Pasta with a Twist

It always amazes me how well my husband and I work as a team. Yes, it wasn't always like that. Every couple has to learn about one another and it's not always easy, but it sure is a fun journey! It's taken us a little over 5 years, but we think we have a lot of it figured out.

Building our little man's baby room proved just that. From painting (no, I didn't paint, but I like to say I helped supervised), putting together the furniture, deciding on a theme for the room...it's all about teamwork.

We are definitely going to have to learn about teamwork when our little man comes in November- that's a given. But, I'm not worried. I know that together- Charlie and I make an incredible team and will make great parents.

It all really started right after we got married and started cooking together. Through the years we both cook dinners together about every night and I truly cherish those times.

Tonight was one of those nights in the kitchen. We were both hungry, but didn't feel like making a meal that would take forever- so we opted for a quick pasta dish. Garden tomatoes and basil, capers, olives...and some grilled chicken breast. Talk about a light and healthy meal- and oh so delicious!

Try this recipe for a weeknight meal- you won't regret it!

McConnell Fresh and Light Pasta

3 cups Penne Pasta (wholegrain)

1/3 cup kalamata olives, diced

2 T. capers

1/2 cup garden tomatoes, diced

15 basil leaves, chopped

1 lemon squeezed

3 T. olives oil

1 tsp. garlic powder

2 grilled chicken breasts, sliced

Toss everything in a large bowl and serve with toasty french bread!

Straw & Hay Pasta

One of my husband’s and my favorite things to do is cook together – although he’s been the one cooking more than I lately. I’ve been running around the state like a mad woman recently for work – and thank goodness for a great husband that can cook. I always say food taste better when you don’t have to cook it!

This recipe has become my husband’s “staple” meal. He can have it ready in no time and it taste so very good! He found this recipe on Food Network and decided to give it a try because it reminded him of a pasta dish from one of his favorite restaurants in Springfield, Zio’s.

Straw and Hay Pasta
From Wolfgang Puck, courtesy of Food Network

Photo from Food Network

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup finely minced onion
4 ounces prosciutto, julienne
1 cup heavy cream
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup fresh peas, or frozen
6 ounces fresh egg fettuccine
6 ounces fresh spinach fettuccine
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

In a large stockpot, bring salted water to a rapid boil.

In a large saute pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and butter. When the butter is melted, add the onions and saute until translucent, but not browned, about 1 minute. Add the prosciutto and cook 1 more minute, stirring. Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the sauce is just thick enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon. Season, to taste, with salt and black pepper. Add the peas and remove from the heat.

Cook the pasta to al dente. Return the sauce to the heat. Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Toss well and season with salt and pepper. Finish with parmesan and more cracked black pepper.

Fettuccine Piccata

Ever since I was a child, there is one food that I couldn’t get enough of. You are probably guessing steak because I grew up on a beef farm, right? Wrong – it was pasta!

My brothers used to call me “noodle-head” when I was little because all I would ever eat is noodles – any kind – didn’t matter what it was.

I’m still a fan of pasta today. Bring on the fettuccine, mac ‘n’ cheese, lasagna, and don’t forget the pasta salad and the ravioli.

Here is a very easy recipe that’s become one of my go-to recipes at home. Sometimes a throw in some chicken or shrimp to jazz it up. Hope you enjoy!

Fettuccine Piccata
From WhatsCookingAmerica.net
1 (16-ounce) package uncooked fettuccine pasta

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup capers, drained

1/4 cup white wine, choose a wine you would actually drink

1/2 cup prepared pesto

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup sliced black olives

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 cup cottage cheese

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions: drain and return to pan to keep warm.

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, heat olive oil, capers, white wine, pesto, and garlic 1 minute or until aromatic; stir in black olives, lemon juice, and cottage cheese. Remove from heat and pour over prepared pasta; toss to coat thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer onto individual serving plates and garnish with parmesan cheese.

Makes 4 servings.

Spring Asparagus Pasta

Ahhhhh……Spring is in the air and the thought of fresh produce is just around the corner. Farmers’ markets have some produce right now, but in about three weeks lots of produce and fruits will be ripe for the pickin’.

I spent the past weekend on the farm with my parents. My husband was at Table Rock Lake pre-fishing for a tournament he has this weekend. So, me and the kids (Rudy & Liz) made our way to the farm on Thursday night. Lots went on this weekend….

My hometown farmers’ market celebrated it’s opening ceremony this past weekend and I attended. I also visited the Simpson Strawberry Farm to tour the family’s farm/Agritourism operation. My mother and I painted one of the bathrooms my parent’s are remodeling. (My parents are crazy. Seriously. They are building a lake house, remodeling their house on the farm, putting in a HUGE garden, trying to keep up with our registered Charolais and Angus cattle and landscaping the front of the farm house.) Why on earth would anyone put all of this on their shoulders at once I don’t know. But, they are.

My mother was very thankful I came down and helped her paint. She is already planning the next room she wants to paint…God love her!

I do have a point to all of this….this weekend was about the most relaxing I’ve had a quite awhile. One main part I love about going to the farm- no cell phone service! Peace, quite…all you hear is the cows moo-ing and the birds singing. Oh, one more thing I love about my parents house- no internet. Even when I want to check my email, I can’t. How wonderful is that!

Here’s a recipe that’s in-season right now that makes a great weeknight meal. Hope you enjoy it as much as my family does!

Spring Asparagus Pasta
2 lbs. of asparagus
salt for water
2 T. olive oil
8 cloves garlic shaved thin and then julienned
1 C. shallots peeled and julienned
pinch of crushed red peppers
2 lemons juiced
3/4 C. fresh chives chopped fine
1 lb. angel hair pasta
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 C. Parmesan cheese freshly grated

Rinse the asparagus and remove the bottom inch of the stem. Cut the tips into 2 inch pieces. Cut the remaining piece julienned. Set the asparagus aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt. In a large nonstick skillet, saute the garlic, shallots and red pepper flakes in olive oil, until tender but not browned. Add the lemon juice and reduce by half.

Drop the pasta and the asparagus tips into the boiling water. Cook until the pasta is ala dente, about 3 - 4 minutes. Drain for a few minutes and add to the pan.

While the pasta is cooking add the remaining asparagus to the pan with the shallots and saute until they begin to wilt. Toss in the chives, the pasta and cook until the remaining water has evaporated. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Remove from heat and add the Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 - 6.

Need a New Chicken Recipe

I’m not a “big” chicken fan when it comes to cooking. Why? Simple: I was a beef cattle girl.

But, I will give credit when credit is due. Giada De Laurentiis’s Roman Style Chicken is incredible!

I made this last night and tried something new. I cooked a pot of angle hair pasta and then mixed the pasta and chicken dish together in a large baking dish to make it easier to serve. The pasta soaks up all the goodness from the wonderful sauce this recipe makes. I add a little more garlic and more canned diced tomatoes because I like the extra sauce for my pasta.

I don't have any fresh herbs from my garden right now - so I just used dried herbs this time, and it was still a wonderful dish. BUT- I can't wait until the farmers' markets open and my herb garden is full of my favorite smells and tastes.

Great recipe hot off the oven and even better the next day!

Roman Style Chicken
By Giada De Laurentiis, Food Network

4 skinless chicken breast halves
2 skinless chicken thighs, with bones
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus 1 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1 teaspoon
1/4 cup olive oil
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
3 ounces prosciutto, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup white wine
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons capers
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. In a heavy, large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, cook the chicken until browned on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.Keeping the same pan over medium heat, add the peppers and prosciutto and cook until the peppers have browned and the prosciutto is crisp, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, wine, and herbs. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pan, add the stock, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 to 30 minutes.

If serving immediately, add the capers and the parsley. Stir to combine and serve. If making ahead of time, transfer the chicken and sauce to a storage container, cool, and refrigerate. The next day, reheat the chicken to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in the capers and the parsley and serve.

I watched Giada, from the Food Network, make this savory dish and I knew it had to be a delicious.

The combination of the slow cooked short ribs, pasta, sauce and topping the dish with bittersweet chocolate….you can’t go wrong! Be sure and pair this meal with some garlic bread and a good glass of your favorite wine.

Short Ribs with Tagliatelle
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 ounces chopped pancetta (about 1/2 cup)

2 1/2 pounds short ribs

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 medium onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves

2 cloves garlic

1 (14-ounce) can tomatoes (whole or diced)

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 bay leaf

2 1/2 cups beef broth

3/4 cup red wine

1 pound fresh or dried tagliatelle

4 to 6 teaspoons shaved bittersweet chocolate

Place the olive oil in a large heavy soup pot over medium heat. Cook the pancetta until golden and crisp, about 4 minutes. Meanwhile, season the short ribs with salt and pepper, and dredge in the flour. Using a slotted spoon, remove the pancetta from the pan and set aside. Add the short ribs to the pan and brown on all sides, about 7 minutes total.

Meanwhile, combine the onion, carrot, parsley and garlic in a food processor and blend until finely minced. Then add the tomatoes and tomato paste and pulse.

Once the short ribs are browned, carefully add the mixture from the food processor to the pot. Return the pancetta to the pot and stir. Add the rosemary, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, beef broth, and wine. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer for another hour and a half, stirring occasionally. Remove the meat and bones from the pot. Discard the bones. Shred the meat and return it to the pot. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper, or to taste.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes for dried pasta and 2 to 3 minutes for fresh. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the pot and stir to combine. Add the reserved pasta liquid 1/4 cup at a time, if needed, to moisten the pasta. Transfer to serving bowls, top each bowl with 1 teaspoon of chocolate shavings. Serve immediately.

Slow Food???

If you aren’t familiar with the Slow Food movement then you should be. This movement has caught on across the nation. The main point of Slow Food is educating people about their food choices. So that people know where their food comes from, how it was produced and supporting local producers.

From the organization’s website:

Living the slow life with food as the focus is as rewarding as it is easy, and it can be done daily by each one of us. Ultimately, it is about pleasure and taste, knowledge and choice. Once we begin to take an interest in the enjoyment of food, and in finding out where our food comes from, we can begin to see the effects of these choices. When we shorten the distance—both literal and figurative—that our food travels to get to us, we are participating in the Slow Food movement. Slow Food is about coming together as a food community—connecting producers and co-producers, coming together on the farm, in the market, and at the table—to create and enjoy food that is good, clean and fair.

Slow Food is also simply about taking the time to slow down and to enjoy life with family and friends. Every day can be enriched by doing something slow - making pasta from scratch one night, seductively squeezing your own orange juice from the fresh fruit, lingering over a glass of wine and a slice of cheese - even deciding to eat lunch sitting down instead of standing up. For example, here in the Slow Food USA office, we take a moment to eat lunch together every day!

If you have some time and you are interested in the organization…I highly
suggest wondering on over to the Slow
Food Blog as well.

This is a recipe I pulled off the Slow Food Kansas City website which ended
up being a great quick meal. This recipe is a spin on one of my favorite foods:
Lasagna.

Mike's Artichoke and Mushroom Lasagna

Filling
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound mushrooms,
sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
16 oz artichoke hearts, coarsely chopped
1 cup dry vermouth

Béchamel sauce
4 1/2
tablespoons butter
4 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour
4 1/2 cups of
whole milk
2 1/2 Parmesan Cheese
Ground nutmeg
1 9oz pkg. oven ready
lasagna noodles
1 lb whole milk mozzarella cheese

For filling:
Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and garlic; sauté until mushrooms release juices and begin to brown, about 7 minutes. Add artichokes and vermouth. Cook until liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

For béchamel sauce:
Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour; stir 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until sauce thickens and lightly coats spoon, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 cups parmesan. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and ground nutmeg.

Spread 2/3 cup béchamel sauce over bottom of 13x9x2 inch glass baking dish. Top with enough
noodles to cover bottom of dish. Spread 1/4 of artichoke mixture over. Spoon 2/3 cup béchamel sauce over. Top béchamel with1/4 mozzarella.

Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons Parmesan. Top with enough noodles to cover. Repeat layering 3 more times, finishing with layer of noodles, then remaining béchamel.

Sprinkle with remaining parmesan. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead.) Cover with foil and refrigerate.

Preheat oven to 350F .Bake Lasagna covered with foil 1 hour (or 1 hour and 15 minutes if chilled). Remove foil. Increase temperature to 450F.Bake lasagna until golden on top, about 10 minutes longer.

Makes 8 servings.

Up for Pasta Tonight

Pasta. Pasta. Pasta.

It's quick and easy to cook. It comes in of so many shapes. It can be a main dish or even a side dish. You can serve it hot or cold. Baked or a salad.

That's why I love pasta...it's so versatile.

This is a quick meal I serve at my house of the weekdays that takes no time preparing, so it gives me more time to enjoy my family.

Tomato and Olive Penne

by Martha Stewart

Salt and pepper

1 pound penne or other short pasta

1/4 cup olive oil

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2/3 pound cherry tomatoes (2 cups), halved or quartered

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)

1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook penne according to package instructions until al dente, about 13 minutes. Drain.Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.

Add garlic, and cook, stirring, until just golden, about 1 minute. Add cherry tomatoes, oregano, crushed red pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring, until tomato juices run, about 3 minutes.Add penne, olives, parsley, and 1/4 cup Parmesan to the skillet and toss to combine. Serve with more cheese if desired.

Spaghetti with Roasted Eggplant and Cherry Tomatoes

Pasta is one of my favorite foods because it is so diverse. You can make a cream sauce or a butter and garlic sauce and toss it was some pasta and add some grilled veggies and you have a simple meal.

This is an easy meal from the Food Network’s Tyler Florence that is perfect for a weeknight menu.

Spaghetti with Roasted Eggplant and Cherry Tomatoes Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

Tomato Sauce:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 onion, chopped

5 garlic cloves, minced

2 cans (28-ounce) whole, peeled tomatoes, drained

Handful fresh basil leaves, torn

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 small (3/4 pound) eggplants, stemmed but not peeled

2 to 3 garlic cloves, chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound dried spaghetti

1 pint cherry tomatoes, stemmed

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Handful fresh basil leaves, torn

First, make the tomato sauce: Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 7 to 10 minutes until the vegetables are soft but not browned. Add the tomatoes, crushing them in your hand to break them up. Add the basil and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the sauce is reduced and thickened, about 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut the eggplants crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds and put them in a large bowl. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper, and drizzle generously with olive oil. Toss to coat, drizzling in more oil if you needed. Arrange the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast 20 minutes until eggplants are very tender.

While the eggplants are roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. About 5 minutes before the eggplants are done, drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook until al dente, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain. Bring the tomato sauce to a simmer and pour it into a large pasta bowl. Add the drained spaghetti and stir to coat with the sauce. Fold in the eggplants and the cherry tomatoes. Add the cheese and basil, and another drizzle of oil, and toss gently. Serve immediately and pass extra cheese at the table.

Shrimp and Lemon Spaghetti

Two of my favorite foods: Pasta and seafood.

One day while exercising I was watching the Food Network (yes I watch the Food Network while I work out…silly I know) and Rachel Ray was on. Now, I’m not a huge RR fan, but she was making lemon spaghetti….”Hum, very interesting” I thought. I just had to try it.

One thing that goes great with any type of seafood is lemon. So, I thought I would try making the dish and topping it with shrimp scampi.

My recipe is different in some ways to RR, mainly in the way it is cooked. This spaghetti is like an Alfredo sauce, infused with lemon. It’s very fresh and tasty. I started adding some bell peppers to the dish also, mainly for some more color.

This is one of my absolute favorite meals I make for my husband and I.

Shrimp Scampi & Lemon Spaghetti
by Lane

Salt
1 pound spaghetti
4 T. butter
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or just use garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 lemons, juiced and zested or 4 T. lemon juice
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Parsley and basil flakes, ½ tsp of each

Bring your pasta to a boil and be sure to salt it. Cook according to directions.
In another pot melt butter, garlic and red pepper flakes. After the pasta has boil for about 8 minutes add a cup of the water from the pasta water to the butter mixture. Add cream and lemon juice and season with all seasonings (to suit your own taste). Remove from heat and add cheese and toss mixture with the drained pasta. Let the pasta and sauce sit, tossing occasionally.

While sauce is setting….cook your shrimp.

Shrimp Scampi

1 pound raw shrimp, shells and tails removed.
1 T. parsley
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
3 T. butter
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

Heat large skillet and belt the butter. Add shrimp, peppers and season with seasonings. Cook and toss shrimp around to coat with butter. Cook until shrimp are pink. DO NOT OVERCOOK SHRIMP.

Remove and drain excess butter from shrimp.

Give pasta one more last toss and plate some and top it with some shrimp.

Serve with crusty French bread and salad. Makes great leftovers!

Casserole Night

What to do with hamburger meat? Endless possibilities….you could make some burgers, spaghetti and meatballs, patty melt sandwiches, lasagna, lot lots of pasta dishes….

Last night I had to come up with a dinner and just didn’t feel like standing in the kitchen all night. I was tired and wanted a quick meal. So, I went through my refrigerator and cupboard and started pulling out ingredients to make a beef casserole. As I’ve said before I’m not a huge casserole fan, but every once in awhile I enjoy making easy casserole dinners. They are easy, quick and can feed a lot of people, or just my husband and me for a couple nights.

So, here is what I came up with last night for my quick beef casserole. I will say, it turned out pretty darn good. I included a lot of garlic (garlic powder, plus fresh garlic), but I love garlic and it’s healthy.

But, don’t be afraid to add your own touches to this meal. You can add whatever seasonings you wish and maybe even more chopped veggies. There are endless possibilities!

Beef-licous Casserole
by Lane

1 cup sour cream
12 ounce bag egg noodles
1 medium white onion, chopped
½ tsp basil
1 bell pepper, chopped fine
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 T. butter
Olive oil
1 1/2 pounds ground round beef
Salt and pepper
1 T. Garlic powder
½ tsp. Ground Sage
1 T. Parsley Flakes
1 28-ounce can tomatoes
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1 15-ounce can of black olives, chopped
1 pound cheddar cheese, grated

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large, heavy bottomed pot heat some olive oil and 3 T. of butter. Add the onions, pepper and garlic and sauté until soft. Add the tomatoes, and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes. Season the mixture with seasonings. Meanwhile, heat a large pot of water for your noodles.

In another skillet heat a little bit of oil. Add your meat. Be sure and do not stir the meat around, let it get nice and browned before stirring. I like to add more garlic powder and salt to the beef, while it is cooing. After meat is completely browned strain and then add to tomato mixture.
Add the egg noodle pasta to the boiling water and be sure to salt your water to flavor the noodles. Only cook noodles for about 5 minutes and strain.

In a large bowl add egg noodles, corn, chopped olives, tomato mixture, sour cream and about 1 cup of cheese. Very lightly mix everything together.

Butter a very large casserole dish and pour mixture into it. Cook for about 35 minutes.

Paula Deen Stikes Again

Yesterday I got an email from a lady at Hoffman Media, a company that handles public relations for Paula Deen. The lady thanked me for my enthusiasm for Paula Deen and asked me if I would be interested in receiving a care package of all of Paula Deen's magazines. “Of coarse,” was my reply back.

I was very surprised to be offered such a nice gift. I will say Paula has some very good people working for her.

I also started planning a trip to Savannah, Georgia for June. I plan on surprising my mother with a vacation for the two of us in Savannah for her birthday. The vacation is more like a “Paula Deen Getaway.”

I’m planning on taking in lunch at the Lady & Sons Restaurant and Uncle Bubba’s, taking a tour of old Savannah (the Paula Deen Tour) and hopefully getting tickets to one of the tapings of Paula’s Party. I sent in my request yesterday for tickets to one of the tapings for the end of June.

If anyone has any other great suggestions for a Savannah trip please let me know. It will be my first visit to Georgia and I’m very exciting. There is nothing that would make the trip better then getting tickets to the television show, I know that would really make the trip a "hoot" for my mother. I’ll keep you posted and let everyone know something when I hear back!

Today’s recipe is one from a fellow co-worker of mine, Myra. This is another great quick and easy meal for us working women and men. I do however make a couple of additions to this recipe. I like to also add thinly sliced red bell pepper and I use fresh garlic instead of the powder. I also add fresh parsley from my herb garden. I love the taste of fresh herbs…they really make any dish “pop.”

Enjoy…until next time.

PASTA SYDNEY
by Myra Verslues

Grill Chicken breast – use salt, pepper and garlic powder for seasoning.

Cook noodles – I usually use Angel hair pasta but any will work.

Cook/Steam either asparagus or broccoli.

In a large skillet, add cut-up chicken breast, cooked noodles and vegetables, 1 tablespoon of butter, one tablespoon of lemon juice, and 1 can of sliced mushrooms or fresh mushrooms.

Sprinkle with parmesan cheese – I usually use quite a bit. Sprinkle with a little more pepper and garlic powder to taste.

Pour approximately 1 cup of olive oil over everything and stir together…. If you need more oil add more because this is the “good” oil. Season to taste. Simmer and serve.

Tortellini Alfredo with Prosciutto and Artichoke Hearts

I love pasta. As a kid my brothers would call me noodle head because all I wanted to eat was pasta. Spaghetti, lasagna, mac n’ cheese, even plain pasta with some sprinkles of parmesan cheese made me happy.

I have acquired quite a few pasta cookbooks through the years. From making homemade pasta (which I still have never tried) to creating the perfect cream sauce, these cookbooks are stacked full of great Italian recipes.

So, when I was putting together our company cookbook this past year and I came across a tortellini recipe that Clarice submitted I was intrigued.

I love pasta. I love prosciutto. And I love artichokes. This was a recipe for me. I was quite surprised to find how easy this recipe was. You know me, I like to add some ingredients to every recipe. On this dish I also added 1 clove of smashed garlic, ½ teaspoon of salt and pepper and 1 dash of basil.

Thanks for another great recipe Clarice!

Tortellini Alfredo with Prosciutto and Artichoke Hearts
by Clarice Brown

Makes up to 4 to 6 servings
Prep: 10 mins., Cook: 35 mins.

2 (9-oz) packages refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini
1 cup whipping cream
½ cup (2 oz.) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 strips prosciutto, chopped
3 marinated artichoke hearts, sliced

Cook tortellini according to package directions, drain and set aside.

Heat cream in a large skillet over low heat. Gradually sprinkle in cheese, stirring constantly, until blended. Simmer, stirring occasionally, 15 to 20 minutes.

Add tortellini, prosciutto, and artichoke hearts; simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 to 10 minutes or until sauce is slightly reduced. Serve Immediately.

Pasta Night Tonight

I saw this recipe on the Martha Stewart website and have had it in my "to try" recipes. I made it last night and had it ready in no time for dinner. I made a nice salad to go along with it for my husband and me. I didn't use the Kalamata olives though, because I don't usually have them around the house, so I replaced with regular black olives (good quality ones). I was surprised how easy and delicious the recipe was. You only cook the tomatoes just until the juices begin to comes out...and I used roma tomatoes right out of my garden.

Tomato and Olive Penne
by Martha Stewart

Salt and pepper
1 pound penne or other short pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2/3 pound cherry tomatoes (2 cups), halved or quartered
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook penne according to package instructions until al dente, about 13 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook, stirring, until just golden, about 1 minute. Add cherry tomatoes, oregano, crushed red pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring, until tomato juices run, about 3 minutes.

Add penne, olives, parsley, and 1/4 cup Parmesan to the skillet and toss to combine. Serve with more cheese if desired.

A meal to knock your socks off

Oh my! The first time I tried this I couldn't believe how wonderful the aromas and taste were.

I remember watching Martha Stewart make this on her t.v. show while I was working out. I thought it looked very simple and easy and went to her website, which I will say is loaded with great recipes for us "on the go."

I have finally made it and it is as good as it looks. This is a perfect meal to impress your guest with and they will think you spend all day in the kitchen preparing.

I would try serving my Lemon Divine pie alongside it.

Tequila-Orange Grilled Shrimp and Rice
by Martha Stewart

Serves 4 to 6
1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails left on
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 jalapeno chile, very finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
Zest of 1 lime, plus lime wedges for serving
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup tequila
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 tablespoonn unsalted butter
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives


In a medium bowl, combine shrimp, oil, half the jalapeno, half the garlic, and zest; season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour.

In a shallow saucepan, combine remaining jalapeno and garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, orange juice, tequila, and shallots; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until mixture is thick and syrupy, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in butter; keep warm.

Heat a gas grill on high or stove-top grill pan over high heat. Grill shrimp, turning once, until just opaque, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter; pour tequila sauce over shrimp. Garnish with chives; serve immediately with lime wedges.

Lime-Cilantro Rice

Serves 4
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup white rice
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 tablespoon freshly chopped cilantro

In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups water, butter, salt, and cumin to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in rice, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook, covered, until liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat; add lime juice and cilantro. Fluff with a fork until combined. Serve immediately.

Pasta for All

Northern Italian Pasta Shell Stuffing
adapted from a recipe from Paula Deen

2 packages frozen, chopped spinach
1/2 pound of grated asiago cheese
3 pounds ground round
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
2 large onions, chopped
Grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper
2 jumbo eggs
1 (1-pound) package jumbo pasta shells
2 cups tomato sauce (your own or ready-made)

Place frozen spinach in a strainer and run under hot water until thawed. Squeeze all of the water out and place in a large bowl. In a large saute pan, cook the ground round until browned. Drain meat, reserving 2 tablespoons fat in the pan, and place meat in the same bowl with the spinach. Stir in the cream cheese until blended with the meat and spinach. Saute the chopped onions in the reserved meat fat until transparent.

Transfer onions to the bowl with the other ingredients and stir to combine. Add grated cheese, salt, and pepper, to taste, and combine. Let mixture cool and then add the eggs. The filling can be made up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook pasta shells in boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain and cool to the touch. Stuff the shells with the meat mixture. Place shells in a large baking pan and cover with tomato sauce. Cover with foil and bake for approximately 1 hour. Serve.

A Little of This and That

I love tampering in the kitchen. Sometimes that is how I come up with some of my original recipes. Everyday I cook it's like learning something new.

For instance, last night after dinner I saw that a couple of lemons I had were going to be going bad soon and I decided to use them in a dish. But what? I thought...maybe a pasta dish...a dressing...a mixed drink...then it came to me! A Pie!

I hadn't had a lemon pie in awhile, so I decided that is what I would make. But how?

I preceded to look at a bunch of pie cookbooks and see what I could come up with. There were lemon pies with sour cream, cream cheese, gelatin and whatever else you could imagine. So, now that I saw what most lemon pies include I went about tampering to find my own recipe.

Sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, zest, heavy cream, more sugar, salt.....

You'll have to wait till tomorrow for the rest....I'll have photos and the recipe for this luscious lemon pie.

Fettuccine with Spicy Vodka Shrimp and Vegetables

3 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 lbs large deveined raw shrimp, peeled but with tails left on
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 to 1 tsp chili pepper flakes, or to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup vodka
2 small red bell peppers, cut into thin strips
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into thin strips
1 cup fish or chicken stock
1 cup whipping cream
1 tbsp grated orange zest
3/4 lb fettuccine
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Place half of the oil in a large nonstick heavy skillet and heat over high heat until almost smoking. Add shrimp, garlic, chili pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, for about one minute or until shrimp are pink and almost cooked through. Add vodka and ignite with a match. Cook, shaking pan, until flames subside. Transfer shrimp and juices to a bowl. Add remaining oil to skillet and heat until hot. Add red pepper and fennel strips and cook, stirring, for two minutes or until tender-crisp.

Transfer to bowl with shrimp. Add stock, cream and orange zest to skillet. Bring to a gentle boil (take care that it doesn't boil over) until sauce has reduced by about half in volume. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Return shrimp and vegetable mixture to skillet and heat through. Meanwhile cook fettuccine in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but firm. Drain well. Return to pot.

Toss with shrimp and vegetable mixture and sprinkle with parsley. Divide among warm pasta bowls or plates and serve immediately.

My favorite food as a kid...and as an adult

When I was a kid my favorite food ever was my mom's homemade mac 'n cheese. Even though I'm grown now, I still can't turn it down.

Mama’s Mac ‘n Cheese
Cook one package macaroni in salted water with three cloves or garlic. Cook al denta. Add 5 tbs. of butter to macaroni and mix.

Mix together 2 c. of milk, 4 tbs. flour, 1 tsp. pepper and 2 tsp. salt.

Butter casserole dish add macaroni and milk mixture. Slice up 1 lb. of cheeses (mozzarella, cheddar, American) and place within the macaroni. Sprinkle top of macaroni with paprika.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Top of dish should be nicely golden brown.

I'm in the Mood for Shrimp

Do you ever get food cravings...of coarse you do. Like I've said many times before Italian is one of my favorite foods. When you add pasta, shrimp and pesto together you get this great meal. It's easy to whip up when you are in a hurry.


On a side note: Thanks to everyone who voted for RUDY as Purina's Pet of the Month. He won! You can view him on the website.




Cilantro Pesto Pasta with Shrimp and Scallops
16 oz Paste Penne
3 oz Cilantro Pesto*
4 tbsp Butter
8 oz medium Shrimp
8 oz Scallops
2 tbsp Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 sprigs Parsley

Sprinkle the shrimp and scallops with salt and pepper. In a 12-inch skillet melt the butter over medium-high heat, cook the seafood until just tender and lightly browned [about 5 minutes]. In a bowl mix together the [cooked] pasta and cilantro pesto. Serve the seafood on a bed of the pasta mixture, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and garnish with a sprig of parsley.*

Cilantro Pesto
1 Lb Fresh Cilantro
3 oz Macadamia nuts
4 oz Parmesan Cheese
2/3 cup Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Wash and cut the stems from the cilantro. Place the cilantro, Macadamia nuts and Parmesan cheese in the blender and liquefy. Gradually add olive oil until a paste forms. Set aside.

Fettuccine to the Rescue

This is a favorite dish around my house, actually it is the most loved meal of all. I came up with this dish while experimenting in my kitchen while I was in college. I wanted my own Alfredo sauce that I came up with myself. After many meals of fettuccine, I finally have the ultimate perfect sauce.

This sauce is rich- but is totally worth it. If you on a diet, don't even try to count the calories and fat in this meal. But, to me food is meant to be enjoyed not ignored.

Salmon Fettuccine

4 tbs. butter
2 ½ c. heavy cream (the best your can find)
½ c. grated Parmesanan cheese, plus extra for garnish (the best you can find)
Salt and pepper
½ tsp Oregano
1 tb Parsley, plus extra to garnish
1/2 tsp basil
1 package of the best fettuccine you have available
2 -3 salmon filets
½ c. dry white wine

Salmon:
In a skillet run 1 tsp. of olive oil around pan. Place salmon in skillet and pour wine over it and add salt and pepper to preference. Cook salmon thoroughly (till fish turns white all the way through and wine has cooked down.) Flake off the salmon pieces and place in separate bowl away from heat.

Noodles:
Cook fettuccine to recommended directions. Be sure to add ½ tsp olive oil and ½ tsp salt in water before adding the noodles.

Alfredo Sauce:
In a medium saucepan melt butter, add cream and cheese. Bring sauce to a boil, constantly stirring. Add all seasoning, tasting to see if there needs to be more salt added. When the mixture thickens to your liking add flaked salmon and toss lightly.

Drain noodles and place in a large casserole dish. Pour sauce mixture over noodles and toss lightly together. Place in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. Take out and garnish top of dish with Parmesan cheese and parsley. Serve immediately.