I recently had the great pleasure of seeing my cousins Valerie and her daughter Katia. I hadn’t seen Valerie since she was a toddler! She and I have kept in touch via texting and FaceBook, but really, nothing beats seeing someone in real life. They came to Seattle to celebrate Katia’s birthday. Katia had made an over-the-top, fantastic itinerary for herself and her mom. I’m glad there was room on the schedule for us!

When in Seattle, you must get coffee! This spot is under the iconic Pike Place Market.

We went to Pike Place Market, which was on her list. We got lunch at Beecher’s (mac and cheese, of course), and flavored ginger ales from Rachel’s Ginger Beer. And then coffee, because Seattle. I love being a tourist in my own city.

And here we are at “the gum wall”. I’m not sure how some pieces of gum seem to be stable, while others ooze…

And for dinner at our house, I made a chicken and pasta dish that keeps being a favorite, so I thought it was time to write about it. I found the recipe on Family Style Food. I like Karen Tedesco’s recipes because they are simple and quick to make! She calls this one her “30-Minute Chicken Dijon with Creamy Sauce“, although I am pretty sure it takes me about an hour to make.

In my kitchen!

I have only made a few changes to Karen’s recipe. The main change is the addition of sun dried tomatoes. They add such a wonderful zing of flavor and texture to the dish. Also, I add a lot more kale than called for; it shrinks down so you can really go to town with it. It adds a chewiness that I love, plus, it’s good for you! Finally, I use a stainless steel skillet instead of non-stick. You get lots of caramelization and browned bits on the pan that are good for de-glazing, which adds incredible depth of flavor to the sauce – you won’t get that with a non-stick pan. But, if you only have non-stick, you will still end up with something delicious. Make it next time your cousins are in town!

Rigatoni with Chicken, Sun Dried Tomatoes, and Kale

(Adapted from Karen Tedesco’s recipe)

• 3 tablespoons (85 grams) Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 tablespoon Italian herbs
• 1 cup (125 ml) chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 6 to 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion (about 1/2 medium onion)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 cups chopped kale (I prefer Tuscan kale), stem removed
• 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes (I use the kind that are in olive oil)
• 1 pound rigatoni or penne pasta

1. Prepare some ingredients first to make things more streamline… chop your onions, remove stem from kale and chop coarsely, juice your lemon. Set all those things aside.
2. In a small bowl, mix the mustard, lemon juice, crushed red pepper, and Italian herbs. Set aside.
3. Measure out the cream, the chicken broth, and sun dried tomatoes, and set those aside as well. If you have been avoiding using a “mise-en-place” (prepping all of your ingredients before starting), maybe now’s the time to give it a try. It will make this recipe much easier.
4. Heat olive oil in 12-inch stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat.
5. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper.
6. Place chicken thighs in hot skillet smooth side down and cook for 2 minutes, then flip and cook for 2 minutes more. Remove chicken to a large plate and set aside.
7. Add the onion to the pan and cook, stirring, until soft: about two minutes.
8. Pour in just 1/2 cup of the chicken broth, stirring with a spatula to scrape up the browned bits. Sprinkle the flour on top and stir to combine. This will thicken quickly!
9. Stir in the Dijon mixture and the remaining 1/2 cup chicken broth. Add the chicken back to the pan, smooth side up, along with any juices. Cover the skillet and lower the heat so that the sauce is at a gentle simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, adjusting heat as necessary so the sauce remains at a simmer – you don’t want it to boil!
10. While chicken is simmering, boil your pasta, drain well, and put in large, shallow serving bowl.
11. Once chicken has simmered for 15 minutes, uncover the pan and drizzle the cream over the chicken. Nestle the sun dried tomatoes between the pieces of chicken. Sprinkle about half of the kale over the top, cover and gently simmer for a few minutes (it should be a very slow simmer, a bubble every now and then, or else the sauce will split). Add the rest of the kale, nudging it down into the sauce, and cover and simmer for a few more minutes.
12. Taste for seasoning; you can add salt or pepper, but I prefer to let my guests add their own salt and pepper if necessary. The sauce is already quite flavorful! Place the chicken pieces over the cooked pasta, then pour the sauce over the top, scraping up anything that is sticking to the bottom of the pan. Serve with grated parmesan cheese, a good crusty bread, and a simple salad of mixed greens. Serves 6. Enjoy!

And just for fun, another picture of me with my sweet cousins.

Me, Valerie, and Katia enjoying the sunset on the Puget Sound.