Roast Chicken with Wild Mushroom Penne "Mac n Cheese"

This meal is straight forward and delicious. You can adjust the "mac n cheese" with many variations of cheeses, vegetables, or pasta shapes.

Wild Mushroom Penne "Mac n Cheese"
Ingredients

• 1 box of multigrain penne pasta (you can substitute other pasta shapes or flavors; I chose multigrain for the nutritional value over standard pasta)
• 1 - 2 tablespoon butter (use unsalted butter when cooking)
• 1 - 2 large shallots (peeled and rough chopped)
• 1 large leek (white to light green part only; target about 4 - 5 inches in length for the white/light green portion, which may require 2 leeks depending on length of white portion available. Cut out white/light green portion by cutting off end root and top leaves.  Split in half length-wise and clean under running cold water by slightly separating layers to allow water to run through.  Once cleaned, chop each half into quarter inch half circle segments)
• 1 package of fresh mixed mushrooms (typically these wild/exotic mushroom mixes include oyster, shittake, crimini, and other mushrooms; these are pre-washed and sometimes pre-sliced)
• 2 cloves garlic (peeled and rough chopped)
• Fontina cheese (enough to generate about 1 cup of shredded cheese; shred cheese)
• White cheddar cheese (enough to generate about 1 cup of shredded cheese; shred cheese)
• Half pint heavy/whipping cream (you could substitute milk for a less heavy, but slightly less creamy version)

Optional Ingredients

• Bread crumbs (plain bread crumbs; panko bread crumbs are the best due to large size, but plain bread crumbs work great as well
• Fresh thyme or dried sage (about 3 tablespoons worth)
• Truffle-infused oil
• Extra virgin olive oil

Method

Cook the pasta:

In a large pot for pasta, bring water to boil (enough water to sufficiently cover pasta).  Once boiling, add large handful of kosher salt (pasta cooking water should have the same saltiness as sea water; this flavors the pasta; never add oil to the pasta water as sauces will not stick as well; a large box of kosher salt, given it's idea salt grain size, is an important pantry item for salting cooking water).  After a few minutes for the salt to dissolve into the water and for the water to come back to a rapid boil, add the pasta.  Cook the pasta in the boiling water, stirring regularly to prevent sticking, for 1 minute less that the longest time in the box directions.  You want the pasta just slightly underdone as it will cook further in the oven.  Drain the pasta.

Prepare the sauce mix:

Add butter to medium sauce pan and place over medium+ heat.  Once the butter has largely melted, add the shallots and saute for about 2 minutes.  The shallots should become slightly transparent ("sweating the onions/shallots").  Add the mushrooms and leeks to the sauce pan.  Add a generous pinch of salt (I prefer gray sea salt for cooking; kosher salt is for salting water that will be drained and discarded; gray sea salt is for direct flavoring of food) and continue to saute mixture for another 2 to three minutes.  Add garlic and optional herbs (thyme and sage) and cook for another minute, stirring to prevent any burning.

Add cream or milk and both cheeses to the sauce pan.  Stir regularly until cheese is largely melted and everything is mixed together into a sauce.  Remove from heat.

Assemble and bake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Use another tablespoon of unsalted butter to liberally grease the inside of a large pyrex baking dish.  In empty large pasta pot (same one used to previously cook the pasta) mix together the cooked pasta and the sauce mix until well coated.  Pour pasta mixture into greased pyrex.  Optional spread a thin layer of bread crumbs over pasta mix.  Drizzle a small amount of truffle oil and olive oil to moisten breadcrumbs (do not saturate or make too greasy; use oil sparingly, not all bread crumbs need to be wet).  Place dish in the over and bake for 20 minutes until top has slight crunch/stiffness.

Simple Roasted Chicken Breasts

Ingredients

• Split chicken breasts (1 chicken breast per person. Split chicken breasts have the skin and bones which creates juicier chicken when roasted with.  You can always remove the skin after cooking for healthier eating--which I often do)
• Fresh thyme (dried thyme can be substituted)
• 1 tablespoon butter (unsalted)
• Olive oil
• 1 - 2 cup(s) chicken stock (chicken broth could be substituted)
• Lemon (cut into slices)

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).  In a large skillet or roasting pan that can fit all of the chicken breasts in a single layer, add butter and a few tablespoons of olive oil and melt over medium high heat.  On clean surface add salt (gray sea salt), pepper (fresh cracked), and thyme to both sides of chicken; pat salt, pepper and thyme into chicken with your hands.  Once the butter in the skillet is melted and the pan is hot, add the chicken, breast side down.  Saute for about 4 - 5 minutes to slightly brown the skins.  Flip the chicken so the rib side is down.  Saute for another 3 minutes.  Turn off heat.  Place lemon slices between chicken breasts.  Pour enough chicken stock into the pan to create a half inch layer on the bottom.  Place chicken in the oven and roast for 25 minutes until chicken is fully cooked.  Liquid and lemon slices in pan can be discarded (it's purpose was to help keep the chicken moist while roasting)

Photos