Fall Cooking!

My husband and I both love to cook. In our newly remodelled kitchen in our new home? Even better! My husband designed every aspect of our new kitchen and it is a chef's dream - plenty of light, gorgeous granite counter space for prep, and handy cabinets every which way.

Gemelli with fresh pesto and burrata cheese.

Oven roasted chicken thighs, marsala baby bella mushrooms, and oven roasted asparagus.

Orzo salad with roasted zucchini, potatoes and mushrooms, and grilled chicken breasts.

 Linguini alle vongole - pasta with clams in white wine sauce.

Cheese plate, grapes, and a glass of Cabernet - this is a weekly staple at our house!

Mac n' Chese Cupcakes!

For a co-worker without a sweet tooth (gasp!), I had so much fun playing around with a savory cupcake recipe. These mac and cheese 'cupcakes' were delicious and adorable - the baked breadcrumb topping really set them off!

Fresh Orzo Salad!

I rarely come up with my own recipe, at best I come up with interesting takes or little tweaks on recipes I pull from other foodie blogs or Food Network chefs. Last night's dinner came completely out of nowhere. I had just finished work (8 hrs) and calculus class (3 hours) and was in no mood to pick up takeout or make a sandwich. I still had the urge to make dinner, but I was too tired to go through the motions of seasoning and baking a protein. I decided to make a simple but fresh and colorful pasta salad using orzo. Orzo is a lovely rice-shaped type of pasta, typically found in soups or casseroles.

I cooked up a small bag of orzo in boiling water and chicken stock, and then drained and seasoned it with olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, dried parsley, sea salt, and black pepper. To accompany it, I added diced avocado, diced cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, sweet corn, and white cannellini beans, and tossed it all together. This orzo salad took fifteen minutes to make, as most of the ingredients were already prepared (I used canned corn and beans, and chopped the veggies). This is a great vegetarian and vegan option, and both filling and satisfying. I made a big batch and served it Italian family-style in a lovely rustic ceramic platter. This is the perfect summertime dish, light yet hearty, colorful and fresh.

While at the store, I picked up some mini treats to enjoy with the Chianti I had picked up at the farmer's market over the weekend. PS: I never get tired of that gorgeous Italian granite as my background ;)

Avocado Pesto Pasta!

I was browsing through my new favorite blog, Gimme Some Oven, and found a recipe for Avocado Pesto Pasta that I knew I had to make soooon. Avocados, basil, whole wheat pasta, and toasty pine nuts? Sold. Throw in some creamy spinach and Parmesan shavings and Friday night dinner is looking pretty good.

All the pesto ingredients in the food processor: avocados, lemon juice, basil, pine nuts, walnuts, salt & pepper, garlic, and olive oil to be added.

Boiling pasta, sauteing spinach, toasting pine nuts ...

Gorgeous bright green pesto.... There is nothing as lovely as the color and smell of homemade pesto! I love the color of the avocados in this too. Topped with toasted pine nuts ... for that added crunch factor!

Summer 2020:

Pesto, Spinach, and Mushrooms!

Thanks to so much Italian in my life, I've discovered a late-blooming love for spinach and mushrooms. I liked them before just fine, but now find myself absolutely devoted. Pesto has always been a favorite of mine, but only homemade! Store-bought pesto is atrocious. I'm also really into whole wheat pasta, more and more. The color is pleasing (as well as natural!) and tends to have more of a bite to it, something I appreciate as a total al dente fan. Last night I made a simple pesto (basil, pine nuts, walnuts, lemon juice, garlic, Parmesan, salt, pepper) and tossed it with whole wheat mini shells (conchiglie). I sauteed sliced white mushrooms in butter and olive oil until tender and wilted a big bunch of fresh spinach with it. I mixed everything together, sprinkled Parmesan on top, and voilà! Dinner is served :)

Made on 03/19/2012.

Spaghetti All Aglio e Olio!

This dish has to be one of the simplest, yet it is so delicious! Using fresh ingredients and letting their flavors shine in a basic plate is key. I sauteed white mushrooms in butter and olive oil, then added 5 minced garlic cloves and a bit more oil. I then added 9 oz of baby spinach leaves and cooked it down with the juice of 1 lemon. I cooked spaghetti until al dente, and then added 1/3 cup of pine nuts to the spinach-garlic mixture. Before draining the spaghetti, I reserved two tablespoons of the starchy cooking water and added it to my veggie mix (it keeps everything together!). I dropped the spaghetti in the pot and added a touch of white wine and cream, and stirred it all together. Topped with grated Parmesan and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, this was one of the best dinners I've had in awhile!

Baked Squash Mac & Cheese!

Baked Squash Mac & Cheese!

Made on 03/11/12.

Variations: I used sour cream instead of Greek yogurt, and my three cheeses were Pecorino Romano, Parmesan, and Cheddar. I used whole wheat rotini for the pasta, and Italian breadcrumbs instead of Panko. Delish!

The squash is great - not only is it a healthy addition to the mac & cheese, but it provides a wonderful creamy texture and gorgeous color! I was apprehensive about this flavor combination, but everything melts together very well :)

Exam De-Stressing!

Exams are coming up so I am taking plenty of cooking breaks in between :)

Starting with Giada's Turkey Meatballs!

Variation: I baked the meatballs instead of cooking them on the stove. For the sauce, I roasted some tomatoes in olive oil and then pureed them with cream, garlic, and red wine. Simple and delicious!

Made on 02/04/12.

I saw these on My Baking Addiction and knew I had to make them very very soon,  Chocolate Chip Muffins!

Made on 02/04/12.

Homemade Tagliatelle al Ragù (Bolognese)!

My biggest challenge yet: handmade pasta! Made on 01/23/12.

First off: 6 large eggs, 5 cups of all-purpose flour, and 1 teaspoon of olive oil.

Make a well 6 inches across inside the mounds of flour and crack the eggs into it, along with the olive oil.

Whisk together the eggs with a fork, slowly incorporating the flour.

The mixture slowly forms a paste.

Keep whisking away.....

Eventually it forms a ball of dough, so set it aside to rise at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Roll out the dough, reflouring the surface often, until it is very thin.

Using a pizza cutter, slice off the edges to form a perfect square.

Slice thin strips.

Put all the tagliatelle together on a floured tray and leave to dry for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Yay!

Drying out a little...

Bring a pot of salted water to boil and drop the pasta in for 2-5 minutes. (My boyfriend does a good job) :)

Dropping it in!

All done! Serve with Ragu alla Bolognese! and a bottle of merlot ;)

The finished plate!

Thanks to Joy The Baker! :)

What I have made thus far .... Bon Appétit Edition!

Banana Cream Pie!
Made on 05/20/11.

Ragù Bolognese!
Made on 05/23/11.

Zucchini Ricotta Galettes!
Made on 05/31/11.

Thanks to Bon Appétit! :)