Pasta Fagiole

 

 This recipe was given to me by my Mother in Law. It's truly a simple and oh so comforting recipe that I had never had before. I had never ordered it for fear of the unknown. When she ordered it it smelled so delicious and I asked for a bite. I haven't looked back since! Yummo!

 

Ingredients

 

5 cups water

8 ounces dried Great Northern or Navy beans (about 1 & 1/4 cups) (you could really use what ever white bean you like) 

* to save time use canned beans and less sit/boil time is needed *

 

1 large onion, chopped

1 large tomato, chopped or 1 eight-ounce can tomato sauce

2 medium stalks celery, sliced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 pound salt pork chopped (or 1/4 to 1.2 pound cooked ham, chopped can be added with the salt pork)

2 teaspoons instant beef boullion

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup uncooked macaroni (shells, bows, or elbow)

Grated Parmesan cheese 

 

Process

 

 1. Heat water and beans in a dutch oven, until boiling. Boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 1 hour. 

 

2. Add onions, celery, tomato, garlic, salt pork, bouillon, salt and pepper to the beans. Heat to to boiling, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until beans are tender, about two hours. DO NOT BOIL as beans will burst. Skim fat if necessary. 

 

3. Stir macaroni into the soup. Cover and simmer until the macaroni is tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. 

 

4.  Sprinkle with cheese as you serve.  Accompany with more cheese for the table. 

Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Pasta thanks to Damn Delicious

 

 I have had this recipe saved from some point during the pandemic. It is kept in a green binder with all the other recipes I have accumulated in the last two years. I really wanted an easy family friendly Crockpot version of chicken Parmesan. This recipe came close but needs some tinkering. I missed the breading on the chicken, but I also wanted more Basil taste. Either way, it was a convenient easy recipe for a day with many interruptions. Thank you Damn Delicious - I am happy to be following you!

https://damndelicious.net/2016/08/05/slow-cooker-chicken-parmesan-pasta/

 

Pasta with Caramelized Shallots

 

 This recipe is originally from the New York Times.  SP called it a keeper but made some modifications to it. It was then decided that this would be a terrific base for Puttanesca Sauce.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1/3 cup olive oil, plus more as needed

6 large shallots, sliced very thin

5 garlic cloves - 1 finely chopped and 4 thinly sliced

Salt and Pepper to taste

Red pepper flakes - Aleppo would be excellent. 

3 teaspoons anchovy paste (or more)

6 ounces tomato paste

10 ounces linguini

1 cup parsley leaves, finely chopped

Sea salt

Process

1. Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot or a Dutch oven. 

2. Add shallots and thinly sliced garlic and season with salt and pepper. 

3. Cook, stirring, until the shallots are soft and have caramelized with golden brown edges - roughly 15 to 20 minutes. 

4. Add the red pepper flakes and anchovy paste. Stir until it all melts. 

5. Add tomato paste and season, again, with salt and pepper. 

6. Cook, stirring to prevent scorching, until the tomato paste has cooked int he oil and caramelized a bit, getting a deeper color, about 2 minutes. 

7. Cook your pasta. Reserve ~1 cup of the pasta water  and use as needed to thin the sauce. Use some EVO to achieve desired consistency.

Pasta al Limone

 

Quick simple and yummy, I highly recommend this. It would also be great with shrimp. Serves 4 and easily double. I  originally got this recipe from WellPlated.com but we made some modifications along the way.

Ingredients

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed

8 ounces pasta of choice (spaghetti or fettuccine ideally)

5 Tablespoons butter

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 medium lemons

1 cup finely grated parmesan

1/2 cup White Wine

 Salt

lots of Ground black pepper

Process

1. Thinly slice one lemon and render in 2 Tablespoons butter in a saute pan (like for a masala). Remove and dice. 

2. Add oil to the pan and saute the chicken cubes. Add the rendered lemon slices and simmer. Put aside to be added back in at the end. 

3. According to the pasta instructions, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve one cup of pasta water. Then  drain. 

4.  Melt the remaining butter in a large pan, add the garlic, and cook for about a minute. 

5. Immediately add the hot pasta to the garlic skillet. Add 1/2 cup reserved water and the white wine. Toss to combine and continue cooking. Add the chicken and lemons and continue to saute. 

6. When ready to serve, serve with zested lemon rind and lemon juice form the remaining lemon. Sprinkle on the Parmesan and stir to combine. Keep stirring until it is smooth. 

7. Transfer to plates and season with salt and pepper.

Chicken Pesto Pasta

 

This crowd pleasing pasta was a landmark feat for SP for, after years of despising pesto since my last pregnancy, getting me to not only try but also love this dish. SP glowed when he last made it and I took seconds. The pasta cooked in the broth is the best part and I may never cook pasta in water again! I recommend prepping your ingredients in advance of starting the process.

Ingredients

1.5 pounds chicken breasts, cut into cubes and tossed with salt and pepper

1 large head broccoli, cut into florets

1 box gemelli pasta

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups pesto

Process

1. Saute chicken in a large skillet. Remove from pan.

2. Put pasta and broth in the pan and cook until al dente (add water if necessary)

3. While pasta cooks, microwave the broccoli with a little water to soften.

4. When pasta is ready, add the chicken, broccoli and pesto, stirring to combine.

5. Cook a little while longer and if necessary add a little more broth to keep it saucy!

Enjoy!

Tonights Dinner: Date Night Lemon Pasta from I am a Food Blog

 Of the many food blogs I follow, I Am a Food Blog is one of my favorites. I am looking forward to making this yummy simple crowd pleasing dish for the whole family tonight after they get back from a  beautiful day of skiing. This recipe for Date Night Lemon Pasta looks amazing.

Preservation Pasta Party

 Friends gathered on the porch to witness the final sunset of winter while enjoying my recently made Shrubs. On a warm March afternoon, the mocktails were refreshing and healthy - made with seltzer and sparkling lemonade and our Blood Orange shrub (above) and Blueberry Ginger shrub (below).

SP and I were busy bustling in and out, making the pasta dough or  turning the salt preserved lemons into viniagrette. In other moments I was making a red sauce, prepping garlic bread, and then turning to make an Alfredo. Finally I got to put the salad together. 

The salad dressing was much saltier than I wanted, but it is absolutely PERFECT over beets. The two compliment each other perfectly.  I will be buying beets this week to use the rest of the dressing on. 

The best part of the night, was having everyone gather in the dining room to all help rolling out the dough and making it into pasta. This time the pasta making went much more smoothly.
There was the boys side of the table:

And a the ladies side of the table:

Finally it was time to turn the pasta sheets into fettuccine. 

We probably should have let them hang a little longer before bunching them up as  a bunch or two were a bit too sticky to unwind and go into the water. 

Below is the piece d'resistance! Was the freshly made pasta with salt preserved egg yolk grated over the top. Yummy salty treat!

Making sauce and Homemade Pasta

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Way back in December, I defrosted the 35 pounds of garden tomatoes we froze and made sauce. Spending a weekend making sauce requires asking friends over to keep you company and help make fresh pasta. It seems that I forgot to make a blog post in December and fear that I lost the majority of the photos, but here are a few to commemorate the event.

Even Ms. Tim was there and we don't see enough of them!

Here is Ms. B the amazing midwife showing her resilient patience as the pasta is just not cooperating!

Ms. A is there lending a helping hand.

Slowly, things came together and the pasta cooperated enough to thin and be cut.

It was a wonderful night. Thanks to everyone for their help! We still have sauce left on the shelf!

Artichoke Alfredo

Oh me oh my oh - this one is to die for. Seriously. This is not heart or cholesterol friendly - but boy is it GOOD! I got this originally from the Cook's Country magazine (from makers of Cook's Illustrated another favorite of ours). The recipe, a runner up in a contest, was created by Mary Shivers of Ada Oklahoma - so thanks Mary! I tweaked the recipe a bit to add some of our garden bounty, and know the recipe could be tweaked to be friendlier on the waistline! This was a perfect end of summer meal - just as it is - a one bowl wonder! Enjoy!


Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter
1 finely chopped onion
1 minced clove of garlic
2 cans quartered artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup sour cream
1 and 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
a couple tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
a couple tablespoons lemon juice (plus zest if using fresh)
salt and pepper
1/4 cup (or more) milk
2 sweet red peppers, cut into strips of julienne for a raw garnish
1 lb. box of fettuccine

Process

1. Put stock pot of salted water on and bring to a boil. (For cooking pasta)
2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
3. Add onions and cook until soft (5 to 10 minutes)
4. Add garlic and simmer for 2 minutes.
5. Increase heat to medium high.
6. Add artichoke hearts and cook until moisture cooks off and they seem to brown.
7. Remove from heat. (if water is boiling add the fettuccine and cook according to directions)
8. Add sour cream and stir.
9. Add 1 cup of heavy cream and stir.
10. Add cheese and stir.
11. Add herbs and spices and stir.
12. Return over low heat. Add milk to thin sauce a bit if needed.
13. Cook pasta according to directions. Drain pasta and put in large bowl.
14. Pour sauce over pasta and toss to coat and combine.
15. Cover bowl of pasta with sweet pepper strips and toss to combine and serve with a large serving spoon.

Smitten Kitchen's Most Amazing Raw Tomato Sauce over Angelhair

This is the most amazing raw tomato sauce ever, and a perfect summer recipe for home gardeners. Angel Hair with Raw Tomato Sauce will fill you and leave your body and soul humming. Please go and make it tonight, with the garden warm fresh tomato hanging heavily on the vine. Go now. You know you want to!

Angel Hair Pasta with Raw Tomato Sauce
Adapted from Gourmet


Ingredients

3 pounds fresh, best-quality tomatoes (results are uneven with less fresh ones)
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more to taste (I used 2 teaspoons total Diamond kosher salt)
1 teaspoon sugar (optional, I found this unnecessary)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 poud dried capellini or angel-hair spaghetti
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
To serve: grated ricotta salata (my choice) or Parmigiano-Reggiano and a drizzle of your favorite olive oil

Process
1. Halve the first pound of tomatoes crosswise, then rub the cut sides against the large holes of a box grater set in a large bowl, discarding the skin.

2. Core  and chop the last two pounds of tomatoes and add to the grated tomato bowl.

3. Add garlic, lemon juice or vinegar, salt, sugar (if using) and pepper and let marinate at room temperature until ready to use, at least 10 minutes but also up to 2 hours if you’re planning ahead.

4. After it has steeped for a while, taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
 
5. Cook pasta in salted boiling water as package time recommends.

6. Drain then toss with fresh sauce and basil. Serve lukewarm (as it is now) or at room temperature with a drizzle of olive oil and freshly grated cheese on top.

Enjoy.  

Broccoli and Cauliflower Stem "Pasta"

This was such a fantastic and sustainable supper! I will always save my stems and make "pasta" from them - brilliant use of resources that save for a long time. After my recent harvest of almost all of my broccoli heads and some of my cauliflower, I have all the ingredients ready to go in the refrigerator for this recipe. I just wish it would cool down enough for me to want to cook.

From De Ma Quisine, here is Broccoli and Cauliflower Stem "Pasta"

Spinach Lasagna

Ingredients
at least 10 lasagna noodles
2 packages (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 Tablespoon oil
1 cup or more grated carrots
1 can (15oz) tomato sauce
1 can (6oz) tomato paste
1/2 cup chopped olives
1 and 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 cups cottage cheese
1 pound Monterrey Jack cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Process

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cook noodles and drain.
3. Grease a 13 x 9 baking dish.
4. Put a layer of noodles into dish.
5. In a frying pan, saute onions.
6. Add carrots and mushrooms and cook until tender.
7. Stir in tomato sauce, paste, olives and oregano.
8. Layer cottage cheese over noodles.
9. Layer spinach over cheese.
10. Layer sauce over spinach.
11. Layer 1/3 Monterrey Jack cheese.
12. Repeat and place remaining cheese over top.
13. Bake for 30 minutes.

Chicken Meatballs served on Rotini with homemade sauce

Yesterday was a busy day getting the garden put to bed for the winter, so when it came time for dinner we needed something easy and on hand. SP made chicken/turkey meatballs and put them on top of Rotini pasta with homemade sauce I had already canned.

Chicken Meatballs

Ingredients
2 lb ground chicken and/or turkey
3/4 package Italian dressing seasoning
1.5 cup bread crumbs
a dash of shredded Parmesan cheese

pasta and sauce for the meal

Process

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees
2. Mix ingredients
3. Form into 2" size balls
4. Cook on a greased cookie sheet for 30 minutes, turning every ten minutes, or until it reaches an internal temp of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
   
5. Serve over cooked pasta with sauce

This recipe can be easily modified or added to for any craving.

Three Cheese Pasta Bake

This recipe came to me from Mushy's sister in law Bev during a recipe exchange.

3-Cheese Pasta Bake
Prep: 20 minutes; Bake: 30 minutes

Ingredients
1 (16 oz) package Ziti
2 (10 oz) containers refrigerated Alfredo sauce - (I use Buitoni Refrigerated Alfredo Sauce)
1 (8 oz) container sour cream
1 (15 oz) container ricotta cheese
2 Large eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese

Process

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees.
   
2. Cook the ziti according to package directions, drain and return to the pot.
3. Stir together Alfredo sauce and sour cream; toss with the ziti until evenly coated.
   
4. Spoon half of the mixture into a lightly greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish.
5. Stir together ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese and parsley; spread evenly over pasta mixture in your casserole baking dish.
   
6. Spoon remaining pasta mixture evenly over ricotta cheese layer; sprinkle evenly with mozzarella cheese.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly. (If it's not browned slightly - I leave it in a little longer just for the color.)