Slow Roasted Tomatoes

Before Roasting

Fall is my absolute favorite season. The first sign around here of Fall's approaching arrival are when the first rains come, and the evenings get a touch more chilly, forcing you to break out that extra blanket for the bed. Or, if you are anything like me, it might also be the first time you have had a desire to turn on your hot oven in a few months! Although I love the anticipation of Fall and what it brings, I often feel reluctant to let Summer go. I find myself hoping for one last day to squeeze in by the pool, one last late night BBQ with friends, one last adventure to put the brakes on life for a day. Anything really that will slow time down, just a little. Change can be hard.

I had a bunch of beautiful Brandywine heirloom tomatoes sitting on my kitchen counter and I just couldn't eat them fast enough, no matter how hard I tried. Rather then sit and watch them die a slow death, I decided to slow roast them in my oven. A simple idea really, but one that will let me have a taste of summer just a little while longer.

 7-8 tomatoes, garden variety, you can use any type you want, although you may have to adjust cooking time.
7 garlic cloves
Fresh Thyme sprigs
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil
Preheat your oven to 225 degrees. Line a heavy rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Slice tomatoes and lay on baking sheet. Scatter garlic cloves between tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper (not too much salt, these will reduce). Drizzle with a healthy dose of olive oil. Roast tomatoes, turning every so often if you like about 3.5-4hrs.

I love to toss these tomatoes in big bowl of pasta, but they are also excellent served with cheese and crackers or on a sandwich, preferably one with bacon!

My favorite gluten free pasta- you really can't even tell the difference!

Let's hope this gal will survive my brown thumb and the Fall!

After 3.5 hours

Slow Cooker Soy Ginger Chicken Linguine

                                                                
Random things I am currently obsessed with: lamb gyros, rose gold jewelry, intarsia sweaters, and cooking in my slow cooker. My slow cooker or as it is better known in my house by the label of crock pot, was a wedding gift; a 4 qt Red Rival that does a fantastic job. However, it is starting to show signs of use and is sometimes a little too small.....This fact became laughably apparent last month when I made a chili and spent most of the time hovering around trying to keep the lid secure and all the ingredients inside the pot. (Thus defeating the greatest benefit of cooking with a crockpot, the "fix it and forget about it" aspect!) Right now I have my eye on this 6 Qt beauty Here at Target.(Hint, hint, Merry Christmas!) Over the years, my crockpot has been put to use at least a few times a year for dinners like beef stew, carnitas, and stroganoff; but until now I didn't really use it routinely. Now I find that if I put it to use at least once a week it cuts down on my stress level, frees up time, and provides a hot and filling meal for my family with plenty of leftovers for eating or freezing. 

 This recipe is adapted from a similar one on Martha Stewart.com except that I changed it quite a bit and made it into a pasta dish. The chicken part of the recipe on it's own would be good served over rice as well.

Soy Ginger Chicken Linguine

For chicken:

8-9 chicken thighs, bone in and skin removed 
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced into rounds
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 red onion, chopped
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon ground coriander

Garnishments: 

1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 green onions sliced
1/2 cup unsalted peanuts, chopped

For Linguine:

1 lb linguine
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons soy sauce


In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients for chicken, minus the garnishments.  Cook on low 
until chicken is falling apart,  about 5 hours. Remove bones and any little fatty skin bits. Turn the cooker to warm and start on the pasta portion.

Cook pasta until al Dente in a large pot of salted, boiling water and drain. In the same pot over medium heat, add the sesame oil. When you start to smell the sesame oil, about a minute, add red pepper flakes, cook 1 minute and add soy sauce. Add slow cooker chicken and then linguine.. Mix together until well combined. Top with garnishments and serve!

Coast Food

Last November, my mom and stepdad bought a house in Lincoln City on the Oregon Coast. Forever dubbed "The Coast House" by my 4 year old, it is a home they hope to retire to; but for now it is a place where we can gather with family and get away from it all. Although, only 80 miles from Portland, when I visit , I feel a world away. A house where bacon is cooked up every morning, without concern to waistlines or cholesterol. A place where the biggest worry is deciding what to cook or where to eat..... Seahawk Bread and chowder from Tidal Raves? Fish and Chips from Gracie's or J's? Or should we just pick up some fresh caught seafood at Barnacle Bills? I'm not kidding,  these are serious Coast House decisions! However, there are a few staple meals that I usually prepare on our visits, here are two of them:

Smoked Salmon Pasta

I make this pasta both in full fat and reduced fat versions. I haven't noticed a huge difference in taste between them, however the full fat version creates a smoother, creamier sauce. If entertaining, I would suggest using whole fats, but feel free to substitute for non fat choices. This recipe easily doubles to feed a crowd as well. When I feel like splurging, I also double the amount of smoked salmon. (That doesn't hurt as well.)

* make sure to use cold smoked salmon (lox). Do not use hot, canned, or hardwood smoked salmon or your pasta will be far too salty.

16 ounces penne pasta

4 ounces cold smoked salmon (lox), chopped into small pieces.

1 small yellow onion, finely diced

4 cloves garlic, pressed or very finely minced

2 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup heavy cream

1 8 ounce package cream cheese, cubed & at room temperature. 

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup dry white wine; Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigo

2 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons olive oil

* optional grated Parmesan

Bring a large pot of boiling, salted water to a boil. Cook pasta to Al Dente. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until cooked to a light golden brown color about 10 minutes. Add garlic, cook one minute. Add white wine, and cook until slightly reduced, 3-4 minutes. Add the cream cheese and continuously stir until fully incorporated, then add the cream. Add tomato paste and stir. Add smoked salmon and continue cooking and stirring, until sauce is thick and creamy. Remove from heat and add hot penne pasta. Mix together. Serve with a little grated Parmesan sprinkled on top and enjoy!

Steamed Clams and Mussels

This is a very simple recipe and can be used for both mussels and clams. With mussels, instead of wine, I like to use beer. Choose a non hoppy, malty beer, like an amber ale. I suggest Widmer Drop Top Amber Ale.

3 tablespoons Salted butter

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

1/2 cup dry white wine ( if using mussels, substitute amber ale )

3 pounds clams or mussels in shell

Melt butter in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes. Add wine and bring to a boil. Add shellfish and cover with a lid, cook about 5 minutes until shells are opened. Discard any unopened shellfish.

The First Dish I Ever Cooked: Fettuccine with Prosciutto, Asparagus, and Tomatoes

If you had a conversation with my mom about my teenage years you would probably walk away thinking that she should be put on the fast track to sanctification and that man, I was kind of a brat. I'm not sure if 'brat" is exactly the right term, but I did have a cavalier attitude about most things, and this includes school and my personal safety. Like most young people I thought I was invincible and could do anything. This attitude meant that I thought high school attendance was flexible, speed limits were simply a suggestion , and that the only good food existed in the form of Reese's peanut butter cups and Jack In the Box containers, oh yeah, and that adults were complete idiots. I know I wasn't alone in this line of thinking, these are all pretty standard reasons for why most people can't stand teenagers. It took a few years and some hard life lessons for me to realize that I couldn't just run through life doing whatever the hell I wanted or saying whatever the hell I wanted. For the most part, I now think mainly good things come with age and maturity, but there is a little part of me that wishes I still had a little bit more of my spirit before it was tamed. Not the reckless, ignorant part; but the confident part, that narcissistic (in a good way) thing that only young people possess. That brief moment in time where you think you can do whatever you want to, be whatever you want to, all because you want to.....

This was the kind of confidence I had the first time I decided to cook a meal. I had collected cookbooks long before I ever thought about actually putting them to use, I just liked reading them. Then one day, I was flipping through a book on Italian cooking, and I came across a recipe that sounded good. Right then and there I decided I'd make it for my high school graduation party. I didn't know how to cook at all, but the meal turned out great. Yes, this was probably due to luck and good ingredients, but I think it also had a little to do with a confident spirit. From then on, I started cooking all kinds of things, some great, some terrible! (I once made fish and chips that were completely inedible and homemade aioli where I didn't peel the garlic cloves! Yikes is right...)  The other day I was at the farmer's market and bought a bunch of fresh asparagus and started contemplating what to do with it, when I remembered this old recipe and decided to revisit this meal again. The recipe turned out just as good as I remembered; which I like to think was due to a different confidence, one learned over years spent in the kitchen, prepping and executing. However, I know I don't know everything about cooking yet, I don't believe anyone ever can, for there is always something new to learn. So this summer I made a promise to myself to be more confident and experimental in the kitchen. I have a couple ideas, one of them being that I am going to try canning. The process intimidates me, (fear of botulism; hello East of Eden.....) but I hope to tackle the task with a bit of my old youthful fervor! How about you? What intimidates you in the kitchen? How did you try and overcome your culinary fears? What was the first meal you ever cooked?

Fettuccine with Asparagus
Adapted from "The Italian Collection" by Food & Wine Books
Serves 6
1 pound this asparagus
6-8 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced and cut into thin strips
1 (14 ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained and then chopped. (I use Muir Glen Organic for quality flavor.)
1 pound fettuccine pasta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Snap the tough ends off asparagus and discard. Cut the fresh spears into 1 inch pieces. In a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook the asparagus just until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and rinse in a colander, shocking them with cold water. (This stops the cooking process.)

In a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook pasta until al dente, usually 8-10 minutes, then drain. While pasta is cooking, in a large saute pan, melt 4-6 tablespoons of butter over medium low heat. Add the prosciutto and cook, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper, turn the heat to medium and simmer until sauce is thickened, about 5 Minutes. Add asparagus and cook a minute or two more until heated through. Add sauce to pot with pasta, adding Parmesan and a tablespoon more butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. It is important to mix pasta and sauce together for about 30 seconds as this ensures that all the flavors develop and that each piece of pasta is coated with sauce! Serve with a crisp white wine and enjoy!

Lasagna with Chicken Italian Sausage & Spinach

I'd like to sit here and pretend that we always have a big Sunday meal, with five choices of sides, three of which are freshly cooked vegetables, but most Sunday nights that is not even close to reality. Sundays around here are family days, which means depending on our moods and the season we can usually be found doing one of these activities or a combination of: sleeping in, cooking a big breakfast, going to church, gardening, watching football, going for a Sunday drive, a long walk, doing puzzles and reading with our girls. Sundays pass too quickly, and by evening I am feeling rather lazy in regards to dinner.  But some Sundays, when I have been extra organized with my time and my shopping list, I can put out a meal worthy of a Sunday dinner, family style........

Don't be afraid of lasagna, it's not as time consuming or as complicated as you might think. This whole meal from start to finish only took me a little over an hour, and more than half of that is just cooking time. A really great tip I got from watching an episode of The Barefoot Contessa (Ina Garten) is to put your uncooked lasagna noodles in a bowl of piping hot tap water for 20 minutes, then drain. The lasagna noodles end up perfectly par boiled without the hassle of actually par boiling!

Lasagna with Chicken Italian Sausage and Spinach
Serves 6-8

1 pound sweet Italian chicken sausage (casings removed)
1 10 oz bag spinach
2 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes
1 6 oz can tomato paste
3 tsp italian seasoning (seperated)
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
20 oz Ricotta
8 oz Lasagna noodles (1/2 package)
12 oz FRESH Mozzarella (cut in thin slices)
1 cup Parmesan
1 egg
salt and pepper

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes, season with salt and pepper.  Add garlic, cooking until fragrant about a minute. Add sausage cooking until browned, about 8-10 minutes. Add spinach in batches until wilted. Season with salt and pepper. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning. Simmer 20 minutes.

While sauce is simmering, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put lasagna noodles in bowl and pour the hottest tap water over them. Let sit 20 minutes, then drain. In a medium bowl combine Ricotta, Parmesan, egg, and 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp salt and pepper. The only good way to do this is by using your hands! Set aside.

In a 13x9x2 baking dish, spread 1/3 of the red sauce on the bottom of baking dish. Then layer half the pasta noodles. On top of that half the Mozzarella, then half the Ricotta mixture. After that 1/3 more of the sauce, rest of the pasta, then the rest of the Mozzarella, followed by the Ricotta mixture, then the last 1/3 of the sauce. Bake for 35 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve with salad, and like all lasagna the leftovers taste even better!

Ramen

Trying to knock myself out of the winter doldrums, I have been on a big Asian food kick lately, craving Thai curries, fusion stir fries, and Japanese Ramen.  I used to be afraid of cooking any type of Asian food, but as with any cuisine that is foreign to you, all that is needed is a little research. Like all cooking, once you familiarize yourself with key flavor combinations and ingredients, it's actually pretty easy.  There is also the added reward of satisfying your taste buds at home, rather than going out to eat, which isn't always plausible with 2 children, especially if you have a 3 year old with a taste for sushi. !$$$$!

I struggled with wanting to call this post " Semi-Homemade Ramen" but decided against it because I really can't stand that particular food network show. I'm sure Sandra Lee is a nice enough person but her tacky kitsch decorating that goes along with every single one of her blue cocktails topped with shredded coconut meals really creeps me out..... However, the truth of the matter is that this ramen is not the "authentic" ramen you would get from a Japanese chef. I don't make my own noodles, and my broth isn't homemade dashi, however I think it still tastes better than other versions I've had in a few restaurants (that will remain unmentioned) around town. 

Locally, I like to shop for Asian ingredients at Uwajimaya. However, you can find all these ingredients in any well stocked market. The great thing about cooking Asian style food is that once you load your pantry up with a few essential ingredients, they'll last you a long time. An important ingredient in Asian cooking is actually sesame oil, just a little goes a long way in developing lots of flavor. Make sure to use sesame oil in your stir fries too, rather than vegetable oil, it makes such a difference!

Udon Noodles, Chili Garlic Sauce, &  Ginger

This ramen is pretty inexpensive, costing around 5 dollars to make. But if you are anything like my husband you are probably thinking to yourself "What, the Ramen I made in college only cost 15 cents!" Of course this tastes so much better, but besides all that do you really want to eat the way you ate in college??

Ramen
Serves 2-3

1 Tablespoon pure sesame oil
2 Garlic cloves, minced fine
1 Tablespoon ginger, minced fine
1/2 Tablespoon Thai chili garlic paste
4-5 Cremini mushrooms, sliced thin
4 cups low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 package original flavor Udon noodles, plus seasoning packet
2 eggs

Note about ingredients: I love my ramen extra spicy, so I actually add a whole tablespoon chili garlic paste, but only do this if you like a lot of spice. If you prefer no spice, just omit the chili garlic paste all together!

In a large soup pot heat the sesame oil over medium heat. Add garlic, ginger, and chili paste, mix together until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms, cook another minute or two more. Add your broth and bring to a slow boil. When water is boiling, add noodles and udon seasoning packet, stir. Add eggs, dropping in one at a time. (you are basically poaching the egg in the broth). Let everything cook about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and serve immediately!

And on a completely unrelated note, meet my Eva, the newest addition to our clan. Isn't she cute?

Spaghetti Carbonara

I have always been a little scared to make this, for a long time it didn't sound that appealing, and for a shorter amount of time I didn't think I could do it, I just knew I would end up with scrambled eggs and spaghetti noodles.....and to be honest, when I was testing out different recipes, I did end up with just that! Practice makes perfect though, and I wish I had discovered spaghetti carbonara a long time ago! There are oh so many different versions of spaghetti carbonara out there, but I like this one, simple, comforting and quite a mouthful!

Spaghetti Carbonara
Serves 4

5 ounces pancetta, thinly sliced or finely diced
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, finely grated or pressed
3 eggs
1 cup finely grated Parmesan
1/2 cup pasta water
1 pound spaghetti
3-4 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
Salt and Pepper

Start a pot of salted water to boil. In medium saucepan, heat olive oil and pancetta over medium/medium high heat until pancetta is brown and crisp, about 6 minutes. When pancetta is brown, add in finely grated garlic and cook until just fragrant, about a minute. Remove from heat. (You might want to keep this on a very low flame to keep warm while you prepare the rest of the dish!) In a small mixing bowl, whisk together Parmesan and 3 eggs until mixture is smooth and free of lumps, set aside. Cook Spaghetti until al dente, about 9-10 minutes, making sure to reserve about a 1/2 cup of pasta water. Now this is the part you have to be precise and quick about or you will end up with scrambled eggs!! Drain pasta and immediately toss hot pasta with olive oil and pancetta until all the pasta is completely coated in pot. Make sure there is no heat still on/under pot! As soon as pasta is coated, add egg mixture tossing pasta and eggs rapidly with tongs until well combined. Don't worry, the heat from the pasta will cook the eggs! Add pasta water if needed to thin the sauce. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve immediately!

Linguine with Snap Peas, Zucchini, Basil, & Gremolata

I was busy rifling through recipes to utilize some snap peas I had received in last week’s CSA box. Inside the box, I had found the attached instructions on how they should be eaten to be completely unacceptable. They were to: “just eat the snap peas, raw.” No thank you! Healthy eating can only take me so far, and it doesn’t take me far enough to sit and eat raw vegetables with no seasoning for dinner. If I died the next day I don’t want my last meal on earth to be raw snap peas, or carrots, or cauliflower, you get the idea. This was this reason for my fervent pursuit of a recipe, so I could use up the snap peas. I ran across this one, in the May 2008 issue of Bon Appetit, adapted it a little, and it turned out to be a pretty darn good summer pasta. I got my flavor kicks and also ate my veggies. Now that is a healthy compromise!

Serves 4!

Gremolata is garnish of parsley, lemon and garlic. In this recipe capers are substituted for the garlic.

Gremolata:

3 Tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped
1 Tablespoon lemon peel finely grated
1 Tablespoon capers drained & chopped
1 Tablespoon olive oil

Mix parsley, lemon peel, capers and olive oil in a small bowl set gremolata aside.

For the Pasta:

¼ Cup olive oil
12 Ounces linguine
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Red jalapeno chiles, thinly sliced
2 Zucchini cut crosswise into 1/3 inch slices
1 Cup snap peas
1Cup packed fresh basil leaves
1 Cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Make sure to reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid. I like to do this buy sticking a heavy mug into the boiling water and scooping some out. While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and jalapenos, sautéing until soft, about 3 minutes. Add zucchini and snap peas and sauté until tender about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add drained pasta, the cooking liquid (salted boiled water), basil and grated Parmesan cheese to the skillet. Toss until the basil is wilted and the pasta is coated. Season with salt and pepper. Top with gremolata and extra Parmesan cheese.

Shell Pasta with Pancetta, Leeks, Mushrooms, and Tomatoes

It's been awhile. We have been busy with house guests the last week, I am in the middle of trying to start up a little business venture with a girlfriend (I will let you all know when that is up & running!)and my newly engaged sister is now visiting so of we have also been immersed in wedding planning! Of course we have still been eating delicious food, both dining out and eating in. Today for example, we trekked to the SE side to try the infamous "Reggie" at Pine State Biscuits. It was worth the wait and the 8 mile drive out of our way! We also had this pasta dish tonight for dinner.

I have really been into leeks lately, and this is a great way to use them. If you haven't cooked a lot with leeks, they are sort of like an onion, but milder and sweeter, they are incredible sauteed and caramelized as well. The shell pasta in this dish act as little spoons so you get bite sized scoops filled with all the ingredients. Bacon can be substituted for the pancetta, just be aware that the bacon has a much more aggressive smoky flavor than the pancetta. Bacon is more economical, but I really like the subtleness of the pancetta because it allows you to taste the blend of all the flavors! This recipe is loosely adapted from Gordon Ramsay's cookbook Fast Food.

Serves 4

1 Pound pasta shells also can be found as Conchiglie
3 Tablespoons olive oil
5 Ounces pancetta, sliced
3 Leeks, trimmed and finely sliced (white & pale green parts only)
10 Ounces Cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
1 14 1/2 Ounce can petite diced tomatoes, drained
6 Ounces creme fraiche
salt & pepper
parsley, chopped for garnish

In this dish it is very important to season every layer as it cooks, and not just at the end! Heat a large pot of salted water, bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over med high heat. Add the pancetta and cook until golden brown, then add the leeks, season with salt and pepper. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook on high heat about 8-10 minutes until leeks are tender. Add the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper. Cook another 2-3 minutes. Add in creme fraiche, and parsley, stir and season with salt and pepper, remove from heat. Toss in cooked pasta shells. Season to taste. Serve immediately!

Parmesan & Fresh Basil Cream Sauce

I recently bought these very rich smoked salmon raviolis by Monterey Pasta Company. The first time I had these, I made a simple pasta sauce out of olive oil and fresh basil but it just didn't pair well together, the smoked salmon was a little too strong for the basic olive oil dressing. The ravioli really needed a sauce that was equally rich and indulgent to balance out the flavors, so I decided to make an Alfredo type sauce for them. Typically I don't cook a lot with cream or make cream sauces, but after experimenting a little, I think this one came out just right; not too heavy and the basil adds a nice freshness. Next time I make this sauce I think I will toss it with some fettuccine and sauteed mushrooms or shrimp. Of course, I won't be making this sauce weekly, it is not exactly bathing suit season friendly!

This sauce makes enough for a pound of pasta. If you are using one of those 8 ounce fresh pasta packages, then just divide this recipe in half!

1 1/2 Cups Heavy Cream
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 Cup freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese
4 Garlic cloves, minced
1 Shallot, minced
10 Fresh Basil leaves, chopped
1/8 Teaspoon white pepper*
1/4 Teaspoon Kosher salt

*White pepper adds a much more subtle flavor as a seasoning to cream based dishes and fish, such as salmon.

Melt butter in a medium/large saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and shallots. Cook, until tender, about 4-5 minutes. Add cream, Parmesan, and basil, increase heat to high and bring to a slow boil, reducing the sauce, about 4 minutes. When sauce is at desired consistency reduce heat to medium and add white pepper and salt, cooking an additional 2 minutes. Serve over pasta! You will probably want to serve it with some garlic bread to mop up all the yummy sauce as well!

"Take Me to a BBQ Salad": Lemon Penne with Tomatoes, Bell Pepper & Feta

Several years ago, I made a version of this pasta salad for a barbeque but I had since lost the recipe. With this weekend’s gorgeous weather I decided to try and recreate something similar to what I remembered. This salad turned out delicious and would be a great addition to any summertime picnic or get together, plus it keeps really well and makes for excellent leftovers! You also wouldn’t have to worry about it getting too warm, because there is no mayo involved. To elevate this pasta salad from a side dish to a meal, add some store bought rotisserie chicken. Let’s get real, during a hot summer day the last thing you probably feel like doing is turning on a hot oven.

Lemon Pasta Salad with Tomatoes, Red Pepper & Feta
Serves 4 as a meal, 8 as a side dish

For the dressing:
7 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
3 Tablespoons whole grain mustard *I actually used whole grain mustard with garlic. If you don’t have whole grain mustard with garlic, then use 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard with 2 minced garlic cloves.
4 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

For the Salad:
12 Ounces Penne pasta
2 Cups grape or cherry tomatoes halved
2 Red bell peppers, chopped
10 Ounces crumbled Feta cheese

Start a large pot of salted water to boil.

Whisk oil lemon juice, mustard, garlic, and lemon peel in a small bowl until emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Cook Penne pasta in boiling salted water until al dente, about 11 minutes. Drain pasta. In a colander, rinse pasta with cold water until cool to the touch. In a large bowl, toss pasta with tomatoes, bell pepper, and feta cheese. Pour dressing over and toss until well coated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

* If you have it on hand, top with some chopped fresh thyme.

We might see a lot of rain during the other 3 seasons of the year, but the Portland summers can't be beat! Lovin' it!

Thin Spaghetti with Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce

My daughter loves spaghetti. This is not a newsflash, I mean who doesn’t like spaghetti? The problem is that some days I just don’t have the time or the want to make a spaghetti sauce that takes all day to cook. Yes, a good red sauce needs to cook all day, preferably be cooled down after cooking, and then reheated to get the most developed flavors. My Grandma Londa, who also happens to be an excellent cook, taught me this and is pretty adamant about it! So I usually try to reserve my spaghetti making to days when I am going to be home all day. Those days are usually Sundays, but there are just times during the week when I want that comfort of those flavors and I want Sofia to eat a big dinner, so I was delighted when I ran across this pasta recipe.

This sauce is super easy and quick, and can be made with items in the pantry. The use of sun-dried tomatoes gives this dish that deep slow cooked flavor you get from homemade spaghetti sauce, but the whole dish can be thrown together in less than 20 minutes. I get my sun-dried tomatoes at Trader Joes, they are much cheaper there than the grocery store and you can buy them already julienned, thus reducing your cooking and cleanup time, which is exactly what you want in a good weeknight dinner. This recipe also calls for goat cheese, but this part is completely optional, I truthfully don’t think leaving it out takes away anything from the dish. If I have it on hand, I throw it in, if not I don’t. My daughter loves this dish almost as much as my trusty spaghetti (if it had ground beef, it would be a tie!) and I love that I can throw this dish together any old night and my taste buds are truly satisfied!

The idea for this sauce has been adapted from Everyday Pasta by Giada De Laurentis, serves 4!

1 10 Ounce Jar Sun-Dried Tomatoes in Oil, Chopped. (Reserve the Oil!)
1 Small Yellow Onion, Chopped.
4 Garlic Cloves, Pressed or Grated (You can do minced, but I don't like big pieces of garlic in my sauce)
2 Cups Dry White Wine
¼ Cup Tomato Paste
1 Pound Thin Spaghetti (I always use Barilla)
3 Tablespoons Chopped Flat Leaf Parsley
S & P
3 Ounces Fresh Goat Cheese (Optional)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once the water is boiling add thin spaghetti and cook until al dente (about 6-7 minutes). I usually start the sauce (below) and try to drop the thin spaghetti into the water about the same time I add the wine to the sauce.

Heat 3 tablespoons of the reserved oil from the sun-dried tomatoes in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until tender about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and stir about 30 seconds. Immediately add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the wine and chopped sun-dried tomatoes and simmer bout 3 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving a cup of the pasta water. (I do this by sticking a mug into the pasta water before draining.) Add the pasta and parsley to the sauce, toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water to moisten. Season with salt and pepper. If using, sprinkle with goat cheese and serve!

Sofia enjoying some weeknight spaghetti!

Lemon Linguine with Artichokes

Maybe it is the springtime (Yes, underneath this cloudy Portland weather), but I have been craving lemons and fresh greens lately, so I decided to make this pasta tonight for dinner. I usually make this recipe with shrimp. However last time I made it was for a girlfriends lunch and my girlfriend Julie proceeded to pick out all the shrimp and just eat the pasta. At first I was embarrassed that maybe my shrimp tasted terrible or something, but later found out she had developed an aversion to seafood during her pregnancy and was still not in the swing of things yet. That incident got me thinking about what might be a good shrimp-less substitute and I came up with artichokes. Also, I decided to try the artichokes, because they don’t have any cholesterol, whereas shrimp is actually very high in cholesterol. This dish is fast and simple for weeknight but also makes an elegant presentation if you were having guests over. Frozen artichokes (and artichokes in general) can be expensive, so whenever I go to Trader Joes (The cheapest I have found) I just stock up on them. If you wanted only pasta, this dish would still be tasty without the artichokes, the lemon really being the main flavor spot of this recipe. And of course, the little bit of wine used is just an excuse to open a bottle with dinner. Enjoy!

Also a quick money saver that anyone can do. (Yes, even while city living!) I have 2 window size boxes on my deck that I have planted herbs in. Sage, oregano , lemon thyme , thyme , chives , and parsley. Basil needs another month or so. Basically it cost me about $10 to plant all this, but is going to save me lots more than that by making it easy to have fresh herbs for cooking all spring and summer and not have to buy any! I think of it as sort of an herb pantry, knowing I always have these fresh on hand. Now just wish me luck remembering to water them!

Serves 4!

¾ Pound Linguine
1 Shallot (Finely Minced)
4 Cloves Garlic (Finely Minced)
3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
¼ Cup Dry White Wine
12 Ounces Frozen Artichoke Hearts (Dethawed)
¼ Cup Chopped Parsley
1 Lemon zested
Juice of 2 Lemons (Small) or 1 Large (About ¼ Cup)
¼ Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Kosher Salt and Pepper

Cook Linguine in salted boiling water. Meanwhile, melt butter and olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped shallots. Cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, cook 1 minutes. Add artichokes. Salt and pepper to taste. Add white wine. Cook altogether at a simmer until wine reduces, about 5 minutes. Add parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, and red pepper. Remove from heat. Toss with linguine and serve!

Cheese Tortellini with Pesto , Grape Tomatoes , & Parmesan Cheese

Recently I was faced with the dilemma of making a lot of vegetarian food for a party. I got a little panicky. I mean, I just don’t do well with rules. I always want to add a little crumbled bacon , some chopped anchovies , or place a giant meatball on top of everything. My mind was racing, how was I supposed to make a vegetarian dish that would fill guests up and actually taste good? So I came up with this meal; the recipe can easily be doubled, tripled, or in my case, quadrupled. It was so easy to make and was ready in less than 20 minutes. In fact, it was so stress-free that I felt a bit like I was cheating. The best part? The dish was a big hit and it looked pretty too, even without that meatball…..

1 # Cheese Tortellini (My personal favorite is Arthur's or Monterey Pasta Co.)
1 Cup Basil Pesto
1 Pint Mini Pearl Grape Tomatoes
Shaved/grated Parmesan (really, whatever you have on hand!)
*Lemon (Optional)

Basic Pesto Recipe:
2 Cups Fresh Basil Leaves, packed
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup Olive Oil
2-3 Tablespoons pine nuts
2-3 garlic cloves, minced (it really depends on how garlicky you like it)
* Blend the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in food processor for about 10 seconds. Slowly adding in the olive oil. Add the parmesan cheese until mixture resembles a thick paste. Season with salt & pepper. You can also add a little rice vinegar if you would like the pesto to keep in the fridge more than 3 days.
(Note: For those of you who don’t have a food processor or just want to save yourself time, using a pre-made pesto from the store, still tastes great too! I prefer Cibo Naturals basil pesto. You can buy a big jar from Costco and use the excess for other meals. (Spreading pesto on top of grilled salmon or chicken is delicious !)

Boil tortellini in water until al dente. Drain. Toss with pesto. Add grape tomatoes. If grape tomatoes seem to big, just cut them in half. Toss all together. Top with shaved parmesan and drizzle a squeeze of lemon on top. (The lemon isn’t necessary but I feel that it gives a lot of depth to the pesto!) Serve immediately and enjoy!

How simple is that? And ladies, your husbands will like it too, even the ones that think they are being punished if they don’t get meat for dinner! Also, I added some leftover roasted chicken (See previous blog) to my daughter’s portion to give her a little extra protein…..