Pasta Puttanesca

I needed something quick and tasty for supper tonight and this was the perfect meal. It has so much flavor and it hit the spot!! Plus, I can't get enough pasta lately!!


Pasta Puttanesca
Serves: 4


8 ounces whole-wheat thin spaghetti, vermicelli or angel hair
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup pitted chopped Spanish or Greek olives
2 tablespoons capers (I left out)
1 teaspoon anchovy paste (I left out)
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes (I used the ones with garlic, basil & oregano)
3/4 cup chopped fresh arugula (I left out)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan


Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add pasta and cook according to the directions on the package.


While pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over a medium flame. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the parsley, olives, capers, anchovy paste, oregano and crushed red pepper to the skillet, and saute for 2 minutes more. Add the tomatoes and simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir in the arugula and simmer for 1 minute more, until the greens wilt slightly.


When pasta is done, drain it and add it to the skillet, tossing it with the sauce to combine. Top with grated cheese.


Ellie Krieger - foodnetwork.com

Orange-Sesame Pork Chops w/ Teriyaki Whole-Wheat Noodles

Jesse is a huge fan of Asian food. Me, not so much. So we don't get this type of meal too often in our house, but I will take the plunge every once in awhile to please the taste buds of my dear sweet hubby! And if I am going to be honest... I actually liked this one! Another perk- it was super easy and a super fast meal to make!

Orange-Sesame Pork Chops w/ Teriyaki Whole-Wheat Noodles
Serves: 4

Salt
1 pound whole-wheat or whole-grain spaghetti
5 tablespoons vegetable or light oil
5 boneless pork loin chop 1 1/2-inches thick
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons orange marmalade
6 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil (I omitted this)
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced on an angle
1 cup shelled, frozen edamame
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds or toasted sesame seeds, optional

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for pasta, and cook pasta to al dente.

While pasta cooks, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chops with salt and pepper and cook 6 minutes on the first side, 4 to 5 minutes on the second. Remove the chops to a plate and reserve, cover with foil. Add 3 tablespoons orange marmalade, a couple tablespoons teriyaki sauce and a 1/4 cup of water to the pan, bring the sauce to a bubble and combine 1 minute, stir in sesame oil remove from heat.

While the chop cooks, heat a second skillet with 3 tablespoons oil over medium high heat. Stir-fry the scallions and edamame a couple of minutes. Drain pasta and toss with scallions and edamame and remaining teriyaki sauce, about 1/4 cup. Sprinkle noodels with sesame seeds, if desired.

Slice pork or leave chop whole and top with orange-sesame glaze. Serve teriyaki noodles alongside.

foodnetwork.com

Cajun Chicken Alfredo

I found this recipe and I have made this a few times before and couldn't believe that I hadn't shared it with you yet!! If you love Olive Garden... you will love this recipe! I feel like I am right at Olive Garden when I make this. I'm not sure what it is... but it feels like something that should be on their menu! Yum Yum Yum!!!

A perk is that it is just as good (if not better) the next day!! So leave some for your lunch!

Cajun Chicken Alfredo [Yield: 4 servings]
4 (5-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup blackening spice (recipe to follow)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 cup roughly chopped marinated sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 cup white wine (I don't like wine so I use chicken broth)
3 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon sea salt (I use regular)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound cooked fettuccine
1/2 cup sliced scallions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Dredge the chicken breasts in the blackening spice and place in a cast iron skillet over very high heat. Blacken both sides of the chicken and place in the oven for 10 minutes, or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Slice in strips of the bias and set aside. (I don't have a cast iron skillet... so any skillet that is oven safe works.)

In a saute pan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil. Add garlic and lightly caramelize. Then add the sun-dried tomatoes and the chicken slices. Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Add the heavy cream, increase the heat to a simmer, and reduce the cream sauce by half.

When the cream sauce is to desired consistency, stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan, salt, pepper, and pasta.

Garnish with scallions and the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.

Cajun Blackening Spice [Yield: 1/4 cup]
(I wasn't able to find this spice in my grocery store, but I did find a recipe on the internet for it.)
5 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. white pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Combine and store in an air-tight container.

I don't have the patience to measure all this out and then dredge the chicken in it. So what I do is just coat the chicken in paprika, because that is the main ingredient. Then sprinkle a little bit of the rest of ingredients right over the chicken and call it good. Don't go out and buy white pepper either... just use your black pepper. No one will ever know!!

Foodnetwork.com - Guy Fieri

Tomato Goodness

Did I really go the whole month of August without posting a new recipe?! Wow! That just tells you what we all ate over here.... oops! We were home very little and gone a lot! Plus add moving into the mix... Buffalo Wild Wings & Qdoba Mexican Grill we hit often! Yum!

Our new neighbor has an abundance of tomatoes that he needs to get rid of before they go bad. He came over yesterday afternoon and told us to come pick some. We picked about 5 big ripe good looking home grown tomatoes!! Home grown tomatoes just taste so much better/different then store bought!

We had a very late supper and I was craving the fresh tomatoes so I whipped this together and it was so good and I made it up!!! I didn't follow any recipe!!! Aren't you proud!!? : )

Fresh Tomatoes & Pasta
2 big ripe tomatoes, diced
Salt & Pepper, to taste
Italian Seasoning, to taste
2 green onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
handful of fresh Italian parsley, chopped
handful of fresh basil, chopped
linguine pasta

Bring a pot of salted water to boil and add pasta, cook according to package directions.

Chop up your tomatoes and put in a pan over medium heat. Salt & pepper to taste. Add Italian Seasoning, green onion, and garlic. Stir and cook for a few minutes. Add in tomato paste, stir. When sauce is at a simmer and looking yummy add in your cooked pasta, parsley, and basil.

Tip: If you add your pasta to the sauce while it is still on the heat... it will soak up the juices and have so much more flavor!! Also use fresh herbs... you will love it!

Chicken Spaghetti

I have a confession... I am addicted... to this blog... The Pioneer Woman. She was a big time city girl who married a rancher/cowboy. Now she lives out in the middle of no where (she never says where she lives... but you can tell it is country living!) with her husband and 4 children. They are cattle ranchers and she takes pictures and tells stories of her every day life as a cattle ranchers wife. She blogs about her recipes, her every day life, her home & garden...

Anyway - I came across this recipe on her blog and just had to try it. Jesse and I both really liked it! Now, I am passing it on to you guys! Try it! It is easy and really yummy!! FYI: I cut the recipe in 1/2 and still had lots of leftovers!

(For some reason her website is not working tonight... but keep trying it should come back on.)

Olive Oil
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
Salt
Pepper
1/2 to 1 medium Onion, chopped
2 to 3 cloves Garlic, chopped
1/2 cup White Wine (or Chicken Broth)
2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
Pinch of Sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons chopped Fresh Parsley
8 large fresh Basil leaves, Chopped
1 package Linguine noodles, cooked. (Can use any pasta you'd like.)
Fresh Parmesan Cheese, grated

Boil a pot of water for the pasta. Cook linguine noodles until al dente.

Heat olive oil in a hot skilled, then add diced chicken thighs in single layer. Don't stir around; just let them brown on one side. Flip over with spatula, allow to brown, then remove to separate plate. In same pan, over medium heat, add onions and garlic and stir to combine. Pour in wine (or broth) then scrape bottom of pan with whisk to loosen brown bits.

Next, pour in crushed tomatoes, add salt, pepper and pinch of sugar, then simmer for fifteen minutes. After fifteen minutes, throw in all the cooked chicken, including its juices from the plate. Allow to simmer for fifteen more minutes. Add chopped fresh herbs at the end, then pour over cooked linguine in large bowl or platter. Top with lots and lots of fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

thepioneerwooman.com

Greek Mixed Grill Kabobs & Pine Nut-Orzo Salad

This past week was rough for meals. I worked until 7pm every night so it was "eat what you find" week. : ) This week will be the same for us as I will be out of town and Jesse is on his own. We went to the grocery store this afternoon and our cart was filled with... frozen burritos, orange juice, beer, milk, english muffins, pizza... the usual bachelor food. : )

I thought I would give you a very yummy recipe before I head out. I am going to Oregon and it is suppose to actually be summer there... 80s and 90s!!!! Here is a meal you can make on the grill and a SO GOOD pasta salad to go with it!

Oh and I can't forget - I bought my first batch of herbs to grow this weekend! I have cilantro, parsley, and basil!! Yum!

In this recipe she uses fish and chicken... I have always just used chicken.

Salt
1/2 pound orzo
4 cloves garlic, grated or minced
4 springs fresh oregano, leaves stripped and finely chopped
6 springs fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and finely chopped
1/4 cup green olive tapenade
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 lemons, juiced and 1 zested
1/3 plus 1/4 cup extra-virgin oil, divided
1 1/2 pound firm white flesh fish, halibut or swordfish, cut into 12 (2-inch) chunks
2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 12 (2-inch) chunks
Black pepper
Metal skewers
1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 cup feta cheese crumbles
8 Greek hot peppers, for garnish
1/4 cup kalamata olives, for garnish
2 tomatoes, diced, for garnish
1/2 cucumber, diced, for garnish

Preheat grill pan or outdoor grill to medium heat.

Place a pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil for the pasta salad. When the water boils, salt it and cook the pasta to al dente.

While the pasta works, in a small bowl combine the garlic, oregano, rosemary, tapenade, red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon lemon zest and the juice of 1 lemon with about 1/3 cup EVOO. Place the fish and chicken in separate shallow dishes or bowl and season with salt and pepper then divide the dressing between the bowls and coat the fish and chicken evenly. Skewer the fish and chicken on metal skewers. Grill the chicken 10 to 12 minutes until firm and juices run clear, and the fish for about 6 to 8 minutes, turning the kabobs frequently.

Drain orzo and combine with pine nuts, onions, parsley, feta crumbles, the juice of 1 lemon, about 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Serve the orzo salad with 3 pieces of each chicken and fish along side. Garnish plates with a couple hot peppers, olives, tomatoes and cucumbers on each plate.

When I make the pasta salad I mix the olives, tomatoes and cucumbers right in the with the pasta and the other ingredients. This pasta salad is also a great leftover!

Rachael Ray - foodnetwork.com

Italian Sausage Ragu

Here is my new recipe of the week that I tried last night. YUM! It was actually very good.

If you can find tomato paste in a tube at your grocery story - buy it! It lasts forever! I finally found the tube at one of the grocery stores over here in Appleton. I am pretty sure I danced and screamed when I found it! I had been looking for so long!

1/2 lb. dry penne or ziti
1/2lb. bulk Italian sausage (if bulk isn't available, simply remove the casing from link Italian sausage.)
3/4 cup yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup onion, diced
2 t. tomato paste
2 t. garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine (I used chicken stock - don't have [or like] wine)
1 can diced tomatoes in juice (14 oz.)
1 t. sugar
Pinch red pepper flakes
Salt to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Grated Parmesan

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the penne.

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.

Brown the sausage in a large saute pan over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, crushing it into small pieces using a potato masher. Add the bell pepper and onion, cook 5 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste and garlic. Saute 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

Deglaze with wine (or chicken stock), then increase heat to high and cook until liquid is nearly evaporated. Add tomatoes, sugar, and pepper flakes; bring to a simmer and cook 5-8 minutes, or until thickened.

Season ragu with salt, stir in parsley, and serve over penne. Garnish each serving with Parmesan.

Yield: 3 cups ragu, 4 cups pasta

Cuisine at Home - October 2007

Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

I tried a new recipe tonight... and it was a hit!! This recipe was so easy and quick... just boiling noodles and chopping a few veggies.

It calls for fresh mozzarella... but I just cut up a block of mozzarella and it worked perfectly and was still good. I also left out the capers too.

1/2 pound fusilli (spirals) pasta
Kosher salt
Olive oil
1 pound ripe tomatoes, medium-diced
3/4 cup good black olives, such as kalamata, pitted and diced
1 pound fresh mozzarella, medium-diced
6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped

For the dressing:
5 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
6 tablespoons good olive oil
1 garlic clove, diced
1 teaspoon capers, drained
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup packed basil leaves, julienned

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water with a splash of oil to keep it from sticking together. Boil for 12 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Drain well and allow to cool. Place the pasta in a bowl and add the tomatoes, olives, mozzarella, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.

For the dressing, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, capers, salt, and pepper in a food processor until almost smooth.

Pour the dressing over the pasta, sprinkle with the Parmesan and basil, and toss well.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Barefoot Contessa - foodnetwork.com