Butternut Squash Pasta Bake

I'm always trying to think of creative ways to have pasta because the BF doesn't eat tomatoes. Not stewed, canned, roasted, sun-dried, raw, pureed, nada. Which makes pasta night a little challenging - there are only so many times I can happily serve noodles with butter (his favorite) and white sauce (think cheesy, Alfredo, or mushroom soup) is too rich to have often. I was planning to make a butternut squash soup with sausage and mushrooms, but we ended up eating the sausage the night before so I came up with a casserole that was scrumptious and I even have enough leftovers to cover my next few days of packed lunches. It has a lot of little steps but it is well worth the effort!


Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

• 2 medium butternut squashes
• 4 tablespoons butter, separated
• 10-12 white mushrooms (about 1/2 lb)
• 4 cloves garlic
• 6 slices thick cut bacon
• 1 container ricotta cheese (250g)
• 2 large eggs
• Salt, pepper, dried oregano to taste
• 8 cups cooked pasta (like shells, spirals, rigatoni-think sauce holders!)
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Slice the squashes lengthwise and crosswise to have 8 sections of squash total. Pour 1 cup water in a 9x13" glass baking dish, then place the squash flesh side down in the dish (it's ok if it doesn't all fit perfectly, just do the best you can). Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, flip the squash flesh-side up and dab them with 2 tablespoons butter. Season with salt and pepper, cover the dish again and bake for an additional 30 minutes. 
2. Meanwhile, remove the stems and peel the mushrooms (or instead of peeling, clean with a moist paper towel). Preheat a large saute pan to medium heat. Add the mushrooms and butter, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and turn the heat to low, cook for 10 minutes. Place the mushroom mixture in a large bowl and set aside.
3. Remove the squash from the oven and let it cool until it can be handled. Use a spoon to scoop the flesh into the mushroom bowl, discard the peel. 
4. Re-heat the saute pan to medium-high heat. Chop the bacon into 1/2 thick slices and add it to the pan, cook until crisp (5-7 minutes). Use a slotted spoon to scoop the bacon into the squash and mushroom mixture, stir to combine everything. 
5. In a small bowl add the ricotta and eggs, beat with a fork for 2-3 minutes, season with salt, pepper, and oregano.
6. Rinse and re-use the dish that you baked the squash in. Grease the pan then add the pasta in an even layer. Scoop spoonfuls of the ricotta over the pasta, gently smoothing it to make it an even layer. Next scoop and smooth the squash mixture across the ricotta. Top with mozzarella.
7. Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes, or until top is golden and bubbly. Serve hot! (I topped mine with a drizzle of sriracha for an extra kick, while the BF kept his pure).

Slow-Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup

A great way to get the most out of your ingredients is to keep leftovers in mind. I love roasting chickens because I know I can use some of the meat that night, whether it's the drumsticks or the breasts, and the leftovers can be used the rest of the week in a variety of dishes. I use the meat in sandwiches, burritos, pastas, salads... the list is endless! Once I'm getting tired of chicken (usually around day 3 because I use it in my breakfast burritos, my lunches, and my dinners!), I make soup with the remaining meat. The bones from the chicken are also great for making soup, as they lend amazing flavor and nutrients. Chicken noodle is a simple soup that can use up any leftover chicken and veggies in your refrigerator, and it's a filling and relatively low-calorie meal to boot!

Ingredients:

• 1 chicken carcass (I like to keep everything, but you can also just use the bones from drumsticks, wings, etc. if you don't want to bother storing the whole cavity until it's soup-making time)
• Left over chicken, cut up into small chunks
• 5carrots
• 8 stalks of celery
• 1 large yellow onion
• 1 bay leaf
• Dried seasonings: oregano, cumin, thyme, rosemary, pepper/salt
• 3 cups boiled noodles, al dente

Directions:

1. Chop 2 carrots and 3 stalks of celery into 3" long pieces, the cut the onion in half. Store the remaining vegetables.
2. Turn the slow-cooker to high, add in the chicken bones, the bay leaf, and the prepared vegetables. Pour in 8 cups of water and cook for 8 hours (tip: do this before bed and cook until morning). 
3. Strain the broth over a large bowl, discarding the cooked vegetables. Dice the reserved carrots, celery, and onion and add them to the slow cooker. Add 6 cups of broth back to the slow cooker along with the pieces of chicken. Add seasonings to taste (go lightly and season again at the end of cooking), then cook the soup for 8-10 hours on low. 1 hour before serving, add the cooked noodles. 

Enjoy!

You can also make this soup in a stock pot, cooking low and slow. I just prefer my crockpot because I can set it and forget it!

Pasta with Prosciutto, Peas and Alfredo

My bf's mom makes prosciutto-wrapped asparagus that is to die for, so on a recent trip to the grocery store I was determined to make some for myself because I was craving it like no other. Seriously, it's one of those foods like corn dogs or peanut m&ms where it cannot be substituted for anything else. I was on a mission. And then the grocery store had no asparagus left! I decided to just throw together a quick pasta because I was starving and the bf texted to say he was starving... I thought I was just going to have a basic meal with some prosciutto mixed in (to get my fix, of course) but I was wrong, oh baby I was sooo wrong! And that is a good thing.

The combination of the intense prosciutto, green peas that pop between your teeth, and Alfredo sauce is divine. And guess what? It's easy as all get out.

Here is the recipe, try not to drool too much when you serve this dish!

Ingredients:
2 servings pasta - shells, rigatoni, etc. (8 oz per person)
2 cups frozen peas
8 slices prosciutto
Alfredo sauce (you can whip it up yourself or use store-bought, your choice!)


Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to instructions, meanwhile let the peas sit at room temperature while you slice up the prosciutto. I like to cut thin strips, about 1 inch long, but whatever size you desire is fine. 
2. Once the pasta is done cooking, pour the pasta into a strainer and put the pot back on the stove over medium heat. Add the prosciutto, then after it has crisped up a bit (2-4 minutes) add the peas and Alfredo sauce. Stir for 2 minutes, then turn the heat to low and add in the pasta. 
3. Mix until each noodle has been coated by the sauce, remove from the heat and serve.

Enjoy!

Suggestions:
Additions such as spinach, sauteed mushrooms, garlic, onion, and even pine nuts are fantastic! This is also great kept for leftovers!
You can use long noodles like spaghetti or angel hair, but small ones that can act as little vessels for the sauce are ideal!

Farfalle with Spicy Tomato Meat Sauce

I first had this dish when I was ten years old. My aunt whipped this up at her house, and it was game over for everyone in my family. Best. Pasta. Ever.

We have always called it "farfalle" but that's actually just the name of the noodle we use! You can use the full name that I just made up because I didn't want you to think I just posted on how to boil noodles... or you can just call it Farfalle like I do.

Whatever you call it, prepare to become addicted. Seriously, 10+ years and the deliciousness of this dish has not worn off at all for me!

These are just general guidelines for this dish -- make it your own by adding more or less of any the ingredients to suit your hungry belly!

Ingredients:
Hot Jimmy Dean Sausage (or 16 oz. of ground pork sausage)
1 large can of crushed tomatoes
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/2 yellow onion,diced
1 green bell pepper, diced


Directions:

1. Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. Bring a large pot of water to boil, satl generously, and cook the noodles as directed. Drain them and put them back into the pot with a splash of olive oil.
2. Add the sausage once the pan is hot, breaking it apart to avoid big clumps of sausage. After two minutes of browning, add in the garlic, onions, and peppers. Cook until the sausage is cooked through, stirring occasionally (roughly 8-10 minutes).
3. Add the desired spices (dried oregano, basil, pepper, salt, red pepper flakes, etc.) and stir to mix in. Add the tomatoes, cook until heated through.
4. Pour the meat sauce over the noodles and serve immediately. 

Enjoy! This pasta dish goes great with a mixed green salad or a plateful of asparagus! 

Ways to tweak it: add more or less garlic, ditch the onions for picky eaters, add a teaspoon (or more!) of cayenne to give it extra kick, use regular sausage instead of spicy, add in other veggies like zucchini or corn... anything you like!

Creamy Pasta with Bacon, Asparagus, and Mushrooms

One thing you are pretty much guaranteed to find in my fridge at all times of the year is a bundle of asparagus. Asparagus sneaks its way into pretty much everything I make, from pizza to spring rolls, sandwiches to quesadillas, pasta to salads.... I love it. And luckily, so does the BF so I don't get any complaints about having asparagus for the hundredth time this month.

I don't usually buy bacon, but this week it was on sale and all of a sudden I was salivating. I had to have bacon in my life right away.

I had just a few mushrooms, a few stalks of asparagus, and a couple slices of bacon left in my fridge which suddenly added up to be my decadent dinner the other night. This pasta is quick and easy, super-rich and yummy... pretty much the best pasta I've had in a while.


Ingredients:

•  4 mushrooms
• 3 stalks of asparagus
• 2 slices of bacon
• 1 cup pasta (shells or rotini)
• Alfredo sauce (I cheated an used a jar, but you can make it from scratch!)

Directions:

1. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Slice the mushrooms, cute the asparagus stalks into quarters, and chop the bacon into small pieces. Add to the skillet and cook until the bacon is crisp. 
2. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a medium pan and drain it. Put the pasta back into the pan for later. Prepare a plate lined with paper towels or napkins for the bacon mix.
3. Once the bacon is fully cooked, use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon and veggies to drain on the prepared plate. Add the desired amount of alfredo sauce to the pasta, and turn onto low heat. Add the bacon mixture, stir until the pasta is heated through. Serve warm!

Enjoy!

Beef Stroganof

WARNING: Man-Friendly Meal.

When I asked the BF if he wanted beef stroganof for dinner a few days ago, he told me he'd never tried it. That made my heart a little bit sad because I feel like beef stroganof is such a classic meal that never needs updating! Plus, for a guy who doesn't eat anything with tomatoes, beef stroganof could be a dream come true.

The best thing about this recipe is that you can eyeball all of the ingredients, so don't worry about exact measurements and just go with what feels (or tastes) good.

This made enough for 6 servings

Ingredients:

•  1 lb. chuck, or stewing beef
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 15 brown mushrooms
• 1 box beef broth
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Salt/Pepper
• 3 tablespoons butter or olive oil spread
• 4 tablespoons flour
• Uncooked pasta (I like shells or rigatoni so the sauce gets scooped into every bite)

Directions:

1. Heat a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Cut the chuck into 1/2 inch thich strips, and add to the pan. Brown, then set aside on a plate. 
2. While the beef is browning, chop the garlic, onion, and mushrooms. Leave the mushrooms in relatively large chunks. Add the veggies into the pan after you've removed the beef, and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 5 minutes, then add 3 cups of beef broth and the cooked beef to the pan. Add the butter and flour, stir to combine, then reduce the heat to medium-low so the mix can simmer.
3. After 10 minutes of simmering, add the sour cream and seasonings. At this point, if the sauce is super wet, add more flour. If it is very thick, add more broth. Like I said, eyeball it!
4. Let the sauce simmer for 30 minutes (or more!) then turn off the heat. Boil the noodles as desired, then add to the sauce and mix. Serve hot!

Enjoy!

Italian-Style Pasta with a Simple Garlic Sauce

I picked up the latest Bon Appetit issue (those magazines are like gold), and it describes a method of cooking pasta that I had never heard of before! Sad, because it was life-changing when I made it... If only I had known!!!  The silkiness... the flavor... the urge to say ciao... it's all too much.

Ingredients:

• Spaghettini or angel hair pasta
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• olive oil
• plenty of salt
• Fresh herbs (basil and oregano!), chopped

Directions:

1. Heat your pasta water, and throw in lots of salt into the water. Yes, a little more. A little more... a little more. Don't be shy with your salt! As soon as it starts to boil throw in your pasta.
2. Heat a large/deep non-stick skillet over medium heat and pour in a drizzle of olive oil and add the garlic. Put the heat on low and cover the pan with a lid, stirring occasionally. 
3. As soon as your pasta is roughly 2 minutes from being done to your likeness, use tongs to plop the pasta into the pan that is cooking your garlic. Add about 1/3 cup of the pasta water, and reserve the rest. Turn the heat to medium-high, and use the tongs to toss the pasta with the garlic sauce. Once it has boiled down and the sauce is thicker (and the pasta is done how you like it) turn off the heat and add in the fresh herbs. Toss with the tongs, and serve.

NOTE: This is the basic method - pasta in one pan, sauce ingredients in the other, use pasta water to thicken sauce... So that means you can saute anything and pour your pasta water on it... asparagus! tomatoes! squash! carrots! peas! mushrooms! sausage! shrimp! anything!Enjoy!