This past weekend, the bf and I made a couple new friends at a new local brewery. (We love meeting fellow craft beer geeks.) We chatted it up, hit it off, and ended up at their place where they opened up their back deck and beer fridge. Before we left, Amy (who bakes bread and noodles, which she sells like hotcakes at the local farmers' markets under the name Baked Goods by Amy) sent us away with three bags of her homemade noodles: tomato basil, tomato garlic, and basil.
On Sunday nights, the bf G and I like to cook something together. Usually, we spend the weekend dining out or throwing together fast, simple lunches like sandwiches. So Sundays are a time to wind down, put on a record, and enjoy each others' company before Monday comes around. (We live in different towns - so on Monday mornings, one of us is always driving back to our own place for the week.)
Last night, G and I tested out the basil pasta from Baked Goods by Amy. I'm not a fancy food blogger or photog (just snapped these pics with my phone), but this recipe was just too good not to share.
While I'm a sucker for vodka sauce or a good alfredo, I really wanted to whip something up that would bring out the basil flavor - not cover it up. I got some lovely suggestions on social media, but I ultimately ended up creating my own recipe based on what I thought sounded good - and what I had handy in my fridge and cabinets.
Ingredients:
(Take the measurements with a grain of salt. I tend to add things to my taste.)
1 stick of butter
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon garlic
1 tablespoon lemon
Parmesan to taste
A little flour
Seasonings on-hand (salt, pepper, Italian, crushed red pepper, etc.)
While the homemade noodles are cooking (they cook quickly!), melt the stick of butter in a sauce pan. Throw in the garlic. Stir. We added a bit more than one tablespoon, but then... we're garlic fiends. Pour in some olive oil and lemon. Continue to heat and stir.
Dump in some of that powdery parmesan and a little flour while stirring. I also added some sea salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, basil leaf, parsley, and a few red peppers. Stir some more. At this point, I threw in our already cooked chicken breast to let it soak up some of the sauce. Continue stirring as it thickens.
When the noodles are ready, toss with the sauce and chicken. Sprinkle with some shredded parmesan. Serve up and enjoy. We dined with some garlicky parmesan asparagus and garlic bread on the side - with a glass of Bell's Two-Hearted Ale to wash it down.
It was soooo delicious, though I could have passed on the chicken. Next weekend, we'll be whipping up a recipe with some of those tomato noodles. Can't wait. :)
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