Creamy Baja Avocado Pasta with Chili Lime Chicken

Among my many weaknesses, I have an accessory addiction.  I rarely go out and look or search for them, they just seem to scream out and find me...take me home, they plead.  As I was out last weekend and finishing up some grocery shopping, I was driving home and stopped...that was my first mistake.  These little beauties were waiting for me.  Three gorgeous candle holders that not only blended in with the color palette of my project, they also fit perfectly in the coffee table topped tray.  I love it when these little surprise finds happen, don't you.

Speaking of great finds.  I stumbled on this Pinterest (another addiction) recipe a few weeks ago and thought it would be perfect for Cinco de Mayo night dinner.  I took it for a test run last month and it was awesome!!  I really loved the chicken part of the recipe.  I think this rub is my new go-to standby for chicken tacos and fajitas.

**Preparation warning though...it makes a lot of food!!!  So, unless you are feeding a huge crowd, you may want to figure taking this recipe in half.

Creamy Baja Avocado Pasta with Chili Lime Chicken
Courtesy of Carlsbad Cravings

For The Chicken...

1 pound chicken breasts pounded to 1/4-1/2 inch thickness

• Chili Lime Rub
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• fresh-squeezed lime juice from 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
• Lime zest from 1 lime

In a small bowl, whisk chicken rub ingredients together and rub evenly all over chicken breasts. Timer permitting, allow chicken to sit for 30 minutes at room temperature or refrigerate up to 8 hours then bring to room temperature for before cooking.*

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Once very hot, add chicken and cook, undisturbed for 3-5 minutes, or until nicely browned (or blackened if you prefer) on one side. Turn chicken over, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Cook for approximately 5-7 more minutes (depending on thickness of chicken), or until chicken is cooked through. Remove to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

Garnish with extra fresh lime juice if desired.

For The Avocado Pasta:

• 1 recipe Chili Lime Chicken (click HERE for recipe)
• 16 oz. thin spaghetti, cooked al dente
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• fresh corn kernels from 1 ear of sweet corn
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained
• hot sauce to taste

Creamy Blender Avocado Sauce

• 1 cup sour cream (may sub. Greek yogurt)
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2 avocados, peeled and pitted
• 1-2 jalapenos, seeded, deveined and roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup packed cilantro
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon lime juice

Garnishes (optional)

• Pepitas
• Pepper jack/cotija cheese
• fresh lime juice

Prepare Chili Lime Chicken according to directions. When done, remove chicken to cutting board and cover to keep warm. Don't slice until ready to serve.

Meanwhile, add all of the Creamy Blender Avocado Sauce ingredients to your blender and chop then puree/liquefy until smooth.

In the same skillet you cooked your chicken in, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat (you can use remaining oil from chicken if there's enough). Add red bell peppers, corn and garlic and sauté 1-2 minutes, or until red peppers are crisp-tender. Add diced tomatoes/green chilies and heat through.

Add cooked pasta followed by Creamy Avocado Sauce and stir to combine. Heat through. Taste and add additional salt, pepper, hot sauce to taste.
Garnish individual servings with chicken and optional toppings of cheese, pepitas and fresh lime juice.

Refrigerate leftover pasta for up to 5 days. The lime juice will keep the sauce from discoloring.


One Year Ago:  White Pizza

Linguine with Lemon, Prosciutto and Cream

It's Saturday and I am so very happy that it is.  I have been completely exhausted all week long.  I don't know if it is the change of seasons (or the change of life).  Whatever it is, I am looking forward to a little bit of sleeping in tomorrow morning.  Angus and Theo I'm sure will have a different opinion on whether I get to have some extra shut eye or not. I wish I could say that shutting my bedroom door would persuade them, but Angus has learned to "knock" on the door with his very large bear paw.  Needless to say, he always wins.

Halloween is finally over and we can get on with the Fall.  The black and orange decorations will come down this weekend and in with the harvest cornucopias, Pilgrims and fall foliage all around the house.  My favorite is the pumpkin pie and apple cinnamon candles that I love to take in.  Truthfully I like having them all year long, as they just always seem to keep the house smell so warm and cozy (especially when the dogs are overdue on their baths).

One of last spring's garage sale finds - I love beautiful bargains!!

Tonight is girls night in.  Husband is out of town for a few days, which means a "carb fest" for us girls.  He is not a big fan of pasta - probably because I like to experiment with it so much.  How can you not though - all those fun shapes, varieties of sauces, various veggies and proteins you can put with it.

The girls' favorite Thanksgiving decoration that we have had forever.

Both girls have requested their take on an Alfredo sauce.  I have The Pioneer Woman's recipe for the younger one - she loves this version of the sauce. It is so basic, easy and delicious.  Goes great with every type of pasta and especially with some grilled chicken on top.  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/alfredo-sauce-recipe/index.html  

The older one has a more mature, high maintenance palette.  She loves exotic tastes and layered flavors - nothing boring or simple about this girl.

Linguine with Lemon and Cream
Cuisine At Home, October 2006 issue

8 slices prosciutto or ham, cut crosswise into strips
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
4 tsp. lemon zest, minced 
freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 lb. dry linguine

1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated

Saute prosciutto in melted butter in a large saute pan over medium heat.  Add broth and cook 1 minute.

Stir in cream, lemon juice and zest.  Reduce heat to low and cook for 2 minutes, then season with pepper.  Keep the sauce covered and warm while cooking the pasta.

Prepare linguine according to package directions.  Drain; transfer to the pan with the sauce and stir over medium heat to incorporate.

Off heat, stir in cheese; transfer to a serving platter.

Garnish with additional lemon zest.

Pasta, Parent Conferences and Pantry Purging

"The Great American Pantry Purge" phrase was coined by my friend Toni in Alaska.  I am so envious of her, because the pantry in her house is larger than my bathroom.  One weekend we were over at their house for dinner, she told me what she had planned for our menu that night and further explained that it is was because they were in the middle of their Great American Pantry Purge Week...meaning that she was using and cooking with what was already in the house - she made it sound so much fun with her catchy phrase.

Fast forward, I have been diligently trying to keep with my coupon cutting, weekly calendar dinner menu planning (so I only need to hit the grocery store once during an entire week) and really trying to pay attention to what I can use up in the kitchen.  Nothing makes me more crazy than over buying something that I already have an abundance of in the pantry...how many cans of tomato soup and tuna does one house need, really??

Angus watching mom purge, organize and collecting his socks around the house.

A few weeks ago were parent-teacher conferences at our girls' school.  They have a wonderful program where the leadership academy students and parents make dinner for all the staff that are there late at night for conferences and don't have time to run out for a quick meal.  This time the theme was Italian - perfect!!

The best news of all was that the meal I wanted to make, I was able to purge everything I already had on hand in our kitchen.  I just love it when a plan falls into place.

As I have previously mentioned, my husband's family published their own family cookbook.  Some of the recipes go back three generations and have stood the test of time and taken on their own spin as the various family members try them out.

The famous family cookbook.

One of our go-to favorites is "Grannie's Lasagna".  Awesome quick fix, weeknight casserole that is perfect for families or pot lucks, and even makes great leftovers too. So, purge your pantry away while you enjoy this one and for all those great teachers out there who give so much of their time.  After dealing with teenagers all day, it's the least I could do for them.  I even purged our remaining King's Hawaiian Sweet Rolls into these delicious garlic, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese bread creations - yummy!!!

Grannie's Lasagna
Courtesy of Jan and Will

(1) 12-ounce package noodles (egg, bow tie, etc.)
(1) 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
(1) pint sour cream
1/2 pound Parmesan cheese
1 to 2 pounds ground beef
1 onion chopped
1 to 2 cans tomato sauce (or 1 jar of marinara or spaghetti sauce)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon sugar

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

Saute meat, onion and garlic.  Drain meat.  Add tomato sauce and sugar, set aside.  Boil noodles as directed.  Mix drained noodles with cream cheese and sour cream.  Spray Pam in large casserole dish and spread noodles in bottom of dish.  Add meat mixture on top and finish off with fresh Parmesan cheese.  Bake uncovered approximately 45 minutes, until bubbly.

Also needed to purge Mark West Pinot Noir