Baked Shells with Butternut Squash

Fall has found us.  Just as our taste preferences have begun to switch gears for more comfort style dishes the produce at the markets and in our CSA box have transitioned as well.  Gone are the jewel toned berries and in their place are the squash and root veggies.

With our first butternut squash of the season we thought about soup but were really wanting something with pasta.  A quick skim of The Complete Book of Pasta and Noodles brought us to Baked Shells with Butternut Squash.  Yes please!

This is an excellent option for a Sunday dinner.  It does require a bit of time from start to finish but it is worth and is good for the type of multi-tasking one might be doing on a Sunday early evening.  Since there several different things going on in this recipe (roasting the squash, making the sauce, etc) it is great for cooking together as each person can take a task.  Also, we had loads of leftovers... making for a nicely packed lunchbag.  I might suggest cutting the recipe in half if there are only two for dinner.

Baked Shells with Butternut Squash

Source: The Complete Book of Pasta and Noodles

Serves 8 as a side dish

• 1 medium butternut squash ( about 1 1/2 lbs), halved lengthwise, strings and seeds discarded
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large leeks, white and light green parts, sliced thin
• 1 1/2 cups Bechamel Sauce
• 1 lb small shells or penne
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Prehead the oven to 400 degrees.  Place the squash, cut side down, on an oiled baking sheet.  Bake until soft, about 40 minutes.  Cool, scrape the flesh into a medium bowl and mash. Stir in the nutmeg, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the leeks and cook until softened, 5-7 minutes..  Transfer to the bowl with the squash.  Add the bechamel sauce and stir to combine.

Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil.  Add salt and the pasta.  Cook until almost al dente but still a little firm.  Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water, drain the pasta and return to the pot with the reserved liquid.

Add the sauce and 1/4 cup chees to the pasta and stir to combine.  Turn the mixture into a buttered 9x13" baking dish and sprink with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese.

Bake at 400 degrees until the cheese is golden and the mixture is bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes.  Remove the dish from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Bechamel Sauce

Makes about 2 cups

• 2 cups whole milk
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoons salt

Heat the milk in a small saucepan over low heat until hot but not scalded or boiling.

Meanwhile, melt the butter ina  medium saucepan over medium heat.  When it is foamy, whisk in the flour.  Whisk constantly for 2 minutes.  Do not let the flour brown.

Remove the saucepan from the heat.  Add 2 tablespoons of the hot milk and whisk vigorously.  When the mixture is smooth whisk in another 2 tablespoons, and then another.  Return the pan to very low heat and slowly whisk in the remaining milk, at first in 1/4 cup increments and then 1/2 cup increments until all mixed.

Raise the heat to medium-low.  Add the salk and cook, whisking often, until the sauce thickens to the consistency of heavy cream, 7-10 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Use immediately or cool to room temperature and whisk until smooth before using.  Can be refrigerated for up to 2 days, before using bring to room temperature and whisk until smooth.

Enjoy!

Pasta with Lentils and Kale

Kale is not something that I would normally buy.  I have never really been interested in the whole sauteed greens thing... maybe because this was not really part of my diet growing up or my dislike of anything that might in the slightest have a similar texture to spinach?  Regardless, if it were not for it showing up in our CSA box every other week it is likely that I would not be eating it.

Turns out it is pretty tasty.  And of course you already knew that is so very good for you.  So chalk it up for a bonus point to the CSA for getting me to add this superstar veggie to our diet.

I like kale prepared simply by sauteeing with garlic and seasoning with a splash of red wine vinegar along side a grilled steak.  But given how often we have it showing up in our refrigerator we set out to find another way to enjoy this veggie.  I saw this pasta with lentils and kale recipe on Heart of Light and it sounds like it would be something both Dan and I would enjoy... and we did.  It is quite satisfying and the caramelized onions just add so much flavor. 

The dish does take longer to prepare than first impressions might lend... but it is pretty simplistic and makes for an excellent mid-week dinner.  If you prepare it together then it goes a little faster- or maybe that is just perception as cooking with your partner and sipping a glass of wine after work is infinitely enjoyable.

Pasta with Lentils and Kale

Source Epicurious via Heart of Light

1/2 cup French green lentils
2 cups water
3/4 teaspoon salt
3-6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large onions, finely sliced
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 pound kale
3/4 pound dried short pasta (we like penne with this)

Simmer lentils in water with 1/4 teaspoon salt in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart saucepan, uncovered, adding more water if necessary to keep lentils barely covered, until tender but not falling apart, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt.

While lentils simmer, heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion with pepper and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, stirring, 1 minute. Reduce heat to low and cook until soft and golden.

While onion cooks, cut out and discard stems and center ribs from kale. Cook kale in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer kale with tongs to a colander to drain, pressing lightly. Keep pot of water at a boil, covered.

Coarsely chop kale and add to onion along with lentils, then simmer, stirring, 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Add pasta to kale-cooking liquid and boil, uncovered, until al dente. Drain pasta. Toss everything together. Serve with a bit of Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

~ Tara

Browned Butter Orzo

I hope that we are not the only ones that get in a rut with side dishes!  I love grilled and roasted veggies but variety is a necessity for me.

Browned butter recipes first hit my radar last year. And it took me a good six months to actually make anything with this technique.  Oh my, what was I waiting for!  It is amazing how something so simple can transform the most basic ingredient. 

This browned butter orzo side dish is so tasty.  It is pretty simplistic, which is ideal for a weeknight dinner, and is made up of basic pantry ingredients (bonus points!).  I love it with grilled or sauteed chicken... I know, chicken and a pasta dish doesn't sound the most inspired; but the nutty flavors and hint of parmesan in the orzo make it so much more than average.

Parmesan-Browned Butter Orzo

From Cooking Light

• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup orzo
• 2 Tbsp white wine
• 1 1/4 cups chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 Tbsp fresh herbs (parsley, chives or basil work well)

Cook 1 tablesopoon butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat 4 minutes or until browned.

Add orzo; cook 1 minute, stirring often. Add white wine, cook over medium-high heat 1 minute.

Add chicken browth, bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 13 minutes. 

Stir in the parmesan, cover and let stand five minutes.  Sprinkle with fresh chopped herbs.  We like parsley or basil.

Enjoy!

~ Tara

Comfort Food :: Baked Ziti

Baked Ziti has all the makings of a good comfort food and is a nice addition to the recipe box.  It is relatively simple, lends well to variations based on what you have in your cupboards, and definitely sets a cozy tone. 

 

I made my first batch of Baked Ziti approximately three years ago based on the recipe on the back of the pasta box.  Since then we have added our twists and tried different renditions but the absolute simplicity of the steps keeps me coming back.  While I love the challenge of trying a new recipe or working through a complex series of steps, sometimes you just want a non-fussy, flavor packed dinner.

Baked Ziti does require a bit of time though when accounting for the prep and the baking, so it works best for us as either a non-rushed work night or a weekend dinner.  This is also excellent for making ahead.  I have done all the prep on a Sunday and then put it into the fridge so that after work during the week I can just pop it into the oven. 

To help try to get in those 5 to 7 servings daily of fruits and veggies, I like to load up the ziti with zucchini, summer squash, mushrooms, extra tomatoes, and red bell peppers.  This is a dish that is easy to modify, based on what is available/ in season and what is in your cupboards.  We love the favor of the Italian herb blend that we get from the Spice House, but any combination of basil, marjoram, and thyme would work.

Baked Ziti

Serves: approximately 4 to 6

1 pound spicy Italian sausage
10 ounces ziti, approximately (can substitute other pasta such as penne, mostaccioli, etc)
1/2 of an onion, diced
4 ounces of sliced mushrooms
1/2 of a red bell pepper, diced
1 cup zucchini, diced
1 cup summer squash, diced
1 can of diced tomatoes
28 ounces Pomodoro Sauce, or your favorite marinara
6 ounces of shredded mozzarella cheese
4 ounces of grated parmesan cheese
pinch of kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp Italian seasoning (or any combination of basil, marjoram, and thyme)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Brown the sausage, drain the grease and set aside.

Cook the pasta according to al dente (try to not over cook for the best texture!).

While the pasta is cooking, sautee the vegetables, seasoning them with kosher salt and black pepper. 

In a baking dish, stir together the sausage, sauteed veggies, pasta, diced tomatoes, and pomodoro sauce.  Season to taste with the Italian Seasoning.  Top with the cheeses and a light sprinkle of Italian seasoning. 

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Remove the foil and cook for another 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Enjoy!

~ Tara

Basic Tomato (Pomodoro) Sauce

I don't know if we will ever be able to eat a jar of purchased pasta sauce again.  This basic tomato sauce was so full of flavor, completely easy, and relatively quick to make.  This could easily be made after work for a simple yet homemade weekday meal.  I am now thinking that we just might have to grow tomatoes on our deck this summer for completely fresh pasta sauce.  But for now this will keep us happy.  Next time we might throw in some sauteed mushrooms and maybe red bell peppers.

Basic Tomato (Pomodoro) Sauce

Adapted from Dave Lieberman
Serves 6 (approximately)

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced    
1 can tomato paste    
2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon marjoram
1/2 teaspoon sugar
¾ tspn Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
1 pound gemelli pasta, penne, or other similar shape
1 small bunch fresh basil, chifonnade, for garnish
1 (8-ounce) wedge Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese, grated or shaved, for garnish

In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat.

Add the garlic and cook until fragrant but not browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Then add the tomato paste and simmer for a few minutes.  Then add the tomatoes, a pinch of salt and pepper, and the dried basil, bring to a simmer, and cook until thickened slightly, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in marjoram, approximately 2 tablespoons fresh basil, sugar, and season with salt and black pepper, to taste.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain.

Serve sauce over hot pasta with a sprinkle of basil and cheese.

Let extra sauce cool completely and then seal in airtight containers. Refrigerate for up 1 week and freeze for up to 1 month.

Enjoy!

~ Tara

Holy Meatballs Batman!

Cooking a meatball usually consisted of having grease splatter and fly all over your stove.  And who can't forget the smell, which would remind you that you had meatballs....three days later!  Since none of the kitchens we have cooked in seem to produce enough air circulation for stovetop meatball cooking we usually opt for either meatloaf or spagehetti.  Until now...

Alton Brown of Good Eats came up with a great solution...baked meatballs.  This remarkably simple recipe manages to take all the mess out of meatballs while making them so incredibly tasty.  If you follow these easy steps you two can have a great meal without the reminders days later.

Recipe: Meatballs

Adapted from Alton Brown

• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
• 1 whole egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs, divided

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the pork, lamb, ground round, cheese, egg, basil, parsley, garlic powder, salt, red pepper flakes, and 1/4 cup of the bread crumbs. Using your hands, mix all ingredients until well incorporated. Use immediately or place in refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

Place the remaining 1/4 cup of bread crumbs into a small bowl. Using a scale, weigh meatballs into 1.5-ounce portions and place on a sheet pan. Using your hands, shape the meatballs into rounds, roll in the bread crumbs and place the meatballs in individual, miniature muffin tin cups. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

The original recipe adds spinach and ground lamb into the meat mixture, but my wife doesn't like spinach and won't touch lamb so out it came.  The recipe works great without those two ingredients but feel free to add 5 oz of spinach and 1/2 lb ground lamb to the mixture if your wife approves.

Enjoy!

- Dan

Mid-Week Meals: Orzo + Herbs

One of our goals is to plan out our meals for the week and do our grocery shopping based on our menu.  We generally do a pretty good job of this but there is sometimes that day where you just do not feel like making what you had planned on or you forgot an ingredient and need to change plans.  Lately our quick solution is orzo with fresh herbs. 

Orzo is one of those great ingredients that you can build a meal off with what is in your garden or leftovers in your fridge.  One of the herbs that has done the best in our sad little herb container garden is marjoram... and it goes wonderfully with a little leftover grilled chicken breast and orzo.  And fresh lemon juice makes such a difference here in balancing out the flavors over a bottled lemon juice.  I hestitate to call this a recipe but with just a few ingredients you have a nice base to go in many directions; add grilled or blanched veggies, keep it just the orzo and herbs for a side dish, or even toss in some shrimp.  It has become one of our go to dishes for last minute mid-week meals.

Orzo + Fresh Herbs

Serves 2
Adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients

1 cup orzo
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
3-4 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh marjoran, parsley, and thyme
Fresh ground pepper

Optional ingredients:

1 grilled chicken breast, chopped and slightly cooled
1/2 cup halved grape tomatoes, diced heirloom tomatoes, or grilled zuchini
3 tablespoons parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cook orzo in salted water until it is al dente, following the time directions on the package.  Drain well and rinse with cool water to bring down temperature. Transfer to bowl.

Stir in the olive oil, lemon juice, and fresh herbs. Modify amount of herbs to taste. Add parmesan cheese if desired.  Toss until mixed well.

Add either grilled chicken breast or shrimp and tomatooes or grilled veggies if desired.

Enjoy!

 - Tara

Shrimp Orzo...A Great Summer Sidedish

Fresh vegetables are one of the best things about the summertime.  Red bell peppers are no exception and since they are full of vitamins we have been trying to include them more in our cooking.  We found this simple orzo receipe that combines red peppers, orzo and shrimp. 

Prep work is fairly easy, the shrimp are thawed under room temperature running water.  Once done you'll need to devein them and clean them.  The red peppers just need to have the seeds removed and chopped into whatever size you want. 

Shrimp Orzo with Sauteed Vegetables

• 8 ounces orzo (about 1 1/3 cups)
• 14 oz can Chicken Broth
• Extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 medium zucchini or summer squash cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 1 red or yellow bell pepper, quartered
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined
• 2 heirloom tomatoes cut into bite size
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves plus sprigs for garnish
• 1 8-ounce ball fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Preparation

Cook orzo in large pot of boiling chicken broth and water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Rinse with cold water; drain well. Transfer to large bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon oil.

In a large skillet bring 3 tbs of butter to a low simmer.  Add shrimp and cook till done, about 8 min.  Remove and put aside.  Add red pepper, zucchini and cook till tender but firm.  Not mush. 

Place shrimp in bowl with orzo, add zucchini and bell pepper.  Add tomatoes, sliced basil, and mozzarella; toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover; chill.

Garnish with basil sprigs and serve cold or at room temperature.

- Dan

Orzo with Basil, Feta, & Tomato

Orzo is one of my latest obsessions for cooking. It is a wonderful base for a side dish or salad that looks a bit more 'fancy' than your everyday macaroni shaped pasta. We served this particular orzo dish for Dan's birthday party and again for Father's day and it received rave reviews both times. It is pretty simple to make and just as tasty as leftovers.

My only tip for this one is to cool down the orzo before stirring in with the basil, one of the times we made this we forgot to cool the orzo and it slightly wilted the basil and started to melt the feta. Not a huge deal, just a small little detail. And we can't always find the yellow grape tomatoes at the grocery store but the red ones work just fine on their own. We added asparagus once and it fit in nicely.

I found this orzo basil recipe on Epicurius from Bon Appetit here. I definitely recommend trying this one- it is so tasty! 

Recipe: Orzo with Tomatoes, Feta, and Green Onions

Source: originally printed by Bon Appetit

Serves 8

1/4 cup red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon honey 1/2 cup olive oil 6 cups chicken broth 1 pound orzo (or riso)

2 cups red and yellow teardrop or grape tomatoes, halved 1 7-ounce package feta cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups) 1 cup chopped fresh basil 1 cup chopped green onions 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

Whisk vinegar, lemon juice, and honey in small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.)

Bring broth to boil in large heavy saucepan. Stir in orzo, reduce heat to medium, cover partially, and boil until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Transfer to large wide bowl, tossing frequently until cool.

Mix tomatoes, feta, basil, and green onions into orzo. Add vinaigrette; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.) Add pine nuts; toss. Serve at room temperature.

Enjoy!

 - Tara

Easy, Fresh Dinner: Herbed Penne with Grilled Vegetables

One of our favorite quick and easy dinners right now is Herbed Penne with Grilled Vegetables.  It is not the most ground-breaking of recipes but after a long day at work or a long Sunday of being out and about it is quite wonderful.  Besides being quick and easy, it is pretty healthy, economical, and can be very seasonal... and I am loving anything loaded with fresh basil these days.

It is a great recipe to make together as there are quite a few tasks to be done where you won't step on each other toes, this is important when you have a small kitchen to work in!  We like to have one of us start chopping the veggies and herbs while the other is pulling out all the ingredients and such, then while one is grilling the other is cooking the pasta, and finally while one is tossing everything together the other is cutting up the chicken.  Cooking together can be really nice way to transition into couple time and doing something active and engaging together after a day at the office.




I also love how this recipe can be a nice foundation and you can play with different veggies or herbs depending on the season. The fresh basil smells incredible and for me is a key part of the recipe. We have tried others, such as thyme, and they just didn't quite have the same effect as basil.

Recipe for Herbed Penne with Simple Grilled Vegetables
Adapted from Cooking Light
Serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil
Seasonal vegetables (summer squash, zucchini, bell pepper, mushrooms, onion, asparagus, etc), cut into 3/4” pieces
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Dry Italian spice mix, to taste
4 cups hot cooked penne
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil + an additional 3 Tablespoons
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup Romano cheese, grated
1/4 cup shaved Parmigiano cheese
1 grilled chicken breast, cut into small bite size pieces (optional)

Combine cut veggies in a grill basket or in aluminum foil; brush with 1 Tbsp of olive oil and sprinkle with about 3 Tbsp fresh basil and a little dry Italian Seasoning spice mix. Grill about 15 minutes on a medium heat. If using left over grilled veggies, reheat in a skillet over medium heat. After removing from grill (or burner), sprinkle with half of the black pepper, salt, and crushed red pepper.

Combined cooked, hot pasta, parsley, 1/4 cup basil, remaining 1 Tbsp of oil, remaining salt and black pepper, and the grated Romano cheese in a large bowl; toss well. Add in grilled veggies and chicken breast; toss to mix. After adding to plate sprinkle with shaved parmigiano cheese.

Enjoy!