Tomato Feta Spaghetti

Sometimes you have days where you don’t want to cook.  But you still want real food.  For those days, I have dishes like this.  This is a ten minute dinner, folks.  It only takes a couple of minutes longer than making a PBJ and you will not regret the tiny bit of effort.  Simple, healthy ingredients come together in minutes and burst with flavor.

I usually make this (or something like it) when I have produce that needs to be used and I’m not feeling terribly creative about it.  If your grape tomatoes are starting to wrinkle, don’t worry!  A little toss in the pan will plump them right up again.  In summertime, I sometimes don’t even cook the tomatoes and spinach for this, but just toss them with the hot pasta.  In winter, when I want it a little more saucy, I cook them just for a minute or two, so they are warm but still bright and juicy.

Tomato Feta Spaghetti

Tomato Feta Spaghetti

1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups spinach, chopped
1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup feta cheese
Salt & pepper
1 package thin spaghetti (or any noodle you like)

Do your chopping and slicing first so everything is ready, as this dish comes together very quickly!

Spinach and Tomatoes ready to roll!

Bring a pot of water to boil and cook pasta until tender but not mushy.  While pasta cooks, drizzle a bit of olive oil in a skillet and saute onion.  When onion is tender add garlic and cook one minute.  Add spinach, tomatoes, and a pinch of salt & pepper.  Saute 1-2 minutes, and then turn heat off.

Veggies in the pan for a quick sauté.  Note that I have not cooked these things to a pulp. For a fresh burst of flavor, they just need a little heat for a minute or two.

Drain pasta and toss with veggies and feta.  Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.  Serve by itself or with a protein or salad.

This worked well as a side dish for Asian-Inspired Pork Loin (or is the pork the side dish?), but it’s also great just by itself.

Brussels Sprouts, Breadcrumbs and Bacon

My desk is somewhat of an archeological dig.  There are layers and layers of things that I have every intention of addressing at some point.  Last night a pile was dislodged and a page ripped from a magazine floated down to my feet.  As I picked it up, I realized I held the solution for dinner in my hands.  And there was the added bonus that I was sufficiently distracted by my discovery that I completely forgot whatever I was digging for in the first place.  Who says a messy desk is a bad thing?

At first I thought these ingredients sounded like a strange combination, but the flavors work together perfectly and it’s incredibly flavorful.  My daughter is still talking about how good it was!  For a vegetarian option, just eliminate the bacon.

Pasta with Brussels Sprouts, Breadcrumbs and Bacon

Pasta with Brussels Sprouts, Breadcrumbs & Bacon
(adapted from Cooking Light)

8 ounces rigatoni pasta (or whatever shape you like)
4-5 strips bacon (optional, leave out for a vegetarian meal)
2 tsp. unsalted butter
1/4 cup panko
12 oz. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and sliced lengthwise into 3 or 4 slices each
1 cup thinly sliced onion
1 tsp. minced garlic
2/3 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 – 1 tsp. grated lemon rind
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 ounces fresh parmesan cheese, coarsely grated or shaved
2 tsp. pine nuts, toasted

Cook pasta until tender.  Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl.  Keep warm.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat.  Add panko to pan.  Cook  3 minutes until browned, stirring frequently.  Set aside.  Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.  Discard bacon grease.  (I usually keep about a tablespoon in there to cook with but if you want to be a little healthier, or if you aren’t using the bacon, wipe out grease and use olive oil instead).

Add Brussels sprouts to pan.  Cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Yum! I love Brussels Sprouts.

Add onion and garlic and continue to cook 3 more minutes or until onion is tender. and the Brussels sprouts are lightly browned.  Add broth, lemon rind, lemon juice, thyme leaves, salt & pepper.  Cover and cook 2 minutes or until sprouts are crisp-tender.  Add mixture. to pasta and toss well.  Sprinkle with cheese, pine nuts, breadcrumbs and crumbled bacon.  Serve immediately.

Amazing Spaghetti Sauce

Summer has officially come to an end, but tomatoes are still coming off the vines and making their way into my kitchen.  Thanks to gifts from my mom and my aunt, I had a huge pile of tomatoes that needed to be used right away.  I decided to take a cue from my friend Valerie and cook these babies down into spaghetti sauce.

I have no idea what kind of tomatoes these were; there were several different varieties.  I started with a huge bowl, I would guess at least three or four pounds of tomatoes total and was hoping to end up with enough sauce for a couple of dinners. Alas…it only made enough for one amazing batch because it was so good we all had to have another helping!  Turns out tomatoes reduce in volume quite a bit when you cook them for an hour or two.

Seriously some of the best spaghetti I have ever made.

Amazing Spaghetti Sauce

3-4 pounds garden tomatoes, mixed variety
1 onion, chopped
8-10 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp. Italian seasoning
1 pound hot Italian sausage
Salt & pepper
1 pound spaghetti

Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Score the bottom of each tomato with a knife.  Put the tomatoes in the pot of water (you may have to do this in two or three batches).  Cook for 1 minute until skin starts to peel.  Remove tomatoes and rinse with cool water, or submerge in a bowl of cool water.  When cool enough to handle, remove skin and stems.  Cut into large chunks and put in a large pot (I used the same one I used for blanching the tomatoes).

Tomatoes all ready to fulfill their destiny.

Add onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, olive oil and water.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium or medium low.  Simmer uncovered for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes have reduced down and sauce has thickened to the consistency you like.  In a separate skillet, cook Italian sausage.  Add to sauce.  Let it cook and mingle with the tomatoes for 15-20 minutes.  Taste for seasoning and add salt & pepper as needed.  I added about two teaspoons of salt and a teaspoon of pepper to mine.  Do not add salt until after you add the sausage and taste the sauce, since most sausage has some salt in it already.

Amazing Spaghetti Sauce. Ready to mingle with some pasta.  You can see on the sides of the pan how much the sauce has cooked down.  Yummy concentrated flavor.

Cook pasta until tender.  Drain and smother with sauce.  Prepare yourself for many yummy noises.

Cherry Tomato & Pesto Pasta

Popping a cherry tomato in my mouth instantly transports me to a perfect childhood moment.  I close my eyes, revel in the bright, sunny taste and the lovely “pop” of the tomato bursting in my mouth and for a split second, I’m a kid again, standing in the sunshine, raiding somebody’s cherry tomato plant while their back is turned.

I am an ungifted gardener to say the least, but I always plant a cherry tomato plant, just to have a few moments like these throughout my summer.  I also always plant basil, since it’s the one thing I actually have had consistent success with.  Not to mention, pesto is just about the most perfect condiment for well…anything.

I have discovered through my farmer’s market travels this summer that while the early bird may get the best choices, the fat, lazy bird who likes to sleep in gets the best prices.  I scored two overflowing pints of cherry tomatoes last week for less than half of what I would have paid in the grocery store.  On the ripe side, these babies needed to be used right away, so into my pasta they flew.  Add some freshly made pesto and there was magic.  Tasty, tasty magic.

Cherry Tomato & Pesto Pasta

1 pkg. pasta
3-4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or minced
2-3 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half and divided
1/2 cup – or more – pesto (see below for my recipe or use your favorite)
1/2 cup fresh mozzarella, cut into cubes
Extra virgin olive oil
Grated parmesan for the top (optional)

Cook pasta until tender, but still firm to the bite.  Prep all of your ingredients ahead of time because this dish comes together very quickly.

All ingredients prepped and ready to go. Beautiful!

Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and about half of the tomatoes to the pan.  Cook one or two minutes.  Add pesto and continue to cook another minute or two.  Drain the pasta and add to the pan.  Add the rest of the tomatoes and the mozzarella.  Toss well to combine.  Add a pinch of salt & pepper if needed. Serve immediately and top with parmesan cheese if desired.

Basil & Walnut Pesto

Basil Pesto

2 cups fresh basil leaves
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Pinch of salt & pepper
Handful of walnuts (or any other nut you like)
1/4 cup of fresh parmesan
3-4 cloves garlic
1/4-1/2 cup olive oil

Combine all ingredients except for oil in a food processor or blender.

Loading up the food processor to make pesto.

Whirl it up until finely chopped, scraping down the sides once or twice.  Add olive oil in a slow stream until the pesto is the consistency you like.  You can adjust this to your preference.  It can be coarsely chopped or a fine puree, it can be thicker or thinner, whatever you like best.  For my pasta recipe I wanted it a little chunkier; for a spread on a sandwich, I would probably blend it a little more.  Any leftovers can be stored in a sealed container for a couple of weeks in the fridge, or frozen.  Drizzle with olive oil to keep it from turning brown.

Twisted Tomato Corkscrews

Tomato season is upon us!  If you are a more successful gardener than I am, you very well may be covered up in tomatoes coming off the vines about now.  Unfortunately my measly handful of tomatoes will not suffice for this recipe but my friendly neighborhood farmer’s market helped me out this time.  I am also available to take any and all unwanted excess produce that my gardening friends don’t know what to do with.

You could probably use canned tomatoes to make this, but honestly, I’ve never tried it.  Why would you? This is one recipe that I hold in reserve for summertime only.  And it is worth every minute of the wait.  The taste of fresh garden tomatoes simply can’t be matched.  Prepping the tomatoes is a little bit of work, but it’s not difficult and well worth the effort, I promise!

Mouthwatering Tomato Corkscrews

Twisted Tomato Corkscrews

2-3 pounds Roma tomatoes (or other small, firm tomato, like Early Girl)
1 tsp. salt
1/3 cup olive oil
2/3 cup chopped cilantro
1/3 cup chopped red onion
1 jalapeno, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 tbsp. lime juice
1 1/2 tbsp. tomato paste
2-3 tsp. chili powder
12 oz. rotini or fusilli pasta
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Set aside a large bowl of ice water.  Slice a shallow “x” in the bottom of each tomato.

Cut a shallow “x” in the bottom of each tomato. This will make the peeling part really easy!

Drop tomatoes into boiling water in two or three batches.  Let them cook about one minute, until skin starts to peel.  Remove with tongs and put directly into the bowl of ice water to cool.  The peels should then slide right off easily.  Peel, cut in half and squeeze out the seeds.  Coarsely chop tomatoes.  Stir in salt and set aside.

Oh now isn’t that lovely.

Heat olive oil in a small skillet or sauce pan.  Add onion, jalapeno and garlic and cook over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes, until fragrant.  Pour over tomatoes.  Add cilantro, lime juice, tomato paste and chili powder and mix well to combine.

Where’s my spoon?

Add pasta to boiling water (I use the same water I used to blanch the tomatoes) and cook 8-10 minutes until tender.  Rinse with cool water and let drain.  Add to tomato mixture.  Add cheese and toss well to combine.  Taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed.

Time to dive in! Yum!

Creamy Shrimp Fettuccine

I always think it’s neat when I see people who have a little “Friends”-like gang of people they’ve known forever, and who know them.  A group that no matter what happens in their lives are there for each other.  I was never really a part of a group like that, unless you count my motley group of very cool cousins.

I’ve noticed in cooking there are groups of ingredients that are like groups of old friends.  Always there for each other, complementing each other’s strengths and weaknesses.  In my book, if you take fettuccine, shrimp, cream, basil and lemon, you have the Fab Five of tastiness.  Any of them on their own is pretty good, but together…absolutely fabulous.

Creamy Shrimp Fettuccine

Creamy Shrimp Fettuccine

8 oz. fettuccine
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled & deveined
4 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup shallots, finely chopped
1 cup whipping cream
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
Salt & pepper
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Cook fettuccine 8-10 minutes, until just tender.  Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium heat.  Add shallots, garlic and crushed red pepper.  Cook and stir a minute or so.  Add shrimp and saute until no longer translucent, but don’t overcook.  Turn down heat to medium low and add cream, lemon juice and basil.  Simmer until noodles are done.

Drain pasta and add to pan with shrimp and cream.  Add parmesan cheese and salt & pepper to taste.  Toss well to combine.  Serve with lemon wedges and if you’re feeling healthy, a little salad on the side.

Creamy Shrimp Fettuccine. You need to eat this.

Italian-ish Pasta Salad

In my experience Italians are pretty hot, but it’s summer and I’m the boss of my kitchen, so this is one Italian dish that will be served cold.  At least at my house.

Honestly I don’t know if actual Italians make anything like this, but most of these ingredients are something I associate with Italian cooking, so there you go.  It’s Italian.  Sort of.  Italian-ish. Or maybe it’s just April-ish.  However you want to describe its origins, it is delicious, refreshing and I just couldn’t get enough of it.

At farmers market I stumbled upon a homemade pasta that was described as the “pesto blend.”  It contained several flavored pastas, including a sun-dried tomato pasta, garlic-pepper pasta, and basil pasta.  I think there may have been one other kind in there as well.  In any case, the subtle flavors were a nice addition to this recipe. Feel free to experiment with flavored pastas or just use a tri-color rotini or regular pasta if you prefer.

Italian-ish Pasta Salad

Italian-ish Pasta Salad

8 oz. tri-colored rotini or other small shaped pasta
2 cups broccoli florets
3 tbsp. olive oil
5 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. each of salt & pepper
1/4 cup sliced red onion
A pinch of crushed red pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp. capers
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1/4 cup black olive halves
1 orange bell pepper, diced
2 tbsp. chopped sun-dried tomatoes (I use the ones packed in olive oil)
2 oz. muenster cheese, cut into small cubes
1/4 cup chopped dry Italian salami (optional, leave out for a vegetarian meal)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add pasta and cook for 5-6 minutes.  Then add the broccoli to the pot with the pasta and cook an additional 3 minutes, or until pasta is tender.  Drain and rinse with cold water until it’s all cool.  Set aside.  In a serving bowl combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, red onion, salt & pepper, garlic, capers, and dijon mustard.  Whisk until well blended.  Add olives, peppers, tomatoes, cheese, salami and basil.  Stir to blend well with the dressing.  Add pasta and broccoli and toss gently until well coated.  Taste for seasoning and add more salt & pepper if needed.  At this point you can refrigerate it for a while to chill completely or just go ahead and dig in.  This is one that tastes even better after it sits and mingles for a bit.  The next day it’s even more fantastic.

 

Seared Scallops with Orzo & Herb Butter Sauce

My kids are out of town and I was feeling like giving myself a little treat.  So I made myself a fancy dinner, poured a glass of wine and watched R rated shows all evening.  It was lovely.

After cooking this dish, I was so impressed with myself I sent a photo of my plate to a friend and received the reply that it looked like something you’d pay $25 for in a restaurant!  And even better, it tasted like it too.  Simple to prepare, but elegant and oh, so delicious.

Seared Scallops with Herb Butter Sauce, served with Orzo & Snap Peas

Seared Scallops with Orzo & Herb Butter Sauce
(adapted from Cooking Light)

3/4  cup uncooked orzo
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley (divided)
2 tbsp. chopped fresh chives (divided)
2 tsp. olive oil
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 cup shredded parmesan
1 – 1 1/2 pounds large sea scallops (3-4 per person)
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 tbsp. chopped shallots
1 tbsp. white wine or sherry vinegar
3 tbsp. chilled butter, cubed
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

Cook orzo according to package directions and drain.  Return to pan, stir in 1 tbsp. parsley, 1 tbsp. chives, olive oil, salt and parmesan. Keep warm.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Sprinkle scallops with salt & pepper.  Drizzle a bit of olive oil in the skillet, heat for a minute and then add scallops to the pan.  Cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned.  Remove from pan and keep warm.  Combine wine, shallots  and vinegar in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes or until liquid is reduced to 1 tbsp.  Reduce heat to low.  Add butter cubes, one at a time, whisking after each addition until butter is fully incorporated.  Stir in remaining herbs and 1/8 tsp. each of salt & pepper.  Drizzle over scallops and orzo.  Serves 4.

Seared Scallops…mmmmm!

Sesame Snap Peas & Noodles

Pasta is so good, but unfortunately not that great for you in large quantities.  That’s why I’m always trying to find ways to make it a little more healthy.  And that usually means piling on the veggies.  Luckily, my kitchen is usually well-stocked with vegetables of all sorts since I tend to buy everything that looks good at farmer’s markets on the weekends.  And believe me, EVERYTHING looks good this time of year!

I love this Asian take on noodles and veggies.  It’s such a quick and satisfying meal.  I used brown rice noodles, keeping with the Asian theme and also keeping it gluten-free.  As far as gluten-free noodles go, I really like these; they are very similar to regular pasta in taste and texture.  But any type of pasta will work great.  In this dish, I love the contrast of the cool noodles with the hot stir-fried veggies and light, zippy sauce.  Perfect for a summer dinner.

Sesame Snap Peas & Noodles

Sesame Snap Peas & Noodles

8 oz. thin spaghetti or angel hair
1 tsp. garlic chile paste
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp. lime juice
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp. sugar
1 pound snap peas, strings pulled and sliced in half
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 tbsp mince fresh garlic
1 orange or red bell pepper, diced
1 spring onion, sliced or diced
1 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

Cook noodles until tender, but firm to the bite, 6-8 minutes.  Rinse with cool water and set aside.  Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine, garlic chile paste, soy sauce, lime juice, sesame oil and sugar.  Set aside.  Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add a drizzle of canola oil.  Add snap peas, ginger, garlic, bell pepper, and onion.  Stir fry a few minutes until veggies are crisp tender.  Add bowl of sauce and sesame seeds and stir well to combine.  Cook for another minute or so.  Toss with noodles and serve.  Serves 4.

Sesame Snap Peas & Noodles

Bring on the Fungus!

When you shop at farmer’s markets you find all sorts of goodies you can’t get anywhere else.  One recent discovery of mine was the pasta stand.  Bins of pasta in cool shapes and flavors that you will never find at the grocery store.  It was difficult to choose, but I came home with porcini mushroom linguine.  I have my eye on some lemon-chive angel hair for next time.

Porcini Mushroom Linguine. Cool, huh?

I made up this recipe to complement my mushroom pasta, but feel free to substitute the pasta of your choice.  This sauce will be delicious on anything.

Double Mushroom Linguine

Double Mushroom Linguine

8 oz. linguine
1/2 red onion, chopped
8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, or other mushrooms of your choice
1 cup frozen peas
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sherry
Salt & pepper

Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook linguine, 8-10 minutes, until just tender.  Drain.  Meanwhile, saute onion & mushrooms in a drizzle of olive oil until tender.  Add peas and herbs.  Stir and cook 1-2 minutes.  Add cream and sherry.

Yummy mushroom cream sauce. Give me a spoon!

Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer.  Let simmer about 10 minutes.  Season to taste with salt & pepper.  Add pasta and toss to combine.  Garnish with fresh thyme and parmesan cheese if desired.  Serves 4 (or 3 really hungry people).