Ravioli with Creamy Roasted Pepper Sauce

January 19, 2017 · by ·

What’s for dinner? I cringe when I get asked that question. I always get my act together, but typically that question is asked the moment I step in the door after a chaotic day. There’s typically a few hungry people just staring at me waiting for me to answer. That’s when the stopwatch starts. That 30-minute countdown to get something on the table.

It can be hard to menu plan for a typical week as my week typically shifts from day to day and the schedule is always changing. Working full-time during the day, combined with the kids’ busy after-school plans, means that I’m typically getting home at 5:30 or 6 in the evening. So I get it. The kids are validly hungry.

Those same kids though are pretty critical about dinner options and their appetites for flavor change on day to day. So it’s always a gamble whether or not they’ll like what I’m about to prepare. I get excited if I get some input from the kids when it comes to the menu planning.

When my older daughter, my pickiest eater, called me in the middle of the day and asked if we could pretty please have some ravioli for dinner tonight, it didn’t matter that I hadn’t a clue what ingredients I had in my house, I would try to figure out some way to oblige.

I do typically try to have some cheese ravioli in my freezer though. It’s a great shortcut to have ready to go. In moments like this, I would typically just toss the simple ravioli with a simple doctored up jar of marinara sauce, but I wanted to do something different this time. I had all these good intentions for specific ravioli accompaniments, but quickly learned that my fridge wasn’t as stocked as I wanted it. But I did have sweet peppers sitting in my fridge that needed to get used up. Alas, my family doesn’t like sauteed or cooked peppers. But maybe I could do something else with them.

I decided to roast the peppers. I threw the papers on a foil lined baking sheet and a broiled them, turning them every so often so they were charred all over. Next, I peeled off the outer char layer.

Afterwards, I tossed them in my Vitamix along with some fresh basil, olive oil, garlic, and lemon. I love using my Vitamix. It takes like 30 seconds to do anything in there.

Next,  I sauteed up some onion and garlic and I added the sauce mixture into the onion mixture. To that mixture, I stirred in some ricotta cheese and a little bit of veggie broth to thin the mixture a little. I then tossed the cooked ravioli into the sauce. Stirring well. And done. I served the ravioli with a spinach salad and everyone was happy. My picky family members who typically aren’t pepper fans loved the sauce. Dinner was served. And it took less than 30 minutes.

The best thing about this sauce? It can be used on anything. Try it on veggies. Try it on grilled chicken. This flavorful sauce is perfect for anything that needs a boost. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!


Ravioli with Creamy Roasted Pepper Sauce
 
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Ingredients
  • Frozen Cheese Ravioli
  • 20 Assorted Sweet Baby Peppers or 2 regular size red, yellow or orange bell peppers
  • ½ cup fresh basil leaves
  • 1 cloves garlic
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 2 tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 tsp. ground black pepper
  • ½ tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 tbsp. ricotta cheese
  • ¼ cup veggie broth
  • additional salt and pepper as needed
Instructions
  1. Cook the ravioli according to the directions on the package, drain and set aside.
  2. Cover a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and place the peppers on it. Set your oven to broil and broil the peppers for about 8-10 minutes, turning the peppers every couple of minutes for even charring.
  3. Once the peppers are charred on all sides, transfer them to a large glass bowl and tightly cover with foil. Let sit for a few minutes.
  4. After about five minutes, remove the foil cover. Remove the skin from the peppers - it should have detached a bit. Slice open the peppers and remove any stems or seeds.
  5. Transfer seeded peppers to a blender or food processor. Add in the oil, basil, lemon juice, garlic clove, salt and pepper. Blend until pureed.
  6. Heat up a large saute pan with olive oil. Add in chopped onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent.
  7. Pour in pepper sauce mixture. Stir in ricotta cheese and broth.
  8. Stir completely. Toss in pasta and let it absorb some of the sauce.
  9. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
  10. Serve and enjoy!

 

Filed Under: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, pasta, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

Arugula Pesto

October 1, 2014 · by ·

pasta-with-arugula-pesto

If my 10-year-old self could see me now, I wonder what she’d say.

I was a picky eater with a pretty developed flavor palate. My parents are foodies, but at 10, I was anything but. My parents had a rule that we had to try everything. We couldn’t just stick out our tongue. I remember several evenings around the family dinner table where it was a total battle of wills to just take a bite of the mahi mahi or two bites of the curry. Who knew?

At age 10, all I wanted was a crunchy iceberg salad at dinner. Instead, I had a plate of mesclun and arugula greens. I remember the requests to “finish the arugula on the plate and then….” I didn’t believe in arugula at age 10. Why does this strange lettuce have to have so much flavor?! Arugula, really?? Who knew that I would grow up to be this person that seeks out arugula. Heck, I even grow arugula on my fire escape! That’s how much I love it!

In the off season, I tend to buy the bags of baby arugula from Trader Joe’s. Arugula is in season now – as are a variety of other greens. And I’m in salad green heaven.

Arugula is a fantastic green characterized by its amazing slightly peppery flavor. It’s also sometimes called roquette or rocket greens.

fresh-arugula

Last week, as I came upon the farmer’s market outside my office, I spotted some beautiful greens and I had to have them. I eagerly bought two bunches. Of course, when I came home and picked up my CSA, there were a couple more bunches. This whole lot of arugula was in addition to a bag of baby arugula sitting in my fridge. Um. I think I had more arugula that I needed. I mean, I love salads, but this much arugula was making me twitchy.

I decided to make a pesto out of the greens. My husband usually turns down a basil pesto, but I had a hunch that the lighter flavor of the arugula leaves would be more to his liking. And I was right!

I washed and dried a few cups of the greens and pulsed it in my Cuisinart along with some garlic, lemon juice, pine nuts, salt, pepper and olive oil. It took all of two minutes.

Arugula-cuisinart

I added the pesto to some pappardelle that I tossed with some sautéed shallots, garlic, mushrooms, chickpeas and additional lemon juice. I sprinkled on some red pepper flakes and ground black pepper and dinner was served. Dinner was a success. I stored the rest of the pesto in my freezer. I am totally making this again. If only arugula season was year-round.

Hope you enjoy this as much as I did!

Arugula Pesto
 
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Author:
Ingredients
  • 3.5 cups of arugula leaves (you can include some of the stems), washed
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • ½ cup toasted pine nuts
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
  • ¾ cup olive oil
  • additional salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Place everything except for the olive oil in to the bowl of a food processor.
  2. Process everything then slowly pour in the olive oil until everything is processed and mixed together.
  3. Taste the pesto and add additional salt and pepper as needed.
  4. Enjoy! Add this pesto pasta or use as a pizza topping. The options are endless.

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Filed Under: arugula, Dinner, Gluten Free, pesto, pine nuts, recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Roasted Beets and Beet Greens with Pasta

July 3, 2014 · by ·

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If you’ve been following along on Facebook and Instagram feed, you probably already know all about my CSA and the amazing produce I get each week. I’ve been getting a weekly share from a local farm called Alstedes. Each week it’s like a foodie birthday present. As I pick up the crate of veggies and farm fresh cage-free eggs, I get a huge smile on my face. What am I going to make first out of all the amazing goodies?

I love beets. I love all kinds of beets. The first box that contained beets had me so happy. I had a bunch of red beets from the farmer’s market in my fridge, so when the golden beets came, I was exuberant. I love to see those rings when you cut in to a beet. They’re just so pretty. And the colors? I love it!

beet rounds

I often simply slice or grate beets and put them in a simple salad or side dish, but I decided to include them in something more substantial for dinner. I also wanted to include the beet tops. Did you know that you could eat beet greens? You totally can! Just wash them and eat them raw in a salad, or you can saute them! They’re fantastic and so good for you!

I started out by roasting my beets. I peeled and sliced the beets thinly and tossed in some olive oil, salt and pepper and placed on a baking sheet. I baked at 415 for about 20 minutes – keeping an eye on them so that they didn’t burn.

I cooked up the pasta, reserving some of the pasta cooking water.

I then sliced up both bunches of washed beet greens.

I toasted some pine nuts, then added some olive oil, chopped onion and garlic to the pan.

Next, I added the greens, some salt and pepper.

I love how fast everything cooks up in this dish. The greens take only a few minutes to wilt.

I tossed the cooked pasta in to the pan with a small amount of the cooking water.

I plated the pasta and greens and served with the amazing roasted beets and some goat cheese. So simple, yet so delicious!




Roasted Beets and Beet Greens with Pasta
 
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Ingredients
  • 2 bunches of beets (about 6 medium beets)
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. pepper
  • ½ cup pine nuts
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • Beet Greens from two bunches of beets, washed and sliced
  • additional salt and pepper as needed
  • Goat Cheese
  • parmesan cheese (optional)
  • ¾ pound pasta, cooked according to directions on box (reserving some pasta water)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400.
  2. Peel and slice the beets in to thin rounds. Toss with some olive oil, salt and pepper and place on baking sheet. Roast in oven for 20 minutes.
  3. Cook pasta according to the directions on the box, reserving some pasta water.
  4. Toast pine nuts in large pan for 2 minutes.
  5. Add in the olive oil, salt, pepper, onions and garlic and saute for 3-5 minutes to soften. Add in the beet greens and saute a couple more minutes.
  6. Mix in the cooked pasta and a couple tablespoons of the pasta cooking water.
  7. Plate the pasta and greens. Top with goat cheese, roasted beet rounds and Parmesan Cheese if desired.
  8. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  9. Enjoy!

 

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Filed Under: Dinner, easy, Lunch, Main Course, pasta, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Butternut Squash & Kale Lasagna

April 24, 2014 · by ·

finished piece

I am so happy that Passover is over and I have my kitchen back to normal. I have a love/hate relationship with Passover, and I’m just ready for some more low-key time in the kitchen.

This fabulous lasagna brings two of my favorite ingredients together. I love butternut squash and kale in so many ways, be it a hash or a salad. For some reason, they just go together!

This squash was actually purchased for Passover and I had intended to turn it in to this fabulous kosher-for-passover lasagna from Joy of Kosher. It was a huge hit last year, but I just didn’t get the chance to make it this year. So this dish is somewhat inspired by that amazing lasagna.

I like to use the no-boil lasagna pasta sheets because I’m lazy it skips one long step and they seem to work well.

I started by cutting down the squash. I peel off the hard skin and then using my trusty OXO peeler, I peel long strips of squash, using the full length of the squash. For this lasagna, used around 3 cups of squash strips, but you can certainly use more or less.

peeling butternut.jpg

I then cooked my kale and white sauce simultaneously.

I lightly sautéed the chopped kale in olive oil with fresh garlic. I didn’t need it to wilt completely. I just wanted some of the raw edge off of the leaves.

kale

While  the kale cooked down, I tackled the white sauce.

I heated up some olive oil in a pan with garlic, sage, thyme and chopped onion. Once they were soft, I added some flour to the mix, cooked that a bit and then whisked in some milk. Once the mixture thickened, I added some freshly grated parmesan cheese, salt and some black pepper.

I remove both of the pans from the heat.

I then got to work on the lasagna.

I layered each of the ingredients in my pan. This recipe makes a 9×13  or two 8×8 square pans of lasagna. I used the square pans because they were more easily accessible after I was unpacking my kitchen from Pesach mode.

I ladled some of the white sauce on to the bottom of the pan. I then added the pasta sheets. I spread some ricotta cheese over the pasta. I then added the chopped kale, then the thick layer of squash strips, then some sage leaves, then a small sprinkle of mozzarella and then more white sauce. I repeated this layer and when the pan was full and I used up the sauce, I topped everything with shredded parmesan cheese and more mozzarella. I also sprinkled on some more herbs and black pepper.

lasagna layers step by step.jpg

I baked everything in the oven until the cheese was bubbly and beginning to brown. We dug in. Amazing! My husband and daughter had two helpings! Totally making this dish again!

lasagna in 8x8.jpg



Butternut Squash and Kale Lasagna
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Dairy, Pasta, Entree
Ingredients
  • 1 medium butternut squash, skin removed
  • 1 package No-Boil Lasagna Sheets
  • Sage Leaves, About 16-20
  • 1 14oz. container of Ricotta Cheese
  • 1 8oz. package of shredded mozzarella cheese
  • Additional Parmesan Cheese
White Sauce
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 6 sage leaves, chopped
  • 3 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed from stem
  • 2 cups of milk
  • 2 tbsp. flour
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. black pepper
  • ¼ cup parmesan cheese shreds
For the Kale Layer
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 3-4 cups chopped kale (I like the bag from Trader Joe's)
  • salt
  • pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375
  2. Cut the butternut squash lengthwise. I use the peeler to get thin slices of the squash. Peel about 3 cups of squash and set aside.
For the white sauce
  1. Heat up the olive oil in a saucepan and add the chopped onion, garlic and herbs. Once the onion and garlic have softened, add in the flour. Whisk quickly and then turn the heat to medium-low and whisk in the milk. Let the mixture thicken and add in salt, pepper and parmesan cheese. Remove from heat.
For the Kale
  1. Heat up the oil oil in a large pan and add in the garlic and kale. Let the kale saute a bit so it softens. You are just trying to get the edge off a bit. You don't need it to cook down completely.
On to the Lasagna
  1. In a 9x13, ladle a bit of the white sauce to cover the bottom of the pan.
  2. Lay down the lasagna noodles and spread a layer of ricotta cheese over the noodles.
  3. Next, layer the kale then the butternut squash strips with some sage. Sprinkle a small amount of mozzarella over that and then ladle some more white sauce. Repeat the layering process again.
  4. For the final step, ladle the rest of the sauce over the pan and then sprinkle on some more mozzarella and parmesan. Sprinkle on some black pepper to taste and some extra chopped sage and thyme.
  5. Bake for around 40 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown.
  6. Enjoy!

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lasagantext.jpg

Filed Under: baked, cheese, Dinner, kale, Kosher Connection Challenge, noodles, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Vegetarian Freezer-Friendly Meals

November 4, 2013 · by ·

freezer friendly meals

I’m preparing to go to Israel for a couple of weeks for a work conference. So in addition to preparing for the big conference, I’m also preparing the house and the family for my being gone for two weeks. I know that the house can run without me, but I panic. I’ve been gone for a week before, but never two! My husband isn’t a bad cook, but he is limited in the kitchen and has limited time for recipes. I decided that I needed to come up with a food plan ahead of time. I began planning a month in advance. I set aside my Sundays for cooking and freezing a few dishes to ensure that my kids would not be feasting on ramen and Wacky Mac each night. Mind you, they’d be thrilled with those options. I just want some more nutritious options in their bellies. I also wanted to make it easy on my babysitter. A simple reheat makes things uncomplicated. Everything is properly wrapped and labeled. All that needs to be done is a quick chopped salad and dinner is done!

Here are some of the dishes I already have ready to go:

French Onion Soup | Carrot Ginger Soup | Moroccan Lentil Soup | White Bean and Kale Soup | Split Pea Soup | Vegetarian Chili | Vegetable and Black Bean Burritos | Mushroom and Onion Quiche | Baked Mushroom Macaroni and Cheese | Eggplant Pasta Bake | Homemade Pizza Bagels | Veggie Burgers | Veggie Meatballs and Sauce | Quesadilla Pie | Quinoa and Chickpea Loaf | Lentil Sloppy Joes

*Please let me know if you’d like me to post he recipes to any of the above dishes that aren’t already linked
and I will try to make them a future feature.

P.S. If you have any great foodie suggestions in Israel, let me know in the comments below!

While trying to come up with my own menu plan, I sought out some help from many of my foodie friends. Sharing some fantastic ideas with you here! Do you have a favorite freezer-friendly dish? Share them in the comments below.

Soups:

Roasted Winter Vegetable Chowder – Kitchen Treaty

Crockpot Pumpkin Red Lentil Chili – Kitchen Treaty

Slow-Cooked Split Pea Soup – This American Bite

Carrot Soup with Coconut Milk – JewHungry

Roasted Red Pepper Soup – Tales of an Overtime Cook

Main Dishes:

Baked Falafel  – May I Have That Recipe

Pretzel and Cashew Crusted Tofu – May I Have That Recipe

Crepe Lasagna – Because I Like Chocolate

Green Mac & Cheese – The Kosher Foodies

Whole Wheat Cabbage & Mushroom Galette – The Kosher Foodies

Peas and Shells with Vegan Alfredo – JewHungry

Eggplant Casserole – EverydayMaven

Asparagus, Dill & Onion Egg Casserole – EverydayMaven

Sides:

Broccoli Kugel Muffins – Tales of an Overtime Cook

Filed Under: Main Course, recipes, Soups, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Pasta and Veggies with Cashew Cream Sauce

February 13, 2013 · by ·
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Sometimes I make something and I wonder why I rarely or never make it. This dinner was one of those situations. It was that good and that easy.

As I do every day, I ask my husband what he thinks would be good for dinner the following night. He mentioned to me that he had a craving for some sort of pasta with a cream sauce. I knew I didn’t really want a heavy and rich cream sauce. Between the butter and heavy cream, I wasn’t ready for a stomachache.

I had one of those light bulb moments. Yosef from This American Bite recently had me drooling over his cashew based Mac and Cheese dish. In the past, I have been successful with various cashew based dishes. Cashews somehow add a wonderful nutty creaminess to a dish and can mimic what dairy and cheese can do. What if I made this Alfredo like sauce out of cashews? I had plenty of leftover cashews from when I made the candied nuts the other day.

I am so glad that I remembered about the cashews. It was so easy to make and I think I may even like using them more than a dairy based cream sauce.  The family couldn’t even tell the difference that there was no cheese or cream in the dish. Will definitely be making this again.



Pasta and Veggies with Cashew Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

1 cup cashews
water
1 pound pasta (I used medium shells), cooked to al dente (reserve 1 cup cooking water)
1 cup vegetable broth
5 cloves garlic
juice of one lemon
2 tsp. basil, dried
2 tsp. thyme, dried
2 tsp. oregano, dried
2 tsp. sage, dried
2 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
5 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 cup peas
red pepper flakes (optional)
additional salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Start out by soaking the cashews in a bowl of water. Let it soak for at least 4-5 hours. I left my bowl in the fridge while I went to work.

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Rinse and drain the cashews.

In the bowl of a food processor or blender, process the cashews with the vegetable broth, 3 cloves of the garlic, lemon juice and spices. Everything should be completely pureed.

cashew cream

Heat up the olive oil in a large saute pan.  saute the onions and 2 cloves of chopped garlic for a few minutes, until soft.

Add in the sliced mushrooms and peas, and any other veggies you may like. Cook for another few minutes.

Turn the flame to medium and add in the cream sauce. Let the sauce warm for a couple of minutes.

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Add in the cooked pasta. Slowly add in the reserved pasta water until you reach your desired consistency.

Serve and Enjoy!

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Filed Under: pasta, Vegan, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , ,

Meatless Monday: Olive, Lemon and Chickpea Pasta

September 3, 2012 · by ·

It’s been a little while since I posted over here. I am back from vacation and back in to real-life mode. I initially intended to blog as I cooked while visiting the parents, but for the most part, they didn’t let me have my way in their kitchen.

Both of my parents are amazing cooks. They are also a bit possessive of their kitchen. I get so much of my inspiration from their ideas – both past and present.

My last might in Minneapolis, my Dad took over the kitchen – whipping up an amazingly simple and tasty pasta dish. This dish that I present here is more or less adapted from what he made.  The main difference, is that he used tuna for protein and I used chickpeas. I knew that my kids wouldn’t eat the hot tuna and I was not in the mood to make another dinner for them. This dinner pleased everyone.

Olive, Lemon and Chickpea Pasta
Ingredients:

1 pound pasta (I used spaghetti, but fettuccine would work well)
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 cup green olives with pimentos, chopped
1/3 cup kalamata olives, chopped
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
juice of one lemon
1-2 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
2 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
2 tsp. grated lemon rind
2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup peas
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
olive oil for drizzling
extra  Parmesan  cheese for sprinkling

Directions:

Cook pasta to al dente, reserving about 1/2 – 1 cup of the cooking water.

I cooked my pasta while I cooked up the sauce/mix-in. Made everything run smoother.

In a large saute pan, heat up the olive oil. Add in the chopped onions and cook for a few minutes.

Add in the chopped garlic, olives and chickpeas. Cook for a few minutes.

Add in the spices, lemon rind and lemon juice.

Olive, Lemon and Chickpea Pasta

Add in the peas and Parmesan cheese.

Stir in the pasta, adding some of the cooking water as you go to wet the sauce a bit.

Serve on a plate. Top pasta with extra red pepper flakes, Parmesan cheese and a small drizzle of olive oil.

Enjoy!

Olive, Lemon and Chickpea Pasta
Filed Under: Dinner, easy, pasta, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , ,

Orecchiette with Caramelized Onions and Mushroom Sauce

July 10, 2012 · by ·

I love pasta. Who doesn’t?

The best part about pasta is that my kids tend to love it–no matter what I put on it. Top it with veggies and some Parmesan cheese and they are happy campers.

Another reason I love pasta is because of all of the wonderful shapes it comes in. Every shape has a it’s benefits – based on how it sticks or holds whatever toppings you pair it with. One of my favorite pasta shapes is Orecchiette. The name of the pasta comes from it’s shape – the ear. Though my daughter thinks it resembles a hat more than an ear. We won’t go there. I love the shape and it’s consistency. I also love the way it grabs on to the toppings.

This recent pasta dinner was super easy to make – you just have to have a little bit of patience with the onions. I love onions, especially caramelized onions. They cook by themselves and require very little effort – my kind of meal. With the addition of some meaty baby bella mushrooms, the dish is complete.




Orecchiette with Caramelized Onions and Mushroom Sauce
Ingredients:


1 lb orecchiette pasta
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
2 large onions, sliced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
10 oz. baby bella mushrooms, sliced
sea salt
fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped thyme
1/4 cup half & half
1/4 parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cook pasta according to the directions on the box. Cook to al dente, reserving about 3/4 cup of the cook water. Strain the pasta. Do not rinse it. Set aside.

While pasta is cooking, work on the onions. 

Slice the onions in to thin strips. Heat up a pan with olive oil and butter. Add the onions. Let them cook on medium with a lid for about 20 minutes. You will see them begin to caramelize. 

After 20 minutes, add the garlic, mushrooms and thyme. Let it cook for a bit longer. 

After another 7 minutes or so, add in the half & half and the parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Stir.  Add in the pasta water and the pasta. Stir everything up.

Serve and enjoy!

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Filed Under: Dinner, pasta, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , ,

Meatless Monday: Mushroom and Sage Pasta with Poached Egg

June 19, 2012 · by ·

I’m like a kid when it comes to my herb garden. Every day after work, I get a little excited as I run to the backyard to see how things are going. How much did my basil grow? What’s the sage doing  now? I love that I don’t have to run out and buy my herbs. I just take a little pair of kitchen shears out with me and make a few snips.

My sage plant is looking pretty impressive these days. Perfect for an easy dinner. I love the way sage pairs well with mushrooms. My mouth began to water as I thought about how dinner would turn out. 


Mushroom and Sage Pasta with Poached Egg (serves 3-4)
Ingredients:

1/2 box of thin spaghetti (cooked to al dente, reserve 1/2 cup cooking water)
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
3 shallots, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup chopped sage leaves
1 tbsp. fresh thyme
1/2 container Cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup dry white wine
Parmesan cheese, grated
salt
ground pepper
2-3 tsp. red pepper flakes
3-4 eggs

In a large pan, heat up the butter and olive oil.

Toss in the shallots and the garlic. Let them get fragrant.

Add in the mushrooms and chopped sage and thyme and saute for a few minutes.

Deglaze the pan with some white wine.

Stir in about 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese and some of the cooking water.

Add in some salt and freshly ground pepper and the red pepper flakes.  Taste a noodle to see if it needs more seasoning.

Let the pasta cook in the mushroom sauce.

Now it’s time to poach your eggs.  They only need a couple of minutes.

While the eggs cook a bit, plate up your pasta. Make a small indentation and place the egg there.

You want the egg to be runny. Stir the runny yolk in to the pasta.

Serve with some additional Parmesan cheese and a twist of ground pepper.

Enjoy!

mushroom and sage pasta with poached egg
Filed Under: Dinner, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , ,

Meatless Monday: Vegan Tofu Balls!

April 24, 2012 · by ·

My ten-year-old daughter couldn’t stop laughing when I told her we were eating “vegan tofu balls” for dinner.

“You said balls, Mom! You said BALLS!”

Oy vey! I am sure I was like that when I was ten. She doesn’t even know what BALLS are, but she knows that they’re something to talk about. Lucky me.

I feel like I get all my meal ideas from Pinterest lately. It’s all house and food porn on that site and I keep getting sucked in. While perusing Pinterest, I came across Post Punk Kitchen’s recipe for tofu balls.  Looked pretty easy. I recently made a big batch of spinach and walnut pesto. I decided to try to adapt the recipe a bit and make them gluten free to serve with the pesto and and some pasta.  Lo and behold, it was a hit! So happy I found the recipe!

Tofu Balls
slightly adapted from Post Punk Kitchen
Ingredients:

1 lb. extra firm tofu, mushed up

1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
5 mushrooms, chopped
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons peanut butter
1/2 cup gluten free “bread crumbs” or corn flake crumbs
2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. basil
2 tsp. thyme
red pepper flakes (optional)
salt
pepper
Rice flour for rolling balls in
Vegetable oil for frying or baking spray

In a large mixing bowl, mix everything up except for the flour and the oil. I used my cuisinart to chop the veggies up.

Roll mixture in to 1-inch balls. It’s best to use your hands for this.

Roll the tofu balls in the rice flour and pan fry until light brown on all sides.

You can also choose to bake in the oven on a sprayed baking sheet at 400 until done. You will want to flip them to ensure even browning.

Serve the tofu balls however you’d like. We had them over a pasta with spinach & walnut pesto sauce with some roasted cauliflower on the side. Delightful!

Enjoy!

Filed Under: dairy, Gluten Free, Main Course, Vegan, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , ,
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