-chicken/americas-favorite/).

  • Consumers love the taste and practicality, as it marries various spices and seasonings well. (https://kochfoods.com/about-chicken/americas-favorite/)

  • Chicken is an affordable protein—much less expensive than beef or pork. (https://kochfoods.com/about-chicken/americas-favorite/)

  • For health-conscious individuals, chicken is high in protein, low in calories, rich in essential vitamins like iron, zinc, and vitamin B, and low in fat and cholesterol. -(https://kochfoods.com/about-chicken/americas-favorite/)

  • Leftover chicken can be used in countless recipes.

  • Chicken is available year-round from any grocery stores and delis.

Chicken Recipes

Breakfast

 

 

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Sweet & Savory Ham and Cheese Pinwheel Recipe

appetizers, leftovers, snacks, entreesSheri SpalloneComment
pinwheels.jpg

These savory morsels are perfect for those busy days as an after-school snack, a make-ahead appetizer, a game day treat, or a different twist to your usual dinner routine. Easy, peasy!

We embellished on our stromboli recipe from our blog and came up with these sweet and savory pinwheels to share with you.  Instead of pizza dough, we substituted refrigerated crescent roll dough and added Cherchies® Apple Butter Spread as a glaze to these tasty tidbits, with a pop of texture from the poppy seeds.  

The result was a deliciously sweet and savory, flaky pinwheel tinged with tangy mustard, salty ham, and glazed with fruity apple butter. A must-have recipe for holidays, game day, or any celebration. Make sure to grab some for yourself, because these morsels will disappear before your eyes! Serve them with our Homemade Applesauce and our Cranberry Spinach Salad for a complete meal!

Thank you for visiting! Please come back again.

Enjoy!

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Ingredients

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  On a floured surface or on parchment paper, roll out the crescent roll dough into the shape of a rectangle.  (If using traditional crescent roll dough, press the triangle seams together to form a rectangle.  There are now long sheets of crescent dough on the market, either of which is fine).   Spread the dough with the mustard of your choice.  

Next, layer the dough with the cheese, followed by the ham.  Starting with the long side of the dough, carefully and tightly roll up the dough and place the dough seam side down.  Refrigerate the rolled up dough for about 15 minutes to allow for easier cutting.

Once the dough has chilled, remove the rolled dough from the refrigerator and carefully slice into 1 inch segments and place on a parchment papered baking sheet. 

Lightly brush the pinwheels with the Apple Butter Spread and then sprinkle the pinwheels with the poppy seeds.

Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Enjoy!

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