For Mississippi State fans, it’s the most wonderful time of the year.
I know, I know. It’s a bit of an exaggeration. But as the students returned for a new academic year last week, and the city was flooded with maroon once again, a kind of excitement has returned to Starkville.
I’m not sure if it’s the upcoming football season, or just the summer stupor falling away, but I feel like the school year always perks up our college town. But as all the Starkvillians start singing around their metaphorical Christmas tree, I unfortunately tend to turn into a slightly less green version of the Grinch at the beginning of the year.
I didn’t attend MSU, so maybe I’m just not in the right headspace, but the new school year does come with its… inconveniences. To start, traffic is terrible, both because of the influx of cars and inexperienced drivers. No matter where you go, things are suddenly more crowded.
But the worst offender is already a place I seldom enjoy venturing – grocery stores.
Over the past few years, I’ve felt like grocery stores have devolved into a Mad Max-esque apocalyptic wasteland. I have all the normal complaints. The aisles aren’t wide enough. The shelves often become disorganized. The inconsiderate shoppers that are somehow always standing exactly where you need to be and scrolling on their phones, not paying attention.
But when you live in a college town, grocery stores become even more dystopian when the new student population arrives because the shelves also get swept clean. If you needed milk or eggs last week, no you didn’t. Find another solution.
Still, I try not to be a grumpy naysayer who wants to inflict my negativity about the new school year on the world. I was a college student once. Quite recently, actually. And seeing the shelves cleared out just made me go back to my dorm days, when creativity was key to not end up eating Ramen noodles or pizza every night.
Looking over the barren shelves, I started thinking about what I could still assemble for an easy dinner this week. I thought about what I could have made in my dorm, or in the communal kitchen in the building I stayed in my freshman year. And as I brainstormed, I started searching for recipes online that may fit in with my limited resources.
That’s when I found this slow cooker Parmesan Garlic Chicken Pasta on “The Recipe Critic.” This recipe made me wish I had brought my Crock Pot to that communal kitchen more my freshman year, because I could have been making this all the time.
I escaped the grocery store with my life, brought home my chicken, Parmesan garlic sauce, cream cheese and Parmesan, and threw everything into the Crock Pot. No additional seasonings. No additions. Just chicken, cheese and a dream.
I was pretty skeptical about it, when I was combining everything. But when it was ready, my husband and I dug in. And let me tell you, that pot of pasta made me think – maybe, maybe, I was being a little overly grumpy. I could feel my heart growing three sizes that day.
At least, until I had to hunt for a parking spot later that afternoon. Bah humbug.
PARMESAN GARLIC CHICKEN PASTA
Ingredients
12 ounces Parmesan garlic sauce (I used the Buffalo Wild Wings kind that’s sold on shelves!)
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
8 ounces cream cheese, cut into pieces
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated (Freshly grated cheese tastes best!)
10 ounces dry pasta, cooked and drained
Parsley and red pepper flakes, for garnish
Directions
■ Spray the inside of slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the Crock Pot.
■ Pour the entire bottle of Parmesan garlic sauce over the chicken. Add the cream cheese pieces and Parmesan cheese on top of the chicken and sauce.
■ Cover with lid and cook on high 3-4 hours. Check the chicken for doneness and shred. Stir chicken and sauce mix. Then, cook the pasta according to package directions and drain.
■ Add the cooked pasta to the Crock Pot. Stir to combine. Serve with parsley and red pepper flakes for garnish.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 28 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
