We are on the cutting edge here at BDW. Most food bloggers attempt to create unique dishes that reflect original recipe ideas, but we are so ahead of our time that we instead tried to copy our favorite Lean Cuisine frozen dinner. I believe this is best known as the old “switcheroo” and can be likened to playing the “Reverse” card in Uno. (My favorite fifth-grade moment this year was when a kid made a homemade “Reverse” card and attempted to use it when given an assignment!) But I digress. Ben and I tried to make something from scratch that would taste like a prepared food that was attempting to taste like it was from scratch. Circle of life.
Broccoli Chicken Pasta Alfredo
1/2 to 1 pound cooked pasta (dealer’s choice, but something short that can catch the sauce is good)
6 grilled chicken thighs (see Chicken/Poultry section of recipe index)
1 16 oz. bag of frozen broccoli
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup of milk
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste
Cut up grilled chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and steam broccoli according to package directions. Make sauce by melting butter in large sauté pan. Add flour and cook a minute or two. Add milk, stirring and heating to make a smooth sauce. Add parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste, and stir until cheese is fully melted. Add pasta, chicken, and drained broccoli to sauce. May be eaten immediately or stowed away in the freezer in a convenient container for a future meal because nothing tastes as good as a meal that is already made!
There isn’t a good segue here, but you may have noticed that our posting on the blog has been somewhat sporadic. We have been preoccupied by many things, but most of all, the loss of Ben’s Aunt Charlotte. While seeing the whole family in Kansas was a special time of connecting, the occasion for our gathering was just straight-up sad, and I am at a loss for words.
Yes, we play the hand we’re dealt, but it can’t stop us from wishing, somehow, that we were holding the Reverse card.
https://www.petersenfamilyfuneralhome.com/obituaries/charlotte-siemens