Scamper - Scampi: Recipe

Meredith's Food for Life

It's no surprise that on a Thursday night we're all racing around the house - the two older ones are home from their after school activities, the younger one comes home from daycare and the whole house is in chaos - homework, backpacks spilled open, little child running circles around everyone and then there's the dog. Oy.

The surprise, I suppose, is that most people would just pop something in the microwave and be done with it - but then, there's me. I am in the all-by-my-self-nutty-and-stupid category. Instead, I have to come up with something to make for dinner - regardless of the fact that I have several left-overs that can be made in 5 minutes or less. But to be fair, cooking and baking are the two things I can do to fill my, otherwise-void, creative outlet. I actually enjoy the challenge of "what can I make for dinner tonight?" I like to look in the fridge and figure out how to make something out of what looks like nothing to most people. My mother taught me that, really. Even when there is "nothing" in my house, I can still make 5 meals! And so, while it's utter mayhem in the house, and I walk in from a long day, I almost always crave the 20-30 minutes of time I take to make something appear on the table. I feel creative, I feel "motherly" and perhaps, more than anything else, I feel less guilt about being out of the house five days a week.

This was quick - Shrimp Scampi. So here's my suggestion - keep a frozen bag of uncooked shrimp in the freezer. Buy the largest ones - they really are the best. Buy the ones whose shells have been split down the backside. Run them under cold water for 5 minutes, being sure to move them around several times for even thawing, and they will be ready for your favorite recipe in no time. I thaw and peel them and throw them into whatever I am making. The longest piece of this recipe was the time it took for the water to boil.

Shrimp Scampi with Angel Hair
serves 8

3/4 lb. uncooked shrimp (see note above), thawed, peeled and drained
1 lb. angel hair, whole grain
6 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons Olive Oil, divided
1 medium zucchini, sliced very thin
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon dried oregano
Juice of 2 lemons
salt and pepper

Boil a large pot of water for the pasta - add in the angel hair when the water is boiling and cook according the box directions - about 5 minutes.  As the pasta water is near ready to boil, heat one tablespoon of oil in a large saute pan until very hot. Add in the zucchini and saute until wilted - about 4-5 minutes.  Add in the shrimp and saute until they at least one side of them turn pink - add in a medium sized pinch of salt and several grindings of fresh pepper. Add in the tomatoes, garlic 1/4 cup of basil and 3/4 of the lemon juice. Allow the mixture to boil rapidly.

When the pasta is finished cooking, drain well and combine it with the sauce in a large serving bowl.  Add in the remaining basil, lemon juice and the olive oil.  Serve!

Springtime Fare: Recipe

Well with spring-like temperatures here throughout the Northeast, it seemed only natural to lighten the dinner menu. Tonight's meal was easy to prepare and wasn't too heavy on the stomach which was terrific. With a nearly four-week old in tow, I admit that I enjoyed lightening up our meal considering today I was compelled to throw away the remaining half of the Sour Cream Layer Cake with Pecan Brittle sour cream cake because I simply kept eating it!

Pasta Primavera
1 lb. pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
5 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 zucchini, sliced very thin - into matchsticks about 3" long
20 baby carrots sliced in half longways
1/2 cup grated cheese
3 tablespoons reserved pasta cooking liquid

Bring a medium pot of water to boil and drop in the carrots for 4-5 minutes or until they're soft enough to spear with a fork. In the same pot, while carrots are in there, drop in the zucchini and continue to cook another 3 minutes. Drain the vegetables into a strainer with cold running water bathing them for 30 seconds to stop the cooking process. Drain well.

Meanwhile, bring pasta water to a boil and cook according to directions. Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat and saute the garlic over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes - do not burn!!! Add the cooked vegetables to the pan and saute well - increasing the heat slightly.

Before draining the pasta, ladle about 1/2 cup of the pasta liquid from the pot into a measuring cup and set aside. Drain the pasta and pour into a serving bowl. Mix in the cooking liquid, the oil and vegetables and gently mix. Add in the cheese and mix again. Serve.

Hearty Vegetable Sauce: Recipe

If you're like most people I know, you don't have a recipe for "sauce." Likely it comes out slightly different each time you make it - even if you use all the same ingredients each time. But tonight I needed to use a perfectly perfect eggplant before it became a victim of science in the fridge. My husband loves Caponata so I used that as my inspiration and came up with a thick and hearty sauce that was delicious and healthy.

Even with this recipe, be sure to experiment and use what you have on hand...

Hearty Vegetable Sauce
1/4 cup olive oil + 2 tablespoons
1 1/2 cup eggplant cut into small pieces (about 1/2 a large eggplant)
1 medium onion, quartered
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 medium green zucchini cut into small pieces
28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, lightly pureed
1/2 cup black Kalamata olives - pitted and finely chopped
1/2 cup red wine

In a food processor, chop the onion into fine dice and saute in heated olive oil over medium-high heat until soft and translucent - about 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, chop the eggplant and zucchini into smaller pieces and add them to the pot. Pour in the additional two tablespoons of oil and mix well. Lower the heat to a medium and saute about 10 minutes.  Add in the red wine and saute another 10 minutes until the vegetables are soft. Add in the herbs, garlic and olives and saute another 5 minutes over medium heat - stir well. Finally, add in the tomatoes and simmer about 20 minutes longer.

Use Resources Wisely: Recipe

The Girl Scouts teach us, as part of their Law, to "Use Resources Wisely."  So, while searching for an easy-to-make-in-30 minutes dinner concept, I remembered those words and had a 'voila!' moment.

Sunday's dinner consisted of pasta, Vodka Sauce and a grilled pork pinwheel sausage. We didn't finish the entire pinwheel so I tucked away the left-overs into the refrigerator - secretly knowing that I'd never eat them again and they'd be lost to some sort of inadvertent refrigerator science project. Well, on Monday, I reversed course and actually managed to use those left-overs in an efficient manner. I felt great about having done that and the family peanut gallery seemed pleased, as well!

I used Orecchiette because they're cute...you know the pasta shape - they look like little ears? Yep, that's the one.  Here's what Wikipedia has to say about them...
Orecchiette (singular: orecchietta) is a kind of home-made pasta typical of Puglia or Apulia, a region of Southern Italy. Its name comes from its shape, which reminds one of a small ear. In Italian orecchio means ear, and the suffix 'etto' means 'small'. In the vernacular of Taranto it is called recchietedd, or chiancaredd. A slightly flatter version is called 'cencioni', while in the vernacular of Bari, strascinate are more similar to cavatelli. In China a similar type of pasta is called maoerdo (cat's ears).



In Southern Italy women, young or old, sit outdoors in the spring and make the dough into small cylinders, which they cut into little cubes. Then they press down each cube with their right thumb, dragging it on the board, thus making it curl slightly [at this stage you have a 'strascinata']. Then they insert their thumb on the reverse side, making it pop out with a little convex bulge.


Orecchiette with Spinach, Garlic and Sausage
1 lb. Orecchiette pasta (or other dried boxed pasta)
1/2 lb. fresh spinach, washed and picked over
1 cup cooked sausage meat
3 large garlic cloves
1/4 cup great-quality olive oil + 2 Tablespoons extra
1/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Bring a large pot of water to boil and add the spinach. Cook at the boil level for about 3 minutes and remove the spinach with a large ladle with holes - and keep the water at a boil. Set spinach aside in a bowl and add the pasta to the already boiling water and cook according to directions on the box.

Meanwhile, finely chop the garlic in a food processor and set aside. In the same processor bowl, finely chop the sausage meat and set aside.

Heat a medium saute pan with 1/4 cup olive oil and when hot, add the garlic. Saute garlic over medium heat - do not burn - about 2 minuted. Next, add the sausage meat and saute until heated through. Lower heat, if need be, while pasta cooks.  Once the pasta is complete, drain and return to cooking pot.  Add the sausage mixture along with the spinach and extra olive oil. Mix well and then add the cheese. Serve!

Hearty Sunday Fare: Recipe

Can you believe how quickly Fall fell upon us?  One day we're all wearing flip flops and blasting the A/C and the next we're layering! Don't know about you, but this weather always makes me wander into the kitchen to create something.

Sunday dinner, to me, is one that means business - it's a meal that's too time-consuming to prepare during the middle of the week. Well, at least, that's how I see it.  So yesterday I braised a pork roast in Calvados (Apple Brandy) and coupled it with a butternut squash and prosciutto risotto. These are staples you may have seen on my blog before but they work - butternut squash is easy to prepare and has a mild flavor that even the little ones will enjoy (and everything tastes better with bacon...even if it's Italian-style!).

Braised Pork with Calvados
3 1/2 lb pork loin, center cut
3 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup flour
salt and pepper
1 tsp. Whole Cloves
2 large shallots, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
8 oz. Calvados
1 leek, thinly sliced
4 medium carrots, coarsely chopped
2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
8 oz. beef stock

Preheat oven to 400.  In a large dutch oven (or other pot that can go from stove-top to oven), melt the butter together with the oil over medium-high heat. Mix together the flour, salt and pepper on a plate and roll the pork in the mixture - fully covering the meat.  Place the meat into the hot oil and brown on all sides - about 10 minutes in total. Remove the meat to a plate and pour in the alcohol. *It will sizzle and steam at this point - lower the heat but be sure to use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits of meat - about 1 minute in total. 

Next, add in the shallot and the onion and saute in the alcohol - on low-medium heat - for about 5 minutes, or until soft.  Next add in the vegetables and repeat.  Place the pork back into the pot and spoon the liquid and the veggies over the top.  Add in the whole cloves and gently pour the beef stock over the top.  Cover tightly and place inside middle of the oven. Cook meat about 1 hour, turn - gently - and again, spoon liquid and vegetables over the top. Recover and replace back into the oven for another hour and 15 minutes.  Remove the pot from the oven and keep it covered for about 10 minutes before removing and slicing.

Butternut Squash Risotto with Prosciutto
1 medium onion, finely chopped
5 Tablespoon unsalted butter + 1 Tablespoon
4 oz. cubed prosciutto
1 cup Aborrio rice
8 oz. chicken stock
8 oz. chicken broth
3 oz. water
4 oz. Calvados
1 medium butternut squash
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

NOTE: Risotto is not for the faint at heart...if you don't like to stand in front of the stove and stir, this one is not for you.  It requires that you pay attention and an infusion of liquid each time the mixture of rice looks like it's about to burn or stick to the pan.  So therefore, you must pay close attention.

Peel the outer skin off the squash, seed, and cube - a total of about 2 cups of large pieces. Place in a medium microwave-proof bowl, pour 1/4 cup of water into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on high about 6 minutes or until flesh is mushy soft. Pour as much of the excess water out as possible. Set aside to cool. Once cooled, mash completely.


In a medium saucepan, heat the stock, broth and water together over medium-high heat. In a large saute pan, melt the butter until foamy. Add in the onion and saute - medium heat - about 10 minutes - until clear and soft. Add in the prosciutto and again saute about 8 minutes, raising the temperature slightly - stirring constantly so as to avoid any burning. Add in the rice and coat the rice with the fat from the prosciutto and the onion mixture - stir until the rice looks a bit shiny. Add in the Calvados and stir consistently until rice is well soaked and beginning to absorb the liquid.  Then going forward, by the ladleful, add in the broth as necessary - ensuring that you stir regularly and allow the liquid to fully absorb into the rice before adding in the next ladleful. Repeat as many times as necessary - likely until all the liquid is gone and the rice is rich and creamy and no longer hard inside. When it's near complete, add in the mashed squash and mix well. Turn off the heat and add in the cheese and the remaining tablespoon of butter and mix well.

Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe: Recipe

So many people like broccoli rabe but I have to eat it in small doses - when I've had it runs tha gammut from being perfectly cooked to very bitter. This recipe is so light - despite the existence of sausage - that it was just right for an early dinner. The kids asked about that "terrible smell" while the broccoli rabe was boiling and I lied and said it was (just plain) broccoli...but they bought it! The younger child complained about the dinner and wound up with plain pasta with butter and cheese but the older one ate the dish as made - though she pushed the broccoli rabe to the edges of her plate! Oh well, a mom can try!

Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage1 lb. "ear shaped" pasta


1 medium bunch, broccoli rabe
3 medium garlic cloves, crushed
3 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 lb sweet sausage meat - casings removed
1/2 cup pecorino-romano cheese

In a large pot, bring to a boil enough water for a pound of pasta. Wash and trim the broccoli rabe by trimming off most of the woodsy stems and splitting the stalks in half and then half again, lengthwise. Once the water boils, drop in the broccoli for about 1 minute. Using tongs or a large slotted spoon, remove the broccoli rabe to a strainer and keep the water boiling. Add the pasta to it and cook accordingto the directions on the box.

Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium high heat and add the sausage meat. Crumble it up with the back of a wooden spoon as it browns - about 5-7 minutes, stirring often. Add in the crushed garlic and lower the heat, continue to stir. When the pasta is nearly complete, spoon about 1 cup of the cooking liquid into the saute pan with the sausage meat and allow the liquid to boil.

Drain the pasta. Pour it back into the cooking pot and add the broccoli rabe and the sausage mixture. Stir well to incorporate and add in the cheese. Serve!

AKA: Rice Balls: Recipe

Making rice balls is a fine art. My mother-in-law makes them at the holidays and they're terrific with peas and ground meat. I wanted to give them a try and I always love mini versions of things so I thought these pop-ems would be a good addition to a party menu.  Turns out they were hit!  Of course, the key to risotto is the consistent stirring. So if my recipe doesn't make it clear: STIR!

Pancetta-Rosemary Risotto Balls
makes about 100

4 oz. pancetta, cut into tiny cubes
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter + 1 Tbsp.
1 tsp. Olive Oil
1 onion, minced
16 oz. Aborrio Risotto
8 oz. chicken stock
(2) 14 1/2 oz. cans chicken broth
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. Fresh Rosemary
6 oz. Fontina Cheese, shredded
1/2 cup vermouth
1/4 cup warm water
2-3 cups Italian Breadcrumbs

Vegetable Oil for frying

In a large heavy pot (I use my 6 qt. Le Cruset), heat 5 Tbsp. butter and olive oil together until it's foamy.  Add the onion and saute over medium heat until onions lose their shape and begin to soften.  Add the Pancetta and saute another 6 minutes. Stir several times to avoid browning. Add 1 Tbsp. rosemary and saute another minute.

Meanwhile, pour stock and broth into a saucepan and warm over medium-low heat, next to the risotto pot.

Raise the heat on the risotto to high, stirring contents often.  Add the rice to the pot and stir several times to coat the rice with the butter-pancetta; about 1 minute. Just as the rice begins to stick to the bottom of the pot, add 2 ladles of broth to the pot. Stir well, several times, and then lower the heat to medium and let the liquid simmer. Do not allow the rice to stick to the pot - stir more often than you think is necessary.  As the rice expands with moisture and gets softer and larger, the need to stir will lessen - some. But for now, be sure to stir rigorously. Continue to add ladles of liquid and stir until the rice expands and the mixture becomes thick and harder to stir.

After about 30 minutes, add in the vermouth and stir well. Next add in the warm water and stir well. The entire cooking time should be about 1 hour. Near the end, as the rice is almost done (you'll need to taste it to know), add in the remaining tsp. of rosemary and the remaining tablespoon of butter.  Next add in the shredded cheese and stir like mad! The cheese would be the final step - once you add in the cheese, you should remove the risotto from the heat and stir many times to ensure the cheese is evenly distributed and the begins to cool.

Place one half of the mixture into a large bowl and stir each half of the risotto occasionally to speed the cooling process.  Allow the mixture to cool completely - about 3-5 hours.

Once completely cooled and congealed, roll about 1 1/2 inch balls and place onto a large baking sheet. Refrigerate the balls for about 3 hours.  Fill a very deep fryer (I used my wok) with about 6" of cooking oil and heat over high heat until extremely hot - about 5 minutes before ready.  Roll each ball in breadcrumb and working in batches, carefully drop about 6 balls into the fryer at one time. Using a slotted spoon, remove balls after about 30-60 seconds and drain on paper bags. Repeat until all balls are complete.

I made these 1 day before needed and reheated in an oven set at 350 for 15 minutes.

Summer Pink Tomato Sauce: Recipe

Don't we just love to plant tomatoes?  Early Girls? Cherry Tomatoes? Roma? Heirloom? I love them all but sometime around now you realize there is an abundance of tomatoes and anyone can get stuck with a small crop and not know what on earth to do with them. Who can have yet another salad of tomato and fresh mozzarella?

I made this sauce as a bit of a take off of another sauce I often make for the family - my Pasta with Peas and Ham dish that they devour. This took 35 minutes from start to finish and used four large beautifully ripe tomatoes. You could substitute 6 medium ones for the 4 large or you could use all the little cherry tomatoes you have - just experiment.

Summer Pink Tomato Sauce with Farfalle

4 large ripe tomatoes, prepared as below
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 oz. cubed prosciutto
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/3 cup pecorino Romano cheese
1 lb. pasta

To prepare tomatoes:
Fill a large pot of water and set on high, covered, to boil. Wash the tomatoes and slice off the tops - eliminating the stem area. Once the water boils, carefully drop all four tomatoes into the water and continue to boil for 3-4 minutes. Remove tomatoes one by one and set aside to cool for 5 minutes.

Once the tomatoes have finished boiling, refresh the water in the pot, cover again, and allow to boil - once at a boil, add in the pasta and stir. Bring back to a boil and cook till done - see box directions for times.

At this point, melt the butter in a large pan and once it's foamy, add in the finely chopped onion. Saute on medium heat and do not allow to brown - about 4-6 minutes.  Meanwhile, turn each tomato cut side down and with one hand from cut side to rounded side, slide off the skin. If any sticks, simply remove it separately. Coarsely chop tomatoes and put 2/3 of the tomatoes into a food processor and pulse several times until it looks like pureed tomatoes.

Next add in the prosciutto, saute another 4 minutes, stirring often.  Add in the cut and pureed tomatoes and saute on high for 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Next add in the chopped basil and the heavy cream and bring to a boil.

Remove pasta from the pot to a colander and return to the pot, once drained. Pour sauce over the pasta and add in the cheese and stir. Serve.

Clams and Sausage - a Perfect Combination

I think it wasn't until recently that I "discovered" the Spanish-Portuguese style of linking clams and sausage together. However, now that I know that spicy sausage perks up a delicate clam sauce, I can't imagine having my linguine plain and simple!

This is super quick to whip up. In as much time as it takes to boil the water and cook the pasta, your sauce is complete. Admittedly, I took about 2 cups of plain linguine in a bowl, drizzled some Extra virgin olive oil over the top and tossed it with sliced sausage for the kids. But the rest of the linguine was a perfect match for the simple Clam and Sausage "sauce."

Linguine with Clams and Sausage
1 lb. linguine
1 medium red pepper, chopped
3 1/2 oz. roasted garlic (or andouille) sausage, sliced and chopped
2/3 cup fresh parsley, minced
2 medium shallots, minced
2 tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 6.5 oz chopped clams, juice reserved
4 oz. white wine

Prepare and boil enough water for a full pound of pasta. Cook pasta according to directions.

In another pot, heat the oil over medium heat and add in the sausage, saute until edges begin to curl and fat is released into the pot - about 3-5 minutes. Next add in the red pepper and saute another 2 minutes. Add in the shallots, parsley and red pepper flakes. Mix well and saute over medium heat about 3 more minutes. Add in the white wine and mix well, followed by the chopped clams. Let the mixture boil up for 2 minutes and then add the reserved juice. Bring it back to a boil for about 4 more minutes while pasta finishes cooking. Drain the pasta and add the drained pasta to a mixing bowl. Pour the sauce over the top and stir. Serve.

Low-Fat but Big-Taste Meat Sauce: Diet Friendly

We happen to like bison meat - it's much lower in fat than its cousin, the cow. But prepared the same way, it can be big on taste. Tonight I came home to a thundery, rainy, day and decided that barbecuing bison burgers would be out of the question and frying mini bison meatballs wouldn't work, either - too hot and sticky for that.

So quickly I was able to put up a pot of sauce and get the heck out of the kitchen while it cooked. It feels like you're eating beef and that you're eating something that's high in calories. In fact, when I went to the Weight Watchers site and "built" my recipe, I realized that it was a perfect dinner dish - just 4 points for one cup of sauce.

Bison Meat Sauce
serving size 1 cup

1 lb. bison meat
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, minced
1 shallot, minced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced
1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup white wine
5 oz. baby carrots, finely chopped
2 large celery stalks, finely chopped
1/2 Tbsp. dried oregano
5 medium fresh basil leaves
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
a few grindings of black pepper

In a large pot heat oil and saute the onion, shallot, carrots and celery till soft - about 8 minutes over medium heat. Add in the meat and raise heat to high - saute until brown and no longer pink.  Next add in the garlic, parsley, oregano and red pepper - saute another 2 minutes. Add in the wine and mix two or three times.  Add in the tomatoes and black pepper. Mix well, lower the heat to simmer and leave uncovered for about an hour, mixing a few times. Add in the basil leaves and mix.

As if...

As if we haven't been eating since September 16th...

As if we've been eating only hot dogs and/or take-out...

As if the blog no longer exists...

As if!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As you know, this blog began with the basic premise: home-cooked meals need not be laborious nor do they need to be made using 15 different exotic ingredients, etc. It was designed to show you (and maybe myself) that cooking for your family should be - could be - quick and easy while also nutritious and interesting. Sometimes you get lucky and it's all of the above. Sometimes, I tend to get more involved in a meal or a recipe and sometimes I just plain order in.

But these past few weeks have been intense and overall I've been tired. That's not to say that I have neglected family meal time. As if I ever would. It's not to say that we've not eaten healthy meals. As if that would last in my house? And certainly, the fact that I haven't posted anything on the blog in more than a month has weighed heavily on my brain...I felt as if I had abandoned a project.

But tonight, I've mustered the energy to write.



Two weekends ago it was cold and my body cried out for something warm and comforting. That day I had a bolt of energy and made grandma's mac and cheese http://meredithsfoodforlife.blogspot.com/2008/09/grandmas-baked-mac-and-cheese-recipe.html followed by a roast chicken http://meredithsfoodforlife.blogspot.com/2008/10/roast-for-any-night-recipe.html which I simply carved to use as dinner later in the week. Then I made corn bread (from the box!!! but ohh soo good!) and then I made cupcakes for the girl scout troop's meeting the following day and THEN I made dinner! We had Butternut Squash Risotto with Asparagus, Prosciutto and Calvados. It was really good and as usual, it stuck to my ribs. (Recipe follows below)



This past weekend, I made a roast pork braised in red wine with carrots. This happens to be one of the best pork recipes ever. It's very simple and looks fantastic but it's not my recipe - it's Marcella Hazan's. Somehow she has managed to make the most amazing meals feel completely do-able. Some celebrity chefs don't do that...they take a simple meal and find ways to completely complicate it. Not Marcella.



And tonight I stood in front of the refrigerator like my five year old wondering: what on earth should I make for dinner? It's as if I had forgotten how to be creative. AS IF! Inspiration came quickly and I made linguine with spinach-fontina sausage, heirloom tomatoes, and edamame. Colorful, fresh, flavorful, and easy. (heat 1/4 c. olive oil, saute 4 mined garlic cloves and 1 tsp. fresh rosemary for 2 min., add 1 lb. sliced sausage from Trader Joe's, cook med./high for 6-7 min., add 1/4 c. vermouth and allow to bubble, add 10 oz. sliced baby heirloom tomatoes, saute 4 min., add 1/2 c. shelled edamame and pour over hot cooked linguine)

I say it's not as if you have to grow your own food to be a good home cook. And it's not as if you have to make coq au vin or lobster newberg each night of the week to be a good home cook. You simply have to act as if you are a good home cook and soon your home cooking will be just as you wish!

Butternut Squash Risotto with Prosciutto and Calvados
1 1/2 c. risotto
1 Tbsp. butter + 1 Tbsp. for later
1 Tbsp. olive oil
4 oz. diced prosciutto
2 large shallots minced
1 small-med butternut squash, chopped into 8 pieces
fresh sage (about 2 Tbsp.)
fresh rosemary (about 2 Tbsp)
1 lb. fresh asparagus tips
1/2 c. calvados
8 oz. chicken stock
14 oz. broth
1/2 c. grated pecorino

In a small saucepan, warm the stock and broth over low heat.

In a large heavy pot, heat oil and butter till foamy. Add in the shallots and saute about 3 minutes over medium high heat. Add in the prosciutto and saute about 6 minutes till fat has simmered off. Add in the fresh herbs and the rice. Saute the rice, stirring often, about 3-4 minutes till well coated with the fat. Add in the calvados and stir well. After the liquid is somewhat absorbed, add ladles of the broth to the rice and stir well. Do not leave risotto on the stove unattended - you'll be unhappy with the result. Constant stirring is needed. Add ladles of broth as the previous one becomes absorbed.

Meanwhile, in a large pot with a steamer attachment, pour about 1 cup of water into the bottom and place a steamer tray over the water. Turn on the heat to high, add the butternut squash and cover the pot. Check the squash about 10 minutes later (be very careful opening the lid!). Remove as long as it's very soft to the fork. Allow squash to cool slightly and peel meat away from the flesh. Mash meat with a fork and add to the risotto. Stir well.

In the microwave, steam the asparagus tips for about 4-5 minutes. Drain and add to the risotto.

Once all the liquid has been absorbed, the risotto should be very creamy and pasty. Be sure and taste to ensure rice is soft enough. Turn off the heat, add the remaining tablespoon of butter and the cheese and mix well.

Ancient Chinese Secret Ingredient: 5-Spice Powder

Wow - I'm hooked! I am in love with Chinese Five-Spice Powder. It has always been one of those spices I've longed for but never been able to find in the store. Trader Joe's had it and naturally, I purchased it! Here is what Wikipedia had to say about it:

Five-spice powder is a mixture of five spices[1][2] used in Chinese cuisine. One common recipe includes tunghing or "Chinese cinnamon" (also known as rougui, the ground bark of the cassia tree, a close relative of true cinnamon), powdered cassia buds, powdered star anise and anise seed, ginger root, and ground cloves. Another recipe for the powder consists of huajiao (Sichuan pepper), bajiao (star anise), rougui (cassia), cloves, and fennel seeds. It is used in most recipes for Cantonese roasted duck, as well as beef stew. It is also used as a marinade for Vietnamese broiled chicken. The five-spice powder mixture has followed the Chinese diaspora and has been incorporated into other national cuisines throughout Asia.

The formulae are based on the Chinese philosophy of balancing the yin and yang in food.

Although this spice is used in restaurant cooking, many Chinese households do not use it in day-to-day cooking. In Hawaii, some restaurants have it on the table.

A versatile seasoned salt can be easily made by stir-frying common salt with Five-spice powder under low heat in a dry pan until the spice and salt are well mixed.

Tonight's dinner was a mixture of packaged/prepared and homemade foods. I've probably mentioned that I've fallen in love with Trader Joe's and they have the most unbelievable mini chicken wontons that are frozen. All you do is pan fry them for about 4-5 minutes and then steam them in the same pan for 2 minutes. Unreal! But it's the sesame noodle dish I made that blew me away. I'm not a peanut fan - don't really care for the taste - but sometimes I enjoy it, as long as it's mixed with other things. This tasted so authentic that my husband actually suggested it was as good as anything he'd had in a restaurant! I choose to believe him!

Sesame Noodles
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 garlic clove
1 Tbsp. Sesame Oil
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1 Tbsp. fresh ginger
1/4 tsp. Chinese Five-Spice Powder
1 lb. spaghetti
2/3 cup match-stick carrots
1 scallion, minced
1/4 cup mixed black and white sesame seeds

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook spaghetti according to directions. Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine soy sauce, oil, garlic, ginger, peanut butter, and Five-Spice Powder and puree about 30 seconds. Set aside.

Drain pasta and allow it to cool about 5 minutes before putting it into a large mixing bowl. Pour soy sauce mixture over the pasta and toss until spaghetti is well coated. Add the carrots, scallion and seeds. Toss and serve.

Only in the Summer: Recipe

This dish happens to be one of the best I make - it's so fresh that you feel as though you can only eat this outside on a wonderful evening! Break out a crisp white that will pair nicely and relax. This sauce won't get cold!

Linguine with Fresh Plum Tomato Sauce
2 Lbs. very ripe plum tomatoes
1/2 cup fresh, chopped basil
1 small onion, minced
2 small cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 lb. of pasta, linguine or angel hair is best

Cut an "X" into the tops of each tomato - not too deep, just barely going below the skin's surface. Drop tomatoes into boiling water for about 3 minutes. Remove to a colander and when cool enough, peel off skin, starting at the "X" and squeeze out seeds. Chop tomatoes coarsely and put into a large mixing bowl. Add: onion, basil, garlic, oil, salt and pepper and let sit at room temperature for about one hour - mix regularly. Add cheese, mix, and serve over hot pasta.

Really, I've been Busy Cooking

None of these seemed worthy of a blog post but I wanted to share with you some of the things I've been up to lately...feel free to give me a shout if you want a particular recipe!


Pasta with asparagus, sliced mushrooms, peppers and white wine



Pork Spare Ribs with Chipotle, Vanilla and Bourbon Sauce

Turkey Chili: Recipe

Turkey chili. Can it be good you ask? But of course! It's all in the flavor. You know, you really can't tell that it's not beef once it's cooked...I promise.

I let this cook for over an hour and once it cooled, I put it into the fridge so we had dinner in no time the next day. When I came home I simply boiled water for the pasta and heat up the pot of chili!

Turkey Chili
1 lb. ground turkey
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, minced
3 carrots, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1/2 yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 orange bell pepper, finely chopped
3 Tbsp. Mexican Chili powder
1 chipotle pepper (from a 7 oz can) + 1 Tbsp. sauce
3 shakes hot sauce
1 35-oz can San Marzano whole plum tomatoes
1 15-oz. can black beans, drained
1 15-oz. can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 Tbsp. paprika
3 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. ground coriander
2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, minced

1 lb. mini pasta (such as elbows, wheels, etc.)
shredded cheese

In a large pot, heat the olive oil and saute the onion about 8-10 minutes over medium heat, stirring often. Add the carrots, celery and peppers and saute another 10 minutes, stirring often. Raise the temperature slightly and add the ground turkey and saute until the meat is no longer pink - about 8-10 minutes, stirring often. Add the chipotle and all spices and mix well. Add the beans and the tomatoes and crush them up with the back of the wooden spoon. Simmer about an hour and serve mixed with pasta, cilantro (divide among plates) and shredded cheese.

Everything but the Kitchen Sink: Recipe

Last night friends came over and we had steaks and chicken sausage. Today, we had it again for lunch so by the time dinner rolled around I could not serve it again (or at least not in its plain form!). So I chopped up the steak and the sausage and combined it with risotto and peas. It was very good and while the kids complained about having leftovers for lunch, they were perfectly content eating them at dinner. I guess it's all in the packaging!

Risotto with Beef, Sausage and Saffron
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. Rosemary, chopped and divided
1 Tbsp. saffron threads
1 cup risotto rice
2 14.5 oz cans low salt chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cup chopped, cooked, steak and sausage (total 1 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup frozen petit peas, thawed by running hot water over them about 2 minutes
2/3 cup grated pecorino

In a large heavy pot, melt the butter and oil together until soft and foamy. Add the onion and 1 Tbsp. rosemary and saute about 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring often. Next add the rice and saute until it's all coated with the onion butter mixture.

In a small saucepan, add the broth and simmer over low heat. Place the saffron threads into a small cup and add 1/2 cup of the hot broth and mix about 1 minute. Next pour the saffron broth into the rice and stir well.

Add about 1 cup of the broth to the rice and saute over medium-low heat until all broth is absorbed. Stir often!! Repeat this process several times - each time ensuring the broth is fully absorbed before adding another ladle or cupful. This process will take about 35 minutes. At that point, add the wine and repeat - stirring constantly to avoid the rice sticking to the bottom of the pot.

As the rice is nearly done add in the remaining tablespoon of rosemary, the peas, and the meat and stir well. Turn off the heat and add in the cheese and stir well.

Linguine with Clam Sauce: Recipe

My husband loves linguine with clam sauce - he likes red clam sauce and white sauce. I only prefer the white so guess which one we had...

This is so simple and so quick to make. I had dinner on the table in just over 20 minutes and to be honest, that's about as long as I can stand to cook during the week!

Linguine with Asparagus and Clams
1 Lb. linguine
1 cup fresh parsley
5 large garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup vermouth
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Lemon Olive Oil
1/2 Lb. fresh asparagus, trimmed
1/2 cup Pecorino-Romano Cheese
Juice of 2 lemons
2 cans 10-oz. Whole Baby Clams in Juice

Chop the garlic and parsley together in a food processor until very fine.

Prepare linguine according to package directions and drain well. Meanwhile in a large pan, heat the two oils over medium high heat. Add the parsley-garlic mixture and saute, stirring often, about 3-4 minutes. Next add the asparagus and saute another 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Add the vermouth and raise the heat to allow it to boil for about 3 minutes. Next add 1 whole can of clams, including the juice, and add nearly all of the juice from the second can along with 2/3 of the clams. Add the lemon juice and bring to a boil, mix well, and boil about 3-4 more minutes. Pour over the pasta and mix well. Add the cheese and stir.

Roll With It: Recipe

A long time ago someone gave me an idea for a cool dinner party presentation of an old stand-by - lasagna. She suggested a "Roll-Up." I flirted with making them many times and ultimately opted for other things but Sunday I decided that Lasagna Roll-Ups would make a great mid-week dish and so I made a batch that day and put them in the fridge until Tuesday night.

I have little children so walking in the door at 6:00 and eating dinner at 7:00 or 7:15 would not be ideal, naturally. You may have an easier time with your family dynamic - maybe you have older children who can wait a little longer to eat or maybe it's just you and your spouse and surely you can hold off, etc. So I was fortunate that someone was home at 4:30 to put the dish in the oven and by 5:45 dinner was ready to be served. I simply heated up some extra sauce and served it. If you place these in the oven immediately after rolling, I'd suggest the cooking time would be much less - maybe only 30 minutes.

Spinach Lasagna Roll-Ups
16 oz. package of lasagna noodles - (not fresh)
1 10 oz. pkg. frozen spinach, cooked according to directions and squeezed of excess water
15 oz. Ricotta Cheese
1/4 cup Pecorino-Romano Cheese + 3 Tbsp.
2 eggs
16 oz. mozzarella, shredded
3 cups of sauce

Preheat oven to 350. Cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions and drain well. Meanwhile, combine spinach, ricotta, pecorino, eggs and 3/4 of the mozzarella in a large bowl. Mix well.

Spread one cup of sauce over the bottom of a large lasagna pan. Place one noodle on top of a plate and starting at the end closest to you spread 2 heaping tablespoons of the mixture onto the noodle. Roll the noodle away from you and smooth the end of the noodle on top of roll-up. Place the roll-up, seam side down, into the pan. Repeat until all are complete. Spoon the remaining sauce over the roll-ups and top with the remaining shredded mozzarella. Sprinkle the top with the remaining Pecorino cheese.

Bake in the oven for 35 minutes or until the top is browned and cheese is melted.

Quick Supper: Recipe

Tonight was one of those unfortunate evenings when you must pay your respects upon the death of a loved one. A colleague's mother passed and I came home after work to feed my family (and, perhaps, my own soul with my family's love and affection) before heading out to share my condolences with another.

That said, this meal was quick, given the time constraints, (it took 20 minutes!) but still it was filled with tasty ingredients. To be fair, my kids played with the angel hair more than they ate it so I would say penne or bow-tie pasta might pair better if you're feeding children! I almost lost my temper when I saw my son putting strands of pasta over his Thomas The Train at the table and my daughter wrapping a Polly Pocket's neck like jewelery! Instead, I just laughed and swiped the toys until their plates were cleaned.

Pasta with Chicken and Feta Sausage
1 Lb. package of chicken/feta sausage links, sliced into 1" slices and halved
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
2 plum tomatoes
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives
1/4 diced red onion
1/2 cup frozen spinach, cooked and drained according to package directions
1 cup white wine
1/4 cup grated pecorino-Romano cheese
1 lb. angel hair pasta

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook about 5 minutes, stirring often. Next add the onion and the olives and saute another 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the spinach and saute another minute before adding the wine and bringing the mixture to a boil. Stir and reduce heat.

Drain pasta and pour the mixture over it. Add the cheese and stir well.

Pasta with Sausage and Vegetables: Recipe

So who doesn't get stuck in a winter rut of "what should we have for dinner tonight?" I do! And it's around this time (have you noticed - I haven't exactly put up a ton of blog posts in the past week or so but it isn't because I'm not cooking, it's just that I'm not cooking food worth blogging about!)

But tonight I may have broken free from the rut! This dish smelled so good that my four-year old wandered into the kitchen a few times to ask what we were having. That's always a very good sign. I liken this dish to an "everything but the kitchen sink" concept. I opened the fridge and started pulling out ingredients and suddenly I had the makings of a terrific meal. I encourage you to do the same thing. It's easy and I'll bet you have some wonderful things hiding in your pantry or fruit/veggie drawer, too.

This took only as long as it took to boil water and cook pasta - what could be easier than a dish that takes 25 minutes at the most?

Pasta with Sausage and Vegetables
1 lb. pasta
1 lb. sweet Italian sausage, casings removed and cut into small pieces
5 cloves garlic, minced + 1 clove, minced
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/4 cup very good Olive Oil
1/2 cup white wine
3.5 oz. Shittake Mushrooms, sliced
3/4 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
1 small zucchini, sliced thin
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced in half
1/4 cup grated Pecorino-Romano cheese

In a large pot, boil enough water for 1 lb. pasta. Cook pasta according to directions.

In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add 1 clove of garlic. Saute quickly - about 30 seconds - and add the sausage. Saute the sausage about 6-8 minutes or until it turns white and loses the raw red color. Add in the zucchini and saute another 3 minutes. Add in the mushrooms and the dried herbs. Saute another 3 minutes and add in the remaining garlic. Cook another 4 minutes and add in the tomatoes and the olives. Cook for 2 more minutes before adding in the wine. Bring mixture to a boil for about 4 minutes and pour over the cooked, drained, pasta. Add the cheese and toss.