Welcome Fall Decor & Cajun Chicken Pasta

Blake and I are so fortunate to share this fall in our first home! The first chilly breeze prompted the question, " Blake, can I get some fall decorations?" So, off to the local nursery I went! I met a very friendly woman named Nancy who helped me pick out the prettiest pumpkins! One perfectly round orange friend for the front porch, a medium maroon mum to match my front porch cushions, a stunning white pumpkin, and six petite friends for the table.

After finding out that the hay bales were sold out, I turned on my creative juices! I walked outside with our little Luna dog and began to brainstorm! Pine cones; they're in our backyard, and they're free! I already had this perfect lantern given to us from Blake's lovely aunt Michelle so, I took some blooms off one of our trees and there you have it!

Time for the good stuff! One of our favorite dishes to get at a nice restaurant is cajun chicken pasta! However, it's not the healthiest meal so, I grabbed some beautiful veggie noodles instead of that terrible old starchy pasta to help take a little edge off the fat. Our house has smelled like cajun for about three days now, but it was totally worth it! Find the recipe below if you feel up the challenge!

Ingredients:

• 3 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 3 teaspoons Cajun Spice Mix
• 1 pound Fettuccine or your favorite noodles
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
• 1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
• 1/2 whole Large Red Onion
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• 1/2 cup White Wine
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• Cayenne Pepper To Taste
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
• Salt To Taste
• Chopped Fresh Parsley, To Taste
• (possible two tsp of corn starch to thicken sauce)

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain when pasta is still al dente.

Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun spice over chicken pieces. Toss around to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy skillet over high heat. Add half the chicken in a single layer; do not stir. Allow chicken to brown on one side, about 1 minute. Flip to the other side and cook an additional minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a clean plate.

Repeat with remaining chicken. Remove chicken, leaving pan on high heat.

Add remaining olive oil and butter. When heated, add peppers, onions, and garlic. Sprinkle on remaining Cajun spice, and add salt if needed. Cook over very high heat for 1 minute, stirring gently and trying to get the vegetables as dark/black as possible. Add tomatoes and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Remove all vegetables from the pan.

With the pan over high heat, pour in the wine and chicken broth. Cook on high for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in cream, stirring/whisking constantly. Cook sauce over medium-low heat for a few minutes, until cream starts to thicken the mixture. Taste and add freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and/or salt to taste. Sauce should be spicy!

Finally, add chicken and vegetables to sauce, making sure to include all the juices that have drained onto the plate. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until mixture is bubbly and hot. Add drained fettuccine and toss to combine.

Top with chopped fresh parsley and get yourself some milk because this stuff is SPICY!