There’s a certain beauty in simple ingredients. Sharp bursting tomatoes, peppery, licorice flavored basil, fragrant savory garlic, pasta and the tang of dry white wine. When you can blend these ingredients into a fresh, simple, delicious pasta dish that’s easy to make and prepared in under 30 minutes… it’s even better.
Pampered Chef sent me their Covered Baking Dish to try. I was skeptical, y’all know me. Something you make in the microwave, and I’m going to like it? Probably not.
Then, there was the garlic slicer.. I love, love, LOVE the garlic slicer, it might be my new favorite kitchen tool. Y’all know me, I rarely cook without garlic .. the only downside, they didn’t send the garlic peeler, too. ;-( (There’s always a catch, right?) 
I live in the South, I’ve spent my adult life hearing about Pampered Chef… it’s as Southern as Apple Pie, BBQ, Paula Deen and Southern Fried Chicken.
Nathan and I pored over the included recipes and decided upon the Chicken and Penne Pasta.
It was better, easier and more flavorful than I thought it would be. Nathan ate two helpings.
They have entire recipes centered around this baking dish and I have to admit looking at them, I wasn’t all that impressed but now, after eating this one… I’m intrigued and looking forward to trying more.
- 4 garlic cloves (I used 7.. y’all know me)
- 2 C grape, cherry tomatoes
- 3 C uncooked penne pasta (barilla pasta plus)
- 3 C chicken broth
- 3/4 C dry white whine ( Barefoot Chardonnay)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper (1 tsp)
- 1 1/4 C lightly packed fresh basil leaves, divided
- 1 oz fresh Parmesan cheese, grated (1/4 C packed)
- 2 C diced grilled chicken (about 3 breasts)
(italicized parentheses are mine)
- Spray Deep Covered Baker with olive oil spray. Slice garlic, I used my Garlic Slicer (woot!!! this may be my new favorite kitchen toy) Add tomatoes. Cover and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir. Microwave another 3 minutes.
- Crush tomatoes and garlic. Add pasta, wine, broth and spices. Microwave for 18 minutes, Stir at 10 minutes.
- Coarsely chop basil and grate cheese, chop chicken.
- Carefully remove the dish from the microwave, remove the lid (beware of steam), stir in basil, chicken and cheese. Mix well.
- Top with additional cheese and garlic and pepper (if you like)
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So here’s the deal. I am actually so impressed with the Covered Baking Dish that Pampered Chef is offering one to one of my readers, that means one of y’all! This is a huge deal y’all.. this thing is oven safe, microwave safe, freezer/fridge safe and it is fantastic quality stoneware. You want this. Trust me.
So, tell me do you use Pampered Chef products? IF you do, which Pampered Chef product has made your life easier? If you don’t , why do you love cooking and which Pampered Chef product would inspire you in your kitchen?
For a 2nd entry: Tweet this and leave the Tweet URL in an additional comment
For a 3rd entry: If you had any amount to spend at PamperedChef.com what would you buy, and why?
In case you need me to be more transparent.. YES, I received the product gratis. NO, they were not able to purchase my review and opinion. If I hadn’t like this.. you would have known. I’m as transparent as saran wrap and as honest as the day is long.. Y’all know that. I’m just blessed to be able to have this opportunity and to share this product with y’all.
You have until Wednesday, August 5th at 11:59PM CST to enter. I’ll then use random.org to pick a winner
Congratulations to our Winner: Alisha in Ohio
Submitted on 2009/08/03 at 1:16pm
If I could buy more stuff I would buy
More stoneware! (esp. the Bar Pan!)
The garlic press
and that lovely baker dish you have 
Commenter #35 as chosen by Random.Org
Oh I love Pampered Chef. I use the big round baking stone the most. Pizza, biscuits, cinnamon rolls cookies you name it I’ve baked it on there! The garlic slicer looks awesome. I love kitchen gadgets!
.-= themaggers´s last blog ..Red Velvet Cupcakes =-.
I use a ton of Pampered Chef products. However, I am too cheap to buy the dish you pictured. So I HOPE to win it. My favorite product is the mix’n'chop. I also love the microwavable cookware. It’s really great for warming things up in.
.-= Amanda of Shamelessly Sassy´s last blog ..Patchypus(s): NOT about BlogHer =-.
The recipe looks delicious!
.-= Alea´s last blog ..Dinner Menu Plan -Week of August 3rd =-.
That covered baking dish was used to make chicken fajitas at a Pampered Chef bridal shower I went to a couple months ago! It is nice… but not in the budget.
I do love Pampered Chef products. Pick one? Hmmm… I LOVE the ice cream scoop. It melts the ice cream as you scoop making it easy! Also… I’m never without their Cinnamon Plus spice. It makes the BEST pumpkin pie. Anything that calls for pumpkin pie spice, I use Cinnamon Plus.
Oh, how I hope to win!
.-= Amy @ Finer Things´s last blog ..Menu Plan, Week of August 3 =-.
I tweeted! http://twitter.com/AmysFinerThings/status/3103219138
.-= Amy @ Finer Things´s last blog ..Menu Plan, Week of August 3 =-.
If I had any amount to spend at Pampered Chef, I’d buy out their cookware. Pots and pans AND stoneware.
.-= Amy @ Finer Things´s last blog ..Menu Plan, Week of August 3 =-.
Lets see, I have the round baking stone, love it. I have the dicer, the apple corer/slicer, the mesauring cup for both dry & liquid, and small sqare baking dish.
3rd entry- If I had some amount to spend on pamered chef right now, I would get pretty much any of the stoneware. I just love my stone. I like the cranberry color stoneware the best.
That looks good and I’m amazed and impressed that it was made in the microwave. I’ll admit to curiosity over a dish like that which can be used in the oven or microwave.
I own 1 Pampered Chef product (somehow I’ve never been to a party mostly because I was always afraid I would put myself in the poor house with the products) – it is the pizza stone. I’ve had it for at least 10 years – probably closer to a dozen. I use it often and love it. I used to have one of those slap chopper things from Pampered Chef – it was great for a little while but once the blade dulled it wasn’t useful anymore and I got rid of it.
.-= Michelle Smiles´s last blog ..Not a party girl =-.
I haven’t been to a Pampered Chef party in YEARS. I have the Stackable cooling racks and LOVE them – I use them weekly and they are awesome.
.-= amy2boys´s last blog ..Fresh Berry Gazpacho =-.
Hi me again with second entry. If I could spend money on Pampered Chef it would be on the square bamboo platters and bowls because they are gorgeous.
.-= amy2boys´s last blog ..Fresh Berry Gazpacho =-.
i have never bought anything from pampered chef, but that baking dish? would totally be awesome. especially since i live and breathe for my microwave!
.-= the planet of janet´s last blog ..You like me. You really LIKE me. =-.
oh, and if i had any amount of money to spend, i would have simple needs: the easy-adjustable measuring spoon and cup.
i know. i’m pathetic.
.-= the planet of janet´s last blog ..You like me. You really LIKE me. =-.
Twittered! http://twitter.com/Amy2boys/status/3104130987
.-= amy2boys´s last blog ..Fresh Berry Gazpacho =-.
Pampered chef products have definitely made my cooking experiences easier. I can NOT live with out my food chopper (it’s the original “Slap Chop!” lol). I use it all. the. time. And it goes right in the dishwasher and is ready for use the next time I need to do something dicey. Heh.
I also adore my stoneware and my omelet pan. Both make making baking and sauteing, respectively, much easier and tastier!
.-= Malia´s last blog ..The Magic of Potluck =-.
Tweeted it!
http://twitter.com/justmalia/statuses/3104301976
.-= Malia´s last blog ..The Magic of Potluck =-.
Honestly, I am an awful cook and I have never used pamper chef. BUT I have heard about them! I want this dish because it’s microwavable! That is a deal breaker for me!
.-= Cassie´s last blog ..Sponsoring Bloggers: (part one) =-.
If had any amount of money to spend with Pampered Chef, I would completely replace all of my stove top cookware, get more stoneware, and get some really good knives! I have one knife from PC but it needs replacing. I’d really like to have an entire culinary set of super sharp, gourmet kitchen worthy knives!
.-= Malia´s last blog ..The Magic of Potluck =-.
I love love love my Pampered Chef stuff. I’d say it would be a toss-up between the Baking Stone (I have the one with the handles attached to it) and the chopper thing. (No more smelly onion fingers!)
(I’ve got the tool turnabout thing and it’s filled! with tools. I just love them all)
OH- And the ice cream scooper? The one that melts the ice cream when you scoop it- SWOON! Couldn’t live without it in the summer.
So I guess I have 3 favorites
.-= Alisha in Ohio´s last blog ..46 =-.
I tweeted it!
.-= Cassie´s last blog ..Sponsoring Bloggers: (part one) =-.
I would buy the stemmed wine glasses with the dots. Because we all know how I like my wine….
.-= Cassie´s last blog ..Sponsoring Bloggers: (part one) =-.
Oh and if I could spend any amount of money I would get a 5″ Santoku knife and a grill pan and probably the dish you used for your pasta.
.-= Michelle Smiles´s last blog ..Salsa Verde =-.
Tweet tweet http://twitter.com/MichelleSmiles/statuses/3104520665
.-= Michelle Smiles´s last blog ..Salsa Verde =-.
I love my pampered chef mix and chop. It chops my hamburger meat up really fine which is perfect for tacos or any dish that you don’t want big chunks of hamburger meat.
.-= Someone Being Me´s last blog ..The quarter life clothing crisis =-.
A friend of mine also swears by the Mix and Chop for ground meats, and I’ve been wanting to try one. I have thought about ordering it straight through the site but I’d rather somebody get my commission so I’ve waited to get invited to a party.
I have several of their teeny white paring knives I got as a door prize at a party a couple years back and I use them for everything! That ice cream scoop sounds pretty awesome, too.
I love Pampered Chef…I’d never used anything from there until my roommate from college started selling the stuff a few years ago. My favorites are the pizza stone and the bamboo spoons and spatulas.
If I could spend any amount of money I’d probably get the apple peeler/corer/slicer or the deep dish pie plate. Whew, that was a tough decision…
My favorite is the kitchen spritzer! I’ve never bought Pam since the day I got it!
If money were no object, then I would buy out the entire set of stone ware! At least of each!
I have the baking stone and lurves the way it makes edgy-crispy cookies.
I need the dish you have like super dooper bad.
.-= Angie [A Whole Lot of Nothing]´s last blog ..Can’t get much lower on the health chain =-.
Tweet!
http://twitter.com/imabuckeye/status/3109443721
.-= Alisha in Ohio´s last blog ..46 =-.
I have to name one!?! LOL! I have lots of their things!! I miss not hosting parties!
Well let’s see….I would have to say their baking stones because they make for easy clean up!
Or is it their all purpose spreaders because they definitely have many purposes/uses at my house!
Thanks for hosting.
.-= Sonshine´s last blog ..Peach Crisp =-.
Any amount of money to spend at PC….I would get more stoneware or their stainless steel cookware set. I have most of their kitchen trinkets.
.-= Sonshine´s last blog ..Peach Crisp =-.
If I could buy more stuff I would buy
More stoneware! (esp. the Bar Pan!)
The garlic press
and that lovely baker dish you have
.-= Alisha in Ohio´s last blog ..46 =-.
I don’t have any Pampered Chef stuff, but I covet my MIL’s ice cream scooper. I’d love to have some of their stuff and this dish would be awesome!!
I tweeted http://twitter.com/erindraven/status/3109658821
If I could have anything I wanted…WOW…I have to start with the gadgets and go from there. LOVE the gadgets!!
Like you, I only microwave when I absolutely have to. But I also trust you with all things food. So, YUM! For my entry, I don’t just like to cook – I LOVE to cook (but you knew that). First, because I love eating, second, I love to create, and third, I absolutely love seeing people happy from enjoying something I made for them. And I could really use that 7″ sentoku knife!!
.-= BusyDad´s last blog ..Time to Rant =-.
Do you and your family want to move here so that you can be our personal chef? Canada’s really nice…
.-= Angella´s last blog ..Faith Like A Child =-.
seriously…I hope I win this so you can come and visit and cook for me. heh. I don’t have anything pampered chef. but there are MANY that I covet. too many. heh.
.-= ali´s last blog ..At least they made my shorts look good… =-.
I LOVE my measure all cup, and the batter bowl. I use them every day. EVERY day….
.-= Short Pump Preppy´s last blog ..Dress Up Your Patio at Teak Wicker and More =-.
tweeted!!
http://twitter.com/shortpumppreppy/status/3111962810
.-= Short Pump Preppy´s last blog ..Dress Up Your Patio at Teak Wicker and More =-.
If I had all the money in the world, I would buy the dotted dinnerwear, it is TOO CUTE!!!
.-= Short Pump Preppy´s last blog ..Dress Up Your Patio at Teak Wicker and More =-.
I have the small baking stone and use it to cook frozen stuffed chicken entrees. I used to use it a ton for chicken fingers and nuggets when ds was younger. I also have the pizza cutter which I like.
2nd entery – If I had tons of money to buy Pampered Chef – I would get more stoneware!
I LOVE Pampered Chef- especially the Cookie Press during the Holidays and the Pizza Stone! Great recipe!
Pampered Chef Giveaway http://bit.ly/b0Pjv
you want me to pick one…just one…umm I would have to say the micro-cooker. I can brown hamburger in 5 minutes in the microwave (little to no mess).
.-= jen´s last blog ..Chase – Month 2 =-.
I twittered yo! http://twitter.com/jenbshaw/statuses/3111899833
.-= jen´s last blog ..Chase – Month 2 =-.
Oddly enough I would like a relatively cheap item https://www.pamperedchef.com/ordering/prod_details.tpc?prodId=26434&catId=22&parentCatId=22&outletSubCat=&viewAllOutlet=
perhaps I should just order it…
.-= jen´s last blog ..Chase – Month 2 =-.