Chicken Marsala Pasta

Happy Birthday to Me :) Well, belated birthday-- since it was yesterday. It was an AMAZING birthday from start to finish! I got woken up by birthday texts and phone calls. Then I got to spend a lazy day with Ninja filled with napping and catching up on DVR shows. In the evening I had dinner at my favorite sushi place- 40 Tempura-- with some of my closest friends (Justin, Luke and Sophia) and the hubby-- which always makes for a fun dinner filled with lots of laughs. I have some of the most awesome friends a person could ask for :)

For dinner, the hubby picked up cupcakes for my "birthday cake." He knows me so well right? He got the cupcakes from a new cupcakery I wanted to try (not new as in it just opened but new as in I did not try it before). So check them out in my Cupcakery Reviews (they are to come...). He got one cupcake for everyone that came to dinner- so we could have cake to eat and we each actually blew out a candle and made a wish. Who says it has to be your birthday to make a wish ;) I got two cupcakes- one for my friends and one for me to blow out the candle and eat with my family. 

Family? You are probably thinking- don't you live in Texas and your family is in California and Kansas City?You are correct! After dinner the hubby and I came home to finally OPEN PRESENTS. If you follow me- you are familiar with my excitement and lack of patience in waiting to open up boxes of presents that were delivered to my apartment! Well I finally got to open them! Well the family video chatted with me so they could watch me open my presents that they sent- it was so fun and funny! I LOVED IT! 

Together they got me almost everything on my Wish List! Can you believe it?! I could not! These were things that I just dreamed about getting, since they were not "musts." But they were so sweet to actually get them all for me- just so I can have more fun baking and cooking. I love how much they support me :) I was blown away. Yes, I am that spoiled and lucky! I cannot wait to bake with all the fun new toys I got! And all throughout the day I got more birthday messages. I truly felt so special and loved-- I could not have asked for a better birthday. 

I blinked but I wanted to capture my original happiness :) 

As for food: I made this Chicken Marsala Pasta for the hubby earlier this week. It was delicious! I always thought Marsala would be difficult to make but it was pretty simple! 

CHICKEN MARSALA PASTA

Adapted slightly from What's Cookin' Chicago

INGREDIENTS

2 chicken breasts, diced

10-12 oz. mushrooms (or 1-16oz. can of mushrooms)

2/3 c. onion diced 

1-2 tbsp. garlic, minced

3/4 c. cooking wine (Marsala cooking wine preferred)

1/2 c. chicken broth

1/2 c. heavy cream

1-16oz box of pasta

1 c. Parmesan Cheese + some for garnish

5 tbsp. of butter

Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp. of butter, over medium heat and 1 tbsp. garlic. Add chicken and cook until tender and no longer pink in the middle- remove from skillet and set aside.

In a large pot of salted boiling water-- cook pasta according to package directions. Drain excess water and run cold water through pasta to prevent sticking.

Melt 1 tbsp. of butter in skillet and add remaining garlic, mushrooms and onions and cook for about 5 minutes. Garlic should brown and onions should become slightly translucent. Add cooked chicken back into skillet. Then add wine, chicken broth and cream-- bring to boil. Once boiling, simmer sauce until slightly thickened-- 5-8 minutes. 

In a large pot mix together drained pasta and remaining butter (3 tbsp.) until butter is completely melted. Then add Marsala sauce and stir until some of the sauce is absorbed by the pasta-- about 1-2 minutes. Mix in Parmesan Cheese until pasta is nicely coated. Serve with salt and pepper if desired, and garnish with Parmesan Cheese. 

Enjoy,

Chika