OK, first you have to know that my wife doesn't eat meat. So, I usually cook starting with something that can go both ways. For example, tonite was a garlic parsley angel hair pasta base.
Grilled chicken for me, carved into strips and dropped on the pasta with some parmesan cheese and green onion.
Grilled garlic/butter shrimp for her, after I tossed her pasta with sauteed chopped spinach, green onion and sliced grape tomatos.
I'm like Sara, I don't really cook with recipes, but I'll try:
An hour before, or night before, season the chicken breast with garlic, sea salt, & pepper. (Or use one of the 30 min. marinades you can find in the store. I really like the mesquite lime stuff, with some pepper jack cheese.)
Heat the grill and oil it, then start the chicken cooking.
You'll have to figure out when to start the rest of the cooking, based upon how long it takes the chicken breast to get done. (Or cook the chicken and set it aside while you do the rest.)
2 smashed and minced garlic cloves, a table spoon of sea salt and 1/4 cup of chopped parsley in a large pot of water. A lot of water, the pasta has to have room to move. Get it boiling and let it boil for 10-15 min.
While boiling is going on--
Chop 1/4 cup fresh spinach,
Slice a handful of grape tomatos (or cube a small roma tomato)
Smash and mince another garlic clove (No, you can't have enough garlic. Want to make something of it?)
Slice a couple of green onions.
Get a handful of cooked medium shrimp ready (tails off, shelled, rinsed and patted dry.)
Dice 3 of the shrimp (fine).
Melt a couple tablespoons of butter (or whatever) over low/medium heat, in a small pan.
As soon as it reaches melted drop in the garlic, onion and the diced shrimp.
Drop the contents of 1 standard box of Angel hair pasta into the boiling water. Make sure you stir the pasta for at least 30 seconds after you get it all submerged. This, along with the large amount of water, keeps the pasta from sticking together.
Hit the garlic/onion/shrimp pan with a bit of extra virgin olive oil, maybe a tablespoon or so.
THIS IS IMPORTANT. Plan ahead. Check the pasta box. 3 minutes before the pasta is done, do this:
Get the pasta strainer ready for use.
Drop the rest of the shrimp into your pan. Keep the shrimp moving, shuffle or stir every minute or so. The shrimp is only going to take 2-3 minutes. Cook them too long and they get tough.
After the first minute or so drop the chopped spinach and any left over sliced green onion in to the pan. Stir.
As soon as the shrimp looks done, drop the tomato into the pan, stir it up (or toss it if your fancy) and take the pan off the heat.
Rinse the pasta. I usually put some water in the bottom of the pot and set the strainer, with the pasta in it, back on the now turned off stove eye. The water keeps the pot from burning and sends up some residual steam to keep the pasta warm while I chop/slice the chicken.
Slice the chicken breast.
Oh crap, I forgot the garlic bread. Break bread, spread with butter and shake some garlic salt over it, and toss it in the toaster oven to toast.
Plate the pasta in two bowls
Use a slotted spoon to spread the chunky parts of the shrimp/spinach/tomato mixture over her pasta. Then pour the liquid over the mix.
Spread the sliced chicken over my pasta, Hit it with some parmesan or pepper jack cheese.
Pull and place the toast on the side of the bowls and serve.
I'll usually prepare a side salad before I start cooking the meal.
If time is short I'll "Decant a salad" instead. (Decant. You know, crack open one of those bag-o-salads and "let it breath" while I'm cooking.)
Is it really healthy and good for you? Well, it's good for me.
It gets me kisses.
