Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

Having folks over for dinner usually involves a meal plan of sorts.  But I learned the essence of  hospitality from an old woman who on the spur of the moment invited 4 young GI’s to her home for lunch one Sunday after church.  She had just moved and enlisted the young men to start unpacking  boxes until they found her black cast iron skillet, while she busied herself cutting up a chicken and battering the pieces.  They sat down to a marvelous meal of fried chicken with the fixings and those boys decided that was the church for them! 

Her spontaneous act of charity embodies for me the heart of true hospitality…it is all about them; not you.  Not the state of your house, not the menu, not your culinary skills.  This Sunday we will have many small children coming to our table, and I always try to have some foods that specially please them, like pigs ‘n blankets. Turns out some adults really like such fare as well!  In any event my meals are all on the simple side. Too many ingredients with too many steps and I glaze over.  Here is an easy crowd pleasing recipe:

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo
4 to 5 cups broccoli florets (from about 1 large bunch)
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 2/3 cups whipping cream
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup grated jack cheese
2 pressed garlic cloves
(3 cups fresh spinach and chopped mushrooms are nice additions)
16 oz bowtie pasta (cooked in boiling water and drained)

Steam broccoli florets until just tender, about 3 minutes; set aside.
Heat
2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy skillet over medium-high. Working in
batches, sauté chicken strips until just cooked through, about 4
minutes. Transfer chicken strips to a large bowl. Add to the skillet
whipping cream, 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese and all of Monterrey Jack
cheese. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Add
garlic, red pepper, optional fresh spinach and mushrooms, freshly
cooked pasta and steamed broccoli florets to the large bowl with the
chicken and pour in the sauce. Toss until sauce coats everything, about
3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Butter 13x9x2-inch
broilerproof baking dish. Transfer pasta mixture to prepared baking
dish. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup grated cheese over. Preheat broiler.
Broil until just golden on top, about 3 minutes, and serve.