Simple Evening Meal

Quick and simple meals are easier than we think. I ensure that I have my staples well stocked, a good variety of spices and I always look to see what I have before trying to decide what to make for dinner. However, I even have evenings where I stand starring at the chicken breast I pulled out for dinner willing it to tell me what to do with it; fry it, bake it, boil it… toss it back in the fridge for tomorrow night’s dinner. This dinner menu takes about 30-40 minutes to make and tastes like you slaved all day! I always keep leftover wine for cooking recipes like this one, and I always have homemade chocolate sauce on hand to accompany the simple dessert to follow.

Creamy Vegetable Chicken with Seasoned Pasta

4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
2 Cups Vegetables (Use vegetables that have similar cooking times)
1/2 Cup Flour
½ tsp Salt
½ tsp Pepper
1/4 Cup Butter
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1 Cup White Wine
1 Cup Chicken Broth
3/4 Cup Heavy Cream (You can use milk if need be, but it will not be as rich)
¼ tsp Nutmeg
¼ tsp Paprika

1 454 G Box of Spaghetti
4 tbsp Butter
1 tsp Garlic Salt
½ tsp dried basil
¼ tsp Paprika
Few Shakes of Seasoning Salt *Optional


Heat oil and butter in a large pan; meanwhile mix flour, salt and pepper in a bowl and coat chicken with it. Fry chicken over medium heat until each side is browned; about 3 minutes per side. Turn heat down and cook for another 20 minutes turn chicken frequently. Once chicken is done, remove from the pan and keep it warm. Increase heat and add vegetables to pan and cook until tender; approximately 5 minutes. Add chicken broth and wine to the pan and bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes; stirring constantly and scrapping the bottom for the drippings. Turn heat down and add cream, nutmeg and paprika; stirring constantly until it begins to thicken. If needed add a small amount of sauce and gravy flour to thicken.

Cook Spaghetti according to packaging. Drain and add toss in butter and seasonings.

Serve chicken breast alongside seasoned pasta; spoon creamy vegetable sauce over chicken. Grate fresh parmesan on top and serve.

French Vanilla Ice Cream with Chopped Fresh Fruit and Chocolate Sauce

Ice Cream
Fresh Fruit (or if it is winter a mixed bag of berries and mixed tropical fruits.)
Chocolate Sauce – Recipe below

In a small ice cream bowl place 1 scoop of ice cream, drizzle chocolate sauce and sprinkle with chopped fruit.

Chocolate Sauce

4 oz Cocoa Powder
2 Cups Brown Sugar
1/8 Cup Dark Maple Syrup
3/4 Cup Dark Corn Syrup
2 Cups Water

Mix cocoa and brown sugar thoroughly in a bowl and place in a pot. Mixing in one at a time add maple syrup and corn syrup. Over a low-medium heat, add water gradually. Increase the heat to medium-high heat bring the sauce to a boil; stirring constantly. Boil for 10 minutes.

(This recipe makes enough for 3-4 8 oz Jars. For a small batch cut the recipe in half and store it in an air tight container in your fridge for about a month. I make up a large batch and can it…. As I discovered over Christmas it makes a great gift! )

Cheers!