Angel Hair with Butternut Squash, Mushrooms, and Spinach

My supermarket had a coupon for butternut squash recently. I've never cooked with butternut squash (I know, crazy) so I asked the ladies on my cooking board for recipe ideas. Coleen suggested this Pappardelle with Squash, Mushrooms and Spinach. I decided to swap out the pappardelle for angel hair (my current favorite) and hoped the mushrooms would win SP over.

You guys, this was incredible. Simply amazing. For such a simple recipe this really packs and flavor punch. Everything works so well together. And it's a beautiful plate of food with the orange squash, brown mushrooms and green spinach. More fall colors than winter, but I guess it's still technically fall.

I've mentioned before that Baby Girl is a good eater, but she surprised even me with this one. She had three servings. Three.

Angel Hair with Butternut Squash, Mushrooms, and Spinach
As seen on The Redhead Baker, slightly adapted from Bon Appetit

8 ounces angel hair
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2" cubes (about one pound)
8 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and discarded, caps sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage (6 to 8 leaves)
6 ounce package baby spinach
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water. Reserve one cup of cooking liquid from the pasta pot, then drain.

While pasta is cooking, place 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the butternut squash to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, about 6 minutes or until the squash starts to soften.

Add the remaining butter and oil to the skillet, then add the mushrooms and the sage. Cook another 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until mushrooms soften and the squash is fork-tender.

Add the spinach to the pan and toss until the spinach wilts, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the pasta to the skillet. Toss to coat, adding 1/4-cup of the cooking water at a time to make a sauce.

Divide the pasta and veggies on four plates, and top each with more of the remaining grated Parmesan cheese.

Recipe Swap: Fontina Mushroom Pizza

A mushroom walks into a bar looking dejected. The bartender asks what's wrong and the mushroom says "I don't know why but I just can't get a date." The bartender looks at him and says "I don't know why, you look like a fun guy."

Fun guy. Fungi. Get it?

I'll be here all week.

The recipe swap ladies from my cooking board recently suggested changing the way we do the swaps. Rather than assigning them a recipe to make, they pick a recipe that fits the theme from an assigned blog. This month's theme was vegetarian and I was given Dawn's blog, Simple Gourmet Cook. As soon as I saw this recipe for Fontina Mushroom Pizza I knew I had to make it. SP is a huge mushroom fan and this finally gave me the push I needed to get some more pizza dough in the freezer.

This was a very labor-intensive pizza to make since I had to roast some of the mushrooms, saute the rest, make the pesto, etc. But it was worth it. Baby Girl helped, which usually involves her batting her eyelashes and making innocent faces at me as she steals pieces of whatever ingredient I'm prepping.

I think next time I'd do half fontina and half mozzarella - I found the fontina to be a bit overwhelming - but otherwise this was a great pizza.

Fontina Mushroom Pizza
Simple Gourmet Cooking, adapted from Annie's Eats, as seen on Pink Parsley

For the mushroom pesto:
6 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper
2 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 small shallot, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

For the pizza:
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
Salt and pepper
1 ball pizza dough
Olive oil
1 1/2 cups shredded Fontina cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 450˚. Spread the mushrooms in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with foil. Toss the mushrooms with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, about 20-25 minutes. After 15 minutes of baking, add the garlic cloves to the pan.

In the bowl of a food processor or blender, combine the roasted mushrooms, peeled garlic cloves, shallot, thyme, parsley, and remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil. Process until smooth, scraping down the bowl and adding small amounts of water (1 tablespoon at a time) as needed. Transfer pesto to a small bowl, stir in the Parmesan, and set aside.

Turn the oven up to 550˚ and preheat a pizza stone.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Saute the mushrooms until browned and soft, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.

Roll out the pizza dough into a 12-14 inch round. Lightly brush the outer edges of the dough with olive oil. Spread the mushroom pesto over the crust in an even layer, leaving about 1/2 inch around the sides for a crust. Add the sauteed mushrooms on top. Top with the fontina and Parmesan.

Carefully transfer the pizza to the preheated pizza stone and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the crust is lightly browned, about 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 5-10 minutes.

To see what other vegetarian recipes were made in the swap click the links below.

Black Bean, Avocado and Onion Quesadillas

I like to have one Mexican dish on the menu every week. Lately I've felt like we're eating too much meat so I was on the hunt for a vegetarian dish. My friend Jaida recommended these Black Bean and Avocado Quesadillas and I couldn't wait to try them.

One nice thing about cooking without meat is the prep time is substantially less. I was able to toast the tortillas while I mashed the beans and avocado and then it was simply a matter of assembling and baking to melt the cheese. I love easy dinners like that.

We all loved these. SP said he thought the beans were unnecessary but I liked the contrasting flavors. Plus the protein - beans are so good for you. I opted to add caramelized onions for flavor and to break up the monotony of mashed beans and avocado and it was the perfect addition. Delicious!

Black Bean & Avocado Quesadilla
Adapted from Sweet Beginnings, originally from Sing For Your Supper

1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 tablespoon butter
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
salt
cooking spray
4 burrito-size flour tortillas
1 can black beans, drained, rinsed and mashed
1 avocado, mashed
shredded cheese (mix of cheddar, monterey jack, etc)
lime wedges
sour cream for dipping

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter and olive oil together. Add the onion slices, season with salt and allow to cook slowly until they caramelize. This will take about 30 minutes. Stir frequently to avoid burning. The onions can be made ahead of time, allowed to cool and then refrigerated until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Spray with cooking spray. Place 1 tortilla at a time in the skillet, turning often to brown on both sides. Remove to a plate.

Place two of the tortillas side by side on a baking sheet lined with foil. Top each with half the mashed beans followed by half the mashed avocado. Add half the onions to each tortilla, then top with cheese. Place the other two tortillas on top.

Bake in the oven for 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melted, then cut into triangles. Serve with lime wedges and sour cream for dipping.

Chile Tortilla Eggbake

Sometimes I really like breakfast for dinner. I also like make-ahead meals that allow me to just pop a dish into the oven. I'm a big fan of stratas and this Chile Tortilla Eggbake sounded great.

I had to modify the recipe slightly because my taco-size tortillas didn't cover the bottom of a 9x13 dish. I used a smaller dish and it was filled to the brim, which meant it took longer to cook, so I'd recommend sticking with the 9x13 and just using more tortillas. We all enjoyed this but I felt like it needed something. I think adding some breakfast sausage or cooked bacon to the egg mixture would be good.

Chile Tortilla Eggbake
As seen on Jenna’s Cooking Journey, originally from Spoonful

8-10 flour tortillas, soft-taco size
3-4 small cans of chopped green chiles, drained and rinsed in a sieve
1 pound grated Monterey Jack cheese
5 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt (or half as much table salt)

Toppings:
Pico de gallo
Sour cream
Guacamole

Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.

Cover the bottom of the dish with tortillas, overlapping as little as possible. You can tear them in half, if needed. Top with 1/2 of the chiles and 1/3 of the cheese, then add another layer of tortillas and top it with the rest of the chiles and another 1/3 of the cheese. Add the final layer of tortillas, top with the remaining cheese. Whisk together the eggs, milk, and salt in a bowl, then pour over the casserole.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350 and take the casserole out of the fridge. Let it come to room temperature (about 2 hours). Remove the plastic wrap and bake for 35 to 45 minutes. It's done when it's browned around the edges and doesn't jiggle. Let it sit for 10 minutes before cutting it so that it has time to set up. A little bit of clear liquid that separates as you slice it is normal.

Serve topped with pico de gallo, sour cream, guacamole or any other toppings you prefer.

Creamy Lemon One-Pot Pasta

You may have seen Martha Stewart's One-Pan Pasta floating around the Internet lately. It seems like many of my favorite bloggers have made this dish and raved about it. As good (and easy) as it sounds, I don't like loose tomato skin and the thought of trying to remove the skin after cooking turned me off from making the dish.

Then Josie posted this spinoff, Creamy Lemon One-Pot Pasta, and I rejoiced. I could finally try the one-pot pasta without worrying about tomato skin.

This smelled divine while it was cooking and tasted even better. It's like a lighter and easier Alfredo sauce with hints of citrus. Baby Girl had three servings, proclaiming me the "best cook ever" as she was eating. Thanks for coming up with this one, Josie!

Creamy Lemon One-Pot Pasta
As seen on Pink Parsley, inspired by Martha Stewart

12 oz. dried pasta (I used spaghetti)
2 cups thinly sliced onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
pinch of red pepper flakes
2 sprigs of fresh basil
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 1/2 cups water
1 (12-oz) can evaporated milk
1/2 cup white wine
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

In a large straight-sided skillet, combine the pasta, onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, basil, olive oil, salt, black pepper, water, milk, wine, and lemon zest.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, using tongs to turn and stir the pasta often. Boil until the noodles are al dente and most of the liquid has evaporated/been absorbed, 8-12 minutes.

Remove from heat, remove the sprigs of basil, and stir in the cream, Parmesan cheese, and lemon juice. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, stir again, and divide among bowls.

Serve with additional Parmesan cheese and basil, if desired.

Recipe Swap: Heirloom Tomatoes with Basil and Chevre

The theme for this recipe swap was Summer Salads and I lucked out with this delicious Heirloom Tomatoes with Basil and Chevre from Coleen at The Redhead Baker. I'd been drooling after this recipe since she posted it, so I wasted no time making it for dinner.

We all loved this salad. A few months ago Baby Girl finally decided she loves tomatoes, so this was right up her alley, especially with the goat cheese. She'd eat a whole log of that stuff, if I let her. I loved the dressing, especially, with the bright tang of the vinegar mixing with the sweet goodness of the tomatoes.

But, in all honesty, I don't think heirloom tomatoes are necessary for this recipe. I did buy them - as luck would have it a rep from the farm that supplies a lot of produce to my supermarket was in the store handing out free samples of their heirloom tomatoes that day - but they were twice the price of regular tomatoes. And we honestly couldn't tell the difference. Yes, they look gorgeous, but since tomatoes tend to be pretty awesome this time of year I'd just substitute a good ol' beefsteak tomato and save yourself a few bucks.

Check out the other summer salads from this swap by clicking on the thumbnail pics below.

Heirloom Tomato Salad
As seen on The Redhead Baker, barely adapted from Cooking Light

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 lbs heirloom tomatoes, cut into chunks
2 oz goat cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil and vinegar. Grate the garlic into the mixture using a microplane, and add the kosher salt and pepper. Whisk to combine.
Add the basil and tomatoes; toss to coat. Cover and let stand for 1 hour, tossing occasionally.

Divide into bowls, top each bowl with some of the goat cheese and serve.

Flatbread Pizzas with Roasted Tomatoes, Mozzarella and Spinach

These days I'm on a mission to use up the things I've thrown in my freezer. We had three bags with one or two flatbreads in them leftover from my recent love of the grilled chicken Caesar flatbreads. I saw a recipe for 5-Minute Flatbread Pizza with Prosciutto, Arugula, and Mozzarella in my blog reader and decided to combine that recipe with the always-delectable Roasted Tomato, Mozzarella and Spinach Sandwich.

The result was positively delicious. I love revisiting favorite recipes but it's also great to reinvent them to use up ingredients. When I make the grilled chicken caesar flatbreads I spread butter on the bread before I grill it. Everything is better with butter and it imparts such an amazing flavor that I decided to do that with these. The roasted tomatoes are always delicious and you can't go wrong with melty fresh mozzarella.

We really enjoyed these and I can't wait to make them again.

Flatbread Pizza with Roasted Tomatoes, Mozzarella and Spinach
Inspired by Serious Eats and Kate's Recipe Box

1lb plum tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Thyme sprigs, chopped
Salt and pepper
1 cup baby spinach, coarsely chopped
Extra virgin olive oil
Fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Spreadable butter
4 flatbread pita rounds, whole wheat or regular
8oz fresh mozzarella, sliced

Heat oven to 400F degrees. Lay tomatoes, cut side up, in a roasting pan and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle with thyme leaves, salt and pepper. Roast for 30-45 minutes. Allow the tomatoes to cool and then smash with a potato masher. If you don't like tomato skins, remove the skin after smashing.

In a small mixing bowl, dress the spinach with some extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and set aside.

Heat a 12-inch skillet or a grill pan over medium heat until hot. Spread some butter over both sides of each flatbread. Add the flatbread to the skillet or grill pan and cook until browned, about 2 minutes. Flip and then immediately top with the cheese and tomatoes. Cover and cook until the cheese starts to melt.

Slide the pita out, place on a serving plate and keep warm in the oven while you cook the remaining batches. Top pizzas with the dressed spinach and cut into wedges. Serve immediately.

Asparagus, Goat Cheese and Lemon Pasta

I love pasta. SP loves pasta. Baby Girl loves pasta. That said, we eat pasta at least once a week in this house. I'm always on the lookout for new recipes and after seeing various versions of this Asparagus, Goat Cheese and Lemon Pasta I decided to go to the source and see what we were missing.

This came together so quickly Baby Girl and I were scrambling the finish mixing the cheese and seasonings before the pasta and asparagus finished cooking. It took some tweaking to get the seasonings right - this needed a generous amount of salt and pepper to bring out all the flavors, plus a healthy dose of lemon juice. The pasta water really helped thin out the sauce and make it extra creamy. I ended up adding a full 8-oz log of goat cheese because, well, I'd already opened the package. I also added a fried egg to my lunch the next day - heavenly. So delicious and creamy, with a nice bite from the goat cheese and zing of the lemon juice. It tickles me that Baby Girl enjoys things like goat cheese - she was helping me crumble the cheese and then licked her fingers to get every last bit off.

A note about the above photo - Baby Girl has seen me take pictures of my food since I started cooking and blogging again after she was born. During the months when I'm able to take advantage of natural light I go out on the porch to take my photos. The night we made this, Baby Girl insisted on bringing her own bowl outside so I could photograph her portion. My heart melted.

What a perfect, easy weeknight meal. I've seen people sub spinach for the asparagus but I'm a sucker for those spears.

Asparagus, Goat Cheese and Lemon Pasta
As seen on Smitten Kitchen, adapted from Bon Appetit

1 pound spiral-shaped pasta
1 pound slender asparagus spears, trimmed, cut into 1- to 1 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon, thyme or basil) plus more for garnish
1 8-ounce log soft fresh goat cheese (the pre-crumbled stuff will not melt as well)
Salt and pepper
Fresh lemon juice to taste

Cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted water. Three minutes before the pasta is done (according to the package directions) add the asparagus and cook until firm-tender. Drain both pasta and asparagus together, reserving one cup of pasta water.

Meanwhile, combine the olive oil, lemon zest, thyme (or herb of choice) and goat cheese in a large bowl, breaking up the goat cheese as you put it in. Add the hot pasta and asparagus to the bowl, along with some of the pasta water. Toss until combined, adding more pasta water if needed. Taste and season generously with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Keep adjusting the seasonings, if needed. Serve hot or room temperature.

Recipe Swap: Avocado and Cucumber Tartine

It's always fun to receive a new blog for the Blogger's Choice swaps. Obviously I'm familiar with Caroline's blog, The Barbee Housewife, since she's a member of my cooking board, but I haven't had a chance to really look through her blog. Since Caroline is relatively new to blogging I actually went through her entire blog to check out what she's made. I had a really hard time picking something to make - I actually made something for breakfast after seeing it on her blog, post to come soon - but in the end I needed something easy for lunch one day and this Avocado and Cucumber Tartine looked like it would fit the bill.

I bought a Portuguese roll from my supermarket the same day I made this for lunch, which I highly recommend. There's nothing like fresh-baked bread on a simple sandwich like this. Mincing the cucumber and mashing the avocado took about as long as my toaster oven took to toast the bread, which makes this a super fast lunch.

Holy yum, this is one amazing sandwich. Like cancel your lunch plans, go to the supermarket to purchase the ingredients and whip one up today amazing. You can't go wrong in my book when avocado is involved, but add a crispy baguette and tangy cucumber salad and you've got perfection on a plate. The creaminess of the avocado blended nicely with the tang from the rice vinegar and the nuttiness of the toasted sesame oil.

I'm already contemplating when I can make this sandwich again. So, so good. Thanks for sharing this one, Caroline!

Avocado and Cucumber Tartine
As seen on The Barbee Housewife, from Smitten Kitchen

1 6-inch baguette
1/2 cup cucumber, seeds removed, minced
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Salt and pepper
1 avocado, halved, pit removed
2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Cut bread in half lengthwise and toast.

While the bread is toasting, combine the cucumbers, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and salt in a small bowl. Allow to sit for at least 5 minutes. Mash the avocado in a separate bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Once the bread is toasted, spread the mashed avocado on each baguette half. Top with the cucumber salad, making sure to drizzle the liquid on top. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Linguine with Alfredo, Asparagus, Peas and Poached Egg

I love this time of year. Now that the weather is getting warmer I'm gearing up for the influx of fresh fruits and veggies, especially asparagus. I absolutely love asparagus and while we do buy them throughout the year they're always best (and cheapest) in season, of course.

Paula recently posted this gorgeous Spring Linguine with Alfredo, Poached Egg and Asparagus. Adding poached eggs to a pasta dish is pure genius, especially pasta that involves asparagus - because we all know eggs and asparagus are a match made in heaven.

I was worried my bunch of asparagus wouldn't stretch to a full pound of pasta so I added in another springtime favorite - peas. Asparagus and peas also go well together and they were a great addition to the dish.

I was skeptical of poaching the eggs in advance and reheating them, worried the yolk would overcook, but I was proved wrong. What a great idea, especially for brunch parties. Being able to make a bunch of poached eggs in advance and then reheat right before serving is brilliant. This is a delicious spring dish I can't wait to remake during asparagus season.

Linguine with Alfredo, Asparagus, Peas and Poached Egg
Slightly modified from The Saucy Southerner

1lb linguine or spaghetti
1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup frozen peas
4 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups half & half
salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated (this is about an ounce)
4 large eggs, poached to desired doneness

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package directions. In the last two minutes add the asparagus to the pasta water to cook. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Add pasta back to the pot and stir in the peas.

While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a pot, then add the cream, salt and pepper. Allow to thicken slightly, then turn off the heat and add the Parmesan cheese. Add the sauce to the pasta and vegetables and toss to coat. Thin with some of the pasta cooking water, if necessary.

Remove the pasta to plates, creating a nest in the center for the eggs. Reheat poached eggs for 15 seconds in hot (but not boiling) water and remove with a slotted spoon to the top of the pasta. Garnish with more Parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper.

Broccoli Pesto Pasta

As soon as I saw Annie's recipe for Broccoli Pesto Pasta in Google Reader I knew I needed to make it ASAP. Broccoli is one of our favorite veggies and I loved the idea of pureeing it into a sauce rather than leaving it whole. I don't know about you but I get into a rut with veggies and how I prepare them so this was a refreshing twist.

Like almost every working parent I love easy weeknight meals and this fits the bill. Prepping the broccoli probably took the most amount of time and even though the ingredient list is short this packs a great flavor punch between the onion, garlic and red pepper flakes. Baby Girl kept sneaking pieces of the blanched broccoli before I added it to the sauce. Proud mama moment right there.

Like Annie's kids, Baby Girl gobbled up her serving and asked for more. I cut down on the red pepper flakes because I didn't want it to be too spicy and 1/4 teaspoon was plenty for our tastes. SP wasn't sure how he felt about the pureed broccoli sauce so I think next time I might keep a few pieces of broccoli aside to toss in at the end to appease him.

I wanted to give a quick shout-out to the end of daylight savings time. I was able to photograph dinner outside for the first time in months. Cue happy dance.

Broccoli Pesto Pasta
As seen on Annie’s Eats

1 lb. broccoli crowns
1 lb. pasta
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup half-and-half
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Grated Parmesan, for serving

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Meanwhile, chop the broccoli crowns into florets. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the tough outer skins of the broccoli stems, and chop the stems into ½-inch discs. When the water is boiling, add the broccoli to the water to boil briefly just until fork-tender, about 3-4 minutes. Remove to a bowl, leaving the water in the pot. (Use a skimmer or strainer to remove the broccoli if you boiled it.)

Maintain the water at a boil. Add the pasta to the pot and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Reserve 1½ cups of the pasta water and then drain the pasta well. Set aside.

Return the pot to the heat. Add the butter and olive oil to the pot over medium-high heat, heating until the butter is melted. Add the onion to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes and salt and cook 1-2 minutes more. Return the cooked broccoli to the pan and cook 1-2 minutes more to heat through. Season with pepper to taste.

Transfer the broccoli mixture to a food processor or blender. Pulse in short bursts, scraping down the sides as needed, until the mixture is finely chopped. Add in the cream and process until smooth. If needed, add the reserved pasta water a little bit at a time just until the sauce is smooth and creamy. (Don’t overdo it – you don’t want a watery sauce!) Season with freshly ground pepper to taste. In a large bowl (or in the pot), toss the pasta with the sauce. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan.

Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo Pasta

SP had a work event recently, which meant he wouldn't be home for dinner. When I'm on my own I like to make things he doesn't like so I can enjoy them without feeling guilty that he's only tolerating his dinner. This Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo Pasta was right up my alley - creamy goat cheese, roasted red peppers and artichokes combine to make a luscious sauce for fettuccine.

This did not disappoint and as an added bonus it was ready in mere minutes. The pasta water hadn't even come to a boil and the sauce was already done. I love easy weeknight meals like this - too bad SP wouldn't have been a fan. Baby Girl, on the other hand, yummed it up. Score one for the ladies in the house.

Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo Pasta
Marcus Samuelsson

1/2 lb pasta (I used fettuccine)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, grated
1/2 cup half and half
4 oz goat cheese
1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
3 roasted red bell peppers , coarsely chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
1 handful basil
8 oz artichoke hearts, cut into quarters

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and reserve.

Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about one minute.

Add the half and half, goat cheese, Parmesan and roasted red peppers and simmer until the cheese is melted. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper and add the basil. Puree with an immersion blender or food processor. Add in the chopped artichoke hearts.

Toss the pasta with the sauce and serve immediately.

Oyster Sauce Tofu with Bok Choy

Funny story about this recipe.

SP does the grocery shopping. I put baby bok choy on the shopping list, specifying that I needed 4 of them. I checked the crisper drawer a few days later and discovered he'd purchased 4 bunches of baby bok choy, as in almost 2 POUNDS of baby bok choy. Ha! Thankfully it freezes well so we can enjoy it another time.

As soon as this recipe for Oyster Sauce Chicken with Bok Choy popped up in my Google Reader I knew I had to make it. I also knew I wanted to sub tofu for the chicken. It was a great sub - this was truly delicious and the tofu actually soaked up the flavors of the sauce. I think I'm going to change my cooking method from now on.

As it turns out, 4 baby bok choy and 4 shiitake mushrooms weren't nearly enough for our tastes. I used 2 bunches, or approximately 8-10 baby bok choy. The mushrooms all but disintegrated into the dish so I'm increasing the amount needed in the recipe below. The sauce was delicious - I'm glad I doubled the original recipe so there was enough of it. Yum!

I served this over rice noodles with some egg rolls on the side.

Oyster Sauce Tofu with Bok Choy
Modified from Blissfully Delicious

1 block tofu, pressed and drained
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 heaping teaspoon Sriracha
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
2 tablespoons Shaohsing rice wine
10 fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
10 baby bok choy, white parts cut into 1-inch pieces leaving green parts whole
2 large scallions, thinly sliced

Cut the tofu into bite-size pieces. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add salt and tofu. Cook 5 minutes. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels.

In a smaller bowl, combine the stock, cornstarch, oyster sauce, soy sauce, Sriracha and black pepper. Mix well and set aside.

Heat a wok or non-stick skillet over high heat and, when the wok starts to smoke, add the oil. Add the tofu and ginger. Let settle for 1 minute, and then stir occasionally for 3 minutes. As the tofu starts to turn brown and crispy, add the rice wine and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and bok choy stalks and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the reserved sauce and bring to a boil, then stir in the bok choy leaves and cook for another minute. Remove from the heat and stir in half the scallions. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with the remaining scallions and serve immediately.

Recipe Swap: Balsamic Parmesan Asparagus

I love asparagus. It's one of my all-time favorite vegetables and I can't get enough of it in early spring when it's in season. The theme for this week's recipe swap was Side Dishes and when I did the swapping and ended up with Katie's Balsamic Parmesan Asparagus I felt like I'd hit the jackpot.

The original recipe says this feeds 8-10 people as a side dish but that must not be for true asparagus lovers like us. My two bunches were a little over 2lbs and the two of us polished it off between dinner and leftovers for lunch the next day. Maybe someday Baby Girl will realize how awesome asparagus tastes and like more than just snapping the ends off and tossing the spears with oil and seasoning.

My spears were so thin I skipped the blanching step altogether, opting to let them roast in the oven. The balsamic drizzle was a delicious finishing touch. Definitely take the recipe's advice and open your windows. Even though it was a brisk night I had the kitchen window and the back slider open for a cross breeze, as well as the ceiling fan on in the living room and the exhaust fan on over the stove. There's nothing like inhaling a big ol' whiff of boiling vinegar - it's not pleasant so don't do it!

Thanks for a delicious recipe, Kate!

Balsamic Parmesan Asparagus
As seen on Kate's Recipe Box, originally from Leite’s Culinaria

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar or a few drops top-notch balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon salt, plus more to taste
2 lbs. asparagus, tough ends snapped off
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 cup (about 4oz.) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preheat the oven to 350.

If using top-notch balsamic vinegar, skip this step. Otherwise, open a window and turn on the exhaust fan. Put the vinegar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, swirling the pan occasionally, until the vinegar is reduced by half, anywhere from 7 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the saucepan. Remove from the heat.

Bring a pot of water to boil. Add 1 tablespoon of the salt and the asparagus and blanch until barely tender, about 1 minute for spears of average thickness, more for thicker spears. Skip this step if you have pencil-thin spears. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Pat the asparagus dry with paper towels. (You can keep the asparagus at room temperature or refrigerate it for up to several hours.)

Place the asparagus in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Add salt to taste, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil, and toss to coat. Sprinkle the asparagus with the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Bake until the spears are tender and the cheese is browned and almost bubbling (it won’t actually melt), about 5 minutes.

Transfer asparagus to a platter. Drizzle with the reduced balsamic vinegar or a few drops of the really top notch stuff. Serve immediately.

Click the links below to see side dishes made by my fellow swappers.

Crispy Tofu with Garlic and Broccoli

It's been awhile since I made a tofu dish and I wanted something a little different. I printed out a bunch of tofu recipes from my friend Mary Ellen's blog awhile back and this Crispy Tofu with Garlic and Broccoli in a Soy-Hoisin Sauce sounded perfect.

This was another dish that tasted just like something I'd get at a Chinese restaurant. I had to substitute oyster sauce for the hoisin because I forgot to ask SP to get it at the store. SP thought the dish tasted a little fishy because of it but I loved it. The sweetness from the brown sugar and the kick from the red pepper flake was perfect. The sauce thickened nicely with some cornstarch and I was using the tofu to soak up every last drop.

This was my first time using rice noodles and I loved how easy they were to prepare. Boil water, turn off the heat, add the noodles and soak for 10 minutes. Awesome. They were chewy and delicious, a great alternative to rice.

Thanks again, Mary Ellen!

Crispy Tofu with Garlic and Broccoli
As seen on Mary Ellen’s Cooking Creations

1 block firm tofu, pressed and drained and cut into cubes
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 white onion, chopped
1/4 cup cooking sherry or brandy
2 small heads broccoli, chopped into florets
1 teaspoon (or to taste) red pepper flakes
2 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons Hoisin or oyster sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 green onions, chopped
1-7oz package Asian noodles, cooked according to directions

Heat 2-3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in a large non-stick pan. Add tofu and cook until browned on all sides, about 12-15 minutes. Once cooked, remove tofu and let drain on a plate covered with a paper towel.

Add the garlic and onions to the pan; sauté 2 minutes. Add cooking sherry, cook 1-2 minutes. Add broccoli and red pepper flakes; saute 3-4 minutes. Add chicken broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, and Hoison. Bring to a simmer for 5 minutes.

Mix a splash of water with the cornstarch in a small bowl until dissolved. Pour the mixture into the pan and stir. Return the tofu to the pan along with half of the green onions. Let simmer for a few minutes.

Serve over noodles and top with the rest of the green onions.

Mushroom Stroganoff

As you might know, we've been trying to eat more vegetarian meals lately (well, mostly vegetarian since I still use chicken broth instead of vegetable broth). One of our favorite dishes is beef stroganoff, so when Lishie posted a recipe for Mushroom Stroganoff I had a feeling it would be right up our alley. SP is a huge mushroom fan so this was destined to be a winner.

Overall I think the concept of this dish is good but the flavors were lacking. I went back to our favorite Skillet Beef Stroganoff recipe and decided to simply omit the beef from that version and reprint it here. Yes, that recipe uses both chicken and beef broth (two essential flavor components, in my opinion) so it isn't actually vegetarian but I think both the cooking method of boiling the noodles in the liquid and the flavor profile will yield better results. I can't wait to make this again using this version.

Mushroom Stroganoff
Adapted from America's Test Kitchen Easy Skillet Suppers

Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced thin
8 ounces baby bell mushrooms, sliced thin
1 onion, chopped fine
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1/3 cup brandy
1/3 pound wide egg noodles (3 cups)
2/3 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet until shimmering. Cook mushrooms, onion, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until liquid from mushrooms has evaporated, about 8 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for 30 seconds, then add both broths and the brandy.

Stir noodles into mushroom mixture, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until noodles are tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Off heat, stir in sour cream and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Feta, Tomato & Basil Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Lately I've been obsessed with stuffed portobello mushrooms. They're a great vegetarian option that's hearty enough to serve as a main dish. Plus SP loves mushrooms so it's almost a foregone conclusion that he'll enjoy dinner. These Goat Cheese, Tomato & Basil Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms are another delicious recipe from Brianna over at Oiishi Food.

Just like the last time I made one of her stuffed portobello recipes, I modified the directions for the oven. We use a charcoal grill and it can be hard to control the heat of the fire.

I decided to change the cheese to feta because I needed some for another recipe later in the week. I would love to try these with goat cheese because I love the creaminess, but the feta worked very well. I also realized these were a lot like the Greek Pita Pizzas I made awhile back, which call for shredded mozzarella on top, so I added some to the mushrooms. I also wilted the spinach before adding it to the mushrooms because it tends to give off a lot of liquid and I didn't want to water them down.

These were hearty and delicious, served with crusty bread to sop up all the sauce from the balsamic, oil and tomatoes. Thanks for another winner, Brianna!

Feta, Tomato & Basil Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
Modified from Oishii Food

4 portobello mushrooms
Balsamic vinegar
Extra virgin olive oil
Dried oregano
Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper
1 large tomato, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
4oz feta cheese, crumbled
Cooking spray
1/2 bag baby spinach
4oz mozzarella, shredded

Preheat the oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Using a knife, scrape the brown gills out of the mushroom caps. Discard gills. Remove and discard stems. Place mushroom caps on a large plate and drizzle both sides with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and season with dried oregano, salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, toss the chopped tomato with the garlic, fresh basil and oregano, crumbled feta and a little splash each of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Season to taste with salt. Set aside.

Place the mushrooms, gill side facing down, on the baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. Flip so the mushrooms are gill side up and roast for another 5 minutes.

While the mushrooms are cooking, spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat, then add the baby spinach. Toss until wilted. Allow to cool slightly.

Remove the mushrooms from the oven. Place a few pieces of wilted spinach in the caps, then top with a few spoonfuls of the tomato and feta mixture. Sprinkle with some shredded mozzarella cheese.

Return to the oven and cook until the mushrooms are tender and the filling is warmed, about 5-7 minutes.

Chickpea Salad with Tomatoes, Lemon, and Herbs

I don't know about you but side dishes frustrate me. I find myself making the same boring things over and over again because they're either easy or because I'm too lazy to think of something better. I had seen this recipe for Chickpea Salad with Tomatoes, Lemon, and Herbs on Kelsey's blog awhile back and thought it sounded like a great, light side dish (she serves it as a main course).

Then I completely forgot about it until I was trying to come up with something to serve with black bean burgers from the freezer. It needed to be something I could make in advance since I was planning to serve it for dinner on a Tuesday after my exercise class. Baby Girl and I threw together a half order after I picked her up from daycare and it sat in the fridge until SP and I enjoyed it about 4 hours later. I think it got better the next day once the flavors had married a little more and I finished it off for lunch.

I'm excited to have a new quick and easy side dish in my repertoire. This went well with the black bean burgers (I had mine with mashed avocado and it was divine). It would also go great with grilled chicken, steak, pork chops, seafood, portabello mushrooms, alongside a traditional burger or chicken sandwich, or as a salad tossed with chopped lettuce.

Chickpea Salad with Tomatoes, Lemon, and Herbs
As seen on Apple a Day, adapted from Bon Appetit, April 2011

2 (15-oz.) cans low-sodium chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
Zest of one lemon
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1-2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 small garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon each coarse sea salt and black pepper, plus more to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Taste salad and adjust seasonings as desired. The salad can (and should) be made ahead of time and chilled to allow the flavors to marry.

Ravioli with Tomato, Corn and Pesto

This was a Friday night dinner that I threw together after looking through the fridge and freezer for inspiration. We always have cheese ravioli in the freezer for Baby Girl, so that was my first stop. We also had some tomatoes a friend of mine gave me from her garden, as well as one ear of corn. I'd recently made pesto so I decided that would be the sauce.

Ravioli with Tomato, Corn and Pesto

1 ear of corn
2 ripe tomatoes, diced
Pesto
1 lb cheese ravioli, cooked according to package directions

Microwave the corn, 4 minutes per ear, inside the husk. Carefully remove from the microwave (it will be hot). Cut off the stem end and hold by the top, shaking to loosen the corn. Or just peel off the husks. Cut the kernels off the cob and place in a bowl. Add the diced tomatoes.

Add the cooked and drained ravioli to the bowl with the corn and tomatoes. Toss to combine, then add pesto starting with 1 tablespoon, tossing to coat each time until there's enough sauce.

Kung Pao Tofu

I'm actually surprised by how much we both love tofu. I know it's good for us and it's a great substitute for meat, but I didn't think we would both be head over heels for it. So far I've made 4 different tofu dishes and we've loved them all. This is shocking to me since my husband had always been a meat and potatoes kind of guy. If I served him a meatless meal the first thing he'd ask is, "where's the meat?" quickly followed by, "you know, some bacon would make this better."

This Kung Pao Tofu is another take-out fake-out (to quote Rachael Ray) that is actually better than anything we could get at a local Chinese restaurant. The flavors were outstanding and the fresh veggies and crispy tofu rounded out the meal. I made a few modifications to the original recipe, adding some chicken broth (or you could use vegetable to keep it vegetarian) and a few splashed of fish sauce to bump up the amount of sauce. We like our stir-fries saucy, what can I say. I don't have coconut oil so I cooked everything in canola oil and it worked just fine.

Between the 30 minutes to bake the tofu and the actual cooking time of the dish, this is not exactly a weeknight-friendly meal unless you get home from work early. Unfortunately we think Baby Girl might have a mild peanut allergy so she didn't get to sample this meal. I took these pictures before I remembered the green onion garnish, which I added before we ate and definitely helped brighten up the dish.



Kung Pao Tofu
Modified from Prevention RD

Cooking spray
2 blocks extra firm tofu, pressed and drained, then cubed
2/3 cup roasted peanuts
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
1 large red bell pepper, sliced into strips
12 oz mushrooms, sliced
4 green onions, sliced and divided
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 inch piece fresh ginger, grated
1 cup chicken (or vegetable) broth
A couple shakes of fish sauce, optional

Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and spray well with non-stick cooking spray. Arrange tofu on the baking sheet and lightly mist with oil. Bake for 30 minutes, turning the cubes after 15 minutes.

Heat canola oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add peanuts and red pepper flakes and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add tofu and stir. Add bell pepper and mushrooms and cook another 1 -2 minutes.

Add half of the green onions, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, chicken/vegetable broth and fish sauce. Reduce heat and allow sauce to thicken for 2-3 minutes. Serve over cooked rice topped with remaining green onions.