Pesto Alla Trapanese

I promised myself I wouldn't have to make dinner tonight to convince myself to start canning the very ripe peaches on my back porch.  This was the easiest thing I could come up with that didn't involve fast food which is kind of the opposite of home canning.  It is a yummy recipe that is easy to make and the ingredients are plentiful right now. 

We eat this  sauce over pasta with some parmesan, or with warm grill bread.  My Mom said it was really good spread thinly on grilled cheese sandwiches.

Pesto Alla Trapanese

¼ c. blanched, slivered almonds (I use whole ones with the peel on.)

12 oz. (about 2 ½ c.) grape or cherry tomatoes (If you substitute large tomatoes then seed them first.)

½ c. basil leaves (I use up to a cup if I have it, but it is good both ways.)

1 large clove garlic, chopped (I like to cook this for just a minute in the oil before I put it in)

1 tsp. red wine or sherry vinegar

¼ tsp. red pepper flakes ( I don't use these b/c of the kids.)

1 tsp. salt (If you double the recipe, just use 1 tsp. salt and then see if it needs any more.)

About ¼ to 1/3 cup olive oil (I use 1/4 cup at the most.)

Toast the almonds and let cool. Combine all ingredients except the oil in a food
processor and pulse to your desired consistency. Slowly drizzle in the oil until
evenly combined.

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Orzo with Roasted Vegetables

This recipe was really good.  We used some eggplant to replace part of the peppers and only used about 1/3 of the olive oil for the roasting and the dressing.   We also substituted toasted, blanched almonds for the pine nuts since we aren't millionaires ;). We ate it in homemade  whole wheat pitas.  Yum.  You can also add fresh cherry tomatoes at the end.  Next time I will try it with whole grain orzo available here.


Vegetables:
4-6 smallish zucchini
yellow, red and orange peppers (1 of each)
1 red onion
2-3 cloves of garlic
1/3 C olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

chop vegetables, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread onto a foil lined baking sheet and roast in oven at 425 for 40-50 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook orzo (1 lb.)

Toss cooked vegetables and orzo together with:

Dressing:
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp pepper

drizzle over salad and add:

1/2 c toasted pine nuts
8 oz. crumbled feta cheese
15 fresh basil leaves - chopped.

Serve at room temperature or chilled.

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Alfredo Pasta with Asparagus and Ham

This is my "go to" pasta.  Everyone likes it, even the rascals.

2 Tblsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced/pressed
2 Cups heavy cream (more or less according to how saucy your mood is)
Salt and Pepper
1/3 Cups grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1 Box Rotini Pasta (serves 8)
2 Bunches asparagus, end trimmed, and stalks cut into one inch pieces
5 Thick slices of ham, cut into strips

Heat Olive oil in heavy saucepan over medium heat.  Add garlic and swirl in oil for 30 seconds.  Add cream, cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir occasional until slightly thickened-3-4 minutes, set aside.

Boil pasta according to directions.

Add ham strips to a heated skillet.  Stir constantly until the ham begins to brown.  Add asparagus pieces and stir occasionally until tender-crisp.

Combine, sauce, ham mixture and pasta.  Serve hot, topped with cheese.

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Italian Sausage Soup with Tortellini

Includes everything I love about italian food; basil, tomatoes, garlic, pasta & yummy veggies. Oh, and of course, sausage!

• 
  
• 
  
• This is based off a recipe I found on allrecipes.com. I tweaked it a little bit, and this is how I like it:
• 
  
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 cups beef broth
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 32 0z. diced tomatoes
• 1 cup thinly sliced carrots
• 1/2 tablespoon packed fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 cups sliced zucchini
• 8 ounces fresh tortellini pasta
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 
  
• In a large pot, brown sausage. Remove sausage and drain, reserving 1 tablespoon of the drippings.
• 
  
• Saute onions and carrots in drippings. Add garlic and saute 1 minute.
• 
  
• Stir in beef broth, water, wine, tomatoes, carrots, oregano, tomato sauce, and sausage.
• 
  
• Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
• 
  
• Skim fat from the soup. Stir in zucchini, basil and parsley.
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• Simmer covered for 30 minutes. Add tortellini during the last 10 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese on top of each serving.

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Curry pasta

So we had lots of family in town for the 4th of July...I planned out breakfasts, planned out dinners...but forgot about lunch. Noon rolled around and we were famished. So my mother in law whipped this up out of what I thought was no food in the house. So I make it now all the time...a different version according to what's in the fridge. But it is goo-0000-oooooooood.

Curry Pasta Salad

Halved grapes (green or purple)

Chopped celery (or sometimes not if I don't have it)

Chopped onion (whatever you have)

Cashews or peanuts

Cooked or canned chicken (we used canned and it's perfect and so easy)

Cooked pasta (I love whole wheat macaroni)

Blob of mayo (we use low-fat and it tastes the same) plus curry to taste

Mix this all up and chill in the fridge for about an hour. We double it sometimes and eat it for lunch and dinner all week. Lazy.

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Baked Ziti

I went to my Grandmas last night for dinner and a fireside with my cousins. She does them every month. She is pretty much the ultimate "home maker". Well educated, mother of eight successful children, fabulous cook, entertainer extroardinaire, gardener, author etc. etc. etc. etc. Sometimes I pretend to be like her. She turns 75 in May and I am positive she gets more done in a day than I do. Anyway, I got in line with my cousins to dish up dinner and I saw a baked pasta dish on the counter. I'm not really a fan of baked pasta, especially with red sauce, so I took a small serving. I went to my seat and had a bite. It was fabulous. I shouldn't have been surprised, after all my Grandma made it. I got the recipe from her and I found it on the internet to share with all of you. Truly it is way good. The diced mozerella was soooo good in it. The only thing she did differently was to use dried basil (to taste) instead of fresh. I am excited to have found such a yummy recipe. It always makes me happy to add another winner to my collection. I might even start subscribing to the magazine.

http://www.recipezaar.com/Baked-Ziti-from-Cooks-Illustrated-354885

One day I will learn how to link the tricky way where you only have to click a highlighted word. For now, you might have to copy and paste it into your browser.

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Vegetarian Lasagna

A good way to get rid of the spinach you bought at Costco and never use because maybe you don't eat as many salads as you should. I obviously need to stop going to Costco.

2 big handfuls of spinach, chopped
1 jar of alfredo sauce--I use Classico sun-dried tomato (or you can make your own)
1/2 cup milk (sometimes I don't add milk--depends on how runny I want it)
1 (8 ounce) package lasagna noodles
1 pint part-skim ricotta cheese
1 egg
8 ounces shredded carrots
8 ounces fresh mushrooms sliced or broccoli or artichoke hearts or zucchini (get crazy with it)
A lot of shredded mozzarella cheese and some parmesan too (or whatever italiany cheese you have on hand)

First:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 10x15 inch lasagna pan with cooking spray.
Soak the noodles in hot water while you assemble the other stuff.
Place the spinach in a medium bowl. Mix in ricotta. Beat the egg with a wire whisk, and add it to the spinach and ricotta. Stir well to blend.
Combine pasta sauce with milk in a medium bowl. Mix well.
Then I saute the vegetables with some garlic. You don't have to do this. You can just add them in raw but I like to make things difficult plus I bought that big garlic thing at Costco. I know, I know.

Now layer and you can do it however you want but here's one way:
Spread about 1/2 cup pasta sauce mixture evenly in the bottom of the dish.
Place 3 softened noodles over the sauce.
Spread half of the spinach mixture over the noodles.
Sprinkle with half of the carrots and half of the mushrooms.
Sprinkle the cheese.
Place 3 more noodles over the cheese.
Pour 1 1/2 cups sauce over the noodles.
Spread the remaining spinach mixture over the sauce, followed by layers of the remaining carrots and mushrooms and then some cheese.
Place 3 more noodles over the vegetables.
Pour remaining sauce evenly on top.
Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese. Spray a sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil, spray side down.

Now:
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Turn the oven off and take off the foil (I'm not sure why this step is necessary and I don't really do it), and place the uncovered dish back into the warm oven for 15 more minutes. Serve at once, or let rest until ready to serve.

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Bistro Chicken Pasta Salad

This is a very easy pasta that my family loves. I serve it with sour dough bread that I get from a yummy local bakery.
If you are wondering this is Paulette, Anndee's sister in- law.





4 c. cooked penne pasta
1 tomato chopped
1/2 pkg tomato, basil feta cheese
1 c. italian dressing
1/3 c. fresh basil cut into strips
1/4 c. chopped red onion
2 grilled chicken breasts cut into pieces
(if I feel lazy I will use the grilled strips from Costco)
Toss all ingredients
Serve warm or chilled (I like it warm)

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Mac & Cheese

Okay, so Millie requested this and P.S, it IS good. All my good recipes are from Ina Garten. I do make changes because I can't be fancy all the time, right? I make this when I have to take dinner to someone. It's pretty easy but it takes A LOT of pans and can get chaotic for about ten to fifteen minutes [translation: make sure kid is occupied] So here it is . . .

Kosher salt
Vegetable oil
1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi (corkscrew)
1 quart milk (I use whole but you know . . . you don't have to)
8 TB unsalted butter, divided
1/2 C all-purpose flour
12 ounces Gruyere cheese [I always use mozzarella instead because I'm cheap], grated (4 cups)
8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (2 cups)
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp nutmeg (except only when I have it. I've only used it maybe once)
3/4 pound fresh tomatoes (4 small)
1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs (5 slices, crusts removed)

Preheat the oven to 375

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. ADd the macaroni and cook about six to eight minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt 6 TB of butter in a large pout and add flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat add the cheese, 1 TB salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 3 qt. baking dish.

Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top. Melt the remaining 2 TB butter and combine them with the bread crumbs, and sprinkle them on top. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on top.

*You can make this ahead by doing the mac and cheese part and then refrigerating it until you are ready to bake. Just add the tomatoes and cheese and bake it for 40-50 minutes.

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Spaghetti Carbonara

This is a fast and delicious recipe that I got out of Martha Stewart's Everyday Food...which Colton already knew how to make of course, and gave me more tips. A carbonara sauce is typically made with bacon, eggs, and cheese. This recipe includes cream or half-and-half for a silky texture.

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4

1 pound spaghetti
8 ounces (8 slices) bacon, cut 1 inch thick crosswise
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
3 large eggs
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/2 cup half-and-half (or cream)

DIRECTIONS

1. Set a large pot of water to boil (for pasta). In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 8 to 12 minutes; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.

2. Salt boiling water generously; add pasta and cook until al dente, according to package instructions.

3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together eggs, Parmesan, and half-and-half. Set aside.

4. Drain pasta, leaving some water clinging to it. Working quickly, add hot pasta to egg mixture. Add bacon; season with salt and pepper, and toss all to combine (heat from pasta will cook eggs). Serve immediately, sprinkled with additional Parmesan cheese.


I add steamed peas to mine. I like the extra pop of texture and color they give.

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