Tasty, healthy & EASY!

I have a Rachael Ray cookbook that I love, it's called Express Lane Meals.  It's got three different sections; "Meals for the exhausted", "Meals for the not too tired" and "Bring it on! (but, be gentle).  This recipe comes from the "meals for the exhausted" section, so that should clue you in to the difficulty level.  She calls it "Cacio e Pepe (Cheese & Pepper Pasta) and Spinach with White Beans.  I call it just plain GREAT!!  The ingredients are simple and the method is easy.  On top of simple and easy, it tastes fantastic.  I have a picky eater in my house.  He'd be happy if I made him nachos or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches every night.  This pains me, to say the least.  He is not usually very excited about the new dishes I make.  He has to take his "no thank you" bite though.  (You must take a bite and try it before you can say "No thank you" to it.)  Last night he was excited about the "noodles" and his excitement turned to joy, his and mine, when he returned for 2 extra helpings of this meal!  My other boy loves just about anything and eats heartily.  He went for 3 rounds as well.  This meal will now be in the weekly rotation.  It's tasty, healthy and above all, EASY!!

Enjoy some of this simple goodness tonight with your family!

Cacio e Pepe (Cheese and Pepper Pasta) and Spinach  with White Beans 
*From Rachael Ray's Express Lane Meals cookbook
Ingredients:
Salt
1 pound thin spaghetti noodles
3 Tbsp. butter
5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp. coarse black pepper
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 10-ounce box of chopped frozen spinach
4 garlic cloves, chopped or minced
1 14-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Method:

• Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Salt the water and add pasta to boil (according to package directions - about 6 minutes).
• ***You'll want to save 2 ladles-ful of the pasta water before you drain it!!!  Don't forget
• While pasta is boiling, place a large skillet over low heat and place butter and 1 Tbsp. of the olive oil and pepper into it.  Let this slowly melt until the pasta is done.

Yummy!!

• Also while pasta is boiling, defrost the spinach in the microwave for 6 minutes on high. 
• Heat a small skillet over medium heat.
• Add 2 Tbsp. olive oil, then the garlic, cook garlic for 2 minutes.
• Now add the beans to garlic. 
• Next add the spinach to the beans, breaking it up as you drop it into the pan.

• Season the spinach and beans with nutmeg, salt and pepper
• When the pasta is done remember to reserve 2 ladles-ful of the pasta water and add 1 ladle to your melted butter-pepper mixture.
• Drain the pasta and toss it in the pan with the butter, pepper, pasta water sauce.
• Turn off the heat and add the cheese in small handfuls, tossing with tongs until all the cheese in incorporated.  It will form a creamy sauce to coat the pasta.

 

• Add another ladle of cooking water if needed (I add the 2nd ladle every time).
• Now season the pasta to taste with salt and drizzle with 2 Tbsp. of olive oil.
• Serve the pasta and spinach-bean mixture side by side (although, mixing them also tastes great!!)       

Enjoy!


Click here for printable recipe.

Sharing The Love

Oh how I've missed posting on my blog!  I'm enjoying the summer and the slower pace of life it brings.  Our garden is producing like crazy and we harvested our first 4 blackberries (out of hundreds!) last night.  Honestly, I don't think you can beat Yakima in the summer (or the spring, or the fall, or the winter for that matter - I guess I love it here!).  The other thing Yakima seems to be producing alot of lately is babies, at least in our church!  This post is about the meal that is quickly becoming one of my standard "new arrival" meals to the family.  We love it and it's easy, transportable and FULL of delicious flavor.  I found it, thanks to my "Darling" friend Regina, in a Rachael Ray cookbook.  Regina marked this one with a note, as she did all her favorites.  I know I would have loved it anyway but there is something emotional and special about making recipes that are shared favorites with someone you love.  So now I make this to share my love with others around me.  It just feels so right.

Share the love with your family tonight!

Pasta in Vodka Cream Sauce  
**Adapted from in "Classic Rachael Ray 30 minute meals - The All Occasion Cookbook"
Ingredients:
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 box of your favorite pasta - I typically use whole wheat penne or elbows
1 Tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 cup vodka
1 cup chicken broth
1 can (28 ounces) of crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup cream (you can use heavy cream, half and half, or even milk in a pinch - I've used them all)
20 leaves of fresh basil, torn
1-2 chicken breasts - baked (if desired - This can make the meal a bit heartier if you need meat.  We enjoy it both ways.)

Method:
Boil water in a large pot over high heat.  When water comes to boil add salt and pasta.  Cook according to length on package directions.
While pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium head.  Add the olive oil, butter, garlic and shallots.  Saute for 3-5 minutes.  Add vodka and cook to reduce by half.  This usually takes at least 3-5 minutes.  You'll see that it's not as liquidy in the pan and the strong smell of alcohol no longer threatens to choke you as you stand over the pan.  This is a really important step.  If you don't let it reduce enough your sauce will NOT taste good. 
Once vodka is reduced, add the childen broth and tomatoes.  Allow the sauce to begin to bubble, then reduce the heat and simmer.
Season with salt and pepper.
Stir in cream and return sauce to a bubble. 

This sauce is sooooo yummy!

Once the sauce bubbles, remove it from the heat and toll in the hot pasta, chicken (if desired) and torn basil leaves.  Serve immediately with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese if desired!



Click here for printable recipe.

Party in your mouth pesto!

I just made this tonight and I will say it is probably one of my most favorite meals.  So incredibly flavorful!  My older son ate 3 bowls!!  This is another Rachel Ray, 30 minute meal favorite.  It is a perfect summer meal, when you can get the vegetables fresh, possibly from your very own garden. We've found we enjoy it just about any time of the year though.  The vegetables used in her recipe are asparagus, zucchini & green beans.  I've substituted broccoli for the asparagus and the end result is delicious as well.  Use your imagination and put in the vegetables your family loves most. It is perfect for a main dish or a side, just depending on portion.  The pesto is incredibly flavorful and I love knowing how to make it and use it on other dishes. 

Enjoy a pesto party with your loved ones!

Three-Vegetable Penne with Tarragon-Basil Pesto 
Ingredients:
Salt
1 pound penne rigate pasta (I use whole wheat - it makes it that much more filling)
1/2 pound asparagus, tough ends trimmed
1 small zucchini
1/4 pound haricots verts (thin green beans) - I use regular green beans - trim stem ends
1/4 cup of pine nuts
1 cup fresh basil - about 20 leaves
1/2 cup fresh tarragon, leaves stripped from 10-12 stems
handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley
zest of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/2 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
coarse black pepper
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Method:
1.)  Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Salt the water, add the pasta and cook to aldente, it should still have a bite to it. SAVE A LADLE FULL OF THE PASTA WATER!!
2.)  Cut the asparagus spears on an angle into 2-inch pieces.Cut the zucchini into matchsticks.Cut the beans on an angle into 2-inch pieces.Add the vegetables to the pot with the pasta after the penne has been cooking for about 5 minutes.
3.)  Boil veggies and pasta together for 2 minutes
4.)  While the pasta is cooking, toast the pine nuts until golden, then cool.

5.) Combine nuts, basil, tarragon, parsley, lemon zest, garlic, 1/2 cup of cheese and a little salt and pepper into food processor.

6.)  While processing, stream in the olive oil until a thick sauce forms.

7.)  Scrape the pesto into a large serving dish or bowl. Add a ladle of hot, starchy pasta water to the pesto. 8.)  Drain the penne and veggies and  add them to the pesto, toss together, coating the pasta and vegetables evenly.

9.)  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese.

Click here for printable recipe

Easy, Peasy, Macaroni & Cheesy!

This recipe in it's original form was from my friend Lacie. My husband lovingly typed out and compiled all my favorite, well-loved and well-used recipes into a beautiful cookbook for me and so I can't tell what I altered, if anything, and what was there to begin with. I have a feeling I changed things because, well, that's what I do. The name is one I came up with. At the time I was reading a series of books set in England and the main character used the word "fab" quite often to exclaim over items or food she loved, thus the name for this amazing and easy dish. (On a related note, I got my current favorite word, "gobsmacked" from that series of books as well.). I love that the spinach and broccoli are part of the dish, so you don't have to worry about sides, you've got it all in one!  If you like a saucier macaroni & cheese, double everything except the noodles, broccoli and spinach.

If you and your family like macaroni and cheese, you've got to give this "Fab" recipe a try. You will be absolutely gobsmacked by the results!!!

Fab Mac n’ Cheese 
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. Olive OIl
1/2 large sweet onion, chopped
1 ¾ cup of milk
3 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. paprika
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
6 Tbsp. grated Romano cheese
1 box of favorite noodles
1 ½ cups broccoli florets
5 cups spinach


Method:
1.)  Boil pasta according to box directions.
2.)  Saute Onions in large pan.  Add 1 cup of milk and heat.

3.)  Pour remaining ¾ cup of milk into medium bowl and whisk in flour and spices.

4.)  Add milk/spice mixture to saucepan and cook 2-3 minutes, whisking constantly, until thickened.

5.)  Remove from heat, whisk in cheddar & cover.

6.)  Cook broccoli and spinach to desired color & texture.

7.)  Drain broccoli and spinach and add to cheese sauce.

8.)  Stir pasta into cheese sauce over medium-low heat until heated through.

Click here for printable version

Ode to Pat & Oscar's

Okay, there are a few things I miss about living in Southern California, along with some dear friends and family, those things include Rubio's and Pat & Oscar's.  I can't make fish tacos and don't even want to try at this point, but I have been trying my hand at recreating the bread sticks and pasta dishes at Pat & Oscar's.  They have a delicious pasta called "Mato-Fredo" there that combines their marinara pasta sauce with their alfredo sauce.  It makes me hungry just typing this!!!  Well, I decided to get going on a copy-cat version of my own.  It turned out pretty darn good!  I call it, "Spi-mato-fredo" because I added spinach to the dish as well.  It's been given the official  "stamp of approval" from my amazing friend Stacy, who generally makes me feel like the most fantastic cook ever placed in a kitchen!  To top it all off, this dish is EASY!!!  So if you are looking for a quick, hot and satisfying meal to make for your family, you've got it in this recipe!  If you have to have meat for dinner in order to feel like it's really dinner, chicken is a wonderful addition to this dish!

Enjoy the extra time with the family this easy recipe will give you!

Spi-Mato-Fredo 
Ingredients:
1 box of your favorite pasta
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium sweet onion (optional - but we like onions at our house), finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 jar/can of your favorite pasta sauce (or you can make your own, but that would defeat the purpose of the quick & easy part of this recipe. :))
1 jar of your favorite alfredo sauce (again, you can make your own, but if you're going for quick and easy...)
1 bunch of fresh spinach (washed with stems removed) or a box of frozen spinach
Parmesan Cheese for garnish

Method:
1.)  Prepare pasta according to the box directions
2.)  In a seperate pan, heat olive oil and saute onions until tender, add garlic for the last minute.
3.)  Add pasta sauce & alfredo sauce and heat through
4.)  Add spinach and heat until spinach is soft
5.)  Mix pasta with sauce & garnish with parmesan!

Click here for printable version

Winner, Winner, Chickpea Dinner!

When my husband decided he wanted to change his diet to "mostly meatless", I scoured cookbooks and the internet for recipes that sounded like they would be filling and delicious as well as vegetarian.  I found this very simple recipe in my "Express Lane Meals" cookbook by Rachael Ray.  I love her and I love meals that you can make quickly!    The chickpeas (garbanzo beans) in this sauce make it very creamy and filling.  My youngest, who can be very hard to please when it comes to dinner, scrapes his plate clean after this meal. 

Enjoy a "Roman Holiday" tonight with your family!

Spaghetti alla Ceci
"Spaghetti with Chickpeas"
Ingredients: 
Salt
1 pound spaghetti (I also like to use whole wheat penne pasta)
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (I cut this in half for my little guy's sake)
3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped or minced
1 14- ounce can of chickpeas, drained
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
Black pepper (to taste)
1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken/vegetable stock
1  14-ounce can crushed tomoatos
Grated Parmesan cheese.

Method:
In a large pot, bring water for pasta to boil.  Salt the water & cook the spaghetti according to box directions.
While the spaghetti cooks, heat olive oil in a  large skillet.  Add the red pepper flakes & garlic.
Place the chickpeas in a food processor & pulse until finely chopped.
Add the chickpeas to the skillet with the garlic & season them with thyme, salt & pepper.
Saute them for 3-4 minutes.
Add the wine or stock & cook down for about 30 seconds, then stir in the tomoatoes.
Drain the pasta & toss with the sauce.
Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese
ENJOY!

Click here for printable recipe