Rigatoni with Creamy Red Pepper-Feta Sauce

Happy Friday (almost Saturday), everyone! I just returned from my second week-long trip to Boston in a row, and I'm so pumped to sleep in my own bed, spend time with James, and eat some home cooked food...before turning around and going back for one final week on Sunday.

I'm sharing this fast, healthy, and super delicious pasta over on Stefanie's blog today while she spends time with her new baby! While I have not had the pleasure of meeting Stefanie in person yet, I can tell from her sense of humor and fondness for cocktails that we'd get along just famously. Needless to say, I was super stoked to pitch in and share a recipe while she adjusts to mom-hood.

Head on over to Sarcastic Cooking for the recipe!

Orzo Salad with Chickpeas, Dill, and Lemon

Random fact: I hate bringing lunch to work.

Am I the worst food blogger ever for preferring a sandwich that's been expertly prepared by the staff of Taylor Gourmet, to a sandwich I've made at home?

Probably.

However, until I can get up at the butt-crack of dawn to roast my own meats, Taylor Gourmet wins.

A Taylor Gourmet opened roughly 5 steps away from my office last year, and I've become slightly addicted. Every time I walk into TG, I feel like I've died and gone to Heaven. Except, this Heaven is made of meat and bread, and not the white puffy clouds I've always pictured. There are no angels, just office drones in pencil skirts and Tory Burch flats. Then, I walk through the exit doors and get hit up for some change by one of 19th Street's urban campers, and I realize that I'm just in DC, and that Heaven will most likely not be decorated with pickle bucket light fixtures.

There are just two problems with working in such close proximity to Meat Heaven: 1) It gets pricey, and 2) TG doesn't publish nutritional facts. I'd venture a guess that many of their sandwiches are pushing 1,000 calories, if not more.

Since part of being a grown up is doing things we hate, I made lunch and brought it to work to save myself some calories and some coinage.*

Guess what?! It was delicious. I happily ate this for lunch 3 days in a row, and only had a slight twinge of longing for my beloved sandwich shop. I put a couple big scoops of this over a bed of baby spinach, and felt totally virtuous about eating my greens.

*In the unlikely event that some of you reading are fellow Strangers with Candy fans, yes, that is a slight homage to the brilliantly dirty "Packing a Musket", by Jerry Blank.

Penne Pasta with Sun-dried Tomato Cream Sauce

I'm alive!!

It's been a busy couple weeks in Maggie-land, but I am back with a stupidly easy pasta recipe for you today. I'm the absolute worst at cooking dinner for myself when things get busy, but this takes 15 minutes of your life, and makes two perfect and super-cheesy portions.

Speaking of cheese, I got in a fight involving a plate of cheese fries this weekend. I'm not usually a fighter. When people are jerks to me, I typically don't know how I want to react to the situation until 3 hours later, at which point it's way too late to give the person a piece of my mind. This weekend, that all changed.

On Saturday, my group of friends and I did a Christmas-themed bar crawl through Arlington, VA. We go every December, and it's possibly one of the most fun events we do all year. People get super into it with ugly sweaters and Christmas costumes (including Ralphie in the pink bunny suit from A Christmas Story and Cousin Eddie, bathrobe and all.)

Annie comes down from New Jersey every year for this event, and at some point on Saturday we randomly decided that we wanted cheese fries. We were at the last bar on the crawl, and finally order a plate of the delicious snack we've been jonesing for all day. There was no server for the bar tables we were standing at with Ralphie and Cousin Eddie, so I went up to the bar myself to retrieve the fries and deposit them at our table, and then ran back to the bar to grab plates and napkins. When I return, two dudes who I have never met before in my life are standing there chowing down on our fries. I will call them Lutz, because cheese-fry thief #1 looked like Lutz from 30 Rock, and Jacques, because cheese-fry thief #2 happened to be French.

Now, I didn't jump right into yelling at Lutz and Jacques without first making it explicitly clear that a) I did not know them, b) have no interest in sharing my food with grubby-fingered strangers, and c) wanted them to stop eating immediately. Well, Jacques made the grave error of informing me that they would order a second round. I informed them that the fries weren't the point. The point was, I thought it was weird and rude that they would come up to a stranger's table and start eating their food. Meanwhile, Lutz continued to hoover my fries like a crazed wildebeest. In the interest of brevity, here's a video loosely depicting what occurred next:

As it turns out, yelling finally clarified my stance on strangers eating my bar snack, and Lutz and Jacques skulked off to another table. 

I was still perturbed about the interaction, but ready to move on, when one of my friends stops by the table to inquire what happened. She says, "umm, Lutz says to tell you you're a bitch."

No me gusta.

I marched over to their table and proceeded to yell at them for a good 3 minutes while they cowered in terror. I was so furious that I don't remember specific details of what I yelled, but Annie informed me after the fact that she could tell by my articulate yelling that I was an English major. 

Lessons to take from this story:

a. Don't eat a stranger's cheese fries. 

b. Don't argue with an English major; she will destroy you using only her words. 

c. Don't call a girl a bitch unless you want to experience the true definition of the word.

d. Standing up for yourself and not letting jerks walk all over you feels awesome.

Pasta Fagioli Soup

Soup isn't usually one of those foods where I lack self control. That unfortunate characteristic is usually reserved for foods like brownies, risotto, and macaroni and cheese. Ya know, health food. With soup I can usually have a small bowlful for dinner with a salad or some crusty bread, feel satisfied, and call it a night. However, with this soup I really just want to sit on the floor with the pot in my lap, and eat it straight from the ladle like a weirdo. It is SO good. With ingredients like bacon, garlic, pasta shells, and Parmesan cheese would you expect any less?

Little by little it's getting cooler here in Virginia, and this was a perfectly delicious, perfectly cozy fall dinner for the past couple nights. This was my first time making this soup, and I can already tell that it is going to become a fall and winter staple for me!

The original recipe called for either bacon or pancetta. I really wanted to use pancetta but my grocery store was regrettably out. Thanks a lot Whole Foods. I recommend using the pancetta over the bacon if you can find it, because it is extremely difficult to mince bacon. I never noticed how slippery it was until I attempted to cut it into tiny little pieces. There was a lot of cursing, and I almost threw a handful of bacon at the wall in a fit of rage, which really would have only been hurting myself.

This soup is very thick when it's leftover - it becomes more stew like. Feel free to add up to 2 cups more broth if you want it soupier.

Here's what you'll need: 

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 slices of bacon, minced
2 yellow onions, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
Large pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 1/4 cups uncooked whole wheat pasta shells
Parmesan cheese and finely chopped Italian parsley, for garnish

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the bacon and onions, and saute for 8 minutes. Add the garlic, and saute for an additional 2 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low, and pour in the tomatoes (with their juices), sage, and spices. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour in the broth and beans, and simmer for an additional 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the pasta to the soup, and simmer, stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes, until the pasta is al dente. Garnish with cheese and parsley, and serve immediately.

Makes about 10 cups of soup.

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Source: Adapted from Shutterbean, originally from the Williams Sonoma Beans & Rice Cookbook

Spicy Sausage Pasta

When you were a kid, did you ever eat cut up hot dogs mixed with a box of Kraft mac & cheese? 

Me too. Actually, I may have actually eaten that concoction as recently as a few months ago, so I don't know who I'm trying to fool with the whole "when you were a kid" qualifier. 

This reminds me of a grownup version of that! However, instead of hot dogs you have delicious smoked turkey sausage, and instead of Kraft you have penne with Monterey Jack cheese and Ro-Tel. The best part? You only need one pan, and 25 minutes to make this dinner. You don't even cook the pasta in a separate pan!

On a spiciness scale of 1-10, with 1 being mild salsa, and 10 being a ghost pepper dipped in sriracha sauce, this pasta is about a 3. If you want it spicier, use the hot version of Ro-Tel, and maybe Pepper-Jack cheese instead of Monterey-Jack. Some crushed red pepper flakes would be delicious too. This is a very forgiving recipe - you really can't mess up cheesy pasta!

Like this recipe? Do me a humongous favor and hook me up with some social media love! 

Please follow me on Instagram, like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, and follow me on Pinterest, and I will love you forever and ever :)

Here's what you'll need:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 14-ounce package smoked turkey sausage, sliced into rounds (I used Butterball brand)
1 1/2 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 10-ounce can Ro-Tel Tomatoes and Green Chiles, Original Style
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 ounces uncooked penne pasta (about 2 1/2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Thinly sliced scallions
Salt, to taste

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a cast iron skillet(or other oven-safe skillet) until smoking. 

Add the sausage and onion, and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add in the garlic, and cook for 30 seconds.

Add the broth, Ro-Tel, heavy cream, uncooked pasta, and pepper, and give the mixture a good stir. Bring to a boil, cover the skillet, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until the pasta is tender, about 15 minutes, stirring once or twice while cooking. Preheat the broiler while the pasta is cooking.

Remove the skillet from the heat, and stir in 1 cup of the cheese. Taste, and add salt as needed. Top with the scallions and remaining cheese. Broil until the cheese is melted and lightly browned - about 3 minutes.

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Adapted from The Best Simple Recipesvia Kevin & Amanda

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Roasted Cherry Tomato and Garlic Pasta

I have been wanting to join a CSA forever-ever, but have been extremely hesitant to commit to one. They're a lot of money, a lot of food, and there's only one of me. However, every time I go to the grocery store I get peeved when I attempt to purchase an in-season piece of fruit and see that it's been flown in from halfway across the country, or even worse, from another country all together. I live in Virginia, and there are plenty of fruits and vegetables that can be grown a reasonable distance from here.

Needless to say, I was super excited when I discovered Washington's Green Grocer. They're a local produce delivery service that allows you to sign-up for on-demand boxes of local fruits and veggies - meaning, I don't need to pay for a whole season ahead of time. Helloooo, perfect solution for this CSA commitment-phobe!

I got my first box on Friday. This photo that I snapped doesn't even begin to show the quantity of goodies they sent me. There are zucchinis, more potatoes, and a bunch of nectarines and plums hiding under that bunch of lettuce! The only thing in the box from far away were the bananas. Now, I'm no botanist, but I'm pretty sure that bananas don't grown in Virginia. South American bananas are totally fine with me!

I decided to make a pasta dish with the cherry tomatoes they sent me, and whipped up this easy and healthy dish.

I think that Washington Green Grocer delivers to DC, Maryland, Virginia, and Delaware. I know that the majority of you guys don't live in those states, but hopefully you can find something similar. This was my first box from them so it might be premature to give them a glowing review, but so far I'm quite impressed! Now to come up with a recipe for the giant bag of green beans...

Here's what you'll need for a meal for one:

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
4-5 large garlic cloves, halved
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/4 cup cooked pasta
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a small baking dish, combine tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and salt. Roast uncovered in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, stirring once halfway through. When the tomatoes are done, remove the halved garlic cloves and roughly chop them. Add back into the tomato mixture, and serve over pasta with Parmesan cheese.

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Sesame Soba Noodle Salad

Something momentous happened yesterday.

I became the first food blogger ever* to nearly mess up boiling noodles.

I whipped up this awesome sesame noodle salad for dinner last night, and after I finished boiling the edamame, I looked at the medium-sized saucepan and thought to myself, "That entire package of noodles will totally fit. Spatial relations skills and common sense are for losers," as I stuffed the noodles into the undersized pot.

I'm sure you can see where this is going. I turned my back for about 20 seconds after putting the noodles in, and boiling water was spewing everywhere. Not just a little overflow - I'm talking a full on boiling tidal wave. Most normal people would've taken the pot off, drained some water, and moved on. Not this braniac. I wielded a ladle in one hand, and a slotted spoon in the other, and scooped out water ladleful by ladleful, hurling the excess water into the sink as I went, while simultaneously stirring the noodles.

Please consider this a cautionary tale. Use a large pot when cooking soba noodles.

Do as I say, not as I do. Because I do dumb things.

(*at least I hope...)


Here's what you'll need:

For the salad:

1 red pepper, diced
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup finely minced cilantro
1 1/2 cup frozen edamame, cooked according to package directions and cooled for a few minutes
1 8.8-ounce package of soba noodles
Sesame seeds, for garnish

For the dressing:

3 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon tahini
2 teaspoons honey
Salt, to taste

Bring a large pot of water to boil.

In a large bowl, combine the red pepper, green onions, cilantro, and cooked edamame.

When the water is boiling, add the soba noodles, and cook until they're done. These cook much more quickly than traditional pasta, so make a note of the cooking time indicated on the package, and start checking for doneness about a minute before time is up.

While the noodles are cooking, whisk all of the ingredients together for your salad dressing.

When the noodles are done, drain in a colander and immediately rinse with cold water. Add the noodles to your bowl with the vegetables and toss with the dressing. Check to see if you need more salt, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and enjoy!

Source: Daily Garnish (If you're not already a reader of Emily's site, do yourself a favor and check it out. She pretty much has the cutest baby ever. And she went to culinary school, so I'm doubly jealous!)
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Orecchiette with Peas, Shrimp, and Buttermilk-Herb Dressing

Posted by: Maggie

I decided after making this pasta salad that fresh dill is my favorite smell in the world. I know I should be telling you how delicious this pasta salad tasted, but I'm really more into talking about the smell. It is intoxicatingly delicious. 

You know how dumb teenagers huff paint and glue? Well, I'm about to start huffing dill. Can someone please turn this scent into a candle or an air-freshener so I can stop making idiotic statements like that? I'm obsessed. 

I'll stop waxing poetic about the smell of dill for 5 seconds to tell you that this pasta salad is not only delicious, but low-fat! The dressing is made of light mayo, cut with some fat-free buttermilk and an epic amount of fresh herbs, instead of straight-up regular mayo, like most pasta salads. This takes about 30 minutes from start to finish to make, including the time it takes for the water to boil. Stupendously easy!

Off to go stick my head in the fridge to sniff the leftover dill...please send help. 

Here's what you'll need:

8 ounces uncooked orecchiette pasta 

1 cup frozen green peas

1/2 pound uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined 

1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise

1/4 cup fat-free buttermilk

3 tablespoons minced fresh chives

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Pinch of cayenne pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

Salt and pepper, to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions (omitting salt.) During the last 3 minutes of cooking, add peas and shrimp. Drain, and rinse well with cold water. 

In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, buttermilk, chives, dill, lemon zest, lemon juice, cayenne, garlic, salt, and pepper. 

Transfer pasta mixture to a large bowl. Pour dressing onto the pasta, and toss to combine. This is delicious served at room temperature, or chilled. 

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Source: Adapted from Cooking Light: Best Low-Fat Main Dishes

Spicy Penne alla Vodka

Posted by: Maggie

Congrats to Nicole/comment #2 for winning our Anthropologie apron giveaway! Nicole has been contacted and will receive her prize shortly. Thanks to all who entered!

Annie makes amazing penne alla vodka. I've been asking her to blog about it ever since we started A Bitchin' Kitchen, but she's oddly protective of the recipe and refuses. Generally I despise food that is not at its intended temperature - for example, I'd rather eat boogers than cold pizza or cold fried chicken, but I actually ate a bowl of cold penne alla vodka while visiting her in Philly last fall. It's just that stinkin' good. 

Anyway, since Annie is keeping her recipe on lockdown, I was forced to find another version to satisfy me. I turned to The Curvy Carrot, since I enjoyed the Pasta Puttanesca recipe that I got from her site earlier this year so much. Fortunately, her penne alla vodka recipe was also perfect, and I loved that it contained a generous portion of red pepper flakes. The added spice just made one of my favorite pasta dishes even better!

Here's what you'll need:

1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/3 cup vodka
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 pound penne pasta (I recommend making the whole box if you like your pasta less saucy)
Fresh basil leaves, chiffonaded

Set up a large pot of water to boil while you start the sauce.

Divide your can of tomatoes into two halves. Place one half in a food processor, and puree until smooth. Chop the remaining tomatoes into small pieces, and set aside. Combine your pureed tomatoes, and chopped tomatoes to equal 2 cups. Add the reserved juice to get to a full 2 cups if necessary.

In a large, deep skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and tomato paste and cook for about 3 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Add in minced garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and salt.

Remove pan from heat, and add vodka. Return the pan to the heat, and simmer for 8-10 minutes.

While the sauce is simmering, cook your pasta. At this point your water should be boiling. Add in pasta, and cook according to package directions.

After sauce has cooked for 8-10 minutes and reduced slightly, stir in the cream, and cook until heated through. Add the cooked and drained penne to the sauce, and stir to combine. Add additional salt to taste, and top with fresh basil.

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Source: The Curvy Carrot / Cooks Illustrated

Roasted Butternut Squash Orzo

Posted by: Maggie

"Remember when Ross tried to say butternut squash, and it came out squtternut bosh?" 

Yeah, that line was replaying in my head on a loop the entire time I was making this recipe.

Around this time of year, I usually get my butternut squash fix by purchasing as many of the Lean Cuisine Butternut Squash Ravioli meals as my grocery store gets in stock. While those are mighty tasty, I kind of feel like garbage when I overdo it on the frozen food, so I turned to this recipe instead.

This was my first time cooking butternut squash, and it really reminded me that I need to upgrade from my $6 knife I purchased at a grocery store back in 2004. (Ahem. Hint. Christmas is in 3 months.) Those suckers are hard to cut. I had several close calls, but I managed to get through the recipe with all of my fingers intact, and ended up with a delicious and healthy dinner.

Also, for those of you who don't follow my word vom on Twitter and may have missed it, I attended the DC VegFest on Saturday, and wrote about it for DCEventJunkie.com! I would love if you'd go over there and check it out!

Here's what you'll need:

1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 small red onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup orzo pasta
1 cup (packed) baby spinach, chopped
3/4 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and line a baking sheet with foil. In a large bowl, toss squash, onion, and garlic with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Spread out in a single layer on the baking sheet, and roast for 40-50 minutes, or until the squash is tender. Give the vegetables a good stir a couple times while they're roasting.

While the squash is roasting, cook the orzo pasta according to directions on the box. Drain and set aside.

After the veggies are done, chop the roasted garlic. Add the squash, onions, garlic, spinach, and cranberries to the orzo. Toss with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.

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Adapted from: Two Peas and Their Pod

Spicy Pasta Salad

Posted by: Maggie

Holy cow. This might be my favorite pasta salad ever. The Pioneer Woman posted it a little over a month ago, and I have been thinking about it with an alarming frequency ever since. You see, I love chipotles in adobo - the starring ingredient in this recipe. I would take a bath in that stuff if it wouldn't burn, and if I wouldn't smell kind of odd. There are soooo many recipes that can be improved by adding their smoky goodness, particularly pasta salad.

I made this a few hours ago, and just had a bowl of it for dinner. I wanted to wait until tomorrow to really let the flavors get to know each other, but my desire for instant gratification kicked in and I could no longer wait. Even after only a few hours in the fridge it is fantastic, and I can't wait to have it for breakfast tomorrow. Yeah, you read that right. Breakfast.

I have a really high tolerance for spice, and added about 5 times the amount of adobo sauce that PW called for, and then minced up one of the peppers too and threw it in there. I think it tastes great, but if you aren't a huge fan of spice work your way up to that amount.

Have a great weekend everyone! I have a friend's baby shower tomorrow afternoon, and Jeff and I are going to see Horrible Bosses tomorrow night. Anyone out there watch It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia? Jeff and I are huge fans of that show, and I'm excited to see Charlie Day playing a different role in Horrible Bosses. Although, from the trailer it looks like he might just be playing the same lovable idiot we know from Sunny. It you don't watch this show, and are a fan of dark satire and ridiculous humor, I implore you to check out the clip below, laugh, and Netflix the entire series immediately. The clip below isn't too bad, but if you have kids in the room you might want to shoo them away, lest they learn some salty language and questionable behavior.



And with that, on to the recipe!

12 ounces penne pasta
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup whole milk (I'm sure you could use low-fat or skim here - I just had whole leftover from making ice cream, and since it was what PW called for I went ahead and used it.)
4 tablespoons white vinegar
4 tablespoons adobo sauce from a can of chipotles in adobo
1 minced chipotle from a can of chipotles in adobo
1/2 teaspoon salt
black pepper, to taste
1 container grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
8 ounces smoked gouda cheese, cut into small cubes
24 whole basil leaves, chiffonade

Cook your pasta according to the package directions. Drain, rinse until cool, and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, milk, vinegar, adobo sauce, salt, and pepper. In a large bowl, stir together the pasta, tomatoes, minced chipotle, and gouda. Toss with the dressing, adjust seasonings as needed, and stir in basil.

Chill before serving if you have enough self control to not dig in right away!

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Source: The Pioneer Woman

Thai Peanut Butter Noodles

Posted by: Maggie


If you need a quick lunch or dinner that is made with stuff you probably already have in your cabinets, this is the recipe for you. Except for the time it took to boil a pot of water, this meal came together in 10 minutes flat - far less than the time it would take to order a similar dish via takeout. It is much healthier too, since I was able to control the amount of oil and salt added. I used Jif peanut butter and regular pasta, but you could up the health factor by using whole wheat pasta and natural peanut butter if you prefer!

Here's what you'll need:

Half a box of thin spaghetti
1/2 heaping cup of crunchy peanut butter
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1/3 cup chicken broth
1-2 tablespoons water (to thin the sauce if necessary)
3 chopped scallions, for garnish
red pepper flakes and salt, to taste

Cook spaghetti as directed on package, and drain. While the pasta is cooking, combine peanut butter, ginger, garlic, oil, honey, and chicken broth over medium heat. Whisk thoroughly to combine ingredients, and stir frequently until heated through. If the sauce is too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of water and/or additional chicken broth to thin it out. Toss sauce with drained pasta, and season to taste with red pepper flakes and salt. Serve immediately, garnished with chopped scallions.

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Adapted from: Ramshackle Glam

Lemon Linguine

Posted by: Maggie

I made this pasta dish for dinner back on Monday night, when DC temperatures soared to the mid-80s, and all I craved was something fresh and light tasting for dinner. I know it doesn't look like anything special from the picture, but trust me when I say that these simple ingredients come together to make something amazing.

Lemon is one of my favorite flavors for baked goods, but I haven't really used it much in savory dishes. After making this pasta, I can't wait to use it more.

Another great thing about this pasta is simply the speed with which it came together. I am a notoriously slow cook, and this literally took me about 20 minutes to throw together. It would probably take a normal person 10 minutes to make! I usually don't like eating leftovers, but since this only made two portions I'm going to see what it's like as a cold pasta salad tomorrow and report back!

One last thing - bufala mozzarella is insanely expensive. Since when I grocery shop I sometimes forget that my job doesn't pay me eleventy bajillion dollars a year to keep me in spendy cheeses, I paid $12.99 for a container of bufala mozzarella. Yeah, it's delicious, and I may try and convince myself that it's worth it, but you could probably use fresh mozzarella from a cow instead of a water buffalo and pay about half that price with equally tasty results.

Here's what you'll need:

1 9 ounce container fresh linguine
1 container fresh bufala mozzarella, torn into small pieces (or cow mozzarella if you're smart)
Juice from 2 lemons
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 handful fresh basil, chiffonaded (I used about 8 large leaves)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Combine olive oil and lemon juice in a bowl, and whisk to combine.

Cook linguine according to package directions (fresh pasta only takes about 2-3 minutes.)

Mix cooked pasta with all other ingredients, and garnish with more basil and lemon zest if desired.

Source: Ramshackle Glam

Pasta Alfredo

Posted by: Annie

In six days, I am heading to sunny Florida to visit Harry Potter World (woo!) and Disney World. The weather forecast looks beautiful and hotel pool-worthy. Obviously tonight I was thinking of being in a bathing suit when I decided to make Alfredo sauce for dinner. (Hello health food for the upcoming week!)

 
Alfredo sauce and I go way back. I still remember being a little girl celebrating my 11th birthday in The Olive Garden, and ordering a big adult sized portion of fettuccine alfredo. And I still remember wanting to punch our waitress when she commented "You ate all that? Most adults can't even finish this dish." Ha! I showed her with my alfredo eating skills.

Today, my stomach is older and is a little more sensitive to heavy sauces, but alfredo remains a favorite. I served this sauce over whole wheat linguine.

What you will need:

 
3 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups fresh Parmesan
Salt and pepper
1 pound of your favorite pasta

Cook pasta according to directions on package.

 
In a medium saute pan, melt butter. When the butter has melted, add in garlic and heavy cream and bring to a simmer.  Cook an additional five minutes until the sauce begins to thicken. Add in cheese and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the cooked pasta and enjoy!

Source: Annie's Eats

Tri-Color Pasta Salad

Posted by: Maggie

I meant to post this easy and meatless recipe first thing this morning since it's Ash Wednesday, and those of us who observe it don't eat meat today.  But then, work happened, and after work I went to Mass for ashes, and then I went on an unsuccessful shopping trip to Ann Taylor Loft (this top = super cute on hanger, not so cute on Maggie), and then came home and ate an entire pint of blueberries and watched 3 episodes of My Name is Earl on Netflix Instant.

Fortunately, those of us who observe Lent have 7 meatless Fridays ahead of us, and you still have plenty of time to make this pasta salad.  My reasons for making this Tuesday night were twofold: first, I knew that I would need something vegetarian to nosh on all day today.  Second, I gave up buying breakfast and lunch at work for Lent.  Despite my love for cooking, I never ever make myself a lunch.  Since I work in the expensive city of Washington, DC, this has turned into quite a costly habit.  Depending on the day, I spend between $12-$20 on food and drinks at the office. You will be seeing a lot more lunch dishes around here for the duration of Lent.  Does anyone have suggestions for lunch ideas beyond the typical sandwich?

As with all pasta salads, this can really be tweaked to accommodate your personal tastes, but this combination of ingredients turned out too tasty not to share.

What you'll need:

12 oz. tri-color rotini
6 tablespoons full fat Italian Dressing
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 jar sundried tomatoes, julienned
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
20 Kalamata olives, halved (I bought these at the Harris Teeter olive bar, and they'd mixed the pitted ones and ones with pits.  What dumdums.  Pitting olives is the pits.  Har, har.)
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and rinse.

Toss with the dressing, pepper, sundried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olives, garlic, and parmesan in a large bowl.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Refrigerate overnight prior to serving for best flavor.

Baked Ziti

Posted by: Maggie

Three types of cheese, marinara sauce, and pasta? Check.  One hour from start to finish, most of which is inactive cooking time while the water boils and the casserole bakes? Check.  Delicious and comforting for a lazy Saturday dinner? Check. 

This recipe was one of the very first things I ever cooked for my boyfriend, back when we first started dating in April 2009.  I'd invited him over for dinner on a Friday after work, and then realized that making a completely from scratch dinner interfered with my desire not to look like a dirty hobo when he arrived.  I needed something quick and easy, that I could stick in the oven and forget about while I got ready.  This baked ziti perfectly fit the bill. 

I made it again yesterday when I didn't really feel like cooking something overly involved.  I opted for the semi-homemade version and used jarred sauce, but if you prefer you can definitely use your favorite homemade kind.  Jarred sauce isn't really a cooking shortcut that bothers me, since so many brands now have short ingredient lists, and no random preservatives/chemicals/high-fructose corn syrup.

Here's what you'll need:

6 cups (16 oz.) ziti, uncooked

3 cups marinara sauce, divided

1-3/4 cups (15 oz.) ricotta cheese
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes

1 egg

1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Grated Parmesan cheese, to taste

Heat oven to 375°F. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente, drain. In large bowl, stir together hot pasta, 1-1/2 cups spaghetti sauce, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, parsley, egg, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper. In 13 x 9 baking dish, spoon in pasta mixture; top with remaining 1-1/2 cups sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese; cover with foil. Bake 30-35 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

This is the recipe my Mom uses, and it came from a box of San Giorgio ziti.  Their website is kind of annoying and I can't link directly to it, but I wanted to give credit where credit was due!

Pasta Puttanesca

Posted by: Maggie

Did you know that pasta puttanesca is also known as "whore's spaghetti"? Legend has it that Italian prostitutes would cook this dish to lure in potential customers.  I can see why that worked, since I left my apartment shortly after cooking this for Sunday lunch, and could smell the garlic 15 feet down the hall when I returned.  Let's just hope that those hookers were packing breathmints, because this is one stinky, but delicious meal.

(Sidenote: I'm really curious to see what kind of google hits I get thanks to the preceeding paragraph containing certain words atypical to a cooking blog. Perhaps hits from brothel patrons searching for "what to feed a hooker."  FEED THEM THIS!  It's tasty, and historical!)

Here is what you will need...I omitted the anchovy paste, not because I hate anchovies (I happen to love them), but because Whole Foods sucks and sold me a tube of anchovy paste that had burst open on the end.  I didn't see it when I bought it since the tube was in a cardboard box.  Oh well...include it if you can - it will only make an already amazing dish more delicious.

12 ounces dried spaghetti
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 5-6 cloves)
2 teaspoons anchovy paste
1/2 - 1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes (depending on your spice tolerance)
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes in juice, pureed in blender
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives
2 tablespoons capers, drained
Pinch of sugar
Basil, chiffonaded
Shredded parmesan cheese

Cook spaghetti according to package directions.

While spaghetti is cooking, heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat.  When oil is shimmering, add in garlic, anchovy paste, and red pepper flakes.  Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally,  and then dump in pureed tomatoes, olives, and capers.

Let simmer, stirring occasionally while pasta is cooking.  Add sugar to taste, to cut the acidity of the tomatoes.  Add in salt and pepper if desired. (I felt like the sauce was salty enough from the capers and olives, and did not add any extra seasoning.)

Drain the pasta, and combine with the sauce.  Sprinkle with basil and Parmesan just before serving.

P.S. Vegetarian readers - please don't be mad that I categorized this as vegetarian.  I was a vegetarian for many, many years, and would have taken major exception to the fact that a recipe containing anchovy paste was classified this way.  Since I left the anchovy paste out, and since it tastes so awesome without using it I decided to stick the label on there for organizational purposes.

Adapted from: The Curvy Carrot

Chicken and Broccoli Pasta with White Wine Sauce

Posted by: Annie

Can you tell I love chicken, especially when it is served over pasta? The other day I realized that since I moved to Philadelphia and started to always make my own meals, I have yet to buy/eat red meat! I have strictly been eating chicken and the occasional seafood dish! I really must start branching out my meat selections! Anyway, this dish was easy and quick but tasted like it took hours! (Original Recipe found here)

What You Will Need:

1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breast cut into bite-sized cubes, seasoned with salt and pepper

1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 cups cooked broccoli florets

1 package whole wheat angel hair pasta

White Wine Sauce:

4 cloves minced garlic

1 cup white wine

2 cups chicken stock

1 tsp crushed red pepper

4 tbsp butter (divided)

1.5 tsp Kosher salt

In a large zip-lock bag combine chicken, breadcrumbs and cheese and shake to coat chicken. Heat olive oil in a large skillet and add chicken. Brown on all sides until thoroughly cooked and remove from heat. 

Cook angel hair according to package directions. Set aside.

Mix broccoli, chicken and pasta. Cover and set aside.

In a small saucepan mix garlic, wine and broth and bring to a boil. Heat until reduced by half and whisk in butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Add salt and red pepper. Toss with pasta and top with Parmesan cheese.

Chicken with Sundried Tomatoes and Goat Cheese

Posted by: Annie

The first time I had goat cheese was with my friend Aimee. In Jersey there is this awesome salad place that Aimee and I often frequented, and she always would ask for goat cheese on her salad. On one of our many trips I finally mustered up the courage to try a piece and to my surprise it was delicious! I am not sure why I was so hesitant about eating goat cheese (I really love and eat all cheese), but ever since then I really wanted to make a recipe that incorporated its creamy goodness. I made this recipe for myself and my roommate and served it over whole wheat farfalle. The original recipe can be found here.

What you will need: 

 

2 chicken breasts pounded thin, cut into medium sized strips

1 T olive oil

1/4 cup white wine

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 T sun-dried tomatoes, julienne (don't forget to drain if they come in oil!)

2 oz goat cheese

salt and pepper

3 cups whole wheat farfalle

Cook farfalle according to package directions and drain.  Set aside. 

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Heat oil over medium high heat and add the chicken breasts. Cook approximately six- eight minutes per side depending on thickness. (I pounded my chicken very thin so mine were ready in about six minutes per side). Remove from pan and cover with foil to keep warm. 

Using the same skillet add wine and cook over medium high heat until the wine is reduced by about half. Stir in chicken broth and heat until the liquid is reduced by about half. Mix in sun-dried tomatoes and heat thoroughly. Remove from heat and stir in goat cheese until it is melted and creamy. Stir in the chicken breasts and serve over pasta.

Linguine with Shrimp Scampi

Posted by: Maggie

Remember the Beef Enchilada debacle where Jeff and I did not eat dinner until 8:50 p.m. one Friday evening? After that, I realized that I needed to have some more recipes in my arsenal with a quicker prep and cooking time, and save the more time consuming stuff for Saturdays and Sundays. I decided that Barefoot Contessa's Shrimp Scampi perfectly fit the bill, and was quite pleased with the results. 

Two reasons why I chose her recipe:

- Ina Garten's recipes always seem to get fabulous reviews on FoodNetwork.com (rightfully deserved)

- Her recipe didn't have wine in it (A lot of Shrimp Scampi recipes included wine, but Jeff isn't a fan, and I'd personally rather drink it than waste it on food.)

I served this with a big green salad that included red and orange peppers, red onion, cucumber, and croutons.  I love chopping vegetables, so this was way more fun for me than it probably should have been. I've been told it's uncouth to squirt blue cheese dressing directly into my mouth, so this was the perfect vehicle for eating it in a more ladylike fashion.

I also made some easy garlic bread, which I won't bother doing a separate post for.  Just slice up a loaf of Italian bread, and brush melted butter on one side.  Sprinkle with garlic salt, dried herbs of your choice (I think I used basil and oregano), and stick it under the broiler until brown.  There ya go, instant Texas Toast.  I love the frozen packaged kind as much as the next girl, but you can avoid some of the mystery ingredients if you do it yourself.

For dessert I picked up two mini cannoli from Whole Foods - not as good as the ones from Wegman's, but we still enjoyed them!

Here's what you'll need for the shrimp scampi:

Vegetable oil
1 T Salt, plus 1.5 t salt
3/4 lb linguine
3 T unsalted butter
2.5 T Olive Oil
1.5 T minced garlic (I used the jarred stuff, but if you have cloves it's about 4)
16-20 large shrimp, peeled, deveined, rinsed, and dried
1/4 t pepper
1/3 c chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 lemon, zest grated
1/4 c freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/8 t hot red pepper flakes
Extra olive oil
Parmesan cheese

In a large pot of boiling water, drizzle a small amount of vegetable oil, then add 1 T salt and the linguine.  Cook according to package directions.

Meanwhile in a large deep skillet, melt the butter and olive oil on medium-low heat.  Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute.  Add the shrimp, 1.5 teaspoons salt, and pepper, and saute for about 7 minutes, stirring frequently until shrimp are pink and opaque.  Remove from the heat and add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes.  Toss to combine.

When pasta is done, drain the linguine and put it back in the pot.  Ina Garten's recipe didn't call for it, but I added about 1/3 cup of olive oil at this point because I didn't think the lemon butter sauce the shrimp cooked in would adequately coat the pasta.  You'll want to eyeball it to see if you need it - I prefer a more heavily sauced pasta. Add the shrimp and sauce and toss to combine. 

This was so good that Jeff and I ate almost all of it last night, but the original recipe says it serves 3.

Adapted from: FoodNetwork