Home Sick Meal

Today I was home sick, with some sort of cold-sinus thing. Just on the right side of my face... all runny and watery and icky. I think though, that the title of this post is misleading. Maybe you are thinking this is a meal I make when I am homesick, as in missing my home. But alas, this is just a meal i made when i was at home, sick. I've never really been homesick (as in missing home) I was a pretty independent kid, so sleepovers and overnight camp were a blast. Even when I was living in New Hampshire for a year and I only came home 2 times, I really wasn't too upset. The only time I was a bit homesick was when i was living in China. It was just for a summer, but for some reason, I was very eager to get home. Who knows why? Maybe it was the constant stomach flu, or the psycho team leader, or maybe it was a boy i missed? Well whatever it was, I survived. I always do. No, this is a recipe I enjoyed today as I was lounging on the couch watching the Blue Lagoon with Brooke Shields. Wow, I didn't realize how, um, revealing this movie was. Brooke and the boy are half naked throughout the film! But the beach scenes were gorgeous and made me want to get stranded on a deserted island for awhile. Now, one of my favorite 80's movies is on; She's Having a Baby. Oooh Kevin Bacon is the man!

Rigatoni with Italian Chicken

Original recipe yield: 8 servings

INGREDIENTS
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 cups Italian salad dressing
1 (16 ounce) package uncooked rigatoni pasta
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with Italian herbs
1/4 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon dried parsley

DIRECTIONS
Place chicken breasts in a large resealable plastic bag, and pour in the Italian dressing. Seal bag, and marinate chicken 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Drain, discarding dressing, and dice.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add rigatoni and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain, transfer to a large bowl, and toss with diced tomatoes.
Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Place chicken in the skillet, and season with red pepper. Cook and stir 15 minutes, or until chicken juices run clear. Serve over the pasta. Top with Parmesan cheese, and garnish with parsley flakes.