11.13.2009

Cooking outside the box

I rarely pay any attention to recipes on boxes or cans or packages. For some reason this recipe for Penne Di Parma on my Ronzoni Penne Rigate pasta box caught my eye. It looked like an easy recipe and it was loaded with mushrooms so I decided to give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised! It had terrific flavor. It was so good, in fact, that I wanted to share it with you.

The original recipe calls for proscuitto but I didn't have any on hand. I did have chicken tenderloins so I decided they would make a fine replacement. Of course, I had to come up with a new name for this dish. I also added a pinch of nutmeg and some salt and cracked black pepper.

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Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Penne Rigate
recipe adapted from my pasta box

2 tbsp butter
2 cloves minced garlic
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced mushrooms
8 chicken tenderloins, cooked and cubed
1 cup milk
1/2 cup light cream
pinch of nutmeg
1 tsp kosher salt
8 0z Penne Rigate, cooked al dente
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tbsp dried parsley (or fresh if you have it)
cracked black pepper

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In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add garlic and mushrooms. Cook 3-4 minutes until mushrooms are tender, stirring frequently. Add chicken, milk, cream, nutmeg and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, until mixture reduces by half.

Remove sauce from heat. Add Parmesan and parsley. Toss hot pasta and sauce. Garnish with cracked pepper and parsley.


This was plenty for my family of four. If you are looking for a tasty, no hassle weeknight meal, look no further!

Hope you all are enjoying a wonderful Friday the 13th. EEEEEEEK! It's Friday the 13th?! How come no one warned me???! I've got to run! Bye!

48 comments:

Dajana said...

Didn't realise untill now it was Friday 13th :(, at least my day is over.
Your pasta sounds quick and easy. Good go! Have a great weekend

Faith said...

I'm not sure why, but I also rarely make recipes off of labels or boxes (there are 2 exceptions I can think of: Toll House chocolate chip cookies, and the holiday green bean cassserole ). This definitely looks great though!

By the way, I love the cute name of this post!

Jen said...

this is something that my family would LOVE thanks for the recipe.

And I was just wondering, can you put the click here to print back on your posts or is it there and I am missing it?

Fresh Local and Best said...

I didn't realize that it's Friday the 13th! It was such a big deal for me when I was younger. This looks like a great quick meal!

pam said...

I've found a few good recipes on the bags and boxes of pasta.

Velva said...

I have seen that recipe on the back of my Ronzoni pasta box too. Looks like you took a good recipe and brought it up another notch. Nice job!

noble pig said...

I love this kind of food. I have been trying recipes on the packages and they are ususally very good!

Jenn said...

I have collection f recipes from cans and boxes stashed somewhere. I'll usually glance over them and turn them into my own little meal.

Nice substitute with the chicken. Pasta is what's for dinner!

Alicia The Snowflake said...

Oooh...that sounds absolutely yummy! And like something my family would really enjoy! I can't wait to fix it for them. Thanks for sharing my friend!

Unknown said...

this looks good and looks like something everyone in my house would like! looks like something to have this weekend!

♥peachkins♥ said...

I love this recipe. I'll be on the look out for more in pasta boxes..heehee

Anonymous said...

Yummy pasta! Have a wonderful weekend!

MsTypo said...

It's Saturday the 14th here, so you're safe. :)

I have several weeks of cooking for myself coming up and this looks very doable. :)

Angie's Recipes said...

I seriously thought you would have piled up the penne! ;-)
This is a great weekend pasta lunch!

Palidor said...

That looks really tasty. I'm not a fan of prosciutto, so I'd take your dish with the chicken tenderloins.

Cathy said...

I've gotten a few of my favorite recipes off the packaging. This looks delish, Kim. Chicken was a good substitution choice.

Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen said...

I hardly ever read the recipes on the box either. This one sounds like a winner. I'll have to start looking on the boxes now. I might be missing something.
Sam

Joanne said...

I rarely ever look at recipes off of labels or boxes, but this does look good. Maybe I should start paying more attention...

Christo Gonzales said...

its saturday the 14th so all is well - the pasta looks like it would be good hot or cold.

teresa said...

this would be a total hit at our house, wonderful recipe!

Connie said...

I love pasta....and this looks wonderful.

Unknown said...

You know..I have some whole wheat penne in my pantry....

TKW said...

Hey! Way to improvise! This looks like a crowd-pleaser!

Katy ~ said...

I find some of the best recipes on the backs of boxes and cans. Oftentimes the companies have their own test kitchens and develop products that best promote their product because they want you to keep buying it.

Your tonied up version sounds soooo good. Good interpretation of their recipe!

Claudia said...

Oh creamy,mushroomy deliciousness.I miss Ronzoni so much - cannot get it in MN.They would ahve a good recipe on their box! I love the chicken more than the prosciutto for thhis. I adore fresh nutmeg ...

Adam said...

This is hilarious to me because I was thinking the same thing yesterday about box recipes. I opened a new thing of flour and read a couple on the side and thought... whoa cool. How many people do you think look those over and never see them?

As far as your recipe... well you had me at chicken and mushrooms :)

chow and chatter said...

oh yeah this looks wonderful

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

It's amazing what we can find in front of us on the packaging. This sounds so good. I do not usually think of myself as being superstitious but this Friday the 13th changed my mind.

Amber Page Writes said...

Yum! And it sounds easy enough that even I can do it without screwing up!

Reeni said...

What a delicious recipe and such a great comfort meal! I hardly ever make box recipes - there are probably some real gems that are being overlooked.

Mimi said...

Ooh, I could eat a huge bowl of that with crusty bread!

Mary Bergfeld said...

This is a great recipe. I've made it
prosciutto and loved it but I think your version with the chicken tenders is even better. There's less to feel guilty about :-).

Donna-FFW said...

That sounds so adorable.. adapted from my pasta box.

Fabulous adaptations.

Sandy said...

Bless you! Just what I needed....something I can cook without going to the grocery store because I have everything on the shelf (and in the fridge). Mother Hubbard's Cupboard is quite bare. Can't wait to dig in.

figtree said...

I love when I find a good recipe on the back of a box..this looks like a winner.

Kitty said...

This looks delicious! I will have to try it!

Velva said...

I did not have an email address for you but,saw your comment on my blog post (smothered chicken and gravy)....Yes, I think wine would be a wonderful addition to the dish :-)

Unknown said...

this sounds wonderful! right up my ally too. hmm, i wonder if I have any penne in the cupboard. you may have solved my "whats for dinner tonight" dilemma

NKP said...

Mmm, creamy chickeny goodness!
This is my kind of pasta.
Hope you survived friday the 13th ok!

Anonymous said...

I love that you found a great recipe on your pasta box!

Heather S-G said...

Every once in a while, I think a box recipe looks good, too. This one does, for sure :D yummmmmy!

Inspired by eRecipeCards said...

yum yum great pasta dish, love this post

mylipsticklife said...

Looks easy & yummy. Think I'll give it a try :) Cheers from SITS!

BarbaraJean said...

Good job! I love a good pasta recipe! I should make a big pan of this and portion it out for work. I could eat it for a week! Blessings!

kanishk said...

This definitely looks great though! Work from home India

Jamie said...

This is so our kind of meal! Creamy chicken and mushrooms over pasta os scrumptious and delish and cozy! Love it!

Christina said...

Mmm, that looks super easy and super yum. I'll have to try it!

debra@dustjacket said...

Oh I love this one, like the print recipe option.

thanks honey,
xxx

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