Pasta – Afoodieaffair

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Pasta Salad Italiano

This recipe was one of those that came from a magazine years ago, probably sponsored by Good Seasons Italian salad dressing mix. I have been making this salad for 30 years or so! It is the easiest salad to make, and the most addicting! I think its the Parmesan in it that has you craving it! It’s a basic pasta salad..naturally you can add or delete anything to this salad, but I particularly like the fact that the veggies in it won’t spoil if you have it the next day for leftovers. When you put things like cucumbers in a salad, it has to be eaten that day, or the cucumbers get slimy. In this, I put the tiny grape tomatoes, so if you feel you will have leftovers, they can be left whole and won’t get mushy. The only thing that softens slightly is the broccoli, and if you put in raw, it will take a while to soften. If you blanch in boiling water as I sometimes do, it will soften more quickly, but this salad is so delicious and so addicting, you won’t have any left anyway.

The original recipe calls for Fettuccine, but I have made this with Rotini, or any other pasta I might have. I like the Rotini because it is easier to eat, and the dressing and cheese gets stuck in the twirls of the pasta.

Pasta Salad Italiano

Author: A Foodie Affair

Ingredients

1 lb Fettuccine, or any other type dry pasta
1 – 15 oz can black olives, drained
1 pkg grape sized cherry tomatoes
1/2 to 3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
3 c. fresh broccoli florets
2 envelopes of Good Seasonings Italian dressing, prepared

Instructions

Boil a very large pot of water and cook pasta according to package directions. If you want to blanch the broccoli, remove the pasta with tongs or a large slotted spoon reserving water to blanch the broccoli in. Make sure the pasta is thoroughly strained, and spread out on a large food safe tray to cool and dry for approx. 2 hours. Do not rinse the pasta.
Meanwhile place the broccoli, tomatoes, olives, cheese and salad dressing into a zipper bag, and place in the refrigerator for about 2 hours, or until you are ready to mix the salad.
Mix the vegetable ingredients with the pasta. Let sit in the refrigerator for about an hour to blend ingredients. Adjust the taste with more cheese, salt and pepper, or dressing if needed.

What ever pasta you make this from, DON’T rinse your pasta! The sauce sticks to your pasta much better leaving the starch on the pasta. When making any pasta salad (and potato salad for that matter), I always cook ahead of time, strain, and lay out on a tray in a single layer, and cool and “dry” to room temperature, Then, you can add all your ingredients, or you can throw in a Ziploc bag until later in the day when you’re ready to use it. Just don’t put any dressing on the pasta before you put in Ziploc bag. The dressing will “continue to cook” your pasta and blow it up! Just put it cooled right in the bag until ready to use.

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By Sandie

Main Dishes/ Pasta

Zucchini Carbonara

I posted this recipe years ago, and have made it several times since. I had always shied away from trying to make Carbonara. It always looked so hard to make. Using egg yolks in a hot mixture always looked like disaster. Then I saw a “Jamie At Home” TV show, and he made it look so easy, so I decided to try it.

Jamie has such a way of teaching that anything he makes, you can too! I’ve made pizza dough that is so easy and delicious, you’ll never but that store bought elastic stuff again.

Now he has a Food Tube channel, and you can get updates with some great recipes! I just saw the latest one that was for Classic Carbonara. I never knew it was the pasta liquid and the grease that makes the sauce in Carbonara!

Check out Jamie’s Food Tube, and try this great Classic Carbonara recipe. You won’t believe you made this restaurant quality dish!

Zucchini Carbonara

Author: A Foodie Affair

Ingredients

3 large free-range egg yolk
1/3 cup Romano cheese , plus extra to serve
5 oz. piece of Guanciale or Pancetta, diced
1 lb. dried ziti or spaghetti
1 clove of garlic
1 Tbsp. Whole peppercorns, ground
6 medium zucchini, sliced

Instructions

Put the egg yolks into a bowl, finely grate in the Parmesan, season with pepper, then mix well with a fork and put to one side.
Cut any hard skin off the pancetta and set aside, then chop the meat.
Cook the spaghetti in a large pan of boiling salted water until al dente.
Meanwhile, place the pancetta in a medium frying pan, then place over a medium-high heat.
Peel the garlic, then crush with the palm of your hand or back of a knife, add it to the pan and leave it to flavor the fat for 1 minute. Cook for 4 minutes, or until it starts to crisp up.
Meanwhile, grind the whole peppercorns in a pestle until fully ground. Sift through a sifter to extract the fine granules of the pepper. Save to add to the egg mixture.
Pick out and discard the garlic from the pan, then, reserving some of the cooking water, drain and add the spaghetti. Toss well over the heat so it really soaks up all that lovely flavor, then remove the pan from the heat.
Add a splash of the cooking water and toss well to stop the frying, season with pepper, then pour in the egg mixture – the pan will help to cook the egg gently, rather than scrambling it. Toss well, adding more cooking water until it’s lovely and glossy.
Serve with a grating of Parmesan and an extra twist of pepper.

By Sandie

Blog/ Front Page/ Home Page/ Main Dishes/ Pasta

Baked Ziti with Sausage

Baked Ziti and Sausage | afoodieaffair.com

I haven’t posted much lately as I’ve been pretty busy with my Shopafoodieaffair, and er…life. So I thought I’d better make this post good! At this time of the year, it’s all about the comfort food. So when I saw a Lidia’s cooking show on PBS, and she was making Baked Ziti, its was on my mind all week. Of coarse, that got me thinking, I haven’t made pasta in quite a while. I decided to make it the other night. I didn’t take her recipe and make it, but more the concept. And I’ve been cooking for long enough to be able to wing it. I love the sauteed chucks of sausage in the Rigatoni Abruzzi at Bertucci’s Italian Restaurant, so I decided to make it with sausage. She made hers with zucchini. Tomato, tomaato…

I filled a stockpot with water and a little salt and brought to a boil. I added the pasta and cooked until al dente directions on the label. Drain when cooked (do not rinse). Set aside.

I started by sauteing some green bell pepper strips, thickly sliced onion and sliced mushrooms in a heavy skillet on medium high to high heat, until slightly browned. I like the veggies chunky rustic style. If you like them smaller, cut them smaller…Then remove from pan, and put it aside.

Then I took the sausage out of the casings, and pinched off large chunks. I added a little olive oil to the pan and sauteed the sausages on medium high to high heat until lightly browned. Make sure to cover to avoid a total mess of your stove top (if that’s possible!). I use a pretty high heat for sauteing, and it takes no time at all since my burners are 25,000 btu. If yours are lower, no problem, just make sure they are slightly browned at least on a side or two. You don’t want them to be brown all over. They won’t look very good, and in my opinion, browned meat ruins the taste of my sauce. Set the sausage aside. For this recipe I used a small amount of hot sausage as well to give it some spice, but its your option to substitute more sweet or any other king in place of it.

In another skillet, I made my Marinara sauce from two cans of Pastene Chunky Crushed Tomatoes, diced onion, garlic, fresh basil and herbs. Viola! Sauce is ready in 15 minutes. You can use jarred sauce if you like…but I think fresh is way better, and takes nothing to make. Don’t be afraid to use herbs. They make or break a dish. Seriously, everything I make has loads of herbs in it. Everything taste flat and boring without them. Once you try this sauce, you’ll never go back! I promise 🙂

Then I mixed the sauce, pepper, onion & mushroom mixture and sausages with the pasta. I added some fresh basil to the mixture as well. Its your choice whether to eat as it is, or layer with cheese in a baking dish and bake. I was even thinking of baking and adding some ricotta cheese. Cooking is all about taking a basic recipe or idea, and making it suit your taste and the taste of your family. And with pasta and sauce, how can you go wrong?

Baked Ziti with Sausage

Author: A Foodie Affair

Ingredients

1 lb pasta
4 – 8″ sweet sausage links (casings removed)
2 – 4″ hot sausage links (casings removed)
extra virgin olive oil
1 small green bell pepper, sliced into thick strips
1/2 very large onion, Cut into large chunk wedges
A handful of whole small mushrooms (any kind), sliced
Sauce:
1 small onion, diced very fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 – 28 oz cans Pastene Ground Peeled Tomatoes (I use chunky style)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried basil
Handful of fresh basil sliced in a Chiffonade (stack leaves, roll, and slice thinly)
salt & pepper
1 tsp. sugar

Instructions

Fill a stockpot with water and a little salt, and bring to a boil. I added the pasta and cooked until al dente directions on the label. Drain when cooked (do not rinse). Set aside.
Saute some green bell pepper strips, thickly sliced onion and sliced mushrooms in a heavy skillet on medium high to high heat, until slightly browned. I like the veggies chunky, rustic style. If you like them smaller, cut them smaller…Then remove from pan, and put it aside.
Then I took the sausage out of the casings, and pinched off large chunks. I added a little olive oil to the pan and sauteed the sausages on medium high to high heat until lightly browned. Make sure to cover to avoid a total mess of your stovetop (if that’s possible!). I use a pretty high heat for sauteing, and it takes no time at all since my burners are 25,000 btu. If yours are lower, no problem, just make sure they are slightly browned at least on a side or two. You don’t want them to be brown all over. They won’t look very good, and in my opinion, browned meat ruins the taste of my sauce. Set the sausage aside. For this recipe I used a small amount of hot sausage as well to give it some spice, but its your option to substitute more sweet or any other king in place of it.
In another skillet, I made my Marinara sauce from two cans of Pastene Chunky Crushed Tomatoes, diced onion, garlic, fresh basil and herbs (you can add a little crushed red pepper if you like it spicy). Viola! Sauce is ready in 15 minutes. You can use jarred sauce if you like…but I think fresh is way better, and takes nothing to make. Don’t be afraid to use herbs. They make or break any dish. Seriously, everything I make has loads of herbs in it. Everything taste flat and boring without them. Once you try this sauce, you’ll never go back! I promise 🙂
Then I mixed the sauce, pepper, onion & mushroom mixture and sausages with the pasta. I added some fresh basil to the mixture as well.
You can eat without baking, or as I did for this recipe, I made one layer in a 13″ x 9″ baking dish, layer with any Italian cheese, layer another layer and top with cheese. Bake until cheese on top is melted (approx 15 minutes).

There’s no way anyone can resist this ooey, gooey, cheesy, saucy, spicy, baked pasta. If you make your sauce ahead and keep in the fridge, it’s just a matter of boiling pasta, sauteing the veggies and sausage, and throwing it all together! Makes plenty for leftovers!

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By Sandie

Blog/ Front Page/ Home Page/ Main Dishes/ Pasta/ Poultry

Skillet Penne with Chicken & Broccoli

Wow, wow, wow, wow, is all I have to say! This super easy to prepare Skillet Penne with Chicken & Broccoli from Cooks Country, is a one skillet dish, and is “power packed” with flavor. You are not going to believe it! You don’t need the heavy cream sauce to really feel the “comfort and taste” in this comfort food! Delicious even when heated up, your family will love this recipe!

This recipe is “power packed” with flavor!

Just brown the chicken, (either in pieces as the recipe states; or a half chicken breast browned, then sliced afterwards), then set it aside while you sauté aromatics and built the sauce. Chicken broth and water, with a pile of fresh minced garlic (not from the jar), red pepper flakes, and white wine, forms the base of the sauce and provides enough liquid for the pasta, and leaving the pan uncovered allows the flavors to intensify as the sauce reduces. For bright green yet tender broccoli, we add it to the pan when the pasta is almost ready. Parmesan cheese (preferably freshly grated), adds creaminess and rich, savory flavor.

This dish is easy enough for the beginner cook, but your guests will never guess!

This recipe is a keeper. I make it with wheat pasta to make it healthier. Note: If you do use wheat Penne, I would add a little more chicken broth and water , as it seemed the pasta needed a little more cooking time than regular pasta. Any pasta you use, this dish is something you will definitely want to make over and over!

Delizioso!

Skillet Penne with Chicken and Broccoli

Author: A Foodie Affair

Serves: 4

This easy to prepare one skillet dish is “power packed” with flavor, without that heavy cream sauce.

Ingredients

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and sliced thin
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion, chopped fine
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 1/2 cups water
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
8 ounces (2 1/2 cups) penne pasta
8 ounces broccoli florets, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup), plus extra for serving

Instructions

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add chicken in single layer and cook, without stirring, until beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Stir chicken and continue to cook until nearly cooked through, about 2 minutes; transfer to bowl and cover to keep warm.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to now-empty skillet and heat over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and ½ teaspoon salt and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, pepper flakes, and oregano and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in wine and simmer until nearly evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in water, broth, and penne. Increase heat to medium-high and cook at vigorous simmer, stirring often, until penne is nearly tender, about 12 minutes.
Stir in broccoli and cook until penne and broccoli are tender and sauce has thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in chicken, along with any accumulated juice, and cook until warmed through, about 1 minute. Off heat, stir in remaining 2 tablespoons oil and Parmesan and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, passing extra Parmesan separately.

Notes

Use a dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc, for this recipe. Swanson Certified Organic Free-Range Chicken Broth is Cooks Country’s taste-test winner.

By Sandie

Blog/ Front Page/ Home Page/ Main Dishes/ Pasta/ Side Dishes

Tortellini Vegetable Bake

I’ve had this Tortellini Vegetable Bake recipe on my “to-do” list for some time now. I found this in a magazine and have saved it all this time. I try not to make this kind of thing very often as I’m eating pretty simply these days, and trying to eat healthy. The sauce for this dish is basically cream cheese and milk. I made with low fat cream cheese and 1% milk. Not sure how the fat free cream cheese and milk will come out, but I will say I didn’t notice the reduced fat at all in the recipe I made. So I’m sure you can reduce a little more than the recipe calls for here.

When you’re looking to make a warm and delicious casserole, this Tortellini Vegetable Bake is true comfort food at it’s finest! Cheesy tortellini, coupled with sugar snap peas, cherry tomatoes, green or red bell pepper, sauteed mushrooms, all in a cheesy sauce. What’s not to like?

When you’re craving comfort food, this recipe is not only easy…it’s satisfying!

Tortellini Vegetable Bake

Author: A Foodie Affair

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 1 hour

Serves: 8

Ingredients

2 – 9 ounce packages refrigerated cheese tortellini
1 1/2 cups fresh sugar snap peas, trimmed and halved crosswise
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrot (1 medium)
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup vegetable broth
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, crushed
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1-1/2 cup milk
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, cubed and softened
1/8 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup coarsely chopped red or green sweet pepper (1 small)
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese for topping

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook tortellini according to package directions, adding sugar snap peas and carrot for the last 1 minute of cooking; drain.
Meanwhile, in a 12-inch skillet melt butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms; cook about 5 minutes or until mushrooms are tender, stirring occasionally. Add the minced garlic 30 seconds before mushrooms are done. You don’t want to brown the garlic, just cook enough to release the garlic aroma. Remove from skillet.
In a screw-top jar combine broth, flour, oregano, garlic salt, and black pepper. Cover and shake until smooth. Add to the same skillet; add milk and Parmesan cheese. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add cream cheese; cook and stir until smooth. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice.
Stir tortellini mixture, mushrooms, tomatoes, and sweet pepper into cream cheese mixture. Spoon into an ungreased 3-quart rectangular baking dish. Bake, covered, about 30 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

By Sandie

Blog/ Cookouts/ Front Page/ Home Page/ Pasta/ Restaurant & Market Reviews/ Salads/ Shopafoodieaffair.com/ Side Dishes

Grilled Veg Pasta Salad

I pinned this Grilled Veg Pasta Salad on Pinterest a while ago from Better Homes and Gardens site, and knew I had to make it!

It features lots of seasonal grilled veggies, pasta, and some great Balsamic dressing. What’s not to like?

I threw in some fresh basil from my outdoor garden; I thought it would be perfect with the Balsamic.

I was right…this salad is a great way to celebrate the great bounty of the summer. You can mix it up and put any grilled veggie you’d like, or even add some grilled chicken for a one meal summer dinner.

Next time, I would make with wheat or whole grain pasta. The balsamic turns the otherwise white pasta a darker color, so no one knows its wheat or multi grain. Otherwise, if you want the pasta to stay a white color, use White Balsamic vinegar. And you can use a smaller portion of pasta to a larger portion of veggies, if you don’t want as much pasta.

The Bread Shed

Add some great bread like I did (I had it with the Bread Shed’s Cranberry Pecan Power Bread I just found this weekend), which is EXCELLENT by the way, if you’re lucky enough to be near Keene, NH! Check out their website for locations to buy their bread. You will be glad you did!

Either way you slice it, this salad is a great way to celebrate Summer!

Like this great Galvanized Individual Serving Dish? Check out my store to get your own!

Grilled Veg Pasta Salad

Recipe Type: Salad

Author: A Foodie Affair

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 small zucchini, halved lengthwise
1 red sweet pepper, stemmed, seeded, and quartered
1/2 small red onion, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed
8 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups cooked whole grain rotini pasta
3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 packet of Good Seasons Italian dry salad dressing
1 tablespoon dried (or 2 tablespoons fresh) oregano, chopped
6 leaves fresh basil, chopped
Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

Instructions

Lightly brush vegetables with 1 tablespoon of the oil.
For a charcoal grill, place vegetables on the rack of the grill over medium-hot coals. Cover and grill for 3 to 5 minutes for asparagus, turning once, and about 10 minutes for the zucchini, sweet pepper, and onion, turning once, or until vegetables are tender. Remove and cool slightly. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add vegetables to grill rack and grill as above.)
Cut vegetables into 1/2-inch pieces and toss with pasta in a large bowl. Add remaining oil, balsamic vinegar, good seasons, salt, and black pepper to pasta mixture; toss to coat. Top with fresh oregano and, if desired, Parmesan.

By Sandie

Blog/ Front Page/ Home Page/ Main Dishes/ Pasta/ Side Dishes

Pasta Aglio Olio with Broccoli Rabe

I’ve had this recipe from Chef Dennis on my “to do” list for quite some time. It thought this would be perfect to make for this lazy Winter Sunday afternoon.

There’s nothing better than pasta with Broccoli Rabe and chucks of garlic, sauteed in a really good olive oil. Throw in some imported Parmesan cheese, and you’ve got paradise. Well, as far as I’m concerned anyway! I used Barilla Campanelle pasta, because of the shape. It catches all the garlic olive oil, broccoli and cheese, in between the ruffles. I topped with some shaved imported Parmesan cheese.

It’s hard to believe something this good, is this easy to make! But it is. This is a perfect dish for a weeknight as it comes together quickly. As for me, someone better get this pasta outta here..I already ate way too much!!

Thanks Dennis, for another great recipe!

Pasta Aglio Olio with Broccoli Rabe

Author: A Foodie Affair

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 25 mins

Ingredients

1/2 lb Campanelle or your favorite pasta
1 large head broccoli rabe
4-5 cloves fresh garlic, sliced into very thin slices
6-7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (or more depending how hot you like it)
kosher or sea salt & coarsely ground pepper to taste
1/3 c.grated Parmesan cheese
Shaved Parmesan cheese for topping

Instructions

Wash and clean broccoli rabe, removing most of the stem
In a large saute pan place broccoli rabe in the pan with about a cup of water over high heat, as the water begins to boil reduce to simmer and allow water to cook off.
This process should take 10 – 15 minutes or until broccoli rabe is fairly tender, then remove from heat (if all the water cooks off and broccoli rabe is still not tender add additional water and continue cooking).
In another saute pan add 6 tablespoons of olive oil , add sliced garlic and saute over low heat until garlic looks like its starting to turn brown. Take off heat immediately. (Do not let garlic completely brown, it will bitter. If it does, throw out and start again. There’s nothing worse than the taste of burnt garlic. Especially in this dish).
Add pinch of red pepper flakes and broccoli rabe and toss in oil and set aside.
Cook pasta per instructions on box.
When pasta is almost cooked, return broccoli rabe and sauce to burner on medium, just to reheat a little.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add additional olive oil if sauce appears to dry. (you may also add a little of the pasta water if you don’t care to use anymore oil).
Reserve a couple ladles of pasta water. Drain pasta.
Toss pasta with broccoli rabe sauce.
Place pasta into a serving bowl and top with grated Parmesan cheese.
Top with some shaved imported Parmesan cheese.
Serve with crusty bread and enjoy!

By Sandie

Blog/ Farm Stands & Specialty Markets/ Front Page/ Home Page/ Main Dishes/ Pasta

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Maple Cream Sauce

Not to be misleading, but the recipe is for the Maple Cream Sauce I created to go with the Butternut Squash I just purchased from one of my favorite markets, Russo’s in Watertown, MA.

Russo’s is a really neat market that has loads of produce, and an especially great amount of Asian produce, imported Cold Cuts (I can’t even count the number of Prosciutto varieties they have), their own baked cold cuts (their Roast Beef is incredible), cheeses, home-made pasta, flowers, breads, meats, chicken and dairy, bakery, pies,plants and most importantly, the Vantia canned tomatoes I swear are the only ones I can use.

On todays trip, I purchased the Butternut Ravioli, some Bok Choy and fresh bean sprouts (hence the stir fry on this weeks menu), an Apple Crumb Pie, 2 lbs. of their own Roast Beef sliced super thin, some Plum Tomatoes and Imported Asiago cheese (for today’s Tomato Soup), some Bell & Evans Chicken, Coconut Macaroons, and more cans of my favorite Vantia canned tomatoes (the real reason for the trip), to name a few.

$Russos Watertown MA \ afoodieaffair.com$
I had posted this recipe quite some time ago, but never put a picture because I have trouble with white on white on white pictures (white ravioli, white sauce, white plate)! However, this sauce is so delicious, it deserves another try with the pictures. I don’t think they’re much better, but hopefully you get the idea. This sauce is so “Fall”, it’s not funny. The flavors of Maple and Cinnamon and a touch of Nutmeg scream Autumn, falling leaves and sweaters. I used my Alligator Dicer to finely dice the onions. This is one recipe you don’t want big chunks of onions.

My cousin Denise makes this sauce and swears she licks the plate every time she makes this sauce! Its is delicious and EASY! I even dipped my grilled chicken in it, it’s that good!

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Maple Cream Sauce

Recipe Type: Sauce

Author: A Foodie Affair

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 15 mins

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. Butter
Half a small onion, very finely diced
1 c. Heavy Cream
1-2 Tbsp Real Maple Syrup
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
Pinch Nutmeg

Instructions

Melt butter in a 10″ saute pan on medium heat.
Add onion and saute until soft.
Add cream, maple syrup, cinnamon & nutmeg and boil on medium high heat until reduced and thickened.

By Sandie

Blog/ Front Page/ Home Page/ Pasta/ Sauces, Dressings & Gravy/ Vegetables

Spaghetti with Zucchini Sauce

Wow, I’ve had quite a weekend for baking and cooking, and ALL of the recipes have turned out great! That’s gotta be a record! I’ve made the Pineapple Sour Cream Crumb Bars, Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes, Apple Pasties and I made this Zucchini Saute for supper, and thought…Wow this would be unreal for a spaghetti sauce!

So, I made some angel hair and put the sauce on it. Unreal. I’m really not a red sauce person, and could care less about spaghetti and sauce normally. But this is phenomenal! The sweet sauce with Zucchini is delicious. And good for you! It’s the other stuff I made this weekend that’s not so good for your waistline…but they were all delicious!

I always use Vantia canned tomatoes. I literally drive 45 minutes each way to buy them, and they are well worth it. Remember, your recipes only turn out as good as the ingredients in them. And these tomatoes are well worth it! I am working on carrying the various Vantia products in my store, so stay tuned!

Now, on with the recipe!

Spaghetti with Zucchini Sauce

Recipe Type: Sauce

Author: A Foodie Affair

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Ingredients

3 Tbsp oil
2 Green Zucchini, quartered and sliced into good sized chunks
2 Yellow Summer Squash, quartered and sliced into good sized chunks
1 very large Vidalia onion, peeled and sliced
1 (28 oz can) whole tomatoes
1-2 tsp sugar
6 basil leaves
salt and pepper
¼ tsp oregano, dried
½ tsp basil, dried
1 tsp parsley, dried
1 small can of tomato juice, if needed

Instructions

Heat oil In a large skillet, over medium high heat until hot. Add onions and saute until slightly browned.
Add in zucchini and squash, and mix thoroughly.
Add canned tomatoes, and herbs and mix together. Add a little sugar.
Let simmer until squash is soft; 20 min to 30 min.

Just remember to use some really good quality canned tomatoes (I use Vantia, and drive about 45 minutes one way to get them!). Your recipes will only turn out as good as the ingredients in them. Trust me I know my tomatoes! These are one of the best! I’m working on carrying the various Vantia products in my store, so stay tuned…

By Sandie

Blog/ Front Page/ Home Page/ Main Dishes/ Pasta/ Poultry

Baked Tortellini & Vegetables

This is a great recipe for a potluck, function, or for a weekday supper. I found this on Pinterest, and tweaked it a little from the original recipe. I added a finely diced onion and garlic, where the original recipe didn’t call for it. I just think it needed it. I added the flour mixture to the onions and garlic, and made a roux before adding the chicken broth, milk and cream cheese. You can basically add any veggie, just make sure if its something that won’t cook in 30 minutes, throw it in with the tortellini to pre cook it. The original recipe called for adding the green pepper to the casserole uncooked. I found that the pepper didn’t cook when thrown in raw. I adjusted the recipe to pre cook the peppers a little so they would cook thoroughly.

I bought the refrigerated tortellini, so they only had 7 minutes to cook. I threw the carrots in 5 minutes before the tortellini was to be cooked, and threw in the sugar snap peas, 1 minute before.

Meanwhile I sauteed the chicken and mushrooms in a skillet until slightly browned. You want the chicken and mushrooms to have a little color. I think chicken with a little color looks much more appetizing than chicken with no color.

I took the chicken/mushroom mixture out of the pan, and added 1 Tbsp of butter to the empty skillet. Then I threw in the onions I diced with my Alligator Dicer, which makes the job extremely easy. I could never get the onions so evenly diced by hand. I also added the green pepper and sauteed the peppers and onions about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook approx. 1 minute. You don’t want to cook garlic too long. If it gets browned it has a horrid taste, and then you have to throw your mixture out and start again. Just cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Then you mix the tortellini & veggies, chicken mixture and sauce with the cherry tomatoes and green pepper. Sprinkle in some grated Parmesan cheese, mix together, and put in a baking dish.

Cook for approx. 30 minutes and enjoy.

The tomatoes were surprisingly delicious and cooked just right, and really added the special touch to this dish.

Baked Tortellini & Vegetables

Author: A Foodie Affair

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 35 mins

Serves: 12

Ingredients

10 ounces dried cheese-filled tortellini (2-½ cups) or [u]two[/u] 9-ounce packages refrigerated tortellini
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
1-1/2 c. sugar snap peas, halved crosswise
3 Tbsp butter
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 c. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 onion, finely diced
1 small green sweet pepper, coarsely chopped (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. all-purpose flour
1/3 c. chicken broth
1 c. milk
1 Tbsp snipped fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, crushed
1 Tbsp parsley, dried
salt & pepper
1 – 8 ounce package cream cheese or light cream cheese (Neufchatel), cubed and softened
1 c. halved grape tomatoes
4-6 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Cook tortellini in boiling salted water according to package directions, adding the carrot during the last 5 minutes of cooking and the sugar snap peas during the last 1 minute of cooking; drain.
Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp of the butter in a 12-inch skillet. Add chicken and mushrooms, and cook about 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink, and slightly browned. Remove from skillet.
Add another 2 tablespoons of butter to the empty skillet. Add diced onions and green pepper and saute until slightly soft; about 3-4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for another minute.
Add 2 tsp flour to the onion mixture, and mix it to make a roux. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute to cook down flour.
Add chicken broth, milk, oregano, parsley, salt and pepper to the onion mixture. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly; add cream cheese and 2-3 Tbsp Parmesan cheese. Cook and stir until cream cheese is smooth. Remove from heat.
Add pasta mixture, chicken mixture, onion mixture, Parmesan and cherry tomatoes. Toss to coat. Turn into an ungreased 13x9x2-inch baking dish or shallow 3-quart casserole.
Bake, covered, in a 350 degrees F oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until heated through. Stir mixture and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Transport in an insulated carrier. Makes 12 main-dish servings.

Notes

You can also use this recipe with broccoli florets.

By Sandie

Blog/ Front Page/ Home Page/ Main Dishes/ Pasta/ Poultry

Creamy Chicken Marsala Pasta

I noticed this great pasta recipe on Pinterest from Joelen’s What’s Cooking Chicago blog, and knew I had to make it! It comes from a recipe from America’s Test Kitchen/Cooks Illustrated. What a coincidence, my favorite Chicken Marsala recipe comes from Cook’s Illustrated, so I’m sure its bound to be good!

I did tweak it a bit though. I noticed there was no Pancetta in the recipe and thought Chicken Marsala just isn’t Chicken Marsala without Pancetta. So I added it. Basically, I followed the Chicken Marsala recipe from Cooks Illustrated, and added a little chicken broth, heavy cream and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese (don’t use fresh, use the stuff in the jar). I sprinkled a tiny bit of Parmesan cheese in for flavor, but didn’t want the cheese to overpower the great taste of the Marsala sauce.

As with Chicken Marsala, it is very important to “reduce” the wine to a syrup. I think that’s where a lot of people go wrong. It’s easy to want to rush things, but very important that you don’t. The reducing not only burns off the alcohol in the wine, the consistency gets thicker, which is what you want for a great sauce.

I gotta tell you, what a great recipe to throw together for a weeknight meal! I use Bell & Evans chicken in all my chicken recipes, so I know the chicken will turn out tender and juicy. To me, there’s no substitute. I use Sweet Marsala wine for the best flavor and sweetness.

Thanks Joelen, for a great inspiration in this recipe!

Creamy Chicken Marsala Pasta

Recipe Type: Main Dish

Author: A Foodie Affair

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 4-6

This delicious meal is perfect for a weeknight meal.

Ingredients

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, rinsed and patted dry
2-4 Tbsp oil
1 pound dry pasta (Penne or similar)
2 Tbsp butter
3 oz. pancetta
1 small onion, thinly sliced or diced
10-12 ounces sliced or quartered mushrooms, any kind
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1-1/2 cup sweet Marsala cooking wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon or so fresh lemon juice
5-6 tablespoons unsalted butter
Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese (from the jar; not fresh)
salt and pepper to taste
3-4 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced

Instructions

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
Heat 12 inch skillet over medium high heat until very hot. Add 2 Tbsp oil to hot skillet. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Cook chicken until lightly browned on both sides. Transfer to plate when done. Transfer to oven to keep warm.
Boil water and cook pasta according to the directions on package. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water. Drain pasta and set aside.
Make sure there are no burnt areas in skillet. If so, wipe out with a paper towel (don’t wipe out the browned bits, just any burnt areas). Melt butter in skillet and a tablespoon more of oil. Add pancetta, stirring occasionally and scraping pan until pancetta is browned and crisp. Transfer to paper towel lined plate.
Add onions and cook until translucent. The add mushrooms and cook until mushrooms and onions begin to brown, about 8 minutes.
Add garlic, tomato paste and pancetta, sauteing while stirring until paste begins to brown, about 1 minute.
Off heat, add the Marsala and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Simmer until sauce is is slightly thickened (about 5 minutes). Add heavy cream and simmer vigorously until cream reduces slightly.
Off heat, add a slight squeeze of fresh lemon juice and add butter. Stir in until melted. Sprinkle with a little grated Parmesan cheese.
Remove chicken from oven, and cut into bite sized pieces. Add to Marsala mixture. Add pasta to mixture and stir in 2 Tbsp of fresh parsley. Stir together, and sprinkle additional parsley on top.

Notes

I use tomato paste in the tube. It’s great when you want to add just a touch to recipes.

By Sandie

Blog/ Cookouts/ Front Page/ Home Page/ Pasta

Macaroni Salad with Crispy Pancetta & Peas

I’ve been cruising through the various recipes for different types of macaroni salad on the various blogs and Pinterest. In most of them, it looks like the macaroni is screaming for help, from drowning in a pool of mayo:(

I don’t like my macaroni salad with more mayo than macaroni. I like the mayo to cling to the macaroni, and to be able to see all the great veggies and herbs in the salad as well. The first way to achieve this, is to cook the macaroni, drain, but do not rinse, and cool on a sheet pan or tray. When the macaroni is completely cooled, then proceed to add the veggies and mayo mixture. I mix the ingredients for the mayo dressing in a bowl together, taste, and then add little by little to the macaroni, so as not to add too much. Don’t discard the mayo mixture you have left over, because the macaroni will absorb the mayo some, and you may have to add a little more later to achieve the consistency you like.

This way, you control what your end product looks like. And I think macaroni should be the star. You can make with any type macaroni , and add essentially any veggies, olives and herbs you like. That’s what’s great about macaroni salad. It’s very versatile, and you can make with basically anything you have on hand.

This is truly a delicious salad. The dressing tastes a little strong when first made, but after it’s on the salad, tones down quite a bit. Just make sure you add to the salad sparingly, so as not to “drown” the salad.

Also, I used the pre-diced pancetta (pictured above), instead of cutting from a chunk. It’s very hard to get the dice so small, and larger pieces would not fare well in this dish. Nice lemon undertones, with crisp peas, crunchy bits of pancetta, and delicate scallions, make for a refreshing , light summer salad.

Macaroni Salad with Crispy Pancetta & Peas

Recipe Type: Salad

Author: A Foodie Affair

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 12 mins

Total time: 17 mins

Serves: 8

The crispy pancetta and peas add a delicious and flavorful twist to ordinary macaroni salad, a lemony dressing.

Ingredients

12 oz salad-size macaroni pasta, cooked according to package instructions for Al Dente, and cooled
1 cup frozen petite peas, thawed
4 oz diced and crisped pancetta
3 stalks green scallions, sliced
Creamy, Lemon-Thyme Dressing (recipe below)
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, for garnish

Instructions

Cooked macaroni according to package directions for Al Dente. Drain and cool on a sheet pan or tray until completely cooled.
Cook pancetta in a skillet on medium high until crispy, but not burned. Drain on paper towel until ready to use.
Add the cooked and cooled macaroni to a large bowl, and add in the thawed petite peas, scallions and the diced, crisped pancetta; if serving immediately, toss with the Creamy, Lemon-Thyme Dressing, and garnish with the thyme leaves. If making ahead, prepare all components and keep them separate, then toss the dressing with the pasta/peas/pancetta/scallions when ready to serve, to keep the pasta salad moist and fresh; keep cold.

Creamy Lemon Thyme Dressing

Recipe Type: Salad Dressing

Author: A Foodie Affair

Prep time: 5 mins

Total time: 5 mins

Ingredients

3/4 c. mayonnaise
4 Tbsp sour cream
1 Tbsp heavy cream
1/3 c. olive oil
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice
1-1/2 Tbsp lemon zest
2-3 Tbsp sugar
1-1/2 tsp.salt
1 tsp. whole grain Dijon mustard
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1/2 tsp.freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions

Add all ingredients into the bowl of a food processor, and process the mixture until thick and completely creamy; store in the fridge until you’re ready to serve the salad, at which point you can toss the dressing with the pasta.

By Sandie

Main Dishes/ Pasta

Baked Ravioli

Sometimes the best dinners are the kind you just throw together. Since we have just gone through the loss of power, and mess that Hurricane Sandy (no relation!) sent our way, I decided to make the good ol’ standby… frozen Ravioli. I made some of my home made Fresh & Simple Marinara (it only takes 15 minutes), and boiled some water for the ravioli. Then I thought, I’m going to make mine Baked Ravioli. The generator kept the fridge going during our loss of power, so I had plenty of Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese to use.

I used my new Lodge cast iron individual bakers and simply layered the sauce, ravioli and cheese. I baked some Ciabatta rolls I had in the freezer, and made garlic bread out of them. Viola! dinner!

Baked Ravioli

Recipe Type: Main Dish

Author: A Foodie Affair

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 4

Simple, easy, delicious. Isn’t that what dinner for your family is all about?

Ingredients

Large package Frozen Ravioli
One recipe Marinara or jarred sauce of your choice
Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Make recipe for Marinara if making home made.
Cook ravioli according to package directions.
Drain ravioli. Put a little sauce in bottom of baking dish. Layer ravioli, Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Repeat with sauce , ravioli and cheeses to top of dish.
Bake just until cheese is melted and slightly browned.

By Sandie

Main Dishes/ Pasta/ Side Dishes

Pasta and Peas

The first time I had pasta and peas was at my hairdressers. I know, what a weird spot to eat Italian food, while you’re getting a haircut! My hairdresser is Italian, and his Mom always makes pasta on Thursday’s, so they always offer it anyone that’s there. It was delicious. So I asked how she made it.

It turns out to be so simple. I think it was a dish that was made during the depression, with very few main ingredients. It is extremely cheap to make, feeds a ton of people, and is extremely good! And, is extremely easy!

Pasta and Peas

Author: A Foodie Affair

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 35 mins

Serves: 8

Pasta with home made pasta sauce, peas and cheese.

Ingredients

1 lb. Ditalini pasta
1 – 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp or so sugar
Sprinkling of oregano, basil and parsley, dried
Salt & Pepper
1 bag frozen peas
1 Tbsp butter
Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Bring water in a large saucepot for pasta to a boil.
For sauce, heat olive oil in a saucepot or saute pan, and cook 3/4 of the onion until translucent (save the other 1/4 for the pea mixture). Add garlic, and cook approx 1 minute (be careful not to burn garlic). Add crushed tomatoes, seasonings to taste, sugar and salt and pepper. Cook sauce on low light for approx. 20 minutes.
Cook pasta according to package directions, approx 10 minutes. Strain pasta reserving 1 c. pasta water. Put pasta back in to saucepot.
For peas, in a small skillet, melt 1 Tbsp butter. Add the leftover 1/4 of onion, and cook until translucent. Add peas and cook until bright green and warmed.
Add sauce and peas to pasta. Add some grated Parmesan cheese. Mix. If sauce is too thick, thin with some of the pasta water.
Serve in a huge bowl. Add more grated Parmesan cheese as desired.

By Sandie

Main Dishes/ Pasta

Baked Ziti with Ricotta

As I was browsing through some of my favorite blogs, I came across this recipe for Baked Rigatoni from Marie’s Proud Italian Cook’s blog. This recipe is so easy, and so delicious, its hard to believe its so easy! And so versatile. You can add some grilled chicken, ground beef or sausage or peppers, zucchini, or anything you like.

I added shaved Parmesan cheese, but you can add anything you have on hand.

I make it with my Marinara sauce, but you can use jarred sauce if you like as well. I added some variegated Basil fresh from the garden. This is just comfort cooking at its best!

Baked Ziti with Ricotta

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 45 mins

Total time: 1 hour 5 mins

Serves: 6

Ingredients

1 lb ziti, rigatoni, or other pasta
Marinara Sauce
1 lb. ricotta cheese
1 egg
3 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped; or 1 Tbsp dried
bunch of spinach, squeezed and drained of all liquid
1/3 c. or so grated cheese (Romano or Parmesan)
Salt & Pepper
Mozzarella cheese, grated
Fresh shaved Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Boil pasta in a large stock according to package directions.
While pasta is cooking, combine ricotta, egg, parsley, spinach, cheese, salt & pepper together. Place in a zipper bag and snip off one of the bottom corners.
Drain ziti, and add sauce to pasta.
In a 13″ X 9″ pan, spread sauce on the bottom. Add one third of the ziti, and dollop the ricotta mixture all around on top of the ziti (space about 2″ apart). Then add, Parmesan and Mozzarella. Layer one more time exactly the same. Place the remaining third of ziti on top and top with Mozzarella if you choose.
Cover with foil, and bake 30 minutes. Uncover foil, and bake 15 minutes more.

Notes

You can omit the spinach from the ricotta if desired. I did not use it in my recipe, but it entirely up to you.

By Sandie

Pasta/ Side Dishes

Toasted Orzo with Peas and Parmesan

My daughter had called me today looking for this recipe and I realized I had not put on my blog yet. Coincidentally, I had just bought some fresh haddock for dinner, and thought it would be a perfect accompaniment to the Haddock Meuniere I was making tonight. I initially found this recipe from Cooks Illustrated. Toasting the orzo gave this pilaf a real depth of flavor, adding Parmesan gave it a real creamy texture, and the nutmeg gave the Parmesan a nutty taste.

Toasted Orzo with Peas and Parmesan

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

Total time: 35 mins

Serves: 6

Ingredients

2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped fine (about 1 c.)
Table salt
2 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tsp)
1 lb. orzo
3-1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 c. dry vermouth or dry white wine
10 oz. frozen peas (about 1-3/4 c.)
2 oz. grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 c.)
pinch ground nutmeg
Ground black pepper

Instructions

Heat butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; when foaming subsides, add onion and 3/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until onion has softened and is beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add orzo and cook, stirring frequently with heatproof rubber spatula, until most of orzo is lightly browned and golden, 5 to 6 minutes.
Off heat, add vermouth and chicken broth. Return skillet to medium-high heat and bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until all liquid has been absorbed and orzo is tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
With rubber spatula, stir in peas, Parmesan, nutmeg, and pepper to taste. Let stand off heat until peas are heated through, about 2 minutes; adjust seasoning with salt and serve.

By Sandie

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