Green Vegetable and Pasta Casserole

The joy of a fridge clean out! Tonight I came home starving and had nothing to make for dinner. I wanted to whip something up quickly and had to figure out how to combine what I had on hand. I decided on some baked pasta with ricotta and lots of green veggies. I mixed everything up, threw it in the oven and crossed my fingers that it'd be edible. It turned out to be a great invention. Filling and comforting, but light and packed with cancer fighting leafy greens. I was counting on leftovers, but Craig ate almost the whole thing!

The key to making this tasty pasta is to cram in as many veggies as you can. I had a bunch of kale and broccoli, but any leafy green would do. Spinach, chard, or rabe - anything would be delicious. I shredded the veggies in a food processor, added onion and garlic and tossed with the pasta. I had a bunch of leftover proscuitto from making bracciole this weekend, so I chopped that up and threw it in as well. I added some fresh basil for flavor, but you could always just stir in a tablespoon of store bought pesto instead.

Have a mentioned this dish is packed with veggies? I have between six and seven cups in here (depending on the size of your broccoli), but you could certainly add more if you were so inclined. Park skim ricotta adds a creamy texture and some filling protein but I think in the future I may add shredded chicken too. Best of all, this whole thing can be put together in less than 30 minutes!

Read more for the full recipe
Read more »

Winter Greens with Butternut Squash

This weekend, Craig's family came over for dinner. It is always such a treat for me to have guests to cook for. I was thinking of trying out some new recipes I've been working on, but instead Craig begged me to make some yummy Italian comfort food. He really wanted bracciole, and since it's a great dish to enjoy with guests, I agreed. Of course, this was not enough for Craig, who insisted I make four different types of meat and pasta.

As you can imagine, this was shaping up to be a very heavy meal. I decided to throw together a new salad that takes advantage of some of the tasty winter produce available right now. I wanted lots of healthy greens and added butternut squash "croutons" that I roasted in the oven. I added toasted pine nuts and a light drizzle of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. This is a salad that barely needs dressing. The sweet creamy squash compliments tart greens. It is a healthy compliment to any meal.

Here is the full menu:
Winter greens and butternut squash salad
Iggy's Ficelle bread
Bracciole
Meatballs
Braised Short Ribs
Italian Sausage
Homemade Pasta Sauce
Penne
Ricotta Pie

As you can see, it was a very filling meal. Thankfully, there were plenty of leftovers so I don't have to cook for a couple of days! I made another batch of this salad tonight for something lighter and I am loving it.

Read more for the full recipe.
Read more »