If you’re reading this and have forgotten who and what this is, you’re not wrong in your feelings. I have been troubleshooting this baby for years now, so you and I may be strangers by this point.

Which, if you think about it, is really quite exciting. We get to know each other all over again!

I’m pumped.

I can’t promise a schedule, but I can promise I now have access to this space again, so you should be seeing me a liiittle bit more now. Unless I did all of this wrong and I’m again talking to a dusty, cobwebbed corner of the interwebs.

Super pumped.

Sometimes recipes start with an idea – a theme or occasion that calls for something new and special. And sometimes recipes start with a busy day slash week slash month and a very impromptu decision to place my phone on my counter in the middle of it for you to see how I create something.

I didn’t prepare for the video one bit, but I doubt any of you are surprised at that info nugget.
I also trimmed my hair after watching it back because video is the most honest mirror.

Most of you know by now that this entire site started with me sharing how I make elevated meals out of everyday ingredients. I have never believed that you need to spend a lot of money – or a lot of time – to cook things that make you feel special. And most of the time – if not all of the time – the meals I create are thrown together using the things I already have on hand.

You will not see me going to the store for one ingredient. You will definitely see me pivot and use something different to create an entirely new experience.

That’s part of the fun!

And in order to cook like this, you have to have a well-stocked kitchen / freezer / pantry. I have always kept my space stocked so we’re never going to starve… but those “end of the month” times when there’s not really anything fresh lying around but a few oninos, that’s when the creative juices get all swirly.

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I have never enjoyed anything perfect and polished. Maybe it’s because I’m not either of those things, and it’s a bit of a self love hack. But I don’t trust it. I’m not attracted to it. Don’t need it. 

And as a chef, when it comes to feeding people and teaching people how to feed themselves… I have always come from that same rustic place. 

You can’t learn by watching someone who refuses to show you how to recover from a mistake. And you can’t learn by watching someone present you with something you don’t recognize. 

So my cooking videos have always been a permission slip for you to relax, not take it too seriously, and make a delicious mess. 

So, if you watch the video on Instagram of how this meal came together, you’ll see it was all made up as I went along. Then, I wrote it all out to be able to share with you here!

I don’t tend to measure things precisely and I know that pisses a lot of you off, but I write how I live. And I love to cook in conversation. It’s more fun that way. Takes the pressure off.

And I’ve always been on a mission to empower more people to relax in the kitchen and take ownership in the food you’re creating. Not just follow directions because somebody told you to. To pause and think what you may want and like… to taste and re-adjust if need be.

Have a conversation and relationship with your food!

I believe everyone has the ability to cook with all their senses and have a little more fun with their food.

You just maybe don’t know it yet 😉

( Instagram video link here )

Penne with Tarragon Chicken and Caramelized Onions

In a medium-large skillet, on medium heat, add the following :

• Enough canola oil to coat the bottom of the pan
• 3 medium-large onions, thinly sliced
• Roughly 1 tsp. kosher salt
• Roughly 1 tsp sugar

Stir to coat. Cover the pan and reduce heat to low. Cook until very soft and tender for at least 30 minutes, or up to an hour (depending on your oven range) if you’ve checked on it and it’s not burning.

(This is a great thing to be done in a slow cooker on low all day if need be, and can easily be made days in advance.)

Taste to be sure the onions are seasoned properly. You want them to be rich, soft and sweet.

Remove them and set aside so you can use the same skillet for the chicken. Or start a new medium-large skillet on medium-high heat.

While it heats up, add :

• canola oil

to coat the bottom of the pan.

(The chicken can be seasoned in advance and kept covered in the fridge if need be, or cooked right after seasoning.)

Dice 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces on a plastic cutting board.

You can season the chicken directly on the cutting board if you’re cooking it now, or place in a bowl to store in the fridge for later.

Season the chicken with :

• Kosher salt to coat all sides

Roughly 1 TB each of:

• Ground fennel
• Ground coriander
• Dried thyme
• Dried tarragon

Make sure all the chicken pieces are coated in the seasoning and seal it all in with a light coating of :

• canola oil.

When the pan is hot and you’re ready to move ahead with the meal, add the chicken to the pan in one layer.

Then, *walk away* and leave it to cook – untouched – for about 3 minutes. It’s ready to flip only when you shake the pan and they move on their own. Otherwise it will stick. Cook chicken on all sides until browned, and bits have started to collect on the surface of the skillet.

Deglaze the pan with :

• about 3/4 – 1 cup of a dry, white wine.

(I prefer pinot grigio, but a California style Sauvignon Blanc or French style Chardonnay will also work.)

Scrape up the bits from the bottom of the pan and stir. Allow to bubble for about 1 minute.

Pour in :

• 2 cups of chicken stock

(I only use sodium-free and prefer Kitchen Basics)

Stir and bring to another bubble. Either reduce heat to low and gently simmer for 1 hour if you need the time, or keep it on medium heat and keep an eye on it to reduce by about half in about 15 minutes.

During this time, bring :

• a large pot of water to a rolling boil.

Once it’s there, salt generously with :

• plain ole fine salt

(You want your pasta water to taste like ocean water)

Stir in the salt, and add in :

• 1 box of penne / macaroni / rotini or any short cut pasta shape.

(Semolina pasta is sold in 16 oz/1 lb boxes, but gluten free rice pasta tends to be sold in 12 oz boxes. Either is fine.)

Cook 3 minutes less than the box says and taste to check doneness. You want it to still have “a bite to it”, but you still want to be able to bite it 😉

Drain your pasta.

Grease up a large wide bowl with :

• enough extra virgin olive oil to create a layer at the bottom of the bowl

Sprinkle in :

• about 1/3 cup of finely grated parmesan cheese

(This is a great excuse to use that shaker-can kind!)

Add your pasta to the bowl.

Cover with :

• more olive oil and parm.

Shake to coat each noodle.

(This is done to add extra flavor to the pasta, and also acts as a glue for the sauce to have something grippy to stick to. I use this trick all the time!)

If you’re not plating yet, set the bowl of seasoned pasta on an ice pack or a cool place to stop the cooking process until you’re ready.

When you’re ready to plate, add the caramelized onions to the pan with the chicken and sauce.

Toss to combine and, if desired, add in :

• about 2 cups of defrosted frozen green peas

Add in your pasta that’s coated in the oil and cheese.

Toss to combine and check seasoning one last time.

Garnish with :

• fresh lemon zest and chopped parsley.

…don’t forget to taste 😉

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thanks so much for reading! much love xx