Pure and Simple

I love fast and easy meals loaded with TASTE.  This dish is the ticket!  Alex made a rendition of this recipe on one of our first dates.  I am not normally a fan of Salami, but it TOTALLY rounds off this dish with a perfect salty flavor.  My mouth is watering just thinking about it.  I was so impressed with Alex's coking abilities after this meal. :)  It has become a staple at our house. 

Simple Salami and Pasta:
1/2 box fettucine
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 small zucchini, sliced into thin strips
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 lb Salami, sliced into thin strips
1 Tbsp capers (optional)

Cook fettucine according to directions on box.  In a saute pan add olive oil and cook zucchini for 3-5 minutes at medium heat.  Add garlic and heavy cream.  Cook until cream is heated through, 1-2 minutes.  Add salami, capers and cooked fettucine.  Toss dish to ensure everything is completely covered with cream.  Serve immediately.

The next time you want to impress, pull out this recipe and knock 'em dead.  :)

Macaroni Grill Knock off Recipe

I was so pleased by the Cafe Rio knock off receip I found that I decided to look for other resturant knock off recipes.  I found  a blog http://www.yourhomebasedmom.com/friday-favorite-macaroni-grill-penne-rustica/ that had a GREAT recipe for a Rustic Grilled Chicken Penne Pasta.  I have never had this dish at Macaroni Grill, but will definitely look into it the next time I am there.  This dish ROCKED! 

User BEWARE: This recipe makes a SILLY amount of food.  I halfed the recipe and had enough for SEVERAL left-overs.  The blog I got this from is done by a Mormon lady who takes this dish to her ailing neighbors.  Having been raised mormon, this made me giggle.  They are DEFINITELY all about their casserole dishes and this recipe totally fits that bill.  Don't let that scare you...this is a GREAT recipe...even if it is pretty rich.

12 oz. grilled chicken breast (marinate in olive oil and garlic salt overnight, then grill on barbecue for best flavor) - We just cooked the chicken in a skillet on the stove top.  It came out VERY tender!!!

½ pack thick bacon
48 oz. (3 boxes) penne pasta
2 large red bell peppers- diced
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
½ tsp paprika

Gratinata Sauce:
2 tsp butter
2 tsp chopped garlic
1 cup marsala wine OR 1/3 cup apple juice + 2 tbsp red wine vinegar +enough chicken broth to equal 1 cup
1 tsp dijon or dry mustard
1 tsp salt1 tsp chopped rosemary
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
8 cups heavy cream

Sauté garlic in butter in large pan. Add marsala wine, mustard, salt, rosemary, cayenne pepper, and heavy cream.Cook pasta according to directions.

Cook bacon.

Slice chicken into medium-bite size pieces.

Combine sauce, cooked pasta, diced chicken, cooked bacon, bell peppers, parmesan cheese, and paprika and mix thoroughly. Spread in pans. Top with chopped rosemary and mozzarella cheese.

Bake @ 475 for 10 minutes. If frozen, thaw in refrigerator the day of. Cover with foil and bake @ 375 for 1 hour. Remove foil during the last 15 minutes.

This recipe was honestly so fabulous, I forgot to take a picture of the cooked product because I jumped right into it!

Vodka on the Rocks...Wait no...Vodka Sauce on Tortellini

We have some friends in Utah that make a killer Pasta with Vodka sauce that I have been missing since we moved. Their version is somewhat bastardized due to the fact it is made with a jar of Alfredo sauce and a jar of spaghetti sauce...but I'll tell you! It is out of this world!!!

I wanted to find an authentic recipe and to my surprise, I found that it is really made with Vodka. I found the following recipe on Pioneer Woman's blog. I figured if it had vodka in it...it couldn't be half bad. Instead of serving this over regular old pasta, we served it over tortellini's. THAT was a good call!

Pasta alla Vodka:
1 medium onion, chopped finely

2 to 3 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

3/4 to 1 cup vodka

1 can tomato puree

1 cup heavy cream

Pinch of red pepper flakes

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 pound pasta

1 cup grate Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions, being careful not to overcook. In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and butter. When butter is melted, add in chopped onions and garlic. Stir and allow to cook for two minutes. Pour in vodka. Stir and cook for three minutes. Add in tomato puree and stir. Reduce heat to low and stir in cream. Allow to simmer, being careful not to overheat. Stir in red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water in case sauce is too thick. Add cooked pasta to the sauce, tossing to combine. Splash in a little water if it needs it. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Pour mixture into large serving bowl.

Eat it out of the serving bowl. Faint. Repeat as needed.

I was pretty optimistic about this one, especially after reading the last line of the recipe, "Eat it out of the serving bowl. Faint. Repeat as needed." Yeah, I don't think I would go that far. It was a good recipe, but the only chunk factor in it came from the onions. It was lacking in some way. I think next time I will puree my own tomatoes and leave some of them chunky to counter balance the onions.

Going Away...Party!

Sheesh. I have been neglecting my blog in a big way! Not because I haven't been posting stuff...but because I have been cooking and taking pictures and NOT posting them. Shame on me! That is what having a kid and moving out of state will do to a girl.

As I mentioned in my last post Alex and I are...well, at this point...have moved to Colorado. For our last weekend in our house in Utah, we threw a going away party so we could hang out with all our friends one last time. For the occasion I made my favorite, easy, pasta salad. I made up this recipe several summers back when I was trying to think of a side dish to bring to a BBQ. This pasta salad has been a hit ever since.

Sarah's Kick Ass Pasta Salad: note - this is the doubled recipe

2 boxes colorful pasta

2 cans chicken - I prefer to use Costco's Kirkland brand

2 cans artichoke hearts

1 can olives, chopped

2 red peppers, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
2 packages Italian dressing seasoning

1/3 cup mayo

1/4 cup olive oil

Cook pasta according to directions on box and set aside. Combine chicken, artichoke hearts, olives, peppers and onion together in a bowl. In a separate smaller bowl, combine Italian dressing, mayo and olive oil. Add mayo mix to other ingredients. Toss until all ingredients are covered with the dressing mixture.

This recipe is doubled and makes a TON! The salad was a huge hit at our going away party. It is perfect for a large gathering and is just as good as a main course.

Cooking After Baby

On July 7th, 2009 I delivered our daughter Kate. WOW! Has life changed. I still LOVE to cook, but haven't had much time to do it now that Kate has arrived.

Being a mother takes a lot of time and energy. I did manage to cook up my first meal (besides peanut butter and jelly sandwiches) this last week. Alex and I make this dish a lot with many variations. It has become a quick and easy favorite.

Pasta with Spicy Italian Sausage and Peppers:

1 pound Pasta - any kind that suits your fancy

1 pound precooked Spicy Italian Sausage

2 Red Peppers, sliced lengthwise

1/2 White Onion

2 Cloves Garlic, minced

1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese

2 tablespoons Olive Oil for cooking

Cook pasta according to instructions on package. Cut precooked spicy Italian sausage into 1/2 inch wedges and set aside. Heat olive oil in pan and add onion. Cook until onion is still white, but on the verge of turning translucent. Add garlic and red peppers. I wait to add the garlic until this point because I am the QUEEN of burning garlic in dishes like this. Cook until peppers are soft, but not falling apart. Add sausage wedges and cook until they are warmed through. Prior to serving, add Parmesan cheese to the sausage/pepper mix. Serve hot over cooked pasta.

There are seriously a ton of different ways you can do this. You can add the past to the sausage/pepper mix with a 1/2 cup of the cooking water to create a little bit of a sauce. You can also use beef stock instead of the pasta water or you can leave out the water all together like we did this time. This is a really EASY and fast dish for those lazy cooking nights.

Let's talk about things that don't go well together...

And the reason why I should stick to straight up recipes instead of creating my own.

I spent a good 2 1/2 hours today searching for those elusive Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses to no avail. I returned home empty handed, chapped and hungry. I considered stopping at a fast food joint on my way home, but decided I needed something healthy. I opened my pantry door and saw the pine nuts...hmmmmm....pine nuts. Hey look, whole wheat pasta...that's healthy. What's in the refrigerator? Tomatoes, lemon...hey wait...I have fresh basil...I'm going to throw it all into a pot with some olive oil and sprinkle a little parmesan cheese on top. That's going to be good...right?

Uhm...the first bite was pretty dang good. Next bite...let's make sure to get some tomatoes, pine nuts, pasta....hmmmmm....yeah, not so good. Where I got the idea that two acidy foods like lemon and tomatoes belonged together is beyond me. I scrapped all the tomatoes to the side of the dish and ate the pasta, pine nuts with lemon and parmesan cheese. Not AMAZING, but not as bad as it was with tomatoes.

I blame Hershey's for my laps in judgement. :) Truly, if anyone can tell me where to find those delectable bites, I would be forever in your debt. And just in case you are wondering...the following stores did NOT have the Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses: Target (two of them), Walmart, Neighborhood Walmart, Walgreen's, Albertson's, Rite Aide, KMART, Harmon's and the BX and Commissary on the neighborhood military base. I need to get me some of these babies! I did find them online...$15 for a 30 ounce bag. I'm not that desperate...yet.

Dinner Party with Friends

Guinnea Pigs...that's what my friends are; and fortunately they still like me! My friend Jen gave Alex and I a pasta roller for our wedding. We got married a year and a half ago and I am ashamed to say that it has been hiding out in our front closet this whole time. Until tonight!
It sort of looks like a midevil torture device...Don't you think it is funny that lots of kitchen tools look like midevil torture devices? It just flattens the pasta dough. I'm ashamed to say that I don't have pictures of me actually making the ravioli. I came close to a melt down of sorts as I was making the dough. My friends were to arrive at 5pm and I was starting with the dough at 4:30pm. I was concerned I got in over my head. Thank goodness for Alex. My sweet husband jumped in and helped me roll out the pasta dough.

The pasta dough was an Alton Brown recipe from Food Network. It seemed pretty basic, but when I started mixing...it got messy. Alex loves the picture below because it is an action shot, but the dough is completely still...yes, he should be a Williams Sonoma photographer.

After rolling out the dough, we laid one piece on the top of the plastic tray that looks a little like an ice cube tray.

Then we filled the dough in the tray with the butternut squash filling. I also scored the butternut squash recipe from Food Network, but the filling was from Emeril. When you click on the link, look at the picture of Emeril's ravioli...I don't know what that is a picture of, but it sure doesn't look like ravioli!

We laid another piece of pasta on top of the filling and used the metal pasta cutter to cut the pieces of dough so it sealed in the filling. At this point we threw the ravioli into a boiling pot of water until they floated back up to the top. I served them with sage infused, butter and olive oil.

Because we worked the pasta dough a little too much towards the end it got a little tough and thick. So some of the ravioli's were a little thick and tough. The filling ROCKED! Next time I make this I'm going to make the ravioli free form and make them bigger so you can better taste the butternut squash.

Not your Mama's Macaroni and Cheese

I don't know about you, but my mom rarely made me boxed macaroni and cheese. She ALWAYS made this grainy from scratch macaroni and cheese with slices of tomato on top. Let's just say, it wasn't one of my favorite dishes; especially if she made it with a side of brussel sprouts.

When I was in college I found a Martha Stewart recipe called Macaroni and Cheese 101. This is my favorite macaroni cheese recipe ever! It uses a sharp white cheddar and gruyere cheeses. I didn't even know what gruyere cheese was when I was growing up. I'm sure if I did I would have hated it. I was a really picky eater as a child.

This is a special recipe I don't make very often...in part because it will clog your arteries...and in part because it will kill you. :) The original recipe calls for butter toasted bread crumbs on top, but I have made the topping with this recipe. I try to tell myself that it is healthier without the topping...it saves me two tablespoons of butter. I've included the recipe as I made it...without the butter toasted bread crumbs. I also halved the recipe because the original make enough for 12 servings. It was just Alex and I tonight and I didn't want that many left overs.

Macaroni and Cheese 101:

6 tablespoons butter

2 3/4 cups milk

1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt, plus more for water

pinch of nutmeg

pinch of black pepper

pinch of cayenne pepper

2 1/4 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese

1 cup gruyere cheese grated

1/2 lb elbow macaroni - I usually like to add more, otherwise it is a little soupy.

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Warm the milk in an oven safe casserole dish on medium heat. Melt butter in a small frying pan. When the butter bubbles, add the flour. Cook stirring 1 minute.

While whisking the milk, slowly at the butter/flour mixture a little at a time to keep the mixture smooth. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and thickens, 8-12 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cheddar and gruyere cheeses.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water, and add the macaroni. Cook until the outside of the pasta is cooked and the inside is underdone, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Stir the macaroni into the cheese sauce in the casserole dish. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Transfer the dish to a wire rack for 5 minutes; serve.I cooked up the macaroni and added it to the cheese mixture and realized my macaroni was swimming in my cheese sauce. I searched the pantry for additional elbow macaroni and all I could find was actual boxed macaroni and cheese. How is that for irony?

Back to School

My youngest step sister is starting her first year of college at the end of the month...that got me thinking about my college years. I was an industrious college student. I went to school full time, I worked full time, I owned a house and was a landlord...phew! How did I survive?! RAMEN NOODLES!!!!!

Who doesn't live on ramen noodles when they are in college? After a while you get tired of the same old, same old so I got creative.

Spicy Chinese Ramen Noodles:
1 package ramen noodles
2 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 cups cabbage (I normally use packaged cabbage, but cut up cabbage is just as good and cheaper!!!)
Pinch or two of salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger - in a pinch you can use ground ginger, but combine it with the oil to make sure it gets distributed throughout the dish.
1/2 teaspoon crush garlic
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/3 cup chopped cashews

Cook the package of ramen noodles until soft. Toss the flavor packet. Using the flavor packets makes the noodles WAY too salty. Drain noodles and set aside. Heat oil in frying pan and add chopped cabbage. Cook until soft. Add ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Mix all together until well combined. Add noodles and cashews. Mix until combined and serve!

This recipe ROCKS!!! It is total comfort food. Stand by for additional ramen noodles recipes!

PESTO!!!

I came across a recipe for pesto that kind of surprised me. I have made regular pesto, citrus pesto...but I have never made pesto with BUTTER. Yes, butter. I went to lunch this week with a business associate that told me she had a recipe for pesto that called for butter in addition to olive oil. An Italian friend of hers gave her the recipe years ago and it is the only recipe she uses.
As many of you know, I am not good at growing much...except for BASIL. I grow basil from seed each spring and it inhabits my living room and front porch throughout the summer months. Fortunately for me, my basil is ready for harvest. I LOVE basil. On one of my first dates with Alex I was cutting up basil and noticed it made my fingers smell so fragrant. I had to share my experience with Alex and turned to him and exclaimed, 'Smell my fingers!' Needless to say, it completely endeared me to him. :) Remember that! my single friends!

Pesto:
4 cups coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
1 cup pine nuts
½ cup olive oil
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
½ stick unsalted butter, cut into bits and softened
2 crushed garlic cloves

In a food processor puree all the ingredients

Transfer to a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent discoloring. The pesto keeps covered and chilled for up to 2 weeks.


I made a half batch because I wanted to save some of my basil for other purposes than pesto and it made enough for tonight's recipe and left overs for another meal. This is a pretty decent recipe. I think I will stick with my regular old recipe that only calls for olive oil. I think the butter only added fat and not enough taste to make it worth the calories.

Not so Ultimate

I was looking forward to cooking this weekend because I was in New York for work the first part of the week and didn't get the chance to cook until tonight. I wanted to make something special so I grabbed Tyler's Ultimate cookbook by Tyler Florence. I was looking for a recipe I had all the ingredients for, so I wouldn't have to make a run to the grocery store and happened on Fat Noodles with Crab, Buttered Artichokes, and Mint.

The whole thing sounded pretty yummy. Alex and I like to make pasta like this with light flavorful sauce, so I thought this ROCK...but, uhm...it didn't. The recipe calls for 1 pound of parppardelle pasta, which I didn't have and substituted whole wheat pasta. But this dish just didn't have much flavor and salt and pepper couldn't take it there. The mint and lemon zest were a nice touch, but couldn't save this recipe.

Fat Noodle with Crab Buttered Artichokes, and Mint:

Serves 4

Kosher Salt

1 pound pappardelle

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (I used 1/4 cup)

1 can (about 16 oz) artichokes, drained, rinsed and halved

Finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 pint (8 oz) lump crabmeat

Freshly ground black pepper

Handful of fresh mint leaves, chopped

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus extra for serving

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil over high head. Add the papperdelle, stir to separate and cook for 8-9 minutes, until al dente. Drain and dump the pasta into a serving bowl. (You'll need to use 1 cup of the past cooking water for the sauce.)

While the pasta is cooking, combine the butter and olive oil in a medium skillet and put it over medium heat. Scoop out 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, add it to the skillet and reduce the whole thing for 5 minutes to thicken. Then add the artichoke halves, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, crabmeat and salt and pepper and toss to warm everything through. Add that to the bowl with the cooked drained pasta. Add the mint and Parmigiano and season with salt and lots of black pepper. Toss and serve with extra Parmigiano.

This really wasn't a horrible recipe, but is also wasn't 'Ultimate'. If I do this again, I would play with the seasoning to give it more flavor...probably increase the lemon zest and maybe some basil.