JBug's Kitchen Antics

Chili-Cheese Mac

Sometimes the simple things are the best and even moreso when you're camping although there are many who would ask "how would you know" and with good reason. My idea of camping is a 3 star hotel with a kitchenette and no WIFI. Lucky a single burner, a pot, a knife and a spoon are about all you need to make this quick and easy dinner.

I'm warning you though - it is far from gourmet and certainly not calorically responsible especially when someone who will remain nameless goes back to the pot for thirds, but no matter. It's a perfect meal when you're looking for a quick carb load and/or you aim to indulge your resident carnivore who happens to love the stuff. 

Oh, in case you might actually be camping on this last long weekend of summer here's a few more good one pot dinner ideas for the ever so industrious camp cook.

Stuffed Pepper Soup     Cowboy Bean Stuff      One Pot Spaghetti

     

Course that assumes you've brought along your computer and have wifi access in which case it proves you like to rough it about as much as I do... and no we're not camping this weekend. We're home on the Oregon Coast where some if not all the camp grounds are full, the Bay is crowded with boats and crabbers, and the Alsea River is floating a whole gaggle of wanna'be salmon catchers. 

Creamy Cheesy Chili Mac (Inspired by Cooking Light)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 pound lean ground beef

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 can beef consommé

1-1/2 cups beef stock or water

1 – 10 ounce can diced tomatoes with green chile (I used Rotel)

8 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni

1 pound Velveeta cheese, cut into cubes

In a large pot or sauté pan with lid, heat oil until shimmering. Add onion and cook until transparent. Crumble in ground beef and sauté until beef is no longer pink. Add garlic powder, coriander, cumin, and chili powder and stir well to distribute spices. Add consommé, beef broth and diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Add macaroni and stir well. Cook, covered for 8 to 9 minutes or until macaroni is done. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Add Velveeta. Remove pot from heat, cover and let sit for 10 minutes to melt cheese and thicken mixture. Stir well and serve. Makes 6 servings.  

 

Orzo Salad With Lemon Dill Vinaigrette

This pasta salad is the kind of side dish that will go with almost anything but topped with peppered broiled salmon fresh from the ocean, it makes for one super fine summery main course too.

Adapted from myrecipes.com, I couldn't see the point in throwing out perfectly good lemon rind so I took the liberty of adding it to the vinaigrette along with the juice, added more fresh dill and mixed snow peas with fresh asparagus for a little extra crunch. A quick blanch in boiling water followed by an ice bath brought the color out in the vegetables beautifully without sacrificing any crispness.

Incidentally in case you're checking the original recipe here, I doubled the dressing because I thought the salad needed the extra boost and next time I may switch the dill for freshly chopped basil and a little fresh mint just because I'm ornery that way. Chopped cucumber, crunchy bell peppers, artichoke hearts and a few kalamata olives substituted for the asparagus and snow peas and it would be a whole new song and dance of the Mediterranean variety. Don't get me wrong, it is absolutely delicious as written but just imagine what one could do to change it up some? Of course Big Guy informed me he'd eat it just like it is every day of the week and twice on Sundays. Yup he liked it...a lot. Surprised the heck out'a me because I thought the orzo would be too prissy for him. 

Oh, in case your wondering how I cooked the salmon, I sprinkled a salmon fillet with Montreal Steak Seasoning, added a bunch of freshly ground black pepper then broiled it skin side down on high for 8 minutes. Left to rest for a few minutes to finish cooking, the skin was removed and the fillet crumbled on top of the salad. So easy and so darned delicious too. 

Orzo Salad with Lemon Dill Vinaigrette from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from myrecipes.com

Vinaigrette:

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Juice and zest of 1 large lemon

4 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

Generous amount of freshly grated black pepper

Place all ingredients into a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake to combine well. Refrigerate for 1 hour to allow flavors to develop.

Salad:

1/2 pound asparagus, cut into 3 inch pieces

1/2 pound snow peas

1 cup uncooked orzo

1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil and add asparagus and snow peas. Blanch for 30 seconds to bring color out then remove immediately and place into ice water. Drain well and place into a large bowl. Set aside.

Add orzo to pot and cook for 8 to 9 minutes or until al dente. Drain well and add to vegetables. Add onions and toss with prepared vinaigrette. Refrigerate until serving time.  Makes 6 servings. 

One Pot Noodleburger Stroganoff

Although ground beef is a King's ransom these days, if and when you manage to find it on sale, stretch it out and feed a crowd with this quick and easy one pot wonder.

Loaded with all the things that normally go into a traditional stroganoff including mushrooms, onion, and sour cream, this one's beefed up even more with the addition of dry marsala wine and nice chunky egg noodles are included in the pot too.  

It tastes pretty gourmet and is sure to please even the pickiest eaters in the family. Good thing we don't have any of those around here - heck in our house anything with booze in it is automatically gourmet.  

One Pot Hamburger Noodle Stroganoff from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from chow.com

1 tablespoons vegetable oil

8 ounces sliced mushrooms

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound ground beef

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup dry marsala wine (or sherry or red wine)

1 can beef consommé

1 package dried onion soup mix

2-1/2 cups water

1/4 cup ketchup

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

8 ounces egg noodles

3/4 cup sour cream

Chopped fresh parsley

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook until browned. Remove from pot and set aside. Add butter to pot and when melted add onions and garlic. Cook until vegetables are softened, then crumble in ground beef and cook stirring often until beef is no longer pink. Stir in flour, paprika, garlic powder and Worcestershire sauce. Cook for approximately 2 minutes, stirring up browned bits from bottom of the pot. Add wine and stir pot until the wine has evaporated. Add consommé, dry onion soup mix, water and ketchup. Bring to a boil and add noodles. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 7 to 8 minutes or until noodles are soft. Remove from heat and taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed. Stir in sour cream and fresh parsley. Allow mixture to sit for 5 minutes so noodles absorb liquid. Serves 4 to 6. 

 

Salmon Alfredo

It's been quite a while since we cracked a package of pasta in this house because in case you haven't noticed, we've been trying to limit our carbs. It seems the older you get the more those little beauties tend to pass the lips and head straight for the hips - at least that's the way it is for me; however, I can deal with only so much deprivation before my good intentions hit the dust. 

Imagine fettucine with luscious pink salmon tossed with crispy green asparagus in a creamy rich sauce touched with dill and nutmeg. Are you salivating yet? 

The bonus with this recipe is that it takes longer for the pasta water to boil than it takes to cook the entire dish which makes it perfect for a week night dinner.  Throw in a salad and some lemon puddings  for dessert and you'll have covered all the bases. Just so you know, while I used salmon fillets from our freezer slathered in a touch of Dijon mustard and a drizzle of honey then broiled for a mere 8 minutes, feel free to used canned salmon or even lox if you wish. It'll taste fantastic no matter what.

Salmon Alfredo with Asparagus from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Dairy Goodness

2 tablespoons butter

1 onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup half and half

3 ounces cream cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

Coarse ground black pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 pound fettuccine

1/2 pound fresh asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces

1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking liquid

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

3 tablespoons fresh chopped dill

8 ounces cooked salmon

Grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Boil water for pasta & salt liberally. Cook fettuccine as per package directions. Add asparagus to pasta during last minute of cooking. Drain well, reserving half cup of pasta water. 

Meanwhile melt butter in a large sauté pan. Add onion and cook until softened – about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in half and half, cream cheese, salt, pepper, paprika and nutmeg. Cook, stirring constantly until mixture simmers and thickens. Stir in cooked pasta and add pasta water to make a creamy consistency. Add dill and parsley then turn pasta into a serving bowl. Top with flaked salmon. Serve with parmesan cheese if you wish. Makes 4 servings. 

 

Chicken Tetrazzini

I recently roasted another chicken just like the one we had a month ago a la Ina with lots of lemon and onion sauce served on croutons. Hey when you find a fabulous recipe you just have to keep going back to it. Right?

Not only do we love the flavors of this perfect bird, we also love coming up with new ideas on what to do with the leftovers. There's nothing quite like roast chicken in the freezer for enchiladas, chicken salad or a pot pie. Last night the leftover cluck morphed into a great casserole.

Chicken Tetrazzini's been around in one form or another for over a hundred years and while this casserole can be made with darned near anything, even seafood or canned tuna, my personal favorite happens to be leftover chicken or turkey. There's nothing fancy about it including but not limited to the cream of chicken soup, but it is ramped up a bit with a fair bit of dry sherry although dry marsala would work just as well. It's a great way to make a bit of chicken stretch to feed your hungry masses and portions freeze exceptionally well too. That's what I did - put half in the oven in individual ramekins and the rest hit the freezer for a day the kitchen isn't singing its siren song.

Chicken Tetrazzini Adapted from Palm Country Cuisine

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 medium onion, chopped

4 ounces mushrooms, sliced

1/2 medium green pepper, chopped

1/2 cup chicken stock

 4 ounces thin spaghetti, cooked according to package directions

2 ounce jar chopped pimentos

1/2 cup dry sherry

1 can cream of chicken soup

4 ounces sour cream

2 cups diced cooked chicken

1/2 cup frozen green peas (optional)

Salt & pepper to taste

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup panko crumbs mixed with 1 tablespoon melted butter

In a nonstick skillet heat olive oil over medium, then add onion, mushrooms, and green pepper. Sauté until onion is soft. Add chicken stock and cook until liquid is reduced by half (about 3 minutes). 

In a medium bowl, combine chicken with cooked spaghetti. Add vegetable mixture, peas (if using) pimentos, sherry, chicken soup, and sour cream. Mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Place in greased casserole dish and top with parmesan cheese and buttered crumbs. Bake in 350 oven for 35 to 40 minutes until heated through. Serves 4

 

Cheesy Baked Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower

Every once in a while I try to sneak a meatless meal onto our menu and pass it on by the resident carnivore. It's not easy, believe me. I made him a massive juicy burger for lunch yesterday so I'm not sure he missed the meat so much in last night's dinner. Uh ya - who am I kidding? I can see the evil stare from here and he's not even in the room. Ha.

Anyway, this dish is a take on good old fashioned macaroni cheese but kicked up a notch or ten. I added sour cream and Dijon mustard to the bechamel, made it extra cheesy with white cheddar and parmesan, gave it some color with diced canned tomatoes and added the roasted cauliflower. Along with a crazy kind of corkscrew shaped pasta topped with a blanket of buttered crumbs, the gratin hit the oven until bubbly and ooey cheesy gooey.

You know who said it was "good" which really meant this is OK for a change but don't make a habit out'a it. Somehow I imagine if I'd added a nice thick blue rare rib eye on the side, he'd have been doing handstands. Sheesh. 

Personally, I thought it was quite tasty - creamy, rich, cheesy and satisfying with the nutty mild flavor of roasted cauliflower... I mean why have ordinary old cauliflower with cheese sauce when you can add pasta, right? 

Incidentally, here's a photo of last night's sunset as taken through our living room window. It was a sunny and balmy 69 degrees here yesterday, identical to the day before I might add. It is the same view I enjoy from the island in the kitchen. Does it give you an idea why I'm not spending as much time in the kitchen these days? 

 

Cheesy Baked Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower (Inspired by Bon Appetit)       

1 medium head cauliflower, cored and broken into florets

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 tablespoons butter, divided

2 Tablespoons flour

1 small onion, finely chopped

1-1/2 cups milk or half and half

3 cups grated cheese (I used Tillamook White Cheddar)

1 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard

1/2 cup grated parmesan

Salt and course ground pepper

1 – 14 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained

8 ounces pasta cooked per package directions and well drained

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 425. Toss cauliflower with olive oil and place on a sheet pan. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden and still slightly firm. Remove from oven and set aside. Reduce heat to 350.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in medium sauce pan. Add onion and sauté until softened. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Whisk in half and half and cook, stirring occasionally until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and add cheese, sour cream, Dijon mustard and parmesan cheese. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as required. Toss cooked pasta, roasted cauliflower and diced tomatoes with sauce and move to a gratin dish or 9 x 13 casserole that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and toss with breadcrumbs. Sprinkle on top of casserole. Place in oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbling and crumbs are toasted.  Makes 6 to 8 servings. 

 

Pasta with Chicken, Mushrooms and Tarragon

Dinner last night was ready in no time and darned tasty it was too and if you're thinking we've been eating a lot of pasta lately, you'd be right. You know what happened when we cut out the carbs last time? We both got the flu so to heck with that noise. Carb city here we come. 

Nothing out of the ordinary here. Chunks of chicken breast seasoned and lightly dusted with flour hit a frying pan until golden followed by sauteed cremini mushrooms, minced garlic and dried tarragon. A few good glugs of white wine (my precious FlipFlop Chardonnay to be exact, but any good quality dry white would be fine), a little heavy cream, a splash of pasta water and some chunky pasta and you're almost done. A handful of chopped fresh parsley, a sprinkle of grated parmesan and it's chow time.

Add a crisp salad and a glass of wine and you'll think you're celebrating. Why not, right?

 

Pasta with Chicken, Mushrooms and Tarragon (an original from JBug’s Kitchen Antics)

1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast cut into 1 inch pieces

2 tablespoons instant blending flour

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 tablespoons butter, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms

1 teaspoon dried tarragon

3/4 cup dry white wine

3/4 cup heavy cream

Reserved pasta cooking water

8 ounces pasta, cooked to package directions and drained

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Heat 1 tablespoon each butter and olive oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and dust with flour. Cook in sauté pan until golden brown on all sides – about 5 minutes. Remove to a bowl and keep warm. Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil and butter to the pan and when melted add mushrooms and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are golden. Add tarragon and cook another 30 seconds. Add white and cook for a minute. Return chicken to the pan along with heavy cream. Cook until bubbling, and then add cooked pasta. Toss pasta with chicken and sauce, adding reserved pasta cooking water to achieve a creamy consistency. When pasta has absorbed the sauce and mixture is hot, add parsley and cheese. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.  Garnish with additional cheese. Makes 4 to 6 servings. 

A year ago - Individual Pulled Pork Pies

Two years ago - Ham and Swiss Quiche

Lasagna Soup

While most of the rest of the country's dealing with frigid temperatures, we're finally getting some rain here on the Oregon coast. I had begun to think stormy rainy winters were a fallacy created by the locals to keep riff raff like us away from this glorious place.

It seemed like a great reason to cook up a pot of soup, especially like the one that caught my eye in October's Food Network Magazine. Of course, I had to do a little more research before I bit the bullet and came up with my own version.

There isn't much better in my book than a heaping helping of lasagna but if you're short on time and/or inclination, this will do in a pinch. I used a half pound of homemade hot italian sausage along with a pound of extra lean ground beef; added onions, garlic, lots of red pepper flakes and dried Italian seasoning. Dry marsala wine hit the pot because I love the flavor and a little booze makes almost everything better. I nixed the idea of tomato paste and threw in a large can of tomato puree and a small one of diced tomatoes along with a quart of low sodium chicken stock. After that it was just salt, pepper and time - about a 40 minute simmer to mellow out the flavors and thicken the soup. I cooked up some lasagna noodles on the side because adding them uncooked to the soup would have made it into a stew and then mixed ricotta cheese with grated parmesan and chopped fresh basil to dress the bowl.

We loved it but then again, what's not to love right? Spicy hearty meaty tomato sauce in a bowl with creamy ricotta and al dente noodles - it really is lasagna in a bowl. Just imagine how great the leftovers are going to taste because stuff like this always tastes better the second day and a good thing too because the recipe makes a ton.

I'm even thinking about leaving out the noodles and poaching eggs in the "soup" instead for a quick and easy "Nova in Purgatory" kinda' like the one we made way back in 2010. Now there's an idea, huh!

Lasagna Soup (inspired by Food Network Magazine as well as “300 Sensational Soups” by Carla Snyder)

Cooking spray

1/2 pound hot Italian sausage

1 pound extra lean ground beef

2 large onions, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 cup dry marsala wine (optional)

1 – 14 ounce can diced tomatoes with juices

1 – 28 ounce can tomato puree

1 quart low sodium chicken stock

2 bay leaves

Salt and course ground black pepper

8 dry lasagna noodles, cooked according to package directions and drained

8 ounces ricotta cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Dash garlic salt

Chopped fresh basil for garnish

Spray a Dutch oven with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add Italian sausage and ground beef and crumble using a potato masher. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add onions and garlic and cook until vegetables are softened. Stir in Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds. Make a well in the center of the meat and veggies and add Marsala wine.  Cook until wine has almost totally reduced – about 2 minutes. Add diced tomatoes, tomato puree, chicken stock, and bay leaves. Heat to boiling then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes or until reduced to a thick consistency. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as required.

In a small bowl, mix together ricotta, parmesan and garlic salt. To serve soup, place a tablespoon of ricotta mixture into bottom of bowl. Ladle soup over top and add a cooked lasagna noodle. Garnish with basil. Makes 8 servings.

A year ago - Peanut Sesame Noodles with Redneck Egg Rolls 

Two years ago - Pork Chops with Golden Apple Sauce

Three yearsago - Chicken Cutlets with Romesco

Four years ago -  JBug's Baked Eggs

  

Creamy Pasta with Chicken and Chanterelle Mushrooms

I know I keep bragging, but I swear we've hit the motherlode here on the Oregon Coast. Not only is it heart tuggingly beautiful and very very good for the soul, it's also a source of incredible abundance.

Earlier in the week Big Guy cleared some trees and vegetation on our property and happened across a cluster of chanterelle mushrooms. Of course the resident nag (that would be me) couldn't believe such a glorious thing could be growing wild on our property and seeing how sick Max was a few weeks ago after chowing down on some mystery fungi, Big Guy was "convinced" to take to make a believer out of me. A quick trip to the Visitor's Center at Cape Perpetua and expert advice from a local park ranger and we were truly celebrating our good fortune. 

This creamy pasta dish takes advantage of the mild peppery flavor of the chanterelles. I sauteed tender chunks of skinless boneless chicken thighs, onion and garlic in olive oil, kissed with a couple of glugs of sherry and finished it all with heavy cream. A light dusting of dried marjoram, a little lemon pepper and al dente penne hit the pot for a swish.

Meanwhile Big Guy washed the chanterelles, then tore them into pieces and we sauteed them briefly in a pat of butter before garnishing the pasta with the lovely golden strips. Shaved parmesan, a sprinkle of fresh parsley and dinner was ready.

Suffice to say you know who will be doing a lot more mushroom foraging in the near future - that is provided I can get him to hang up his fishing rod for a minute or two. Such is the life, huh!  

Creamy Penne with Chicken and Chanterelle Mushrooms an original from JBug’s Kitchen Antics

2 tablespoons olive oil

12 ounces skinless boneless chicken thighs (4 small)

Salt and lemon pepper

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram

2/3 cup dry sherry

1 cup heavy cream

Reserved pasta water as needed

8 ounces penne pasta, cooked per package directions

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Shavings of Parmesan cheese

 

3 large chanterelle mushrooms

1 tablespoon butter

Heat olive oil in a deep skillet until shimmering. Meanwhile cut chicken thighs into bite sized pieces and season well with salt and lemon pepper. Dust lightly with cornstarch. Sauté in hot pan until golden on all sides. Add onion, garlic and marjoram and stir to combine. Add sherry, cover pan, reduce heat to low simmer and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until chicken is very tender. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Add cream and bring to a boil, then add cooked pasta and toss to coat with sauce. Add reserved pasta water as needed to make a creamy consistency. Add chopped parsley. Meanwhile heat small sauté pan and add butter. When butter is melted, toss in mushrooms and cook until just wilted – about 30 seconds. Serve pasta in bowls and garnish with chanterelles and shavings of parmesan cheese. Makes 4 servings.

A year ago - Smoked Salmon Pasta 

Two year's ago - Peachy Ham Steak

Threee year's ago - Bacon and Tomato Risotto

 

 

Lovin' Greek Pasta Salad

In case you haven't noticed, our menu this week includes a fair number of flavors from the sunny Isles of Greece, and for good reason. We're having a heat wave with highs in the mid to upper 70's and sunny skies predicted over the next several days.

Naturally it makes us laugh uproariously because a year ago we'd have done the happy dance and been singing hallelujah for a "low" anywhere near those temperatures in our former desert oasis. It's not as though we need more proof that the present is a gift you give yourself, huh. I mean really, who wants to live in the past anyway?

Big Guy took the boat out looking for crab yesterday afternoon and in case he got skunked I had to come up with something for dinner that could hold indefinitely. The result, a pasta salad made from veggie colored/flavored radiatore courtesy of Trader Joe's along with diced cucumber, tomato wedges, thinly sliced red onion, kalamata olives and feta cheese too. I threw in some baby spinach for color and dressed the salad with an herbed up red wine vinaigrette rather than our usual mayonnaise based dressing and Bob's your uncle.

Along with some minty lamb patties courtesy of Rachael Ray and sampled in our kitchen previously, dinner was ready whenever we were.  Incidentally about the lamb patties, this time I used fresh parsley along with cilantro and mint and added dry basil because I didn't have any fresh. Oh, and I tighted them all up a bit with an egg and a quarter cup of panko crumbs too. Delicious!

Big Guy said "you can make this all again, anytime" and that's the best possible compliment, eclipsed only by "you look skinny in those jeans". I don't think I've ever heard him say that one but I can always dream can't I? 

Love’n Things Greek Pasta Salad from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from myrecipes.com

6 ounces dry pasta – I used multi-colored radiator but any short pasta will do

1 small cucumber, diced

2 ripe tomatoes cut into wedges

1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion

1/2 cup kalamata olives, cut in halves

4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

2 handfuls fresh baby spinach, stems removed

Zest of half a lemon

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions and rinse under cold water. Drain well. Toss together with remaining ingredients and refrigerate until just before serving.

Vinaigrette:

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

Dash red pepper flakes

1 heaping teaspoon Dijon mustard

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

Juice of half a lemon

Place all above ingredients into a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake until well blended. Pour over salad just before serving and toss to combine. Makes 6 servings.

A year ago - Sausage Sweet Potato Cottage Pie

A year ago - Grilled Chicken Margarita on Green Chile Rice

Two year's ago - Sloppy Bombay Joe's

Ravioli Baked In Bolognese and Bechamel

It's time to play catch up on all our favorite dishes now that Big Guy and I are no longer doing the long distance thing - well kinda'. He's out of town this week and returns on Monday at which point I'll be throwing out the luggage, hiding the car keys and exchanging his "Dockers" for "Dickie's"...for good!

There's also no doubt I'll be whipping up more of his favorite dishes like the baked pasta we enjoyed last week. If you're a regular follower of JBug's Kitchen Antics, this may seem slightly familiar to you as we've enjoyed a version of it before in the form of gnocchi swimming in a hearty Italian meat sauce with a cap of creamy bechamel. We've also used nice sturdy tubes of Rigatoni, utterly fabulous for soaking up all that sauce and we've even had it with silly frilly Radiatorre, though I have to say while it tastes the same, it's not quite as good as it is with a heartier pasta. 

   

This time I used a purchased cheese ravioli from the refrigerator section at our local market (Butoni) along with a few cups of leftover Bolognese I found hiding in the freezer. Nestled into a casserole dish and topped with a quick oh so creamy rich and nutmeg flavored never fail me ever bechamel sauce, it's a combination guaranteed to elicit a hearty "Molto bene, grazie" from your resident Italian wannabe. 

Throw in a little grated Italian cheese blend as a garnish, a crispy fresh green salad and garlic toast hot from the oven and I know for a fact your wannabe will be too busy eating to say much of anything. That's what happened here. Just sayin'. 

Baked Ravioli with Béchamel and Italian Meat Sauce (a creation from JBug’s Kitchen)

Béchamel:

1/4 cup unsalted butter

3-1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1-1/2 cups grated Romano cheese

Melt butter in a medium sized saucepan. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly for 2 to 3 minutes until roux is slightly golden in color. Whisk in milk and seasonings and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in grated Romano cheese.

10 oz package cheese ravioli, cooked per package directions and well drained

Béchamel sauce

2 cups Bolognese Sauce hit links for my favorites ...Biba's or Nick Stellino's

Crushed dried chile peppers

Grated Italian 3 Cheese Blend as garnish

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a casserole or gratin dish with cooking spray. Mix cooked pasta with béchamel and transfer to prepared casserole dish. Top with meat sauce. Sprinkle with crushed dried chile peppers and 3 cheese blend. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until casserole is bubbling hot. Serves 4 to 6.

A year ago - Baked Orange Stuffed French Toast

Two year's ago - Strawberry Rhubarb Upsidedown Cake

Clam's Casino Casserole with Lemon Pasta

Big Guy made good use of our proximity to the Alsea Bay in combination with a minus tide and came home with his limit of cockles yesterday. He knows exactly where to find the beauties thanks to our annual summer trek to these Oregon shores. It's just darn hard to believe that we're now living full time in the place we've spent the past 7 years dreaming about. We've pinched ourselves and each other a fair number of times this week bragging about our good fortune. 

Cockles in the pot ready for steaming

He steamed, shelled, chopped and got the frilly little cockles all ready for me to whip up one of his favorite clammy treats in the form of Clam's Casino. Instead of stuffing the individual shells with the tasty bacon, sautéed onions and pepper mixture, the filling went into a couple of little shell shaped casseroles instead. Served beside a tower of lemon flavored pasta, it's a meal fit for my king and he was about as happy as a clam, I might add. MMM - exactly how happy can a clam be? Ever wondered? 

 

Clams Casino Casserole with Lemon Spaghetti (from JBug's Kitchen adapted from Giada at Foodnetwork.com)

5 slices bacon, finely chopped

½ red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 small onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red chili peppers

½ cup dry white wine

2 cups chopped steamed clams 

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Coarse ground pepper to taste

10 Ritz crackers, crushed

2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons melted butter 

Sauté finely chopped bacon until crisp. Remove from pan, reserving bacon fat. Add bell pepper, onion, garlic and Italian seasoning and chili peppers and sauté until onion is soft.  Add white wine and simmer briefly to reduce liquid. Add chopped clams and heat briefly. Season with freshly ground black pepper and sprinkle with parsley.

Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray. Preheat broiler. Turn clam mixture into casserole dish. Sprinkle with cooked bacon. Combine crackers and parmesan cheese and sprinkle on top of casserole.  Drizzle with melted butter. Place under broiler and broil until browned and crispy on top. 

Lemon Spaghetti

1/2 pound spaghetti

1/4 cup olive oil

Juice & zest of 1 lemon

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

1/3 cup fresh parsley chopped 

Cooking liquid from pasta as needed

Cook pasta per package directions to al dente stage. Combine olive oil, lemon zest and juice. Drain pasta well reserving some liquid. Return pasta to pot. Over low heat combine pasta with olive oil, lemon mixture. Add parmesan cheese and toss to coat. Add pasta cooking liquid as needed to keep pasta moist. Warm until pasta absorbs all liquid. Garnish with parsley. 

A year ago - Summer Pudding 

Two year's ago - Korean Barbecue Shortribs

 

Lazy Days of Summer

You're likely all thinking I've faded from the face of the earth but to tell the truth I just haven't been cooking much. That is all about to change because Big Guy's officially on his way to our new Oregon home and not a minute too soon I might add. Three and a half months without that man o' mine's about 3.5 months too long. 

It's a great time for him to be leaving the desert with highs today in Tucson forecast in the area of 115 and 125 in Parker, AZ but if all goes according to my deductions, as I write this he's already north of Parker and heading for Barstow. 

So what does one cook when it's hotter'n the hubs of hell? Well, bring out the fans, turn on the misting system and fire up the barby for one of our favorite treats - a bed of greens loaded with sweet onion and creamy mozzarella balls, topped with slices of perfectly cooked steak and piquant, garlicky chimi churri sauce. 

Oh, and while you've got that grill warmed up, how about roasting some veggies for a lovely pasta salad, loaded with roasted eggplant, peppers and jazzed up with shredded Asiago and and some crunchy pine nuts for a fabulously delicious, cool and meatless dinner. 

Are you craving something cool and sweet? Whip up an Orange Pushup Creamsicle Pie.
It's about as simple to make as you can get, loaded with cream cheese, instant pudding, orange gelatin and "Cool Whip", all piled high in a pre-made crumb crust, it can be frozen or simply refrigerated for a cool, refreshing oh so delicious treat for your tastebuds. 

So now that we have that out of the way, in case you're wondering what I'm planning to serve when Big Guy gets here tomorrow - that would be a stew of course; a nice comforting, stick to your ribs, soul warming, taste filled bowl of pure bliss. After all our forecast high of 73 is darn near 50 degrees cooler than what he'll be accustomed to. He's bound to be freezing, don't ya' think?

A year ago - Honeydew Salad with Chicken Paillards 

Two year's ago - Easy 5 Hour Stew

Creamy Cheesy Stove Top Mac 'n Cheese

In my book there's no finer comfort food than good old macaroni and cheese. Now, I think I know what you're thinking because I wondered the same thing - "just how many ways can you reinvent the wheel?" right but sometimes ya' just have to try so when I saw Alton Brown's version via the internet  I was up to the challenge. OK, so I didn't follow the recipe exactly.

As you can see if you follow the link to the original, Alton's version calls for evaporated milk, sharp cheddar cheese and dry mustard along with butter, eggs, hot sauce and so on; however, I not only used a totally different kind of pasta than the usual elbow macaroni (cavatappi) but substituted half and half for the evaporated milk and a combination of sharp cheddar, processed cheese slices and Italian three cheese blend for the cheddar he used. Hey, it's a great way to clean out the cheese drawer in the fridge. I also subbed prepared Dijon mustard for the dry mustard because it saved me hauling out the step stool to access the huge tin of dry mustard on the very top shelf of the spice cabinet.

The result - a fabulous creamy incredibly cheesy kinda' piquant version of an old favorite that puts the blue box to shame. Honestly, I was pretty surprised just how wonderful it all turned out, never mind how easy it is to make. I mean there's no fussing with a bechamel sauce and no oven to heat or casserole dish to clean and my worries about curdling the eggs was unfounded. 

As for the leftovers - um well, there just weren't enough. Need I say more?

Incidentally, the garnish of tiny sweet pickles is for Big Guy because he insists on having them with his Mac n' Cheese so I had to accommodate the request even though he wasn't here to enjoy 'em; however, I'm a tad more of a purist although I did enjoy the leftovers cold along with a splash of barbecue sauce and a dab of catsup. Just sayin'. 

Creamy Cheesy Stovetop Mac ‘n Cheese from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Alton Brown, Cookingchannel.com

1/2 pound pasta (I used cavatappi)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 eggs

2/3 cup half and half

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

Coarse ground black pepper to taste

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

5 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese

3 processed cheese slices

1/2 cup grated Italian 3 cheese blend

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain well. Return pot to the stove and reduce heat to low. Stir in butter. Whisk together eggs, half and half, hot sauce, salt, pepper and mustard. Add to pasta along with cheeses. Cook stirring constantly until cheese has melted and sauce is creamy. Makes 4 servings.

A year ago - Crispy Dogs

Two year's ago - Experimental Lasagna

 

 

Pasta Carbonara - Again?

I figure given the number of times we've bragged about this particular dish from JBug's Kitchen, you're rather surprised that I haven't made it before now, right? It is my very favorite dinner for one kinda' dish afterall and how can you go wrong with bacon, pasta, cream and cheese so I'm not gonna' go there again with the description or recipe or even a picture of last nights version. Instead - here's some links to previous efforts.

Carbonara with Twist         Using Pancetta            With Peas Please   

   

OK, so I'm a lazy lout but hopefully not so much today. It is shaping up to be an absolute beauty after a week of cooler temps and weeping skies. My plans for the day? Well, I was supposed to work this morning but my boss has declared today a JBug holiday, so I think a walk on the beach is in order made easier because I'll just have just one 4 legged kid (Max) to worry about.

Finnigan's off to the beauty parlor to see Chris, who has promised to try and fix the mess made by the nightmare grooming he had two weeks ago at another salon. It took him a whole week to recover from that madhouse. Course wouldn't you be traumatized if you looked like this too? Talk about a bad hair day.

Stovetop Sausage Mac and Cheese

This is another in what seems to have become a series in JBug's Kitchen and boy oh boy, I'm not sure why we haven't tried it here before.

Courtesty of myrecipes.com and Cooking Light magazine, this one is simply crumbled sausage links (I used spicy Chicken Parmesan) cooked up in a skillet then joined by cheater bechamel makin's, grated cheese, cream cheese and spices. It cooks up all rich and creamy before the cooked pasta hits the pot and a few minutes later you've got a pot of creamy, gooey, cheesy goodness. 

It's quite delicious though in our case it could have used a little more seasoning, but honestly it puts the blue box stuff all to shame. The possibilities are endless too for hiding vegetables in it and this particular version could have used a little color with the addition of spinach, or kale or even green peas, or roasted red peppers or mushrooms...well you get the picture, right? 

Give it a try next time you're looking for a quick family pleasing pasta dish and let your imagination be your sous chef. 

Stovetop Sausage Mac and Cheese (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from myrecipes.com)

1/2 pound crumbled sausage (I used spicy Chicken parmesan but Italian would be good too)

1-1/4 cups milk

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup grated cheese (I used Trader Joe’s Mexican blend)

1/4 cup cream cheese

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

8 ounces hot cooked pasta (I used orchiette)

Reserved pasta water as needed

Place a large skillet over medium high heat and when hot crumble in sausage. Cook, continuing to crumble with a fork until browned. In a small bowl, whisk together milk, flour, onion and garlic powders and add to skillet. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and add cheeses. Cook for an additional 2 or 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in pasta. Cook for a minute more so pasta has a chance to absorb some sauce, adding pasta water if required for a creamy sauce. Serves 4.

A year ago - Coconut Milk Ice Cream

Two year's ago - Ginger Mint Lamb Chops and Cauliflower with Pinenuts and Raisins

Three year's ago - White Bean and Asparagus Salad

Pasta Carbonara Frittata

Unless you're new to this site or you've been in outer Mongolia on an extended vacation, you all know how much I love pasta carbonara. I mean honestly - what's not to love? Pasta flavored with garlic, a little nutmeg, eggs, cream and parmesan cheese; why, it's to die for. Oh, and we mustn't forget about the ultimate of porcine blissfulness, BACON.

Last night's dinner effort took a special "I love me" treat one step farther in this fabulous frittata adapted from finecooking.com.  In case you're wondering, a frittata is just a glorified omelet that has the ingredients mixed into the eggs and the whole thing's cooked in the oven instead of on a stove top.

Fine Cooking brag that the dish "is more about the eggs and less about the pasta", but I beg to differ. This frittata is really a celebration of all that's wonderful about both and makes a perfect light dinner and/or as is our case, today's brunch for me and lunch for Big Guy. Bonus!

Now, while Fine Cooking's version called for fresh sage as the flavoring ingredient, I'm way too much of a traditionalist for that - at least when it comes to Carbonara, so I nixed the sage and added garlic and freshly ground nutmeg as well as chopped fresh parsley instead. Along with crispy bacon, lovely sweetly sauteed onions, chopped parsley, darn near a dozen eggs, a touch of cream, finely grated cheese (I used Asiago) and of course nicely al dente penne, the frittata came from the oven looking like this.

 

Crispy on the outside, creamy inside and totally absolutely delicious it is about the most incredible version of bacon and eggs you'll ever enjoy. Best of all, there's enough left for my brunch today and Big Guy's lunch and with that said - listen Big Guy - what do ya' think about having breakfast for dinner now? Are you singing a different tune? 

Pasta Carbonara Frittata (adapted from finecooking.com) 

2 cups (8 ounces) penne pasta, cooked to al dente and drained

1 tablespoon olive oil

5 slices thick cut bacon, cut crosswise into 1/8 inch strips

1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

9 large eggs

1/2 cup heavy cream

1-1/2 cups finely grated parmesan cheese (I used asiago)

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Coarse ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425. Heat oil in a 10 inch no-stick skillet and when hot, add bacon. Cook until bacon just begins to crisp up. Add onions and sauté until onions are soft and bacon is crisp. Stir in garlic and cook, stirring constantly for 30 seconds. Beat eggs well and add heavy cream. Whisk together, and then add remaining ingredients. Place cooked pasta in skillet and follow with egg mixture. Place in preheated oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until knife inserted in center of skillet comes out clean. Remove from oven and loosen edges before sliding frittata onto cutting board. Cut into wedges and serve either hot or at room temperature.

A year ago - Salmon with Bacon and Lentils

Three year's ago - Fried Eggplant with Sausage Ragu

Peanut Sesame Noodles with "RedNeck" Egg Rolls

Who says pulled pork is only good for sandwiches?  As promised, here's the second example of what can be done with yesterday's Oven BBQ Pulled Pork. I can't take credit for someone else's ingenuity since we first saw this on D,D & D but I swear I'll be making them so often I'll be able to call them my own. Delicious morsels they are!

A little internet research and here's the result thanks to the Neely's. SImply leftover pulled pork, warmed briefly and jazzed up with a touch more barbecue sauce, cozied up along with some leftover spicy slaw in a purchased eggroll wrapper. Rolled and deep fried for a few minutes, it's the kind of kitchen miracle that makes one wonder why it wasn't thought of before.  Big Guy named these beauties although I'm not quite sure what defines a "redneck" so (don't laugh, OK) I had to look it up.

According to the site, BSorNot, "...a redneck is a stereotypical southern United States socially conservative, fiscally liberal, rural, working class white person with northern European ancestry." Of course Big Guy proudly attests to being one; however, the site contains a more involved description that you may or may not want to check out. Personally I'm not sure that man of mine qualifies since we don't live in a trailer, he doesn't drive a truck, no longer owns a stained sleeveless t-shirt and he lost the mullet (literally). Hold on a minute here because ya' gotta give me time to recover from my laughing jag!

Anyway, we had our egg rolls with some sweet spicy chile sauce for dipping and a bowl of Spicy Peanut Sesame Noodles courtesy of epicurious.com. Hit the link for the recipe, OK - I changed very little, except that I used Annie Chun's Chow Mein noodles, added srirachi instead of red pepper flakes and left out the toasted sesame seeds.

A year ago - Pork Chops with Golden Apple Sauce

Two year's ago - Chicken Cutlets with Romesco

Three year's ago -  JBug's Baked Eggs

 

 

One Pot Spaghetti

I would make this again in a heartbeat, and not just because I'm hungry enough to eat skunk butt fried in butter either but because it is THAT good! 

 

After another day spent packing, a long hot shower and a quick no fuss but yummy dinner were the order of the day and quite honestly you can't get much easier than this. From Southern Living via myrecipes.com, this pot of gloriousness starts with a Dutch oven and a sauce - not just any old sauce either. Just pretend you're actually making a ragu but add a little more liquid, in my case V-8 juice, the spicy kind instead of regular tomato juice and you'll find yourself on the right track. Oh, I also replaced the chili powder called for in the recipe with my favorite spaghetti spices including garlic powder, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes along with the oregano, salt and lots of pepper.  

Set to simmer for a half hour while the cook enjoyed a glass of red, the uncooked spaghetti hit the saucey pot for a 20 minute cook off. Course it requires some tending during that period so the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom, but it's a lovely excuse to inhale the fabulous aroma and salivate over the results.

Garlic toast, another glass of wine and dinner was on. Best of all, clean up was a breeze...easy for me to say because Big Guy did it! It's a smart man that knows when his wife's at the end of her tether and a smarter one yet that uses initiative. 

One Pot All-in-one Spaghetti (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from myrecipes.com)

1 pound lean ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1-1/2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

1 – 8 ounce can tomato sauce

1 – 6 ounce can tomato paste

3 cups V-8 juice (I used Spicy Hot)

1 cup water

7 ounces spaghetti, uncooked

Grated Parmesan Cheese for garnish

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Crumble in ground beef along with onion and garlic. Cook stirring until beef is no longer pink and onions softens – about 5 minutes. Add sugar, salt, oregano, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and black pepper. Stir well to incorporate into meat mixture then add tomato sauce, tomato paste, V-8 juice and water. Stir well to combine, then bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add spaghetti to the pot, cover and cook additional 20 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking. Garnish with cheese.

A year ago -  Ravioli in Sherry Mushroom Alfredo

Two year's ago - Leg of Lamb Provencal

Three year's ago - Pork Medallions with Mushroom Madeira Sauce

Pasta with Roasted Eggplant, Ricotta and Italian Sausage

We came across some miniature eggplant at our local market the other day that were priced 10 for a dollar and we couldn't pass them up. Not only were they glowing like ameythst jewels, they're cute as a button too plus try and name one other thing can you get for a dime each in this day and age. Unbelievable huh?

I pictured using them in all kinds of different ways including but not limited to Moussaka which we haven't had on the menu for a while, or Ratatouille either for that matter but somehow after some pretty rich dishes on our holiday menu, it seemed like a good idea to have something a little more simple.  Pasta always comes to mind when I'm thinking "simple".

Inspired by recipes from epicurious, myrecipes.com and a favorite Biba cookbook too, we kinda' winged it and started by roasting our ten little mini eggplants in a hot oven while the "sauce" was put together including onion, garlic, multi colored heirloom cherry tomatoes, a roasted red pepper rescued from the freezer and some white wine. Two hot Italian sausage links and one Sicilian style link cooked in another pan while the pasta cooked in another pot, then we put the whole thing together - hey, I didn't say it was a one pot dinner, now did I?  Lucky for me it's my birthday week and Big Guy did the cleaning up!

Finished with dabs of ricotta cheese, chopped fresh basil, a dusting of parmesan and a drizzle of balsamic, the whole thing tasted like a garden fresh sunny summer day kinda' meal - the kind we all crave during this time of year - rich, velevety roasted eggplant in a light fresh tomato sauce with creamy ricotta and the bite of spicy sausage with summery peppery basil - uh yum!

Pasta with Roasted Eggplant, Ricotta and Italian Sausage (an original from JBug’s Kitchen inspired by epicurious.com, myrecipes.com and Biba)

10 miniature eggplant, cut in half

Olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 medium onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 roasted red pepper, chopped

1/2 pound assorted heirloom cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

2/3 cup white wine, divided

3 hot Italian sausage links (1 pound)

8 ounces pasta (I used penne) cooked per package direction

1/2 cup ricotta

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Parmesan cheese for garnish

Preheat oven to 450. Drizzle eggplant with olive oil and toss to coat well. Place onto a sheet pan with cut sides up and season well with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes until golden brown in color and cooked through (may have to finish them under the broiler to get color on them – that’s what I did).

Remove from oven and set aside. Meanwhile, cook pasta.

Drizzle a sauté pan with olive oil and place over medium high heat. Add sausage links and cook until browned on both sides, then add 1/3 cup white wine, cover pan and cook slowly for 12 to 14 minutes until sausage is cooked through. Reserve pan juices, but remove sausage from pan and cut on the diagonal into slices.

In another sauté pan heat a drizzle of olive oil until shimmering, then add onion and cook until onion starts to soften. Add garlic and cook additional 30 seconds, then add roasted red pepper, cherry tomatoes, Italian seasoning and white wine. Cook, tossing occasionally until tomatoes give up their juices and start to soften. Stir in cooked pasta along with reserved juice from sausages and toss to coat well. Add spoonful’s of ricotta cheese and Italian sausage slices. Cover pot and cook until cheese has melted and mixture is hot. Toss with roasted eggplant, drizzle with balsamic and garnish with fresh basil. Pass the parmesan. Serves 4 to 6.

A year ago - Leftover Prime Rib Roast in a Beef Pot Pie with Sherry Gravy

Two year's ago - Savory Croissant Breakfast Bread Pudding

Skillet Lasagna

When Big Guy and yours truly were in Oregon last weekend on a house hunting mission, there was no question we had to see our friend Lorraine from Figs & Artichokes fame. Being a consummate foodie and "sista' from anotha' motha'" that she is, we love spending time with her and her family.

Being much more in the Christmas spirit than anyone here in JBug's Kitchen, she thoughtfully gifted us with the Oregonian Cookbook, Best Recipes from FoodDay by Katherine Miller. A fabulous book loaded with incredible things, I've read it twice cover to cover and can't wait to make every single dish in it.

The adventure began last night with this Skillet Lasagna. A very fast, incredibly flavorful combination of all the things that make traditional lasagna so delicious, this version includes sauteed Italian sausage, red peppers, lots of garlic and jarred marinara sauce. Lasagna noodles are broken into the mixture and simmered for a mere 20 minutes until they're perfectly cooked then topped with lots of cheese and dabs of ricotta.  

Naturally I made a few subtle changes by using hot Italian sausage, more garlic, finely chopped onion and dried Italian seasoning in place of fresh basil because it is the middle of winter after all and who on earth wants to spend the fortune they're currently asking for the fresh stuff. 

The verdict?  Delicious, soul satisfying flavor with oeey gooey cheesy goodness that tastes just like traditional lasagna but without all the fuss and bother. You absolutely HAVE to make this one never mind the next time you're at the grocery store, promise me you'll thumb your nose when you go by the aisle that holds the packaged ground beef "helper" kinda' boxes many of us have seen advertised but of course never admit to using ourselves. Rest assured after you've tried this recipe, you won't be buying it ever again. From my lips to your ear...well, uh, you know what I mean!

Skillet Lasagna (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from The Oregonian Cookbook)

1 pound Italian sausage (I used hot)

1 red bell pepper, finely chopped

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

Salt & coarse ground black pepper

8 curly edged lasagna noodles broken into 2 inch pieces (do not use no boil noodles)

1 – 24 ounce jar Marinara sauce (I used Bertolli)

2 cups water

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

3/4 cup ricotta cheese

In a deep 12 inch skillet with a cover, sauté Italian sausage until no longer pink, crumbling sausage with a fork as it cooks. Add red pepper, onion and garlic and cook until vegetables are softened – about 5 minutes. Stir in red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, and a half teaspoon of salt and coarse ground black pepper. Add lasagna noodles, marinara sauce and water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower heat to a hard simmer. Cover pot and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. If mixture becomes too dry add a little more water. When noodles are cooked, sprinkle half the mozzarella on top. Dot with spoonful’s of ricotta and finish with the rest of the mozzarella and the parmesan cheese. Remove pan from heat, cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes so cheese melts. Serves 6. 

A year ago -  Salmon with Crispy Horseradish Crust

Two year's ago -  Honey Baked Chicken Drumsticks

Great Grub for a Cold Winter Night

It's been cooler here in the far southwest the past several evenings and it's a perfect excuse to enjoy some old fashioned hearty comfort food. 

For example Monday night I whipped up a caldron of Cabbage Roll Soup just like the one we had back in August when we were really craving some cold weather. Months of triple digit temperatures can do that for ya', kinda' like months of minus temperatures, snow, rain and cold can make you crave sea, sun and sand. Funny isn't it?

Anyway to get back to the point as you can see this pot of warm kitchen love is filled with meatballs constructed from ground beef, rice, and onion cooked up in a cabbage laden beefed up tomato broth studded with sweet golden raisins and spiced with red pepper flakes. It is absolutely awesome and worth a spot on your regular good grub rotation.

Last night's comfort quotient took the shape of a large casserole of ooey gooey cheesey old fashioned Mac and Cheese. A recipe from a very old and treasured Purity Cookbook, this particular version's been made so many times the page is practically illegible but thankfully I have the darn thing memorized.  

 

I apologize for the quality of the photograph. Obviously the photographer needs to readjust her camera.

Simply cooked elbow macaroni folded into a simple white sauce loaded with cheese (I used 3 different kinds) and seasoned with Dijon mustard, I topped the casserole with buttered panko crumbs and let it rip in the oven for a good hour resulting in an absolute vision of loveliness - at least for a couple of very hungry, tired and rather stressed out individuals. 

Incidentally, there's several recipes for macaroni and cheese on this site, some more involved than others and all of them fabulous in their own right but without a doubt this simple version is every bit as good as any so called "gourmet" versions. Take it from the most frugal of frugalists, it's a great way to use up the drips, drabs and mini chunks of cheese hiding in the snack drawer of your refrigerator.  

                Special M/C                                        With Gnocchi  

  

              Bacon N Blue                                               Buffalo

   

Old Fashioned Macaroni and Cheese (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Purity Cookbook)

1-1/2 cups elbow macaroni, cooked per package directions

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour

2-3/4 cups whole milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

8 – 9 ounces assorted cheese (I used white cheddar, Swiss & Velveeta)

2/3 cup panko crumbs

2 tablespoons melted butter

1/4 teaspoon each coarse salt, pepper and garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350. Melt butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally until onion is softened. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly for a few minutes, then slowly whisk in milk. Cook, whisking constantly until mixture is thickened. Stir in salt, Dijon mustard and grated cheese (I left the Velveeta in half inch cubes). Cook until cheese has melted. Stir in cooked macaroni and transfer mixture to a buttered casserole dish. Mix panko crumbs with melted butter and seasonings. Sprinkle crumbs on top of casserole dish. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until top is browned and filling is bubbling. Serves 6.

A year ago -   Blackberry Mustard Glazed Ham

Two year's ago -  Greek Burger with Cucumber Sauce

Grilled Lemon Chicken Pasta

Last night's dinner was inspired by two recipes, one for lemon chicken from Taste of the Territory a Service League cookbook from Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and the second for lemon pasta from The Best of the Best, Best of Bridge Series Cookbooks. Hey, with two great sources like that failure's not likely to be an option.

Our Meyer's lemons (at least that's what they started out to be but they've morphed into a cross between Meyer's and Eureka's) are coming on strong right now and a ton of them are ready for picking which means any recipe with lemon in it is fair game. I made good use of 4 of them in this tasty lemon loaded dish.

The chicken's marinated in a mixture of vinegar, Dijon, black pepper, sliced whole lemons and olive oil for a minimum 6 hours before it hits the grill, resulting in tender moist morsels of lemon flavored bird. I had half a mind to grill the lemon slices too, but was afraid to because of the fear of contamination so I discarded the zip bag of marinade instead. 

As for the pasta, you could use almost anything; in fact, the recipe calls for fettucine, but I used Barilla's Campanelle because of their unique trumpet like shape (Big Guy picked 'em out). Anyway, the boiled pasta's combined with sauteed onion and garlic, then tossed in the zest and juice of a whole lemon, followed by half and half and grated Parmesan. The key to this one is to make sure the pasta's absorbed the lemon juice before the cream hits the pot otherwise you'll end up with a curdled mess. As you'll notice I didn't do that, so in order to disguise the curdled look I threw in a handful of fresh mozzarella. Oh I forgot to mention I added a little dried tarragon along with some fresh from our herb garden too, but it's been planted quite recently and I didn't want to steal too much of it. 

Once I got over lamenting the fact that I'd curdled the darned sauce, I realized we really liked this dish. Of course by then Big Guy was giving me the "look" because he was well into his bowl of lemony goodness and steering towards his salad - all without uttering one word. I guess sometimes it's a good sign when the dinner conversation's a trifle limited, huh?

Incidentally, if snow, rain, wind and/or some other excuse like maybe flying insects or a shortage of propane are keeping you from your grill, you can certainly cook the chicken in a saute pan or shove it under the broiler. Just sayin'. 

Grilled Lemon Chicken Pasta (from JBug’s Kitchen, inspired by Taste of the Territory, Flair and Flavor of Oklahoma and Best of the Best, Best of Bridge Series Cookbooks)

Chicken:

1.25 pounds chicken tenders

2 tablespoons white or tarragon vinegar

1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

2 whole lemons, sliced (seeds removed)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Combine ingredients in a zip bag, seal and massage to distribute ingredients evenly in chicken. Place into a container to catch drips, if any, and refrigerate for 6 hours (or longer if you can). To cook, remove chicken from zip bag and discard marinade. Heat grill to medium hot, and cook chicken approximately 7 to 9 minutes, turning often. Remove from grill when cooked through and allow to rest to distribute juices. Slice each tender into thirds. Set aside (keep warm or reheat in microwave when needed).

Pasta:

8 ounces pasta of your choice

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

1 lemon, juice and grated rind

1 cup half and half or heavy cream

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup fresh mozzarella (optional)

1 lemon, cut into wedges (seeds removed)

Fresh tarragon for garnish

Cook pasta per package directions. Drain well. Meanwhile in a large sauté pan heat butter and olive oil until butter has melted. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until onion is softened. Stir in tarragon and season with salt and pepper. Add cooked pasta and lemon zest and juice. Toss pasta until lemon juice is absorbed, then add cream. Toss pasta to coat well and allow to absorb cream. Add pine nuts, parmesan cheese and mozzarella if using. Toss in warmed chicken pieces. Garnish with additional grated parmesan, lemon wedges and fresh tarragon. Serves 4.  

A year ago - Turkey and Stuffing Hand Pies

Two year's ago - Pumpkin Charlotte with Bourbon

Seafood Lasagna

I'm about to get right to the point here so this is going to be short and sweet. We can thank Family Circle for this one and believe you me, it's a real keeper.

I make absolutely no excuses for using a ready made alfredo sauce (I used Bertolli) and as luck would have it, I even cut some calories along the way by reducing the cream cheese in the recipe by one half. It made no sense to have a quarter pound of imitation crab left over either, so I threw in a whole pound and only used 1 egg in the filling, leaving out the one that was supposed to go into the alfredo sauce. I cut the veggies in half though but added a few slices of fresh mozzarella during the last 5 minutes of cooking time too, just because I had it and I love the way it melted on top and bathed the dish in creamy glory.

The result was a fabulously flavored lasagna that truly does take between 15 and 20 minutes to get into the oven thanks to the use of "no boil" lasagna noodles.  It's a great way to get some veggies into your diet, never mind budget conscious because crab with a "K" aka imitation stuff aka pollock made to look like crab tastes great and hardly made a dent in the old pocket book; however, saying all of that, I'll make it again using shrimp, scallops and real crab someday when my ship comes in and I'm sure it'll be good but I'm not positive it'll be any better. 

I might even substitute leftover turkey for the seafood and maybe some spinach or kale for the broccoli and spice it all up with a little thyme and rosemary instead of the old bay seasoning and create a whole new and wonderful dish ...(is that sentence long enough, ya think? Can you tell my mind's going 500 mph?) 

Before I go, I have to warn you though. There's absolutely no way one could get 12 servings out of a dish of the stuff but I suppose because it's not as rich or calorie laden as the original, it doesn't matter overly much in the long run anyway...at least that's my story and I'm stickin' to it.  

And with that...I gotta' run. Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I'm sure most of you will be doing what I'll be doing most of today and that is preparing for some darn good eats tomorrow! Have fun, stay sane and be safe!

Seafood Lasagna (from JBug’s Kitchen, adapted from Family Circle via familycircle.com)

1 – 8 ounce package reduced fat cream cheese, softened

3 green onions, finely chopped

2 tablespoons milk

2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning

1 cup chopped assorted sweet peppers, divided

10 ounces frozen broccoli, defrosted, squeezed dry and chopped (divided)

1 pound imitation crabmeat, shredded

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

1 – 1 pound jar alfredo pasta sauce (I used Bertolli)

12 no boil lasagna noodles

1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

4 slices fresh mozzarella

Preheat oven to 350. Coat a 13 x 9 inch casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl whip cream cheese until light and soft. Stir in green onions, milk, Old Bay seasoning, 3/4 cup of peppers, 2/3 of broccoli, crabmeat, egg, salt and pepper. Mix well to combine.Place one quarter of alfredo sauce onto bottom of casserole dish and top with 3 noodles. Add one third of seafood filling mixture and drizzle with another fourth of alfredo sauce. Add another layer of noodles and repeat process, ending with noodles and alfredo sauce. Top with remaining peppers and broccoli and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 20 minutes then top casserole with mozzarella slices. Return to oven for another 5 minutes to melt cheese. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. Serves 6 to 8. 

A year ago - Apple, Swiss and Squash Soup

Two year's ago - Baked Four Cheese Spaghetti

Beef and Carrot Ragu

Don't fall over backward but I actually cooked this sauce in the crockpot yesterday. What with worrying about having to leave the house for showings at a moment's notice and at the same time trying to get some pre-Thanksgiving grunt work done, it seemed like a good idea to make something in the appliance I have so little use of (for).

I made a couple of not so subtle changes to the recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens, the first being I browned the meat really well before adding it to the crockpot. In fact, rather than make a mess of the kitchen I'd just finished cleaning, I took the meat outside to Big Guy's bailiwick and gave the beef a good sear on the little red gas grill. A whole bulb of peeled garlic hit the pot followed by a pound of chopped fresh roma tomatoes, 8 ounces of chopped carrots and a glug of red wine along with a can of tomato paste. I added a chopped onion and spiced up the mixture with some dried Italian herbs and a good dash of red pepper flakes - too good a dash because the ragu ended up being so darned spicy, I had to add heavy cream at the end. 

So what's the verdict? I daresay I'm not the one to ask because as you know, I'm more than a little biased against slow cookers to begin with but let me admit it was convenient. I'm just sorry I didn't use the Dutch oven and pull double duty by cooking the ragu in the oven at the same time I browned off all the goodies for the turkey stock I also whipped up yesterday.

Oh, and should you want to know another truth, head on over to Fig's and Artichokes and take a gander at the ragu Lorraine posted yesterday. I'm absolutely positive I'd have been much happier with a bowl of her glorious flavor filled ragu instead of this one. Just sayin'.  

Beef and Carrot Ragu from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Better Homes (bhg.com)

2 pounds boneless beef short ribs

Salt and ground black pepper

1 bulb garlic, peeled and cloves smashed

1 medium onion, chopped

8 ounces peeled carrots, chopped

1 pound Roma tomatoes, chopped

1 6 ounce can tomato paste

1/2 cup red wine

1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)

1/2 cup water or beef stock (if needed)

1/2 cup heavy cream, optional

Season beef well with salt and pepper and brown in a hot non-stick pan. Cut into cubes and place into slow cooker. Add smashed garlic cloves, onion, carrots and tomatoes. Mix together tomato paste, red wine, Italian herbs, oregano and red pepper flakes. Pour over meat and vegetables, cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Stir well before serving, adding additional water as necessary to create a sauce. Stir in heavy cream. Serve over pasta.  Makes 4 servings.

 

A year ago - Cajun Poached Shrimp Linguini

Two year's ago - Curly Corn Dogs

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Pasta Purses with Meat Sauce

Lamb Ragu on Potato Gnocchi

Smoked Salmon Pasta

Without question I have to be the luckiest lady in the whole wide world. I have a husband that not only likes to eat, he loves to cook too including but not limited to barbecuing darn near anything you can think of. He's also a master when it comes to the smoker ...jerky, turkey, bacon or fish - whatever he touches turns to gold. I swear!

We picked up a side of gorgeous sockeye salmon a few weeks ago because I had a yen for the stuff and he cured then smoked it for a few hours in the Big Chief we have in our back yard. I can't tell you any more than that mostly because I didn't ask. I was too anxious for the results and now you can see why. It's a work of art, isn't it?

We enjoyed some of it fresh off the smoker along with crackers and cheese and put the rest in the freezer for other things... like last night's bowl of pasta.

A creamy sauce made of sauteed onion, garlic, a touch of vermouth, a lemon off our tree and freshly chopped parsley accompanied by a pound of fresh asparagus and chunk of that incredible smoked salmon made for what is without doubt our best meal of the week during a week of some plum good eatin' I might add. 

Next time you're in the mood for smoked salmon remember there's a lot more you can do it with than simply sliced onto a bagel slathered in cream cheese. Make a little go a long way by adding it to a bowl of pasta.  

Creamy Pasta with Smoked Salmon and Asparagus (from JBug’s Kitchen inspired by Sable & Rosenfeld, Elegant Entertaining)

8 ounces pasta, cooked per package directions

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup onions, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 pound asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces

Salt and coarse ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup dry vermouth

1 cup heavy cream

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

5 ounces smoked salmon, broken into pieces

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. Meanwhile in a sauté pan melt butter and olive oil. Add onions and garlic and cook until softened – about 5 minutes. Add asparagus, season with salt and pepper then add vermouth. Cook stirring for 2 to 3 minutes until asparagus is bright green color and vermouth has reduced by half. Add cream and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and boil mixture for 2 minutes until cream is slightly reduced. Stir in cooked pasta and toss to allow pasta to absorb sauce. Add lemon juice and zest and parsley. Toss then add smoked salmon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes 3 to 4 servings. 

A year ago - Peachy Ham Steak

Two year's ago - Bacon and Tomato Risotto

Pasta with Red Clam Sauce

Pasta's the perfect solution for a quick week night dinner and this version from Family Circle's no exception. It couldn't be easier as it makes use of jarred marinara sauce but what makes it unique is the addition of hot pickled cherry peppers. 

Relieved of stems and seeds and thinly sliced, they add a nice little jolt to the tastebuds. Of course I made a few changes - I cut the recipe in half because there's just the two of us afterall, and added a can of Italian seasoned diced tomatoes before the marinara and peppers. We like a little more sauce on our pasta than the average.

As for the clams, while the recipe calls for the canned variety, I used a package of Oregon Gaper clams from our collection in the freezer chopped into small pieces. They simmered for a few minutes in the sauce and were nicely cooked and tender as can be by the time the pasta joined the party.

Would I make it again? Maybe. It's OK but nothing hugely spectacular. Just remember, it's only as good as the marinara sauce you purchase, so make sure to get a good one and if you want to make a scratch red sauce, the one below on the right is pretty darn special. Just sayin'. 

Other clammy pasta dishes on this site:

      Clams Casino Pasta    With Bacon & Clams   Red Sauce from scratch

     
 

Quick Pasta with Red Clam Sauce (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from familycircle.com)

4 cloves garlic, sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 – 14 ounce can Italian seasoned diced tomatoes, with juice

1 – 18 ounce jar prepared Marinara Sauce (I used Trader Joe’s)

5 hot cherry peppers, seeded and sliced

1 cup chopped frozen clams

1/4 cup chopped parsley

8 ounces pasta cooked per package directions

Heat oil in a large sauté pan until shimmering. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Do not allow to burn. Add canned tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes or until liquid has slightly reduced. Stir in marinara sauce and cherry peppers. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Add chopped clams and simmer for 1 minute, then remove pan from heat. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir in chopped parsley and cooked pasta. Warm briefly to allow pasta to absorb sauce. Serve with cracked black pepper and/or red pepper flakes. Makes 4 servings.

A year ago - Corn Cakes with Avocado Tomato Salsa

 

Meatball Pie

You know how some meals are kinda' "prissy" 3 or 4 course sit down, take a break in between each course for more wine kinda' events? Well this isn't one of them.

Big Guy insisted it's a "real man's meal" in that it's a slap it on the plate and get 'er done kinda' deal. It rather fits the "man's meal description" because it's a pain in the butt to put together but don't tell him I said that OK?

From our friends at Better Homes and Gardens it is a take on the spaghetti pie we all know and love but with a few additions...and meatballs of course. I used the leftovers I'd frozen when I whipped up the meatball stroganoff (just the meatballs sans the sauce of course) along with ricotta cheese, TJ's Italian cheese blend instead of  plain mozzarella, Prego Tomato Basil sauce and of course I had to ramp up the spices somewhat with the addition of  red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and coarse ground black pepper to the ricotta layer that's next to the spaghetti/cheese crust.

It's really OK and it certainly looks impressive although unfortunately you can't see all the layers in the picture. Big Guy liked it a lot but I found the caramelized onions just didn't suit the dish, so next time I'll replace 'em with roasted red peppers and maybe some sauteed mushrooms ramped up with a touch of dry marsala or some chianti. Of course I'll also spend the time making my own marinara sauce and maybe throw in a bit of Italian sausage or pepperoni along with the meatballs. After all, what's wrong with a little excess flavor.

Oh the other thing - they made a big deal out of lining the springform pan with parchment or aluminum foil (I used foil) and it wasn't really necessary. It just made cutting the darn thing a challenge and if you've a good solid springform pan and spray it well with cooking spray you really don't need to bother.  Slip a knife or large lifter between the pan bottom and the pasta crust and slide it onto a serving platter. It'll be a darn site easier than having to deal with the foil.  

Hit the link and head to BHG.com for the original recipe. I'll give you my version after I make it again to perfect it. You know who wants it on the menu again PDQ. 

A year ago - Butternut Squash Risotto with Pancetta

Two year's ago - Blueberry Roly Poly Pudding

Soba Noodles and Katsu

We love Asian flavors around here. Actually, there aren't many things we don't like which makes life much easier. Big Guy did the cooking last night and the truth is, he's much more adventurous than I am. The last thing he said to me this morning was that he couldn't wait to read today's blog post to see what I had to say about it. So here you go, smarty pants. 

He started by cooking up a big bowl of Soba - Japanese noodles made from buckwheat that are virtually gluten free (check the packaging to be sure though, OK). Cooked quickly and dressed in a ginger/garlic/soy vinaigrette, they can be served on their own or mixed with an assortment of colorful vegetables for a super salad. They're amazing!

Katsu or "tonkatsu" as it's formally known, is usually made from pork cutlet that's pounded thin, lightly seasoned, dipped in an egg wash then coated in panko crumbs and fried. It's crisp golden brown on the outside and moist and tender inside. In other words, it is truly the bomb like this version we had a couple of year's ago.

Trouble is with Big Guy cooking you never really know what you're going to get and when left to his own devices, he's determined to make his wife into a wild meat eater. Point in fact, the katsu you're looking at below is made from javalina, aka peccary, aka skunk pig - a nasty looking, fanged scarey little creature that inhabits our current desert homeland (photo from http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net).

Big Guy and his hunting partner John go looking for them every February and depending on the year, one or the other will manage to bag one. Now personally I have a problem eating wild meat but Big Guy just laughs at me.

I mean I'm far from a vegetarian and I'll eat any meat that someone makes their living raising... afterall I grew up on a farm; however, the wild stuff ...not so much. I picture Bambi and it doesn't matter what kind of meat it is, I still can't get by the vision of a sweet little thing with huge eyes, long eyelashes and a gentle disposition. 

Last night Big Guy gave me the peccary's tenderloin, all cooked up crispy and golden with tender loving care. How could I say NO to that! 

Incidentally, javalina is slightly darker in color than pork has a longer grain in the meat and kinda' tastes like veal. Will I eat it again? Maybe ...but only after Big Guy consumes a bushel of green peas, a quart and a half of green beans and a stockpot of garbanzo's. 

Soba Noodle Salad:

Dressing:

Combine ingredients below in a screw top jar and shake until well mixed.

1/3 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1-1/2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 tablespoon honey

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon Asian chili sauce (sambel olek) optional

---

4 ounces Soba noodles, cooked per package directions and drained

Toss noodles with dressing and serve either warm or chilled.

A year ago - The Ultimate Patty Melt

Two year's ago - Food Processor French Bread 

Rigatoni with Sausage and Mushrooms

Last night's dinner requirements were for quick and simple and there's not much that can quite fill the bill like a good bowl of pasta. I mean really - by the time the water boils, the sauce is prepped and 11 minutes later the pasta's done and so is dinner.

Adapted from Sable and Rosenfeld's Elegant Entertaining, this bowl of yum is simply sauced with crumbled Italian sausage, parsley, a touch of garlic and fresh mushrooms. The finishing spark comes from lemon zest added at the very end along with a touch of cream (I used half and half) and a dusting of parmesan cheese.  Of course some of the reserved pasta water helps create more moisture in the dish which makes it even more delicious.

By the way, do what I say and not what I did. Add the mushrooms to the sauce after your pasta is already cooked and drained because if they sit for any length of time, their color will darken. It doesn't change the flavor but the pasta just doesn't look as pretty. 

Anyway, next time you're pressed for time, give this one a try. I don't think you'll be disappointed. 

Now off I go - I'm so far behind I think I'm ahead. I've spent the past couple of days alternately ripping and swearing while sewing a bedskirt for our room; consequently, time spent doing anything else has been limited. You can all rest assured there's not much chance this blog will branch out into crafts or needlework because it's apparent I lack the patience never mind the ability to see. I know for a fact I'd have completed the job in half the time had I been able to find my cheaters. Why, I ask you, are they always in the room you're not?

Rigatoni with Italian Sausage and Mushrooms (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Sable & Rosenfeld’s Elegant Entertaining)

8 ounces rigatoni, cooked per package directions

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 medium onion, chopped

3/4 pound Italian sausage (either sweet or hot)

2 cups sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup cream (half and half is fine)

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Zest of 1 lemon

Coarse ground black pepper and salt to taste

Reserved pasta cooking water as needed

Heat olive oil in medium sauté pan and add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until onion is softened. Add Italian sausage and cook crumbling until no longer pink. Add sliced mushrooms, cooking for an additional 3 or 4 minutes. Add cream and bring to a simmer. Add cooked and drained rigatoni to the pan along with parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. Cook, tossing pasta until coated with sauce. Add reserved pasta cooking water as needed if pasta looks dry. Toss pasta with lemon zest and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve with additional parmesan cheese. Makes 4 servings. 

A year ago - Autumn Pork Stew with Cider

Two year's ago -  Apple and Stilton Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette

Baked Gnocchi with Italian Sausage and Bechamel

Some things honestly don't need descriptions. Sometimes they don't even need recipes. Since a picture's worth a thousand words, how 'bout I just give you one and quit the gabbing.

It's been a heck of a couple of weeks around here and any reason's a good one to have a rich and comforting dinner. Right?  This bunch of glorious goo is a take on the baked pasta we've had on this site before but to tell you the truth, I winged it this time, kinda' like the time before. I just put my apron on along with my thinking cap and went to work. 

Sauteed onion and garlic, a pound of spicy hot Italian sausage, a handful of dried Italian herbs, and a jar of marinara made up the red gravy. The microwave made short work of the bechamel - hey it's easier to wash a 2 cup measure than a pot, wouldn't you say and no, I can't put either in the dishwasher because our pretty stainless lined Maytag purchased in April, 2011 went south...did the swan dive....deep six...finis...kaput...done... but I'll whine about that later.

Combined with gently cooked potato gnocchi fresh from Trader Joe's shelves, some marinated mozzarella balls and a dusting of parmesan cheese, the casserole hit the oven just before Big Guy drove into the garage. Twenty minutes later dinner was served to an extremely appreciative audience of two with dibs on the leftovers for lunch today. So there you have it!

Incidentally, as you see from the link and the photo, this combination of meat sauce and bechamel will work with darn near any pasta, although rigatoni works best because the big tubes hold a lot of the sauces.

You could try the same method using steamed or pre-roasted cauliflower, instead of the pasta or in addition to it. How about grilled grilled eggplant or roasted peppers or summer squash or ... geez we're on a roll here now aren't we?

It's simple, hearty and incredibly delicious good grub.

A year ago - Sun Dried Tomato Pesto on Halibut

Two year's ago -  Fettucini Alfredo with Crab