Roasted Garlic Pasta Salad

If you haven’t joined Pinterest yet, you are really missing out! I am finding some really good recipes there! This isn’t one of them, but still! Don’t get me wrong, this was ok, but nothing great. It was very bland, and a little too cheesy. But, in the recipe’s defense, I did use cheese tortellini instead of plain ol’ pasta shells. Maybe that made a difference? I did, however, find a quick and easy way to roast garlic!

rating: 7

Roasted Garlic Pasta Salad
(http://budgetbytes.blogspot.com/)

Ingredients:

1 head garlic
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb. pasta shells
15 oz. ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan
to taste salt & pepper
1 pint cherry tomatoes
3 cups baby spinach

Directions:

STEP 1: Using a sharp knife, cut approximately 1/2 inch off the top of the head of garlic. Place the garlic bulb in a small bowl or dish and drizzle 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil over the exposed cloves. Cover the bowl with an inverted plate. Microwave on high, in one minute increments, until the garlic is soft and fragrant (about 2 minutes). Use caution when touching the dishes, they will be very hot. Allow the garlic to cool.

STEP 2: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, add the pasta, and cook for 7-10 minutes or until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta cooking water.

STEP 3: While the pasta is cooking, squeeze the garlic cloves from the head and mince well. Add the minced garlic to a medium bowl along with the ricotta cheese, a healthy dose of freshly cracked pepper, and about 1/2 tsp of salt. Add the 1/2 cup of hot, starchy pasta cooking water. Stir until it forms a smooth sauce.

STEP 4: Drain the pasta. Return the drained pasta to the warm pot (the burner should be turned off). Add the fresh baby spinach and pour the ricotta sauce over top. Slice the cherry tomatoes and add them to the pot as well. Stir until everything is well mixed. Add in the parmesan cheese and stir again. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm!

 

Mexican Stuffed Shells

I saw this recipe on Pinterest, and I thought, “I could totally make that vegetarian.” And I did. And it was good. The end. I used Morningstar Farms fake ground beef (Grillers), and it ended up being very meaty! The recipe calls for 1 packet of taco seasoning. I used half of one and that was plenty. Once these shells are done, you top them with whatever you like. I used lite sour cream, black olives, and sliced avocado. REALLY GOOD!

rating: 9.4

Mexican Stuffed Shells
(http://thewaytohisheart.wordpress.com/)
Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef (I used 1 bag of Morningstar Farms Grillers)
1 package low-sodium taco seasoning
4 oz. cream cheese
14-16 jumbo pasta shells
1.5 cup salsa
1 cup taco sauce
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup monterey jack cheese
3 green onions
Sour cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a frying pan cook ground beef; add taco seasoning and prepare according to package directions. Add cream cheese, cover and simmer until cheese is melted. Blend well. Set aside and cool completely. While ground beef is cooking, cook the pasta shells according to directions; drain. Set shells out individually on cutting board/baking sheet so that they don’t stick together.

Pour salsa on bottom of 9×13 baking dish. Stuff each shell with the meat mixture. Place shells in 9×13 pan open side up. Cover shells with taco sauce. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, add shredded cheese and bake for 10-15 more minutes, with the foil removed. Top with any condiments you’d like (green onions, black olives, etc.) Serve with sour cream and/or more salsa.

 

Heidi’s Zucchini Pasta

One of my mothers-in-law, Heidi, came to visit us from Germany a couple of years ago and she made this pasta. Toby doesn’t love zucchini, but he loved this pasta, so I told her to give me the recipe. When she made this here at our house, she somehow found at the store these cute little mini zucchini, and I haven’t seen them since then. Regular zucchini will do just fine, you just cut them in to smaller pieces. I think the pasta she used last time were more like egg noodles, but I had several almost empty boxes of pasta on my pantry shelf, so I just combined some elbows, shells, and ziti. Cleaning house here, people. Liam and Toby both really liked this pasta: Liam had seconds and Toby had thirds! I think next time, though, I won’t use the veggie broth on the zucchini. I think that made them too mushy. Browning them is enough for me.

rating: 9

Heidi’s Zucchini Pasta

1 tbsp olive oil
3 med. zucchini
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp minced garlic
salt and pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 cup vegetable broth
about 1 cup crumbled Feta (or more, if you like)
pasta

Cut the zucchini into little sticks (like carrots for dip). Pour the olive oil into a pan, add the garlic and parsley  and saute the zucchini until lightly brown (on medium or medium-high heat). Season to taste with oregano and salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook your pasta according to package directions. Drain and put back into pasta pot.

If the zucchini isn’t soft enough for you, you can add 1 cup of vegetable broth to the pan and cook that until the broth has cooked off. Add the zucchini to the pan, then stir in the feta. Guten Appetit!

 

Creamy Spring Pasta

I dirtied up a lot of dishes and pots with this recipe! And after all that trouble, it wasn’t even that good! It was kind of bland. Skip this one. It’s pretty, though!

rating: 4

Creamy Spring Pasta
(Cooking Light, April 2012)

time needed: 30 min.
serves 4

Ingredients:

3 quarts water
2 ounces French bread baguette, torn into pieces (I just used Panko)
1 tablespoon butter
3 garlic cloves, minced and divided
1 1/2 cups (2-inch) diagonally cut asparagus
1 cup frozen green peas
6 ounces uncooked fettuccine
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/3 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth (I used vegetarian “chicken” broth)
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
3 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated (about 1/4 cup packed)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon (I used dried tarragon)

Preparation:

1. Bring 3 quarts water to a boil in a Dutch oven.

2. Place torn bread in a food processor; process until coarse crumbs form. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 garlic clove to pan; sauté 1 minute. Add breadcrumbs; sauté 3 minutes or until golden brown and toasted. Remove breadcrumb mixture from pan; wipe pan clean with paper towels.

3. Add asparagus and peas to boiling water; cook for 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon. Rinse under cold water; drain.

4. Add pasta to boiling water; cook 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain and keep warm.

5. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion and the remaining 2 garlic cloves; cook for 3 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Place flour in a small bowl; gradually whisk in chicken broth. Add broth mixture and milk to pan, stirring constantly with a whisk; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook 1 minute or until thickened. Remove from heat; add cheeses, salt, and pepper, stirring until cheeses melt. Add pasta, asparagus, and peas; toss well. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and tarragon.

per serving: 408 calories

 

Sesame Garlic Soba Noodles with Fried Egg

Last night was my first time trying soba noodles, and I really liked them! The directions on the package were in Japanese, so I had to google how long to cook them! This recipe is very basic, and then you can add whatever you have in the fridge to it. I added some shelled edamame and some matchstick carrots. I made Liam’s without the egg on top, but the egg really is essential to the dish. And make sure the yolk is runny! Toby thought this was a little bland, and it could have used an extra little something, but I can fine-tune that next time. I will always have soba noodles in my pantry from now on! PS: I don’t remember where I found this recipe (somewhere online), but whoever you are, thank you, and I owe you one!

rating: 9

Sesame Garlic Soba Noodles with Fried Egg
Serves 4 | Total time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
1 8-ounce box of soba noodles
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons tamari (or regular soy sauce)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium shallot, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the soba noodles according to package directions. Drain the noodles and return them to the pot.
Heat the sesame oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic, shallot, and red pepper flakes. Cook until the garlic and shallot are just golden and fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the tamari. Pour the sauce over the noodles and toss until the noodles are evenly coated.
Set the same sauté pan back on the stove and increase the heat to medium high. Crack the eggs into the pan, making sure not to break the yolks. Season them with salt and pepper, if desired. Fry the eggs for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the whites are completely cooked but the yolks are still a little runny. (I like the edges a little crispy, but that’s a personal preference.)
Serve the noodles with an egg on top—the yolk will coat the noodles and add extra richness to the sauce. Add any veggies you have on hand, such as carrots, cucumbers, or edamame, to the bowl.
TIP: These noodles would also be great served cold. It could be a perfect go-to meal to prepare in advance for the kids when you’re planning a night out. All the babysitter has to do is fry an egg, and dinner is on the table in a flash.

 

Pastitsio

Have you ever had Pastitsio? Have you ever heard of it? According to Wikipedia, it is “a Greek and Mediterranean baked pasta dish including ground beef and béchamel sauce in its best-known form.” I LOVE béchamel sauce, so I thought I would attempt to make this dish. I am not going to lie, it took some time. I dirtied up about 4-5 pots and dishes. But, my house smelled wonderful when this was cooking, and…it was really good! That cinnamon in the “ground beef” was very interesting and different. Toby thought this was lasagna when he saw it. He had at least 2 helpings (maybe 3?), and Liam had seconds. The béchamel turned out really well. One thing: I did not have enough room in my large pan to fit all the noodles, sauce, and béchamel. Next time (and there will be one), I would like to make maybe 1/4 less.

rating: 9.2

Pastitsio
(Food Network Magazine, April 2012)

active time: 1 hour, 10 min.
total time: 2 hours
serves 8-12
For the Pasta & Filling:

kosher salt
1 pound ziti
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 pound ground beef or lamb, or a combination (I used 1 bag of Morningstar Farms Grillers Recipe Crumbles)
1 onion, chopped
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (I used vegetarian Worcestershire sauce)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp breadcrumbs
4 tbsp unsalted butter
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups grated kefalotyri or parmesan cheese (about 6 ounces)

For the Bechamel:

4 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups plain 2% Greek yogurt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
kosher salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Meanwhile, make the filling: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meat and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and cinnamon and cook until the onion is soft, about 5 more minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce and wine and cook until the wine starts to evaporate, about 2 more minutes. Add the tomato sauce, 2 cups water, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper and bring to a simmer. Stir in the parsley and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. Stir in 1 tbsp breadcrumbs and remove from the heat.
2. When the pasta is done, drain and return to the pot off the heat; stir in the butter, then the beaten eggs and 1 cup cheese until the pasta is coated.
3. Brush the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with olive oil. Spread half the pasta in the dish, then top with the meat filling and the remaining pasta.
4. Make the bechamel: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking, 1 minute. (Do not let the flour brown.). Whisk in the yogurt and 3/4 cup water and gently simmer, whisking, until slightly thickened, about 5 more minutes. (Do not let the mixture boil.). Remove from the heat and whisk in the eggs, nutmeg and 1/4 tsp salt.
5. Pour the bechamel evenly over the pasta in the baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup cheese and 1 tbsp breadcrumbs and bake until golden, 40-45 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes beore serving.

 

Italian “Chicken” Soup

Man, have I been on a “chicken” kick lately, or what?! I should buy stock in Morningstar Farms! I didn’t plan on making this soup for dinner last night (so soon after “chicken” noodle soup and “chicken” salad), but Toby had an early soccer game, and I needed to make the lightest meal I had planned for the week. This turned out well, although if I make it again, I will cook the onion, bell pepper, celery mixture longer. It was too crunchy for me. I used 1 bag of the MSF Chik’n Strips, and I just warmed them in a frying pan with some cooking spray, then let them cool. After they cooled down, I just tore them into smaller pieces. Don’t leave off the Parmesan cheese at the end. It mixes in with the soup and gets all gooey.

rating: 8.9

Italian “Chicken” Soup
(www.tastykitchen.com)

prep time: 20 min.
cook time: 1 hour, 30 min.
serves 8

Ingredients:

1 box Ditalini Pasta (very Short Macaroni-type Pasta Noodles)
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 whole Cut Up Fryer Chicken (I used 1 bag of Morningstar Farms Chik’n Strips)
8 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth (I used vegetarian chicken broth)
1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
2 whole Green Bell Peppers, Diced
2 stalks Celery, Diced
2 whole Fresh Jalapenos, Diced (I omitted)
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 can (28-ounce) Can Whole Tomatoes
2 cups Heavy Cream
⅓ cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 Tablespoons Minced Fresh Oregano
Salt And Freshly Ground Pepper, To Taste
Parmesan Cheese Shavings, For Serving (I used grated Parmesan)
Preparation Instructions:

Cook pasta in a pot according to package directions, being sure not to overcook it. Drain and rinse in cold water to cool. Toss in 1 tablespoon olive oil and set aside.
Place chicken in a large pot or dutch oven and cover in chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer chicken, covered, for 30 minutes. Turn off heat and leave covered for 30 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and shred meat. Discard bones and set meat aside.
Dice canned tomatoes and return them to their juice. Set aside.
Heat a small skillet over medium high heat. Add olive oil and oregano and turn off heat, stirring over the next minute to keep oregano from burning. Set this aside.
Either pour off chicken broth into a separate container or use a new pot to saute onion, green pepper, celery, and jalapenos in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat until tender and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add chicken broth, shredded chicken, and tomatoes with their juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add cooked pasta, cream, and all the oregano and olive oil from the small skillet. Stir to combine. Turn off heat.
Serve with lots of Parmesan sprinkled on the top–the more the better! Crusty Italian bread is good, too.

 

21st-Century Mac ‘n’ Cheese

I used to get emails weekly or so from public radio’s (The Splendid Table) Lynne Rossetto Kasper, each with a yummy-sounding recipe. I saved a few of them to try, and this is one of them. This came together in no time, and it was pretty good. Liam doesn’t like macaroni and cheese (!), but he said he liked this one. Toby had 3 servings! I thought it was good, although I don’t know what I think about onions in mac-and-cheese. I am not sure if I like that crunch.

rating: 8.7

21st-Century Mac ‘n’ Cheese
(by Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift)

Serves 4, and doubles easily
8 to 10 minutes prep time; 30 minutes oven time
Ingredients:

3 quarts salted water in a 4-quart pot
1/2 pound (2 cups) imported elbow macaroni or penne pasta
1 large egg
1 cup milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream (I used half-and-half)
1 small garlic clove
3/4 medium onion, coarse chopped
1 generous cup (5 ounces) shredded good-quality extra-sharp cheddar cheese
5 ounces cream cheese, crumbled
2/3 cup (3 ounces) shredded Gruyère, Appenzeller, or Manchego cheese (I used Gruyere)
Generous 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Generous 1/8 teaspoon salt
Generous 1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
Generous 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika, Hungarian or Spanish
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 saltines, coarse crumbled

1. Bring the salted water to a boil. Drop in the macaroni or penne. Boil, stirring often, until the pasta is tender but still with a little firmness. Drain in a colander.
2. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Butter a shallow 1-1/2-quart baking dish, and add the cooked macaroni.
3. In a blender or food processor, combine the egg, milk, and garlic. Process for 3 seconds. Add the onion, cheeses, red pepper flakes, salt, black pepper, and paprika, and blend for 10 seconds, or until the onion is cut down to small pieces and the ingredients are blended. Turn the mixture into the dish, folding it into the macaroni. (The casserole could be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 24 hours at this point.)
4. To bake, bring the casserole close to room temperature if it has been refrigerated. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, add the saltine crumbles, and coat them with the butter. Spread them over the top of the casserole. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until thick yet creamy. If the top is not golden brown, slip the casserole under the broiler for a minute. Remove it from the oven, let it stand for 5 minutes, and serve.

 

Gnocchi with Ricotta and Fresh Tomato Sauce

I changed the name of this recipe. In the cookbook, it’s actually called “Cavatelli with Ricotta and Fresh Tomato Sauce”, but it says if you can’t find cavatelli (and I couldn’t), use gnocchi. So that’s what I did. I didn’t think this tomato sauce would taste like much, since there is not a lot to it, but once you add the cheeses, it’s actually really good! Toby had to add hot pepper flakes to his (but that’s his problem, right?). This is a good meal to throw together when you are short on time!

rating: 8.5

Gnocchi with Ricotta and Fresh Tomato Sauce
(Good Housekeeping Favorite Recipes: Vegetarian Meals)

serves 4
prep: 5 min.
cook: 25 min.

Ingredients:

1 bad (16 oz) frozen gnocchi
1 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed with garlic press
4 med. tomatoes (about 1.5 pounds), chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
3/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. In a large saucepot, cook pasta as label directs.
2. Meanwhile, in nonstick 10″ skillet, heat oil over medium heat until hot. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes break up slightly, about 5 minutes.
3. Drain cavatelli; transfer to warm serving bowl. Stir in ricotta and Romano. Pour tomato mixture on top; toss before serving.

per serving: 455 calories

 

Million Dollar Spaghetti

I found this recipe on Pinterest, and I followed the link to the blog, and boy, this recipe got some really good reviews! How could I not try it? I was a little dubious of the cream cheese. But it worked! This dish was REALLY good. Million dollars? I don’t know about that, but maybe 500,000? Toby stopped at two servings. He said he wanted to eat more but he was stuffed. The Morningstar Farms fake ground beef really worked in this. That cheese mixture really adds something to this. Try it!

rating: 9

Million Dollar Spaghetti
(http://ashleykaitlin.blogspot.com/)
Ingredients:

1 lb. of Ground Beef (I used Morningstar Farms Grillers Recipe Crumbles)
1 jar of Spaghetti Sauce
8 oz of Cream Cheese (that has been softened)
1/4 cup of Sour Cream
1/2 lb. of Cottage Cheese
4 tbsp butter
8 oz. of Noodles
Sharp Chedder Cheese, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook your noodles according to the directions on the package. While they are boiling, mix up the cream cheese, sour cream and cottage cheese. Make sure you mix this together very well (I used a hand mixer).

Cook the veggie crumbles in a frying pan (I used some cooking spray) until lightly browned. Pour the jar of spaghetti sauce over the meat and stir together.

Take a few slices of your butter and put them in the bottom of a casserole dish.
Layer HALF of the noodles in the bottom of the dish.

Spread the cream cheese mixture on top of the noodles.
Then add the rest of your noodles and put a few slices of butter on top of those noodles.

Now pour the red sauce and fake meat on top and spread it out.

Now place the casserole in your oven for 30 minutes.

After those 30 minutes take the dish out and pour some chedder cheese on the top and put it back in the oven for 15 minutes or so, until browned.