Pasta Primavera

Yes, yes, I do realize that we are in the middle of winter but I really needed a dish to make it feel like spring...it's cold here in New England! So I threw a bunch of summer veggies in my cart and set out to recreate a killer pasta primavera my office ordered for our holiday lunch back in December.

The result of this recreation was delicious - there wasn't nearly as much creamy sauce as the original dish but that was part of my intention - food at my house will be damn good but not necessarily as heavy and fat-laden as that which can be found in restaurants.

Pasta Primavera
source: Smells Like Home

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small to medium zucchini, cubed in 1/2" pieces
• 1 medium or 2 small yellow squash, cubed in 1/2" pieces
• 1 red pepper, diced in 1/2" pieces
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup sundried tomatoes, drained, patted dry and sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 lb uncooked spaghetti

1. In a large stockpot, cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, squash, red peppers, salt and pepper and cook for 7-10 minutes or until veggies being to soften. Add sundried tomatoes and garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Reduce heat to medium.
3. Stir in tomato paste until vegetables are coated with the paste and cook for another minute or so. Stir in cream and allow mixture to come to a simmer. If sauce is too thick, add some pasta water. If sauce is too thin, add some additional tomato paste and allow sauce to return to a simmer. If there isn't enough sauce, add some additional cream, half-n-half or skim milk if you're watching calories.
4. After pasta is cooked and drained, add it to the veggie mixture and stir to combine veggies with pasta.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 10-12 minutes

Serves: 3

Broccoli Aioli

One of my favorite meals that my parents make is aioli and when I lived at home, it was always a treat when that was on the menu because it's God-awfully fattening...butter, olive oil, spaghetti, Parmesan cheese, a ton of salt, and it was usually served with either pork chops or sausages...delish but completely artery-clogging at the same time. Unfortunately, it isn't one of the dishes that I've been able to perfect since trying my own hand at it. My mom keeps telling me that it needs to be heavily salted but some part of me is truly frightened to heavily salt anything for fear of cankles (fat ankles that look like an extension of the calf) and sausage fingers the next morning. So I've never made it since I've been with Kyle, although he has made it on a couple of occasions. It's one of those meals where you have all of the ingredients in the house already and it has come in very handy on the nights where we've stared at each with blank faces, shrugging our shoulders figuring out what to make for dinner because nothing sounds "good."

This exact situation happened last week, during my 'I don't feel like cooking because I'm still worn out from cooking Thanksgiving last week' week. So Kyle opened up the fridge, pulled a few things out and whipped up a great meal. What can I say? I have a husband who loves food and enjoys cooking! I guess it helps that he worked in an Italian restaurant/pizza shop for a few years 'way back when.'

Anyway, this aioli turned out great, and again, it needed salt. The broccoli was a really nice addition and didn't make it feel as fattening as it actually is...and I suppose the whole wheat spaghetti we used helped with that feeling too. It's a quick and simple meal and you really won't be let down - give it a try!!


Broccoli Aioli

• 8 oz whole wheat spaghetti
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
• lots of salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. During the last 3-4 minutes of cooking, toss in broccoli and cook until pasta is finished. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, heat oil and butter over medium heat. Add salt, pepper, and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes and then turn heat to low to keep warm while broccoli and spaghetti finish cooking.
3. After spaghetti and broccoli are well-drained, add to frying pan and toss to coat. Taste and add more salt if necessary. Top with grated Parmesan cheese and serve with crusty bread.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Serves: 2

Tara's Ultimate: Mac n Cheese

Cheese is love. Is there any dish more comforting than mac n cheese? You'd be hard pressed to find someone to dispute this and even harder pressed to find 5 people who are in love with the same mac n cheese recipe. It seems like there are hundreds out there...some similar, some very different, some with one type of cheese, some with at least 7 types (really though, why complicate one of the most basic comfort foods?), some with veggies, some with tuna, some with meat, some out of a box with cheesy powder, some out of a box with cheesy goop...overall, it really could be considered one of the world's most perfect dishes - dairy, carbs, protein, and veggies if one chooses to add them. What American doesn't love mac n cheese?? (oh and PS - I didn't arrange the cheese in the pic above in the shape of a heart; it just happened to fall that way as I was grating it.)

It's been at least 6 months since I've made my traditional mac n cheese. However, in that time, I did find a recipe for a more sophisticated mac n cheese; one that calls for prosciutto but when I decided to make my favorite version, I didn't feel like spending $20/lb on some extra protein for the meal. I was tempted to try Tyler Florence's Ultimate Mac n Cheese after oddly enough catching that specific show on Food Network yesterday (last week I put mac n cheese on the menu for last night) but decided that since I hadn't made mac n cheese in so long, I wanted to make sure that it was gonna be great - I passed over Tyler's recipe for fear of it being too different and not satisfying our craving for good mac n cheese.

Now, a little background on this recipe...it's not some secret family recipe that has been passed down through the ages. Simply enough, it comes from the back of the Mueller's elbow macaroni box. However, it's the only recipe my mom has used for years and as I was preparing to move out on my own (now nearly 6 years ago), the only thing I asked for was for my mom to write down the recipe. Instead, she cut it off the next box she used and slipped it in my Christmas stocking (I moved right after New Years). Growing up, she used to add tuna fish (canned) and peas to the dish to round it out as a full meal but I stick to the basics. So yes, if you're wondering, I'm still using the exact recipe mom cut out for me (although I do tweak the types of cheese I use depending on what I have in the fridge - see below). When I misplaced the recipe card once a couple of years ago, I cut another one out of the Mueller's elbow macaroni box and believe it or not, it wasn't the same recipe! I about died when I realized that I didn't have the "right" one and immediately got on the phone with my mom for some help. Luckily, the "right" one resurfaced a few months later and I now keep it in a very safe spot. So here's my Ultimate Mac n Cheese....

Mac n Cheese
source: Mueller's elbow macaroni box

• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard (optional
• 2 1/2 cups milk (I always use skim)
• 2 tbsp margarine or butter
• 2 cups (8oz) shredded American or cheddar cheese, divided (this time I used cheddar, fontina, and gouda)
• 8 oz Mueller's elbow macaroni, cooked 5 minutes and drained (I don't necessarily use Mueller's elbows and usually cook them for closer to 6-7 minutes)
• 2-3 tbsp ground-up cornflakes (not in the original recipe)

1. In medium saucepan combine corn starch, salt, dry mustard and pepper; stir in milk.
   Add margarine/butter. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil 1 minute. Remove from heat.
2. Stir in 1-3/4 cups (425 ml) cheese until melted. Add elbows.
3. Pour into greased 2-quart casserole. Sprinkle with reserved cheese.
4. Bake uncovered in 375 degree (200 C.) oven 25 minutes or until lightly browned. I bake for 15 then sprinkle the ground-up corn flakes to the top and continue cooking for 10 minutes.

Prep time: 12 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Serves: 6

Improving an already great meal

A while back I made Cooking Light's Baked Pasta with Sausage, Tomatoes, and Cheese and both Kyle and I were so impressed with how it turned out. Well, last night I took this meal to another level just by adding and substituting a couple of things.

I had some leftover spinach (about 1/2 cup) from the frittata I made a few nights ago and decided that it would work great in the pasta dish, if not for some extra flavor then for some extra color as I couldn't add the fresh basil that the recipe called for because the basil I bought at the grocery store last weekend went bad in 2 freaking days. grrr. I didn't have any mozzarella cheese either but had plenty of fontina and gouda, which when mixed together totally made this dish. In the future, I'll forgo the mozzarella altogether and stick with the combo of these two fabulous cheeses. I did keep the Parmesan in the recipe and feel like the dish requires the little extra spike of flavor that the Parmesan adds. And lastly, I used whole wheat penne pasta rather than regular ziti and this really rounded out the meal. The w.w. penne was a hearty substitution and allowed both of us to feel more satisfied with a smaller portion because of the extra protein and fiber the w.w penne provides. And that means that there were plenty of leftovers for my lunch today! :)

So there you have it...a new twist on an older meal. I'm not going to repost the recipe - I linked to it above and you can see my previous modifications through the link as well. Enjoy!!

Creamy Pumpkin Sauce with Roasted Garlic Chicken Sausage

The original version of this meal was simply roasted garlic chicken sausage in homemade spaghetti sauce over whole wheat pasta. Easy enough meal to make for myself being that Kyle is working evenings this week, right?

Well...I got thinking this afternoon about things I wanted to get accomplished tonight and it clicked...Kyle is working evenings this week...evenings this week...hmmm...YES!! It's not that I don't love spending time with my husband because I very much do, but the time alone for dinner certainly gives me a little more latitude about what I can cook for myself. "What do I have in the fridge to beef up my pasta dish tonight? .... PUMPKIN!!" I thought to myself - it was leftover from the pumpkin pancakes I made over the weekend. I had been reading through Cara's blog today and came across her hazelnut sage ravioli with pumpkin cream sauce and after the pumpkin light bulb went off in my brain, I decided to do a savory creamy pumpkin sauce tonight. Yes, yes...I realize that I would be taking a chance with this one - garlic chicken sausage with pumpkin sauce?? But you only live once and since I had to opportunity to possibly ruin only one meal, rather than two, tonight, I decided I'd better take advantage.

The ideas raced around my head during my 45 minute drive home and when I got in the house, I got right to work in the kitchen without even changing out of my work clothes. I was on a mission. Oh...did I mention this mission had to be lower in calories and fat since Kyle and I have started a healthy eating plan that involves only eating a certain amount of calories per day? Right...there would be no heavy cream in this sauce and instead skim milk, which I've always found works beautifully when making creamy sauces.

So here's what I did:

1. Melt 1 - 2 tsp butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 tsp flour to melted butter and stir to make a liquidy roux. Stir in about 1/4 tsp of cinnamon, a dash of nutmeg, 1/4 tsp salt, and a pinch of black pepper. Cook for 30-60 seconds.
2. Turn heat to low and whisk in 1/2 to 3/4 cup skim milk, whisking until there are no lumps. Stir in 1/4 cup pumpkin puree until well-incorporated. Cook on low stirring frequently for 5-8 minutes or until thickened to desired consistency.

I cut up and heated one pre-cooked roasted garlic chicken sausage and served the sausage on top of whole wheat pasta and the pumpkin sauce. Before eating, I sprinkled another dash of cinnamon on top and garnished with a few strips of Parmesan cheese. This was SO good and SO easy!! The mix of flavors from the sweet pumpkin and cinnamon along with the savory chicken sausage and Parmesan cheese was just delightful. And knowing that the sauce was low cal/low fat made eating the meal so much more satisfying! This is definitely a keeper...and maybe next time I'll attempt it when Kyle IS home for dinner.

Penne Rustica

There's not a better way to end a great day than with a wonderful meal! I had heard "iffy" reviews about this dish on my cooking board (where I found the recipe) -- some felt they had to majorly alter the recipe and some followed it almost to a "T" and felt the was something missing. My experience was very different. In fact, my experience with the recipe including a meal full of "mmms" with my dad almost singing through dinner with "mmms". It was quite comical and even today he was still talking about the penne rustica from last night....guess it turned out well!


Like I said, I followed this recipe exactly and it was excellent. The rosemary really came through and the marsala wine gave the dish such a nice flavor, an almost (forgive me here for the reference) a la Rachel Ray ::shudder:: "hmm...what is that?" kind of feeling but with a little more "umph". However, with a recipe calling for four, yes, four cups of heavy cream and a stick of butter, this was by no means a "light" recipe and thus the week's healthy eating pretty much went out the window last night. Ah well...we all have to make sacrifices from time to time and I certainly have no regrets about sacrificing a week of good eating for this meal.

And so on to the recipe....

Penne Rustica
source unknown

Sauce:

• 1 T. butter
• 1 T. chopped garlic
• 1/2 T. Dijon mustard (omitted this)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. chopped rosemary
• 1/2 cup marsala wine
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 4 cups heavy cream (I used 2 cups skim milk, 2 cups heavy cream)

1. Saute butter, garlic and rosemary until garlic begins to brown. Add marsala wine and reduce by one-third.
2. Add remaining ingredients and reduce by half of original volume. Set aside.

Penne Rustica:

• 1/2 oz. pancetta or bacon
• 9 ea. shrimp, peeled and deveined (omitted shrimp)
• 6 oz. grilled chicken breast, sliced (used 1lb chicken and seasoned with herbes de provence, garlic powder, salt and pepper)
• 16 oz. penne pasta, precooked
• 3 oz. butter
• 1/2 T. shallots, chopped
• Pinch of salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/4 tsp. paprika (omitted this)

1. Saute pancetta until it begins to brown. Add butter, shallots and shrimp. Cook until shrimp are evenly pink but still translucent. Add chicken, salt, and pepper; mix thoroughly.
2. Add sauce and 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese and simmer until sauce thickens. In a large bowl, combine shrimp and chicken mixture with precooked pasta. Place this mixture into single serving dishes or one large casserole dish. (I used a 13x9 inch glass baking dish.) Top with remaining cheese and sprinkle with paprika.
3. Bake at 300 for 10-15 minutes.
   

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: 10-15 minutes

Serves: 8

Giada's Rigatoni with Sausage, Peppers, and Onions

Yum!!! I'm not a huge fan of sausage and peppers mostly because all of the oil and fat from the sausages causes so much guilt that I have trouble enjoying the dish. If Kyle wants it for dinner or to serve it to guests, he makes it (I help him prep). But I've finally found a recipe that doesn't call for so much oil. Where you ask? From Giada of course!

This one comes from Giada's Everyday Italian cookbook and it highlights the lighter side of how sausage and peppers can be prepared - turkey sausage and less olive oil. Kyle begged me not to use turkey sausages so I used sweet Italian sausage instead but cooked them down pretty well so that most of the fat cooked out. And with the seasonings and Marsala wine, I turned out a great new sausage and peppers dish that I will definitely make again.

Rigatoni with Sausage, Peppers, and Onions
Everyday Italian, Giada De Laurentiis

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound sweet Italian turkey sausage
• 2 red bell peppers, sliced
• 2 yellow onions, sliced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup Marsala wine
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
  

1. Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown on both sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and drain. (I sliced the sausages before cooking them to reduce cooking time)
2. Keeping the pan over medium heat, add the peppers, onions, salt, and pepper and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the oregano, basil, and garlic and cook 2 more minutes.
   Add the tomato paste and stir. Add the Marsala wine, tomatoes, and chili flakes, if using. Stir to combine, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all the browned bits. Bring to a simmer.
3. Cut the sausages into 4 to 6 pieces each, about 1-inch cubes. Add the sausage back to the pan and stir to combine. Cook until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes.
4. While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8-10 minutes. Drain the pasta and add to the thickened sauce; toss to combine. Spoon into individual bowl and sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Serves: 4-6

Orzo with Parmesan and Basil

I was looking for a great new side dish to go along with my recently discovered favorite pork chop recipe when I remember a recipe that had been tossed around my cooking board a few months ago - orzo with Parmesan and basil. This was a wonderful complement to the perfect pork chops and because I finish the pork chops off in the oven, the orzo and the chops finished at the same time and I wasn't waiting around for one of them while the other sat and got cold...something I've really been working on.

Orzo with Parmesan and Basil

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
• 1 (14.5oz) can chicken broth
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil for garnish

1. Melt butter in heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in orzo and saute until lightly browned. (I actually forgot about the orzo and it over-browned a little bit but still came out wonderful. Next time I'll pay more attention!!)
2. Stir in chicken broth and bring to boil. Cover. Reduce heat ans simmer until orzo is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 15-20 minutes.
3. Mix in Parmesan cheese and basil. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to shallow bowl. Garnish with extra basil.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

Chicken Stuffed Shells

I'll admit that I was skeptical about this recipe when I first read the rave reviews on my cooking board and I've been holding on making it for months now for two reasons: 1.) I was afraid that chicken in stuffed shells would be dry and I didn't need to add another dry chicken recipe to my repetoire, and 2.) I've never made stuffed shells before because they seemed too time consuming. Well, I was SO wrong on both accounts.
I decided to make this a Sunday night dinner because I figured they'd take more time to make than I am afforded for weeknight dinners. This was true, but really worth the extra couple of minutes, and it would have taken me less time but I made a quick tomato sauce rather than using canned or jarred.

The only changes I made to the recipe is that I used a rostisserie chicken rather than boiling a chicken breast, I made my own sauce, and added a little bit of shredded fontina cheese to the top of the shells before baking.

Kyle and I LOVED these stuffed shells and they will definitely be repeated sometime soon. They are easy to make for a nice weekend meal or fancy enough for a dinner party, and can be made ahead and frozen for another time (which I will be doing the next time I make them).

Chicken Stuffed Shells

(looking for recipe's original source....)

• 15 uncooked jumbo pasta shells
• 2 teaspoons oil
• 2-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 8 ounces cooked chicken
• 1(15 ounce) container fat free ricotta cheese
• 1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs
• 1 (28 ounce) can low fat marinara sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tsp parsley
• Parmesan cheese for topping

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees
2. Spray large baking dish with nonstick cooking spray
3. Cook pasta shells according to directions and drain
4. Boil chicken and shred
5. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat
6. Combine chicken and garlic, cook for 3-5 minutes
7. Remove from heat and stir in ricotta, breadcrumbs, parsley and salt and pepper to taste
8. Spread 1/2 cup sauce in the bottom of the baking dish
9. Fill cooked shells with chicken mixture and place filled sides up in baking dish
10. Pour remaining sauce over shells
11. Bake covered with foil for 15-20 minutes, remove foil and continue baking until filling is lightly browned
12. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 20-25 minutes

Serves: 4-5

Spicy Garlic Lime Pasta

After weeks of reading raves about this recipe on my cooking board, I finally put it on my weekly menu (last week's menu actually). Overall, I thought it was great but I think next time it needs a little extra lime and spiciness, which says a lot coming from me. Thanks Amber for finding this one and for reworking the original recipe from http://www.allrecipes.com/!

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Sophisticated Mac n Cheese

There's not much of a better way to describe this dish that a sophisticated version of mac n cheese. Don't get me wrong...I LOVED how this turned out but I think I expected something a little different from Giada than what the outcome was.

In Giada's Everyday Italian cookbook, she highlights a Bechamel sauce and then uses it in her Baked Rigatoni recipe. I guess I didn't realize what the sauce really was because for some reason because before reading the recipe for the sauce, I had been intimidated to make it - it sounded too fancy. However, Giada's recipe for Bechamel is practically the same sauce I use for my homemade mac n cheese recipe (I don't add nutmeg to my sauce though). It's the prosciutto that makes this a fancy mac n cheese, in my opinion. So really, the sauce was very easy - and it can be made and refrigerated for up to 3 days before using it (even better!). I halved the sauce recipe and made about 3/4 lb pasta for the two of us (main course) and for leftovers.

Baked Rigatoni

• 5 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 cups whole milk, warmed (I used skim and it turned out perfect)
• Pinch fresh nutmeg
• Sea salt and white pepper
• 1 cup grated fontina
• 1/2 pound thinly sliced prosciutto, julienned
• 1 pound dry rigatoni
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese (I added some on top before baking but the original recipe doesn't call for it)
  

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Bechamel sauce: In a 2 quart saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Always stirring, gradually add the milk and constantly whisk until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Simmer until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon - do not let the sauce boil. This will take approximately 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in nutmeg, 1/2 cup fontina, prosciutto and season with salt and white pepper. Set aside.

In a large pot, bring to a boil 6 quarts of salted water. Add the rigatoni and cook 8 minutes. Since you will be cooking the pasta a second time in the oven, you want to make sure the inside is still hard. Drain in a colander. Return pasta to the pot and pour in bechamel sauce. Using a wooden spoon, mix well until all the pasta is coated with the sauce.

Into a greased 13 by 9-inch baking dish, pour the pasta with cream sauce. Smooth out top and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup fontina. Dot the top with diced butter and bake in oven for 25 minutes or until bubbling and the top is golden brown.

Prep time: 20 minutes (including cook time of Bechamel sauce)

Cook time: 25 minutes

Serves: 6 side dish servings

Gnocchi with Thyme Butter Sauce

Before watching Giada's show on the Food Network a couple of years ago, I had never known what gnocchi was and even after finding out what it is, I'd still never tried it. Yes, I've seen it on menus but for some reason, I was never drawn to ordering it at a restaurant - and I'd never even considered buying it at the grocery store. Once again, the ladies on my cooking board inspired me to try a new dish at home. They'd said that homemade gnocchi is much better than what you'll find in the frozen section of the grocery store and for that reason, I decided to attempt both making it and tasting it for the first time this past weekend. How's that for jumping in with both feet?

I found a recipe for homemade gnocchi in Giada's Everyday Italian cookbook - Gnocchi with Thyme Butter Sauce - and decided that it looked easy enough to make and the sauce sounded great too so...why not? In all honesty, the recipe really WAS simple and I surprised myself with how easily and quickly it came together. From start to finish, this recipe took 30 minutes to prepare and cook. Overall, both Kyle and I really enjoyed this but felt that the dish needed a little more "umph." The sauce was just butter and fresh thyme but next time I make it, I think I'll saute some garlic in the butter as well. I'm not sure if the gnocchi themselves were what Kyle and I had expected but I told him to expect something similar to pierogis (which he LOVES) and I think my estimate was pretty close.

Being so easy to make, these are something I will definitely try again - and work on a variety of sauces for them as well. It might be nice to cut the recipe down by a couple of servings and serve it as a side dish with a light fish or with some grilled shrimp.

**Note: This recipe differs between FN.com and Giada's cookbook. I used the cookbook version, which is posted below. Some of the reviews of the recipe on FN.com say that the gnocchi fell apart and were just like mashed potatoes and I think there are mistakes in the FN.com version of the recipe. I had NO trouble at all with the gnocchi - and I had no idea what to expect while making and eating them for the first time. For the sake of reducing confusion, I am not linking this post the recipe on FN.com.

Gnocchi with Thyme Butter Sauce

Gnocchi:

• 2 russet potatoes (about 12oz each)*
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup shaved Pecorino Romano, for garnish*

Thyme Butter Sauce:

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
  

To make the gnocchi, pierce the potatoes all over with a fork. Microwaved the pototoes on high until tender, turning once, about 12 minutes. (You can also bake the potatoes at 375 degrees for 50 minutes or until tender.) Cut the potatoes in half and scoop the flesh into a large bowl; discard the skin. Using a fork, mash the potato well. Stir in the egg, salt and pepper. Sift the flour over the potato mixture and stir just until blended.

Scoop out a large spoonful of gnocchi dough. Roll each scoop on the work surface into a 1/2-inch-diameter rope. Cut the dough into 1-inch pieces. Roll each piece of dough over a wooden paddle with ridges or over the tines of a fork to form grooves in the dough. Set the formed gnocchi on a baking sheet while you form the rest of the dough.

To make the thyme butter sauce, melt the butter with the thyme leaves in a medium, heavy skillet over medium heat until the butter is melted, about 2 minutes.

Working in two batches, cook the gnocchi in a large pot of boiling salted water until they have all risen to the surface, about 3 minutes. Scoop out the gnocchi into a colander with a slotted spoon, while you cook the second batch. Reheat the thyme butter sauce over low heat. Transfer the cooked gnocchi to the skillet with the hot thyme butter and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper and toss again.

Spoon the gnocchi and butter sauce into shallow bowls. Top with the Pecorino and serve.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 6 minutes

Serves: 4-6

*Modifications:

1. I used 2 large Idaho potatoes and cooked them for 60 minutes at 375 degrees in the oven.
2. The shaved cheese on top of the gnocchi really made this dish. I shaved Parmesan rather than Pecorino Romano and it was just delish!

A twist on your typical sausage and peppers

A long time ago, in the harried rush to get a weekend's worth of food, clothes, and activities for 4 people together before heading out on our family's boat to Davis Park on Fire Island, Long Island, my mom came across this recipe. Looking back, I can't imagine how she did all of this nearly every weekend from the end of June through Labor Day weekend - for at least 4 summers in a row. Nonetheless, I remember the night she tried this recipe on us as we squeezed into the 4 person dinette in the boat's cabin. At the age of 11 or 12, I know that I most likely turned up my nose at eating green peppers. Not a surprise, though, because I always turned my nose up at the prospect of having to eat green peppers. I ate the dish anyway (and probably picked out a lot of the peppers) but we all loved it! This was an easy and relatively inexpensive meal for my mom to make at home, pack in the cooler, and serve cold on the boat. By eating it cold, my mom avoided having to heat up the already overheated and sickeningly humid boat cabin...and it avoided my dad having to standing over the grill in the rain with an umbrella (how can you get through a few weekends in the summer without it raining??) trying to cook us dinner. This became a much-loved dish in my family for years to come.

Fast-forward about 10 or 12 years to the night when my whole family brought dinner to my grandma who was in the hospital recovering from a knee replacement. This was the main course that night and it was the first time Kyle had ever tried it (I wasn't much of a cook way back in the beginning of our relationship). We got in the car that night and he said to me, "That was SO good. You have to find out how to make that." And the rest is history. This is now in Kyle's "Top 3" which also consists of my chicken parmesan and our caprese pasta dish that I've yet to blog about.

Looking at the picture above, it does look a little plain, but trust me, it's full of flavor. The sausage explodes with flavor when cooking it down with the wine, and I've found out through trial and error that the type of wine I use really does matter. Neither of us are wine drinkers (Kyle is allergic and I think that I may be) so I don't usually have "good" drinking wine in the house and had been using regular cooking wine you can find in the grocery store. That all changed last night when the dish was taken to another level with the leftover Chardonnay from the fridge that I wanted to use up before it went bad. Amazing what some "good" drinking wine will do!! My mom's original recipe is below with a couple of my modifications below that.

Pasta, Sausage and Peppers

• 1 lb shells or other small macaroni
• 6 tbsp olive oil*
• 1 1/2 lbs sweet Italian sausage
• 1 cup dry white wine*
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 3 cups diced green peppers
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup parsley*
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese*

Cook pasta, drain, rinse in cold water, add 2 tbsp olive oil, and toss.* Remove sausage casings, cook meat thoroughly, stirring. Stir in wine and cook until thickened*. Remove this from pan, set aside. Add remaining oil* to skillet with onions and peppers, saute until almost tender, stirring often. Add garlic and saute 30 seconds. Return sausage to skillet. Add parsley and heat. Add sausage and cheese to pasta and toss well.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 10-15 minutes

Serves: 8

*Modifications

1. I reduce the oil by half. We eat the dish hot so I don't rinse the pasta or toss it in olive oil. I use 1 tbsp to cook the sausage and 2 tbsp to saute the veggies.
2. My mom's version notes that you can substitute beer for wine if you don't have any wine.
3. If I don't already have parsley in the house, don't worry about it. If I don't have it, I won't by it just for this dish as I'm not a fan of it.
4. When has a little extra cheese hurt anyone? We always top the dish with some extra grated Parmesan.
   

Dinner in a pinch

You know how some nights when you come home from work and just don't feel like cooking but really don't feel like going out for a bite either and delivery isn't an option in a small rural town? I had one of those nights earlier this week and the old standby of pasta with jarred sauce turned into a really nice meal. In an effort to add some more veggies to our diet, we sauteed some onions and garlic with zucchini, yellow squash (summer squash??), and some extra sliced red peppers I had hanging out in the fridge in a little bit of olive oil. We added the sauce and topped some thin spaghetti with the veggie sauce (is this primavera??). Kyle cooked up a hot Italian sausage and added that too to his serving - I skipped the sausage. It was quick and easy and satisfied both of our appetites. Next time, I'll take the extra step and defrost a roasted chicken sausage to add to my serving.

another Tyler "eh" recipe

OK, I'll admit that I haven't tried all that many Tyler Florence recipes but the ones I have tried have been just "eh" rather that "ultimate." And really, it's kind of a bummer because the idea of what he makes and how his food looks when he cooks it is great but in the end, there is always something that's just...missing, I guess. Don't get me wrong, the outcome is never bad, but I always say, "Well, I guess I can tweak the recipe a little next time" which really is OK because I'll tweak it to our tastes, not the masses'.

Tyler's smothered pork chops were on the menu last week and I had been anxious to make them for a while after reading lots of reviews on the cooking message board I frequent. Elly was really the one who introduced the recipe to the board and I knew I should have followed Ella's recipe modifications and maybe not have omitted the buttermilk (I was afraid it would be too tangy!), because I said to Kyle after we finished eating, "That really could have used some sauteed onions rather than onion powder." You live, you learn. I'm not going to post the whole recipe here - you can find it in the smothered pork chops link above - and I've linked Elly's version here. And to mix it up a little, I made Giada's creamy orzo instead of mashed potatoes because I just couldn't bring myself to make garlic mashed potatoes twice in one week.

WC Platinum Chef Challenge Round 3

Ina Garten's Crunchy Noodle Salad
Round 3 WC Platinum Chef Challenge

I feel like a little blogging maniac tonight! This is my 4th post tonight but its only because I haven't posted anything in 2 weeks - withdrawal!!

So the past couple of weeks have been crazy (not a whole lot of cooking - *gasp!*) and I skipped the WC Platinum Chef Challenge Round 2 but I was bound and determined to get back into the challenge for this round. Cara has been hosting this challenge and posted the 5 new ingredients for this round last week: wine, peanut butter, honey, onions, and seafood.

I got right to thinking about a recipe or two that would emcompass all of these ingredients when I remembered a recipe I had filed away both in the back of my mind and in my recipe book that I was dying to make which used peanut butter and honey. Ina Garten's (the Barefoot Contessa on Food Network) Crunchy Noodle Salad called for peanut butter, honey, and to my surprise, scallions (green onions) - I would only need to add wine and seafood to the dish to complete the challenge! Ina pairs it salmon but I added shrimp because, well, that's what I had in my freezer. :) And what a better time to make a salad than on a rare 95 degree evening here in New England!

Its a long list of ingredients but Kyle joined me in the kitchen tonight and took on making the sauce while I prepped the veggies, which really helped to cut down on the prep time. All told, I loved it, giving it a 4 out of 5 - to me, it had a little bit of a Thai taste, without the heat or the coconut - just the way I like it! :) Kyle, on the other hand wasn't all that fond of it (although he polished off his serving while I was taking photos of my serving) and gave it a 2 out of 5. I will make it again, but only when I'm bringing it for a pot luck or serving it amongst other things at my house for a gathering (i.e., not for a main course for Kyle and myself). Of course, I made some modifications, which are noted below the recipe.

Crunchy Noodle Salad

• Kosher salt
• 1 pound cooked (and cooled) shrimp, peeled and deveined*
• 1/2 pound thin spaghetti
• 1 pound sugar snap peas*
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoon chardonney wine*
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons dark sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger*
• 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds, toasted*
• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 red bell peppers, cored and seeded, and thinly sliced
• 4 scallions (with and green parts), sliced diagonally
• 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, toasted*
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves*

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, bring another large pot of salted water to a boil, add the sugar snap peas, return to a boil, and cook for 3 minutes, until crisp tender. Lift the sugar snap peas from the water with a slotted spoon and immerse them in a bowl of ice water. Drain.*

For the dressing, whisk together the vegetable oil, rice wine vinegar, wine, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, garlic, ginger, 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, peanut butter, salt, to taste, and the pepper, in a medium bowl.

Combine the spaghetti, sugar snap peas*, peppers and scallions in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the spaghetti mixture. Add the scallions, the parsley*, and the shrimp and mix again.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 9-11 minutes

Serves: 4-6

* Modifications

1. The recipe doesn't call for it, but I added cooked shrimp to make it a well-rounded meal and to satify the requirements of the WC Platinum Chef Challenge.
2. I'm not a fan of sugar snap peas, so I omitted them and the whole step that includes them.
3. Again to satisfy the Challenge requirements, I added a little wine to the dressing.
4. I totally forgot the recipe called for fresh ginger when I shopped this week, so we used ground ginger.
5. Toasting the sesame seeds required too much heat to be generated on such a hot night so we didn't toast them.
6. I don't favor parsley so I omitted this as well.

Addendum:

I wouldn't normally post something like this but since Kyle felt like being a "chef" on his own after not being fulfilled by the Crunchy Noodle Salad and not wanting to go back for seconds (fine by me - lunch tomorrow!), he decided to whip up a little something of his own...the result...

Loaded Mashed Potato Hot Dog Boats

Gotta let the man be happy, right?

Baked Pasta with Sausage, Tomatoes, and Cheese

I love it when a "light" recipe doesn't taste "light"! I've found a number of recipes on the Cooking Light website (yes, just like the food/lifestyle magazine) that have fulfilled this desire and this one I didn't have to do any searching to find. This was the first cooking (as opposed to baking) recipe that my cooking board (on The Nest) voted on for the Recipe of the Week on our board's blog, graciously hosted by nestie adamswife.

Now, you ask, how could a recipe with sausage, pasta, and cheese be on the lighter side? Easy. The recipe calls for turkey sausage and the total calorie count for one serving is 418 kcal. Not bad for a whole meal. There are ways, of course, to lighten it even further, some of which I applied this time (used roasted garlic chicken sausage rather than turkey, for example), and one which I will apply the next time I make the dish - see modifications below.

So get on with it, right? OK OK!

Baked Pasta with Sausage, Tomatoes, and Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 lb package uncooked ziti (short tube-shaped pasta)
• 1 pound hot turkey Italian sausage links*
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cans (14.5oz) petite-diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• Cooking spray
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded fresh mozzarella cheese*
• 1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain the pasta, and set aside.
Remove casings from sausage.* Cook sausage, onion, and garlic in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until browned, stirring to crumble.* Add the tomato paste, salt, pepper, and tomatoes, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Combine cooked pasta, sausage mixture, and basil.* Place half of the pasta mixture in a 4-quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Top with half of mozzarella and half of Parmesan. Repeat layers.

Bake at 350° for 25 minutes* or until bubbly.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 35 minutes

Serves: 8 (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 413(26% from fat); FAT 11.8g (sat 6.1g,mono 2.2g,poly 1g); PROTEIN 24.1g; CHOLESTEROL 49mg; CALCIUM 265mg; SODIUM 941mg; FIBER 4.5g; IRON 7.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 53g
Source: Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2003

*Modifications

1. Rather than turkey sausage, I opted for pre-cooked roasted garlic chicken sausage (140 calories per link).
2. I always have extra cheese in the fridge so I used 1/4 cup shredded fontina and 1/3 cup part-skim mozzarella (instead of fresh mozz to reduce calories a little further).
3. Because the sausages were pre-cooked, I sliced them into bite-size pieces rather than "de-casing" and browning.
4. I cooked the onions down for a couple of minutes before adding the garlic, and then added the sliced sausage and browned them for a couple of minutes before adding the tomato paste, S&P, and diced tomatoes.
5. To ensure that the flavor of the fresh basil really came through, I sprinkled it on each layer along with the cheese instead of combining it with the hot pasta and sausage mixture that would surely wilt the basil and take away some of its "freshness".
6. I reduced baking time to 20 minutes so as to not overcook the now twice-cooked chicken sausages.
7. And lastly, I halved this recipe (except the garlic which remained at 2 cloves) without an issue but feel like it needed more tomatoes - maybe even just half a can more (including the tomato juice).

Vegetable-Stuffed Chicken Breast with Roasted Red Pepper Basil Sauce

So I finally made the second dish for my first NTWC Platinum Chef Challenge hosted by Cara and I am so glad I waited to really figure out what I wanted to make before I just threw a few things together and called it a day.

The remainder of my challenge ingredients were basil, tomatoes, and zucchini. Sounds easy enough? Sure. But I made a resolution this year to move away from being tied down to cooking with recipes and start coming up with my own creations. More than creativity, it was about my feeling confident with my abilities to combine ingredients and experiment with flavor. And the result here was so satisfying!! In the vegetable stuffing, I used the zucchini and I used the basil and tomatoes in the sauce that topped the chicken, which sat atop a bed of orzo (my new favorite pasta!). More than I amazed Kyle that this wasn't from a recipe or cookbook (which he did ask me), I amazed myself...and found a great new "go-to" meal both for an easy weeknight dinner and to serve to guests alike.

Vegetable-Stuffed Chicken Breast with Roasted Red Pepper Basil Sauce

• 1/2 large zucchini, diced small (1/4") and divided
• 1/2 large onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced and divided
• 1 cup fresh spinach
• 4 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, split open horizontally to form a pocket
• 2 oz fontina cubed (small)
• 1/2 to 3/4 of a roasted red pepper
• 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 ounces orzo pasta
• reserved pasta water

1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a medium-sized oven-safe saute pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook for 2 minutes. Add half of the zucchini and cook for 3 minutes. Lower heat to medium then add spinach and half of the garlic and cook until spinach is wilted. Remove from heat and set aside and allow to cool in a separate bowl for a couple of minutes.
2. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Salt and pepper both sides of chicken. Stuff pockets of the chicken breasts with vegetable stuffing, adding fontina far enough into pocket so that it won't fall out while cooking.
3. In the same saute pan from the vegetables, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat. Carefully place stuffed chicken breasts into pan and saute for 6 minutes, flipping once. Cover and move to oven. Bake for 15 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked through.
4. Bring a pot of water to a rapid boil and cook orzo according to package directions. Drain, reserving a little water for the sauce.
5. While chicken is in the oven, add roasted red pepper, basil, the remaining garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper to a blender or food processor (I used my mini food processor - perfect size for this). Blend until almost smoothe.
6. In a small sauce pan heated over medium heat, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and add remaining zucchini; cook 3 minutes. Add red pepper mixture and tomato paste; stir until heated through. Turn heat to low and stir in heavy cream. Stir to combine into a sauce, adding pasta water if sauce needs to be thinned out. Add parmesan cheese and cook until sauce thickens and then add salt and pepper to taste.
7. With pot holders remove pan from oven and serve.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 25-30 minutes

Serves: 2

Giada does it again!

Why has it taken me 28 years to try orzo??? I don't ever remember having it as a kid and know I've never tried it as an adult...why IS this?? Maybe because I'm not a huge fan of rice and thought that because this PASTA looked like rice, it tasted like it too? I don't know...but anyhow, I was perusing though one of Giada's cookbooks a couple of weeks ago and came upon a delicious-sounding (there wasn't a pic in the book of the dish) meal that I figured would be quick and easy for a weeknight dinner, and would also go over well with Kyle. The recipe is designed to be a main course but I knew another main course without meat wouldn't fly in my house so I halved the recipe and coupled it with grilled chicken rubbed with herbes de provence, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Good move. :) The two complement each other perfectly and Kyle didn't have enough good things to say about the meal. This one will make frequent reappearances on our weekly menu.

Creamy Orzo served with Herb-Rubbed Grilled Chicken

• 1 pound orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large shallot, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced*
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, juices drained
• 1 1/4 cups whipping cream*
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed*
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• reserved pasta water
• 2 tsp herbes de provence
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2"

Bring a heavy large saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the orzo and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often, about 10-11 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Season pounded chicken on both sides with herbes de provence (1 tsp per breast), salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat and pre-heat the grill to medium-high heat. Add the shallot and garlic, and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Put chicken on grill, turning after 4-5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until they are tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in the cream and peas*. Add the orzo and toss to coat. Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the Parmesan to the pasta mixture and toss to coat. Stir the pasta mixture until the sauce coats the pasta thickly, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to maintain a creamy consistency. Season the orzo generously with salt and pepper, and serve.

* Modifications:

1. Even when halving the recipe, use a 1-2 cloves minced garlic.
2. I used 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh broccoli florets rather than peas (personal preference). After the tomatoes have cooked for 6 minutes, add the broccoli. Cook for 2 minutes, turn the heat to medium-low and then add the cream.
3. You might need a little extra cream if the orzo soaks up too much liquid after you add it to the pan.
4. I halved this recipe and cooked two chicken breasts. The whole orzo recipe will serve 6-8.

Prep time: 10-15 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Serves: 6-8

A Long-Time Favorite

Although this dish is not in it's traditional soup form, this is my parent's recipe. It has been one of my favorites since I was a kid (my brother and I used to shout, "YES!!" when my mom told us she was making pasta fagioli for dinner) and it has become one of Kyle's favorites (in his Top 3!). Its a great way to use leftover spaghetti sauce and bacon, and can be a real inexpensive meal to throw together if you have a few of the ingredients on hand already. We usually make the recipe with a pound of pasta so that there is always leftovers :) but you can easily half the recipe.

Pasta e Fagioli

• 2 tablespoons EVOO
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 strips bacon (uncooked and cut into 1/2 inch pieces)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups jarred or homemade spaghetti sauce
• 1 (15oz) can cannellini beans (rinsed and drained)
• 2 tablespoons grated pecorino-romano cheese, plus more for garnish
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• salt and pepper (pinches to taste)
• 1 lb ditalini pasta or other small tubular pasta (i.e., elbows)

In a deep stockpot or dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat then saute onions for 3 minutes. Add bacon and a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook for 5 minutes, occasionally stirring to keep the bacon from burning. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Turn heat to medium-low, add sauce, beans, 2 tbsp pecorino-romano cheese, garlic powder, oregano, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to combine well and cook for 15 min. While sauce mixture is cooking, cook pasta until tender and drain well. Add pasta to sauce mixture and combine well. Turn heat to low and allow pasta and sauce flavors to "mingle" for 5 minutes. Serve with grated cheese and crusty bread, if desired.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 25-30 minutes

Serves: 6-8