Chicken and Kale Casserole

I love buying Kale at my local farmers market and finding dishes that include Kale!  This recipe is easy if you use a rotisserie chicken.  Yum.

Source: Martha Stewart

Ingredients:
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3/4 pound large pasta shells
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large yellow onion, diced medium

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 bunches kale (1 1/2 pounds), tough stems and ribs removed, leaves coarsely chopped

2 cups shredded or chopped cooked chicken (from 1/2 rotisserie chicken)

1 container (48 ounces) part-skim ricotta

3 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest (from 2 lemons)

3/4 cup Parmesan, grated (2 1/4 ounces)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain; return to pot. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high. Add onion and garlic; cook until onion is beginning to soften, 4 minutes. Add kale, cover, and cook until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to pot with pasta.

2. Stir in chicken, ricotta, lemon zest, and 1/2 cup Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish; top with 1/4 cup Parmesan. Bake until top is golden, 30 minutes.

Cooking Light Pasta Salad with Mint, Melon & Prosciutto

I just discovered a wonderful little Italian shop in Littleton, CO that specializes in homemade raviolis and also has all the staples of a good Italian deli including fabulous prosciutto!  For my local readers, the shop is called The Rav House Homemade Gourmet.  On the day I visited the owner had just pulled out a batch of scratch made cinnamon rolls that he was taking to his fellow shop owners and he gave me one straight out of the oven.  Heavenly!  Ok, back to the recipe, in a Cooking Light magazine they had several mix and match pasta salad recipes and this one was perfect since I had just brought home the Italian prosciutto!

Source: Cooking Light

Ingredients:
3 cups of your favorite cooked, chilled pasta with a tablespoon of olive oil
½ cup cubed fresh cantaloupe
2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves
2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
1.5 ounces shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:
Mix and enjoy.  So easy!

Gnocchi and Squash

I just love homemade gnocchi!  Add some zucchini, cheese and fresh basil and it makes a great dinner!

Source: Real Simple August 2013

Ingredients

• 1 pound gnocchi, fresh or frozen  (I used some that I had pre-made and froze) - Here is the recipe I use Homemade Gnocchi Recipe
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 yellow squash (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 4 ounces Feta, crumbled (about 1 cup)
• 1/3 cup torn fresh basil leaves

Directions

1. Cook the gnocchi according to the package directions; drain and return it to the pot.  Note:  If you have made some and frozen them, just cook in boiling water until thye rise to the top of the water in the pot.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the squash, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
3. Add the squash to the gnocchi and toss to combine. Serve sprinkled with the Feta and basil. Season with pepper.

Pasta with Bacon and Leeks

Food Network magazine this month featured Bacon.  This recipe was on their front cover and was easy and delicious!  The magazine is being treated like a work of art in my house and the guys are pouring over each page of bacon goodness :)  Enjoy!

Source: Food Network

Ingredients:

• Kosher salt
• 12 ounces mezzi rigatoni (or other short pasta)
• 4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 bunch leeks (white and light green parts only), halved lengthwise, thinly sliced and rinsed well
• Freshly ground pepper
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping

Instructions:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water; drain the pasta.
2. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels; pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the drippings from the skillet.
3. Add the leeks to the drippings in the skillet. Season with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the heavy cream and cook until it begins to thicken, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the pasta to the skillet along with the parmesan, half of the bacon and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; toss to coat, adding enough of the reserved pasta cooking water to loosen. To serve, top with the remaining bacon, and more parmesan.

Mostaccioli Salad

I made this for a wrestling team family cookout recently and I was so excited when one of the mom's asked for the recipe!  This is an old family recipe and I have an original with my mom's handwriting on my grandma's stationary.  I treasure those recipes!  This recipe is easy and I served it chilled.  The ingredients lend itself perfectly to sit out at a picnic.  This can also be made with penne or other pasta.  A random fact....mostaccioli means "little mustache" in Italian.  I thought that was fun!  Enjoy! 

Source: My Mom/Grandma

Ingredients & Instructions:

16 oz mostaccioli cooked al dente

1 cucumber

1 green bell pepper

1 sweet onion

(thinly slice cucumber, pepper and onion - I used a food processor)

Next combine the following for the dressing:

1 1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup white vinegar

1 cup water

1 tsp. salt

1 Tablespoon Parsley flakes

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1 Tablespoon prepared mustard

(I put them in a Tupperware and shake, until combined)

Then toss all ingredients together and enjoy. 

French Onion Rigatoni (aka French Onion Soup Macaroni and Cheese)

My love of caramelized onions is well known to anyone reading this blog.  I always have them on hand and I am continuously in search of more recipes using caramelized onions.  Well, Mac and Cheese with caramelized onions sounded like a match made in heaven!  Yum!  This recipe takes a bit of work, but it is really good!

Source: 30 days 30 ways mac and cheese

Ingredients:3 pounds yellow onions (7-8 medium), peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
3/4 pound rigatoni pasta
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
1 cup no salt-added beef broth
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground white or black pepper
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) grated Wisconsin Emmentaler Cheese, divided
2 slices white bread, torn into pieces
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

Instructions:(Skip to the next step if you have caramelized onions already prepared)
Place the onion slices and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a wide, thick-bottomed sauté pan and
cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally and always spreading the onions out evenly
over the surface of the pan. Continue to cook the onions over medium heat for almost two hours,
scraping and deglazing the pan with a little bit of plain water as necessary. Once the onions are
cooked down to about 2 cups, remove the pan from heat and let the caramelized onions cool.


Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large pot of water, cook the pasta just until al dente,
rinse it thoroughly with cold water, drain well, and set aside.


In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Once the butter is melted, whisk in the all-purpose flour, milk, beef broth, salt, and ground pepper. Continue to whisk the mixture over medium heat. When the sauce thickens up to the consistency of custard sauce, remove the saucepan from heat. Whisk in 1 cup of the grated Emmentaler cheese while the mixture is still hot; set aside.


Grease a ceramic or glass 9x12x3-inch baking dish; set aside. In a food processor,
pulse together the bread, the remaining olive oil, the remaining Emmentaler and thyme leaves until the mixture resembles coarse meal.


In a large mixing bowl, mix together the pasta, the cheese sauce, and the caramelized onions,
making sure the onion pieces are distributed evenly. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.  (This is the perfect time to take a taste test!)

Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture all over the surface of the pasta mixture. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the pasta is heated through.

Penne with Herbs, Tomatoes and Basil

Perfect light summer dinner!  I don't know about anyone else but when I see the red, orange and yellow sweet cherry tomatoes at the grocery store I grab them and then decide what I can make with them....that is if I don't snack on too many of them.

Source: Cooking Light June 2013

Ingredients:

8 ounces uncooked penne pasta

1 cup frozen green peas, thawed

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

3 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 ounce fresh Parmesan cheese, shaved (about 1/4 cup)

Instructions:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Add peas during last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add garlic; cook 4 minutes or until garlic begins to brown, stirring occasionally. Increase heat to medium-high. Add tomatoes to pan; cook 1 minute. Add pasta mixture, salt, and pepper to pan; cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. Stir in basil and parsley. Sprinkle with cheese.

Shrimp and Pasta with Tomatoes, Lemon and Spinach

I have been a bit delayed in posting this and honestly I looked at the picture and I am considering making it again for dinner...  putting the ingredients on my grocery list right now.
 
Source: Bev Cooks Blog

Ingredients (2 servings):

1/2 pound extra large shrimp, thawed, peeled and deveined
2 tsp lemon zest, divided
1 pinch crushed red pepper
1 sprig fresh thyme, leaves removed and chopped
1 sprig fresh oregano, leaves removed and chopped
2 basil leaves, torn
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
4 cups baby spinach
2 Tbs. lemon juice (or more!)
1/2 pound angel hair pasta
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions:

1. On a plate, toss the shrimp with the crushed red pepper, half the lemon zest, chopped herbs and a pinch of salt and pepper. Let it sit while you start the rest.

2. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high. Add the garlic and bloom 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes along the remaining lemon zest. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and sauté for 2 minutes.

3. Add the shrimp in a single layer and sear on one side for 2 minutes. Flip and sear another minute, or until shrimp is cooked through. Keep tossing the tomatoes just a little bit.

4. In the meantime, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the angel hair until al dente, maybe 5 minutes. Drain all but about 1/2 cup of the pasta water and toss with the shrimp and tomato mixture, along with the spinach. Squeeze a lot of lemon juice right in. Season with coarse salt and pepper. Add as much pasta water as you want to create a thin, glorious sauce.

 

BLT Pasta

If you love BLT sandwiches then you will absolutely love this pasta!  Instead of Lettuce for the L there is spinach in this recipe - so it is BST pasta - it just doesn't have the same ring to it.   I'll stick with BLT pasta.

Source: Mix and Match Mama Blog

Ingredients:
8-10 cloves roasted garlic (I found these at the olive bar in my grocery store)

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1/2 pound  pasta (I used whole wheat fettuccine)

10-12 pieces of bacon, chopped (you can use regular or turkey bacon)

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

2 cups spinach leaves

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

8-10 basil leaves, torn or chopped

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

Salt and Pepper

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Take a baking sheet (line it with foil for easy clean up) and spread out cherry tomatoes.  Drizzle tomatoes with EVOO and sprinkle salt and pepper over all of them.  Bake for 15 minutes. 

3. While the tomatoes are roasting, bring a large pot of water to boil, drop pasta and cook until al dente (approx. 7-8 minutes).

4. Meanwhile, over medium-high heat, heat a tablespoon of EVOO.  Once hot, add in chopped bacon to brown (about 6 minutes). Add in chicken stock and salt and pepper to your bacon pan and lower the heat to medium-low and simmer 3-5 minutes. 

5. Stir in your spinach, roasted tomatoes and roasted garlic pieces to the bacon pan.

6. Drain pasta and add to bacon mixture.  Stir in cheese and basil.

Beef and Mushroom Stroganoff

Made this for dinner and I am already thinking about making it again!  Comfort food made healthier by Cooking Light.

Source: Cooking Light April 2013

Ingredients:
5 ounces uncooked wide egg noodles

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 pound beef tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

3/4 teaspoon salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

1 cup thinly sliced leek

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 (6-ounce) package presliced shiitake mushrooms

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon hot paprika

1 cup unsalted beef stock

1/2 cup light sour cream

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

 

Instructions:

 

1. Cook noodles according to package directions; drain.

 

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat; swirl to coat. Add beef; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook 4 minutes or until browned, turning to brown on all sides. Remove beef from pan.

 

3. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add leek, thyme, garlic, and mushrooms; sauté 5 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle mushroom mixture with flour and paprika; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add stock; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 2 minutes or until sauce is thickened, stirring frequently. Stir in beef, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and sour cream. Serve over noodles; sprinkle with parsley.

Classic Baked Mac and Cheese

Food Network magazine (March 2013) had an article for "50 Mac & Cheese Recipes".  They included everything from Italian, Lobster and Onion to Bacon/Chipotle Mac & Cheese.  While so many of them sounded delicious, I started with the classic baked mac and cheese.  Total comfort food!  I'm trying to decide which version I try next...50....so many to choose from!

Source:  Food Network Magazine

Ingredients:
Kosher salt
8 ounces fusilli or other short pasta
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk, heated
1 bay leaf
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
2 1/2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded gruyere cheese

Instructions:
1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking, 2 minutes, then whisk in the milk. Add the bay leaf, nutmeg and 1 teaspoon salt and simmer, whisking occasionally, until thick, 8 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and stir in 2 cups cheddar and the gruyere. Stir in the pasta and the reserved cooking water to make a loose sauce.

3. Butter a 2-quart baking dish; add the pasta mixture and top with the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar. Bake 15 minutes

Fettuccine with Tomatoes, Spinach & Mozzarella

The original recipe calls for burrata cheese, but I wasn't able to find any in my local stores.  I asked about it and they said that burrata is seasonal (usually sold in spring and summer).  It is made fresh and can be difficult to find.  Burrata is a ball of mozzarella with a creamy center.  So, this recipe can also be made with fresh mozzarella.  This recipe was delicious and the next time I spot burrata in the store, I will be making it again!
 
Source: Cooking Light March 2013
Ingredients:
 8 oz ounces uncooked fettuccine

Cooking spray

2/3 cup grape tomatoes, halved (about 10 large)

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 (14.5-ounce) can unsalted diced tomatoes, undrained

3/4 teaspoon salt

3 ounces fresh baby spinach (about 3 cups)

4 ounces burrata cheese ( I couldn't find burrata so I used fresh mozzarella)

Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

2. While pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Arrange tomato halves, cut sides down, in pan; cook 1 1/2 minutes or until seared. Stir tomatoes; cook 30 seconds. Remove tomatoes from pan; set aside.

3. Reduce heat to low. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add red pepper and garlic; cook 2 minutes or until fragrant, stirring occasionally. Place canned tomatoes in a mini chopper or food processor; process until almost smooth. Add pureed tomatoes and salt to oil mixture; cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Remove skillet from heat. Add spinach and cooked pasta; toss well until spinach wilts slightly. Arrange about 1 1/3 cups pasta mixture in each of 4 shallow bowls. Divide the seared grape tomato halves evenly among the servings. Dollop about 2 table­spoons burrata (or mozzarella) cheese over each serving, and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.

Rigatoni D

 

I recently had a family dinner at Maggianos and like usual I ordered their "Famous Rigatoni D".  After sampling all the plates at the table the Rigatoni was still my favorite.  So, I decided to try to make it at home.  With a rotisserie chicken and caramelized onions in the fridge it was actually a quick week night dinner and absolutely delicious! 

Source: My version of Rigatoni D from Maggianos
2-3 Servings

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
4 oz.  sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup caramelized onions (see my post)
1/2 tsp chopped garlic
1 rotisserie chicken - remove the breast meat and roughly chop
1/2 oz white wine (I used chardonnay)
3 oz. Marsala wine
4 oz. of Chicken broth
4 oz. of heavy cream
1 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. fresh basil chopped - plus more for garnish
4 oz. rigatoni pasta
Small amount of shaved Parmesan cheese for topping
Salt & Pepper

Instructions:
Remove the breast meat from the rotisserie chicken and roughly chop into pieces.  

In a large pot on medium heat, combine the oil, mushrooms, garlic puree, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper and brown lightly.

Add chicken and caramelized onions to the pot.  Cook for 2 min.

Add the white wine, Marsala wine and the chicken broth. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until the liquid is reduced half. (About 15 min.)

While this is reducing, add rigatoni to a pot of boiling salted water and cook 10-12 min.   Then drain.

Add cream and basil bring to the chicken pot and bring to boil while stirring, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 min.

Add the well-drained rigatoni to the chicken pot.  Mix together gently. Serve with fresh grated Parmesan cheese and basil leaves. 

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Spinach Pesto

The picture of these ravioli in my Cooking Light magazine made my mouth water and I was determined to make them!  They are surprisingly easy.  I used some of my frozen homemade pesto (see my pesto recipe) and just threw a couple handfuls of fresh spinach in the food processor with the pesto. 

Source: Adapted from Cooking Light January 2013

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded (about 1 1/2 pounds)  

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated or shredded

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

36 wonton wrappers

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cups fresh baby spinach

Pesto (jarred or see my pesto recipe)

1/4 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped, and divided

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Place squash halves, cut sides down, on a foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until tender. Cool. Scoop out pulp; discard peel. Mash pulp. Combine oregano, squash pulp, and butter in a large bowl. Stir in 2 ounces (about 1/2 cup) cheese, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Working with 1 wonton wrapper at a time (cover remaining wrappers with a damp towel to keep them from drying), spoon about 1 1/2 teaspoons squash mixture into center of each wrapper. Moisten edges of wrapper with beaten egg; bring 2 opposite corners together. Pinch edges together to seal, forming a triangle. Repeat procedure with remaining wrappers, squash mixture, and egg. Cover ravioli loosely with a towel to prevent drying.
3. Place spinach in a food processor, and pulse until finely chopped. Add premade pesto - approximately 1/4 cup.   
4. Bring 6 quarts water to a boil in a large Dutch oven. Add half of ravioli; cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly cooked. Remove ravioli with a slotted spoon. Repeat procedure with remaining ravioli. Add ravioli to pesto; toss gently to coat. Arrange 6 ravioli on each of 6 plates; sprinkle each serving with 1 teaspoon walnuts.

Mushroom Risotto

This is perfect for a cold winter night.  I have served it as a main dish or as a side for a nice steak dinner.  I drizzle with truffle oil and season at the very end with Black Truffle Sea Salt.  Please keep in mind that you will need a large pan because the recipe makes a large batch. I usually freeze some or pack it for easy microwave lunches.  I have also substituted different mushrooms depending on what I find at the farmers market/grocery store.

Source: Food Network
Ingredients:

8 cups chicken broth, low sodium

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 onion, diced, divided

2 garlic cloves, minced, divided

1 pound fresh portobello and crimini mushrooms, sliced

2 bay leaves

2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons butter

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon truffle oil

1-ounce dried porcini mushrooms, wiped of grit

2 cups Arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated

Fresh Italian parsley, for garnish

 

Instructions:

Heat the chicken broth in a medium saucepan and keep warm over low heat.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 onion and 1 clove garlic, cook, stirring, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the fresh mushrooms, herbs and butter. Saute for 3 to 5 minutes until lightly browned, season with salt and pepper. Drizzle in truffle oil then add the dried porcini mushrooms which were reconstituted in1 cup of warm chicken broth. Season again with salt and fresh cracked pepper. Saute 1 minute then remove from heat and set aside.

Coat a suacepan with remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Saute the remaining 1/2 onion and garlic clove. Add the rice and stir quickly until it is well-coated and opaque, 1 minute. This step cooks the starchy coating and prevents the grains from sticking. Stir in wine and cook until it is nearly all evaporated.

Now, with a ladle, add 1 cup of the warm broth and cook, stirring, until the rice has absorbed the liquid. Add the remaining broth, 1 cup at a time. Continue to cook and stir, allowing the rice to absorb each addition of broth before adding more. The risotto should be slightly firm and creamy, not mushy. Transfer the mushrooms to the rice mixture. Stir in Parmesan cheese, cook briefly until melted. Top with a drizzle of truffle oil and chopped parsley before serving.

Gnocchi with Roasted Vegetables and Gorgonzola Cream Sauce

One of my favorite local restaurants (Venice) serves "Gnocchi au Gratin - Potato Dumplings, asparagus, roasted mushrooms and roasted bell peppers and gorgonzola cream sauce"  It is a seriously decadent dish.  I set out on a mission to try to recreate it. 

Gnocchi - Here is a link to the best recipe I have found - Bev cooks

* 2 russet potatoes, rinsed and scrubbed
* 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 egg
 

After you have rolled out your gnocchi, drop in boiling water and remove when it starts to float.  Place in an oven safe dish. Below is a picture of my cooked gnocchi.

Roasted Vegetable & Gorgonzola Sauce
* 1 pint heavy whipping cream
* 1/4 cup gorgonzola crumbles

Place the whipping cream in a heavy skillet on med/high heat and reduce to about 1/2.  Add the gorgonzola crumbles and stir to melt.
* Roasted garlic, chopped - 2 tbs.
* Roasted red pepper, chopped - 1 pepper
* Roasted mushrooms, sliced - approx. 2 mushrooms
* Roasted asparagus, chopped - approx. 4 spears

I found all of my vegetables at the olive bar in my local grocery store roasted and ready to use.  You could also roast fresh vegetables.  Add the roasted vegetables to the cream sauce and pour over the gnocchi.  See picture below.

For the last step top with grated Parmesan and broil until cheese is melted.  Serve immediately.

Lobster Pappardelle

I have never cooked lobster before - something about seeing the live lobsters in the movie Julie & Julia had me running scared.  This recipe was actually quite simple - I picked up a couple lobster tails on sale at my grocery store and followed the recipe below for a delicious dinner.  I am no longer scared of lobster....now I just have to wait for the next sale on lobster tails to try something else delicious! 

Source: Cooking Light
Ingredients:
1 (8-ounce) package uncooked pappardelle (wide ribbon pasta)

2 cups dry white wine

1/2 cup no-salt-added chicken stock (such as Swanson)

1 thyme sprig

3 (5-ounce) American lobster tails

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons fresh parsley

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

 

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain.  If you buy/make fresh pasta, start with steps 2 & 3 first and then throw it in the boiling water at the last min so you have hot pasta.
2. While pasta cooks, bring wine, stock, and thyme sprig to a boil in a large skillet. Add lobster. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until done. Remove the lobster from pan, and cool slightly. Remove meat from lobster tails; coarsely chop.
3. Add oil, salt, and pepper to wine mixture in pan; bring to a boil. Cook 14 minutes or until reduced to 1/2 cup. Discard thyme sprig. Stir in cream. Add lobster meat and pasta to sauce. Cook 1 minute or until sauce coats pasta, and toss. Sprinkle with parsley and thyme. Serve immediately.

Pasta with Chicken and Roasted Tomatoes

This recipe actually started as a clean out the fridge experiment.  It turned out great so now I intentionally keep the ingredients on hand.

Serves 1
2 oz dried pasta ( I used a mixed pasta)
1 oz goat cheese
1/2 lemon
1/2 chicken breast
10-12 cherry tomatoes
olive oil
salt and pepper

Boil water and cook pasta as directed.  While the pasta is cooking, pan sear the chicken with olive oil on medium heat.  When you flip the chicken breast, add the tomatoes, salt and pepper and cover (to roast the tomatoes). Drain the pasta when it is finished, squeeze the juice of one lemon onto the pasta and stir in 1 oz of goat cheese.  Chop the chicken into bite size cubes and add the chicken and tomatoes to the pasta.  Serve immediately. 

Cavatappi with Brussels Sprouts

I really like brussels sprouts..the funny part is that my Mom doesn't.  This is the reverse situation of a parent trying to get their child to eat vegetables.  So, I cut the spouts thinly and tossed them with pasta and she enjoyed these so much she wanted to take the leftovers home.  I got my Mom to eat brussels sprouts - Success!  This recipe isn't difficult, but I did use 4 pots/sauce pans to get it all cooked.  One other note - I added grilled chicken so my Dad would consider this a "meal".

Cavatappi with Browned Brussels Sprouts and Buttery Breadcrumbs
Source: Cooking Light Nov 2012

Ingredients - Makes 4 servings
8 ounces uncooked cavatappi pasta

2 teaspoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

4 teaspoons olive oil

12 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed and thinly sliced

1 cup thinly sliced onion

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2/3 cup organic vegetable broth

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 ounces pecorino Romano cheese, shaved (about 1/2 cup)

2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

1. 1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and transfer to a large bowl; keep warm.
2. 2. Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat; swirl to coat. Add panko to pan; cook 3 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently.
3. 3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add Brussels sprouts to pan; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add onion and garlic; cook 3 minutes or until onion is tender and the Brussels sprouts are lightly browned. Add broth and next 5 ingredients (through pepper). Cover and cook 2 minutes or until Brussels sprouts are crisp-tender. Add Brussels sprouts mixture to pasta; toss well. Sprinkle with cheese, pine nuts, and panko. Serve immediately.

Pumpkin Gnocchi with Butter Thyme Sauce

Recipe from the Colorado Colore A Palate of Tastes by the Junior League of Denver:

Pumpkin Gnocchi:
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
2 T. butter
1 1/4 cups flour
1 egg lightly beaten
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
1 tsp. nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste

For the gnocchi, combine the pumpkin and butter in a saucepan.  Cook over low heat until thickened, stirring frequently.  Remove from the heat.  Add the flour, egg, egg yolk, nutmeg, salt and pepper gradually, stirring constantly until a soft dough forms.  (note- I had to add more flour to get a true dough consistency)

Roll small batches of dough into long snake shapes (see picture) and then cut into individual gnocchi pieces.  Cut all the dough.  Bring the broth to a boil in a large stockpot.  Drop the gnocchi 12 at a time into the boiling broth.  Boil until they rise to the surface.  Remove the gnocchi to a bowl using a slotted spoon.  Repeat the process with the remaining dough.

Butter Thyme Sauce
1/3 cup butter
2 T. chopped fresh thyme
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese

For the sauce, combine the butter and chopped thyme in a small saucepan.  Simmer over low heat for 2 min, stirring frequently.

To serve, spoon the sauce over the gnocchi in a serving bowl.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and garnish with a sprig of thyme.