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Summer Spaghetti with Ham

July 28, 2010 By Kate 1 Comment

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Yesterday, one of our new neighbors invited the kids to forage through his garden. So my husband took them over and while the adults chatted, four little kiddos filled their plastic grocery bags with some wonderfully good garden bounty. What a treat for them, and for me! We are now even more excited for starting the prep work on our own garden for next summer when we head into fall.

Needless to say, my refrigerator and countertops were overflowing with fresh veggies just begging to be eaten. I figured an easy pasta skillet dinner would be a great way to enjoy the vegetables quickly and without heating up the kitchen too much. Toss in some ham and a light, summery sauce and dinner was all set. Delicious!

Summer Spaghetti with Ham

  • 1 T. olive oil
  • 1 T. butter
  • 1 green pepper, diced
  • 2 small zucchini, quartered and sliced
  • 2 ears corn, shucked and corn removed (or about 1 1/2 c. frozen corn)
  • 1 c. frozen peas
  • 1 8 oz. package diced ham
  • 1/2 c. chicken stock or white wine
  • 1/4 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 t. thyme
  • 1/2 t. black pepper
  • 1/2 t. salt
  • 1/8 t. nutmeg
  • 1 c. milk
  • 12 grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 1/2 c. Italian blend shredded cheese, plus more for garnish, if desired
  • 1/2 lb. thin spaghetti, vermicelli or angel hair, cooked and drained

1. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet.Add green peppers and cook for 2 minutes. Add remaining veggies, except tomatoes, and ham. Cook for about 5 minutes, until veggies are crisp tender.

2. Stir in chicken stock or wine, lemon juice and seasonings. Combine well.

3. Add milk and bring to a slow boil for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, just until the sauce begins to thicken up a bit. (It should just cover the back of a spoon without running off.)

4. Remove skillet from heat. Stir in tomatoes and cheese. Add pasta and toss to coat well. Garnish with additional shredded cheese, if desired.

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Chicken Pasta Primavera

July 14, 2009 By Kate 4 Comments

Here is another great meal option for using up some of that bountiful summer produce. The flavors mingle perfectly and the veggies keep that fresh crispiness that just screams summer to me.

I know this probably doesn’t stand out as kid-friendly if you have kids that only eat well-disguised vegetables. But give this one a shot and see what happens. Two of my four were a little hesitant with all the veggies, but they all cleaned their plates.

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Chicken Pasta Primavera

  • 2 T. olive oil
  • 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
  • 1/2 lb. carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 1/2 lb. squash (yellow and/or zucchini). sliced
  • 1 bunch broccoli, chopped
  • 1/2 c. chicken stock
  • 2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 T. freshly grated lemon zest
  • 1 t. each black pepper and salt
  • 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, grated, plus extra for garnish
  • 1 lb. Penne pasta, fully cooked and drained

1. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add chicken pieces and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add veggies and cook an additional 5 minutes, stirring often.

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2. Add chicken stock, lemon juice and zest and salt and pepper. Bring to a slow boil and simmer for 5-7 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by half. Remove from heat, stir in Parmesan cheese and toss with cooked pasta. Garnish with additional Parmesan before serving.

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