Buca di Beppo's Spicy Chicken Rigatoni

Did you know that October was National Pasta Month?  Me neither and so here I am sneaking in this pasta dish just in the nick of time!

Pasta would have to be one of my favorite foods EVER.  I mean, what's not to love about this versatile dish?    It can be dressed up Italian or Asian or even with a Mexican flair.  You can make it in your oven like this Pierogi and Kielbasa Bake  or on your stovetop like this Stovetop Mac and Cheese.  I could eat pasta EVERY SINGLE DAY and not get bored.  When I was growing up I told my mom I preferred pasta to rice and she basically made me feel like the worst Asian person ever.  It's blasphemy to dislike rice!

I enjoy finding copy-cat recipes of restaurant favorites and this one comes from the family-style Italian chain, Buca di Beppo.  I had this dish at a recent work lunch and found it a nice remake of a previous dish that I got there, the Penne Rosa (pink sauce).  This new-to-me version, Spicy Chicken Rigatoni, was much improved by the addition of many flecks of crushed red pepper!  If you can't handle spicy foods, this probably isn't the dish for you...unless perhaps if you decrease the crushed red pepper in the dish but then it'd just be Chicken Rigatoni!  However, if you like spice and you like garlic, you'll love this dish.

It's so easy to make at home (Hello jarred sauces! And, if you're feeling extra lazy, hello pre-cooked chicken strips or rotisserie chicken, too!) and tastes just like the real thing so impress your date and save some money, too!

One Year Ago: Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars, Apple Cinnamon Truffles, and Mini Triple Treat Cupcakes (A simple Halloween treat!)
Three Years Ago: Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Buca di Beppo's Spicy Chicken Rigatoni

Ingredients

• 1 lb rigatoni pasta, cooked
• 2 chicken breasts, cooked and sliced
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 tsp butter
• 1 Tbsp garlic, minced
• 1/2 Tbsp crushed red pepper
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup marinara sauce
• 1/2 cup Alfredo sauce
• 1/2 cup frozen peas

To garnish: 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

Directions

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil and butter.  Add garlic and crushed red pepper cooking until fragrant, about a minute.
2. Add marinara and Alfredo sauces and peas. Then season with salt and pepper.  Heat until warmed.
3. Stir in the cooked pasta and chicken breast slices.  If desired, garnish with additional crushed red pepper.

Source: Slightly modified from Bucca di Beppo at Home

Peanut Butter, Banana, and Nutella Bars

Sorry, I missed my posting on Friday.  Did anyone even notice?  Good.  Anyhow, remember months ago when I made Homemade Nutella?  I had so much of it that I hardly knew what to do with it all so began to collect recipes to help use up my stash.

Can you guess who picked this particular recipe?  I'll give you a hint: peanut butter.  That'd be my husband.  Although, I have to admit that lately, I've been digging his signature flavor, too.  The banana made these bars ultra moist and the flavor combination of peanut butter, banana, and chocolate is classic.

One Year Ago: Apple Cider Butter and Shrimp with Green Apple Chipotle Salsa
Three Years Ago: Turkey Bean Pumpkin Chili

Peanut Butter, Banana, and Nutella Bars

Photo Credit: Emily H.

Ingredients

• 6 Tbsp butter, melted
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup mashed bananas (about 1 banana)
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts
• 1/4 cup Nutella chocolate hazelnut spread (I used my homemade Nutella!)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter an 8x8 pan and set aside.
2. Mix melted butter with brown sugar and beat until smooth.  Beat in egg and then vanilla.  Add salt and stir in flour.  Mix in bananas, peanut butter, and hazelnuts.  Pour into prepared pan.
3. Melt the Nutella in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds.  Drop by the spoonfuls over the batter and then swirl with a knife.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until set in the middle.  Cool on a wire rack before cutting.

Source: The Spiffy Cookie

Buffalo Chicken Shepherd's Pie

I love traditional foods with a twist such as Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf and Chicken Marsala Risotto.  They make classic favorites into something new and exciting without completely offending those that enjoy routine. Here's another one of those types of recipes.

I knew the moment I saw it that it would be a winner.  And I was actually in so much of a hurry to dig into this dish that the only photo I got of it was on my iPhone!  Clearly you can see  where my priorities lie haha.  The cheesy mashed potatoes scream creamy comfort while the filling is flavored with tangy and spicy hot sauce.  It was even one of those dishes that tasted better the next day after it had been reheated.  I didn't have enough to freeze but I'm willing to bet it would do well as a freezer meal, too.

Since my husband is anti-blue cheese, I made his half with cheddar in both the mashed potatoes and topping.  Feel free to do the same or go all one type of cheese based on your family's preferences.

One Year Ago: Apple Cider Beignets with Butter-Rum Caramel Sauce
Two Years Ago: Who Loves Ya Baby Back?

Buffalo Chicken Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb ground chicken
• 4 celery ribs, diced
• 4 carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4 cup hot sauce (suggest Frank's Red Hot)
• 4 cups mashed potatoes
• 4 oz blue cheese, crumbled and divided (alternatively you can use cheddar or both)
• Chives, chopped for garnishng

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Heat oil over medium high heat in a large skillet.  Add the chicken and cook until browned.  Add the celery, onions and garlic.  Continue to cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft, about 8-10 minutes.  Add the tomatoes and paprika.  Deglaze the pan with the stock and add the tomato paste and hot sauce.  Stir to combine.  Allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Add half (2 oz) of the cheese and a few dashes of hot sauce to the mashed potatoes and mix well.
4. Prepare a 9-inch pie plate (I found I had too much filling so used a large rectangular pyrex baking dish) by spraying with cooking spray.  Pour the chicken mixture into the prepared pan.  Spoon potatoes on top and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are golden and chicken mixture is bubbly.  Sprinkle with additional paprika and chopped chives.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Source: as seen on Fried Ice and Donut Holes from The Jey of Cooking