Chicken and Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce

 I love pasta dishes.  Something just hearty and soul warming about them and this week, I was feeling pasta-ish!  The cayenne pepper in this one puts a whole other meaning to soul-warming too!  Measure down if you aren't up for spicey.  Little one and I had Grandpa over for this family dinner meal and Grandpa's poor lips were on fire he said.  This coming from someone that doesn't touch mexican food and thinks Big Red gum is "too spicey to enjoy".  Not too credible if you ask me.  We love him, but he's a little tender in the taste buds.

Little one laped this up like a hungry piggy so I'd like to say this is a good recipe for little ones as well.  She was very thirsty throughout dinner and afterwards, thank you cayenne pepper, but no complaints while it was going down the hatch!  (to mommy's delight!)

I have served this dish many times since my Grandmother passed this recipe to me.  I beleive it is from either of her three faithfuls: Southern Living, Taste of Home or Better Homes and Gardens.  I have always served it with shrimp but it is very difficult to find shrimp NOT from Thailand/Asia. (also a good link to check out - The Monterrey Bay Aquarium) So, since that was hard to come by this time around, I fell back on some organic chicken breasts from Trader Joe's and pounded them out a little so they would be extra tender and grilled them with your basic three: olive oil, salt and pepper.  Just as good if you ask me. 

 Shrimp/Chicken and Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce

Ingredients: 

• 1 (8 ounce) package of your favorite pasta (i use something tubular, ziti, rigi, etc.)
• 1 (12 ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper (you may find this is too spicey and may have to reduce)
• 2 lbs cooked peeled and deveined large shrimp (I topped with grilled chicken breast this time)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Prepare pasta according to package directions. 

Process red peppers and next 4 ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth 

Pour mixture into large skillet and cook over medium heat 5 minutes stirring often until thoroughly heated.

Add shrimp and cook 2-3 minutes until thoroughly heated. (or - you can grill chicken seperately and add to the top of the pasta dish once plated - this is what I did this time)

Remove from heat.

Serve over hot cooked pasta or you may prefer to mix your pasta into the pan so all noodles get coated evenly with the sauce.  Up to you!  

Sprinkle with fresh choopped basil

* this dish could easily be vegetarian, just omit the meat and if you prefer, add other veggies.