48 Meals

I could provide you with some Christmas cookie recipes or some holiday decorating tips in this space. That would be the seasonally appropriate thing to do. There are many cookie recipes on my mind and at some point soon, I will share them. But right now, I am focused on the 48 meals that still have to be dished up between now and Christmas day. Breakfast, lunch and dinner every day for the next 16 days. Unfortunately, they can't be ignored. They're not festive. They're not fun. They're just like any another day of the year.
Breakfast is easy. You know the drill - cereal, toast, yogurt, fruit and of course coffee.
Lunch, not too hard, especially when you're on your own - a salad, a sandwich, a cup of soup. Make the kids buy school lunch.
Dinner, that's another story. Every day those kids are going to ask the same damn question, "what's for dinner, Mom?". You better have a good answer. Some days you can get away with take out pizza or mac and cheese or maybe "breakfast for dinner". But some days you are going to have to come up with a real home-cooked meal, even when you've been up to your elbows all day in baking or wrapping or shopping or addressing cards or decorating or crafting or whatever it is you do.

Tonight I'll be making my kids' favorite, purely out of guilt. What else have I made them this week? To be honest, nothing. And there's lots more of that to come, so tonight it's...

Chicken Broccolini Pasta

1 lb. pasta

2 bunches brocollini, ends trimmed, cut into 1" pieces
(if you can't find broccolini, use broccoli or broccoli rabe)

1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces

3 Tbsp. EVOO

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 Tbsp. butter

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

1. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook pasta to al dente. Remove pasta with a strainer, saving all the water in the pot. Set pasta aside.
2. Return water to boil. Blanch broccolini for 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3. On a large plate, dredge chicken pieces lightly in flour. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Heat oil in large saute pan. Add chicken, being careful not to crowd the pieces. You might have to do it in two batches. Cook until browned on all sides.
5. Add garlic and broccolini to pan with chicken. Toss to combine.
6. Add wine, broth and butter, stir and let simmer 3-4 minutes. If it looks dry, add a bit more liquid.
7. Add cooked pasta, stir to combine. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Season with salt and pepper and serve with additional cheese, if desired.

One more dinner down, 15 to go.