Date Night Pasta

This pasta is a go to recipe for me when it comes time to cook for a date for the first time.  Its very simple and will fill their stomach perfectly.  The sausage can be cooked ahead of time.  The sauce can be made while the water for the pasta comes to a boil and the pasta cooks (perfect for getting to know you chit chat).  It makes a beautiful plate and the flavor is perfection.  Served with a salad, some garlic bread and a bottle of good wine and you have yourself a dinner your date will never forget.

Sometimes I get ahead of myself.  When I started this recipe, I cooked the sausage before taking pictures.  So that is a bowl of already cooked and crumbled sausage.  Also, we've already gone over how to cook pasta before.  If you need a refresher, check out the Cheesy Chicken Penne Casserole Recipe from a couple of weeks ago.  Finally, chop the onion and mince the parsley.  Now, let's get cooking.

First, cook the sausage in a turn of olive oil.  If you are using the mild Italian sausage and adding your own heat, add the red pepper flakes to the sausage while its cooking.  Remove the sausage and set aside.  In the same pan, saute the onions.  If your sausage didn't yield enough to cook the onions in, add a turn or two of olive oil.  Halfway through, add the garlic.  Saute until the onions are soft and opaque.

Add the drained tomatoes, cream and salt.  Stir until combined and simmer about 8-10 minutes (add the pasta to the salted, boiling water at this time) until the sauce has thickened up.

Seriously, just looking at this sauce in pictures makes my mouth water. ~swallows~

Now, once everything is done, you have two choices.  You can add the pasta to the sauce (or vice versa) and mix well. Or, you can plate the pasta and ladle the sauce over the top.  This is my personal choice for this meal.  Top with parmesan cheese if you'd like.  Sometimes I feel like it, sometimes not.  This time I did not.  I did sprinkle with some minced parsley though.  

Feel free to serve with a salad, garlic bread and wine. I am perfectly happy with just the pasta and sauce.  Enjoy!

Bow Ties w/Creamy Tomato and Sausage Sauce

Serves  4

 12 oz pkg bow tie pasta

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 lb hot Italian sausage

(or 1 lb sweet Italian sausage

and 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes)

1/2 c diced onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

28 oz can diced tomatoes, drained

1 1/2 c heavy cream

1/2 tsp salt

3 Tbsp parsley

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.  Cook pasta in boiling water for 8-10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.  Heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat.  Cook sausage and pepper flakes until sausage is evenly brown.  Stir in onion and garlic and cook until onion is tender.  Stir in tomatoes, cream and salt.  Simmer until mixture thickens, 8-10 minutes.  Stir cooked pasta into sauce and heat through.  Sprinkle with parsley.  Serves 6

Love and Laughter!

Easy Asian Noodles

I simply adore simple, cheap and yummy food!  But then again, who doesn't?  When I found this recipe I was spending 12 days house/cat sitting in one of my best friend's home.  Andrew stayed home with our dog and cats and I took the opportunity to enjoy the solitude and to also look for recipes to feed one or two for the inevitable day when Andrew moves out on his own and I become the Crazy Cat Lady.  

I came upon this recipe on a college student recipe website.  Of course, I adapted it to fit my needs (its always about me) and tastes.  What could be cheaper than ramen noodles and cabbage?  Its really good.  I promise!  And perfect for one or two people.  I figure it makes enough to two meals or 4 side dishes.

Easy Asian Noodles

1/2 large onion, diced

1 lb skirt steak

2 teaspoons oil, divided (i used a light tasting olive oil)

2 big handfuls packaged coleslaw mix

2 packages ramen noodles (i had chicken flavor on hand when I first made it)

1 1/2 cups water

1 Tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

Slice the steak across the grain into thin slices.  Heat 1 tsp oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add onions; stir fry 2 minutes.  Add steak (I used chicken this time.) and stir fry until done.  Remove steak mixture from skillet;  keep warm.

 

Heat remaining 1 tsp oil in skillet over medium high heat.  Add coleslaw mix; stir fry for 30 seconds.  Remove slaw from skillet and keep warm.  

Remove noodles from packages; reserve 1 seasoning packet for another use.  Add water and remaining seasoning packet to skillet.  Bring to boil.  

Break noodles in half and add to water.  Cook noodles 2 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently.  

 

Stir in steak mixture, slaw and soy sauce.  Cook until thoroughly heated.  Serve in a bowl with a lovely set of chopsticks picked up at the local international grocery store.

We made a double recipe (had to use two pans since I don't have a super big one for 4 packages of ramen noodles).  This left us with enough leftover to take to work/school for lunch the next day.

I have used chicken instead of steak with excellent results as well.  Andrew likes adding red pepper flakes when he makes it.  I'm not a big fan myself.  Not everything needs to be hot and spicy (I am spicy enough already).  Sometimes, just a good bowl of noodles hits the spot.  The only adjustment that I would make to this recipe now is maybe adding some edamame.  

Edamame is my new favorite veggie of the year.  I plan on exploring the versatility of this little gem of a veggie, from the plain to the unreal; in the weeks and months ahead!  Edamame:  Good for you and tasty too!

But I digress.  This is the perfect recipe to adapt to whatever your taste buds are screaming for today.

Love and Laughter

Cheesy Chicken Penne Casserole

Its an unusually cold weekend here in Albuquerque.  Yesterday was very windy with an odd fog-like event was going on in the afternoon.  Today has been breezy but still very chilly compared to the warm temps of the last week.  It was in the 80s!  Its almost 4pm right now and in the upper 50s!  So, I decided it was the perfect time to turn on the oven and make this yummy looking recipe.  Here are the ingredients:

There should be more on the counter.  Next time!

1 lb penne pasta 
olive oil
2 chicken breasts
Salt & Pepper
8 oz sliced baby portobello mushrooms
6 tablespoons butter
1 cup flour
1/4 c minced garlic
6 cups milk (1% works just fine)
14 oz can diced tomatoes w/basil, oregano & garlic (drained)
2 cups Italian blend shredded cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or Parmesan)
(add seasonings like oregano & basil or italian seasonings and most definitely some salt)


The original recipe that I based this on didn't call for the extra seasonings that I have listed at the bottom.  Who knows what I was thinking that caused me to miss this in the first place.  I think I was hypnotized with the picture and the cheesy chicken.  I am weak, but I resolve to be stronger in choosing my recipes (and making better adjustments) next time.  Actually, there is little wrong with the recipe other than the lack of seasonings.  I really don't understand how anyone can eat such bland food.  I guess if you were having some sort of medical issue where you needed to eat bland foods this would be perfect as it is.  However, for me and everyone else with a mature palate, I will make this again in the future, add more flavor and then update this entry with the new additions.  Now, on to the instructions.


Fill a large soup pot 3/4 full of water.  While it comes to a boil, heat a pan with a couple of turns of olive oil.  Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally.  Salt and pepper both sides.  Cook them until they are done.  Set aside (and out of the way of the dog and cats... or maybe that's just my unruly brood).  When the water is boiling, add enough salt to flavor the water.  It should taste like (clean) sea water.  This is the one and only time you have to flavor the pasta itself.  It may seem like alot of salt, but nowhere near all of it will be absorbed.  Do not skimp on this step!  Add the pasta and cook for 8 minutes.  Don't panic.  It will finish cooking in the oven.

 

Don't forget to season the chicken too!

The joys of living at high altitude:  water rarely boils.  Takes a little longer to cook, but it still works.

After the chicken is done, saute the mushrooms in the same pan in the juices from the chicken.  If needed, add either butter or olive oil to keep the mushrooms from sticking.  I like using what was left in the pan after the chicken.  The mushrooms will soak up all of that flavor and eventually start to release the water inside of them which will bring up all of that yummy brown goodness on the bottom of the pan.

When the pasta is done, drain it into a colander.  Keep it there until ready to use.  In the same pot, melt the butter.  Add flour and garlic.  I think next time I will split the garlic between sauteing with the mushrooms and adding with the flour.  That way there is an extra layer of flavor.  Anyway, whisk the flour butter mixture until it looks like this:

This is a roux.

Slowly add in milk while continuing to whisk.  Continue to whisking until the milk has thickened.  It won't be as thick as you would think it should be.  The pasta will soak up some of the milk as it finishes cooking in the oven.  You will know when it is thick enough when it coats the back of a spoon like this:

This is called nappe.  This is a fancy French word that describes the consistency of a sauce when it coats the back of a spoon and holds the shape of a line after a finger is dragged through it.  Next, add the mushrooms, chicken, drained tomatoes and the Italian blend cheese.  Continue stirring until everything is combined and the cheese is melted.  You might want to change to a spoon at this point because the melty cheese gets caught up in the wires of the whisk creating a big clump.  Add the pasta and stir to combine.  Its occurring to me that some steamed asparagus tips might be a nice addition right now too.

Pour half to 3/4 into a 9x13 baking dish coated with a non-stick cooking spray.  Top with mozzarella cheese.  In fact, you could top it with Parmesan cheese for more flavor. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 400 F or until brown and toasty.

The rest I have poured into a smaller metal pan, covered it with plastic wrap and foil and put it in the freezer.  I read that this freezes well.  I will bring it out again on the next chilly day and try it out.  It should be baked at 400 F for an hour to an hour and a half, top with cheese and then bake for another 15 minutes until brown and toasty!

The texture was good but could have stood to be a little moister.  The flavor was good for being bland I suppose.  It really does need some herbs and seasoning.  I think it definitely needs salt, but then I like a good salty dish too.  Enjoy this with a good salad with some homemade bleu cheese dressing. 

Love and Laughter

Happy Easter

We aren't real big on pomp and circumstance when it comes to holidays.  In fact, we aren't real big on pomp and circumstance at all.  Its just the two of us in this house and the rest of our family lives a thousand miles away.  What we really love to do is cook and eat.  So each family holiday we plan a fun menu and make the day special like that.
I woke up at 7:45 this morning and started in on creating the holiday feast.  The first thing I did was make buttermilk biscuits.  I used a recipe out of my trusty Betty Crocker cookbook which never fails.  Its not the best biscuit I've ever had nor the best biscuit I've ever made (that would be from a recipe I acquired during baking school... I really need to find that again).  It is, however, a good solid biscuit and Andrew, my son, likes them.

They were suppose to be Cheesy Garlic Biscuits, but I had almost literally woken up and walked into the kitchen and started to work.  No coffee and still in my pajamas.  I completely forgot.  So, regular buttermilk biscuits is what we had.

Next came the Strawberry Rhubarb Pie.  I personally had never had Strawberry Rhubarb before.  It was one of my mother's favorites and has become one of Andrew's favorites as well.  I tend to be a *very* picky eater growing up and still am for the most part but I am growing out of it slowly but surely.  In fact, I think my passion for recipes and starting this blog will help encourage me to try new things. 

Last week, I made a dear friend of mine a Cherry Pie and my recipe for pie dough (this one *is* from the baking school) makes enough for 4 single crust pies or 2 double crust pies.  I kept the extra dough in the freezer and took it out to thaw yesterday.  After I rolled out the bottom, I arranged it in the pie dish and put it back in the refrigerator to chill.  I then went to work on the filling.  I came across a recipe on the Food Network website.  It sounded good and the kid agreed. 

I like things simple.  So, I bought a bag of frozen strawberries and a bag of frozen rhubarb.  I put them in the fridge to thaw yesterday (with the pie dough).  This morning I just poured them into a bowl along with 1 1/2 cups of sugar, 2 tablespoons of minute tapioca, a tablespoon of flour, a teaspoon of lemon zest, a teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and a teaspoon or two of vanilla (I always pour this freehand).  Then simply stir until combined.

     

I rolled out the top layer of the crust, poured the filling into the pie dish, topped it with the pie dough and stuck it in the oven.  I find that dealing with homemade pie dough, no matter what season it is, is not an easy task in the home.  At school it was much easier because the temperature of the kitchen was more easily controlled and of course the prep area was not right next to the oven.  In the home, the temperature is undoubtedly "comfortable" while the ideal temperature for pie dough should always be chilly for the best results.  My kitchen is a regular old kitchen and the temp in the house is not all that chilly now that Spring is upon us in full here in New Mexico.  Here is what my dough looked like when I put it on top of the filling.  Not very pretty but it makes no matter.  I trimmed it up and tucked it under and stuck it in the oven.  It turned out beautifully.  Unfortunately, you'll have to trust me as I did not get a picture of it uncut.  You can sort of tell from the results pictures though.

After the pie came out of the oven, the ham and potatoes went in.  We glazed the game with our family tradition of mustard and brown sugar.  Andrew made it so the measurements are not available.  Just mix the two until it tastes yummy then smear it all over the ham.  Bake the ham (and the potatoes) at 325F for 20 minutes per pound (an hour and a half for the potatoes).  With our ham it baked for 2 hours and 40 minutes.  After an hour and a half, I pulled the potatoes out, scooped out the insides, added some milk, butter, garlic salt and a hand full of cheddar cheese and mixed it until yummy.  I scooped the mixture back into the potato shells and then put them in the fridge until it was time to bake the Asparagus and Cheese Tart.  This is where they stay even at this very moment.  Sounds like it will be a nice side dish for leftovers tomorrow!

Just a small portion of the ham.  It just does look yummy!

After the ham comes out, I mix some pecans with some peanut oil, a few pinches of salt and a handful of brown sugar and then toast them in the oven for 7-9 minutes.  Turns out it was a minute or two too long.  They weren't burned but *really* close.  I tossed these over some spinach with some Danish bleu cheese and raspberry vinaigrette.  Its very close to one of my favorite salads.  

Finally, I rolled out a puff pastry sheet to fit my cookie sheet and poked it (for what i think is) all over with a fork.  I baked it at 400F for 12 minutes.  When I pull it out, one side of it has puffed way up.  I push it back down, cracking it in places.  Andrew mixes a cup of grated fontina cheese, a cup of shredded swiss cheese, two egg yolks, the zest of half a lemon, half of a small shallot minced, 3 tablespoons of whole milk, and a couple of pinches of nutmeg.  He then spread it on the puff pastry leaving an edge like spreading sauce on pizza dough.  I top the cheese with a pound of lightly steamed asparagus tossed with some olive oil, sea salt and pepper.  We then bake the whole thing for another 15 minutes.  The result is very pretty and even more yummy.

And this completes our Easter meal.  It was fun trying out new recipes and its always a pleasure to cook with my son.  I hope your Easter has been filled with great food, fun times and the people you love most.

Love and Laughter

Welcome

Welcome, my friends, to the newest adventure in my life.  This won't be a surprise to any of my family and friends, but I have an addiction to reading and collecting recipes. With the encouragement of many of you, I have taken this colossal time sucker of an addiction and am turning it into something productive.  My son is a great cook.  Arguably, a better cook than I am.  He does half the cooking around here.  I will share our secrets (probably more than you ever wanted to know), helpful hints (nothing very earth shattering), and amazing tools that I come across.  I will post some original recipes occasionally, but mostly it will be recipes that I have found online, in magazines or stolen from friends.  I will share the experience and results of cooking it along with any suggestions I might have.