THE BEST PASTA CATHOLIC BROAD EVER MADE!

I usually eschew superlatives, like--"awesome," "cool," "bloody marvelous," etc. Because it is hard to come back from such exuberance and be kind of rational and of this world.

But--as I invented a new pasta recipe yesterday, I just had to post it on the blog as it really is the best dish ever! Rick had defrosted some turkey hotdogs, and we thought--"Ah, we're tired, it's Sunday, we did church, let's have dogs with my homemade green tomato relish." Sounds good, right?

Somehow, the thought of hotdogs just did not do it for me. Though I was a bit tired (but also pumped after giving the sermon on, "Celebrating the Trans Community" at our local UCC), I felt like celebrating. Dogs are not celebratory, trust me.

So I dragged out the mid-size iron pan and begin caramelizing a medium onion, sliced lengthwise, 'cause you all know that this food is one of my very favorites. About 8-10 min. on low-medium heat, with 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon EVOO, stirring to keep from blackening. After 10 min. or less, put in 1 tsp.+ of brown sugar, a drizzle of balsamic reduction, and stir. Turn heat off. Let onions cook for 2 min. or so in the hot pan, then transfer them to waxed paper, the only thing I've found that doesn't keep the onions from sticking.

Next, after some mind humming, I thought: "Let's wipe out that hot pan and saute my one organic chicken breast from the market, 6 minutes per side." Done, put on cutting board, let rest 5 min. before cutting into 1" chunks.

Then, C. Broad sliced into narrow strips 3 small red sweet peppers from the raised beds and sauteed them gently in hot iron pan for about 8 min. Add rinsed, homemade sun-dried Roma tomatoes from garden (you can use those from market)--about one handful of them (maybe 1/3 of a cup)--and cook over low-medium heat for another 5 min. or so.

Meanwhile, make 1/2 cup of Better Than Chicken Bouillon and in a separate small cup, mix 1 tablespoon of corn starch with 2 tablespoons of cold water. Add chicken broth to the sauteed veggies in pan, the liquid cornstarch, put in chicken chunks, add caramelized onions (I turn waxed aper over pan and give it a vigorous shake to do this), a drizzle of pomegranate molasses, and chopped fresh herbs. I used my rosemary and parsley, a tablespoon apiece. Also, lest I forget, I had peeled and sliced thinly about half of an organic lemon, which I added to the mix. Grind fresh black pepper over top and stir in a little applewood smoked salt.

Let it gently simmer about about 10 min. You can serve this over really good quality herbed fettuccine (which I did), polenta, or long-grained rice.

You literally will fall on your knees beside the dinner table giving thanks for this amazing, abundant world of us; praising our creator who loves us in our food; and thanking your favorite Catholic Broad for coming up with these recipes! Salut! And don't forget the good red wine.