Walnut Campanelle April 19, 2012

I got this recipe from Martha Stewart, and it was one of those occasions that I had every ingredient in the recipe, so I figured why not?  I am so glad that I did!  It was perfect, and didn’t taste heavy at all!  Also, some more pics of Max!  LOL

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 large garlic cloves
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 pound campanelle pasta
• 1 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, divided, plus 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley stems (from 1 small bunch)
• 2 heaping tablespoons finely grated lemon zest (from 3 large lemons)
• 4 ounces walnuts, toasted well and roughly chopped (1 1/4 cups)
• 1 cup fresh ricotta cheese

Directions

1. Heat oil in a medium pan over medium heat until shimmering. Meanwhile, very thinly slice garlic with a mandoline (you should have 1/4 cup). Add to oil, and cook, stirring constantly, until garlic is pale golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes. Drain garlic chips in a sieve set over a large bowl (reserve oil). Spread garlic chips on paper towels; season with salt.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until just barely al dente. Drain. Add pasta to oil, and toss. Partially cover, and let cool at least 20 minutes and up to 1 1/2 hours.
3. Roughly chop 3/4 cup parsley leaves, and add them with parsley stems, lemon zest, and walnuts to pasta. Toss to combine. Dot with cheese, and season with salt and pepper. Toss gently to combine, being careful not to fully incorporate cheese. Garnish with remaining parsley leaves, and serve with garlic chips

White Cheddar Chicken Pasta February 22, 2012

For the chicken:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 tsp dry mustard
1 T fresh thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 T olive oil

For the pasta:
1 pound rotini or other short cut pasta
2 T butter
2 T flour
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, finely diced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 T Dijon mustard
8 oz sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
2 cups milk (I used skim milk but mixed in about 2 T heavy cream)
1 T fresh thyme
1 T fresh oregano
Crushed red pepper flakes to taste
Parmesan cheese to taste

What you’ll do:
For the chicken:
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Mix together mustard, thyme, salt and pepper and sprinkle over chicken pieces. When pan is hot, add chicken and brown about 3 minutes per side until cooked through. Remove to a plate and cover with foil.

For the pasta:
Heat water to boil in a large stock pot for pasta, add salt and pasta and cook to al dente and drain according to directions. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add flour and whisk to combine. Add wine, garlic, onions, and mustard. Cook about 5 minutes, until onions are translucent. Reduce heat to low and slowly add milk, stirring to combine. Cook about 5-7 minutes more until mixture begins to thicken. Add cheese and stir to melt. Add chicken and pasta, toss to incorporate sauce. Add thyme and oregano and serve topped with crushed red pepper flakes and Parmesan cheese.

Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese November 7, 2011

I am always on the lookout for anything mac and cheese related … I had some smoked gouda I had to use, so this was perfect!

1 lb package short pasta (I used shells)

4  tablespoons  butter
4  tablespoons  all-purpose flour
4  cups  milk
½  teaspoon  salt
½  teaspoon  fresh ground black pepper
½ teaspoon paprika
8-oz block sharp white cheddar cheese, grated and divided (about 2 cups)
8-oz block smoked gouda cheese, grated and divided (about 2 cups)

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Cook the pasta according to package directions, set aside. (don’t forget this step!)

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat; whisk in flour until smooth. Continue whisking and cook for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk. Whisking constantly, cook for 5 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat to low and stir in salt, black pepper and most of the cheese, reserving about a cup of cheese.

Pour the pasta in a lightly greased 8 x 11 x 2 baking dish. Spoon the cheese sauce over the pasta, stirring lightly to even out the sauce in the pan. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cup of cheese and the paprika.

Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Remove from oven, and prepare yourself for out-of-this world macaroni and cheese.

Sundried Tomato/ Goat Cheese Ravioli October 24, 2011

Is there anything on this earth better than homemade pasta??  Maybe one, HOMEMADE RAVIOLI!  I made these ravioli’s a couple weeks ago, and I was so happy to pull them out for dinner yesterday, because they could be the best thing I have ever made!  We finally perfected the art of FREEZING the ravioli , so they aren’t a disastrous clump of frozen dough…. You set all ravioli on a cookie sheet, place in a deep freezer for about 10 minutes, or until frozen, then bag them – and guess what?  They don’t stick together!  Yay! 

I made a simple sauce of sauteed spinach, garlic, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, 2 tablespoons of butter, splash of olive oil, and a splash of pasta cooking water, and VOILA!  Something that tastes like we were in a gourmet restaurant!

I also made spinach/ricotta ravioli, and pumpkin ricotta sage ravioli that same day, cannot wait to try them

I used my normal, giada pasta dough recipe, ran it through my kitchenaid pasta attachment up until setting # 6 , then filled them with this scrumptious recipe :

10 oz goat cheese

5 oz ricotta cheese

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

parsley – chopped

salt and pepper, and a little garlic powder, if you like that

1/4 cup of sundried tomatoes – chopped

Combine all ingredients – stuff into little ravioli’s – enjoy and eat as many as you want!

Thai Peanut Noodles October 12, 2011

It is no secret that Thai food could be my most favorite ever, so when I saw this on google reader, I immediately starred it.  It wasn’t until I printed out the recipe that I saw it had tofu in it – and I have never cooked with with it, ever.  I mean, I am no tofu snob, I did eat it at PF Changs once, so what the heck!  To my surprise,  me and Mike LOVED this dinner!  Love when that happens!

7 oz Rice noodles

2 tsp peanut oil, divided
salt & pepper, to taste
1 package firm tofu, cubed
1 cup shelled frozen edamame
1 cup snap peas
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cup coleslaw mix, divided
1 egg
2 green onions, sliced + more to garnish
1/4 cup peanuts, chopped

Sauce:
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
4 tsp granulated sugar
2 Tbsp natural peanut butter
2 Tbsp water
2 tsp chili garlic paste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 F. Dice the tofu and lightly spray with cooking oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place tofu on a baking sheet lined with tin foil and bake for 25 minutes, turning once.

Soak or cook noodles according to package directions.

Add all sauce ingredients into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 20-30 seconds, then whisk until smooth. Set aside.

Heat an electric wok to 375 degrees (or heat a large skillet on high) and add peanut oil. Once the oil is hot, add in edamame, snap peas, asparagus, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently until vegetables are tender. Add in 1 cup of the coleslaw mix.

Push the veggies to one side of the wok and add the egg to the opposite side. Scramble the egg until cooked and mix in with the veggies.

Add cooked tofu and green onion, as well as the cooked noodles to the wok. Pour sauce into wok and toss all ingredients to combine.

Serve garnished with chopped peanuts and 1/4 cup raw coleslaw mix. Add extra sliced green onions , if desired. Yield: 5 servings (about 1 1/4 cup each).

Pasta Carbonara with Corn and Chiles September 12, 2011

This recipe was from the Rachael Ray Magazine – it was so delicious ( even though I was scared to temper an egg! ) , and was the perfect end of summer dish to use up the 12 ears of corn Mike bought!

Ingredients

• Salt
• 1 lb. papardelle pasta
• 3 tbsp. EVOO
• 1/4–1/3 lb. pancetta, finely diced
• 4 ears corn, kernels scraped from the cob, or 1 1/2 to 2 cups thawed frozen corn kernels
• 2 small fresno or italian cherry chile peppers, seeded and finely chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 3 extra-large organic egg yolks, beaten (reserve the egg whites for baking or breakfasts)
• 1/2 cup each grated (nutty) parmigiano-reggiano and (tangy) pecorino-romano cheese
• A handful chives, snipped into 1-inch pieces

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.

   While the pasta is working, heat the EVOO in a large skillet, 3 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and brown for about 3 minutes. Add the corn kernels and lightly brown their edges, stirring, about 5 minutes. Add the chile peppers, garlic and thyme and stir for 2 minutes. Add the parsley and wine and simmer on low heat.

2. In a small bowl, beat the reserved pasta cooking water into the egg yolks to temper them.
3. Add the pasta and egg yolks to the corn sauce and toss. Remove from the heat, add a handful of each cheese and toss vigorously to form a silky sauce, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve the pasta in shallow bowls and top with the chives and remaining cheese.

Veggie Lasagna September 12, 2011

I was so craving Veggie Lasagna this summer, so I was so happy when I had a chance to make it!  This recipe is based off of Pioneer Woman’s recipe, but I made a few additions – It was an excellent addition to our Pasta Trio Dinner!

Ingredients

• 10 ounces, No boil lasagna noodles
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 whole Medium Onion
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Diced
• 24 ounces, weight White Mushrooms, Chopped
• 4 whole Squash (yellow Or Zucchini), Diced
• 1 whole medium eggplant , diced
• 1 jar tomato sauce – I used Trader Joe’s
• 1 jar alfredo sauce – I used Trader Joe’s
• 1/2 cup White Wine
• 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley, Chopped (more To Taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt (more To Taste)
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 1/2 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
• 30 ounces, weight Ricotta Cheese
• 2 whole Eggs
• 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan
• 1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 1 pound Thinly Sliced Mozarella Cheese
• Extra Parmesan Cheese, For Sprinkling
• 1 cup pesto

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook for a minute. Add diced red peppers and saute for another minute or so. Add squash ,eggplant, and mushrooms and cook for a few minutes. Pour in wine, add salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, and stir.

In a separate bowl, combine ricotta, eggs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper.

To assemble, spread a little of the Veggie / Tomato Sauce, Alfredo Sauce mixture in a lasagna pan. Layer four  noodles in the pan, slightly overlapping them if necessary. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture on the noodles. Top the ricotta mixture with mozzarella slices. Spoon a little less than 1/3 of the veggie/sauce mixture over the mozzarella.

Repeat the layering two more times, ending with a large helping of vegetable /tomato/alfredo sauce, pesto,  and a sprinkling of Parmesan.

Bake at 350 degrees, covered in foil, for 20 minutes, then remove foil and continue baking for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.

Bacon and Sweet Corn Pasta July 5, 2011

This was PERFECT as a great mid-summer side dish for our 4th of July cookout!  It was so different from your run of the mill pasta salad – I will definitely be making this again!  From Cuisine at Home

8 oz campanelle cooked

4 strips of bacon – cooked and chopped

1.5 cups chopped zucchini

1 and 1/4 cups fresh corn kernels

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup chopped basil

1/4 cups pine nuts

Salt and pepper to taste.

Cook bacon in large skillet – transfer when crisp, then saute’ zucchini and corn in drippings until tender.  Add Pasta.  Stir in bacon, cream, basil, and pine nuts.  Add reserved pasta water to loosen sauce.  Season with salt and pepper.

 

Spinach and Ricotta Dumplings May 4, 2011

As soon as I saw this recipe in Food Network Magazine, I knew I had to make it.  What I didn’t know was how EASY this recipe was, and how delicious this would be!  It tasted like something on a gourmet Italian Restaurant’s menu!  I will definitely be making this again!  Mike even loved it, and he is not a big ricotta fan.

• Kosher salt
• 1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1 1/2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
• 2 large eggs
• Freshly ground pepper
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 cups prepared marinara sauce
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• Crusty bread, for serving

Directions

Bring a large, wide pot of salted water to a simmer. Put the spinach in a large bowl and separate it with your hands. Add the ricotta, 3/4 cup parmesan, the flour, eggs, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and the nutmeg. Mix with a fork to form a slightly sticky dough.

Spread some flour on a plate. Scoop out heaping tablespoonfuls of the spinach-ricotta mixture and roll into about 24 loose balls using floured hands. Gently roll the balls in the flour.

Bring the marinara sauce to a simmer in a large skillet over medium heat. Whisk in the butter.

Meanwhile, gently lower the dumplings into the simmering water and cook until they rise to the surface and are firm, about 5 minutes. Remove the dumplings with a slotted spoon, letting the water drain off, and add to the sauce. Gently toss to coat, then transfer to plates and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup parmesan. Serve with bread.

Thai Style Pork and Noodles March 30, 2011

As soon as I saw this recipe in Food Network Magazine – I knew I had to try it !  Thai is one of my most favorite kind of food and this was super easy and super flavorful!  I also added a red pepper to brighten it up a bit, so the recipe isn’t exactly as it was in the magazine!

* 1 lb thin boneless pork chops, fat trimmed

* 8 to 10 oz wide Thai rice noodles

* 1 cup fresh cilantro

* 1 lime, juiced and finely-grated zest

* 2 slices ginger, peeled

* 2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

* 3 red jalapeno peppers (or 2 green jalapeno peppers), seeded and roughly chopped

* 2 shallots, roughly chopped

* 3 Tbsp fish sauce

* 2 Tbsp packed light brown sugar

* 1 red pepper chopped

* 4 Tbsp peanut oil (do not substitute for other oil)

* 1/4 lb green beans, ends removed, cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces, and split lengthwise

Place the pork in the freezer for about 10 minutes – this makes it easier to trim and cut.

Boil water, add noodles – cook until done.  Set aside.

Cut the frozen pork crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips (i.e. – thin strips).

Combine the cilantro, lime zest, lime juice, ginger, garlic, jalapenos, shallots, fish sauce, brown sugar, and 1 Tbsp water in a blender or food processor.  Pulse until pureed.

Heat 3 Tbsp peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add half the cilantro mixture, stir frying about 1 minute.  It will smell sooooo good. Add the pork, and stir fry until no longer pink, about 3 to 4 minutes.  With a slotted spoon, transfer the pork to a plate.  Add the remaining 1 Tbsp peanut oil to the same skillet.  Add the green beans and red pepper and stir-fry until tender, about 4 to 5 minutes.  Add the noodles, pork and 2 Tbsp of the remaining cilantro mixture.  Cook, tossing with tongs, until heated completely, about 2 to 3 minutes more.  Stir in the remaining cilantro mixture, to taste