Lemon Kale Fettuccine

Tonight was one of those throw together a quick dinner night, since I just got back from a whirlwind long weekend visiting my Grandparents in Dallas. I spent a lot of time cooking, eating and catching up with all my relatives and was also able to enjoy a big Patriots win on Saturday! Craig went grocery shopping yesterday and brought home some gorgeous homemade spinach fettuccine. So I was inspired to create this simple, 15 minute dish! Kale, lemon, toasted pine nuts and a bit of garlic combine to make a healthy, filling and super easy pasta. You could top this with chicken to make it a one pot meal or serve it on the side. I added some grated Parmesan and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.

Recipe and photos after the jump
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Easy Skillet Lasagna

The holidays are such a wonderful time of year. However, things get so busy and hectic that I'm having trouble finding time to cook. So I thought it would be a great time to develop something quick and easy that can last a few days. Lasagna is so yummy and delicious, but it's always been a special occasion or weekend meal. No more! This skillet lasagna takes less than 40 minutes to put together and makes an incredible weeknight meal. The best part is that it makes enough for some great leftovers and will keep for 3 days in the fridge.

Don't be intimidated by all the steps, basically you brown up some meat, I used chicken sausage, but you could use turkey or ground beef, and then layer a lasagna in a cast iron skillet and bake it. The key to making this work quickly is to use slightly more sauce than you would making a normal lasagna, the extra sauce helps to "cook" the noodles. I used fresh pasta sheets, which I found at the store, but you can also use no boil lasagna noodles. Either will work well.

As usual, I've lightened up this recipe by using whole wheat noodles, cutting back the cheese, and using lean chicken sausage.


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Baked Pumpkin Pasta

Pumpkin puree is a flavorful and low calorie addition to any dish. I've been getting into the fall spirit and am loving adding pumpkin to everything these days. Tonight I decided to throw together a simple baked pasta dish that pairs creamy pumpkin with flavorful goat cheese and pesto for a delicious and simple vegetarian meal. Quick and easy to put together, this dish is filling but still light. This recipe makes enough for some tasty leftovers as well!

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Roasted Fresh Tomato Sauce

I took my usual pilgrimage to the farmer's market on Saturday and found lots of signs proclaiming the last crop of heirloom tomatoes of the season. Deeply distressed, I went a bit overboard buying them. That very night, I was out with my friends Rachelle & Steve and they were telling me about this fabulous and simple sauce they make using the gorgeous tomatoes they grown in their garden. They found the recipe on NPR and were really loving its simplicity and fabulous flavor. So, I decided to use the last of my heirlooms to create a roasted tomato sauce.

There are a lot of different ways to do this type of sauce, you could really use any combo of tomatoes, herbs and extras. In the future, I may throw in some mushrooms, zucchini or olives as well. The key is to use some different types of tomatoes. I supplemented my heirloom stash with some roma and plum tomatoes I picked up. In addition to being colorful, the resulting sauce was so flavorful and complex, you could really taste the different varieties and how they added to the sauce.

Best of all this recipe is SIMPLE. Chop, toss and roast. It does take a bit of time, but it's absolutely worth it. I regret not making a bigger batch to freeze.

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Braciole

Braciole is one of my all time favorite foods. It is a special occasion dish that takes some time, but is truly worth it. I decided to make this dish for my friend CJ who was visiting this weekend during the hurricane. Since there was nothing to do, it seemed like a great time to cook a special dish. The key to making great braciole is to rub the meat down with olive oil and spices and then cook it on low heat for hours. The longer you cook, the more tender and flavorful the meat is. You can get away with two hours, but three to four is ideal. Once you stuff and roll the meat, just throw it in some sauce to braise and flip every hour or so.

There are many ways to make this dish, and this one is truly my own. After years of experimenting with different ingredients, I can officially say this one is close to perfect. Next time you have some time on your hands or are making a special meal, definitely give this a try, you will not regret it.

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Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Walnuts

I'm back! We moved into our new apartment this weekend and I LOVE my new kitchen. I am already getting inspired to create all kinds of tasty goodies over the next few weeks. Best of all, it has a ton of storage space, which means I can finally get some cool kitchen gadgets.

Since moving to Somerville from Boston, we had to find a new grocery store. We found a gigantic Whole Foods that has every tasty food on the planet. I saw some homemade fresh sweet potato gnocchi and had to try them. I plan on making these at home soon, but for now, the store bought ones were delicious. Good gnocchi should be light, fluffy pillows and these were perfect. I decided to compliment the sweet potato with some crunchy walnuts and tangy garlic. Instead of drowning them in butter, I used just a bit of olive oil. Some fresh basil from my new mini herb garden (!) finishes off the dish. If you can't find these fresh, there are also a few brands that sell them frozen. I am hoping to start making my own soon. Craig and I were fighting over the leftover of this dish, it was so light and delicious. The best part is it only took 10 minutes to make, start to finish. The ultimate quickie dinner.

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Best Bolognese Sauce Ever

Craig came home today and begged me to make a bolognese sauce. I decided to create a version that highlighted a few different meats and some fresh herbs. This is a simple and flavorful sauce that will make your kitchen smell divine. Bacon, sausage and ground beef combine for a complex, meaty, and hearty sauce. Serve over the whole wheat pasta of your choice, I used farfalle, but anything would work well. Top with some fresh grated parmesan and black pepper.

Also, you may have noticed the gorgeous cutting boards I use in many of my photos. They are actually handmade by my grandfather, who sells them on Etsy! Click here to check out his page.

Full recipe after the jump!
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Tortellini with Arugula Pesto

Every time I make tortellini I lament how I should do so more often. A sophisticated comfort food, these delicious cheese-filled pasta rings make for a tasty and quick dinner. Tortellini was invented in the region of Emilia-Romanga, and legend has it the pasta shapes were created to mimic the architectural features of many buildings in the city of Modena, which bear a popular turtle motif.

I was inspired to create a dish inspired by this central Italian region. I topped the tortellini with a pesto made of arugula, cannellini beans, and pistachios. I chose arugula for its light and peppery taste, a perfect spring sauce for this tasty pasta. The ancient Romans believed arugula was a powerful aphrodisiac. Arugula is low in calories and filled with fiber, iron, potassium, and vitamins A, C and K. I also included beans to add a creamy texture as well as protein and fiber and pistachios for a salty crunch. Finished with Parmagiano-Reggiano, a regional staple of Emilia-Romanga, this is a complex, tangy dish that you can whip up in only 15 minutes.

Full recipe after the jump.

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Linguine with Asparagus and Bacon

Usually, Craig is the only person who eats what I cook. So it's always a treat to be able to cook for a crowd, particularly when I get to do so in a kitchen far roomier and nicer than my own. Despite our April 1st snow storm, spring is on it's way and the presence of fresh asparagus is a great reminder of that.  Tossed with some bacon, lemon and pasta, it's a light dish that is full of flavor. Topped with lots of black pepper and some parmesan, it's a satisfying dinner that makes plenty of leftovers.

Full recipe and photos after the jump.
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Lasagna with Spinach and Chicken Sausage

Lasagna is an ultimate comfort food, but generally far from a healthy choice. This is my cleaner version of a classic lasagna and I've tried to make easy substitutions to decrease the fat, calories and sodium while increasing the protein and fiber.

This recipe makes one large 10" x 14" tray - but another idea is to buy two smaller 8" x 8" aluminum trays, make one and freeze the other. This gives you a great meal you can easily defrost anytime and eliminates the possibility of over indulgence.

Full recipe and photos after the jump.
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Homemade Pasta Sauce

Never eat sauce from a jar again! Making your own pasta sauce is soo incredibly simple. All it takes is a little bit of time and some tupperware containers and you can have a freezer full of pasta sauce to defrost and use whenever you need!

I love pasta and pasta sauce. At any given time, I have multiple containers in my freezer, just in case. A lot of people think I'm insane for devoting time and effort to making something you can easily purchase at the store. I disagree. Homemade sauce tastes so much better than jarred and is far better for you. One cup of jarred pasta sauce has, on average, over 1000 milligrams of sodium! Not to mention high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, preservatives, additives and fillers. Homemade sauce is a tastier, healthier option and is SO EASY to make. It's also cheaper. This recipe makes at least 4 meals worth. More if you only cook for one or two people. Just cook it up, store the rest in the freezer and enjoy. Save yourself the time, expense and scary additives, just make your own!

See my homemade pasta sauce recipe after the jump.


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Italian Wedding Soup

I was feeling a bit under the weather this morning so I decided to whip up a batch of flavorful soup. Wedding soup is a mistranslation of the italian phrase ministra maritata which literally translated means "married soup", referring to the fact that green veggies and meat go so well together.

My version eliminates most of the fat and salt of the traditional recipe and adds some additional protein and fiber. I substitute kale for spinach or escarole because kale is a bit tougher and more flavorful. It holds its texture well and compliments the spicy meatballs. This savory soup is the ultimate winter comfort food, but each generous serving has less than 300 calories!

Full recipe after the jump!

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