It has happened. The leaves have begun to turn, the air is crisp and the temperatures have begun to drop. Students are wearing warm sweaters and cozying up to their hot drinks. Fall is certainly in the air.
Fall is a great time for comforting, warm meals. There’s nothing like coming home to a hot plate of delicious food after a cold day. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a giant pile of pots and pans to make a great dinner. This tomato and chicken pasta bake leaves you washing only one dish (except for the dishes you will be eating from) and has a FIVE MINUTE PREP TIME! That’s right, five minutes. It comes from Campbell’s website www.cookwithcampbells.ca, however I have modified it ever so slightly to make it even better.
Tomato chicken pasta bake
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Serves four
2 cans (284 mL) Campbell’s® Condensed Tomato with Basil and Oregano Soup, 1 soup can water, 1 soup can milk, 4 cups uncooked rotini pasta, 4 cups chopped fresh spinach, 2 cups quartered fresh mushrooms (or two cans stems and pieces), 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, ½ tsp cracked black pepper
Directions:
1. Mix soup, water, milk and pasta in shallow 2 qt (2L) baking dish. Stir in vegetables.
2. Top with chicken. Sprinkle with cheese and pepper. Cover.
3. Bake at 375°F (190°C) until chicken is cooked through and pasta is tender – about 45 minutes. Remove cover and broil until cheese is golden and bubbly – about 3 minutes.
The best pumpkin pie you’ll ever eat
With thanksgiving coming up, I thought I would share my all time favourite pumpkin pie recipe. I tried pumpkin pie for the first time when I was nine years old at my grandmother’s house. It has been an all time favourite of mine ever since—I even found someone who could make the pie better than my grandmother, and she was kind enough to share her recipe with me. Now that I can bake and cook, I have realized how simple it is to make a delicious, creamy, spicy pumpkin pie. Brace yourselves; this recipe is damn good and it makes not one, but two pies (which is necessary, because you will want one for yourself and one to bring to thanksgiving dinner to share).
Aylmer’s pumpkin pie
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Yield: 2 pies
2 prepared pie shells, 1 can (796 ml) 100% pure pumpkin, 1 ¼ cup brown sugar, ¾ teaspoon ginger, 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon, 2/3 teaspoon of nutmeg or cloves, 1 teaspoon salt, 3 eggs beaten, 2 1/3 cups perfection evaporated milk (to the boiling point)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Blend sugar with eggs, sift dry ingredients and add to sugar combination
3. Add milk and pumpkin mixture. Mix well
4. Pour into prepared pie shells and bake 10 minutes
5. Reduce heat to 375°F and bake 30-40 minutes longer
6. Remove pie from oven and allow to cool completely (unless you prefer your pie to be warm of course)
You will notice that you have some extra pie filling. You can buy mini tart shells and pour the batter into these as well for small treats. It makes a great dessert for a pot luck or a dinner party. Top with whipped cream or serve with vanilla ice cream.
Happy thanksgiving to those who celebrate it. If you have a recipe that you would like to see in The Baron, or have tried a recipe and would like to comment, please contact me at editor@thebaron.ca
