Comfort Food for Spooky Season

October; the month of haunted houses, scary movies and... hearty, home-cooked meals? As the nights draw in and the weather gets colder, it seems there is nothing better than indulging in the nostalgia of childhood- whether that's dressing up in fun costumes, watching classic horror films (I will never forgive 'The Exorcist' for many sleepless nights), or filling the kitchen with the sweet smell of Grandma's recipe. Maybe even all three, simultaneously!

I, for one, have very fond memories of begging my Father to cook my absolute favourite pasta recipe. The warmth of the flavours were too much during the hot summer months so as soon as the temperature dropped even slightly, young me was relentless in pursuit of this dish. I can remember being completely ecstatic when he finally gave in with a roll of his eyes and a sighed, "Okay then..." (although there was always a slight rye smile as I know he loved it too). Now that I'm all grown up, I no longer have to beg, in fact my Dad actually asks me to make it! Over time I have simplified the recipe to be a 'one-pot' version because I believe in the motto 'less time making is more time eating!', although this recipe still delivers the same delicious flavour, and can be easily modified for vegetarians and vegans. It is also still tasty the next day so don't worry about any leftovers!

By now you're probably thinking, 'We get it, the recipe is great! Now get on with it and tell us how to make it!', so without further ado:

One-Pot Chicken and Mushroom Pasta

Ingredients (serves 6):

• 750g diced chicken breast
• 1/2 a yellow onion, finely chopped
• 150g Portobello mushrooms (your favourite mushroom type will work too though)
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 teaspoons of paprika
• 2 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning
• 950ml of chicken broth
• 250ml of double (heavy) cream
• 500g of Farfalle pasta (any type will work here as well)
• 150g of spinach
• 120g of parmesan cheese
• 4 tablespoons of olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot until slightly simmering.
2. Add the chicken, salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning, and cook until brown. Make sure the chicken is cooked through and hot, then set aside. If you have space to put a small pot on a very low heat while you complete the next steps, you could do this to save time.
3. Add 1 more tablespoon of olive oil to the large pot and the onion. Cook until the onion is just starting to brown; this should take about 2 minutes.
4. Now add the mushrooms and the garlic and stir. Next, add the paprika, and any extra salt and pepper to taste. Make sure you stir well to evenly season.
5. Add the chicken broth and cream and stir well, then bring to the boil. This may take a while but don't worry!
6. Add the pasta and cook as is stated on the package instructions. Allow an extra couple of minutes because it may take longer to cook than in boiling water. Make sure to stir regularly.
7. Add the chicken you set aside, and the spinach and stir until the spinach shrinks down (it will look a lot a first!)
8. Add the parmesan cheese and stir until you have a creamy sauce.
9. Serve with extra parmesan on top (optional).

For a vegetarian option, you can replace the chicken with broccoli, and the chicken broth with vegetable broth.

For vegans, you can use rice pasta, and coconut milk to replace the heavy cream.

This recipe is very versatile so there is something for everyone! Don't be afraid to tweak it to your taste; add extra mushrooms, more or less seasoning, use ground beef or sausage instead of chicken... the possibilities are endless!

And last but not least, enjoy! I hope everyone loves this recipe as much as I do, and has a wonderful 'Spooky Season'- however you celebrate.