7
Must-Try
Simple Recipes for Busy Families
Now that school is back in session, harried parents will be looking for the most efficient ways to use the few hours they have between getting home and going to bed. Somewhere amid the after-school activities, homework, church events, bath time and bedtime stories, they have to squeeze in dinner, and occasionally, they’d like for it to not include a drive-thru window and eating in the car. For school nights when the family has time to gather around the table for a sit-down meal, North Cobb High School culinary arts instructor Chelsea Bodenhamer offers a few quick and easy recipes that don’t take all evening to prepare.
Alfredo Sauce
• ½ cup butter • 1 pint heavy whipping cream (2 cups) • 4 ounces cream cheese • ¼ teaspoon salt • ¼ teaspoon pepper • ½ teaspoon minced garlic • 1 teaspoon garlic powder • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese In a medium saucepan, add butter, whipping cream and cream cheese. Cook over medium heat and whisk until melted. Add minced garlic, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Continue to whisk until smooth. Remove from heat and add Parmesan cheese. Bring to a simmer and continue to cook for 3-5 minutes or until it starts to thicken. Toss it with your favorite pasta. Make 4 servings.
Pan-Seared Chicken with Rich Cream Sauce
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Lemon Pepper Chicken Sauté
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1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, even size and thickness 1¼ teaspoons lemon-pepper seasoning Oil (just enough to coat bottom of pan) 1 cup carrots, half moons and ⅛-inch thick (ideally, blanched and shocked) ⅓ cup sliced green onions ¾ cup chicken broth 1 tablespoon flour ¼ cup sour cream 1 teaspoon parsley flakes
Sprinkle both sides of chicken with seasoning. Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add chicken, single layer, presentation side down first. Sauté on one side until a golden brown exterior has developed. Flip once, sauté until a golden brown exterior has developed on the second side. Remove chicken and finish cooking in the oven, if necessary. Add another small amount of oil to the pan, if necessary. Add carrots and onions to pan. Sauté for about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, mix broth and flour together until well-blended to create a slurry. Deglaze sauté pan with broth. Bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer until desired thickness. Stir in sour cream and parsley. Warm through. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve. Makes 4 servings. 16
AROUND KENNESAW | August 2022
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4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 1 tablespoon minced onion 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1½ teaspoons all-purpose flour ¼ cup dry white wine ¾ cup unsalted chicken stock 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley Oil, as needed Salt and pepper, to taste
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Heat a stainless-steel sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add chicken, presentation side down first; cook until deep golden color has been achieved, adjusting heat as necessary. Flip chicken over, reduce heat to medium and cook until golden brown color has developed on the other side. If necessary, finish the chicken in the oven. Add more oil, enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Add onion and garlic to pan; sauté for about 1 minute or until fragrant and translucent. Add flour; sauté 30 seconds. Add wine to pan; cook 30 seconds or until liquid almost evaporates, stirring constantly. Stir in stock; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until sauce reaches desired thickness. Remove pan from heat. Stir in butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Finish with a dusting of parsley. Makes 4 servings.
