I guess I was craving balsamic...

Several weeks ago, my darling man sent me a link to foodgawker.com.  I browse it occasionally when I need some inspiration for dinner.  One of the recipes I ran across was for a pasta with ricotta and spinach.  It sounded really good, but you can't have just that for dinner (well you might, but I wanted some MEAT also)!  Off to the kitchen I go, thrashing through the cupboards and freezer.  Chicken breast... salad... hmmmmm... why do I have FOUR bottles of various grades of balsamic vinegar?  I must do something about that.  Marinate the chicken breasts... make a reduction sauce... salad dressing... that should do it.



Balsamic Grilled Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 C. balsamic vinegar (I used the Costco stuff for this.  It's not bad... it's just the lowest quality balsamic I had on hand)
1/2 C. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. onion powder
1 t. red pepper flakes
2 t. dried rosemary (or 1 T. chopped fresh)
1/2 t. dried oregano
fresh ground black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in gallon ziplock bag, shake to coat chicken evenly.  Marinate in refrigerator for at least 2 hours (up to overnight).  Grill until cooked through.

I served them with a drizzle of balsamic reduction.  Bring about 1/2 c. of GOOD quality balsamic to a simmer in a small non-reactive saucepan.  Simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until liquid starts to get syrupy.  Remove from heat and let cool.  It will thicken as it cools.  If you want to make more sauce to use later, start with one cup or more of balsamic, reduce to desired consistency, cool, and store in a plastic squirt bottle in the fridge.



This pasta recipe is quick, easy and delicious!  I used cellentani pasta, which was a really nice shape for holding the sauce.  You can use just about anything.

Pasta with Spinach and Ricotta Cheese

1 pound ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup thinly sliced chives
1 10-oz pkg frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound campanelle pasta or fettuccine
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino Romano cheese


Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.

Combine the ricotta cheese, spinach, butter and chives in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Place in a low oven.

Just before the pasta is al dente, remove about 3/4 cup of the pasta water. Whisk enough of the hot water into the cheese mixture to give it the consistency of a creamy sauce.

Drain the pasta and add to the sauce. Toss well. Add the grated cheese and toss again, adding more water if needed to thin the sauce.

Serve in warm bowls.



The salad dressing was just your basic vinaigrette...

1/4 C. balsamic
1/2 C. extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T. Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Whizz it all up in a mini food processor until emulsified.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.


So there it is.  If you have a bottle of balsamic sitting there pining away in your cupboard, I hope I've given you some inspiration to crack it out and put it to good use!