Penne with White Beans and Spinach

This one is healthy, guys. But it's so delicious, you wouldn't even know it! The beans kind of break down and make the pasta creamy.  If you want, you can drizzle everything with a little olive oil before serving.  I didn't but I sure wish I had...

Penne with White Beans and Spinach

3/4 lb dry penne pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups baby spinach
zest of one lemon
juice of two lemons
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (or more to taste)

Cook the pasta according to package directions in boiling salted water. When cooked, drain and reserve one half cup of cooking liquid. Set aside.
In a large skillet or dutch oven, heat the olive oil. Add the minced garlic and saute for two minutes, until toasted and fragrant (be careful not to burn!). Add the cooked pasta, beans, sundried tomatoes and spinach and cook until spinach wilts. Add the lemon zest, juice, salt, cayenne and cheese and toss well. Add some of the cooking water if the mixture seems dry.

Ravioli with Sauteed Brussels Sprouts and Golden Raisins

 

This is the best left-overs meal I think I've ever made! I was trying to use up some stuff in the fridge and based the recipe on this Caramelized Brussels Sprouts recipe (which I thought was a little too sweet, by the way).

Ravioli with Sauteed Brussels Sprouts and Golden Raisins

serves 4-5

1 package refrigerated cheese ravioli

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 pound Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans

1/2 cup golden raisins

salt and pepper

freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Cook ravioli according to package directions. Meanwhile, cook garlic in olive oil for a few seconds and then add the Brussels sprouts.  Saute for 5-7 minutes, or until tender.  Add pecans and raisins and stir.  Toast the pecans in the pan for a minute or so. Take the pan off the heat, add the vinegar, stir, and toss with ravioli.  Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Baked Meatballs

This is a lighted up version of my favorite spaghetti and meatballs recipe from Barefoot Contessa.  I used extra lean beef (no veal or pork) and baked them instead of frying.  And instead of regular spaghetti, I used the high protein farfalle (less messy for the kids to eat that way).  Also, even though her sauce is fabulous, I use jarred marinara to make dinner faster.  Just look at the labels and find one that only has a few ingredients (I like Rao's): tomatoes, olive oil, onions, basil, salt, garlic, pepper, oregano. 

 Baked Meatballs
1 pound extra lean ground beef
1/2 cup dry seasoned bread crumbs
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 egg, beaten


Place all the ingredients in a bowl and combine very lightly with a fork. Using a small ice cream scoop, lightly form the mixture into meatballs. Bake at 400 on a greased cookie sheet for 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, heat marinara on the stove.  Add the almost completely cooked meatballs and simmer on low for 10 minutes (or longer) while the pasta is cooking. Serve with extra parm and fresh basil.

Spinach Artichoke Tortellini

Spinach Artichoke Tortellini

1 large package refrigerated cheese tortellini
1 can artichoke hearts (not marinated), drained and rinsed
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (to taste)
salt and pepper, to taste
juice of half a lemon
6 tablespoons dry white wine (or chicken stock)
1 bag fresh baby spinach
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup heavy cream

Cook tortellini according to package directions.  Meanwhile, saute artichokes in about 1/2 tablespoon olive oil.  Add chopped garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, and lemon juice and let it cook for about 5 minutes.  Add wine, deglazing the pan with the liquid, and then add spinach and toss until spinach wilts. Add the cream and then add the cooked tortellini and 1/2 the Parmesan cheese.  Add remaining cheese to individual servings.

Lasagna Soup

This Lasagna Soup was great!  Poor thing doesn't photograph well, though.  You'll see what I mean if you look at the picture in the original recipe (she clearly staged the soup for the picture, something I don't do, only because I have ZERO time for that kind of stuff) and compare it to my picture....

Lasagna Soup

For the soup:
2 tsp. olive oil
1 lb. extra lean ground beef
3 c. chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 T. tomato paste
1 28-oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
6 c. chicken stock
8 oz. fusilli pasta (I couldn't find fusilli, so I used penne, and if I could have found fusilli, I'd totally make a Fusilli Jerry)
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

for the cheesy yum:
8 oz. ricotta
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
pinch of freshly ground pepper
2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add beef, breaking up into bite sized pieces, and brown for about 5 minutes. Add onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.

Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add uncooked pasta and cook until al dente. Do not over cook or let soup simmer for a long period of time at this point, as the pasta will get mushy.

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the cheesy yum. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.

To serve, place a dollop of the cheesy yum in each soup bowl, sprinkle some of the mozzarella on top and ladle the hot soup over the cheese.

Cheese Tortellini with Spinach and Tomatoes

Cheese Tortellini with Spinach and Tomatoes

1 large (20oz) package refrigerated tortellini (or frozen)
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
pinch red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
3 cups fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes (more or less to taste)
1 tablespoon butter
Parmesan cheese to taste

Boil the water and cook the tortellini for about 5 minutes (for refrigerated tortellini, longer for the frozen).  Meanwhile, heat skillet to medium high and add about 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil.  Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, cook for 2 minutes, and then add spinach and salt and pepper.  Cook the spinach until it's wilted (about 2-3 minutes), and add tomatoes and stir.  Turn off the heat.  Drain tortellini and toss it together with one tablespoon of butter and spinach/tomato mixture.  Season with Parmesan cheese.

Parmesan Basil Orzo with Oven Roasted Shrimp

Parmesan Basil Orzo

1 tablespoon butter
1 cup orzo (rice shaped pasta)
1 14 oz can chicken broth
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (I used leftover freshly grated cheese from Thursday)
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a large saucepan and add orzo.  Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until orzo is coated with butter and lightly browned.  Stir in chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat to simmer and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.  Mix in Parmesan cheese and basil before serving.  Taste for salt and pepper and add it to taste.

Oven Roasted Shrimp

To roast shrimp, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast at 400 for 6-8 minutes, or until just pink.  Don't overcook them! They continue to cook after you take them out of the oven.

Quick Artichoke Pasta

This was a quick one.  And good thing, too, because the school year is underway and we've got after school activities, homework, and playing to be done in the afternoon! 

Quick Artichoke Pasta 

1 can artichoke hearts (not marinated), drained and rinsed
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
pinch red pepper flakes
salt and pepper, to taste
juice of half a lemon
6 tablespoons dry white wine
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon butter
about half a box of thin spaghetti

Cook pasta in salted water.  Meanwhile, saute artichokes in about 1/2 tablespoon olive oil.  Add chopped garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, lemon juice and let it cook for about 5 minutes.  Add wine, deglazing the pan with the liquid, and allow to simmer until the pasta is ready.  Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.  Add the pasta directly to the pan containing the artichokes and add 1/2 the Parmesan cheese and the butter.  Stir together and add basil.  Add remaining cheese to individual servings.

Farfalle with Arugula Pesto

Remember the Arugula Pesto from Monday's sandwich?  I made a quick pasta for dinner tonight using farfalle (bowtie pasta), leftover Arugula Pesto, and freshly grated parm cheese.  The kids gobbled it up!  I like to use the Barilla Plus pasta in the yellow box because it has more protein and fiber than regular pastas without it being grainy like whole wheat pasta.

We also had leftover bread from the sandwiches that I made into garlic bread by slathering it with butter and sprinkling on garlic salt.

Oh, I almost forgot! See that little salad just dressed with olive oil and red wine vinegar?   See the red pepper on top?  That came from my Mother's Day Garden! The deer and bunnies are really enjoying all my tomatoes, strawberries, lettuce, and zucchini, but I guess they don't care for peppers.  It's all that's left! And this one was the most beautiful and delicious pepper I've ever had. Ok, not really, but it was so cool to pick it from the garden and eat it!

Creamy Pesto Penne

Pesto is so good during the summer, but it can get a little boring on pasta.  So tonight, I added some cream cheese to leftover pesto....We ate by the pool and it was a great summer meal.

Creamy Pesto Penne
3/4 lb whole wheat or enriched penne
1/2 cup pesto
1/2 cup lowfat cream cheese
heavy cream, half and half, or milk
fresh basil

Boil the penne in salted water and drain when done.  Meanwhile, melt the cream cheese with the pesto.  Thin with whipping cream, half and half, or milk until desired consistency.   Toss drained penne with the sauce and top with fresh basil.

Watermelon Basil Salad

When John and I were in Mexico a few weeks ago, I had this amazing salad with watermelon, some sort of Mexican cheese, basil, and a lime-y dressing.  It was so good!  I probably could have used one of those cheeses in the Mexican section of my Walmart to try to make it at home, but I used goat cheese since I already had some and it was just as good as I remember it.  It's so different!

Watermelon Basil Salad (all quantities to taste)

Fresh seeded watermelon

Goat Cheese

Basil

Freshly squeezed lime juice

Toss everything together and serve immediately.

We also had the refrigerated cheese tortellini tossed with olive oil, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, and fresh basil and chives.

Mushroom Risotto with Goat Cheese and Green Apples

I typically order something different every time I go to a restaurant.  But, at our fave local restaurant, Bordinos, I always order this risotto dish with goat cheese, asparagus, green apples, and a balsamic glaze.  And tonight, I made it at home! It was easy, but kind of a lot of work.  It was worth it, though.

Mushroom Risotto with Goat Cheese and Green Apples

5 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 large onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 package mushrooms (I used baby bellas), chopped
asparagus (as much as you want
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon olive oil (additional)
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cup Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine   
1 teaspoon kosher salt (additional), more to taste
4 ounces, weight goat cheese
½ cups grated parmesan cheese
1 Granny Smith apple, sliced thinly
balsamic vinegar, to drizzle over finished dish

Pour chicken broth into a small saucepan. Heat to a simmer.

In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Add diced onions and cook for a minute or two. Add garlic and mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, or until mushrooms soften.  Sprinkle in salt and stir. Add asparagus and cook for one minute.  Remove everything from pan and put on a plate. Set aside.

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter to the same pan. Heat over medium-low heat. Add rice and stir, cooking for 1 minute. Add half the wine and 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt. Stir and cook until liquid is absorbed. Over the next 30 to 45 minutes, add 1 cup of simmering broth at a time, stirring and cooking until each addition of broth has absorbed. Add other half of wine and cook until absorbed. Taste to make sure rice is the right texture; add another helping of broth if rice has too much bite to it. Check salt content and add more salt if necessary.
Once rice is cooked, remove from heat. Stir in most of the goat cheese (save a little for the top), parmesan, and vegetables until all the cheese the melted.

Serve risotto in large bowl topped with sliced apples, goat cheese, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. 

Baked Lemon Pasta

Everything is better with lemon, right?  I sure think so.  You've got to try this pasta dish.  It's not exactly going to help you fit into those skinny jeans, but if you're training for a half marathon (what!), sometimes you just need a little pasta.

Baked Lemon Pasta 
1 pound pasta
4 Tablespoons Salted Butter
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 whole Lemon, Juiced And Zested
2 cups Sour Cream
½ teaspoons Kosher Salt, Or More To Taste
Plenty Of Grated Parmesan Cheese
parsley or chives for garnish

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook pasta until al dente.

In a skillet, melt butter with olive oil over LOW HEAT. When butter is melted, add minced garlic. Squeeze lemon juice into the pan. Turn off heat.

Add sour cream and stir mixture together. Add lemon zest and salt. Taste, then add more salt if necessary. Pour mixture over drained pasta and stir together, then pour pasta into an oven safe dish.

Bake, covered, for 15 minutes. Then remove foil and bake for an additional 7 to 10 minutes. (Don’t bake too long or the pasta will dry out.)

When you remove it from the oven, squeeze a little more lemon juice over the top. Top generously with Parmesan cheese, then chopped parsley/chives. Give it a final squeeze of lemon juice at the end.

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

I'm picky about spaghetti sauce (you can call it marinara or bolognese, but in Arkansas we just say spaghetti sauce to refer to any tomato sauce).  I've never mastered a sauce at home; they are always too watery, too sweet, or too bland.

My friend, Jill, invited us over for dinner last night and served this sauce with spaghetti.  I knew it would be really good since she made it, but it was the perfect sauce! Here's the recipe


Jill's Spaghetti Sauce
6 Tablespoons olive oil
6 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 pound ground beef
1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes blended to destroy chunks
1 1/2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup fresh chopped oregano
1/2 cup fresh chopped basil
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
dash of Cayenne Pepper
freshly ground pepper


In a large skillet or saucepan, heat the oil over moderate heat.  Add the garlic and onion; saute until tender, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the beef and raise the heat slightly.  Saute the beef until it has lost all it's pink color, about 10 minutes.

Add the tomatoes.  Stir in the remaining ingredients and gently boil until thick, 15 to 20 minutes.

Serve over cooked pasta.

Serves 4-6

Spaghetti Carbonara

I really can't look at Rachael Ray anymore.  At least I try not to, but good grief, she's everywhere.  Back in 2000 when I was a newlywed and learning to cook, I watched her 30 Minute Meals show on Food Network every night when I got home from work.  She taught me to chop onions, how to use olive oil, and to deglaze a pan, along with how to prepare a meal from start to finish.  If you don't know how to do those things, I would suggest tuning in to her show once or twice (if you can stand it).   And please, if you do watch her show never say EVOO.  Ever.  Please.  Annoying.

One of my favorite recipes of hers is the classic Spaghetti Carbonara.  It's so fast to make that it takes longer to get the pasta water to boil than to prepare the actual meal.  And the kids liked it, too. But check it! You have read the directions very carefully. 

Spaghetti Carbonara* (adapted from Rachael Ray)

1 pound spaghetti (use whole wheat or Barilla Plus)
3-4 slices of thick cut bacon, chopped
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
5 to 6 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine (I used champagne, because I'm fancy. Really, I just had it leftover from New Years, but it worked just fine. You can use chicken stock, too, if you don't do wine.)
2 large egg yolks
Handful of finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (I didn't have any, so I left it out. It's better with.)
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Put a large pot of water on to boil. Add a liberal amount of salt and the pasta. Cook to al dente, about 8 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and brown for 5-7 minutes. Add red pepper flakes and garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes more. Add wine and stir up all the pan drippings.

3. In a separate bowl, beat yolks, then add 1 large ladleful (about 1/2 cup) of the pasta cooking water. This tempers the eggs and keeps them from scrambling when added to the pasta.

4. Drain pasta well and add it directly to the skillet with bacon. Pour the egg mixture over the pasta. Toss rapidly to coat the pasta. Remove pan from heat and add a big handful of cheese, lots of pepper, and a little salt. Continue to toss and turn the pasta until it soaks up egg mixture and thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Garnish with parsley and extra cheese.

*One serving of pasta is just half a cup, which is about the size of your fist. Don't eat too much! Fill up your plate with salad first (ours was just spring mix with yellow peppers and homemade balsamic vinaigrette), before plating the pasta.

Macaroni and Cheese

I'll preface this post by saying that tonight's dinner did not follow any of my "rules".  But sometimes you need comfort food, and today was most certainly one of those days.  This is the most delicious macaroni and cheese you'll ever eat, and completely worth the effort and the calories. I actually ate on a salad plate to keep from eating too much (I did anyway).

Macaroni and Cheese
(The Gourmet Cookbook)

FOR TOPPING
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 cups panko* breadcrumbs
1 cup grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese (I use the food processor to grate since there are 5 cups total)

FOR CHEESE SAUCE AND MACARONI
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 3/4 cup whole milk
3/4 cup heavy cream
4 cups grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound elbow macaroni

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

FOR THE TOPPING
Mix together panko, butter and cheese in a medium bowl. Set aside.

FOR THE SAUCE
Melt butter in a heavy pot over low heat. Whisk in flour and red pepper flakes and cook, whisking constantly, for about 3 minutes. Whisk in milk in a slow steady stream. Increase heat and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Simmer for another 3 minutes, stirring frequently until mixture is thickened a bit. Stir in cream, cheese, mustard, salt and pepper until cheese is melted. Remove from heat and set aside.

COOK THE MACARONI AND ASSEMBLE THE DISH
Cook macaroni according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water and then drain noodles.
Stir together macaroni, reserved cooking water, and sauce in a large bowl. Transfer to a 3 qt. baking dish, mixture will be loose.
Sprinkle topping evenly over mixture and bake for about 25-35 minutes. Top should be golden and bubbling.

*I saw Panko bread crumbs at a Harps grocery store around here a while back, and I immediately bought them.  I've made this recipe with regular packaged bread crumbs several times, and it's just not as good. If you can't find Panko, I would suggest leaving off the bread crumbs.