ELM

Nathan and I affectionately refer to this meal as ELM, which stands for Emily's Lamest Meal. It's super easy, so I end up making it at least twice a month! Don't be scared away by it's strange name, it's actually pretty yummy!

Ingredients:
-1 1/2 cups penne pasta
-2 Tbsp. olive oil
-one lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into one-inch pieces (I often do less than one pound, usually just one chicken breast, whatever size it happens to be!)
-one zucchini, cut lengthwise and crosswise in half, then cut into thin slices
-one red pepper, cut into strips, halved
-1/4 cup Italian dressing
-2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan
-red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Cook pasta as directed on package
2. Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for three or four minutes. Add zucchini and red pepper. Cook for a few more minutes, stirring frequently, until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are crisp-tender.
3.Drain pasta and add to chicken and vegetable mixture. Add the dressing and Parmesan and mix. Add red pepper flakes, sale and pepper, to taste.

This recipe is obviously pretty flexible. Sometimes I add a bit of chopped onion with the other veggies if I have some on hand that needs to be used up. If you need to make a bigger batch it could be yummy adding another pepper that's a different color. We often experiment with different seasonings to spice it up a bit.