An Italian Feast Day meal

I had a heart-to-heart with myself recently. I had to decide whether or not I was going to keep using this space, because  I was still taking photos of food and making mental notes about recipes, but after a day my mental notes were gone, and sometimes I even lost track of the recipe. Not very organized, I know. But every meal I made would result in the same internal battle about whether or not I want to continue writing in this space.

Ultimately, I decided to keep it up. I love cooking, and I love integrating food into the liturgical year, so that is what I hope to continue doing.

Today is the feast of St. Anthony of Padua. I tend to tie my meals together with the feast day with ethnic food, because it's easy and it's fun. I have to make dinner anyway, so I'm really not adding anything extra to my workload.

Today's saint, St. Anthony of Padua, is one of my favorite saints. My oldest son chose him as his patron, and he is one of the saints I call on most often --"Tony, Tony come around..." That poor man never has a moment's peace. Padua is in Italy and so tonight's feast was Italian. You could use this menu for any Italian saint, however, and there are many.

The pasta dish was one I had pinned a couple months ago to "test drive" for my second son who will be living alone next year. It was so simple and delicious -- clean plates all around.

The vegetable is a seasonal sort of treat. My friend Katie (my egg lady) sent some zucchini and garlic scapes along with my eggs this week. I had never cooked garlic scapes, but they were very tasty, and I'll definitely try them again.

With a loaf of ciabatta garlic bread (purchased), the meal was complete, and so easy.

Skillet Baked Ziti

1 T. olive oil

1 T. minced garlic

1 t. dried red chili flakes

 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

3 T. dried basil

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

3 cups uncooked penne or ziti

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup shredded mozzarella
1-2 T. sliced fresh basil leaves

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

In a 12-inch skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat.

Add garlic and red chili flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. 

Add tomatoes and a pinch of salt; reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, or until tomatoes break down a bit.

Add the broth and dried basil and return to a simmer. Add pasta and cover; cook according to package directions for just firm (12-15 minutes).

Remove lid, season with salt and pepper, and stir in Parmesan. Sprinkle mozzarella over top of pasta.

Bake at 400 degrees until cheese is melted and bubbly, about 8-10 minutes.

Sprinkle with basil and serve hot.

(If you are using a pan that has a plastic handle, cover handle with foil before placing it in the oven)

Source: modified from Serious Eats via College East 101

Zucchini and Garlic Scapes

1 T. coconut oil or unsalted butter

2 medium zucchini washed and sliced about 1/4 inch thick

6 garlic scapes, rinsed and cut in half or three pieces

salt

Heat oil or butter in large skillet over medium high until hot.

Add zucchini and scapes and cook for about 20 minutes, flipping zucchini to brown both sides.

Season with salt and serve hot.

Printer version

Homemade Pasta

Years and years ago my mother-in-law bought me a pasta roller (like this) for a gift. I enjoyed having such a "gourmet" piece of kitchen equipment, and I used it some, but it was sort of relegated to the kitchen equipment which we use only for special occasions. Ironically, I still made homemade noodles by hand, but the pasta machine was put away in a basement cabinet.

This past Sunday, I planned spaghetti and meatballs for dinner and then I realized I had no dry pasta. I dislike going to the grocery store so much I went down to the basement and dusted off the pasta machine. When I was finished cutting the spaghetti I realized I had invested very little time, actually, and after we ate I realized how much I love homemade pasta. There is just no comparison. Homemade pasta is so tender and tasty and wonderful. I actually have no good words to describe it. You really must try it. If you don't own a pasta machine, maybe you can put it on your Christmas list (there are an awful lot out there in all price ranges).

I use the food processor to make my pasta dough and it's really super easy -- three ingredients: flour, salt and eggs (cheap, too!). From start to finish it takes less than two minutes to make the dough. It takes less then 20 minutes to roll and cut it. It may not be practical every night, but it's not so tough with just a wee bit of time. Your family will love you for it, so consider it a labor of love.

Homemade Pasta

serves six for dinner

Printer version

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 t salt

4 eggs

Place flour and salt in bowl of food processor. Crack eggs into a measuring cup with a spout. Turn machine on and pour the eggs through the feeding tube. Let run for about 30 seconds until dough gathers in a ball. Pull dough out and put machine back together. Turn it on and, tearing off balls of dough (small enough to feed through the tube, but not too small), feed them into the machine one at a time, but fairly quickly. Let the machine run until dough gathers in a ball again.

Remove ball of dough from machine and wrap in plastic wrap. You can use it right away in a pinch, but it will be better if you let it rest for 30 minutes.

Unwrap dough after rest and cut into 10 or so pieces (see photo).

yes, it is that yellow

Flour each piece lightly and set rolling side of pasta machine on the lowest setting. Roll each piece through once. 

 

Set the machine on a higher setting, two or three notches above the lowest. It really depends on what kind of pasta you are making at this point. I wanted spaghetti, so I set it two notches above, leaving it a little thick.

Keep each piece floured lightly as you work with them and cut them in half as necessary to keep them from being too long and unmanageable. 

After all pieces are the desired thickness, it's time to cut. I used the most narrow setting for spaghetti. If you wanted fettuccine, you would use the wider setting. For angel hair, I would use the narrow setting and a very thin sheet of dough.

After flouring each sheet, feed them through the machine to cut it. Lay each bunch on a floured surface. Let sit for about 30 minutes. 

Bring several quarts of water to a boil, salt. Add pasta, in thirds, to the water and stir to prevent sticking, until all pasta is in water. Cook for two to three minutes until desired texture. Drain.

Summer Supper #6

.

This is the kind of dish I would order from any restaurant menu. I love summer vegetables, and if you pair them with bacon for flavor and pasta for a little filler, they make a great summer supper dish. I saw this recipe at MyRecipes.com, but switched it up a little in terms of pasta shape and variety of summer vegetable. You could really use a multitude of vegetables for this recipes -- whatever is growing in the garden, available at the farm market, or just needs to be used from the veggie drawer of the fridge.

All the kids enjoyed this dish (much to my surprise) and I can't wait to try it again. I modified the recipe to my taste, but feel free to substitute the veggies for what's available to you. I could not find cavatappi at my store, so I used Roman Rigatoni ( a curved variety of rigatoni) but would look for cavatappi in the future -- I love that shape.

Pasta with Bacon and Summer Vegetables

serves 4-6

Printer version

1 lb. uncooked cavatappi 

8 slices bacon, chopped 

2 T.  olive oil 

1 cup chopped red or green onion

3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced

1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices 

3/4 cup yellow pepper, sliced thin and cut in bite-size sticks

1 cup edamame

1 1/2 cups sugar snap peas, ends trimmed and strings removed

1 1/2 cups quartered grape tomatoes

1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Parmesan cheese (or up to 1 cup, to taste)

1/4 cup small fresh basil leaves 

salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.

While pasta cooks, cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon, reserving drippings in pan; add oil to drippings. Add onion and garlic to pan; sauté 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add zucchini and peppers; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in edamame, tomatoes, and sugar snaps; cook 5 minutes or until tomatoes soften, stirring occasionally. 

Add hot pasta to vegetable mixture; toss. Cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Add 1/4 cup cheese, basil, salt, and pepper; toss to combine. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Source: modified from myrecipes.com

Serving suggestion: Serve with some crusty bread and a bowl of fresh fruit salad, or served with some grilled chicken breast for a heartier meal.

.

Asian Pasta Salad

.

This recipe for pasta salad is one I have been eating and enjoying for years. A good friend made it for us once, probably almost 20 years ago, and I remember calling her at least twice for the recipe. Of course, I lost it twice as well, but it's easy enough that you really don't even need a recipe if you remember the basic ingredients. There is really nothing particularly Asian in it, but the flavors go so well with Asian food I always make it with some yummy Asian marinated meat on the grill. Mostly what you taste in the dish are the wonderful fresh vegetables -- they go so well together. I usually put the cashews in a dish on the side, not only because I have a nut-allergic child, but also because the cashews get soggy in the leftovers, which are otherwise wonderful. There is no vinegar in this recipe, so don't think you're missing something. ;-)

This pasta salad is best served at room temperature, so if you make it far enough in advance that you don't want it sitting out for hours, remember to remove it from the refrigerator at least an hour before serving time -- more if it is thoroughly chilled. There is no dairy in it and nothing that will spoil even if left out for several hours. I wouldn't go more than three.

Asian Pasta Salad

Printer version

1 lb. rotini pasta

3/4 cup yellow bell pepper, sliced thin and in bite-size lengths

3/4 cup red bell pepper, sliced thin and in bite-size lengths

1 cup sugar snap or snow peas, washed and string removed, halved

1/2 medium red onion, quartered and sliced thin

1/2 to 3/4 cup mild oil -- mild olive, canola or peanut

4 cloves garlic crushed

salt to taste

1 cups cashew pieces or whole cashews, salted

Cook pasta to al dente in a large pot of salted boiling water. Drain but do not rinse. Drizzle with a small amount of oil (a few tablespoons) to keep it from sticking and let sit to cool, tossing occasionally.

Meanwhile, add garlic to remaining oil and cook to simmering in the microwave (or over the stove). Do not cook the garlic, you just want to infuse the oil with the flavor and lose a little bit of that raw garlic flavor. When oil has simmered for about 10 seconds remove from microwave and let cool.

When pasta cools to just a little warmer than room temp add oil and toss. You can start with a half cup and add more if it seems dry. Or save some of the oil and add it just before serving if you have a long hang time. Add peppers, onions and peas and toss. Salt to taste and let sit at room temp until ready to serve. Serve with cashews.

Source: my friend Gina

.

Penne Franco

 .

This dish may not look like much, but, oh my, is it flavor-packed! I first enjoyed this pasta dish at Carrabba's on the evening my second son, Joshua, graduated from high school, in May. After one bite I knew I would have to recreate it at home, and as it turns out, it was a breeze to make and tasted just like the original. Doug enjoyed it too, even though he usually doesn't enjoy pasta dishes without sauce (he's a saucy guy!), and though only the two youngest kids were home, they both enjoyed it very much, too (I made them macaroni and cheese and a piece of grilled chicken but neither could resist the smell of this dish).

When I first ate this dish I had it without the chicken, but I did enjoy it with the chicken at home, so I'll make it that way again. This is definitely a meal you could make in under 30 minutes, so keep the ingredients on-hand and try it soon!

Penne Franco

serves 4-6

Printer version

7 cloves garlic, sliced

7 T. extra-virgin olive oil
four sun-dried tomatoes, rehydrated and sliced in thin slices (or use oil-packed)
8 oz. mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 can artichoke heart quarters, drained
15-20 kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped (according to taste)
3-4 chicken breasts (use the greater amount if you have big meat-eaters)

1 lb. Penne pasta (I used Roman Rigatoni because I forgot to buy penne, but the original recipe included penne)

Salt and pepper, to taste
Parmesan cheese, shredded

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt and add pasta, stir and cook until al dente. Keep warm.

Salt and pepper chicken breasts and grill until done. Let sit for a few minutes and then slice crosswise in thin slices. Keep warm.

In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook mushrooms in a small amount of olive oil until tender (about five minutes). Drain. 

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and saute garlic for about a minute.  Add sun-dried tomatoes and artichokes. Cook until heated through. Add mushrooms, chicken and cooked penne pasta and stir. Make certain all ingredients are hot. Season with salt and pepper. 

Place in serving dish and top with shredded cheese to taste.

.

Number 2 Stovetop Mac and Cheese

.

My family loves, loves good old-fashioned baked macaroni and cheese. But that's a recipe that I don't make for lunch -- it's a little more involved than I like to get into for lunch when we are sometimes schooling right through the lunch hour. I love this recipe for a quick mac 'n' cheese, but sometimes for lunch my kids beg me (I mean it) not to make the kind with veggies. O.k., sometimes you just want simple comfort food without the veggies.

Rachel Ray's Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese is just right for a quick comfy lunch without the neon orange cheese that comes in the blue box. It's soft and creamy and very cheesy. I call it the Number 2 Mac 'n' Cheese because all the ingredients come in twos -- super easy to remember. It does call for 2 cups of half and half and when I read that the first time my arteries gave me a gratuitous squeeze. I do use half and half, but I water it down -- about 1 1/4 cups half and half with the rest of the two cup measure being water. It tastes just as yummy. I'm sure you could use milk as well, just don't use a really low fat milk (fat = flavor). Don't forget to taste and salt and pepper at the end, and if your people like a little spice, add a dash of cayenne pepper. I use an 8 oz. block of sharp cheddar cheese shredded in the mini cuisinart and reserve a little to put on top of each serving.

Number 2 Stovetop Mac 'n' Cheese

serves 4

Printer version

2 cups elbow macaroni 

2 T. butter

2 T. flour

2 cups half-and-half, warmed

8-ounce bag shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese (about 2 cups)

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large saucepan of boiling, salted water, cook the macaroni until al dente; drain in a colander.

In the same saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the warmed half-and-half and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is steaming hot and thick, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheddar until melted. Stir in the cooked macaroni and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Source: Rachel Ray .

Nigella's Meatloaf and Noodles Romanoff

.

I'm always on the lookout for a great meatloaf recipe. I think I have lamented before that my children are not big fans of meatloaf. One of the boys really enjoys my Meatloaf with Mushroom Gravy, but another has decided he does not like mushrooms and can't quite get past them to eat the meatloaf. Picky kid.

Anyway, I saw this recipe in Nigella Lawson's Nigella Kitchen and was intrigued by the recipe, mostly because of the eggs that are enclosed inside the meatloaf. It reminded me of our family's favorite Chicken Pot Pie with the hard boiled eggs. Also, completely topped with bacon -- who can resist? I wouldn't serve it regularly with all that bacon on top -- not very healthy -- but it's definitely worthy of a once in a while treat.

A few notes on the recipe -- I used butter to cook the onions instead of the duck fat offered as a choice. A few days later I saw Jamie Oliver cook with duck fat and he has me convinced that it would well be worth it once in a while to use it, though I'm not certain I could even find it at the store. I did not use 4 onions, but one large which was probably close to a pound. Also -- I had no intention of making gravy so I used the bread slice trick (seen at the Meatloaf with Mushroom Gravy recipe) to soak up the fat.

Also, on the Noodles Romanoff -- simple, simple recipe, but the kids loved it so much I decided to post the recipe.You can probably use a teaspoon of dried chives if you don't have fresh, but you won't get the same exact flavor.  If you don't have chives in the garden, or even just in a bed outside the back door, definitely pick up a plant. In no time at all you'll have plenty of chives (in fact, you might want to put your plant in a pot because they take over the garden).

Nigella's Meatloaf

Printer version

4 eggs (only boil three)

4 onions, 1 pound

5 T. duck fat or butter

1 t. kosher salt or 1/2 t. table salt

1 t. Worcestershire sauce

2 pounds ground beef, preferably organic

2 cups fresh breadcrumbs

10 ounces (approx. 20 slices) bacon

1 large roasting pan

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil and then boil 3 of the eggs for 7 minutes. Refresh them in cold water.

Peel and chop the onions, and heat the duck fat in a thick-bottomed frying pan. Cook the onions gently sprinkled with the salt, for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the onions are golden and catching in the fat. Remove to a bowl to cool.

Put the Worcestershire sauce and ground beef into a bowl, and when the onion mixture is not hot to the touch, add to the bowl and work everything together with your hands.

Add the remaining raw egg and mix again before finally adding the breadcrumbs.

Divide the mixture into 2, and in the pan, make the bottom half of the meatloaf by patting half the beef mixture into a flattish ovoid shape approximately 9 inches long. Peel and place the 3 hard-boiled eggs in a row down the middle of the meatloaf.

 

Shape the remaining mound over the top of the eggs and pat into a solid loaf shape. Compress the meatloaf to get rid of any holes, but don't overwork it.

 

Cover the meatloaf with slices of bacon, as if it were a terrine, tucking the bacon ends underneath the meatloaf as best you can to avoid its curling up as it cooks.

 

Bake for 1 hour, until the juices run clear and once it's out of the oven let the meatloaf rest for 15 minutes. This should make it easier to slice. When slicing, do it generously, so everyone gets some egg. Pour meat juices over as you serve or do what you will gravy-wise. 

 

Noodles Romanoff

Printer version

8 ounces wide egg noodles

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup whipped cream cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup or more half & half or cream

1 T. chopped fresh chives

1 t. salt

1/8 t. ground black pepper

1 clove crushed garlic

2 T. butter

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

 

In a large pot with boiling salted water cook egg noodles until al dente. Drain. 

In the noodle pot, mix together the sour cream, cream cheese, 1/4 cup of the grated Parmesan cheese, chives, salt, ground black pepper, and garlic. Add a few tablespoons of half & half or cream. Heat on low and stir to a smooth texture.

Stir in butter or margarine to hot egg noodles. Stir into sour cream mixture. Add more cream as necessary to get a creamy texture.

Arrange noodles on warm platter and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese.

.

Rosemary Balsamic Chicken

.

I apologize for my picture -- the ravioli is in focus, but the chicken, not so much.

Last week, on the Solemnity of the Annunciation, my family celebrated the day with a lovely dinner of Rosemary Chicken -- rosemary for Our Blessed Mother. There is a legend about the rosemary plant -- "The rosemary bush gave shelter to the Holy Family during the flight into Egypt. It is told that Mary hung the linens of the Holy Child on the rosemary bush to dry, and afterwards it became aromatic and evergreen, with little blue flowers springing up from its branches" (The Mary Page).

I love the flavor of rosemary and chicken, and the balsamic vinegar mingled with the flavors wonderfully. I used a recipe from Rachel Ray that was simple and quick (as she always promises). I don't use a lot of Rachel Ray recipes, but I should try them more often because they usually pan out pretty well. I used her entire menu shown with this recipe, though I altered the Spinach salad a little. 

Rosemary Chicken with Balsamic Browned Butter Ravioli and Spinach Salad

serves 5-6

Printer version

4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast, 6 to 8 ounces each
2 T. balsamic vinegar, just enough to coat chicken lightly
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil

3 stems rosemary, leaves stripped and chopped, about 2 tablespoons

Salt and coarse black pepper

4 cloves garlic, cracked away from skin with a whack against the flat of your knife

1 package, 12 to 16 ounces, fresh ravioli, any flavor filling (I used 1# frozen)

3 T. butter, cut into small pieces

2 T. balsamic vinegar

2 handfuls grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Salt and pepper

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, a couple of handfuls(I omitted)

3 slices bacon, chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

2 t. sugar

2 T. balsamic vinegar, eyeball it

1 bunch, about 10 ounces flat-leaf spinach, rinsed and spun dry

1/2 cup cleaned and thinly sliced mushrooms 

Salt and pepper

 Chicken:

Coat chicken in balsamic vinegar, then olive oil. Season chicken with rosemary, salt and pepper and let stand 10 minutes. 

Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken breasts and cracked garlic to the pan. Cook chicken 12 minutes, or until juices run clear, turning occasionally. The balsamic vinegar will produce a deep brown, sweet finish on the chicken as it cooks.

Remove chicken from the first skillet and transfer to a warm platter until all the dishes are done. Slice chicken crosswise and serve along side ravioli and spinach salad, all on the same dinner plate.

Ravioli:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for ravioli. Salt water and drop ravioli in water. 

Cook 8 minutes or until raviolis expand, float to top of water, and are al dente. 

When the chicken is 2 or 3 minutes away from done, heat a second skillet over medium low to medium heat. To the second skillet, add butter to the pan and let it begin to brown (watch it closely or in a second it will go from browned to burned). When the butter for the ravioli has browned, add cooked ravioli to the pan and turn in butter to heat through. Add balsamic vinegar to the ravioli and cook a minute or 2 longer to reduce the vinegar and glaze the ravioli. Add cheese, parsley, salt and pepper to the pasta and remove the pan from the heat.

  Salad:

While chicken is cooking, in a skillet over medium high heat, cook the bacon. Brown the bacon bits, about 4-5 minutes. Reducing heat to medium. Remove bacon and add onions to the pan and let the onions saute 2 minutes. Add sugar and cook sugar with onions 1 minute. Add vinegar to the pan, scraping up pan drippings. Add dressing to the spinach in a large bowl and turn to wilt and coat it evenly. Add bacon and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Source: Modified from the Food Network

.

President Reagan's Macaroni and Cheese

.

A few weeks ago, just before the mid-term elections, a girlfriend gave me a cookbook that was published by Mike DeWine's campaign office. DeWine is a former U.S. senator and was running recently (and won the election) for  attorney general for the state of Ohio. The cookbook is just a small one, but is filled with family favorites, and I found more than a few I'd like to try. They are just, for the most part, good homey recipes.

This one caught my eye because it was my favorite president's recipe. I tried it a few weeks ago for a Friday night supper and my family looooved it. I have tried about a million and one recipes for macaroni and cheese and have never found one that was just perfect. I think I can stop trying now. And the best part -- it could hardly be easier. No white sauce necessary, just mix the ingredients and pour over cooked macaroni. I used the sharp cheddar called for in the recipe for a really tangy flavor, but I imagine this recipe could be made with almost any combination of cheeses (but I think you need to stick to sharp cheddar in order to call it President Reagan's Macaroni and Cheese!).

This is good, old-fashioned comfort food at its best. It was great as a main dish, and super for meatless Fridays.

President Reagan's Macaroni and Cheese

8 oz. macaroni, boiled to al dente and drained

1 t. butter

1 egg, beaten

3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 t. dry mustard

1 t. salt

1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a buttered casserole dish, pour macaroni.

Toss with butter, egg and 2 1/2 cups cheddar.

In a small bowl, whisk milk with salt and powdered mustard.

Pour milk over macaroni and cheese. Sprinkle with remaining half cup cheese.

Bake for 45 minutes until custard is set.

Printer version

Source: Fran DeWine's Family Favorites

.

PW's Spaghetti with Artichokes and Tomatoes

.


Last week I prepared another of Pioneer Woman's recipes and it was not only yum!, it was easy, and great left over. I had a busy day and threw it together in about 25 minutes -- after racing in the door at about 5:30.

The only thing bad about it was my husband confessed he does not like artichokes. Twenty-five years married and I never knew. He never said! So, I guess I'll save this one for a night when he's not home. All the kids liked it, including my son's girlfriend, and Faith especially. I really enjoyed it as well -- the leftovers, too.

I did not have fresh herbs to sprinkle (well, I did, but didn't think cilantro would go too well) and did not really think it made a difference. The sauce was creamy and tasty without. I think my tomatoes were chunkier than hers (I use this brand), but I was o.k. with that. As the recipe states, salt to taste and I did have to add a couple times, so keep tasting and salt as needed. I doubled the recipe for six and had lots of leftovers, but I don't think one recipe would feed six adults.

Spaghetti with Artichokes and Tomatoes
serves 5 to 6

2 T. olive oil
2 T. butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ whole medium onion, finely diced
1 can artichoke hearts (I used quartered), drained
1 can diced tomatoes with juice (14.5 Oz.)
1 cup heavy cream
½ cups chicken broth (more as needed)
½ t. nutmeg
salt and pepper, to taste
1 pound thin spaghetti
1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
2 T. Fresh Chives (or Other Herbs) Chopped

Cook spaghetti till al dente. Drain and set aside.

Melt olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add artichoke hearts and tomatoes. Stir and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in cream and chicken broth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook over low heat until heated through, then turn off heat.

Place drained pasta in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1 cup Parmesan. Pour sauce over the top. Add chives. Toss lightly to combine and coat; add a tiny bit of reserved pasta water if sauce seems too thick.

Printer version

Source: Pioneer Woman Cooks


.

Sauce and Sausages

.


One of my family's favorite dishes is plain ol' spaghetti and sauce. Of course, my homemade sauce is key to that dish, and their most favorite variety is when I add sausage to my sauce, cooking it for several hours, to infuse the flavors of the yummy sausage into the sauce. My sauce is really very simple, and to an authentic Italian, is probably not the real thing, but to my family it's yummy and they are the only ones I have to please.

This recipe makes a lot. You could certainly cut it in half or even in fourths, but really, just freeze it and you'll have a few meals to spare. Just start with a large pot.

The sausages are really very crucial to this recipe, so pick something you know you like. I go to a special butcher shop just to buy sausages. They come in mild, festival and spicy and I go for the festival which is mildly spicy.

Sauce and Sausage

4 T. extra virgin olive oil
10 Italian sausages
1 T. fresh crushed garlic
3 (28 oz) cans tomato puree
3 (28 oz) cans tomato sauce
1/2 c. sugar (we like our sauce sweet so you might want to start with half that quantity and add more to taste)
1/2 T. salt
1/2 T. seasoning salt (I use Lawry's)
1 T. dried oregano
1 T. dried basil
1 t. dried thyme leaves
1 t. freshly ground pepper
1/2 c. red wine (optional)

Heat pot and add olive oil. Add five of the sausages and cook, turning, to brown. Remove those sausages and add remaining sausages, cooking to brown.



Reduce heat to low. Add all sausages into pan and add garlic. When garlic starts to sizzles (do not let it brown), add puree and sauce to pot. Add sugar and seasonings, and wine. Stir and bring to a simmer. When sauce starts to simmer, reduce to medium low and cover.

Cook sauce, at a low simmer, for two to three hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sauce from burning on the bottom.

Serve sauce over pasta with sausages, or enjoy sausages on Italian buns with sauce.


Printer version



.

Pepper Jack Pasta Salad

I made this pasta salad, found at myrecipes.com last week with burgers on the grill. In the summer, I love an easy meal of meat on the grill, a cold salad, and some fresh fruit. It's a simple meal to prepare and really all the food you need for dinner when the temperatures are high. I saw this recipe for pasta salad and it sounded like something different, and something my family would like. I was correct on both counts.

I made a few changes to the recipe as I made it and I made a few changes when I wrote it down because I plan to make it slightly differently next time. I used Monterey Jack cheese as directed in the recipe, but next time will use Pepper Jack (hence the name change). The salad had a little kick, but not quite enough for my gang. I also used mild banana pepper rings and plan to use spicy in the future. I think both changes will make for a salad that is bright and flavorful, but with the kick my family loves. If your family is not fond of spicy flavors, make the salad with Monterey Jack cheese and mild peppers. I omitted the capers from the original recipe because my family doesn't really care for them.

Pepper Jack Pasta Salad

Printer-friendly version

6 oz. uncooked acini di pepe pasta, about 1 cup ( or any small shaped pasta)
2¼ cups diced plum tomato
¼ cup finely chopped red onion
¼ cup sliced pickled banana peppers
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 T. cider vinegar
1 T. extra-virgin olive oil
½ t. dried oregano
⅛ t. salt
4 oz. Pepper Jack cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 can navy beans (16-ounce) rinsed and drained
2 oz. salami, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.

Combine tomato and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add pasta to tomato mixture, tossing well to combine. Chill until ready to serve or serve immediately (I think it gained a little flavor from a short chill in the fridge).

Source: modified from Cooking Light

.

Mac 'n' Cheese with Veggies

.

This quick recipe for macaroni and cheese is a lovely compromise between artery-clogging comfort food and healthy eats. I made it a few weeks ago, adding a cup of diced ham for extra flavor and protein, and it was a really delicious, healthy main dish. Paired with some whole wheat bread and fresh fruit, it was a very comforting, satisfying meal.

The original recipe, from Women Heart's All Heart Family Cookbook, did not call for the ham. I noticed, however, when I was making another recipe recently, that some ham steaks are very low in fat. I buy Bob Evans brand and there are only 2 grams of fat per (thick) slice, so the addition of two slices, diced, did not add much fat at all. It did add lots of flavor and texture, however. The recipe would also be very good without ham, for a meatless Friday.

The only other change I would make in the future has to do with the onion. Please tell me your kids balk at onion. Ugh. My kids (all but the youngest who eats almost anything) said they really liked this macaroni and cheese, but wished there wasn't so much onion. I did not think it was too much onion, but in the future, I will cut back to half an onion, and minced it finely. Also, if you have onion detectives, make sure the onion is very soft before adding the milk. The recipe as printed below is also adjusted for quantity, which originally served 4.

Mac 'n' Cheese with Veggies
serves 6

12 ounces shells or elbow pasta

3 c. mixed vegetables such as broccoli or cauliflower florets, sliced carrots, chopped bell pepper (I used cauliflower, carrot coins, and red bell pepper)

2 c. fat-free or low-fat milk

3 T. cornstarch

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 medium onion, minced

1 1/2 cup (6 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese

3 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese

1 c. diced ham (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

Prepare the pasta according to package directions, adding the vegetables to the water during the last 5 minutes of cooking time. Drain and place in a serving bowl.

Meanwhile, in a measuring cup, whisk together the milk and cornstarch. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, or until onion is soft (but not brown). Add the milk mixture and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the Cheddar and cream cheese and ham (if using). Stir until melted. Pour over the pasta mixture and toss to coat well. Taste and salt and pepper as needed.

Printer version

Source: adapted from Women Heart's All Heart Family Cookbook
.

Greek Pasta

.



I have so many recipes I want to share -- if only I had hours to sit at the computer. I'll keep collecting them, anyway, and when I can get them up, I will.

I prepared this dish a few weeks ago as a side with an oven-roasted chicken. I was attracted to the recipe because I love olives and sun-dried tomatoes, but I was afraid that the kids and Doug would find the flavors too strong. I was wrong. They loved it. In fact, they all said it tasted like restaurant food, which is really the ultimate compliment from them (sad, but true). The flavors of the olives, sun-dried tomatoes, herbs and garlic were just strong enough to balance the whole wheat pasta. Doug is really picky about whole grain pasta, but he said he really liked it in this dish. Though I served it as a side, it would be great as a meatless meal. It would also be awesome with a piece of grilled chicken sliced on top, or even some pan-sauteed shrimp. Yum!

This recipe came from Women Heart's All Heart Family Cookbook, my latest favorite. I love this cookbook because every recipe packs in as many heart-healthy ingredients as possible. This recipe has whole grains, olives and olive oil, garlic, spinach, tomatoes, and herbs -- which all contribute to lowering cholesterol and a healthier heart. It was easy and quick to make as well. I have just a few changes included below.

Greek Pasta
6 servings

12 oz. whole wheat pasta (I used penne)
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced (I used two)
1/2 c. sun-dried tomatoes, chopped, soaked in water, drained
2 T. chopped fresh parsley
1 T. chopped fresh basil
10 oz. baby spinach, washed
4 oz. fat-free feta cheese (I used low-fat)
1/2 c. kalamata olives, pitted and chopped

Prepare pasta according to directions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water. Drain.

In the same pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes -- do not brown. Add tomatoes, parsley, and basil, and cook, stirring occasionally, for two minutes longer. Add the pasta, spinach, cheese and olives, and toss to coat well. Add a little of the pasta water if necessary to moisten.

Printer version

Source: Women Heart's All Heart Family Cookbook

.

Peppered Couscous and Cumin Roasted Cauliflower

.



These two dishes are good low-fat sides. I won't bore you with the science of why these are good dishes, but if you want to you can read about red peppers, here, and cauliflower here. They also taste good, which is the criteria for them showing up here. The couscous is kid friendly too. If your kids don't like veggies, cut the pieces of pepper and onion so they are large enough to pick out. My kids ate it all, and I think the peppers are mild enough for most children. The cauliflower they only tolerated, but Doug and I both really liked it.

Peppered Couscous
serves 4-6

1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1 yellow pepper, finely diced
6 scallions, chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 c. fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
1 c. whole wheat couscous

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add the red and yellow peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes or until slightly tender. Add scallions and garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Stir in the couscous. Cover and remove from heat. Let sit 10 minutes until broth is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.

Printer version

Cumin Roasted Cauliflower
serves 4-6

1 medium head cauliflower, washed and cut into florets
2 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 t. cumin
salt to taste

Heat oven to 425 degrees F.
Using a paper towel, or your clean hands, coat a baking sheet with 1 T. olive oil. Toss cauliflower florets with 1 T. olive oil in a bowl. Toss with cumin. Place florets on baking sheet and bake in heated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, stir and cook 5 - 10 minutes longer until browned and tender. Taste and salt as needed.

Printer version

Shown served with Turkey Cutlets with Avocado Salsa

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

Back to working on my backlog of recipes, this one I prepared on Christmas Eve. My niece Rachel is a vegetarian and I am supposed to avoid tomato products because of the IC. I planned Baked Ziti and Italian sausages for the rest of the gang, so I was really happy when I found this recipe in a Family Circle magazine. It was really very good, and so different from the ziti that most of my company had a little of both (or a lot as the case may be). It's not exactly low in fat, but it's probably lower than beef and cheese lasagna. And with the vegetables, it probably has greater nutritional value.

I modified the recipe just a little bit and mine is below. It's a little complicated, but then, if you've made meat and sauce lasagna, it can be long and involved, too. Nothing is too tough, just a little involved. The only step that gave me trouble was the mushroom sauce. I had a hard time getting it seasoned the way I wanted. It is where the dish gets a lot of its flavor, so make sure it tastes good. Mine needed a lot of salt to get there. A dash of garlic powder, too.

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna
serves 8

2 medium-sized zucchini, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch coins
2 medium-sized yellow squash, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch coins
1 large sweet red pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 large red onion, trimmed and cut into 1-inch wedges
3 T. vegetable oil (olive or other)
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
8 oz. white mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
1 T. olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 T. butter
2 T. flour
2-3/4 c. milk
1/4 c. minced fresh parsley
2 T. minced fresh basil
12 dried lasagna noodles
6 oz. Fontina cheese, shredded
2/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese
8 oz. shredded mozzarella

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Coat 2 large rimmed baking sheets with vegetable oil.

Place zucchini, squash, red pepper and onion in a bowl and toss with 2 T. vegetable oil. Spread in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle vegetables with 1/2 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Roast at 425 degrees for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through, or until edges are browned. Remove from oven and transfer vegetables to a bowl.

Pulse mushrooms in a food processor until finely chopped. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms to skillet. Cook, stirring, for 6 minutes or until all liquid has evaporated. Reduce heat to medium; stir in garlic and remaining 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper; continue to cook 1 minute.

Add butter to skillet and cook until melted. Add flour and cook 1 minute, stirring. Add milk and nutmeg to skillet and increase heat to medium-high. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove skillet from heat and stir in the parsley and the basil. Taste, and season to taste.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook noodles according to package instructions, about 9 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water and set aside.

Coat a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Stir together Fontina and Parmesan. Spread 1/2 cup mushroom sauce into bottom of baking dish, then place 3 noodles in dish. Pour another
1/2 cup sauce over noodles, then sprinkle 1/3 of the vegetables and 1/3 of the cheese mixture over sauce. Repeat layering twice. Top with three noodles, pour the rest of the sauce over top and sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese.

Cover dish with nonstick aluminum foil and bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Raise heat to 500 degrees, Remove foil and cook for another 12 minutes or until browned. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. Makes 8 servings.

Printer Version

Fripp Chicken

.


The chicken dish that I referred to in my menu post this week was wonderful -- a six-thumbs-up recipe! It was very simple to make, although I had three last minute dishes going on -- never a good idea. In addition, our house was in chaos for some unknown reason (that tends to happen at dinner time!) which added to the general craziness I was feeling as I put the finishing touches on dinner. Next time I'll try to get something done ahead of time and deal with just the chicken right before I serve the meal.

The flavors of the chicken work very well together -- lemon, parsley, mushrooms, and there was no dominant flavor. A few of the kids don't care for artichokes or mushrooms, so they ate their portion without. It was easy to serve them by just leaving their mushrooms and artichokes on the serving platter. I am also posting the recipe for the Parmesan Garlic Orzo because it went very well with the chicken and was equally as popular with my family. We have since renamed this dish Fripp Chicken, because the recipe came from Fripp and talking about the island brought back good memories.

Fripp Chicken (aka Lemon Chicken with Artichokes and Mushrooms)
serves 6 to 8

4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 to 2.5 lbs. chicken)
fresh cracked pepper and salt
1/2 cup butter, divided
14 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed and quartered
3 T. lemon juice
1 T. minced fresh parsley
1/4 c. dry white wine
2 T. chicken broth
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

Heat oven to 275 degrees F.

Slice chicken breasts in half horizontally, creating a total of eight equal-sized thin flat chicken breast pieces. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Heat 4 T. butter in a skillet over medium-high heat (I used my large electric skillet to cook them all at the same time). Cook chicken breasts for about 4 minutes on each side, until lightly browned. Remove chicken to a platter and place in warm oven.

Add 2 to 4 more tablespoons of butter (as much as is needed) over medium-high heat and add mushrooms and artichokes. Saute lightly for 3 minutes. Add lemon juice, wine, chicken broth and parsley. Heat to a simmer and add chicken breasts back to sauce. Heat until cooked through and hot -- just a few minutes should be enough.


Parmesan Garlic Orzo

2 c. uncooked orzo pasta
3 t. minced garlic
1/2 c. butter, cubed
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. milk
2 T. minced fresh parsley
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper

Cook orzo according to package directions; drain. In a large skillet, saute garlic in butter until tender. Add the orzo, Parmesan cheese milk, parsley salt and pepper. Cook and stir until heated through.


Source Orzo recipe: allrecipes.com




.