Maggiano's Rigatoni D Copycat Recipe -- DELICIOUS!

If you know me and my husband, then you know that Maggiano's holds a significant place in our hearts! Our first date was there and my husband proposed to me there, so whenever we have something to celebrate, we tend to head right over to Little Italy!

With 4 kids now, though, it gets harder and harder to make it out for a fancy date night out to enjoy their amazing Italian food, so we found a way to bring Maggiano's to US!

This is by far one of my family's FAVORITE dinners!  I have a couple of "picky eaters" in the family too, but I am excited to say that this one is enjoyed by EVERYONE! (which is probably why I make it ALL the time! It's rare we find a meal that the entire family loves)

So rather than bore you with the details, I figured I'd go ahead and share the recipe with you already! ;)

Ingredients:

• Makes 4-6 servings

• 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
• 10 ounces of button mushrooms (I use more, usually, but depends how much you like your mushrooms!)
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons garlic, pureed
• salt and pepper
• 1 lb chicken breast, cut into 1 to 1 1/2 inch pieces
• ¹⁄₂ quart chicken stock
• 2 -4 ounces marsala wine
• 2 ounces white cooking wine
• ¹⁄₂ quart heavy whipping cream
• 1 lb rigatoni pasta
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped (and parsley mix)
• 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated (I get the Sargento bags)
• 2 ounces garlic butter
• parmesan cheese, shavings(garnish)(or Sargento bag of cheese)
• chopped fresh parsley (garnish)

Directions See How It's Made

1. Heat oil.
2. Caramelize onions.
3. In separate pan, sauté  mushrooms with balsamic vinegar.
4. Add onions to the mushrooms.
5. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Add garlic .
7. Add chicken.
8. Add chicken stock, Marsala, and white wine. Cook until reduced by half.
9. Add cream and bring to a boil.
10. Turn down heat and simmer to skim away any impurities.
11. Cook rigatoni al dente.
12. Add drained rigatoni to chicken mixture in pan and finish with basil-parsley mix, parmesan cheese, garlic butter, and salt and pepper.
13. Add more Marsala for flavor as needed.
14. Place in pasta bowl and garnish with parmesan shavings and chopped parsley.

It's really super easy to make and doesn't take much time!  The more you cook it, the better you get at it and the quicker you can get it all done.  The most tedious part it getting out all the ingredients and doing all the measuring, but I'm at the point now where I've got it all memorized and can have my 4 year old hop up and help out! :)

My little chef-in-training! (another favorite recipe pictured here!)

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!  And if you try it out, be sure to comment and let me know what you think!  And for the picky eaters, you may have to take out the mushrooms the first couple of times, but my SUPER picky eater, now eats the mushrooms and says they just taste like the cheesy noodles! #MOMWIN!

ENJOY!

Quick & Easy Chicken Marsala Recipe (Maggiano's Inspired)

So for those of you who don't know the story, my husband and I's first date was at Maggiano's Little Italy Italian Restaurant! Fast forward about 2 years and he proposed to me at the very same place! So I guess you could say that anything Maggiano's or Italian is like a little reminder of that first date where we practically fell head over heels for each other, right from the start. 

But rather than bore you with my love story, let's just cut to the chase and I'll give you this delicious "Maggiano's Chicken Marsala Copycat Recipe" that my husband and I found!

• Makes:  4 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup flour

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, pounded lightly to tenderize

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (about)

1 large Spanish onion, diced

2 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided)

½ pound button mushrooms (whole or sliced)

¼ cup Marsala

1 can (14 ounces) beef broth or veal stock

Salt and pepper to taste

1 well-packed tablespoon freshly chopped basil

Preparation:

In large, shallow bowl, mix flour with garlic powder, salt, pepper and Parmesan. Cover both sides of chicken breasts in the seasoned flour and shake off excess. (I actually grabbed a large freezer Ziplock bag, threw all the ingredients into the bag and tossed the chicken breasts in it until they were all covered in the flour mixture... less mess and one less dish to wash)

In large sauté pan, heat oil about 20 seconds over medium-high heat. Add chicken. Oil should immediately sizzle. Add onion and sauté chicken about 4 minutes per side or until cooked through. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

To pan with onions, add the 1 tablespoon butter and melt. Add mushrooms and sauté, stirring, about 2 minutes. Take pan off flame and add Marsala, then return to heat and cook until most of the liquid in pan is evaporated.

Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and let cook 4 to 5 minutes or until sauce thickens enough to coat back of a spoon. Season with salt and pepper. Add basil, then swirl in remaining 1 tablespoon butter; mixing until combined.

Place chicken breasts on individual serving plates and top with sauce.

*This is a great dish to make with spaghetti noodles. When everything is cooked, just throw the chicken on top of your heap of pasta and then top everything with the mushroom sauce! Then you've got your own Maggiano's Italian dinner at home! 

Just click here for more of my favorite recipes, including stuffed portabella mushrooms, skinny crock pot enchilada soup and honey dijon and garlic salmon... just to name a few! ;)

xoxo,

Crystal

Find me here, also:

Facebook: Crystal Laiti: The Motivating Fit Mom

Instagram: @Motivating_Fitmom  and @Crystal_Chelle

Beachbody Coach: Want to join my Online Coach Apprenticeship or Bikini Body Bootcamp?

What is Clean Eating? Find Out in my FREE Informational Group!

My **FREE CLEAN EATING 101** group is ready to kick off again this Monday, January 18th!!  CLICK HERE TO JOIN!

This group is going to be packed with some super helpful information on *CLEAN EATING* and how you can incorporate it on a budget, into your daily routine.

And not only am I going to be giving you the 411 on what you should and shouldn't eat, but I am going to provide you with some other helpful freebies as well, including:

*printable grocery lists
*healthy recipes
*free meal planning printables
*tips to stay on track during the weekends
*and SO MUCH MORE!!!!!

You can JOIN NOW and the official Clean Eating 101 posts will kick off on MONDAY!!! So be sure to invite any friends or family who you think may enjoy this freebie group and goodies as well!!

I look forward to seeing you in there! ;)


xoxo,
Crystal

Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms Recipe -- 21 Day Fix Approved

Alright... you guys asked for it, so here it is!!! The most delicious stuffed portabella mushrooms around!  What I loved most about these babies was that they were super quick and easy to prepare and cook! In this house, time is of the essence! So with that in mind, I'm just going to cut to the chase for you and get down to the nitty gritty... after all, the whole reason you're here is to get the recipe, right?

So, there are actually 2 ways you can make these... the healthier version and the easier, even quicker version.  One is for meat lovers, the other for carb lovers (I must admit... I'm guilty! I love my carbs!  Luckily in the 21 Day Fix meal plan, you're allowed carbs... just proper portions per day!)

Okay, now I'm rambling... so here go:

That super quick and easy (not quite as healthy version) of the ones that I made:

Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms:

Ingredients:

1 box of Stove Top Stuffing (or you can make your own healthier stuffing HERE)

2 tbsp margarine or butter.

4 Large Portabella Mushrooms.

1 tbsp olive oil.

Mozarella Cheese (or whatever kind of cheese you prefer).

1/2 cup diced tomatoes.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Prepare stuffing as directed on box, adding the diced tomatoes.

Remove stems from mushrooms.

Brush with olive oil.

Fill mushrooms with stuffing mixture.

Cook for 15 minutes and then add cheese to top and broil for 2 minutes until melted.

And TA DA!!! There you have it!  Some of the most delicious stuffed portabella mushrooms you've ever had and in no time at all!

21 Day Fix: 1 Serving: 1 Mushroom = 1 green, 1 yellow, 1 blue, 1/2 orange

GROUND TURKEY STUFFED PORTABELLA MUSHROOMS:

Ingredients:

4 large portabella mushrooms 

1 cup cooked brown rice

1 lb lean ground turkey

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 can diced tomatoes with Italian seasoning

Tomato sauce, enough to cover the bottom of a casserole dish plus a few tablespoons extra

2 tbsp canola oil or olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Shredded cheese (I used mozzarella)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Remove stems from mushrooms.

Brush with olive oil (just thin layer over entire mushroom).

In a pan, add oil and sautee the onions until translucent {5-7 minutes}. Add minced garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Then add the ground turkey and brown.

In a large bowl, combine the cooked ground turkey, brown rice, diced tomatoes, and a couple tablespoons of tomato sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Scoop the mixture into each mushroom and place into casserole dish with a layer of tomato sauce covering the bottom.

Cover with tinfoil and cook for 20 minutes.  Then  remove foil, add cheese and broil for 2 minutes to melt.

Let cool and ENJOY!

21 Day Fix: 1 serving, 1 mushroom= 1 green, 1 red, 1 blue, 1/2 orange

*You can also use this same recipe for stuffed peppers!  Just cut them in half, remove seeds and fillings, fill em' up and cook em'!

Just click here for more of my favorite recipes, including Chicken Marsala, skinny crock pot enchilada soup and honey dijon and garlic salmon... just to name a few! ;)

xoxo,

Crystal

Find me here, also:

Facebook: Crystal Laiti: The Motivating Fit Mom

Instagram: @Motivating_Fitmom  and @Crystal_Chelle

Beachbody Coach: Want to join my Online Coach Apprenticeship or Bikini Body Bootcamp?

Healthy Sauteed Garlic Spinach Recipe

This is seriously one of the easiest, quickest, most delicious sauteed spinach recipes ever!  To be honest, I was never a big fan of spinach, before.  It's just one of those foods that gets a bad rep when you're a kid, right!?  Kind of like brussels sprouts! I don't ever remember eating either of them as a kid, but for some reason, as a young adult, I would just automatically get this kind of yucky look on my face when someone would mention eating one of them.  It was like a conditioned response that I just learned over the years after hearing so many people talk about how they didn't like it. 

Well, let's fast forward to today... I freaking LOVE both of these veggies!!  ESPECIALLY if you cook them just right!  My husband and I love going to Maggiano's Little Italy, because that was where he took me on my first date.  It's also where he took me the day that he decided to propose to me, so the place holds a special place in my heart!  

A few weeks ago, we went there for a nice date night (which was much needed since we now have 4 little munchkins at home)... and I asked to substitute SPINACH for whatever side dish came with my meal... BEST DECISION EVER!!! This spinach was freaking AMAZING!!! (like so amazing that I had to shove my husband's fork off my plate numerous times throughout dinner because he was trying to steal it from me! haha)

So I did a little researching and a little experimenting and this is the recipe that I came up with as the official "Maggiano's copy cat sauteed spinach recipe".  Like I said... super quick and easy and there's really not much to it!  Check out the recipe, below!! Let me know what you think if you give it a try!!!

SAUTEED SPINACH:

Serves 6

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
20 ounces fresh spinach
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper


Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add spinach and toss to coat. Cover and cook until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add lemon juice, salt and crushed red pepper. Toss to coat and serve immediately.


Check out some of my other healthy recipes:

Crisp Parmesan Zucchini and Squash Sticks

Honey Dijon and Garlic Salmon

Peanut Butter and Banana Breakfast Cookies

Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Broccoli over Rice

Frozen Yogurt Bark with Strawberries and Pistacchios

Frozen Yorgurt Cupcakes

Skinny Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup

ENJOY!!!!

Healthy Recipe: Crisp Parmesan Zucchini and Squash Sticks

BAKED PARMESAN ZUCCHINI & SQUASH STICK RECIPE

PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES

COOK TIME: 20 MINUTES

TOTAL TIME: 30 MINUTES

YIELDS: 4 SERVINGS

These crisp, crunchy zucchini and squash sticks are seriously one of my favorite side dishes! Not only are they delicious and healthy, but they're super quick and easy to make! Even the kids will enjoy these babies! 

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 zucchinis & 2 squash, quartered lengthwise
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a cooling rack with nonstick spray and place on a baking sheet; set aside. (don't forget to use the cooling rack over your baking sheet to place your zucchinis/squash, or else the veggies will be limp and soggy, rather than crisp and crunchy))
• In a small bowl, combine Parmesan, thyme, oregano, basil, garlic powder, salt and pepper, to taste.
• Place zucchini onto prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan mixture. Place into oven and bake until tender, about 15 minutes. Then broil on top rack for 2-3 minutes, or until crisp and golden brown.
• Serve as soon as they're finished and add a garnish of parsley if you'd like.

*And be sure to really keep an eye on them once you switch your oven over to broil. Leaving them in for just one minute too long will burn the Parmesan cheese on top! (I was guilty the first time around, but you live and you learn, right!?)  Hopefully you will learn from my mistakes!

But these really are delicious! Be sure to comment below and let me know what you think!

I found this recipe over at Damn Delicious! Definitely check out her website! She's got TONS of great recipes!

Honey Dijon and Garlic Salmon Healthy Dinner Recipe -- 21 Day Fix Approved

Honey Dijon and Garlic Salmon

What you need: 

-1-1 1/2 lbs. fresh salmon (cleaned, pin-bones removed)

-3-4 cloves garlic

-2-3 tbsp. parsley, finely chopped

-3 tbsp. honey dijon mustard.. (I used 2 tbsp. dijon mustard and 1 tbsp. honey)

-Juice of half a lemon

-pinch of sea salt

-1/8 cup olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 and line the baking sheet with tin foil. Set aside.

In a bowl mix together honey dijon mustard, juice of half a lemon, olive oil, garlic, parsley, and sea salt. Whisk together. 

Cut the salmon into preferred portion sizes. Top with the mixture. Bake for 15-20 minutes.--Keep an eye on it! 

Serve with your favorite sides! (I cooked up some squash and zucchini with onion, garlic, rosemary, thyme and sea salt! Yummy!)

Yummmmmmy!!! Can't you just taste it already?  I love salmon... and this is so simple to make!! Takes 30 minutes from start to finish!! Plus it's super healthy and 21 Day Fix approved, so you can feel good about eating it!! (especially if you go for extras like I did tonight!) ;)  

Just click here for more of my favorite recipes, including Chicken Marsala, skinny crock pot enchilada soup and honey dijon and garlic salmon... just to name a few! ;)

xoxo,

Crystal

Find me here, also:

Facebook: Crystal Laiti: The Motivating Fit Mom

Instagram: @Motivating_Fitmom  and @Crystal_Chelle

Beachbody Coach: Want to join my Online Coach Apprenticeship or Bikini Body Bootcamp?

Clean Cookie Dough Recipe {HEALTHIER than your usual cookie}

Ingredients:

1/2 cup quick oats

1/4 cup peanut butter

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp honey

1/4 cup egg whites

1 tbsp unsweetened almond milk

Handful or two of dark chocolate chips

Instructions:

Blend all ingredients in a blender except chocolate chips. 

Then add chocolate chips after and freeze for an hour or two.

Remove, refrigerate, and enjoy