Pasta Primavera

This recipe is super healthy (it's loaded with veggies), super tasty, and super quick to make. The longest part is cutting up all the vegetables. So, if you're looking for a new pasta recipe to try give this one a go. It's another one from Ellie Krieger. I like her quite a bit.


Another picture that isn't mine. Thanks FN :)



Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 cloves minced garlic

1 red bell pepper, cleaned, seeded and cut into strips (6 ounces)

1/2 pound thin asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

1 cup sliced button mushrooms (4 ounces)

1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced in 1/2 (6 ounces)

1 cup low-sodium chicken stock

1/2 cup 1 percent milk

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, dissolved in 3 tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 large carrot (6 ounces) peeled and sliced into strips with a peeler (about 2 cups carrot ribbons)

3/4 pound whole-wheat linguine

1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) grated Parmesan

2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves

1/4 cup shredded basil leaves

Full Recipe

Serves 4 (generously)

If you have never tried whole wheat pasta before I highly recommend it. The texture is a bit different, and may take some getting used to, but I love it. I rarely eat regular pasta now. Also, if you don't like veggies this is a good way to eat them. You get a huge variety in all at once and they're cooked down so they're nice and soft. There's nothing fancy about this dish, it's just that all the flavors come together so nicely. I definitely think the Parmesan and fresh herbs make a huge difference so I recommend using them.

Gnocchi with Squash and Kale

I guess I have been in the mood for meatless dinners lately, or it's just that the recipes I actually get around to posting are vegetarian. Anyway, this recipe is from Food Network Magazine and it's SO YUMMY! Previous to making this I had never cooked with kale before so I was a little nervous. I didn't know what kale tastes like and I was worried it'd be bitter, but now I'm a convert. Even though there aren't a lot of spices in the dish everything works so well together. It's full of cheesy, nutty, garlicky goodness. And the magazine boasts that it's a low cal meal. Score!

This picture is from foodnetwork.com. I didn't take one of my own but it really does turn out looking like this.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh sage (I used dried because I didn't have fresh)

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (honestly, I wouldn't use much more than this. It adds flavor but with minimal heat, which is perfect. Add too much and I think it'd take away from the other flavors.)

Kosher salt

1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water (use broth for more flavor!)

1 bunch kale, stemmed and roughly chopped (about 8 cups)

1 17.5-ounce package potato gnocchi (I used homemade gnocchi and took it straight from the freezer to the pan)

3/4 cup grated Parmesann or Pecorino Romano cheese

Full Recipe

Serves 4 (this is pretty accurate)

I followed the recipe exactly. Except that I accidentally added an extra tablespoon of butter in. I started with 2 tablespoons to cook the squash and then I put another tablespoon in at the end like it says to. Whoops. No harm done though :)

It can be difficult to cut and peel a fresh butternut squash so make sure to use a sharp knife and don't be afraid to use a vegetable peeler to get the rind off.  Also, don't overcook the squash in the first step because it'll continue to cook as the gnocchi cooks in later steps. Just make sure it's fork-tender.

Also, I made my own gnocchi. Partly because I couldn't find it in the store and because I've made it before and knew I could do it. It really isn't difficult. It's just time consuming so you have to plan ahead. If you don't have a recipe for gnocchi here's the one I used (from FN Mag...I tried to find it from the original recipe I made that called for gnocchi but it doesn't have a link. I guess they only give you the recipe in the magazine):

Gnocchi:

4 large potatoes, fork-pricked

1 large egg, beaten

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1. Bake the potatoes at 425 degrees until tender, about 1 hour. Cool slightly, then halve and scoop the flesh into a ricer or food mill; press into a bowl (you can also mash well with a fork).

2. Add the egg, cheese, butter, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste; stir with a fork until combined. Add the flour and stir to make a rough dough, then mix by hand until smooth. Add more flour if it's sticky.

3. Gather the dough into a ball on a floured surface and divide into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a 12-inch long, 1/2-inch thick log with your hands.

4. Cut the logs into 1-inch pieces. Freeze on floured baking sheets until ready to cook (once frozen, store up to 1 month in a sealed container).

The squash and kale recipe has you cook your gnocchi with all the other ingredients, but if you were to cook them separately you:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.

2. Add the gnocchi, stir and cook for 1 minute after they float, about 3 minutes total.

3. Transfer with a slotted spoon to the pot with your sauce.

I seriously think you should try this. It's a perfect Fall dinner and it really only takes about 35 minutes, like the recipes claims. At least if you've made your gnocchi ahead of time. I think this recipe is a winner and I hope you do too!

Caprese Grilled Cheese w/Baked Zucchini Sticks

OK. So I totally made up the name for the sandwich. I got the "recipe" from Pinterest (oh, how I love thee!). The link takes you to foodgawker.com, but not directly to the recipe, just to "most favorited all-time - page 3". I can't even find the same photo on that page that I pinned to my food board, but thankfully the original pin had all the ingredients. I call it the caprese grilled cheese because it has fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil pesto on the inside. Yum.

Ingredients, Caprese grilled cheese:

Fresh mozzarella

Sliced tomatoes

Basil pesto- I used store bought stuff b/c I didn't feel like making my own.

Bread- I went with sourdough here. There was no suggestion for bread and that's what sounded good to me in the store.

Directions (does anyone really need directions for making grilled cheese??):

Spread the pesto on one or both sides of the bread, layer with tomatoes and mozzarella, and cook in a pan, turning once. It's as simple as it gets. I waned to share this recipe because I'd never thought of doing this to grilled cheese. And it was delicious.

Fettuccine with Creamy Red Pepper Sauce

This recipe is from The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger. If you don't like red bell peppers then I don't recommend you make this. But if you do, you should definitely try it. The roasted red peppers add a nice smokey flavor and the feta adds a little zing along with some creaminess. Plus, it's fast AND super healthy! What more could you ask for?

I paired the pasta with fruit salad and some garlic/Parmesan bread

Ingredient:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped (about 2 teaspoons)
One 16-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained, rinsed, and chopped
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup crumbled feta cheese (6 ounces)
One 16-ounce box whole-wheat fettuccine
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:
Heat the oil in a medium heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring a few times, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the roasted red peppers and cook, stirring a few times, until heated through. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
Transfer the red pepper mixture to a food processor, add the broth and all but 2 tablespoons of the feta. Process until combined and smooth, about 30 seconds.
Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Toss the pasta with the sauce, adding the pasta water by the tablespoon if needed. The sauce should cling nicely to the pasta. Season with slat and pepper. Divide among 6 pasta bowls. Sprinkle with the parsley and reserved feta and serve.

Serves: 6
Cook time: about 15 minutes


This also makes great leftovers. I actually think I liked it a wee bit better the second time around. Maybe I was just in the mood for it. Make sure you use fresh parsley because it adds a wonderful fresh taste. Also, my 14 month-old girl even liked it. If a baby will eat it it must be good, right? :)

I Made a Cake

Over the last year and a half I have experimented with cake decorating. If you're interested in that sort of thing check out my blog to see pictures and a lengthy explanation of how I made the pink/white cake below. It's probably more confusing than I intend it to be but I hope it makes a little sense. I have never taken a class before (thanks Cake Boss for all your great tips!), which might be why I can't explain things all that well. Happy baking!  

French Dip Sandwiches with Oven-Roasted Broccoli

Here is a few more easy and delicious recipes from Our Best Bites.

Ingredients:
1(2 1/2-3 pounds) beef roast
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
2 (1-ounce) packages dry onion soup mix
2 cups water
2 (14.5 ounce) cans beef broth
Crusty buns or rolls -In the cookbook it suggests using their hoagie recipe, which I did and they were wonderful. Here is the recipe.
Swiss, provolone, or mozzarella cheese, shredded or sliced.

Serves approximately 12-14

Full Recipe

For the oven-roasted broccoli:
4-5 cups broccoli
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1-2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Place broccoli on a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle the broccoli with olive oil and then toss to combine and coat each piece. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the baking sheet in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until stems are golden brown and slightly crisp looking. Remove broccoli from oven and immediately sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Toss and serve.

Serves 6-8


Enjoy!

Mexican-Style Sweet Shredded Pork

Many people in Utah love a restaurant called Cafe Rio. I would say one of their most popular dishes is their pork salad with cilantro-ranch dressing. I'm sure some of you know people with knock-off recipes...well, this is one of those (another good one from Our Best Bites- can you tell I've been using this cookbook a ton lately??). It doesn't taste exactly like Cafe Rio's pork salad but it's pretty close. So if you're far from Utah but are craving their pork salad, this is a good alternative. Or you could just make tacos or enchiladas with it.

The entire spread. I even bought those tin foil cake pans to serve it in. It was like we were really there! Ha.

Ingredients:
4 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 (10-ounce) cans enchilada sauce -they don't specify red or green but I assumed they meant red, based on the picture in the cookbook...and the dish they are re-creating.
1 cup brown sugar, divided
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup apple juice

Directions:
1. Trim the visible fat from the roast and sprinkle with salt, pepper, chili powder, and onion powder. use your hands to massage the spices over all the sides of the meat.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the pork roast for about 1 minute on all sides or until the meat surface is golden brown.
3. While the meat is searing, combine the enchilada sauce, 2/3 cup brown sugar, salsa, Worcestershire sauce, and apple juice in a slow-cooker. Add the pork, cover, and cook on low for 7 hours with the lid on the entire time.
4. Remove pork and shred, discarding any pieces of fat. Add the additional 1/3 cup brown sugar to slow cooker and turn heat to high. Add shredded meat. Simmer with lid off for 30 minutes.

Serves about 12

If you've never been to Cafe Rio or Costa Vida, the idea here is to have a flour tortilla on the bottom of your serving dish (I bought the kind you cook on your stove, but they actually have a flour tortilla recipe if you're feeling up to it -it's really good, I made them to use up the leftover pork!). Then you chop up some romaine lettuce to put on top of the tortilla. Add whatever things you want, like corn, black beans, rice, avocado, tortilla strips, etc. Top with some of the Sweet Shredded Pork and drizzle over some Creamy Cilantro-Lime Ranch Dressing (which is actually really easy to make).

This might be a complicated dinner if the Sweet Pork wasn't so easy to make. The hardest part is prepping all the stuff you want to go on top of your salad! I hope you enjoy!