Lemony Pasta with Chickpeas

Pasta is on the rotation for dinner at our house about once a week.  Most the time its some variation of Pasta Whatever (looking back at this post, it's one that I should update!), tonight it's going to be Mac and Cheese, sometimes it's premade Tortoni's from Trader Joes. Another thing that has been on the weekly rotation is a batch of beans cooked in the pressure cooker.  Often its Beans and Greens with Sausage (pretty much follow this recipe, using unsoaked beans and cook for 20 - 22 minutes using the bean setting on the cooker), sometimes I just cook plain beans like black beans or chickpeas that go into other things, like tacos or queso's, salads, humous, etc.  Looking for a way to use up some freshly cooked chickpeas, I discovered a new recipe that is getting made at least once a month.   I found it on a google search (chickpea pasta) on a fun blog called It is 2020 and We Are Food Blogging, Baby, traced in back to a recipe on the New York times cooking app, and pretty much follow the recipe as far as ingredients, but change up a couple of things to make it easier.  

  

Here's what my workspace looks like.  I'm following the recipe on my iPad.  When making something for the first time, I usually get everything out before I start.  Since this is something that comes together quickly, its something I will continue to do (if there are gaps in the cooking, I generally will get things out as I need them).

Ok, maybe I staged this photo a little...

A couple of things make this pasta different that my normal.  One is adding chickpeas (which is an Italian tradition), but you also mash some of the chickpeas to thicken the sauce.  You are also using parsley as a green, a whole bunch is used.  Although I haven't tried it, I think this would be good with any green like spinach if you didn't have parsley on hand. The other things that give this pasta flavors that are different than my typical flavor palette is adding rosemary (which comes from one of the big bushes in my yard) and butter. Adding butter to make things better should not be a surprise, why have I never done this?

One change to the NYT's recipe is to use a potato masher to mash the beans in the skillet ... no need for another bowl!  The other is to transfer the pasta directly from the pasta pot to the skillet using a large slotted spoon.  This keeps from getting a colander dirty, plus I don't accidently forget to save some of the pasta water for the sauce at the end.  

Lemony Pasta With Chickpeas and Parsley

8 ounces penne other short, sturdy pasta
2 cups cooked chickpeas, home-cooked or canned
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
½ onion, diced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
 Pinch of red pepper flakes, plus more as needed
1 ½ cups chickpea cooking liquid (if canned, just use water)
3 cups fresh parsley leaves (from 1 large bunch)
⅔ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
1 tablespoon butter
 Finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
 Salt and Ground black pepper to taste

Put a large pot of water on to boil for the pasta, then immediately start the sauce. 

For the sauce, heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic until just starting to brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in onions, rosemary, red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft, about 5 minutes.

When the water boils add the pasta. 

Just after starting the pasta to cook, add the chickpeas to the onions, and use a potato masher to lightly mash them; they should be about half-crushed.  Then add the cooking liquid or water. Bring to a simmer and cook gently until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes.  Turn the heat down or off if the pasta is not done yet.

When the pasta is slightly underdone, transfer the pasta to the sauce using a slotted spoon (alternately, save a cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta with a colander).  Add parsley, and cook (turn the heat back up to medium if you turned it down) until the pasta has finished cooking and is coated in the sauce, 1 to 2 minutes, adding pasta water to get a nice sauce (typically I will add a 1/2 cup or so).  Quickly toss in cheese, butter, lemon zest and black pepper.  Taste and add more salt if needed. Divide into bowls, and sprinkle with additional cheese to garnish.

Quarantine Eating

So what have you been cooking for the pandemic?  It's clear that I gravitate to the kitchen and cooking for stress relief, but not sure that's it a net benefit considering how stressful grocery shopping has been.  Seeing empty shelves is kind of scary (on top of the risk of being out in public).  Plus we have been getting a good portion of our food delivered, mostly though Amazon Fresh, which is frustrating trying to find things in stock and getting delivery slots. But I have filled my freezer with plenty of soups and stews "just in case" and doing a better job that normal at using up all of the things in the corner of the pantry and bottom of the freezer. 

I am grateful for so many things ... so far my friends and family are all healthy, we have a nice house, live someplace where we can get out for walks and runs, great neighbors, technology that lets us get together virtually.    Now if it would just stop raining!

Some of what I have been cooking ... some new recipes and some old: 

 A new recipe, Pasta with Chickpeas  from Melissa Clark at the NYT cooking.

This one is destined to become a favorite.  I pretty much followed the recipe, although I only had a half bunch of parsley.  I did use fresh cooked chickpeas ... my neighbor had a couple of pounds in the back of her pantry that were "at least" a couple of years old and was unsure how to cook, so I volunteered to cook in my pressure cooker...  I soaked them for 12 hours and cooked for 12 minutes in the pressure cooker and they were great. I'm grateful for great neighbors! Of course I haven't seen dry chickpeas in the stores, but the local store here is starting to get canned ones again.

I also found a tart crust recipe I like. What's great about this is that you can just bake off one small tart and save the dough for later. I have not tried the filling in this recipe, the filling was a freezer discovery, some lemon curd that I made year, topped with some Greek yogurt and chocolate chips. I sometimes make things and put them into the freezer for a rainy day.  We had over 3 1/2 inches of rain last week, so that counts as a rainy day! 

I have been getting what are essentially CSA boxes from my favorite farmer at the Farmers market.. including lots of beets.   

My try at Pickled Beets was successful.
There have been lots of meals with green incorporated in them...

Like Curried Lentils (this is with beet greens). I was able to get lentils last week at the local store, and this recipe will work with green lentils too, its just not as pretty. And Spinach Swiss Chard Crusted Quiche with Fennel and Sausage.  In a stroke of genius, I oven roasted the fennel, onion, and sausage in the filling on a sheet pan (at the same time as cooking the crust) .. one less skillet to wash and less total time.  

And we have not had to sacrifice our lunch salads..   And in case you think every meal is all healthy and green like this, the salad is incorporating some left-over take-out fried chicken from a local restaurant (doing our part to support local business...).

There are also lots of meals with wheat and cheese ... 

Like pizza (I have been experimenting with a no-knead crust) and Macaroni and Cheese.


Also in the comfort food category was Meatloaf.    And the mini-loaf I froze came out great.  I thawed in a bowl of cold water (took about an hour), then it needed to bake for about 45 minutes. 

Plus some simple dinners, like a loaded baked sweet potato and the quesadillas  pictured with the beets. 

And the normal...Foil Grilled Fish, (using up some fish a neighbor gave us last fall)  Stir fry,  and "Whatever" Pasta. 

  
I've also been experimenting with no-knead bread ... but that's another post.   Stay well, and let me know how you are doing!

Meatballs with Mushroom Gravy

As promised, more ways to use old bread.

This is one of the meals that I used to cook with my mom growing up.  We ate a lot of hamburger.  There was a rotation that included spaghetti with meat sauce, chili mac, taco's, sloppy joes, and hamburgers for normal weeknight dinners.   Weekends might include pork chops or fried chicken, or occasionally steaks. Once in while a pot of stew, chili, or beans and ham hocks.  Duck and other game birds were also eaten weekly through the fall and winter, and fresh fish when someone caught some trout or bass.  There was always a vegetable to go with, and potatoes if not pasta.  We ate very well, most everything from scratch, with a few helpers like a can of soup (but never ever Hamburger Helper!).  From those days, I still have the habit of cooking dinner, at home, most nights.  And once in a while, I still want one of those hamburger based dinners.

In the path to eating less CRAP, I have cut out most of the shortcuts, like cream of something soup. Generally, the cream, the something, maybe some onions and broth will pretty much replace any of these. But I have done things that do make life a bit easier, like baking the meatballs.

Before and after baking the meatballs

The bread is considered a "stretcher" to make the meat go further, but they are also key to getting the right texture.  I use fresh bread to make this, but you can substitute about a 1/2 cup of dry breadcrumbs, plus an extra tablespoon of milk.  

But the big change is making the mushroom sauce from scratch, not starting with a can of cream of mushroom soup.  It is certainly more work, but not really hard.  And so much better.   

One last note....  If you make this with the full recipe, and plenty of noodles, it will feed 4.  For just the 2 us, I just use half the meatballs (and freeze the other half).  I generally make something green to go with (above with some roasted asparagus).  I make a few less noodles, but all the gravy (I like it saucy).  It feeds both of us and enough left for a lunch.  

You can also freeze all the meatballs for a total do-ahead weeknight dinner.

Meatballs with Mushrooms

Meatballs: 

1 egg1 cup (about 1 slice) fresh bread crumbs or cubes

½ of a small onion, minced

2 tablespoons milk 

½ teaspoon Worcestershire or fish sauce

2 tablespoons fresh parsley (or 2 teaspoons dry)

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 pound ground beef

2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400F (convection if you have it).  Prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper. 

In medium sized bowl, lightly beat egg.  Add the bread, onion, milk, and seasonings.  Stir and let bread get mushy.  Add beef and cheese, gently mix together (hands work best).  Make golf ball sized meatballs and place on prepared sheet pan.   Bake for 15 – 20 minutes, turning balls after 10 minutes.  They are done when brown and cooked through. 

Once the meatballs are in the oven, you can start the mushroom gravy and pasta.  Or, the meatballs can be done ahead and refrigerated or frozen.    

NOTE:   for just the two of us, I just use half the meatballs (and freeze the other half).   I make the same amount of pasta and gravy.  

Mushroom gravy:

8 ounces sliced mushrooms

½ of a small onion, diced

½ teaspoon salt

¼ cup flour

¼ cup white wine (optional)

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup milk (preferably whole milk)

Salt, pepper to taste

Parsley or other herb for garnish

6 – 8 ounces egg noodles  

Heat oil or butter in large skillet, add mushrooms and onions, add salt. Place pot of salted water on to boil for noodles.  Sauté the mushrooms until they have released their moisture.  Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms, stir and cook until flour is absorbed.  Add white wine, stir and let cook down, then add broth and stir well (if using cold meatballs, add now). Bring to a simmer.  Cook the noodles. Let the gravy simmer until the noodles are almost done, then add milk and warm meatballs.   When the noodles are done, drain and add to the meatballs and gravy.  Stir to mix, then taste, add salt and pepper as needed.  Sprinkle with herbs and serve.

Leftover meatballs, heated with a handful of kale and Bread Crumb Topping.

Pasta with Sausage and Squash

I know its not winter (not even close in Phoenix) but we are starting to see butternut squash in the farmers market....

Pasta with Sausage and Squash

Adjust to your taste… this works well with pre-cooked chicken sausages, or with Italian turkey sausage. I have been getting some good sausage at the farmers market, but it’s not Italian. So I add some fennel seed and red pepper flakes. The original recipe did not call for any greens, but I really like it, and it looks good.

1 small winter squash, peeled and chopped into cubes

1 tablespoon olive oil

8 ounces Italian pork sausage

1 teaspoon rosemary, minced (optional)

1 small onion, minced

1 large clove garlic, minced

½ cup white wine

6 ounces baby spinach or other greens (chopped if large leaf)

½ pound pasta, such as penne

Parmesan cheese

Chop the vegetables, then you can start cooking everything at the same time..

Steam the squash in a covered bowl in the microwave. Use just a bit of water, takes 4 or 5 minutes (should be almost tender).

Start a large pot of water to boil for the pasta.

Heat a large skillet over medium, add the oil. Crumble the sausage in the pan, add rosemary (and other spices if using) and cook. When the sausage is mostly brown, add the onion and garlic.

When the water comes to a boil, throw in a good bit of salt, then add the pasta.

Add the wine to the skillet, and scrape any bits. Add the cooked squash (and cooking liquid). Turn the heat down.

Just before the pasta is done, add the spinach to the pan (if using kale or other studier green, add a bit earlier). Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss. Add some pasta water if it seems dry.

Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Creamy Pasta Sauce

OK, so obviously I have not made the blog every day goal.  So I'm resetting the goal to blog every week...  at least until the end of the year.

Always an inspiration are recipes that I e-mail out to family and friends.   I was talking to my brother today, who had some chicken he needed to cook, and wanted some pasta for dinner.  I really like a creamy sauce with chicken and pasta (plus a few vegetables), so I recommended this:

Creamy Pasta Sauce

This is great to use up whatever you have on hand.  Also, it reheats very well

3-4 servings

8 oz pasta (linguine, spaghetti, corkscrew)

1 tablespoon butter

4 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon flour

1 ¼ cups low fat milk

¼ cup of low fat cream cheese (block or tub)

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup shredded parmesan cheese

Start water to boil for pasta.  For the sauce, melt the butter in a sauce pan or skillet.  Add garlic and sauté for a few minutes, then add flour.  Cook for about 30 seconds, then slowly add milk, stirring with a whisk. Cook until nearly boiling, add cheeses and cook until very thick.

Drain pasta (with optional vegetables) and return to pot, add sauce and other options.  Give a good twist of black pepper, add more cheese or toasted nuts if desired

Options:

• Vegetables (blanched):  Use up to 2-3 cups of asparagus, peas, broccoli, carrots or other vegetables to pasta and cook (need to judge how much time to cook the veggies, generally add 2-3 minutes before the pasta is done

• Vegetables (sauted): Use up to 1-2 cups of onions, shallots, mushrooms, and/or bell peppers, can put garlic here rather in sauce.  Place a small amount of oil in skillet, add red pepper flakes if desired, and sauté vegetables.  If it gets too dry, add a little white wine, or a bit of broth or water. Use the same pan to cook the sauce, remove the vegetables first (unless you are just using a little onion or shallots, then its ok to leave them in the pan).

• Herbs: whatever you like, add to sauce when it is done.

• Meat: Sauté chicken chunks, black forest ham (cut sandwich slices into strips), or use other leftover roasted meat.

• Cheese: the original recipe called for Gorgonzola, but I’ve never actually tried this.  Usually I use a hard cheese, plus will throw in scraps if we have any left from a cheese appetizer.

• Nuts:  A nice addition if there is not any meat in the sauce.  Walnuts or pine nuts, toasted in the toaster oven (1 cycle through “toast” on a foil lined pan) are good.

Pesto

My aunt asked for my freezer pesto recipe last week, and I was surprised that I had not blogged about it yet, it’s one of the things that is a staple at my house, generally as pizza sauce.

If you have basil in your garden, now is a good time to harvest large quantities, as the weather starts to cool, the basil plants seem to get tired.  I have a couple of basil plants in my garden which although have been quite healthy (and good tasting) have stayed fairly small, I might try to find some basil at the farmers market this weekend. 

I start by picking off the leaves, then rinsing (and if they are especially dirty, putting into a sink full of water), then spinning dry in my salad spinner.  I lay out on towels try dry a bit more.   From there, you can either make freezer pesto or full pesto, both recipes follow. And this freezing method works for most any herb. I have done both parsley and cilantro (without the garlic). They stay quite bright green and tasty.

Freezer Pesto:

2 - 4 cloves of garlic

Enough fresh basil leaves to fill food processor bowl, washed and patted dry 

Or about 2 cups packed fairly tightly

½ cup olive oil

Turn on food processor fitted with blade and drop the garlic through the feed bowl.  Let process until most of it is stuck to the sides. Scrape down, add the basil.  Process w/ pulse on/off until basil is chopped.

Turn the motor on, and add olive oil in a slow, steady stream.  

Immediately (so that it does not get dark) put the mixture in a 1 quart freezer bag. Press out the air and seal.  Then draw into quarters, and fold the bag to keep separate.  Alternately, put mixture into a container and press plastic wrap onto surface.  Freeze until ready to use.

Pesto: The full fledged recipe.

Makes 2 cups.

4 oz. Parmesan cheese (can use part Romano)

3 - 4 cloves of garlic

2 cups fresh basil leaves, washed and patted dry (packed fairly tightly)

½ to 1 cup walnuts or pine nuts 

~ 3/4 cup olive oil 

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cut the cheese into chunks, and process with blade in food processor until finely grated.  Pour out of food processor and set aside.

Put bowl with blade back on base (don’t need to clean the bowl), turn on and drop the garlic through the feed bowl.  Let process until most of it is stuck to the sides.  Scrape down; add the basil and nuts.  Process w/ pulse on/off until basil is chopped.

Turn the motor on, and add olive oil in a slow, steady stream.  

Shut the motor off; add the cheese, a big pinch of salt and a liberal grinding of pepper. Process briefly to combine, the scrap out into a bowl and cover until ready to use (press a piece of plastic wrap right onto the surface to keep from turning dark.  Will keep for several days. 

How to use: 

Pasta with Pesto:   Cook 1 lb. of Linguine.  Meanwhile, mix 2 tablespoons pasta water, ¼ cup cream (or milk or greek yogurt), and 1 cup pesto in large bowl.  Drain pasta, return to bowl and toss (add a bit more pasta water if its too thick), add a good grind of pepper. Sometimes I make the pesto without any nuts, and serve this with toasted pine nuts on top.  

Rice with Pesto:  Add a big spoon full of pesto to cooked rice. 

Pesto bread: Spread pesto on slices of French bread, broil/toast until bubbly.

What to do with freezer pesto:

Thaw, mix with cheese, etc. to get full pesto.

Throw a frozen chunk into a batch of spaghetti sauce.

Thaw, mix with a can of tomato sauce and use for pizza sauce.

Thaw, mix with a little more olive oil and use for pizza sauce

Throw a frozen chunk into rice that’s almost done, finish with a bit of grated cheese.

Throw a frozen chunk to a big pot of soup that’s almost done.

Grilled Vegetables

To continue with the squash theme, and to take advantage of the slightly cooler weather we are having, I thought I would add one of my favorite appetizers, Grilled Vegetable Antipasti, plus the closely related Grilled Vegetable Pasta.   This is so good (and pretty) I have two pictures!

This is from this year, at the book club get together in Munds park.

And this is from a couple of years ago, from a party at a friends in Co Springs.











Please just use these recipes as a guide.  You can cut the vegetables thinner or thicker (just adjust cooking time), simplify the coating… just olive oil and salt is good, or just use one or two vegetables if there are only one or two of you.

Grilled Vegetable Antipasti

Marinade:½ cup olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano leaves
½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Vegetables:
½ pound eggplant, cut into 1 cm (something between ¼ and ½ inch) slices
½ pound zucchini, cut into 1 cm slices (on diagonal if med or larger, lengthwise if small)
½ pound yellow squash, cut into 1 cm slices
1 medium red onion, sliced into 1 cm slices – stick toothpick through to keep intact
1 yellow or red bell pepper, cut in half lengthwise
Extras:
½ cup coarsely grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan
½ cup toasted pine nuts
Olives
Basil leaves (and flowers if you have them)
French bread

Whisk together all marinade ingredients in a large bowl.  Add vegetables and toss to coat. Let marinate for 1 – 2 hours.

Preheat grill to medium or high heat.  Place vegetables on the grill (in batches if necessary).  Grill until marked and starting to soften, generally 2 – 5 minutes per side depending on grill temperature.  Removed with tongs and arrange on a platter, let cool slightly.  Add cheese, pine nuts, olives, basil, and/or anything else that seems good.

Optional:  brush thin diagonal slices of the French bread with olive oil and grill until lightly toasted, about 1 minute per side.

Grilled Vegetable Pasta

4 servings

Veggies (use as a guide only!):¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Fresh or dry herbs, salt, pepper
2 medium zucchini, sliced diagonally about ½ inch thick
1 small eggplant, sliced lengthwise in ½ inch slices
1 red or mild yellow onion, cut in 2 large slices and skewered
2 red bell peppers, whole
1 ear corn, silk removed and husk replaced
1 head of garlic, top cut off
And/or:  Mushrooms, Asparagus

Pasta:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
¼ cup fresh basil (or other herbs)
½ pound chunky pasta, cooked
Save about ½ cup pasta water
¼ cup dry white wine (optional)
¼ cup goat cheese, crumbled
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted

For Grilled Veggies:  Mix together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, herbs, salt and pepper.  Mix with vegetables (can do earlier in the day).   Drizzle garlic with oil and partially wrap in foil. On grill heated to medium, put in some wood chips and with several branches of rosemary. Put all the vegetables on the grill. The corn will cook quickest, maybe 10 minutes. Cook remaining veggies until soft and browned, 15 - 20 minutes.  Turn every 5-10 minutes.  The bell pepper skin will be black.  Remove pieces from grill as they get done and let cool.

Dice the squash, eggplant, and onion. Peel bell pepper and dice.   Cut corn from cob. Put in a large bowl.  Put in several cloves of roasted garlic (cut in half if large), use remainder for snacking.  Add the cooked and drained pasta. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, a bit more salt and pepper to taste, chopped fresh basil, enough pasta water and/or white wine to moisten (about ½ cup total).  Serve with about 1 tablespoon each goat cheese crumbles and toasted pine nuts on each serving.

Squash and more squash

We had a great weekend in Colorado Springs, visiting friends who happen to have a garden… and lots of squash (both summer and winter versions).   Plus I have found a great new recipe for a pasta sauce which has lots of possibilities.... seemed I needed to make sure I posted this now for everyone who might have excess squash.

We could not leave without taking some summer squash (side note:  TSA does allow squash in your carry-on bags*), so I made a new variant on “Pasta Whatever” at the beginning of the week: Chop 2 slices of bacon** and cook until crisp, set aside.  Remove all but 1 tablespoon of fat.  Saute ½ an onion, chopped, in the bacon fat.  Add 3 small-medium sized yellow squash, cut in half and sliced thin, sauté a bit more, and deglaze with a bit of white wine.  Add some pasta water if it starts to get too dry.  When the squash is cooked (takes just a few minutes) add a ½ pound of cooked chunky pasta.  Stir, add a couple of ounces of goat cheese, chopped basil,  and reserved bacon.   We ate the entire batch in one sitting (normally, we have at least enough left for one lunch!)

* It’s allowed, but expect they will put your bag back through the x-ray and make comments like “is this zucchini in here?”
**  Look for an upcoming blog just on bacon.  Just a touch of bacon now and then makes life much better.
Next is a winter squash pasta sauce based on a Giada de Laurentiis recipe.  I generally have trouble doing anything the same twice, and have made this 3 times: 2 different ways with sausage, and tonight with mushrooms.  Someday I will do the original version, which calls for Shrimp.   

Squash Sauce

This makes enough for 1 ½ pounds of pasta, and freezes very well.  Since I normally cook a ½ pound of pasta, this makes enough for 3 batches, I use one, and freeze the other 2 in zip-loc baggies. 

¼ cup olive oil
2 pounds butternut squash, trimmed and cut into 1 inch cubes
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth

Heat olive oil in a large heavy skillet or wide pot over medium high heat. Add squash, garlic, salt and pepper.  Sauté until the squash is golden and starting to get tender, 5-7 minutes. Add the stock, bring to simmer, cover and cook until the squash is very soft, another 7- 10 minutes.  Transfer to a food processor and puree until smooth.

Pasta with squash sauce

Each of below is based on ½ pound of chunky pasta (like rigatoni), and 1/3 batch of Squash Sauce and makes 2-3 servings.

Shrimp (from original version, which I never have actually done):
Saute ½ pound of shrimp in olive oil with some salt and pepper.
Combine cooked pasta, warmed pureed squash, and ½ cup of milk. Stir to combine.  Add cooked shrimp, ¼ cup chopped basil, and a couple of tablespoons grated parmesan. Stir until warm and serve.

Sausage (v1):
Grill pre-cooked sausage (or warm leftover grilled sausage) and cut into chunks.
Combine cooked pasta, warmed pureed squash, and ½ cup of milk. Stir to combine.  Add sausage, ¼ cup chopped basil, and a ¼ cup grated parmesan. Stir until warm and serve.  Caution: this looks a lot like mac and cheese, but its not.

Sausage (v2):
Saute ½ a chopped onion and a clove of minced garlic in a bit of olive oil until soft.  Add  ½ pound of Italian sausage removed from casing. (I use turkey sausage, but this would be great with venison sausage if I could get more from my brother) and sauté until browned.  Add squash sauce.  Cook for about 5 minutes.   Add cooked pasta and a ¼ cup of light cream (half and half).  Stir, adding a bit of pasta water if needed to thin.  Serve with a good grating of parmesan cheese.

Mushroom:
Saute ½ a chopped onion in a bit of olive oil for a few minutes.  Add a ½ tablespoon of butter, then ¼ - ½ pound of mushrooms (shitake or cremini), cut in half. Saute until starting to brown, then add ½ cup of white wine.  Cook until wine is reduced and almost gone, then add squash puree and a teaspoon of chopped fresh thyme.  Cook for a few minutes.   Add cooked pasta and stir. Remove from the heat and add ¼ cup of plain (preferably Greek) yogurt, stir until mixed.  Serve with a good grating of parmesan cheese.

New and improved: Linguine with Clams and Pancetta

With the new year and some time on my hands, I have been going through the closets and getting rid of stuff that I don’t use or is broke.  Although I don’t consider myself a real pack rat, I do sometimes have trouble getting rid of stuff.  I like to use things until they are worn out, or use something and be done with it (like a book) and pass it on.  Just getting rid of something because I made a bad decision to buy it bothers me (ok, so I’m a cheapskate!).   But something I like to do  is get rid of old recipes (especially ones that aren't getting used anymore) and replace with new and better.  Although there is some trial and error involved, it usually doesn’t contribute to the trash.  

One recipe I have recently tossed is  my old Linguine with Clam Sauce which (horrors) used Jack Cheese.  The new version uses pancetta (Italian bacon), plus some red pepper flakes which makes it work with canned clams. Pancetta can be a bit hard to find, but you can freeze it (just like bacon), and use a slice or two at a time as needed.    And don't hesitate to mess with the recipe!   This also works with regular bacon, or with the addition of a handful of chopped spinach. 

Linguine with Clams and Pancetta

Serves 2-3

½ pound linguine
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 oz pancetta, sliced and cut into ½ inch squares
2 shallots, minced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 6 ½ oz cans chopped clams
1 cup white wine
¼ cup chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Put a large pot of water on to boil for pasta, when it comes to a boil, add salt and cook pasta.   Goal is to have the sauce (below) ready to add the al dente pasta.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil (medium or medium high heat), add pancetta, cook until just starting to crisp.  Add shallots, garlic, and crushed red pepper, cook about 3 minutes.   Add clam juice and wine, bring to a boil and cook for a few more minutes at rapid boil.  Add the clams, then add the cooked linguine (best just to take directly from the pasta pot with large tongs, ok if some pasta water comes along).  If sauce is dry, add some more pasta water.   Cook for another minute or so, then add parsley, pepper and additional salt if needed (taste first – you likely have enough salt from clams and pasta water).

Comfort Food – Mac and Cheese

I’m sure that everyone has their favorite, mine is Mac and Cheese.   We ate of lot of the Kraft version while in college (seemed so much more like food than ramen noodles), but once we had real jobs, we swore off the Kraft , something about that unnatural orange power (we moved on to Stouffer's Frozen).   But now, job or not, there is no going back to the boxes!    Here is our favorite.  Once you have done it 10 or 20 times, it goes together pretty quick, but does need to bake for 45 minutes or so.

Macaroni and Cheese

 I like that you don’t need to cook the macaroni separately.  No need to clean the food processor between jobs.

1 ounce (about a 1x1 cube) Parmesan cheese
1 slice of bread

½ a medium-large onion
4 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar cheese

1 carton 1% cottage cheese
1 ½ cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon dry mustard
pinch of cayenne
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

½ pound uncooked elbow macaroni

Preheat the oven to 375oF.  Prepare a 9-inch square baking pan with a light coating of Pam.

Grate cheese in food processor with blade.  Tear bread in large chunks, add to cheese and process until bread is turned into medium crumbs.  Pour into small bowl and set aside.  Using shredding disk, grate the cheddar cheese and onion.  Place in large mixing bowl.

Using blade, process the cottage cheese, buttermilk, and spices until smooth.  Place in bowl with onion and cheddar cheese.  Add macaroni to bowl and stir. Pour into prepared baking pan.  Sprinkle bread crumb mixture over top. 

Bake for about 45 minutes, until the toping is browned and the center is firm.  Let sit for a few minutes then serve.

Pesto

Seems that I am getting behind in blogging, which I will  blame on finding a new way to waste time on the computer, which is Chowhound, a foodie discussion board.  There are lots of folks in Phoenix posting about local restaurants, I also find the home cooking section interesting.  If you take a look, yes, my tag line is Firecooked.

About a week ago, I made my first big cutting of basil from my herb garden.  I think everyone should have an herb garden.. it is a lot less effort than growing vegetables, and there is something wonderful about going out before dinner and cutting some herbs.    This time of year, a lot of the herbs are a bit tired from the heat (and some things, like parsley and cilantro are long gone), but basil is just hitting its prime.  I did have to put some cages around mine this spring (basil is an annual, and you need to re-start every spring) to keep the rabbits from munching the tender little plants (surprising, the herb of rabbits which inhabit the yard seem pretty much content to just eat grass and not herbs, but baby basil is the exception). 

With the first mass cutting of basil (think a pile about a foot in diameter, and a foot high), I always make pesto… the full recipe with parmesan cheese, nuts, olive oil and of course, garlic.   After I pick a bunch, I pick off the leaves (just pinch with my thumb nail), and put them in my salad spinner.  I give them a rinse then spin, and put out on paper towels to finish drying.  Every pesto recipe you look at calls for “packed cups” of basil, but I really hate mushing it to measure.  I have figured “2 cups packed basil” is just under half full of loose leaves in my Cuisinart.  Although I always start the pesto making with a full, traditional basil, mostly I make a “pesto starter” with basil, garlic, and olive oil, then freeze it to use the rest of the year.  It really keeps well, I have been putting about 1 cup in a quart size Ziploc baggie, push out any air and seal, then make cross lines and fold into quarters. I can use the whole thing, or most often, just pull out a quarter at a time.  Adding a chunk of this mixture to soup or pasta, or thawing a spreading on pizza dough is like adding some summer to your dinner… any time of the year.

If you don't have any basil plants (next year... they are pretty enough to grow instead of flowers), try either the farmers market or Trader Joes to get big quantities for pesto.

PESTO

Pesto: The full fledged recipe.
Makes 2 cups.

4 oz. Parmesan cheese
3 - 4 cloves of garlic
2 cups fresh basil leaves, washed and patted dry (packed fairly tightly)
½ to 1 cup walnuts or pine nuts
~ 3/4 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cut the cheese into chunks, and process with blade in food processor until finely grated.  Pour out of food processor and set aside.

Put bowl with blade back on base (don’t need to clean the bowl), turn on and drop the garlic through the feed bowl.  Let process until most of it is stuck to the sides.  Scrape down; add the basil and nuts.  Process w/ pulse on/off until basil is chopped.

Turn the motor on, and add olive oil in a slow, steady stream. 

Shut the motor off; add the cheese, a big pinch of salt and a liberal grinding of pepper. Process briefly to combine, the scrap out into a bowl and cover until ready to use (press a piece of plastic wrap right onto the surface to keep from turning dark.  Will keep for several days.

Freezer Pesto:
2 - 4 cloves of garlic
2 cups fresh basil leaves, washed and patted dry (packed fairly tightly)
½ cup olive oil (or just enough to get a thick paste)

Turn on food processor fitted with blade and drop the garlic through the feed bowl.  Let process until most of it is stuck to the sides.  Scrape down, add the basil.  Process w/ pulse on/off until basil is chopped.

Turn the motor on, and add olive oil in a slow, steady stream. 

Put  into a quart freezer baggie.  Press out air, and make indents into quarters.  Freeze until ready to use.

Pasta with Pesto:
Cook 1 lb. of Linguine.  Meanwhile, mix 2 tablespoons pasta water, ¼ cup cream (or use all milk), 1 cup pesto.  Drain pasta, return to pan, add pesto mix and toss.
Serve immediately, with more pepper and cheese. 

Rice with Pesto:
Add a big spoon full of pesto to cooked white rice.

Pesto bread:
Spread pesto on slices of French bread, broil/toast until bubbly.

What to do with freezer pesto:

Thaw, mix with cheese, etc. to get full pesto.
Throw a frozen quarter chunk into a batch of spaghetti sauce.
Thaw, mix with a can of tomato sauce and use for pizza sauce.
Thaw, mix with a little more olive oil and use for pizza sause
Throw a frozen quarter chunk into rice that’s almost done.
Throw a frozen chunk to a big pot of soup that’s almost done.

Summer Recipes

I have been waiting for summer to share these recipes, and well, its time.

The first is a Grilled Vegetable Pasta (yes, another pasta recipe).  The reason this is a summer recipe is that its really best to make it when you can get into the pool between turning the vegetables on the grill. It perfectly fits to a relaxed summer weekend.  Grill and swim, then let the vegetables cool, later cut up the vegetables and cook the pasta.   The vegetables can also be done as an antipasti (that’s right, without pasta but also an Italian appetizer).   Arrange the grilled vegetables on a platter, sprinkle with olives, maybe add some salami or other Italian cured meats, some big shreds of parmesan cheese.  I like to eat on slices of French bread, but it mostly takes a fork and knife to eat. 

The second is for breakfast.  I really like oatmeal, but its just too hot to eat in the summer.  So I make a cold oatmeal dish called Muesli.   I’m pretty sure the roots for muesli are Northern Europe, but I first had it in Korea at the Hilton in Seoul.  The do the nice breakfast buffet, and I have found it good to load up on food I recognize (bread, cheese, fruit, yogurt) when you really don't know what you will be eating the rest of the day.   They had a bowl of this goopy looking stuff on the “western” side of the buffet, and I tried it on the advice of one of my co-workers… a little cautious because I couldn’t tell what went in to it.  I like traveling in Asia, and I’m OK without always knowing what went into the food, but breakfast, well, I not as adventurous.    But this was good, cool and sweet, with raisins and some fruit.  I was hooked, but never know how to make it until I started hunting the web.  There are lots of ways to make this, starting with oats, and adding liquid (milk, yogurt, juice), dried fruit, apples, nuts.  The following is what I do, since I typically always have the ingredients on hand. 

Grilled Vegetable Pasta

4 servings

Veggies (use as a guide only!):
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Fresh or dry herbs, salt, pepper
2 medium zucchini, sliced diagonally about ½ inch thick
1 small eggplant, sliced lengthwise in ½ inch slices
1 red or mild yellow onion, cut in 2 large slices and skewered
2 red bell peppers, whole
1 ear corn, silk removed and husk replaced
1 head of garlic, top cut off
And/or:  Mushrooms, Asparagus

Pasta:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
¼ cup fresh basil (or other herbs)
½ pound chunky pasta, cooked
Save about ½ cup pasta water
¼ cup dry white wine (optional)
¼ cup goat cheese, crumbled
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted

For Grilled Veggies:  Mix together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, herbs, salt and pepper.  Mix with vegetables (can do earlier in the day).   Drizzle garlic with oil and partially wrap in foil. On grill heated to medium, put in some wood chips and with several branches of rosemary. Put all the vegetables on the grill. The corn will cook quickest, maybe 10 –15 minutes. Cook remaining veggies until soft and browned, 20-30 minutes.  Turn every 5-10 minutes.  The bell pepper skin will be black.  Remove pieces from grill as they get done and let cool.

Dice the squash, eggplant, and onion. Peel bell pepper and dice.   Cut corn from cob. Put in a large bowl.  Put in several cloves of roasted garlic (cut in half if large), use remainder for snacking.  Add the cooked and drained pasta. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, a bit more salt and pepper to taste, chopped fresh basil, enough pasta water and/or white wine to moisten (about ½ cup total).  Serve with about 1 tablespoon each goat cheese crumbles and toasted pine nuts on each serving.

Muesli

Great way to get your oats in the summer.  Traditional flavors are raisins, walnuts, and apples… but these seem more fall like.  So I usually use “craisen’s”  (dried , sweetened cranberries), and put some berries on top…

Serves 3.

1 ½ cups old fashioned oats
¼ cup raisins or dry cranberries or other dried fruit of choice
¼ cup walnuts (chopped) or almond slivers
2 cups unsweetened soy milk (or any milk of choice, including part yogurt or juice)
1 tablespoon Apricot or Peach jam
1 teaspoon honey (or to taste)
1 small apple (grated) or other fresh fruit

Mix everything together except for fresh fruit, cover and refrigerate overnight.  If it seems a bit thick in the morning, add some more milk or some plain yogurt.   Stir in grated apple just before serving, or serve with other fresh fruit (berries, banana’s, apricots…)

Summer’s just about here..

This weekend if felt like summer announced “I’m coming”…  mornings are warmer --  the a/c is on when I drive to work, shade is good.  I’m hoping my basil will start growing.   But we are still getting some reprieve, as it’s actually raining right now with a bit of thunder and lightening (as opposed to last weekend’s dust storm).

If you can stand more pasta recipe’s, here a favorite for summer:


Peanut Noodles
The peanut sauce is multi-purpose – can be used w/ satay or as a dip too.  Adjust chili to taste

2- 3 (main dish)  or 6 (side) Servings

Noodles:
½ lb linguine or spaghetti (whole wheat is good)
2-4 cups of vegetables..  Pick 2-3:
    Bean sprouts
    Cucumber
    Snow peas
    Broccoli (cook for a couple of minutes with pasta)
    Carrots (can cook a bit too)
    Green onions

Sauce:
½ cup water
1/3 cup peanut butter  (I like the all natural)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon honey
1 clove mince garlic
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
    or  1 teaspoon chili-garlic paste instead of garlic and chili


For noodles: Bring large pot of salted water to boil, add spaghetti (break in half).   If using a hard vegetable, put into the pot the last couple of minutes to barely cook
Meanwhile, make sauce:  Bring water to boil in large bowl in microwave.  Add remaining ingredients, stir with whisk to combine.

Drain noodles and rinse with cold water.  Drain again and put into bowl with sauce. Add vegetables, toss to combine.

Blogs based on blogs

OK, just call me the lazy blogger.  But I tried a great recipe last night for Pasta with Tuna, Arugula, and Hot Pepper (click on title for link to the blog where I found it, as well as the link to the original source). It was really yummy, and very simple for a quick weeknight dinner. I used the canned albacore that comes from San Diego fishing docks - you trade in Albacore fish for cans (so something I know the family has a good stock of).  Arugula is like a peppery flavored spinach, and it available in bags ususally next to baby spinach.  Make sure to chop it up some.

Whatever to do with all the veggies?

Still trying to figure out what to do with all the veggies?  One suggestion:  Pasta.  We eat a variation on this most weeks (usually mid- week – when you have a one leftover sausage, some random vegetables, you’re hungry and it’s 6:30pm!) . 

This is more a technique than a recipe, and sometimes it will come out better than others.  I never measure while doing this (it goes much faster), and its always different which makes it possible to eat every week.   If you are having a hard time visualizing (or are planning trip to the store as opposed to sorting through the vegetable bin to figure out what’s a week old vs. 3 weeks old) here are few ideas:  Asparagus, onions, guyere, and ham…  or Mushrooms, broccoli, garlic and onions with chicken sausage.   Last week we did onions, garlic, lots of red pepper flakes, zucchini, red bell peppers, leftover grilled chicken sausage,  with bow tie pasta, white wine and cream sauce…

The Gadget:  Boos Block cutting board.  Really any big cutting board will work so that you are able to just cut up the veggies and leave on the board until you are ready to use.  Handy accessory:  a chef’s scoop  to move stuff into the pan.

The Ingredient:  Chicken and/or turkey sausage.  There are several brands out there, Adelle’s is pretty commonly available, lately we have mostly been getting Gerhard’s from Trader Joe’s.  They come with feta and pine nuts, or pesto, sometimes smoked.. lots of options. They have a long shelf life so you don’t need to cook right away. They are pre-cooked, great on the grill.  But we can’t each the whole package (4 or 5 sausages), and the left-overs are great in pasta, pizza, salads… what-ever.

Pasta Whatever

Serves 2 plus some leftovers for lunch

Start boiling water (with some salt) for pasta.  Use whatever pasta you have around, I like the chunky kinds best (like penne or bow ties), but spaghetti works too.  Below proportions are for 1/2 pound of pasta, which are perfect for the 2 of use plus one or two lunches. 

Meanwhile, prep whatever else:

• Vegetables (blanched):  Use up to 1-3 cups of asparagus, peas, broccoli or other vegetables cut in bite size pieces.  The trick -- add to pasta pot and cook (need to judge how much time to cook the veggies, generally add 2-3 minutes before the pasta is done).
• Aromatics and other Vegetables (sautéed): I always use some onions or garlic or shallots.  Use up to 1-2 cups of onions, shallots, mushrooms, zucchini, and/or bell peppers.  Red pepper flakes are good to throw in too.  Spinach or other greens are great (best if chopped a bit), add just before adding the pasta.
• Meat (optional): Leftover roasted or grilled meat, chicken or sausage (cut into chunks),  or black forest ham (cut sandwich slices into strips).  Bacon or other raw meats (chicken, shrimp) are also great, but you will need to start in a separate skillet while pasta cooks.
• Herbs: whatever you like, .  Fresh basil (when I get from my herb garden in the summer) is great, if I don’t have fresh herbs, I usually don’t bother.  Add with the pasta.
• Cheese: Usually I use a hard cheese (like parmesan)  but again, whatever you have on hand.. about ½ cup, shredded.  Goat cheese is also yummy, but do try to avoid anything stringy when it melts (like mozzarella).
• Nuts:  A nice addition if there is no meat.  Walnuts or pine nuts, toasted in the toaster oven (1 cycle through “toast” on a foil lined pan) are good.
• Other… Tomatoes (good fresh ones, chopped), olives, other leftover veggies…

When the pasta (and vegetables if you cooked w/ pasta) is done, dip a 1 cup measuring cup in the water and set aside, then drain and leave pasta in the colander.   Put the pasta pot back on the stove over medium high heat  and add a bit of olive oil (a little less than a tablespoon), add red pepper flakes if desired, and sauté vegetables.  When they get soft, or dry (which ever comes first), add white wine or broth or pasta water or a combination, total about 1/2 cup.  Or – if you are feeling rich, add some cream (1/4 a cup) along with broth or wine.  Put the cooked pasta and veggies back in the pot, add the cheese (and nuts if you are using), warm up a bit on the stove..  If it seems a bit dry, add some pasta water.  The give a good twist of pepper and serve… 

[Edit:  Today, I cook the pasta in one pot, and the veggies in a large saute pan.  If using veggies that need to cook a bit, I just steam in the saute pan.  When the pasta is done, I transfer from the pasta pot to the saute pan with a large slotted spoon or tongs]

Next day – make into pasta salad… add a few drops of vinegar, maybe a little salt and pepper.  Best if let warm up little before eating.

Let me know if you like it!