Pantry Pasta for Two

On Saturday, I ran 20 miles in the pouring rain and thunderstorm as part of my training for the Cleveland Marathon. [As the worst part of the storm hit, I decided to call it a day and finish up the last 2.5 miles on the treadmill.] I know I haven’t talked about it very much on the blog, but running and school have pretty much consumed most of my free time since January. I am so ready for this semester to be over with, and I can’t wait for my marathon to get here so I can see what I can do! Last weekend I ran a local half marathon in 1:39:32, which is a nearly 10 minute PR… so I have high hopes for the marathon! But aside from all of that… I’ve just been really busy and really tired lately, which is why posting has been down.  I hope to remedy that starting in May.

Moving on to yummy things… I made this pasta dish a few weeks ago [before my first 20 mile run this training cycle, actually] and was wowed beyond belief. I know the The Pioneer Woman can cook, but this was absolutely phenomenal. I was a brave little girl and picked up some Kalamata olives especially for the occasion [I am not an olive fan] and Ben was a brave boy and faced his arch-nemesis: the red onion. Results? Bravery is awesome! What we loved about this simple dish was the pop of each flavor. The sauce kept the best attributes of each component [onion, garlic, tomatoes, olives, wine] without letting any one item overwhelm and overpower the others. Each bite was flavorful and fresh, without the addition of a million herbs or vegetables. I love those things, but sometimes basic is best. One of the greatest parts of this dish is that I think it’s totally customizable. Leave out the chicken if you’re a vegetarian, swap the chicken for shrimp or steak. Use chicken or vegetable broth if wine isn’t your thing. The possibilities are endless! Plus… this totally makes more than enough for two. I had leftovers after my run and was fully satisfied!

Pantry Pasta for Two [from The Pioneer Woman]

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 cup red onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can [14.5 ounce] diced tomatoes with juice [salt free]
• ⅓ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
• ⅓ cups white wine
• 2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
• freshly ground black pepper
• grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese
• ½ pounds linguine

Directions:

Bring a large stockpot to boil and then prepare linguine according to package directions. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to soften. Add garlic and saute for another minute. Stir in tomatoes with juice and olives until combined. Cook for an additional minute. Pour in wine and simmer, covered, over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Then, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a separate skillet. Season chicken with pepper and then cook on both sides until golden brown and cooked through.