Try easy fettuccini alfredo, a delicious DIY dish

Are you a DIY kind of person? I have a friend who can see a pretty home decor object in a pricey decorating store and make something just like it from materials and tools she picks up at the local craft store. It’s amazing.

If you don’t have a friend like mine, you probably have seen people make copycat items and post their creations on Pinterest, Instagram, or other social media. I am always inspired by their creativity and ingenuity.

I have tried my hand at doing some projects of my own. I have to admit, I’m pretty bad at it. The idea is great, the materials are good, but the execution is where I fall short. I just don’t have the skills for some of the things I want to do. But I keep trying.

A recent reminder of this was my purchase of dining room chairs. With the help of a longtime friend who is very gifted in the art of interior design and decorating, we are redoing our dining room. Part of that re-do is acquiring a new table and chairs.

Wanting to save a little money and inspired by something I saw on Pinterest, I decided to go chair hunting by hitting the area thrift stores. After several jaunts and several times striking out, I walked into the Goodwill in Murrieta one afternoon and found four Parsons dining room chairs.

Excited, I examined them carefully. The wooden legs were in good condition and I could stain those a different color. The upholstery was pretty worn and pretty ugly but I could recover those. I was sure there are directions for that on Pinterest. The price? $6.99 each. Each. I had to buy them.

So, after I paid $27.96 for the four chairs, I loaded them into my van and gleefully drove home. This was going to be great! And I was saving so much money by not buying brand new chairs.

As my daughter helped me unload the chairs from the van, she looked at me forlornly. She reminded me that we were trying to get rid of old furniture, not purchase more of it. Oh no, I said, I’m going to remake these into something else, DIY them.

And as I trolled online to see how to reupholster Parsons chairs, I realized that I had gotten in over my head. The idea was great, the materials were good but the execution is where I fell short. I just don’t have the skills for that.

I’m not opposed to learning a new skill, I just don’t want to spend the time to learn a skill that I will most likely use only once. My husband reminded me that it’s okay to not be good at everything. That is a very freeing thought – I don’t have to be good at everything!

So, unfettered by not having to reupholster these chairs, I got back to what I am good at: cooking. This week’s recipe is from the website Pumpkin ‘n Spice and is an easy one pan dish. It can be made in under 30 minutes, leaving you more time for those DIY projects.

Photo by Betty Williams

One Pan Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 chicken breasts, cut into chunks
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 8 ounces uncooked fettuccine pasta
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to the pan and saute, browning on both sides, until chicken is nearly done. Remove and set aside.

In the same pan, melt butter and add garlic; cook for one to two minutes. Whisk in flour and onion powder, Italian seasoning, cooking for a minute or two. Add broth and milk, whisking constantly. Add in uncooked pasta, stir, then bring mixture to a boil.

Reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for about 15 minutes, or until pasta is tender. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.