Food & Recipes, Friendships

Simple Recipe for a Night With a Friend

Simple Saturday Night with a Girlfriend

There are those nights when you’re tired but you’d still like to get together with a girlfriend. They’re easy to do with almost no planning at all.

I always keep some fresh pasta in my freezer along with a few sauces that I like to “fix”. I’m very happy with almost any fresh pasta from the refrigerated section at my market – stuffed pastas are my personal favorite. When I get them home, I separate them into individual portions and freeze in Ziploc bags. That way, I can use one package (if I’m home alone) or more depending on how many are coming to dinner.

I do the same thing with boneless/skinless chicken breasts. I cut them up when I get home and freeze in single portion bags. If you want to add protein to your pasta (for this I would use a noodle and not a stuffed pasta) simply take a bag or more from the freezer and thaw (if it’s last minute, place the frozen CLOSED Ziploc in a bowl of water and let sit. It will thaw pretty quickly). Heat some olive oil in a skillet, throw in the thawed pieces of chicken and season with salt, pepper and any dried herbs that smell good to you. Brown the chicken and slowly simmer until cooked through. Add your sauce to the same skillet and when the pasta is cooked, throw it in with the sauce/chicken mixture and toss.

I’ve found that if you add some extra spices to even jar sauces they “come alive”. I love spicy food, so dried chili flakes are always my go-to. Grab a fresh baguette from the market and have your friend bring the makings for a salad.

Of course, I always add a bottle of wine – and there you have a VERY easy, quick, complete dinner that you can enjoy with a friend with almost no planning at all.

 

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