Mix and Match Pesto

Food network magazine is awesome. Christy subscribed me for my birthday last year....and they keep coming (you may want to make sure they're not still charging you there sista!).

This is awesome because you can use what you have on hand without worrying about having 3 cups of basil and pine nuts (which are so freakin' expensive!)


1. Pick a nut or seed, and toast 1/3 cup. Then pulse until finely ground in a food processor or hand blender.

• pine nuts
• almonds
• walnuts
• cashews
• pecans
• sesame seeds
• sunflower seeds

2. Choose your base,  3 cups total, add it to the nuts/seeds (you can choose up to 3 of these):

• basil
• parsley
• kale, chopped
• arugula
• spinach, chopped
• cilantro
• mint
• collard greens
• romaine, chopper

3.Choose your seasoning, and add 1/2 - 1 tsp to the processor (choose up to 3): PLUS add 1/4 tsp salt

• garlic, chopped
• lemon zest, grated
• orange zest, grated
• red pepper flakes
• fresh thyme
• fresh oregano, chopped
• fresh tarragon, chopped
• fresh rosemary, chopped

4. Choose your cheese, add 1/2 cup to the processor. Once this is added, pulse it to combine

• parmesan
• asiago
• gruyere
• aged or smoked gouda
• aged cheddar

Once all of this is pulsed together, slowly add 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil. You can add chicken, sun dried tomatoes, olives, roasted red pepper, or tomatoes to finish it off!

This makes about 1 cup of pesto, use 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup for 1 pound of pasta.

FYI, this what I made tonight and it was DELISH!!!

1/3 cup toasted slivered almond, 
1 cup basil, 
1 cup kale, 
1 cup spinach, 
4 cloves garlic, 
1/2 cup parmesan, 
1/2 cup oil, 
with fresh garden tomatoes on top!

bon appétit!!

Cathy

Linguine with White Clam Sauce

This is SO good. It's so simple but very flavorful. It's nice to find good, simple dishes that have some seafood in them. This is a very healthy recipe that will make the whole family wanting more!

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 pound linguine
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4-6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 4-5 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1 cup white grape juice
• 1 can whole baby clams (15 ounces), with their juice
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 
  

PREPARATION

Put a large pot of water over high heat. When water boils, add salt and pasta. Cook until slightly underdone, about 6-7 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil, garlic, onion and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 2 min then add thyme, oregano and juice. Simmer to reduce, about one minute. Stir in clams with their juice and the lemon zest.

Drain pasta, add to skillet and toss with sauce. Cook 2-3 minutes until pasta is al dente and has absorbed some flavor. Add parsley, salt and pepper. Serve with crusty bread for mopping up remaining juices

Enjoy!!

-Christy

Sausage and Roasted Vegetables Penne Pasta

This sausage pasta is so light for a perfect summer meal. There is no thick sauce that is heavy, which makes this pasta very healthy. 

Ingredients

Source: Melissa d'Arabian

• 1 sweet onion, cut into wedges
• 1 medium zucchini, sliced 
• 1 medium squash, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, cheeks removed
• 1/2 pound button mushrooms, stemmed
• 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 pint grape tomatoes, washed and dried
• 2 sweet or hot Italian sausages, thinly sliced or casings removed
• 1/4 cup white wine or white grape juice
• 12 ounces whole-grain penne, cooked according to package instructions, 1/2 cup pasta water reserved
• Freshly grated Parmesan, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a bowl, toss all the vegetables, except the tomatoes, with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange on a baking sheet and roast, until caramelized, about 30 minutes, turning vegetables halfway through the cooking time.

In a small bowl, add the tomatoes and the remaining olive oil and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and add to the baking sheet, at the halfway point of cooking, to caramelize.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, add the sausage and saute until cooked through.

Turn up the heat and deglaze with white wine.

Once the vegetables are cooked, cool slightly, then coarsely chop. Add the vegetables and any pan juices to the sausage in the skillet.

Toss in the cooked penne, adding reserved pasta water, if needed, to moisten. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve in bowls topped with Parmesan

Sausage Alfredo

It's friday, but I don't know about you but this weekend will be jam packed so it doesn't feel like a friday! So, you need an easy-peasy recipe, using the help of jarred alfred sauce for this one. It is DELICIOUS and talk about some seriously good comfort food.


Serves 4, ready in less than 30 minutes people!


Ingredients:

• 4 sausages, cooked and coin-sliced
• 1-2 Tbs olive oil
• 1 roasted (roasted is optional but so good) red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1 (16 ounce) jar alfredo sauce
• 1 lbs penne pasta, cooked and drained
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Directions

1.  In a large pot, heat up oil and fry the red pepper, onion, mushrooms for about 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Add garlic cloves for 15 seconds.
2. Stir in the beef broth, bring to a simmer for a few minutes.
3. Add the alfredo sauce, sausages, and stir in the parmesan cheese.

Yuuuummmmmy et Bon Appetit!

Cathy

Shrimp and Asparagus Pasta

A beautiful hot day calls for a light and FRESH meal! The basil with the shrimp and asparagus are the perfect match for a spring (feels like summer) day.

This recipe is done in no time at all, I absolutely loved it and cannot wait to have it again. In my book, shrimp have to have a crunch, so does the asparagus. Do you have a preference?

Here it is folks: Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 package of linguine or spaghetti
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1 clove garlic
• 4 Tbs olive oil, separated
• 2 Tbs lemon juice (fresh if available)
• 2 Tbs cold water
• Salt to taste
• 1.5 lbs of fresh asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1 lbs large shrimp, cleaned and deveined (you can also use pre-cooked shrimp, just add the shrimp later so that they don't get soggy)
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

Directions:

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain them and toss them in 1 Tsb olive oil.
2. In a food processor or blender, add basil, garlic, lemon juice, water, 2 Tbs olive oil, and 1/2 tsp salt until smooth. 
3. In another pot, add asparagus, and cook until tender crisp (don't over cook). Drain, and set aside.
4. In a large skillet, add 1 Tbs olive oil. Add shrimp, red pepper, and 1/4 tsp of sea salt. If the shrimp are not pre-cooked, cook for 5-6 minutes until pink (don't over cook). If they are pre-cooked, cook for about a minute to heat them up and to mix with the red pepper and salt.
5.  In a large bowl, toss pasta with basil mixture. Stir in shrimp and asparagus and toss again. 
6. Serve and enjoy!

Bon Appetit!

Cathy

Crab Meat Pasta Salad

I know it really isn't the time of year for pasta salad or crab meat but I was craving some pasta salad over the weekend. I began my search for the perfect pasta salad when I found this...packed with veggies, seafood and peas? Who would have thought. I decided to give it a shot and I loved the results. Some of the ingredients seem a little odd together but I promise you that you must put all the ingredients to make it work. I made a few changes but most of it is the same. Hope you enjoy!!

 

 

Ingredients                                                                                          by: Corwynn Darkholme

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup Italian-style salad dressing
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
• 8 ounces rotini pasta
• 1 cup crabmeat
• 1 cup broccoli florets, parboiled
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for time indicated on package. Drain, rinse and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, Italian dressing and cheese and blend well.
3. Add peas, pasta, crabmeat, broccoli, pepper, tomato and onions. Toss gently to mix. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hour

If you're someone who likes a lot of dressing I would suggest making more of the mayo and italian 

dressing mixture for the pasta salad.

-Christy

Herb Butter Penne with Salmon

Good morning! New week, new recipes, and warmer weather here in Canada, thank goodness!

Remember when I made those oven roasted tomatoes, and completely butchered them? Well, I had made them for a reason, to make this "Quick and Easy Herb-Butter Penne with Salmon" from the ladies over at OurBestBites.

Now you can't see them in my picture, and that's because I was almost out of tomatoes, so I didn't get to put in as many as I had hoped for. BUT, I LOVED the tomatoes that were in there, they go so well with the salmon.

One thing, this is only "quick and easy" if you make the oven roasted tomatoes in advance, cause those takes quite a while, but worth it (if you don't turn them into charcoal like I did, that is).

The salmon turned out perfect: it was moist, flaky, and had good flavors. Simple and delicious!

Here's how I did their recipe:

• 1 lbs salmon filet (I just defrosted 4 frozen individual salmon filets that I got at food basics--canadian grocery store)
• 1/4 cup salted butter
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp parsley
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp basil
• 8 ounces penne pasta (about 3 cups of dry noodles)
• 3/4 cup mashed oven roasted tomatoes

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, and cook pasta according to package directions
2. Heat a frying pan to medium. Rinse the salmon filets and pat dry, set aside.
3. In a small bowl, melt the butter, and add the garlic, parsley, oregano, and basil. Use 2 Tbs of this mixture and brush over both sides of the salmon. Place on the pan for about 3-4 minutes on each side, until it flakes apart with a fork. (OurBestBite ladies suggest to do it in the oven preheated at 425 for 10-12 minutes).
4. When the pasta is done cooking, drain it, return to the pot, and mix in the butter mix and the oven roasted tomatoes.
5. Serve each person with some pasta with a piece of salmon on top!

I also made this with a slight twist, and I will post about that another time!

Healthy. Tasty. Pasta.

Okay so i'm always trying to find new ideas for recipes, especially healthy ones. I got this recipe from the Food Network, which is by the way the best network ever. I could seriously sit in front of the t.v. for hours watching shows on that Network. Here is the recipe. Hope you enjoy. I put a picture of what Anchovy Paste looks like in case you don't know...cause I sure didn't know. I was looking for something in a glass bottle...I was wrong. So I ended up using my chopper to chop some anchovy fillets with some garlic and olive oil. I don't think anyone noticed.

Pasta Puttanesca

Ingredients

• 8 ounces whole-wheat thin spaghetti, vermicelli or angel hair
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup pitted chopped Spanish or Greek olives
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, preferably "no salt added"
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh arugula
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 
  

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add pasta and cook.

2. While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over a medium flame. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. 

3. Add the parsley, olives, capers, anchovy paste, oregano and crushed red pepper to the skillet, and saute for 2 minutes more. 

4. Add the tomatoes and simmer for about 5 minutes. 

5. Stir in the arugula and simmer for 1 minute more, until the greens wilt slightly.

6. When the pasta is done, drain it and add it to the skillet, tossing it with the sauce to combine. 

7. Top with grated cheese.

I really enjoyed this dish. It was a healthy alternative to pasta with thick sauce that is full of calories. I did a few different things...I used my homemade anchovy paste instead of the real stuff. I used spinach instead of arugula inly because I was too cheap to spend the extra $3 on the arugula salad. Next time I make it I will used the real ingredients. I would probably use less parsley and oregano also. Overall it was great !! 

Christy 

Creamy Pasta & Swedish Meatballs

I originally found this recipe in Rachael Ray's cookbook. I tired it out for the first time and it was quite easy and tasty. So tasty that my brother kept coming back for more...3 days in a row he ate the leftovers. 


Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min


Ingredients
1 pound mixed ground beef, pork or veal

• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 1/4-1/3 cup cream or sour cream
• 1/4 cup white onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg (eyeball it)
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups beef stock
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons of your choice: lingonberry preserves, red currant or grape jelly
• 1 pound egg noodles, cooked to al dente
• Finely chopped fresh dill, for garnish
• Finely chopped parsley, for garnish
• 1/2 cup cornichons or baby gherkin pickles, finely chopped (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 400ºF.

In a bowl, mix meat with egg, breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup cream, onion, mustard, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls and arrange on a nonstick baking sheet and bake 10-12 minutes.

Heat a saucepot over medium heat. Melt the butter, whisk in the flour and cook for a minute or two. Then whisk in stock and thicken for 6-8 minutes. Stir in sour cream and jelly and warm through. Season the finished sauce with salt and pepper.

Carefully remove the meatballs from the baking sheet with a thin spatula.

Mix meatballs and egg noodles with sauce and garnish with dill, parsley and finely chopped cornichons 

or baby gherkin pickles, if using.

This recipe was fairly easy and was quick.  I did feel like something was missing though. Maybe it's because I didn't have any pickles to garnish at the end. It would have added a nice crunch to the dish. Also there were too many meatballs for the amount of pasta so next time I will make less. Overall it filled our bellies and was a great leftover.

My Rating: 7.5/10

Recipe courtesy: rachaelray.com

Christy