ginger soba noodles

i'm tired. my eyes are trying to close. i had a long, long day that included getting peed on by a 6 month old (and we're not talking about just a drop...we're talking full stream). i'm exhausted but i can't go to bed until i write this post. i'm that excited about this recipe. 

i made this for dinner tonight for the nanny family. i took one bite and knew i was in trouble...i couldn't stop! the secret is in the ginger dressing. all the ingredients perfectly blended together to create this tangy but sweet sauce to coat the sticky soba noodles. after some coercing we even got the kiddies to eat it. you can serve it as a main course or a side dish.

the recipe comes from heidi swanson at 101 cookbooks. i had to tweak it a little tiny bit based on what i had at the house. here we go!

ingredients:

8 oz dried soba noodles

1 tablespoon freshly grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon

1/2 cup chopped white onion

1 teaspoon mirin (optional)

2 teaspoons honey

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

3 tablespoons brown rice vinegar

1 celery stalk, strings removed, then chopped

1/3 cup vegetable oil

a few big handfuls of cubed tofu, pan-fried or baked until golden

1/3 cup toasted pumpkin seeds, plus a little more

1/4 cup green onion, chopped

directions:

cook the soba noodles according to package directions in well salted water. drain, rinse under cold water, and shake off as much of the water as possible.

meanwhile, make the dressing by combining the ginger, toasted sesame oil, lemon zest and juice, onion, mirin, honey, salt, vinegar, celery, and oil in a food processor. blend until very smooth, then press aggressively through a strainer. 

in a large bowl, toss the soba noodles with the tofu, most of the pumpkin seeds, and the dressing. garnish with green onions and remaining pumpkin seeds.

side note: the kiddies asked for some "soy" on theirs...meaning soy sauce. you can add a little of that on top or even some brown rice vinegar.

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italian herb and cheese fettuccine

i'm a sucker for anything new in the food world. i've been seeing commercials and advertisements all over the place for kraft's philadelphia cooking creme. it's one of their newer products that is being marketed as a spoonable version of cream cheese. it comes in four different flavors (original, savory garlic, italian cheese & herb and santa fe blend) and is designed to be stirred to casseroles, pasta dishes, and pizzas to add a little zing to your meals. i'm usually not one for processed foods but it was on sale at the grocery store this week so i picked it up and decided to try it out for myself.

i went with the italian herb and cheese blend and added it to fettuccine noodles and stir-fried vegetables. all and all it was pretty good. i ended up adding some of the pasta cooking water because i felt the sauce was a little too heavy/creamy. if you're in a pinch and don't have time to make your own cream sauce, i would say use this because it's quick and easy. but if you have the time i would make a sauce from scratch because nothing beats fresh ingredients.

ingredients:
1 lb fettuccine noodles
1 tub (10 0z) philadelphia italian herb and cheese blend cooking creme
1 lb turkey sausage, sliced thin
1 (16 oz) package frozen vegetable medley (any will do)
1/2 cup-1 cup reserved pasta cooking water
garnishes: parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes

directions:
cook noodles according to directions. reserve pasta water.

heat large skillet over medium high heat with evoo. brown sausages for about 7 minutes. add frozen vegetables, cover and let cook for about 5 minutes, until vegetables have thawed out. add cooking creme and noodles to skillet and stir together. add reserved pasta water, one ladle at at a time, until sauce is to your desired consistency. sprinkle with parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes. serve immediately.

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spring pasta with squash, spinach and chicken sausage

 

i'm on a mission to clean out our fridge. it's a complete mess that seems be an endless black pit. tonight's recipe was really a beautiful mishap that came together with whatever we had lying around. it's amazing how you can pull together a delicious, healthy and easy meal with just a few essentials.

ingredients:

1/2 lb angel hair pasta

1 zucchini

1 yellow squash

2 cups fresh spinach

1 lb chicken sausage, sliced on a diagonal (our was roasted garlic and gouda flavored)

2 tablespoons garlic olive oil (heat olive in small pan with crushed garlic cloves over low heat for 10 minutes)

red pepper flakes

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1/4 to 1/2 cup reserved pasta water

directions:

bring large pot of water to boil for pasta over medium high heat.  meanwhile, heat skillet over medium heat with evoo.  brown chicken sausage for about 8 minutes, turning frequently.  set aside.

using a vegetable peeler, slice zucchini and squash into thin ribbons.  should look like this.

add liberal amount of salt and noodles to boiling pot of water. cook according to directions. two minutes before pasta is done add zucchini and squash ribbons. remove from pot and reserve pasta water.

in a large serving bowl mix together cooked pasta, zucchini/squash, fresh spinach, chicken sausage, parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes (to your liking), garlic olive oil and 1/4 cup reserved pasta water.  add more if pasta is too dry. keep tossing together, letting the heat from the pasta wilt the spinach. serve immediately and garnish with fresh chopped parsley. 

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winter pasta with cauliflower and brussel sprouts

i got this recipe from the blog the year in food. she takes beautiful pictures and i knew right when i saw her picture of the dish that i needed to try it out. i feel like i say this a lot, but this meal came together pretty easily - but it's true! i was a little worried that the dish would be a a little bland (the sauce = pasta water + cheese) but i was definitely mistaken. the capers really pulled through for me. it gave every bite that extra salty, briny taste that was ooo so delicious. this is a great week night meal that packs in the veggies without being boring. you could also add a can of tomatoes to this to add more flavor. serves about 4 to 6 people.

ingredients:
1 lb pasta
1 small or medium head cauliflower, stem and leaves removed, chopped
3/4 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and sliced lengthwise
3 tablespoons evoo
1/4 cup chopped, fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
3 tablespoons capers (i added more because i love them that much)
4-6 anchovy fillets, mashed to a paste (adjust according to taste)
zest of one lemon
1/4 teaspoon dried chili flakes
1/4-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (use your judgment)
s&p to taste (as this dish has a lot of salty components, taste before adding)

directions:
preheat oven to 400 degrees. bring large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.

toss the cauliflower and brussels sprouts in one tablespoon evoo. lightly season with s&p and garlic powder.  spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast until browned at the edges and soft in the center, about 20-30 minutes. turn once about halfway through. while the veggies are roasting, cook your pasta according to instructions on the package.

when the pasta is ready, drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. return pasta to the pot to keep it warm. add the two remaining tablespoons of evoo to the pasta, then the parsley, parmesan, capers, anchovy paste, lemon zest and chili flakes. if it’s a little dry, add some of the cooking liquid. toss gently to distribute everything. add the cauliflower and brussels sprouts and toss again, gently. season to taste with s&p. if the pasta needs to be reheated, do so over a low flame, stirring to prevent burning. garnish with grated parmesan and chopped parsley if desired.

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roasted squash ravioli with sage cream sauce

this is one of those comfort meals that i crave when it's cold and windy outside. {i wish it would just snow already.} the dish highlights a perfect balance between creaminess, sweetness and saltiness. pair with a simple italian salad and a glass (or 4) of wine. serves 2.

ingredients:
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic, minced
1 cup butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into one-inch cubes
½ cup ricotta
30 wonton wrappers
½ cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon butter
½ cup half and half
1 tablespoon sage, chopped
2 tablespoons roasted pistachios, coarsely chopped
s&p
evoo

directions:
preheat oven to 400 degrees. in a large bowl, mix butternut squash with generous pour of evoo and s&p. working with your hands, make sure each piece is covered in oil. put the squash cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes or until the edges have begun to brown just a bit and are fork tender. remove from oven and let cool. in a food processor, combine cooled squash, ricotta and s&p.

working one at a time, take a wonton wrapper and scoop about 1 teaspoon of squash/ricotta mixture into center. wet edges of the wonton wrapper with water using your fingers and place another wonton wrapper on top. secure all edges to make sure there are no air bubbles or holes. working quickly, repeat again for each ravioli.

bring a large pot of water to a boil. season generously with salt and cook raviolis in batches (about 3 at a time) until they rise to the top, about 4 to 5 minutes. put in a large bowl and immediately mix together with a little evoo to prevent the raviolis from sticking together.

melt butter in sauce pan over medium heat. add garlic and shallot and stir until fragrant, about 60 seconds. Add chicken stock, cream and sage. season with s&p. increase heat and boil until sauce is reduced to ½ cup, about 5 to 7 minutes.

to assemble, place raviolis on plate, drizzle with sage cream sauce and garnish with roasted pistachios.

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pasta with asiago cream sauce and spinach

click on image to zoom in.

i found this recipe online over at good things catered and decided to make it the very next day. i absolutely love asiago cheese, especially on an asiago cheese bagel. i was really looking forward to this dish, but somehow the end result didn't turn out as expected. the sauce was a little too thick. we added chicken stock to thin it out, but that was only a temporary fix because it kept getting thick again. i think next time i would add equal amounts of chicken stock and milk to even things out, instead of using just milk - like the recipe calls for. i'm posting the original recipe from good things catered. feel free to make your own adjustments. don't get me wrong - this was still good and hit the spot - it was just a little too rich for me.

ingredients:
2 pounds pasta of choice
4 tablespoons sweet cream butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1.5 cups milk, plus an additional 1/2 cup if needed
2 cups shredded asiago cheese
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/8 teaspoon paprika
2 cups fresh baby spinach
red pepper flakes, to taste

directions:
in a large stock pot with salted water, bring water to boil and cook pasta according to package directions. meanwhile in a large pan, add butter over medium heat. once fully melted, add flour and stir with large wooden spoon to combine well. cook, stirring well, for two minutes and and milk, stirring well, 1/2 cup at a time to turn roux into a smooth bechamel. turn heat to low and add shredded cheese, stirring well to combine thoroughly. add salt, pepper, paprika and stir well to combine. add more salt to taste if needed (depending on the saltiness of the cheese). once pasta is done, quickly strain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water. add pasta to cheese sauce pan, along with spinach and stir well to combine. add pasta water if needed to achieve nicely coated pasta. transfer to bowl and serve. top with red pepper flakes.

we served this with crusty garlic bread and mixed greens with meagan's grandma's secret salad dressing. 

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deconstructed stuffed chicken with spinach, goat cheese and pinenuts

click image to zoom in.
i added a little too much sauce, so you can't see the chicken that good - but i promise it's there!

meagan's mom, denise, sent me a stuffed chicken recipe the other day. i decided to improvise a little and take all the ingredients that were used to stuff the chicken and make it in a sauce to top the chicken. i served it with orzo with a sun-dried tomato vinaigrette. i kept the portions small; it served as the perfect light dinner for two. everything was delicious.

ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup flour
3/4 cup frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup light cream
1/4 cup soft goat cheese
3 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup uncooked orzo
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, packed in oil
1 tablespoon oil from sun-dried tomatoes
2 tablespoons low sodium chicken stock
1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 small garlic clove, minced
evoo
s&p

directions for chicken:
take about 1.5 to 2 tablespoons of goat cheese, roll it into a ball and flatten into a patty. repeat and make a second patty. coat in evoo and roll in panko bread crumbs. put in fridge for about 5 to 10 minutes. meanwhile dredge chicken in flour. heat skillet with evoo over medium high heat. fry chicken about 4 minutes per side until golden brown. remove from pan and set aside. add cream to pan, scraping up the browned bits from the chicken. add half of frozen thawed spinach, s&p and pine nuts. let sauce reduce by half. meanwhile, heat a small skillet with evoo. fry goat cheese patties about 2 minutes per side until golden brown. to serve, top chicken with pan sauce and add goat cheese on top of that.

directions for orzo:
cook the orzo according to package directions. set aside in strainer. in a food processor, mix together tomatoes, broth, vinegar, garlic, sun-dried tomato oil and s&p until smooth. add half of spinach to orzo and mix with vinaigrette. add more s&p if needed and serve warmed or chilled.

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spicy vodka pasta with sausage, spinach and sundried tomatoes

i wish i could take credit for this wonderful delight, but i can't. denise (meagan's mom) makes this on the regular for her family and passed along the recipe. its crazy simple and tastes even better. i used flavored sausage from costco (smoked mozzarella, garlic and artichoke to be exact) but feel free to substitute any kind you like - chicken, turkey, reduced fat, regular.

ingredients:
1 lb whole wheat pasta - any shape you like
1 pound sausage links
1 bag fresh spinach
25 oz jar of arrabiata pasta sauce (it's spicy!)
15 oz jar of sundried tomato alfredo sauce
2 shallots, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons dried italian seasonings
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, sliced into strips
red pepper flakes, to your liking
freshly grated parmesan
fresh basil for garnish
evoo
s&p

directions:
add evoo to large skillet. brown sausages about 4 minutes per side, until fully heated through. (i bought the kind that were already cooked, so i just needed to re-heat them. if you buy the ones haven't been cooked previously, add more cooking time.) in a large sauce pan, add evoo, garlic and shallots. cook for about 3 to 4 minutes. add both jars of pasta sauce, dried italian seasonings, red pepper flakes (if you want it more spicy) and s&p. keep heated over medium low heat. once sausages are done, chop into 1/4 inch slices and add to pasta sauce. next add sundried tomatoes and spinach and let it wilt into the sauce. season with more s&p if needed. meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. add tablespoon of salt and cook pasta according to directions. to serve, put generous heaping of noodles on plate and top with pasta sauce. garnish with freshly grated parmesan and fresh basil. serve with warm toasty garlic bread and you have yourself a fantastic meal.

side note: meagan added sauteed mushrooms to her pasta sauce - but i don't dig on the shrooms so i left them out.

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