Homemade Gnocchi

This one is really from Food Network, but I made it and loved it and its going to be a repeat occasion for sure.  Mario Batali is a star chef for a reason, folks!  Trust me, this is totally worth not buying them at the store--they're lighter and more tender and not so dense and dried out like store bought.  So here we go, I hope you like them as much as we did.

Gnocchi

3 lbs potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 c flour
pinch of salt
1 egg
1/2 c vegetable oil
extra flour for kneading

Boil potatoes in salted water til very soft.  Drain, and then run them through a food mill or potato ricer (prevents lumps and makes them smoother, which means smoother dough) into a large mixing bowl.  Make a well in the potatoes and sprinkle the 2 cups of all purpose flour over the potatoes, and then add the egg and the oil.  Mix with a fork til soft dough forms, and then move to a well floured pastry board to knead.  Gently knead more flour into it til it becomes firm and not sticky, about 4 minutes.  Divide into 8 small balls of dough and then roll each ball of dough into a rope.  Cut the rope into 1 inch pieces and then roll them on the back of a fork to mark them. Place on a baking sheet dusted with flour.  Recipe makes about 3 lbs of gnocchi, or 12 servings.

We cooked a bit of it tonight and froze the rest for later on the cookie sheets.  Once they are frozen solid you can move them from the cookie sheets to separate bags.  You'll want to freeze them on the sheet to keep them from sticking together and forming a large ball of dough instead of lots of little dumplings.

Serving Suggestion:  Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Drop in gnocchi and cook til they float to the top, about 3-4 minutes.  Drain.  Saute some sliced mushrooms in a bit of butter.  Add cooked gnocchi to mushrooms and continue to cook with the mushrooms.  Add some pesto and stir til combined and heated through.  Serve with parmesan cheese on top.  You'll love it!

Mostaccioli with a Twist

My mom makes this delicious pasta casserole that the whole family loves, which can be found here that is called Mostaccioli.  This week I was looking for a good way to use up the swiss chard I got in the bountiful basket last Saturday and I found a manicotti recipe by Giada De Laurentiis from Food Network that I wanted to try.  I didnt have manicotti noodles and it seemed like I could easily morph it into a sort of mostaccioli recipe with a twist.  Here is what we ended up with.

Sweet Pea and Swiss Chard Mostaccioli

1 1/2 lbs penne rigate pasta (I used whole wheat, but regular works too)
1 15 oz container ricotta cheese
3/4 c frozen peas
olive oil
1 head swiss chard, stems removed
1 medium white onion, diced finely
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 c mozzarella cheese
3/4 c parmesan cheese
1/4 c fresh basil leaves, chopped
salt and pepper

white sauce
1/2 stick of butter
3 tbsp flour
2 c milk
1 c chicken broth
1/2 c parmesan cheese
1/4 c fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 diced tomato, optional

Cook pasta to pkg directions to al dente, then drain and rinse with cold water.  Set aside.

In a skillet, heat the olive oil, and then saute the onion and garlic and then add swiss chard til its all wilted.  Set aside to cool slightly.

Most of the time I say you can substitute a blender for a food processor, but in this case I totally wish I had a food processor.   If you use a blender, make sure the frozen peas are defrosted first so you don't have trouble with the blender blades not working.

In the food processor, blend together the ricotta, peas, chard and onion mixture, salt and pepper and mozzarella and parmesan.

Make white sauce by melting the butter and then whisking in the flour to create a roux.  Add your milk and stir til thickened and add the chicken broth and parmesan cheese.  Stir til combined and thickened again, and then add basil and tomato at the very end.  Mix this sauce with the pasta, and then place half of the pasta in the bottom of the pan, cover with the ricotta mixture, and the top with more pasta and more grated mozzarella. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

My mom has made homemade spaghetti sauce since I was a kid, and it's always amazing.  Every time it is different, but every time it's delicious.  I am posting the basics she usually uses and then a couple of things I added this time.  You'll want to start this early in the morning so it has time to get all of the flavors to meld.  Follow the basic rules and it will come out good no matter what veggies you use.  Be prepared, this recipe makes a giant vat of sauce, so you'll probably end up freezing a lot of it.  But it will be worth it!

Spaghetti Sauce

2 lbs mild Italian sausage
2 large cans tomato sauce (NOT marinara sauce or pre-made spaghetti sauce.  It's just pureed tomatoes.  You'll find it near the tomato paste.)
1 small can tomato paste
1/2 a yellow onion and 1/2 a red onion, or one whole yellow onion, diced
8 oz sliced mushrooms
1 tbsp olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
oregano, basil, thyme and marjoram
pinch red pepper flakes
1/4 c balsamic vinegar

Optional: diced zucchini, diced eggplant, sliced bell pepper, diced tomatoes (for extra texture)

Brown off your sausage, and crumble.  Place this in a large stock pot over medium low heat, and pour tomato sauce over the sausage.  Put a little olive oil in a skillet and saute your onions and garlic til tender, and then add your mushrooms and cook til tender.  At this point you can add your diced zucchini and eggplant and peppers, and whatever else you want.  Add your tomato paste and stir til everything is coated, and then add this mixture to your tomato sauce and sausage.  Stir all of this together til it smooths out and is combined.  Add your balsamic vinegar and stir again.  Cook for about 4 to 6 hours over low heat, stirring about once every half hour.  You can also do this in your crockpot (that's what I did today), but make sure either way you dont cook it above a simmer.  About half an hour before serving, add your spices and seasonings, and salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle over spaghetti or other noodles, and serve.

Pasta with Ricotta and Peas

This recipe idea was inspired from watching Rachael Ray one morning and it sounded pretty good to me.  Simple and tasty.  I love ricotta cheese, and the fresh taste of peas, so it just seemed like a winner.  I am not sure if my husband liked it, but I sure did.  I hope you like it as much as I did.

Pasta with Ricotta and Peas

1 lb box of uncooked pasta, any shape that will hold sauce well (something with grooves or a tubular shape)
1 c frozen peas
1 1/2 c ricotta cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp seasoning salt (I like McCormick's or Lawry's, but it's up to you)
1/2 tsp thyme
Parmesan cheese, to taste, and then for topping at the table

Cook pasta to pkg directions.  While cooking pasta, heat peas in microwave til thawed and warm. In a large mixing/serving bowl, mix the ricotta and spices together til cheese is softened and it is well blended (if you use a whole milk ricotta it tends to be thicker, you need to mash it to get the right consistency; if you use part skim it should just need a light mix).  Just before draining the pasta, reserve about 1/2 c of the cooking water in a mug or something.  You'll use that to loosen things up and make it more like a sauce than coated with cheese.  Drain the pasta, and then dump it over the cheese mixture, add peas and stir well.  Add parmesan cheese if you like, and stir again.   Enjoy!

Homemade Ravioli

Okay, I have been posting a lot lately...because I have made a lot of new things lately!  So here is what we had for dinner tonight.   I had been promised by Jeff's mom to be taught how to make homemade pasta.  I wanted to try making homemade ravioli for my first try, and so I decided to try it today!  Turns out making pasta is really easy to make, and more about method than about the recipe.    Here we go....be prepared, this one is somewhat involved.  I'll start with the actual pasta dough, and then give you the recipe for the filling, and then give you the directions for putting it all together.

Pasta Dough (you'll need about 2.5 recipes of this to use all of the filling)

2 c flour
2 eggs
4 tbsp cold water

In a food processor, pulse together flour and eggs.  Add water, one tablespoon at a time, and then blend til it forms a ball in the food processor.  Dump onto a floured surface and just knead lightly til the flour makes it less sticky, not much.

In a pasta press, start at the widest setting, and run the dough through.  You'll start at setting 1, and run it through, and then fold the dough in thirds, and run it again.  Then you'll move it up to the 2nd setting, run it through the first time, and then fold it, and then run it through again.  As you get to the 3rd setting, you'll stop folding it in thirds and just run it through to thin it out, twice through each setting, til you get to the 5th setting, and then you'll quit.

Before you roll out your dough though, you need to mix together your filling.   Here's the recipe:

Cheese and Spinach Filling

15 oz ricotta cheese
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
4 oz shredded mozzarella cheese (about a cup and a half)
2 eggs
salt and pepper

Mix all of these ingredients together.  Get your pasta dough ready, and use about a half tsp to a tsp of filling per ravioli.  Basically you'll have a long rectangle of pasta dough, and you'll want to place each spoonful of filling about a half inch apart and then place another sheet of pasta dough over the top of the first sheet.  Use your fingers to press the dough together between fillings, and press out as much air as possible from each ravioli.  once they are all sealed shut and no air is in there, use a pizza cutter or rotary cutter to cut the pasta apart.  Place them on a cookie sheet, making sure you don't overlap them so they don't stick together.

**Note** I am so sorry I didnt think to get the camera out.  It would be a lot easier for you to picture this if I had pictures and more of a tutorial.  If you need a tutorial, go to www.foodnetwork.com and search for   ravioli.  There's an Alton Brown video that shows you how to do everything I did.  REMEMBER:  BECAUSE IT IS FRESH MADE PASTA, IT ONLY TAKES 1-2 MINUTES TO COOK.   Just cook it til it floats to the top of the boiling water.

Spinach Alfredo Pasta with Veggies

I made this on Thursday, and I haven't had a chance to sit down and post it til now.  I made a version of this, kind of, awhile back called Linguini Alfredo, but this one is a bit different.  This time I used rotini pasta, and I used chopped fresh spinach and added peas, but no mushrooms.  I like the flavor the peas brought to it, kind of made it taste fresher to me.  I also used sausage instead of chicken.  Anyway, enjoy.

Spinach Alfredo Pasta

1 lb box of pasta, any shape that holds sauce well (I don't recommend the strand kinds, short pastas work better)
4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp flour
3 c milk
1/2 c parmesan cheese, grated
1 tbsp onion powder
dash of salt and pepper
2 c chopped fresh spinach
1 c frozen peas
1 c broccoli florets
1 lb smoked sausage, sliced into 1/4 inch slices (we had this stuff we got on sale with sundried tomatoes and mozzarella and spinach, it worked well..but use whatever. you could also use italian sausage in the casing--just cook it all the way through, then slice it into slices, rather than slicing and heating)

Cook pasta to pkg directions.  While waiting for water to boil and pasta to cook, melt butter in a medium saucepan.  Once melted, add flour and whisk to form roux.  Add milk and continue to whisk til smooth.    Add cheese, continue to whisk til smooth.   Add onion powder and salt and pepper, whisk til combined.  Set aside.  In a small skillet, cook sausage slices til heated through; set aside.  Steam broccoli in small saucepan; set aside.  I zapped the peas in the microwave for about a minute to take the chill off, but they dont need to be fully heated.  When pasta is done cooking, heat sauce again, and add spinach to sauce, stir til spinach is wilted into sauce and combined.  Toss pasta with broccoli, peas, and sausage.  Pour sauce over everything, and toss well.

Serve with more parmesan cheese.

More Pasta...

So tonight I was the only one home when it time to start cooking, because my sweet mother in law stepped in to help my husband clean the apartment while I visited my sister, brother in law, and brand new perfect nephew.  I was in the mood to cook again, but didn't have much inspiration for the evening.  So I made pasta again, its a go to.  Close to stuff I have done before, yet different enough to have a distinctly different flavor.  So I hope you enjoy.

Baked Rotini with Pesto Alfredo and Chicken or Beef

1 lb rotini, again, I used whole wheat
4 chicken tenders cut into bite sized pieces, or about 1/4 lb sliced flank steak (I used stir fry pre-sliced steak)
2 roma tomatoes, diced
4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp flour
3 c milk
1/4 c Parmesan cheese
3 to 4 tbsp pesto sauce
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

Bring large pot of water to a boil, generously salted.  Cook pasta to pkg directions in water, then drain.  Set aside.  Melt butter in a small saucepan, and then add onion and garlic; saute til onion is tender.  Add flour, and stir til onion and garlic are coated and butter absorbed.  Add milk and stir til smooth.  Stir in pesto, Parmesan, and then add tomatoes.  Simmer over low heat.

Cook chicken or beef in a bit of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.  Toss sauce and meat with pasta and pour into baking dish.  Top with more Parmesan cheese and breadcrumb and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

**NOTE** I made both chicken and beef because my father in law doesn't like chicken.  I just split the pasta in half and tossed it separately with the chicken and the beef, and poured into small 8x8 square pans, rather than the full sized 9x13.

Pasta with Bell Peppers and Sausage/Chicken and Mushrooms

So this is one of the things we actually made twice while we were in Park City last week.  Our hotel room had a kitchenette and so to save money on eating we went grocery shopping and generally cooked twice a day and went out for one meal each day.  And from eating out, I definitely got some inspiration for what I would like to try to make myself later!  Anyway, back to the pasta.  We used Italian sausage one night and chicken strips the next night, but the rest of the recipe is about the same.  Hope you enjoy, we thought it was super tasty!

Oh, and if you are a foodie and like to go to Park City, there's a fantastic olive oil place you need to check out downtown.  It's called Mountain Town Olive Oil Company.  They let you taste olive oils and balsamic vinegars from all over the world, and there is some pretty tasty stuff!

Pasta with Sausage or Chicken and Bell Peppers and Mushrooms

1 lb whole wheat pasta, any shape that will hold some sauce
1 lb either chicken tenders or Italian sausage (in the casing)
1-2 sweet bell peppers, red, yellow or orange, sliced into thin strips
8 oz sliced white button mushrooms
2-3 tbsp pesto (you can use my recipe or just get a jar of it)
2-3 tbsp olive oil-- we used the Tuscan Herb infused stuff from the fancy store downtown, if you don't have that, use regular, but add some basil and oregano to the sauce mix, and add some garlic too!

Cook pasta to pkg directions.  Reserve some of the cooking water from the pasta while it's still cooking before draining (you'll use that for the sauce).

Cook meat first.  If using sausage, cook the sausage in the casing, whole, then slice after completely cooked. t I usually steam the sausage with about a cup of water with them in the skillet til the water evaporates or just til it all looks cooked through, then I drain off the extra water and brown the outsides with a bit of oil, then slice.  If you are using chicken, slice the tenders into smaller strips, so they are bite sized...about 1/4 inch wide strips, and about an inch and a half long.  Cook these completely and if you need to, remove from the skillet so you have enough room to cook the veggies and then add the meat back once the veggies have reduced in size.

Saute mushrooms in a bit of the oil, then add bell pepper strips and continue to saute.  Add meat back to pan to bring to temperature, add starchy cooking water to the mix and the pesto.  Stir to combine the pesto with the water and the veggies and meat--should be a kind of slurry mixture, not too thick, but will coat the pasta.   Toss veggies and meat mixture with pasta and serve.

I'll add a picture this week, I promise.  It was tasty!

Linguini Alfredo with Chicken and Veggies

So here is another pasta creation Jeff and I made with a twist on the classic Fettuccine Alfredo. It takes some multitasking, but it sure is worth it in the end! If you're not a fan of veggies, or have kids who won't eat them, here is a way to cover them in alfredo sauce and get those in your diet.  Also, as usual, I used whole wheat linguine.

Linguine Alfredo with Chicken and Veggies

1 whole boneless skinless chicken breast
1 lb whole wheat linguine noodles
1 c broccoli florets
1 c packed fresh spinach
1/2 c mushrooms
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
2 c milk
1/2 c Parmesan cheese

Grill or saute chicken with a bit of olive oil.  Before cooking, season to your taste (I used seasoned salt, pepper, and a bit of Cajun seasoning).   Set chicken aside once fully cooked.  Cook pasta to pkg directions.  While pasta is cooking, start sauce by melting butter in a saucepan or skillet. Add mushrooms to saute.  Add flour to mushrooms and butter, and stir to coat and create roux.  Add milk, and whisk together til it thickens over medium heat. Add parmesan cheese and stir til well combined and smooth. Add spinach and stir, it will wilt into sauce (probably want to switch to a spoon for this, it might get caught in the tines of the whisk).  Simnmer while you wait for pasta to finish cooking, and steam the broccoli til bright green, then drain.  Drain pasta, and in a large bowl combine pasta, broccoli, chicken, and sauce (you'll have to toss it together).  Serve with salad, or garlic bread or just by itself.

*NOTE:  when steaming veggies, you'll need some time of strainer or steamer basket, and only about an inch to a half inch of water.  Place veggies in basket, place basket in a pot with the water in the bottom, then place over high heat.  Usually only takes 5-10 minutes til the broccoli is bright green.  Don't overcook it because it starts to loose its vitamins and things, and doesn't taste good.  Should be about the color of bright green grass.

We Eat A LOT of Pasta around here...

...because it's cheap, and its good, and usually pretty easy. This recipe is one I came up with the other day when trying to figure out two things: 1, what to do for dinner, and 2, what to do with the leftover ham we got from his parents after Christmas dinner. It was quick and easy (took me probably about 30 minutes at the most), and we both liked it. Hope you enjoy it too!

Pasta with Ham and Peas

1 c ham, diced finely
1/2 c milk
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 c frozen peas
1 small to medium onion, chopped finely
1/4 tsp garlic powder, or 1 clove fresh garlic, pressed or chopped finely
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 pinch chili powder
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried basil
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
1 lb pasta of your choice (I used rotini)

Bring pot of water to a boil, salt water with about 1 tsp of salt. Add pasta, and cook to pkg directions. While pasta is cooking, in 1 tbsp oil, heat ham and onion and garlic, til onions are tender. Add flour and stir til ham and onions are coated, then add milk, and stir til thickened and everything is combined. Add cream cheese, and stir til combined and cream cheese is smooth. Add spices and then peas, and stir to combine (til peas are defrosted and bright green). Drain pasta, then add to sauce and stir til all pasta is coated. Makes about 6 servings.

Want something new for your Pasta?

Try this great pesto recipe. My grandma makes this in large batches and freezes it in 1/2 pint portions which is about the right amount of pesto for 8 servings, or one pound, worth of pasta. I have to admit, I dont make this often because its hard to find fresh basil where I live. Eventually I will learn to grow my own basil and make it all of the time. This recipe is great for pasta on its own, or you can make a fantastic pasta salad too. Just pour it over hot pasta, let chill, and add sun-dried tomatoes, or fresh cherry tomatoes, pine nuts, and whatever else.

Pesto

2 c fresh basil leaves, tightly packed
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp garlic, finely chopped
1/2 c parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 c olive oil (Grandma reduces this to 3/4 c and it's about the same, just thicker)
2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted

In a blender or food processor, puree all ingredients except for pine nuts. If too thick, add more oil slowly. Sprinkle with pine nuts just before serving. (You can also put the pine nuts in, just make sure you do it last after everything else is combined, and just do a bit of a rough chop on them.)

Pour over hot pasta and stir til everything is coated nicely. Also good on fresh tomato slices, with mozzarella cheese, spread on toast, or pretty much anything.

My take on good Lasagna

This was personally created by me one day when I decided I had craved lasagna long enough, and I should just make some. I ended up loving it, and wrote down what I could remember from when I made it. Thankfully, Lasagna is forgiving, so you can do pretty much whatever fillings you like in it. If you don't like tomatoes or mushrooms just leave them out. I made this with whole wheat lasagna noodles, and an alfredo sauce. Try it if you like!

Lasagna

1 lb. pork sausage or Italian sausage
8 oz sliced mushrooms (about half a pkg.)
3 vine tomatoes, diced
White sauce, recipe below
2 eggs
32 oz ricotta cheese
10 oz chopped frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 c. mozzarella cheese
1/3 c parmesan cheese
1 box whole wheat lasagna noodles

Alfredo sauce

Melt 4 tbsp butter in saucepan, add 4 tbsp flour to create roux. Whisk in 2 cups milk, and ½ cup parmesan cheese. Mix til smooth consistency.

Directions:
Cook pasta to pkg. directions, drain, rinse with cold water, and let dry.
Sauté sausage, mushrooms and tomatoes together in pan, let cool, set aside.
In large bowl, blend together ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheeses, with egg, salt and pepper to taste. Add spinach to cheese mixture.

Put a little of the sauce in the bottom of a 13x9x2 pan, add a layer of the noodles, then top with cheese mixture and sausage, alternating between noodle layers. (Noodles, sausage, noodles, cheese, noodles, sausage, noodles, cheese, noodles) then top the whole thing with more mozzarella, and bake in oven at 350 for 30 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly. You might need to put a cookie sheet under the pan so you don’t get stuff all over your oven.

This recipe does take a bit of time, but I think it's worth it. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find Whole Wheat noodles that are the "no boil" kind. So it adds about 12 minutes to your cooking time. If you want to use regular no boil noodles, feel free, I just like the whole wheat pasta, and it's better for my diabetes.

The best baked pasta I have ever had.

My mom got this recipe years ago from her friend Leah, and our entire family loves it, and it has been given out since then to many others. It's a family favorite, and fantastic for when you take dinner to friends for any occasion. Easier than Lasagna, and super tasty. I always double it because we like it so much!

Traditional Mostaccioli

1- 10 oz pkg of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
15 oz ricotta cheese
3 eggs slightly beaten
2/3 c parmesan cheese
1 c shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/3 c chopped fresh parsley (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 c mostaccioli or penne pasta (half lb.)
3 c. marinara sauce

Preheat oven to 350. Cook pasta according to pkg directions, drain. In large bowl, blend ricotta, eggs, spinach, half the mozzarella, parmesan, salt and pepper, and parsley; Set aside. Toss hot cooked pasta with tomato sauce. Place half the pasta in bottom of a 13x9 casserole dish, layer on top the cheese mixture, then cover with the rest of the pasta. Top with more mozzarella and parmesan. Bake for 35 mins, until hot and bubbly.