A New Definition to "Homemade"

It occurred to me recently that despite my passion for food, I've never really used Between the Ears to talk about food. Perhaps one reason was because I never really thought it'd be that interesting to talk about certain meals. So in August, I set a goal to make a new, challenging meal that I could blog about.

HOMEMADE FETTUCCINE NOODLES & HOMEMADE CHICKEN ALFREDO SAUCE


The noodles are what had me most concerned, as I had never made them from scratch before, but as it turns out, the recipe was very simple:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 egg
1 tsp olive oil
2 Tbsp water
Basil to taste

I simply mixed the ingredients together in a ball. Then I refrigerated the dough for a couple hours and then rolled it out on the counter like I've done with pie crust a dozen times before.

When the dough was flat enough, I began cutting noodles with a knife and set them aside until it was time to boil them.

I loved the flavor of the fresh pasta, and it was actually quite fun to do this. Doing it a second time would be much quicker, as I now know what to expect.

I was also quite excited about the alreado sauce because it didn't involve any cans or jars. All fresh ingredients! I started with the chicken:
1 Tbsp butter
3 chicken breasts
1 clove of garlic
1/2 Tbsp Italian seasoning

I cooked it until no longer pink and then set it aside for the time being. 

Then I got to work on the creamy and delicious sauce:
2 Tbsp butter
1 clove garlic
1/2 onion
4 oz fresh mushrooms
3 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup half & half
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
4 oz colby jack cheese
2 roma tomatoes
1/4 cup sour cream

I sauteed the garlic, onion, and mushrooms in the butter until they were transparent. I then added the flour, salt, and pepper until well-mixed.

I slowly added the milk and half & half until the sauce became creamy and smooth. By this point, the aroma in my kitchen was delightful.

I tossed in the two cheeses and stirred them around until melted. Finally I finished by adding the tomatoes, sour cream, and the chicken that I had set aside earlier.

Meanwhile, as all this was taking place, I had to find a point to begin cooking my pasta and keep a close eye on it. You can see from the picture to the side that the muli-task-force was in full effect.

 

Once the noodles had drained and the chicken was completely emersed in alfredo, the time had come to enjoy my fully homecooked meal.  I must say, it was one of the freshest, best-tasting dinners I've prepared in my kitchen. I found it to be very much worth my time and effort. Bon appetit!