Recently, I delivered a Viking
52 C from Palmas del Mar, Puerto Rico to Miami with Capt. Devon Tull as my
co-captain. We pulled into Turtle Cove Marina in Providenciales, Turks and
Caicos from Dominican Republic, at the start of four day blow. We enjoyed a
nice post-bash dinner at Mango’s Reef, but the bill came to $114.00 for two! On
crew pay, that’s nice after a hard 9 hour run in 15-20 knot head winds, but
it’s a little too much on the per diem side to maintain during a weather delay.
Providenciales is a terrific
layover. Most everything a transient boat would need can be found here. A large DYI hardware and well stocked NAPA
stores takes care of the boat needs. And the Graceway IGA is a modern supermarket
that has everything I need for this dish, and more. This simple one skillet
dish is super easy to make with just a couple of store bought items.
2 tbsp. Italian dressing (not
the creamy kind)
3 boneless skinless chicken
breasts cut into cubes
10 oz. small/medium sized penne
pasta
1 16 oz. jar of your favorite
Alfredo sauce.
1 tbsp. dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
½ c. shredded mozzarella cheese
½ c. grated parmesan cheese
1 ½ c. sun dried tomatoes
Fresh chopped parsley as garnish
PREPARATION:
Heat chicken and Italian
dressing in a large 12 inch skillet over medium high heat (If you don't own a
large skillet, you can use a stock pot). Season chicken with salt and pepper to
taste.
Cook chicken until browned and
just cooked through, about 5 minutes depending on thickness of chicken.
Add the box of pasta and the
entire jar of Alfredo. Add ½ the empty
marinara jar with water and add to the skillet. If using a stockpot, use 2 cups
water. Add the salt and pepper to taste and the dried oregano. Lightly stir the
mixture to combine.
Bring mixture to a boil and then
reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until pasta is tender to
your liking. Stir in the sun dried tomatoes. Cover with grated parmesan and
then shredded mozzarella. No need to stir. Continue to cook for 2-3 more
minutes or until cheese is fully melted. You can also broil the entire skillet
for about 4 minutes to make the cheese extra melty! Top with chopped parsley
and serve! Enjoy, JW
