Easy Cheese and Grape Tomato Pasta

It started with Feta but then moved onto Boursin -- either works and they are both delicious. Easy, quick, delicious -- probably not so great nutritionally, but hey, you can't have everything

Ingredients

Pick your cheese (Greek Feta or 2 Garlic and Herb Boursin rounds)

2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes

4 T. EVOO

4 Garlic Cloves Minced

Salt and Pepper

1/4 t. red pepper flakes

Pasta of your choice

1/2 c. pasta water

1/4 c. basil

baby spinach

1/2 c. grated parmesan

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place cheese of choice in 9x13 baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, garlic, and red pepper flakes

Bake for 30 minutes

While baking, boil the pasta. Reserve pasta water to add to sauce.

Once the tomatoes are done, toss with pasta, spinach, basil and cheese.

Persillade Sauce

 I am all about the sauces -- the one with the Peruvian chicken and now a bunch of delicious sauces from Cook's Illustrated. To be honest, I've only tried one from the list they published, but it is so good. Great with steak, pork, probably chicken too. I usually have these herbs growing on my deck -- so it's pretty easy to throw together on the fly.

Ingredients

1 c. fresh mint leaves (not sure I've always used mint)

1 c. fresh parsley

3 garlic cloves peeled

3 anchovy fillets, rinsed and patted dry

1 t. grated lemon zest plus 1 T. lemon juice

1/2 t. table salt

1/8 t. pepper

1/3 c. extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Pulse mint, parsley, garlic, anchovies, lemon zest, salt and pepper in food processor until finely chopped (15 to 20 pulses). Add lemon juice and pulse briefly to combine. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl and slowly whisk in oil until fully incorporated.

Beef Bulgogi

 My youngest flirts with cooking. He also developed a taste for new and different cuisines when he was at college. One night I asked him what he wanted for dinner, and he asked for Beef Bulgogi. I didn't know what it was, but we made it and it was great! 

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb. boneless rib eye

1/2 c. soy sauce

2 T. brown sugar

2 T. sesame oil

3 cloves of garlic minced

1 T. grated ginger*

1 T. Korean red pepper paste

2 T. vegetable oil

2 green onions, thinly sliced

2 t. toasted sesame seeds

Directions

Slice steak in thin slices across the grain (freezing it for 30 minutes helps)

Combine soy sauce through red pepper paste in a zip lock and add meat slices

Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet and working in batches sauté meat 3 minutes per side

Serve over rice topped with green onions and sesame seeds

Creamy Spicy-ish Beans and Tomatoes with Greens

I have been blogging so long that the kids are all gone now. While I miss them terribly, it does give me some flexibility around the pickiness. This recipe came up on the New York Times and it sounded so good. I made it tonight, and it was delicious! A perfect weeknight cold winter dish.

Easy, cheap, delicious -- I actually think all the kids would love it and they should all make this at their homes! Guys, buy 2 cans of beans, 1 carton of arugula, a little can of tomato paste, a lemon, cheese and heavy cream and you are good to go.

Ingredients

4 T. olive oil

2/3 c. panko bread crumbs

Salt and pepper to taste

1 onion, minced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 t. red pepper flakes

6 oz can tomato paste

2 (14 oz.) cans cannellini beans, rinsed

1 c. heavy cream

1/2 c. chopped sun dried tomatoes in oil

2/3 c. pecorino grated

3 oz. baby arugula (or arugula and spinach combined)

2 t. lemon zest + juice of 1/2 a lemon

Directions

1. Use a skillet to heat 2T of olive oil over medium heat. Add the panko and toss. Season with salt and pepper. Keep tossing until the panko is toasted and golden brown (about 4 minutes). Remove panko to a plate lined with a paper towel.

2. Add another 2T of olive oil to the same pan, add the onion, garlic and crushed red pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are softened (another 4 minutes)

3. Add the tomato paste and stir until darkened and combined (about 3 minutes)

4. Add the beans, heavy cream, sun-dried tomatoes, 1/3 c. water and simmer, stirring occasionally until flavors meld (about 5 minutes). Stir in half the cheese.

5. In a medium bowl combine the arugula, panko, lemon zest, lemon juice and and remaining cheese. Massage it all together.

Serve in bowls; beans topped with greens. 

Recipes I want to add

 Persillade from Cook's Illustrated

Boursin and Tomatoes pasta

Bulgogi

Caramelized Shallot Pasta

 Kate made this one night when no one was in the mood to cook. It came together quickly and was absolutely delicious. I would put this in rotation weekly if I could get away with it. It was supposedly the New York Times most downloaded recipe -- but that sneaky Alison Roman has it on her site too. Yummy.

1/4 c. olive oil

6 large shallots, thinly sliced

5 garlic cloves, 4 thinly sliced, 1 chopped

salt and pepper to taste

1 t. red pepper flakes

1 2-oz) can anchovy fillets, drained

1 6oz can tomato paste

10 oz. pasta

1 c. parsley

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic, season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until everything is softened and caramelized. 15 to 20 minutes

Add red pepper and anchovies. Stir to melt fish into shallots about 2 minutes

Add tomato paste and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer 1/2 the mixture in a resealable container. 

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water. When it's done (more al dente than usual) transfer to the Dutch oven with the tomato mixture. Reserve some cooking liquid from the pasta -- stir pasta around for a few minutes (3 to5) until pasta is thick and sauce is reduced. Top with chopped garlic and parsley.

Cranberry Jalapeno Dip

 Weird but delicious! My niece made this for Thanksgiving and I could not get enough of it! When I asked her what it was, she said "heaven" and she isn't wrong. 

INGREDIENTS

12 ounces fresh cranberries

4-5 green onions, chopped

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced

1 cup sugar, more or less to taste

½ teaspoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice

¼ teaspoon salt

2 (8-ounces each) packages (454 g) cream cheese, light or regular, softened

Crackers, for serving

Use a food processor to chop the cranberries first.

Then add everything else, process until it's all combined 

Pop into the fridge for a few hours to mascerate

Spread the cream cheese in the bottom of the serving plate (I used a pie plate)

Pour off the extra juice and then spread the cranberry mixture on top

ENJOY!