Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Last week I must have been in a Mediterranean Mood.

I made Mediterranean Chicken Salad and this Mediterranean Pasta Salad. I was looking for a recipe that was easy and flavorful and after looking through quite a few sites I stopped at RecipeZaar. My biggest regret with this is that I forgot to buy fresh basil and parsley so I was stuck using dried. Don't get me wrong, this was absolutely fabulous and full of flavor, but I can just imagine what fresh herbs would have done.

Besides the flavor from the dressing, I loved the all the veggies and feta, it was just so good. (sadly I didn't get a good shot of the veggies. Believe me, it was very pretty!) Oh and the artichokes, I just love artichokes. The process of making this is easy but long, it's not something to just throw together after work and eat for dinner. That's kind of a pain but it really allowed the flavors to marry. We had this the first night on a Tuesday and it lasted the rest of the week for lunches and dinner. The next gathering we go to I will definitely bring this. I think it will be a big hit with a crowd! It would also be wonderful with some chicken or steak - something I will definitely add next time.

Easy Mediterranean Pasta Salad
Source: RecipeZaar




1 lb shell pasta, cooked al dente, drained well, and tossed with 2 tbs olive oil (I used campanelli and didn't use 2tbsp olive oil, that just seemed ridiculous. I drizzled a tiny bit on the pasta and then tossed it)
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1 cup cucumber, chopped
1 cup zucchini, chopped
1 medium yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
Handufl of grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup pitted kalamata olive chopped (omitted, I don't like olives)
1 (4 ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and cut into quarters
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 (1 1/2 ounce) envelope tomato basil soup mix
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 cup crumbled feta cheese





In a large serving bowl, toss together the pasta, onion, cucumber, bell peppers, celery, olives, and artichoke hearts.

Refrigerate the salad up to 24 hours In a medium glass mixing bowl, whisk together the oils, vinegar, soup mix, black pepper, basil, parsley, and feta until well blended. (I only added 1/2 cup of the feta, I wanted some to crumble on top when I served the salad)

Pour 1 cup of the dressing over the salad and toss Refrigerate the salad for at least 6 hours.
When ready to serve, toss the salad with the remaining dressing.

Sun Dried Tomato Pesto & Chicken Pasta

I saw this recipe recently over on Julie's blog. If you haven't checked her out yet you really need to. My blog totally has a crush on her blog. She is a wonderful cook and an excellent hostess. I love going over to her house, I always know I'll get some tasty food, tons of laughs, and I'll get to stare at her pretty serving dishes. (I'm so jealous of those!)

I knew I had to make this for two reasons...

1) It just sounded good
2) It would give me a chance to hang out with my new friend, Frannie Food Processor.

The dish was very good. It had a wonderful flavor, I loved the pesto. It just a little dry for my taste. When I eat pasta it has to be coated in a ridiculous amount of sauce. (So healthy, I know) Now, the reason this could have been a little dry is because I couldn't find sun dried tomatoes in a jar at the grocery store. How annoying! We shopped at the Walmart Market to save a few $$ and the only sun dried tomatoes I could find were just in a package "ready to eat", no oil or anything with it.

While I was making the pesto, I did add some oil, but I guess just not enough. Since this is originally a CL recipe though, the pasta probably isn't supposed to be drenched in anything. If I make this again, I can just add less pasta. Matt loved this. He loved it so much he had it again for dinner or lunch the next 4 days. One night was plenty for me.


Sun Dried Tomato Pesto & Chicken Pasta
Found On: Julie's Foodie
Originally from: CL
(no pictures, it just wasn't very pretty)


Ingredients
Pesto:
1 (7-ounce) jar oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves
1 1/2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon water
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves
Pasta:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 (6-ounce) bag prewashed baby spinach
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated fat-free milk
1 (3-ounce) package goat cheese, crumbled (I used mozzarella, I had it on hand)
6 cups hot cooked cavatappi (about 4 cups uncooked pasta) (I used rotini, I had it on hand)


Preparation

To prepare pesto, drain sun-dried tomatoes in a sieve over a bowl, reserving oil. Place 2 tablespoons reserved oil in a food processor. Place remaining oil in sun-dried tomato jar; reserve for another use. Coarsely chop 1/4 cup drained tomatoes; set aside. Place remaining drained tomatoes in food processor. Add basil, water, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 2 garlic cloves to food processor; process until finely minced.

To prepare pasta, heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove chicken from pan.

Add minced garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add balsamic vinegar and baby spinach; cook for 2 minutes or until spinach wilts. Stir in pesto and evaporated fat-free milk. Bring to a boil, and cook for 2 minutes.

Add crumbled goat cheese; cook until cheese melts, stirring constantly. Return chicken to pan; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Combine chicken mixture and pasta, tossing well to coat. Sprinkle with reserved 1/4 cup chopped drained tomatoes.

Lasagna

A couple of weeks ago I woke up to an icy 4 degree day. It was depressing, especially when just a week earlier I woke up to a 40 degree day and went on a nice long run. I hate the winter. As I drove home from the gym I had to stop and get some gas in my car. After standing in the cold, I decided that dinner had to be a nice warm meal. Lasagna was the first thing that popped in my mind.

I'd never made lasagna before and immmediately went to my google reader and found a recipe I had starred a couple months ago - Healthy Spinach and Sausage Lasagna. I choose it for a few reasons. It was a healthy lasagna, wasn't going to take hours to make, and had spinach in it. My husband isn't a big fan of spinach, but loved this. I loved it as well. It made enough to last us all week, and we have a big pot of marinara in the freezer to use for another meal.

Healthy Spinach and Sausage Lasagna
source: A Year in the Kitchen

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp. Penzeys Italian seasoning blend
1 6 oz. can tomato paste, Italian style
2 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 15oz. can tomato sauce
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
10 basil leaves, torn
1 box whole wheat lasagna noodles
1/4 lb. bulk turkey sausage
8 oz. part skim ricotta
16 oz. bag frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained
1 egg
1/2 cups shredded part skim mozzarella
1/4 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

First make the sauce:
Heat skillet to medium, add olive oil, onion and garlic. Sautee for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add seasoning, salt and pepper, tomato paste, sauce and crushed tomatoes. Cover and simmer while you prepare the other elements.Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt heavily.

Sausage: Sautee in a nonstick pan for 10 minutes, breaking up and browning. Drain and set aside to cool. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, egg, ½ cup mozzarella and salt and pepper to taste. Add in cooled sausage, stir. Drop 4 noodles into the pot (if you’re making a lasagna with 4 rows). Cook for 5-6 minutes. Tear basil leaves into sauce and turn heat off.

Ladle some sauce to coat the bottom of a baking dish.Remove noodles from water with tongs and line the dish, drop in 4 more. Spread ricotta mixture over each noodle row, a sprinkle of cheese, and some marinara. Add next layer of noodles and repeat. Add 3rd layer of noodles, top with ricotta, and sauce first, then the remainder of the cheese. Bake in a 375 degree oven until brown and bubbly, about 30 minutes if you bake it off right away, and 1 hour if it’s been refrigerated.

Spaghetti with Meatballs

Tonight we were looking for an easy and delicious meal. I decided to make spaghetti and use the wonderful homemade marinara I froze the other week. For some reason I wanted to give meatballs a whirl. This is odd for a couple reasons:

1) I'm not a big fan of beef
2) Raw meat grosses me out, I've never touched it in my life. My husband is the one that handles the raw stuff.

I've never paid much attention to recipes for meatballs, so I decided to search my handy dandy google reader. I stumbled across a recipe for Meatball Sandwiches and decided to just use the part for the meatballs themselves.

The recipe was very simple and very tasty. I even forgot to add the garlic and it still tasted great. I think when I make these again I'll use ground turkey, the meatballs didn't taste greasy, but the grease left on the baking sheet isn't very appetizing. So tonight's dinner was a success....Spaghetti with Homemade Marinara and Meatballs and I got over my fear of preparing raw meat.

Meatballs
Source: Feed the Moose



Do you know how hard it is to get a good pic of meatballs on spaghetti? It's near impossible for a novice like myself. The picture above is the best I could do.


1 pound ground beef
3/4 cup bread crumbs
2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a medium bowl, gently mix by hand the ground beef, bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic, parsley, Parmesan cheese, and egg. Shape into 12 meatballs, and place in a baking dish. (I lined my baking dish with parchment paper to make for easier cleanup)

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cooked through.

Copy Cat

Macaroni Grille Vodka Rustica

We don't go to the Macaroni Grille very often. The last time we went was in May and I ordered the Vodka Rustica and was very pleased. It's definitely one of my favorite pasta dishes. This weekend I was looking for a new pasta recipe and came across the recipe. I made it tonight for dinner and it turned out fabulous. Matt and I both gave it a 10. I love how the paprika gives this dish a little kick. Oh and the fact it has vodka isn't too shabby either!

Ramano's Macaroni Grille Vodka Rustica
Source: BigOven



Notes:
*According to the recipe this makes 3 large servings. Instead of 3 separate dishes, I baked it in a 9x13 pan. We ate about 1/4 of it, put 1/4 in the fridge, and froze 1/2 of it.
* This calls for the chicken to be grilled. We just happened to grill up a few extra chicken breasts with some S&P and Italian Seasoning yesterday, I just used those.
* From start to finish this took me under an hour, maybe about 45 min.

GRATINATA SAUCE

3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp minced garlic
3 tbsp marsala wine
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup cold milk
1/4 cup vodka + whatever else you decide to spill in there :)
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp chicken bullion
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
2 tsp minced fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh minced thyme (used dry)
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper


1lb penne pasta cooked
12 medium shrimp (omitted)
2 skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup Prosciutto, about 2 oz thick-sliced, chopped (I used bacon because I had it on hand)

Topping
3 tbsp grated Parmesan Cheese
1.5 tsp Paprika
*I ended up adding a bit more of both of these

Garnish omitted
12 sliced pimientos
4 sprigs of rosemary

Instructions for Romano's Macaroni Grille Vodka Rustica

Preheat bbq grill to high.

Prepare gratinata sauce by melting 3 tbsp of butter over medium/low heat. Add garlic and sweat it for about 5 minutes. Be sure the garlic doesn't brown. Add the marsala wine and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients for the sauce and whisk until smooth. Bring mixture to a simmer and keep it there for 10 minutes or until it's thick. Cover sauce and remove from heat.

Cook past following directions on the package (7-9 minutes in boiling water). You want the pasta tender, but not mush (al dente). Strain pasta and set it aside when it's done.

Pound the thick end of your chicken breast a bit with a kitchen mallet to make them a uniform thickness. Rub chicken with olive oil, then sprinkle on a bit of salt and pepper. Spear the shrimp on skewers (6 per skewer should work fine), then rub them with oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.Grill chicken for 5 to 6 minutes per side. Grill shrimp for 2 minutes per side. When chicken is done, slice each breast into strips.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Build each dish in a large shallow baking dish. Or you can use a 9 inch glass or ceramic pie plate. Load 3 cups of pasta into each baking dish. Add one quarter of the chicken, 3 shrimp, and 2 tbsp of prosciutto onto each serving. Spoon 3/4 of a cup of gratinata sauce on each serving and toss to coat. Combine 3 tbsp of grated Parmesan cheese with 1 1/2 tsp paprika, then sprinkle about 1 tbsp of this mixture over the top of each serving. Bake the dishes for 10-12 minutes, or until tops begin to brown. Arrange 3 pimentos on the top of each serving, then jab a sprig of rosemary into the center and serve. * After I strained the pasta, I placed it in a 9x13 glass pan sprayed with Pam. I mixed in the chicken and bacon and then stirred in the sauce until the pasta was coated. I baked the dish for about 5 min, stirred, and the sprinkled on the topping. After that, I baked it for another 5 or so minutes.

Penzeys

We received a Penzeys Spices gift box as a wedding gift. It had 9 different spices and bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, and whole nutmegs. I remember thinking it was a strange gift when I opened it. Who would have thought just a short time later I'd fall in love with that stuff!

I finally busted open the Pasta Sprinkle last Sunday. We're going out of town tomorrow, so I didn't want to go to the store this week. The goal was to use up the veggies and whatever else we could find. For this meal I cooked pasta (a mixture of rotini and penne), sautéed broccoli, red pepper, zucchini, and carrots, and added some grilled chicken and crumbled bacon I tossed it with a little bit of red wine vinegar and salt and pepper and added the Pasta Sprinkle. Top with a little parm cheese and you have a delicious pasta meal.

So simple, inexpensive and tasty. The next day I added some baby spinach and took it to work for lunch. It was even better!

A Light Pasta Dish

Usually when I see a pasta dish with white sauce I skip right on by it. This recipe however, caught my eye because…. IT USES LAUGHING COW CHEESE! Woohoo! Laughing Cow has become one of my new favorite things to eat. So tasty and only 35 calories a wedge, can’t beat that.

I found the recipe last month on Culinary in the Country (or is it Desert?!) and it’s most definitely a winner! The sauce is light, very fitting for a warm spring evening. I just loved the flavor of the bacon in the dish. Next time I make this I think I’ll cook an extra strip of bacon to crumble on top for when this is served. This recipe is also good because it doesn’t make a ton like most of the pasta dishes I’ve made. Only 4 servings… which somehow ended up being only 2. :)

BLT Penne Pasta Toss
Found on: Culinary in the Country, adapted from Kraft



8 ounces dry whole wheat penne pasta
4 ounces Laughing Cow Swiss Cheese Wedges, cut into cubes. I like the Light Garlic and Herb.(use cream cheese, if desired)
1 cup milk
1 ounce fresh grated Parmesan cheese
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/8 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg (used dry)


In a large pot of boiling salted water, add pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, add Laughing Cow cheese, milk and Parmesan - heat over medium-high, whisking constantly, cheese melts and the mixture is well-blended, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Stir in bacon, spinach, tomatoes, Italian seasoning and nutmeg - reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring, until thoroughly heated through, about 5 minutes.

Remove sauce from heat, add drained pasta and toss well to coat. Season to taste with salt and fresh ground black pepper, if desired.

Finally... Orzo!

In our quest to save a little money, the hubster and I have been shopping at a Wal*Mart Market store. While I love saving money, the selection of food is annoying. One item I have never seen at the store is Orzo. There are a few recipes I've passed over or adapted that are supposed to have Orzo. Imagine my excitement, when Mr. Hubster told me we had a coupon for 10% off at Hyvee. (Yes, I am lame and get excited over a trip to Hyvee and Yes, I realize the 10% off savings wasn't really worth it. Kudos to you Hyvee Marketing Department, you got us back in the door.)

Anywho, I saw this recipe for Orzo Pilaf with Green Onions and Parmesan Cheese in my google reader and starred it for the day I'd have Orzo. Well my friends, that day has come. I made it tonight, and it was delicious! I served it as a side to pork chops and also sauteed some veggies and garlic in a little bit of EVOO and white wine. This meal was very easy and tasted excellent. This may definitely became a weeknight staple... guess I need to go to Hyvee and stock up on Orzo!

Orzo Pilaf with Green Onions and Parmesan Cheese
found on: The Foodie Fashionista
originally from: Epicurious.com



I read the reviews on the website and quite a few people recommended browning the orzo before cooking it. I decided to go ahead and give it a shot. My adaptations in italics

3 1/4 cups (or more) canned low-salt chicken broth (I used almost 4 cups)
1 pound orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
5 green onions, thinly sliced (I used 3 - 31/2)
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
*1/4 cup butter


Melt butter in large skillet, add Orzo and brown. While Orzo is browning, Bring 3 1/4 cups broth to boil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat.

Mix in orzo and simmer uncovered until just tender but still firm to bite and some broth still remains, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Add green onions and cheese and stir to blend. Season pilaf to taste with salt and pepper.

Rewarm over low heat, if necessary, and mix in more broth by 1/4 cupfuls if pilaf is dry. Transfer pilaf to large bowl and serve.

One more thing, next time I make this for just the two of us, I'm going to cut the recipe in half. It serves 6.

Delicious!

I've heard other bloggers rave about this dish but wasn't convinced. After seeing it on Annie's Eats I finally decided to give it a shot. I don't like shrimp so I substituted chicken and it was just delicious. Next time I make it I'm going to add some crushed red pepper to give it a little kick.

Penne al a Betsy
adapted from: The Pioneer Woman



1lb penne pasta
3 tbsp. butter, divided
3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 lb. large shrimp (I used 3 small chicken breasts)
1 small white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup white wine (or chicken broth)
1 can plain tomato sauce (8oz)
1 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
Chopped Basil leaves, to taste

Prepare pasta according to package directions.

Melt 1 tbsp. butter and 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet. Add the chicken and cook. Remove to a plate to let cool. (I cut the chicken into small pieces before I cooked it)

Heat 2 tbsp. butter and 2 tbsp. olive oil in the skillet. Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring occasionally. Add the wine (or chicken broth) to the pan and let it evaporate for a few minutes. Chop the basil and parsley and set aside. Stir in tomato sauce and add the heavy cream, stir well to combine. Add chicken back to the skillet and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the parsley and basil, mix well.

Add pasta to sauce and mix to combine. Serve

Healthy on a Budget

So the Hubs and I recently decided we want to try and cut our spending down. A huge area we can cut down is at the Grocery Store. Some months, the money we've spent at the grocery store is ridiculous. Due to the Great Grocery Budget Slash, we've started shopping at a Walmart Market store. Definitely not my favorite, but damn I just love the low prices.

One problem with this store is they don't have as good of a selection as other Grocery Stores. In the past, if we shopped there, I'd always end up making another grocery run to get the stuff I needed. Last week however, I stuck to the budget and didn't go any where else. So, that led me to a problem. I wanted to make Chicken-Orzo Salad with Goat Cheese except they didn't have quite a few of the ingredients. That didn't stop me though. Below is the recipe with my substitutions - which turned out fabulous! I will most definitely be making this again and again. It was also delicious for lunch (and dinner) the next day.

Chicken-Rotini Salad with Blue Cheese
Based on Chicken-Orzo Salad with Goat Cheese - Cooking Light April 2008




Ingredients

1 1/4 cups uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta) (I used 1 cup rotini and chopped it after it was cooked)
3 cups chopped grilled chicken breast strips (such as Tyson)
1/2 cups trimmed arugula (I used spinach)
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved (I used whole)
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper (I used 1 cup)
1/4 cup prechopped red onion (I chopped a white onion I had on hand)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (dry)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano (dry)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
6 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese (I used maybe 1 tbsp of blue cheese, the hubs and I don't like goat cheese)


Preparation

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well.

2. Combine pasta, chicken, and the next 6 ingredients (through oregano) in a large bowl; toss well.

3. Combine vinegar, oil, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle vinegar mixture over pasta mixture; toss well to coat. Sprinkle with cheese.

Yield
6 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups salad and 1 tablespoon cheese)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 295(23% from fat); FAT 7.7g (sat 2.9g,mono 2.8g,poly 1.1g); PROTEIN 24.4g; CHOLESTEROL 55mg; CALCIUM 40mg; SODIUM 788mg; FIBER 2g; IRON 2.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 32.1g

YUM-O!

As Rachel Ray would say. I don't consider myself a RR fan by any means. I never watch her shows and the commercials drive me batty. (What's with that OHHHHHHH she always lets out at the end of the commercials? Annoying, much?) Last week at the gym, they had ABC on one of the TVs so I happened to catch the 2nd half of a show. I suppose it wasn't that bad and I was really interested in the dish she made - a healthier version of Roasted Pasta alla Norma . It's not like I've ever had the real version of Pasta alla Norma, but I knew I wanted to make this soon! This was the first time M and I have ever eaten eggplant. He saw the flesh of it and looked freaked out. It was pretty funny. The dish was very, very good. I can't wait to eat some for lunch tomorrow!

Roasted Pasta alla Norma
(Roasted Tomato, Eggplant and Garlic Pasta)



Ingredients:
1 large whole eggplant
1 large head garlic
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling
2 pints grape tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound cavatappi pasta (they didn't have any at Hyvee, so I used Rotini)
A large handful of fresh basil leaves (about 20 or so), torn into pieces (Hyvee was low on fresh basil, so I had about 10 leaves and then added some dried basil)
1/4 pound chunk ricotta salata cheese, crumbled or substitute 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese (no ricotta salata.. I used lowfat ricotta, only a 1/2 cup)

Directions:
Pre-heat the oven to 400°F.

Cut 4-5 slits on one side of the eggplant and place it slit-side-up on a baking sheet. Trim about an inch off the top of the head of garlic, just exposing the tops of the cloves inside. Place the garlic on a piece of foil, drizzle it with a little EVOO, wrap it up and place it in the oven alongside the eggplant. Roast them both for about 30-40 minutes, until the eggplant looks like a flat tire.

When the eggplant and garlic only have about 15 minutes left to roast, put the grape tomatoes on a baking sheet, drizzle them with some EVOO and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Transfer the tomatoes to the oven and roast for about 15 minutes.

Place a large pot of water over high heat with a lid on it and bring up to a boil. Once boiling, add some salt and cook the pasta to al dente (with a bite to it), according to the package directions. Right before draining the pasta, remove and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta-cooking water.

Once the eggplant, garlic and tomatoes are all roasted, remove everything from the oven. Split the eggplant open and scoop out all of the roasted flesh with a spoon, discarding the skin. Transfer the flesh to a large serving bowl, along with the roasted tomatoes.

Squeeze out the roasted garlic flesh from the papery shell and add to the eggplant and tomatoes. With the back of a fork or a potato masher, smash up the eggplant, tomatoes and garlic until thoroughly combined. Add the torn basil, salt, freshly ground black pepper and the reserved pasta-cooking liquid to the bowl, stirring and smashing to combine.

Add the pasta and toss until thoroughly coated. Divide the pasta between four serving bowls and top each one with some of the crumbled ricotta salata or a large dollop of the ricotta cheese. Serve with your favorite salad alongside.

Pasta

I found this recipe a while ago on ... and a cookie for dessert. I finally got around to making it on Tuesday. This meal is perfect for when you want something good and filling that is friendly on the budget. In order to save myself some money I just substituted a few of the ingredients with things I had in my cabinets. This makes a ton of food, the leftovers are quite tasty too.

Beef Penne Pasta Casserole
...and a cookie for desert
originally from meals.com

1 pound dried penne pasta, prepared according to package directions (I used rotini)
8 ounces lean ground beef (I used ground turkey)
1 small onion, chopped
2 cups water
2 cans (6 ounces each) Italian tomato paste (I used some spaghetti sauce I had on hand)
1/3 cup red wine or water (I used more than that... maybe 3/4 - 1 cup) :)
1 tablespoon beef flavored bouillon (omitted)
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterrey Jack cheese (I used an Italian cheese blend)

PREHEAT oven to 350° F.

COOK beef and onion in large saucepan, stirring occasionally, until beef is no longer pink. (I seasoned the turkey with parsley, oregano, salt and pepper) Add water, tomato paste, wine and bouillon; cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes or until flavors are blended.

LAYER ingredients as follows in ungreased13 x 9-inch baking dish: 1/2 pasta, 1/2 sauce and 1/2 cheese. Repeat layers; cover.

BAKE for 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted. Season with salt.

FOR FREEZE AHEAD:PREPARE as above; do not bake. Cover; freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator. PREHEAT oven to 350° F. BAKE for 45 to 55 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted. Season with salt.
Serving Size: 6

The Lighter Side

Today was an absolutely gorgeous day. I was in the mood for something light and spring-like so I turned to my RB's and found this recipe that Lolo posted. It's filling but not heavy, easy to prepare, and it seems pretty healthy too.

Basil Chicken over Angel Hair Pasta


sorry my picture sucks

1 package of angel hair pasta
2 tsp of olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1-2 cloves of garlic, chopped (I used 2)
4 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 cups of boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and cubed
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper to taste

Cook angel hair pasta about 8-10 minutes in boiling water until al dente. Drain and set aside.

In large skillet (while pasta is cooking) over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic. Stir in the tomatoes, chicken, basil, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to medium, cover skillet. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently until tomatoes are soft.

Toss the sauce and pasta together in a large bowl. Top with bits of mozzarella and/or grated Parmesan cheese.

This dish will definitely be something I make again. The meal was complete with rolls, a salad, and a couple glasses of wine!

Just like mom used to make

Except, I don't think my mom ever made homemade mac and cheese when I was growing up. I've really been craving some but was trying to find a "healthy" version of it. I was just about to kind of combine 2 recipes, one from Leslie and one from Nemmie, but then in the KC Star I found this.....

Pump It Up Macaroni and Cheese
8 servings





1 1/2 cups cauliflower florets
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups 1 percent milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
2 cups 2 percent shredded cheddar cheese, divided
7 cups firmly cooked elbow macaroni

1) Place cauliflower in microwave-safe bowl. Add 1/4 cup water and cover. Microwave on high power 5 to 7 minutes or until cauliflower is very tender. Carefully drain any liquid from cauliflower and place cauliflower in food processor. Add water a tablespoon at a time and pulse until mixture is smooth; set aside. (Cauliflower puree should be completely smooth.)

2) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in large saucepan. Stir in flour. Gradually stir in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture bubbles and thickens. Stir in salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Add 1 1/2 cups cheese and stir until melted. Blend in cauliflower mixture. Add cooked pasta and spoon into a 2-quart casserole that has been sprayed with nonstick spray coating. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover and bake 30 minutes

Like I said, I found this recipe in the Star. It was with an article about sneaking veggies into your kids foods. If you want to read the article, click here.

A few changes I made to the recipe:
Instead of cheddar cheese, I used Velveeta. Also, on the top I sprinkled Monterrey Jack Cheese and bread crumbs. Since I used chunks of Velveeta I kept the sauce pan on low heat. Soooooo Good. I can't wait to make this again.

Per serving: 307 calories (24 percent from fat), 8 grams total fat (5 grams saturated), 21 milligrams cholesterol, 42 grams carbohydrates, 16 grams protein, 395 milligrams sodium, 2 grams dietary fiber.

Recipe developed for The Star by professional home economists Kathryn Moore and Roxanne Wyss.

A Family Staple

These two recipes aren't on my list below but, I already knew I was making the pasta tonight. It is one of my favs and everyone in my family loves it. Even my husband who hates broccoli loves this. The day before my wedding my grandma, aunts, cousins, and mom hosted a bridesmaid luncheon. This was one of the main dishes and everyone couldn't get over how good it was. It's an easy recipe, it just takes a bit of time.

Pasta Con Broccoli

1 Box of Large Pasta Shells (16 oz)

1 Bag Frozen Broccoli (16 oz)

1 Small Block of Velveeta Cheese (16 oz)

1 Can Cream of Celery soup

1 Can Cream of Mushroom soup

1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup

1 Can Milnot evaporated milk - DO NOT USE LOW FAT or FAT FREE!!!

1/2 Stick Margarine.

Garlic Powder or Garlic Salt to taste

Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook noodles per box directions. Cook broccoli per bag directions . Cut up Velveeta. In a roasting pan (ours is 10lb poultry pan) cut margarine in pieces. Add cooked noodles, cut up Velveeta, cooked broccoli, Milnot, and creamed soups. Mix well. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix again.

Cook at 375 for 40 - 50 minutes. In the words of my mom "you'll just know it is done".

In order to make this recipe a little bit healthier use Campbell's 98% fat free creamed soups and 2% Milk Velveeta (it has half the fat of regular Velveeta). If you use low fat Milnot this dish just doesn't taste the same. I guess if you have never had it you wouldn't know the difference but believe me, it is MUCH better with the full fat Milnot.

If you are planning on having this for a group of people it tastes great with garlic cheese bread and Pasta House Salad. (Tastes like salad from the Pasta House Co in St. Louis, similar to Olive Garden - but better!) I didn't make the salad tonight b/c it was just M and I but, here is the recipe:

Rich and Charlies Pasta House Salad

1 head of Romaine Lettuce

1 Head of Iceberg Lettuce

1 can drained Artichoke

1 can drained Heart of Palms

1 4oz jar drained Pimento

1 Purple Onion sliced

1/2 cup of Grated Parmesan Cheese

1/2 cup of Oil

1/2 cup of Vinegar

Salt

Pepper

Tear lettuce in bit size pieces, add artichokes, heats of palm, pimentos, sliced onion, and Parmesan cheese. When ready to serve, add vinegar and oil and salt and pepper to taste. Pour over salad.....

The final step of adding the salt and pepper is key. You have to keep tasting/adding the salt and pepper until it's right.

The pasta serves roughly 6 - 8 and the salad may be around the same. I'm not sure. All I know is it is all delicious! :)

Thai-Style

Never in a million years would I have ever thought I'd make a Thai-Style dish. That is, until we went to Jamaica and I tried a few new things. This meal took about 30 minutes to make and both M and I loved it!

Chicken with Pasta and Peanut Sauce

6oz dried fettuccine or linguine
2 cups fresh pea pods, tips trimmed, or one 6 ounce package frozen pea pods
1 cup cooked turkey or chicken strips
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh pineapple or one 8 oz can pineapple chunks, drained
¼ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon reduced–sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice or lemon juice
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 clove garlic, minced

1) Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, halve the pea pods diagonally. Place pea pods and chicken in a large colander. Pour hot cooking liquid from pasta over pea pods and chicken in colander, drain well. Return the pasta, pea pods, and turkey to the hot pan. Add the pineapple.

2) Meanwhile, for sauce, in a small saucepan stir chicken broth into peanut butter. Heath and stir with a whisk until peanut butter melts. Sir in soy sauce. Lemon juice, red pepper, and garlic; heat through.

3) Add sauce to the pasta mixture. Gently stir to coat pasta with sauce.

Favorite Summer Dish

I know we are only a week and a half into summer but this has become my favorite summer dish. You can add meat and make this as the main course or it is great as a side dish too. The first time I made this I put in cubed ham as the recipe calls for. I'm not a fan of cubed ham but, my husband really liked it. Luckily, I could just pick the ham out.

Rainbow Veggie Salad


Salad
1.5 cups uncooked rainbow or plain rotini pasta (4.5 oz)*
2 cups cubed cooked ham**
1 cup thinly sliced carrots (2 med)
1/2 cup thinly sliced radishes (4 med)
1/4 cup sliced green onions (4 med)
1 Large cucumber, cut in half lengthwise, sliced
½ or 1 cup of red pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley


Dressing
3/4 cup reduced- fat mayo or salad dressing****
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper


1) Cook Pasta as directed on package. Drain; rinse with cold water to cool. Drain well
2) Meanwhile, in large bowl, mix remaining salad ingredients.
In small bowl mix dressing ingredients until well blended
3) Gently stir cooled cooked pasta into salad. Pour dressing over salad; stir gently to coat. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until serving time. Top with Parmesan Cheese.

* There is usually plenty of dressing so I just cook the whole bag of pasta. I don't use it all in the salad, I just eyeball it.
**I think cubed ham is kinda gross. Turkey Pepperoni is delicious in the salad. Chicken would be good too.
***I use light Italian dressing

This is delicious when served right away but, tastes even better the next day.