Fresh Pasta

 Last Christmas Chris got me the pasta dough attachment for my KitchenAid mixer, which was a wonderfully thoughtful gift for someone who loves to cook and very convenient for that person's husband who has proclaimed himself "pasta deprived."  Remember I work in an Italian restaurant that specializes in fresh house-made pasta? And as I've mentioned before, they feed us. Four days a week I get pasta, which is more pasta than most people care to eat in a week.  So this wonderfully thoughtful gift had gone unopened... until yesterday when hours of free time and my nagging guilt conspired against me.

 I'm not gonna lie.  My first attempt at making pasta from scratch was  slightly less than impressive.

Typically, I over estimate my ability when I take a first stab at something labor intensive. So this time, I was prepared for disaster complete with cussing and loss of temper (check and check). After I regained my composure (read: poured a glass of wine)  I got out more eggs and flour and tried again.


The first batch of dough (recipe courtesy of kitchenAid) was too dry due to too much flour and ending flaking apart before I even got it into the roller.
The second batch was too sticky so I kept adding flour, a sprinkle at a time, until I got it just right. Only, having never made pasta before, I had no idea what just right felt like.
So I guessed.
 And for a first guess it came out pretty good, albeit a little thick, but none the less better than anything out of a box.

Here is what you will need: 
2 eggs
2 cups flour  plus additional for hands and work surface (I used unbleached pasta flour, AP will work too)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-2 TBSP water

To start sift the flour and salt into a large bowl and make a well in the center to which you add the beaten eggs and water.

Using your hands begin to fold the flour over and into the eggs a little at a time. Once all flour is incorporated and has formed a rough ball move dough to a lightly floured work surface to knead.  I wasn't quite sure how to go about doing this so I went over to Jamie Oliver's site for advice and this is what he says:

 "Once you’ve made your dough you need to knead and work it with your hands to develop the gluten in the flour, otherwise your pasta will be flabby and soft when you cook it, instead of springy and al dente.

There’s no secret to kneading. You just have to bash the dough about a bit with your hands, squashing it into the table, reshaping it, pulling it, stretching it, squashing it again. It’s quite hard work, and after a few minutes it’s easy to see why the average Italian grandmother has arms like Frank Bruno! You’ll know when to stop – it’s when your pasta starts to feel smooth and silky instead of rough and floury. Then all you need to do is wrap it in cling film and put it in the fridge to rest for at least half an hour before you use it. Make sure the cling film covers it well or it will dry out and go crusty round the edges (this will give you crusty lumps through your pasta when you roll it out, and nobody likes crusty lumps!)."

And there it is, a perfect, smooth ball of dough (sans crusty lumps) just needing a little rest. Cover with saran wrap and set aside for 30 minutes.

 This is the easy and fun part. This is also where I made my biggest mistake. Per KitchenAid's instructions I set the roller to the largest or widest setting. Which resulted in really thick cooked pasta. Next time I'll run it through a few more times at a thinner setting. Easy fix.

Next, hire  your most favorite little person to help you collect the noodles as they pass through the pasta cutter.  Be sure to watch your little person's fingers, they tend to gravitate towards the pinchy rolley part of the machine.

My little person was "executive pasta hanger"  He ruled that hanging tree with an iron fist:

 "No mommy, no touch! Its my job"

It didn't really LOOK like all that much.

But after I cooked a small batch (with butter and broccoli) for Liam, saw how much I had made and how much I still had left. It was a boat load of pasta.

So I bagged and put the rest in the freezer. I have no idea if this is something that you can even do with any resulting success.  I know you can freeze unrolled dough, but since this is already cut... well I guess we will see. 

The rest of this post is superfluous because really, after all that, any sane person would just open a jar of marinara sauce and pour another glass of wine.

But on the off chance that YOU TOO have an excess of vegetables in your crisper  here's what I did:

 Chop em all up.  Here, I have a motley crew of red onion, broccoli, asparagus, parsnip and arugula.

 Toss into a hot saute pan with evoo, garlic, salt and pepper. Then take a blurry picture.

Do not forget the blurry picture, it is imperative.

 Open a can of diced tomatoes, because its not tomato season, and dump that in too.

 Simmer sauce for about 20 minutes.  Just before serving fold in the arugula.

And there you have it;  MONSTER noodles and fresh veggie tomato sauce.  Top with some shaved Parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil and savor every bite!


And then book yourself a spa day because DAMN if that wasn't a whole lotta work.

Pasta Salad with Tuna

This is one of my mom's recipes that always shows up at our family barbecues. I don't know why I love it so, but I do and I haven't had it in a while (Tuna + Chris = divorce). So when the craving for it hit on Sunday I threw together a batch. And, of course, that afternoon Chris is sticking his head in and out of the fridge rummaging for something to eat and he pulls out the pasta salad. I should have just let him have at it but having purposefully tricked him into eating shrimp once before I have made a solemn promise never to do it again. So when I hear the saran wrap being drawn back away from the bowl I sing out a small warning:

theeeeres tunaaaaa in iiiiiiit...

I'm pretty sure he cursed.

Hey, its not my fault he's so picky.

Anyway, I made a few changes to the recipe to make it a little more "healthy".

Here is what you will need:

2 cups dry pasta, cooked (I used piccolini farfalle)

1 can albacore chunk white tuna (in water)
3 heaping Tbsp. onion, minced
2 stalks celery, minced
1 Tbsp fresh chopped dill
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp light mayo
1 Tbsp fat free sour cream
4-5 whole green olives, sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
a few slices of hard boiled egg to garnish-- optional.

So the rest is pretty self explanatory: Drain the tuna, I also rinse mine and drain again. Use a fork to shred the tuna in a large mixing bowl. Then add the remaining ingredients and mix together.

As you can see mine is sans egg. I like it with the hard boiled egg I was just saving my eggs for a savory crostata that turned into "The tomato and feta crostata fiasco." But more on that later...

Add a few healthy dashes of Texas Pete and sweet Georgia Brown, that's good!

Hope you like! Enjoy!

Pasta Primavera

In the past few weeks I've had a few friends ask me when I'm going to update my food blog which is so flattering even if it is just for curiosity's sake. Between job hunting, interviewing, play-dates and all the other daily household blah blah blah before I know it its dinner time and I'm throwing something together last minute. Most of the time its nothing particularly exciting or, for that matter, blog-worthy. And when it is I'm half way through the preparation before I think I should post this recipe! That being said the next few posts will likely be sparse in the picture department. Because I've resigned myself to adding recipes to all the half-assed pictures I've taken.

consider yourself forewarned.

Anyway, last night we got home from our afternoon walking through town and playing at the park and everyone is starving. I'm eye balling the bag of Frito's that have been sitting in the chip basket since Superbowl Sunday like a man damned to hell would a glass of ice water. Seriously Chris finish the bag of chips already before I throw them out. A girl's will is only so strong, ask Eve.
I knew I had to come up with something quick or my whole day might be undone by that bag of Frito's. Pasta Primavera to the rescue!

Here is what you will need.

2 cups dry pasta, cooked.
2 TBSP evoo
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small zucchini, sliced
4 spears Asparagus chopped
1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1/4 cup pine nuts, raw
2 TBSP Parmesan
salt and pepper to taste
Scallion to garnish.



Now, being famished I just jumped right in pulling stuff from the fridge and pantry, chopping and whatnot. I wasn't thinking about the blog until the aroma of the sauce wafted up from the pan and I thought "this is going to be sooo good"


To get to this point: warm the evoo in a saute pan and brown the garlic and the pine nuts. Add the zucchini and asparagus and saute over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes then add the diced tomatoes and salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until sauce reduces down and thickens.

Add the Parmesan which with help to thicken it up even more..



Then serve it up over pasta and garnish with scallions and more parm... that is if you're not desperately trying to get back into shape... We had our pasta with warm tandoori naan and a green salad.
And that bag of Frito's, still sitting half full in the chip basket.

The easiest, lightest pasta with meat(less)balls!

I GOT A NEW CAMERA. Ok its not technically new, but its new to me. I got it from some lady on Craigslist. Its a Canon Powershot S3 IS that she received as a gift from her son. According to her its got more bells and whistles than she cares to learn how to use, so she sold it. To me! For 40 dollars! I was perfectly fine scoring this camera off of someone my own age or even younger. But when I showed up at our designated meeting place to find a gray haired little old lady I felt like I was trying to pull one over on her. So with a heavy heart I told her I didn't feel right with her asking price when these models go for around ten times that. She smiled at me and said "Dearie, I didn't pay a dime for it and my son tosses money around like its a reliable constant. I just want to make enough off of this monster to cover the point and shoot bugger I bought. Besides, you're going to need a good camera to capture every moment of that precious little boy's life. It will go by too fast and the memories, well you will want them in pictures when you're an old lady like me." I smiled and with a gratitude I cannot explain I handed over two crisp twenties. I think she probably knew what her kind gesture meant to me; I think she knew that I wouldn't have been able to afford much more than forty or fifty bucks on a luxury item like a camera. Maybe if I had shown up driving a better car or didn't have Liam in mismatched shoes (I was in a hurry and couldn't find a full set!!) she would have considered asking for more once she knew the value of the camera. Either way we both walked away from the transaction happy. Well, she was happy, I was over the moon.
Now I just need to learn how to use the thing. Marion was right, it does have a lot of bells and whistles and I'm going to need all the help I can get figuring out the proper settings for the best quality pictures. You're patience and advice are welcome!

I'm probably not going back to the step by step blogging unless I come across a recipe wherein every step is a crucial one. That being said, I present to you 20 minute spaghetti and meatballs.
This is what we had for dinner the night I came home with the camera. I had spent all afternoon playing with it that when I finally looked at the clock it was 6:00 and I hadn't stepped foot in the kitchen! whoops.

The quickest spaghetti and meatballs when you don't have any food in the house:

What I did have in the house allowed me to throw together this yummy dinner.

whole wheat spaghetti
1 large can of seasoned diced tomatoes
a few cherry tomatoes
a few tablespoons of evoo
2 garlic cloves
fresh basil
Veggie Patch meatless meatballs
Parmesan cheese

I didn't even have a jar of tomato sauce in the house but quite honestly the diced tomatoes with the garlic and basil was really nice. It was 'fresh and light' and I'm not sure I'll stock up in tomato sauce ever again. We get a pint of cherry tomatoes weekly so I always have a few on hand to toss into what ever I am cooking. I HAD a basil plant that was growing wonderfully hydroponically on my kitchen sill for weeks so basil was in no short supply throw in the tiny corner left from my brick of Parmesan and the meal really prepared itself. And I found a new love. Meatless meatballs. They're not my mothers meatballs, to be sure, but now that I know all about factory farmed beef my mothers meatballs are guilt ridden. So I found these yummy little suckers... and best of all they are made from non-gmo soy - a rare commodity these days.

I sauteed the garlic in the evoo. Then I added the diced tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and the meatballs. I probably added water or veggie stock when the sauce reduced down. I simmered the sauce until the meatballs were cooked through, probably ten minutes or so- just enough time for the pasta to cook. Add your fresh basil to the sauce right at the end you don't want it cooking in the sauce for long it looses its luster, I think. Then pull a heaping pile of noodles onto your plate, top with sauce, shredded cheese and more fresh basil. YUM!

Are you craving this pasta now? because I am, and I just had it.

Even Liam approves, and that's really saying something!

Vegetable Lo Mein

I love Chinese food. Fried Rice, Sweet & Sour Chicken, Lo Mein, Crab Rangoon, I love it all. When Chris is out of town I hit China Fuji. Hit. It.
I order one of everything I love, rush back to the house, find a serving platter to eat from and then gorge myself into a food coma.

Its kind of embarrassing.

See, Chris believes, with all of his heart, that the chefs at Chinese restaurants prowl the neighborhood for stray kitties and pups. When I tear into a teriyaki beef skewer he's convinced I'm chowing on black beauty.

Quick son, to the stables!


Needless to say we don't order out.

The other night Chris was working late and that familiar craving came calling. I had a bunch of CSA veggies in the fridge (they come faster that we can eat em!), some left over noodles and voila:



If that doesn't tickle your fancy then there is something wrong with you.

Seek help.

But if it does...

Here is what you will need:
8 ounces cooked whole wheat spaghetti
3 tablespoons evoo
1 handful sliced mushrooms
1 handful broccoli, chopped
1 handful cauliflower, chopped
1 handful snap peas
1 green onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Ok, I know that ingredient list looks overwhelming. But think of the leftovers you'll use up!

Oh and Hoisin Sauce, its a must. The combination of soybeans, vinegar and chili peppers give the dish a sweet/ salty/ spicy combo of flavor that you cant go without. Find it in the Asian aisle at your local market.

Heat oil in a large wok or saute pan. Stir fry mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, garlic, onion and peas until tender.
Mix cornstarch and broth in a small bowl and add to stir fry.
Stir in hoisin sauce, soy sauce, ginger and cayenne. Cook stirring gently until thickened and bubbly. Add cooked spaghetti, and toss.
How easy is that?

And best of all: no puppies, kitties or ponies were harmed in the making of this recipe.

Black Eyed Pea Cakes

I once dated this guy who, well, lets just say he had a lot of...issues.
The relationship itself was a fiasco, but every once in a while he would clear a path through the beer bottles and cigarette smoke to the kitchen, where he would prepare a meal. Of course he rarely ate because that food might soak up some of the alcohol and kill his buzz.. but I ate, and man what he lacked in personal responsibility and general gross motor skills he made up for when he cooked.

Is it bad that the first thing I thought when I heard he was working a 12 step program was "Well he certainly hasn't made it to the apology step..."
Although what does one say when they receive such a call? despite the courage it must take I simply cant imagine being gracious. "You're sorry? Excellent! Now be a dear and replace that bottle of Veuve I was saving for a special occasion, because in my book you running out of Busch light on a Tuesday morning does not a special occasion make."

I'm only being honest...

The inspiration for this recipe comes from the ashes of that relationship after it crashed and burned down the kitchen because someone left a dishtowel near the stove element.

Black Eyed Pea Cakes

Here is what you will need:

Two cans black eyed peas, drained & rinsed
1 small bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup evoo
1 tablespoon softened cream cheese
1/4 cup freshly shredded parmesan
Hot sauce, your choice but I'm a fan of texas pete.

(The 12 pack of cheap beer and fire extinguisher are optional.)



Using a food processor or two forks, coarsely mash peas.

To the peas add the garlic, bell pepper, egg, cream cheese, bread crumbs and parm. Shake in your hot sauce and mix together well. By hand shape mixture into patties or cakes.

Depending on the size, you should get about a dozen.

Cook patties, in batches, in 2 tablespoons hot oil, adding oil as needed, in a large skillet over medium heat for 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until patties are golden brown. Drain patties on paper towels, and keep them warm. Serve with desired toppings, this time I chose homemade salsa and zesty-citrus sour cream.

Additional tips: If you you're a fan of breakfast for dinner try adding crumbled bacon to the pea mixture and serving the cakes with a fried egg. Its heaven on a dinner plate. Enjoy!