Candle and wine, taken by my wife

A couple of years ago we drove through Utica, NY, stopped at a restaurant, and were absolutely enamored with a local dish (we were told), Chicken Riggies. In the broadest sense, it was chicken, rigatoni, some veggies, and a pink sauce. When we got home, my wife sent an e-mail to the restaurant asking if there was any approximate recipe we might make at home, to which they responded with silence (unsurprisingly). Ever since, I’ve been attempting to make something like that dish. Our memories have faded significantly in the intervening years, but tonight I made a dish that we all enjoyed a great deal. I did not measure ingredients (I rarely do when I’m cooking from the hip), and since this isn’t baking, you’ll just have to adjust to your own personal tastes.

Start heating water for pasta. Cook, in hot olive oil:

• 1 to 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut in 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon of coarse salt

When the chicken is about half done, and has dropped its liquid, add (still on high heat):

• 1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried oregano

After the chicken has cooked through, add:

• One can quartered artichoke hearts, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup of coarsely chopped jarred mild pepper rings
• 1/4 cup of coarsely chopped jarred roasted red bell pepper

Heat through, then add:

• 2-3 cups prepared spaghetti sauce (we use Prego Traditional)
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Throw one pound of pasta into the water (should be boiling by now). Rigatoni is ideal, but any tubular pasta works (tonight it was mastaccioli). A minute or two before the pasta is finished cooking, add to the chicken mixture:

• one jar prepared alfredo sauce
• 1/4-1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Continue to simmer to just bring it up to temperature. Drain the pasta when aldente, then toss the pasta with the sauce, serve in a big bowl, with garlic bread, salad, and wine.

Makes 6-8 servings.

After we brought this dish to a family gathering, it has been requested at pretty much every gathering since. It was originally published in Southern Living magazine with an error in the ingredient list, and we’ve made one adaptation.

Souffle

• 1 40oz can cut sweet potatoes, drained and mashed
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tsp fresh grated orange rind
• 2 tbsp fresh orange juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/4 cup butter, melted

Topping

• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup oats (not quick or instant oatmeal), or 1 cup pecans chopped
• 1 cup brown sugar

Stir together the souffle ingredients and pour (or spread) into a lightly greased 9×13 baking pan.

Stir together the topping ingredients and evenly spread over top of the souffle.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until bubbly.

Serves 8-10.

I’m a decent cook, thanks in large part to my wife. I’ve gained enough experience that I’m able to cook pretty much anything given a recipe, and I can improvise even if I don’t have a recipe. But, I’m not amazing. I get food on the table that doesn’t make us gag.

Yesterday, Anne went to a scrapbooking event just prior to dinner time on a night when we had no menu plan. We’ve been eating out a lot recently so I was determined to make use of the food in the house. Hrm… but how?

So here’s what I did (not that I’m proud): put some chicken breasts on the Foreman grill, and started boiling some rigatoni. (I chose rigatoni because the box has been half used for a millennium). A few minutes before the end of the rigatoni’s cooking time, I threw some frozen broccoli into the water. When the chicken was cooked, I cut it into chunks, and added salt and pepper. When the rigatoni and broccoli were done, I drained them, then added the chicken. Now comes the part I’m not proud of: I added (ahem) ranch dressing. I tossed it all together with a little bit of Parmesan cheese, and slapped it on some plates for the kids, calling it chicken broccoli alfredo.

As Nathan finished his second plate full, he suggested “Daddy, you really should open a restaurant!”

Thanks buddy, but, um, no.

If I do say so my self, this is the best Guacamole recipe. Ever. Inspired by (ok, nearly stolen from) Jeff Smith, the Grumpy Gourmet. The ingredients are his, the quantities are mine, from memory.

• 2 Ripe avocados. Do not buy 2 ripe avocados. Buy 2 hard avocados, and wait 2-4 days until they are ripe. You will have one day in which they are perfect. When they are perfect, do not delay. If you buy ripe avocados, they’ll be half-brown from all the bruising they took in the store.
• 2-4 green onions, sliced crosswise, thin
• Juice of half a lime (1 tablespoon)
• 1/2 to 1 tsp of salt
• 1 to 2 tsp of ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons of fresh salsa. The quality of the salsa will directly impact the quality of your guacamole. First preference: your own fresh salsa, made yesterday. Second preference: store bought fresh salsa that was in a refrigerator case. If the avocados are ripe, and you have no other choice, use your favorite jar salsa. Don’t blame me if your guacamole is only so-so.
• 1-3 tablespoons cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped

Combine everything in a bowl and mash with forks or fists until you are happy with the results.