Bucatini with Kale Pesto December 29, 2010
Posted by elly in healthy, pasta, vegetables, vegetarian.9 comments
This time of year, whenever I write “green veg” on the grocery list for a trip my husband takes, he inevitably comes back with kale. He really loves it, and it’s one of the few green vegetables in season at the moment. I like it, too, but there are only so many different ways I can sauté it and braise it before I’m over it.
Last week, I had a huge bunch of kale staring me in the face again, and no real dinner plans. That’s when I decided to make a kale pesto so that I could use it in a new way (new to me, that is) and the bonus, of course, was that I got to eat pasta for dinner. :)
This made a LOT of pesto, so I was able to freeze quite a bit for a some quick dinners down the road. The pesto was delicious and a nice change of pace from the standard basil version. It had a heartier flavor, and some bitterness to it (though boiling the kale will get rid of much of the bitterness, and the lemon juice brightens it up). I decided to go with walnuts rather than pine nuts, which were a great complement to the kale. I topped the pasta with some chicken I quickly cooked in a skillet, to add a little more protein to the dish.
Kale Pesto
Enough for about 1 lb. of pasta
1 large bunch kale, coarsely chopped and thick stems removed
4 cloves garlic
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
1/2 cup Parmesan or Romano cheese
juice of 1 lemon
zest of half a lemon
good quality extra virgin olive oil
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the kale. Cook for about 10-15 minutes, or until tender and most of the bitterness has been removed. Drain.
Place the garlic and walnuts in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until combined. Add the kale and process until well combined. Add the cheese , lemon juice, and zest, and pulse just a few times to incorporate. Drizzle olive oil through the feed tube, continuing to process, until your desired consistency (I’ve always been a fan of a thicker/less oily pesto myself). Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Combine the pesto with hot cooked pasta, drizzling in a little extra oil if desired.
30 by 30: Fettuccine Alfredo with Blackened Chicken December 6, 2010
Posted by elly in 30 by 30, italian, pasta.11 comments
I’m afraid to say that heavy cream has become a bit of a common item in our household. Between my affinity for homemade ice cream and my calorie-laden 30×30 list, it’s almost become a staple. As you can imagine, this is not a very good thing. Well, let me rephrase – it’s not a good thing when it comes to dropping this still-remaining 20 lbs. of baby weight, but it is a good thing because, well, it’s heavy cream. And heavy cream is a very good thing.
I’ve always loved fettucine alfredo, but I pretty much never allow myself to eat it. But then, that’s one of the reasons it made it on my list to begin with – everyone should indulge in some of their favorites at least once in a while. To make myself feel a wee bit better, I added some blackened chicken to add some protein to the dish.
This was so good. So, so good. Mine ended up a wee bit thick but it’s my own fault for becoming distracted while stirring the pasta with the cream (apparently, it is a real possibility to get distracted even with a 2 minute task when you have an 8 month old), and using the last bit of cream I had on hand for this recipe. Still, it was creamy and delicious and luxurious. I wish I could say I’ll make this all the time – but I won’t. I will make it when indulgence is in order, though.
Fettucine Alfredo
Serves 4
From Michael Ruhlman
1 cup cream
salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste
4 Tbsp. butter, cut into a few pieces
freshly ground nutmeg to taste
12 oz. fresh pasta
2 oz. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Bring a pot of water to a boil.
In a pan big enough to toss the pasta, bring the cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg to a simmer, then lower the heat and whisk or swirl in the butter, a chunk at a time. Turn off the heat.
Boil and strain your pasta. Toss the pasta in the cream. Sprinkle three quarters of the cheese over the pasta, tossing it to melt and distribute the cheese. Add a little more cream or milk if you’ve let it get too thick. Serve, sprinkling additional cheese on each.
30 By 30: Spaetzle September 28, 2010
Posted by elly in 30 by 30, pasta.16 comments
Now that Fall is here (yay!) I can start getting to some of the more comforting and hearty meals in my 30 by 30 list. I’ve only had spaetzle a handful of times, but I really like it. What’s not to like about something that is a cross between a noodle and a dumpling? Not to mention laced with nutmeg and sautéed in butter.
This was incredibly easy to make. For some reason, I decided I needed to make it on a Wednesday because I work from home on Wednesdays and no commute = more time to prepare dinner. But what happened was I got the mixture together and it was, like, 5:05. So, I actually stuck it in the fridge for a bit while I boiled the water and got everything else for dinner together. I was originally going to make this with some chicken schnitzel, but I decided I didn’t want (errrr…need) the additional carbs since I was already eating the spaetzle. So instead, I just seasoned and broiled some boneless/skinless chicken thighs–which is one of the fastest and tastiest ways to make them–and made green beans, too.
The only issue I had while making these was that the bottom holes on my colander were a bit small, so I had to use the ones on the side. It wasn’t very…um, ergonomic…holding a large colander on its side while pushing the dough through, but it wasn’t bad.
The original recipe said to simmer these for 5-8 minutes, which I think would be a mushy mess unless you have some big spaetzle. I simmered mine closer to 3 and they were perfect.
Spaetzle are a nice alternative to a homemade pasta when you don’t have the proper tools to make pasta or you’re just too damned lazy (hi, that’s me).
Spaetzle
Adapted from AllRecipes
Serves 4-6
1 cup AP flour*
1/2 tsp. grated nutmeg (I use whole nutmeg)
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
2 Tbsp. butter
2-3 Tbsp. chopped parsley
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Reduce to a gentle boil/simmer.
Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, milk, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Add the eggs and milk alternately to the flour mixture. Mix until smooth. (*I had to add about 1 Tbsp. extra flour.)
In batches, press the dough through a spaetzle maker or the holes in a metal colander, into the simmering water. Cook just a few minutes until the spaetzle are done–they will rise to the surface. Lift the spaetzle out with a mesh strainer or slotted spoon.
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat and add the spaetzle. Stir to coat the spaetzle and cook about 2 minutes or until they start to get a little color. Stir in the chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper if necessary.
Chicken and Mushroom Ragù June 14, 2010
Posted by elly in chicken/poultry, healthy, italian, pasta.13 comments
I know, I know…when you think of summertime, odds are you don’t exactly think of warm, comforting dishes like ragù. But personally, I could eat hearty comfort foods year round. I’d eat soup every day and never get sick of it – as long as I’m indoors and air conditioned, that is. :)
I’ve had this saved from Erin’s blog for quite some time, and I’m so glad I finally got around to making it. As you can probably tell, I didn’t use pappardelle. Neither the grocery store nor the specialty/ethnic store had any. Same goes with arugula (I used spinach instead). What gives? I don’t tpically have problems finding either of those ingredients. At any rate, this is such a delicious pasta dish. The balsamic vinegar adds just a touch of sweetness without overpowering the dish at all, and all the flavor of the rosemary is subtle and makes this even more earthy. Of course, you know how much I adore the chicken thigh. I really wish more people did, too. Embrace the chicken thigh, all you white meat people! It’s so tender and much more flavorful, especially in dishes like this.
I’ll definitely be making this again – it’s so easy and delicious!
Pappardelle with Chicken and Mushroom Ragù
Serves 4
Adapted from Gourmet
8 oz. cremini mushrooms
3 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1.25 lbs. boneless/skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2″ pieces
1 small onion, chopped
3/4 tsp. chopped rosemary
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 (28 oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes
1/2 lb. pappardelle or fettucini
5 oz. baby arugula or spinach
Finely chop the mushrooms and mince the garlic, or put together into a food processor and pulse until combined.
Heat the oil in a saute pan/skillet over medium-high heat until shimmery. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to the hot oil. Cook until just golden, about 3 minutes, and remove from pan with a slotted spoon.
Reduce heat to medium and cook the onion, about 3 minutes.
Add mushroom and garlic mixture, rosemary, and salt and pepper. Stir constantly until beginning to brown, about 4 minutes.
Add vinegar and cook until evaporated. Add chicken and tomatoes (with juice) and simmer, breaking up tomatoes with a spoon and stirring occasionally, until thick – about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente.
Add arugula to the sauce and stir until just wilted. Add the drained pasta and cook for 1 minute.
Greek Orzo Frittata May 24, 2010
Posted by elly in breakfast/brunch, chicken/poultry, greek, healthy, pasta.12 comments
Many people only think of eating frittatas for breakfast or brunch, but they can definitely work for dinner, too. Personally, if I am eating a frittata for dinner, I do prefer it to have a little more bulk, by way of an additional protein or grain. This one has both. It’s a similar concept to the “spaghetti frisbee” (but more eggy) and the wild rice frittata (but, you know, without rice).
I chose chicken breast as the additional protein because I had 1 breast in the fridge. Really any kind of meat you want to use in this would work, as would no meat at all. An Italian chicken sausage or sundried tomato sausage would be great, and lamb would make this even more Greek!
I used my cast iron pan for this, and it was the perfect vessel, as it often is. If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, I would recommend either baking the frittata at 350 in a nonstick pan (unless you have a nonstick pan that can go under the broiler), or else add a little more fat to the pain for a stainless pan, which can go under the broiler.
Greek Orzo Frittata
1 cup orzo
6-8 oz. cooked, shredded chicken (I poached mine and seasoned it with some salt, pepper, and oregano)
1 Tbsp. butter.
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups loosely packed fresh spinach
8 eggs
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
1/2 cup seeded & diced tomatoes
3 oz. crumbled feta cheese, divided
Cook the orzo in boiling, salted water until al dente. Set aside to cool slightly (I usually leave just a little pasta water with it so it doesn’t stick together or, this is one time where rinsing the pasta would be fine).
Whisk the eggs together with the Greek yogurt. Then, add in the cooked pasta, cooked chicken, parsley, tomatoes, 2 oz. of the feta cheese. Set aside.
Preheat the broiler.
Heat a broiler-proof pan over medium heat and melt the butter. Stir in the garlic until fragrant and then add the spinach until wilted.
Pour the egg mixture over the spinach and cook until the sides and outer edges of the frittata have started to set. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on the frittata, and place the pan under the broiler. Broil until the frittata has set and eggs are cooked through, and the top has browned.
Macaroni and Cheese April 20, 2010
Posted by elly in pasta, vegetarian.14 comments
I’m not one of those people who’s on the search for “the best” macaroni and cheese. Don’t get me wrong, I love macaroni and cheese, and would like nothing more than to be a professional taste-tester for every version, but it’s just not feasible for me to make something like this even remotely frequently. The second I start shredding cheese and melting butter, my thighs expand.
So when I find a good recipe for things like this, I stick to it. And that’s what happened with this recipe. It’s creamy, it’s delicious, it has a nice crunchy baked topping. It’s my go-to macaroni and cheese recipe.
I don’t make any substitutions to health-ify this dish. It’s rare for me to make something as carb/fat dense as this, but what the hell. It’s fine every once in a while, right? Well, okay, technically I used the Smart Balance 50/50 butter blend because it was in my fridge, but that’s it. Not even whole wheat pasta! My husband was shocked to see enriched elbow macaroni in our kitchen. He actually asked me “how many cals” he was eating (because every once in a while he counts calories for about 2 days and stops)…but then he also asked why I wasn’t adding bacon to it. Hmm.
Full fat mac and cheese and all, I did want to keep my portion to a minimum, so I made this with some barbecued chicken and a salad. I cut the recipe in half, which still yielded quite a bit. I wouldn’t say it’s 10 servings, but it’s definitely 8ish (for more of a side than a main dish).
I did add some dry mustard to the sauce (because I feel like macaroni and cheese needs a little) and switched out the Parmesan for Pecorino Romano because that’s always what I keep in my fridge. It’s sharper and I just love it.
Macaroni and Cheese
Adapted from Gourmet
For topping
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 cup panko or 1.5 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs (from 3 slices firm white sandwich bread)
2 oz. coarsely grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese
For macaroni and sauce
1/2 stick unsalted butter
3 Tbsp. flour
2.5 cups whole milk
8 oz. coarsely grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/4 (heaping) tsp. dry mustard
1/2 lb. elbow macaroni
Preheat the oven to 400 and place a rack in the middle. Grease a shallow 2 qt. baking dish.
To make the topping, melt the butter and then stir together with the panko, 2 oz. cheddar and 1/4 cup romano cheese until well combined.
To make the sauce: melt butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat, and then stir in the flour. Cook roux, stirring, 3 minutes, and then slowly whisk in milk. Bring the sauce to a boil, whisking frequently, and then simmer, whisking occasionally, 3-4 minutes. Stir in cheeses, salt, pepper, and dry mustard until smooth.
Meanwhile, cook macaroni in a pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of cooking water and then drain macaroni.
Stir together the macaroni, reserved cooking water, and cheese sauce. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the macaroni and cheese and bake until golden and bubbling, 20-25 minutes.
Pasta with Bacon, Peas, and Goat Cheese March 28, 2010
Posted by elly in goat cheese, pasta.16 comments
A few weeks ago, I realized it had been an absolutely ridiculous amount of time since I’d had goat cheese. Me – Mrs. Goat Cheese herself. Unacceptable. So when I got off the train one evening after work, I walked to a local market, and picked up a log of chevre. I didn’t want anything fancy and I definitely didn’t want anything time consuming (meal prep has been getting shorter and shorter, as you’d imagine), so I decided on a very simple pasta dish that would really make the goat cheese come through.
I love using creamy cheeses for pasta sauces. They give you that luxurious, rich feel, but they aren’t *quite* as bad for you as using heavy cream. And, of course, using a tasty cheese will yield some tasty pasta. This pasta is done in about the same time it takes you to cook the cavatappi, so it couldn’t be any easier. I always have frozen peas on hand, and love tossing them into pasta dishes. I’ve never been one to enjoy a side dish of peas (only if they are made the Greek way with tomato and dill) but I adore them when mixed with pasta, rice, etc.
I’m submitting this over to Ruth at Once Upon a Feast, who’s hosting (and is the original mastermind behind) Presto Pasta Night.
Cavatappi with Goat Cheese, Peas, and Bacon
Serves 2
Printer Friendly Recipe
4 oz. pasta (with some of the cooking water reserved)
3 strips bacon, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup peas
2 oz. goat cheese
2 Tbsp. toasted pine nuts (the easiest way to toast them is in a dry skillet until fragrant)
freshly ground pepper and salt if needed
Cook the cavatappi in boiling, salted water until al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking liquid and drain.
Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium heat and then add the bacon. Once cooked, remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on a towel. Leave about 2 tsp. of bacon grease in the pan and discard the rest.
Add the garlic to the bacon fat and stir, just until fragrant. Add the pasta, peas and some of the tarchy cooking water (start with just a little bit of the water; you can always add more). Once the peas have warmed through, add the goat cheese and stir until it coats the pasta, adding more pasta water if necessary. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Top with pine nuts and serve.
Cavatappi with Sundried Tomatoes & Cannellini Beans March 10, 2010
Posted by elly in beans and legumes, pasta, vegetarian.13 comments
You know how people go on and on about how you only need a few good ingredients to make something that tastes great? You know how I am, in fact, one of those people? Well, a recipe like this basically exemplifies that notion. It absolutely could not be easier, the ingredient list is very short, but it’s really flavorful.
I’m not sure what amount of pasta is used in the original recipe, but I’m guessing a pound. I used 8 oz. of pasta, so I halved the ingredients Adam listed – except for the garlic, because we love garlic. I also used 1 can of cannellini beans, which I think is probably closer to 1/3 of a lb. (at least, from a bag of dried cannellini beans you’d cook yourself) than 1/2 lb, but I think it was a good amount.
The beans give this pasta a nice meaty texture (and combined with whole wheat pasta, you definitely get a fiber boost!). I’m really glad I put extra garlic in this because the nice toasty flavor of it really came through.
Cavatappi with Sundried Tomatoes and Cannellini Beans
Inspired by Amateur Gourmet/Lidia Bastianich
8 oz. whole wheat cavatappi pasta, with 1.25 cups of the pasta cooking water reserved
1 Tbsp. oil from oil-packed sundried tomatoes
1 Tbsp. olive oil
4 fat cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
heaping 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, drained and sliced into strips
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup pecorino romano or parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley
kosher salt & freshly ground pepper
Good extra virgin olive oil for drizzling, if desired
Cook the pasta until al dente in salted water. Set aside 1.25 cups of the cooking liquid.
Meanwhile, heat the oil from the sundried tomatoes and the olive oil together in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and fry it for about a minute before adding the red pepper flakes, and toast those for another 30 seconds or so. Spread the sundried tomatoes out in the skillet and allow them to sizzle for a minute. Add 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Keep it simmering until it reduces down by half.
Add the beans, the remaining 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking liquid and some salt to taste. Bring to a boil and then cook at an active simmer for four minutes. Stir in the pasta. Add the parsley and then, off the heat, add the romano/parmesan. Season with freshly ground black pepper and, if you want, drizzle the plated pasta with some good extra virgin olive oil.
Tex-Mex Stuffed Shells February 7, 2010
Posted by elly in beef, mexican/tex-mex, pasta.12 comments
I sometimes wonder if I should rename this blog Elly Says ¡Olé! with all the Mexican and Tex-Mex type cooking I do. What can I say? I like spice and more importantly, cheese. :)
I wanted to use up some random ingredients that I had around that screamed Mexican to me, but I didn’t have any tortillas (or sour cream). I considered just making my own tortillas (because I do love making them with masa) but then I remembered I had half a box of pasta shells leftover from the last time I used them, so I decided to go with a Tex-Mex type stuffing, rather than an Italian one. I used spiced ground beef and made a tomato sauce that is somewhat enchilada-sauce like. I season ground beef for tacos, etc. myself rather than use a packet, because I always have the spices around and those packets are often a sodium bomb. But, if you want to make this recipe even easier and more quickly, you can just season your beef with a taco packet, and use a couple of cans of enchilada sauce in place of the tomato sauce I made. But I promise you that both are extremely easy to do and can cook simultaneously, so this recipe doesn’t take terribly long to prep. In fact, rather than sautéing onions and garlic like I normally would for an enchilada sauce, I just used garlic and onion powder to save myself some time.
I actually only made half the recipe below, but that was a result of having random things to use up, like half a green pepper, half an onion, half a box of shells from last time, and half a pound of ground beef. I figure most people don’t have these quantities on hand, which is why I’ve made the recipe below a bit more manageable.
Excuse the pic – I find baked pasta dishes nearly impossible to photograph. :)
Tex-Mex Stuffed Shells
Serves 8
Printer Friendly Recipe
1 box (12 oz.) large pasta shells
1 batch ground beef filling (recipe follows)
1 batch tomato sauce (recipe follows)
1.5 cups (6 oz.) shredded Mexican cheese mix (or cheddar, monterey jack, chihuahua etc.)
Tomato Sauce
1 large (29 oz.) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup broth or water
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 bay leaf
Ground Beef Filling
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 onion, diced
1 green pepper, small dice
1 lb. lean ground beef
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup water (or beef broth)
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. cumin
1.25 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. brown sugar
2 oz. cream cheese
Preheat the oven to 350. Boil the pasta shells until al dente.
Meanwhile, make the ground beef filling and tomato sauce. To make the sauce, combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan, along with salt and pepper to taste (if you use broth, you won’t need much salt). Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Let the sauce slowly bubble and simmer, stirring occasionally, as you make your ground beef mixture.
To make the ground beef mixture: Heat a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add the canola oil and once shimmery, add the onions and green pepper. Cook for a couple of minutes until the vegetables begin to get tender. Add the beef and garlic. Cook the ground beef until browned, and then, if necessary, drain the fat off the beef. Add the water/beef broth, cayenne pepper, cumin, chili powder, oregano, brown sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over low heat until most of the water/broth has been absorbed. Re-season to taste if necessary. Allow the mixture to cool slightly before stirring in the cream cheese.
To assemble: Pour about 2/3 cup of the tomato sauce over a large baking dish (or two). Stuff each shell with a tablespoon or so of the ground beef mixture, and place on top of the sauce in the pan. Continue until all the shells are stuffed. Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the shells, and then sprinkle with the cheese. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5-10 until the cheese is bubbly and begins to brown.
Pork Chops with Mushrooms, Dill, and Sour Cream Sauce January 28, 2010
Posted by elly in pasta, pork.18 comments
I’m not a new year’s resolution kinda gal, but last year I vowed to get through more saved recipes than I had before, and I did a pretty good job. I thought I would continue that trend to try and whittle down my ridiculous amount of saved recipes. Having recipes tagged by main ingredient in my google reader has made this task quite a bit easier (even if it is a pain to tag them because I save far too many recipes to begin with). I had pork chops thawing in my fridge without a clear use in mind, so I went to my handy-dandy pork tag and came across this recipe from Kevin. I had every ingredient the recipe called for, except for fresh dill. So, it was a go.
Rather than go out and buy the dill, I just added a little more dried dill to the sauce, which worked out great. I also used smoked paprika, because I like the flavor of it more, and that turned the dish into sort of a combination of a paprikash and a stroganoff. Like Kevin, I served this with egg noodles and some spinach for a complete meal but, rather than steaming the spinach separately, I stirred it around the hot pasta until it wilted, to save me some time (and some dish washing).
This meal was easy, quick, and delicious. Not to mention a great way to use up sour cream if you’re like me and tend to over-buy. :) The sauce was perfect over the egg noodles, or just for sopping up in general, and it was such a comforting meal.
Pork Chops with Mushrooms, Dill, and Sour Cream Sauce
Serves 2
Adapted from Closet Cooking
1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 pork chops
1/2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 medium onion, sliced
4 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 Tbsp. smoked paprika
3/4 tsp. dried dill
1 cup beef broth or stock
1/4 cup sour cream (I used lowfat)
salt and pepper
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper and then add to the skillet. Cook all the way through (anywhere from 2-5 minutes per side depending on your chop; mine was bone in and medium thickness and took about 4 minutes per side). Set aside.
Add the butter to the skillet, reduce the heat slightly, and saute the onions until they are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook those about another 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, flour, paprika, and dill and cook until the flour has lost its rawness, a minute or so. Add the beef broth, deglazing the pan and picking up any browned bits. Simmer until the sauce has thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
elly says opa! 