Naked Fajitas

This dish is really good for a big group.  It is basically a tex-mex stir fry, or a fajita without the tortilla.  To make naked fajitas you will need:

1 Package of Mexican Saffron Rice

1/2 Block of Pepper Jack Cheese

2 Chicken Breasts

1 Green Pepper

1 Red Pepper

1 Spanish Onion

Salt

Pepper

Cumin

Chili Powder

Boil water for rice (follow directions on package). Slice peppers and onions in strips. Add onions into a skillet with olive oil on medium heat for about 3 minutes. Add peppers into skillet with onions and cook on medium to low heat stirring occasionally. Season to your liking with cumin and chili powder.  Cut chicken into small strips and sprinkle with olive oil, cumin, chili powder salt and pepper. Cook chicken in separate skillet on medium heat for about 5 minutes.  

When chicken is finished add to the skillet with the cooking vegetables. Let sizzle on low heat until rice is finished so flavors will seep in and mixture will stay warm. Grate 1/2 block of cheese into a bowl.  

When rice is finished turn skillet with vegetables and chicken to high heat and scoop rice into the skillet. Toss and let rice pick up flavors.  Scoop onto plates, sprinkle pepper jack cheese onto top and serve.

Eighth Street Pasta

This has been a favorite of ours for a while.  It is such a simple and delicious meal that we often made in my tiny kitchen on Eighth St. in Park Slope.  This pasta requires:

3 Whole Spicy Italian Turkey Sausage

1 Zucchini 

1 Small Can of Tomato Sauce

1 Whole Tomato

1 Clove of Garlic

1 Small Spanish Onion

1 Pound Pasta of Your Choice

Salt 

Pepper

Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

Chili Powder

Slice Zucchini into rounds. Drizzle with olive oil and salt. Finely chop onion and garlic and combine in skillet with olive oil on medium heat. Once onions start to caramelize add zucchini to skillet. Let vegetables cook on medium to low heat. Meanwhile boil a large pot of water with a dash of salt for the pasta.

Cut Sausage into rounds and add to a skillet with a dash of olive oil. Let Sausage brown and add canned tomato sauce to the skillet. Add a dash of pepper, salt, chili powder and red pepper flakes for flavor. Combine vegetables in the same skillet as the cooking sausage and sauce.  

Add pasta to boiling water and let sauce cook on low heat. Just before pasta is done cut the whole tomato and add it to the sauce. Let tomato cook into the sauce as you drain the pasta.

Combine pasta and tomato sauce in large bowl and serve with some parmesan cheese!  

Buon Appetitio!