Margherita Pasta

I made this for mom and dad when they were in Dallas recently...love that this meal is "fancy", but the kids love it too.  Super easy and VERY fast.  I used heirloom cherry tomatoes and you MUST use fresh mozzarella (shaped in balls and surrounded with clear liquid- usually found in deli section).

                                                                                    courtesy

Margherita Pasta
From A Bountiful Kitchen
1 box spaghetti, cooked "al dente", drained
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 
2 tablespoons butter optional, but highly recommended for flavor
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2 lbs. Roma tomatoes (about 10-12) coarsely chopped or grape tomatoes
1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon salt 
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/2 lb. fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
½ cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
additional basil leaves for garnish

Cook pasta. Set aside, or while pasta is cooking prepare sauce. 
In large skillet, heat oil and butter over low heat. Saute the garlic until fragrant over low heat, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add basil, and pasta to pan with tomatoes. Cook for 2-3 minutes, just until all pasta is heated through. Just before ready to serve, pour into serving bowl, toss with fresh mozzarella and grated cheese. Serve at once with additional grated cheese, and more fresh basil if desired.
Serves 4 as a main dish, 6 as a side.

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Yellow Pepper Pasta

This pasta is addictingly good. I could seriously pick at it all day and never get sick of it. It is a recipe my brother brought back from his mission in Milan and made for us all the time. It is super easy and the perfect recipe to double and make for large groups, showers etc. The key ingredient really is the Parmesan reggiano so don't cheat! find the yellow peppers on sale to justify the cost but don't make it without it!

Yellow Pepper pasta

1 and 1/2  16 oz. boxes of butterfly pasta (farfalle) (roughly 24 oz)

1 medium yellow onions cut to small bits and

3 yellow peppers into 1/2 inch squares
pour about 3/4 cups of high quality olive oil in a large fry pan. 

Put in 3 cubes of chicken boullion. 

Pour in onions and peppers,

cook until just barely soft, not mushy.
Pour out some of olive oil, but not all and mix in cooked pasta

1 1/2-2 cups of Parmesan Reggianno grated onto pasta and mix in. Can be served warm or cold. I prefer warm. Make sure the Parmesan is Reggianno, not regular, That gives it a good flavor even though it's a bit pricey. Costco is obviously the best value but you get a ton so don't do that unless you're doubling it.

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Meatballs for Spaghetti

I thought these were pretty tasty and easy! I like meatballs and I like the idea of being able to pick how much meat you want with your spaghetti! 

Meatballs Adapted from Rachel Ray

1 1/4 pounds ground sirloin
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, eyeball it
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs, a couple of handfuls
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano cheese
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt and pepper


Preheat over to 425
Mix beef and Worcestershire, egg, bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, salt and pepper. Roll meat into 1 1/2 inch medium-sized meatballs and place on nonstick cookie sheet or a cookie sheet greased with extra-virgin olive oil. Bake balls 10 to 12 minutes, until no longer pink.

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Fig Prosciutto Pizza

Fig Prosciutto Pizza

There is a famous restaurant here in Boston called Figs that has amazing pizza. Probably their most famous is their fig prosciutto pizza and it is so amazingly good I have dreams about it. For pizza night the other night I decided to try and replicate it and came across this recipe that the Pioneer Woman posted. It is super easy and def a different flavor then the usual marinara pizza. The crust recipe she lists is good for 2 pizzas FYI.

- Also a plus- you can find all of these ingredients including pre-made yummy pizza dough at Trader Joe's if you live by one which makes the prep that much easier.

•  Pizza Crust
• 1 teaspoon Active Dry Yeast
• 4 cups All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1/3 cup Olive Oil
•  FOR THE PIZZA:
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 4 Tablespoons Fig Spread Or Jam
•  Kosher Salt To Taste
• 12 ounces, weight Fresh Mozzarella, Sliced Thin
• 6 ounces, weight Thinly Sliced Prosciutto- I cook it on the pizza rather than add it after baking.
• 1 bunch Washed And Rinsed Arugula
•  Freshly Ground Pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup Shaved Parmesan

Preparation Instructions

NOTE: PIZZA INGREDIENTS IN THIS RECIPE ARE FOR 1/3 OF THE PIZZA DOUGH RECIPE. USE LEFTOVER DOUGH TO MAKE OTHER KINDS OF PIZZA!

Sprinkle yeast over 1 1/2 cups warm (not lukewarm) water.
In a mixer, combine flour and salt. With the mixer running on low speed (with paddle attachment), drizzle in olive oil until combined with flour. Next, pour in yeast/water mixture and mix until just combined.

Coat a separate mixing bowl with a light drizzle of olive oil, and form the dough into a ball. Toss to coat dough in olive oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise for at least an hour. Use right away or store in the fridge until you need it. ***It’s best to make the dough at least 24 hours in advance, and 3 or 4 days is even better.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Roll out 1/3 of the pizza dough as thinly as possible. Place on a large baking sheet.

Drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Spread fig spread (or jam) all over the surface of the dough. Sprinkle lightly with salt.

Lay sliced of mozzarella all over the surface. Sprinkle lightly with salt and freshly ground pepper. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly.

Remove from oven and immediately lay prosciutto over hot pizza. Just before serving, sprinkle on arugula and Parmesan shavings.

Cut into wedges or squares and serve immediately!

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Vegetable Lasagna...in a crock pot!

This meal was so good that I wanted to stop mid-meal and post it.  But, I couldn't pull myself away from the plate.  And, who doesn't love a crock pot meal?  So easy.  We loved it.

courtesy google images

Vegetable Lasagna

Adapted from Eatingwell.com

1 large egg

1 15-oz. container cottage cheese (or ricotta, if you prefer)

1 5-oz. package baby spinach, coarsely chopped

1 pkg. sliced fresh mushrooms, chopped

1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced

2 28-oz. diced tomatoes

3 cloves garlic, minced

Pinch of crushed red pepper

Salt, Pepper as desired

1 Tbs. dried basil

1/2 Tbs. dried oregano

Garlic Salt, as desired

3 cups mozzarella cheese, divided

Favorite Pkg. of Noodles (I used penne)

Combine egg, cottage cheese, spinach, mushrooms, zucchini, salt, garlic salt, and pepper in a large bowl.  Combine tomatoes, and all remaining spices and minced garlic in medium sized bowl.    Coat your crock pot with cooking spray.  Pour 1 1/2 cups of tomato mixture in bottom, followed by half of cottage cheese mixture, then another 1 1/2 cups of the tomato sauce, half of the package of noodles, and then 1 1/2 cups of the mozzarella.  Repeat all previous layers.  Cook on high for 4-5 hours, mixing entire meal together HALFWAY through to allow all noodles to cook evenly.  Enjoy!

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Busy Night Marinara

I made this last night for dinner and it was delish!  It tasted so fresh and natural and perfect on a bed of angel hair pasta.  My kids ate seconds and the adults ate thirds... a good sign.  You can use whatever tomatoes you have on hand, although I find that cherry tomatoes are the best.

courtesy

Busy Night Marinara

Adapated from Mmm....is for Mommy

2 Tbs. Olive oil

1 small onion, diced small

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Cherry tomatoes, 1 pint (or any fresh tomato you have in the fridge)

1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes (or omit the fresh tomatoes and use 2 cans total)

1 tsp. honey

salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 cup chopped (not packed) fresh basil leaves, or a good handful

Warm oil in pan over medium heat.  Add onions and saute for 2-3 minutes.  Add garlic and red pepper flakes and saute together for another minute or two.   Add the tomatoes to the pan.  Once they heat through and begin to soften, mash the tomatoes in the pan with a potato masher.  Add the honey and s&p to the pan, stir and let simmer on low heat for 30 minutes (most of the juices will evaporate and the sauce will thicken).  Remove from heat and add basil.  Stir together to combine.  Serve over pasta.

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Mozzarella and Prosciutto Sandwiches

We had amazing weather here in LA over Easter weekend so Beau and I decided to go to the beach and spend the day exploring Malibu. While there we ate lunch at a walk-up-window style Italian Cafe that looked really good and then ate outside. Beau ordered a sandwich that was sooo good and upon further examination I realized that I could totally make it at home and didn't need to pay someone $13!! Although the ingredients are not something you would have ready on hand they are not hard to find and make a super yummy low maintenance and fairly healthy italian sandwich and it's fun to play around with depending on what you like!

Bread: Ciabatta -toasted

Spread: small amount of olive oil with a sprinkle of dry basil (i wanted to try pesto and got it out to use but it had gone bad :( but i bet it would be good on it)

Meat: Prosciutto or any other italian meat- (i just bought an italian 3 pack with calabrese salame, prosciutto and capocollo at Trader Joes that was really yummy)

Cheese: Fresh fresh fresh mozzarella..mmmmm

Veggies: arugula (lots of arugula a must!!) and sun dried tomatoes ( i used fresh tomatoes because Trader Joes has some right now that taste like they are straight out of the garden and it makes the sandwich a little more moist)

Salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!!

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Tortellini with Tomato-Zucchini Sauce

Here's a great, easy pasta for your weekly rotation...thanks again, Dagmar!

courtesy

Tortellini with Tomato-Zucchini Sauce

Dagmar Jewkes

1 lb. cheese tortellini or cheese ravioli (refrigerated section of grocery store)

1 lb. zucchini, cubed or shredded

Salt

1 jar garlic, mushroom, or cheese pasta sauce

Cheese for sprinkling (parmesan or mozzarella)

Boil the tortellini and zucchini together with a hint of salt until fully cooked (or al-dente). Drain and place in serving dish. Add your jar of pasta sauce, toss, and sprinkle with cheese, if desired.

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Chicken Scampi

Pic courtesy of google images

We went to Olive Garden a few weeks ago for a date night and I was shocked that they had gotten rid of my favorite, go-to dish that I have ordered for years and years: chicken con broccoli. Not only was I disappointed, but what was I going to order now??? I read through the menu and finally decided on the chicken scampi. I had heard of shrimp scampi (scampi means a shrimp dish btw) but never chicken scampi. Oh. My. Goodness. It was perfection. I dreamed about it for two weeks until I finally found a worthy-seeming recipe online that I could hopefully replicate at home. Hence, this chicken scampi. I must admit, it wasn't AS good as Olive Garden (probably b/c they used a whole stick of butter in their sauce) but it was a very close second. So light, yummy, and different. We loved it.

Chicken Scampi
adapted from allrecipes.com

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 1/4 white cooking wine
  
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 4 boneless chicken breast halves, cut in to 1-inch chunks
• 1 red pepper, sliced thin
  
• 1 green pepper, sliced thin
  
• 1/2 medium red onion, sliced thin
• package of angel hair pasta
• parmesan cheese
  

Directions

1. In a skillet heat the butter or margarine and oil over medium heat until the butter/margarine melts. Add the parsley, basil, oregano and garlic and salt and mix together in the skillet. Don't overcook garlic- just until it's golden. Stir in lemon juice and white wine.
2. Then add the chicken and saute for about 3 minutes or until white. Add sliced peppers and onion. Lower the heat and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear. More butter/margarine can be added if needed.
3. Meanwhile, cook pasta al dente. After chicken is cooked through, add pasta to skillet and toss to incorporate sauce. Top with parmesan cheese, if desired.
   

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Garlic Chicken Farfalle

Photo from kevinandamanda.com

Um...garlic+chicken+pasta=cannot go wrong. Oh yeah, and bacon and whipping cream. Just eat a little bit and don't feel guilty:).

Garlic Chicken Farfalle

Recipe from kevinandamanda.com

16 oz. Farfalle pasta
1 c. heavy whipping cream
3-4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
2 to 3 cloves garlic, crushed OR garlic salt (I do a spoonful of crushed garlic)
1 Tbsp. pepper*
1/2 c. butter
1 lb. bacon, crumpled**
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
1 (12 oz) Lawry’s mesquite marinade with lime juice
*Seems like a lot of pepper, but it has a wonderful flavor when everything mixes together. If you’re apprehensive, do less pepper. You can always add more.
**We like to cook our bacon in the oven (400 degrees, convection). Way less messy. And it’s crispy every time. Time varies, so you just have to watch it. I think it’s usually around 30 minutes. Allow to cool and then crumple (I totally wear disposable gloves for this part – surprise, surprise).

[ directions ]
Crock pot chicken and bottle of marinade on low for 6 hours. Pull marinated chicken out of the juices, allow to cool a little bit, and shred (I pull it apart). Set this aside. About a half-hour before serving, boil the pasta. In a small saucepan, melt butter, add garlic, whipping cream, pepper, parmesan cheese, and crumpled bacon. Whisk together on low heat for 3-4 minutes. In a large bowl, pour over cooked, drained pasta, add chicken and stir through. Sprinkle a little bit more shredded parmesan cheese on top.

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Tuscan Garlic Chicken

Pic courtesy of My Kitchen Cafe

I knew I had to make this as soon as I saw it Mel's Kitchen Cafe (formerly My Kitchen Cafe).
Apparently it's a popular dish at Oliver Garden, but I wouldn't know because I always order the Chicken con Broccoli when I go there. Anyway... it was delicious and pretty darn easy too.

Tuscan Garlic Chicken

adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

*Note: if the chicken breasts you are using are overly thick, you can butterfly them, cutting all the way through so you end up with two thinner cuts of chicken breast. Second note: I would say this recipe is right on the edge of just having enough sauce but not an overabundance, so if you like things on the saucier end of the spectrum, feel free to double that part of the recipe.

*Serves 4-6 (depending on if you are serving adults or kids)

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic (about 4-5 cloves)
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips or chopped
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
6 ounces fresh spinach
1/2 cup milk or heavy cream
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup lowfat milk
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound fettuccine

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a shallow pie plate or similar dish, combine the flour, salt, pepper, basil and oregano. Dip each chicken piece in the flour mixture until both sides are well coated.

In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat until the oil is hot and shimmering. Carefully place the chicken breasts in the pan, cooking them for 2-3 minutes on each side, until they are golden and browned but not cooked all the way through (they’ll finish up in the oven). Don’t scoot the chicken around once you lay it in the hot oil! Let the oil work it’s magic to sear the crust on the chicken. If you get all antsy and try flipping too early and/or moving the chicken around the pan, the breading is lightly to fall off. Gently remove the chicken to a foil-lined, lightly greased baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside and tent with foil until ready to use.

While the chicken is cooking, heat a large pot of water to a boil and add the noodles, cooking until al dente. Also, wipe out the skillet with a couple paper towels and return it to medium heat, adding the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and bell pepper, sauteing for 2-3 minutes.

Stir in one tablespoon flour and stir constantly while cooking for another minute. Add the chicken broth to the skillet and bring the mixture to a low simmer, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes. In a small liquid measure, whisk together the cornstarch and cream. Add the spinach, milk and cream mixture to the skillet. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach is wilted and sauce is slightly thickened, about 2-4 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.

When the pasta has finished cooking, drain and return it to the pot. Toss the pasta with half of the cheese sauce. Place some of the coated pasta on each plate. Top with a breaded chicken breast and spoon some of the sauce over the top of the chicken and pasta. Serve immediately.

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Classic Italian Lasagna

Pic courtesy of My Kitchen Cafe

Who's in the mood for some comfort food? Because this lasagna is absolutely AMAZING. I have been making sour cream lasagna for years and really believed that, as far as lasagna goes, it couldn't be beat. Let me tell you, this Classic Italian Lasagna beats it. It is the creamiest, tastiest homemade lasagna you'll ever make. I could literally eat it for dessert. Warning: it's a bit labor-intensive, but worth every dirty pan.

Classic Italian Lasagna

from My Kitchen Cafe

*Makes one 9X13-inch pan of lasagna

Red Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
4 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced
1/2 large onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
8 ounces mushrooms (I used the canned variety), chopped
2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1-2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (or a mix of dried oregano and basil)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

White Sauce:
3 cups milk (not skim, I used 1%)
5 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

9 lasagna noodles, boiled for half the time on the box (or use 12 of the no-boil noodles, of which I far prefer the Barilla brand)
1 pound ground turkey
1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded
8 ounces Parmesan cheese, shredded

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan with cooking spray or with a napkin dipped lightly in olive oil and set aside.

In a large skillet, brown the ground turkey over medium-high heat, breaking the meat apart into pieces with a wooden spoon. When turkey is cooked through, drain the grease and set aside.

In a medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and one tablespoon butter. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. When oil/butter is hot, add the garlic, stirring constantly. When the garlic is lightly browned, but NOT burned, add the onion and mushrooms. Continue cooking on medium-high heat until the vegetables are soft and browned and the fluid has mostly cooked out. Remove from heat and either using a handheld immersion blender or transferring the vegetables to a blender, blend the vegetables to a paste-like mixture. Return the pot to the heat (pour the pureed vegetables back in, if using a stand-alone blender) and add the tomato sauce and tomato paste. Stir to combine. Then add the diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir. Cover and let the sauce sauce simmer for 30 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Right before using the red sauce in the lasagna, stir in the reserved ground turkey.

While the red sauce simmers, if using lasagna noodles that need to be boiled, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and boil the noodles for half the time suggested on the box. Once the noodles are cooked, drain, but do not rinse. Add a dab of olive oil to keep them from sticking together. If you are using no-boil noodles, you can skip this step.

Also while the red sauce is cooking, melt the four tablespoons butter and when melted, add the flour, stirring constantly to combine and letting the mixture cook, while stirring, for a minute or two. Gradually add in the milk, whisking constantly. Add the salt and pepper. Slowly whisk the white sauce, ensuring it doesn’t burn on the bottom of the pan, while cooking it over medium heat. Continue slowly stirring or whisking while the white sauce cooks and thickens quite a bit, about 5-7 minutes.

To begin layering the lasagna, keep in mind that you’ll have three layers of noodles as well as three layers of the sauces and cheese – so plan on splitting all the sauce and cheese piles into thirds so you don’t run out at the end! On the bottom of your lightly greased baking pan, layer three pre-boiled noodles or four no-boil noodles, slightly overlapping the no-boil noodles. Layer the red sauce, white sauce, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, spreading all to the edges and top with another layer of noodles. Again, layer the red sauce, white sauce, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses and top with the final layer of noodles. Layer the sauces and cheeses again.

Cover the lasagna with a greased layer of aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and let the lasagna sit for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

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Chicken and Pasta with Roasted Garlic, White Cheddar, and Broccoli

Pic courtesy of Annie's Eats

I made this dish last night and wanted to post it right away for all it's yumminess! It was just a little twist on other pasta dishes that I've made in the past and it paid off- we all loved it. I know roasting the garlic sounds hard and tedious, but, really, it's worth it. And, it really is easy. You literally just squeeze the garlic out of their "shells" once it's been baked. It's packed with delicious garlic flavor and pretty good for your waistline too!

Chicken and Pasta with Roasted Garlic, White Cheddar & Broccoli
adapted from Annie's Eats

Ingredients:
8 oz. tube shaped pasta, such as penne or rotini
1½ tbsp. butter
¼ cup roasted garlic paste*
1½ tbsp. flour
1 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese (or regular cheddar works fine as well)
1 head of broccoli, cut into florets and blanched until crisp-tender
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, grilled and cut into bite size pieces
Salt and pepper, to taste

*To make roasted garlic paste, peel the outer papery skins off two heads of garlic, leaving the heads still intact. Slice about a quarter off the top of each head so that all of the cloves are partly exposed. Wrap the heads in foil and bake at 350˚ F for one hour. Remove from the oven and let cool. Once cool enough to touch, squeeze the garlic cloves out of the peels and smash with a fork to make roasted garlic paste.

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta until al dente according to the package directions.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet or saucepan set over medium heat, melt the butter. Once the butter is melted, whisk in the roasted garlic paste and cook just until fragrant, 30-60 seconds. Whisk the flour into the mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to turn golden brown, 1-2 minutes. Stir the broth into the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cheddar and stir until melted. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.

Mix in the broccoli florets and chicken pieces, and cook just until heated through. Mix in the cooked pasta until evenly coated with the sauce. Serve warm.

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Pita Pizza

picture from google images

I got this idea from the some of the girls at the pool this summer. It is really simple and very quick to put together. You can specialize these pizza's for the individuals in your family. It is a great lunch idea too.

Pita Pizza

Pita (white or whole wheat)
pizza sauce
mozzarella cheese
pizza toppings

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Take pita out of package and layer with pizza sauce, cheese and pizza toppings. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Topping ideas: For my two year old I made plain cheese, for my husband cheese and peperoni and for me I made a veggie (tomatoes, onions, & zucchini).

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