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The INDEPENDENT, February 3, 2011
Food for Thought
by Leslie Barnes
CHICKEN CACCIATORE
There are so many types of pasta that we often forget to
use something as simple as orzo, or something as tasty as
whole-wheat spaghetti. Have some fun with foods your fam-
ily will really enjoy.
BAKED ORZO WITH FONTINA AND PEAS
4 cups chicken broth
1 lb orzo pasta
3 T butter, plus more to grease the baking dish
1 onion, chopped
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 cup Marsala wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 oz shredded fontina cheese (about 1 cup)
4 oz diced fresh mozzarella cheese (about 1 cup)
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tsp dried thyme
Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Bring the chicken broth
to a boil over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. Add the orzo and cook un-
til almost tender, about 7 minutes. Pour the orzo and the broth into a large bowl.
Set aside.
Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium heat in a medium skillet. Add the onions
and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue to sauté
until the mushrooms begin to turn golden around the edges, about 7 minutes. Add
the Marsala. Scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan and cook until the
Marsala has reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the mushroom mixture to the
orzo in the large bowl. Add the cream, fontina, mozzarella, peas, salt, and pepper.
Stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
In a small bowl combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and dried thyme. Sprinkle
the bread crumb mixture on top of the pasta. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes.
Serves 4 to 6.
4 chicken thighs
2 chicken breasts with skin and backbone, halved crosswise
2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1/2 cup all purpose flour, for dredging
3 T olive oil
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 (28-oz) can diced tomatoes with juice
3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 T drained capers
1-1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 1 tsp of each salt and pepper. Dredge the chick-
en pieces in the flour to coat lightly.
In a large heavy sauté pan, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the chick-
en pieces to the pan and sauté just until brown, about 5 minutes per side. Sauté in
2 batches if necessary. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Add bell pep-
per, onion and garlic to the same pan and sauté over medium heat until the onion
is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the wine and simmer
until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, broth, ca-
pers and oregano. Return the chicken pieces to the pan and turn them to coat in
the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue simmering over medium-low heat
until the chicken is just cooked through, about 30 minutes for the breast pieces, and
20 minutes for the thighs.
Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a platter. If necessary, boil the sauce until it
thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Spoon off any excess fat from atop the sauce.
Spoon the sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle with the basil and serve.
Serves 4-6.
WHOLE WHEAT SPAGHETTI WITH LEMON BASIL AND SALMON
1/2 lb whole-wheat spaghetti pasta
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp salt, plus more for seasoning
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
1 T olive oil
4 (4-oz) pieces salmon
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
3 T capers
1 lemon, zested
2 T lemon juice
2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add
the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring oc-
casionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta and transfer to a
large bowl. Add the garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Toss to combine.
Meanwhile, warm the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-
high heat. Season the salmon with salt and pepper. Add the fish
to the pan and cook until medium-rare, about 2 minutes per side,
depending on the thickness of the fish. Remove the salmon from
the pan.
Add the basil, capers, lemon zest, and lemon juice to the
spaghetti mixture and toss to combine. Set out 4 serving plates or
shallow bowls. Place 1/2 cup spinach in each bowl. Top with 1/4
of the pasta. Top each mound of pasta with a piece of salmon.
Serve immediately.
Serves 4.
Church Directory
V ERNONIA F OURSQUARE C HURCH
F IRST B APTIST C HURCH
P IONEER B APTIST F ELLOWSHIP
Carl Pense, Pastor
850 Madison Avenue, Vernonia
503 429-1103
Sunday Worship Service: 10:30 a.m.
Children’s Sunday School
Pastor John D. Murray
359 “A” Street, Vernonia
503 860-3860
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Sunday Worship Service 11:00 a.m.
Wednesday Prayer Meeting 7:00 p.m.
John Cahill, Pastor
939 Bridge Street, Vernonia
503-429-1161
www.pbfalive.com
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Sunday Morning Worship 11:00 a.m.
Thursday Prayer 7:00 p.m.
S EVENTH D AY A DVENTIST
Larry Gibson, Pastor
2nd Ave. and Nehalem St., Vernonia
503 429-8301
Morning Worship, 11:00 a.m.
Sabbath School 9:30 a.m.
A SSEMBLY OF G OD
Wayne and Maureene Marr
662 Jefferson Ave., Vernonia,
503 429-0373
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Morning Worship 11:00 a.m
S T . M ARY ' S C ATHOLIC C HURCH
Rev. Luan Tran, Administrator
960 Missouri Avenue, Vernonia
503 429-8841
Mass Sunday 12:00 Noon
Religious Educ. Sunday 10:30 a.m.
V ERNONIA C OMMUNITY C HURCH
957 State Avenue, Vernonia
503 429-6790
Sunday Worship 9:45 a.m.
Children’s Church (Blast!) 10:15 a.m.
Nursery 10:15 a.m.
High School Youth 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday Prayer 6:00 p.m.
Vernonia Community Preschool
V ERNONIA C HRISTIAN C HURCH
Sam Hough, Minister
410 North Street, Vernonia
503 429-6522
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Sunday Worship 11:00 a.m.
(meets in Youth & Family Center)
Home Group Meeting throughout
the week at various locations
N EHALEM V ALLEY B IBLE C HURCH
Gary Taylor, Pastor
Grant & North Streets, Vernonia
503 429-5378
Sunday School 10:00 a.m.
Morning Worship 11:00 a.m.
Nursery available
Wednesday Service 7:00 p.m.
C HURCH OF J ESUS C HRIST
OF L ATTER D AY S AINTS
Marc Farmer, Branch President
1350 E. Knott Street, Vernonia
503 429-7151
Sacrament Meeting, Sunday 10 a.m.
Sunday School & Primary 11:20 a.m.
Relief Society, Priesthood and
Young Women, Sunday 12:10 p.m.