Orecchiette with Creamy Chipotle and Corn

Orecchiette with Creamy Chipotle and Corn (slightly adapted from Woman’s Day, Servings: 6, Total Time: 25 minutes)

Ingredients

·         1 pound orecchiette pasta

·         1 Tbsp. olive oil

·         1 medium onion, finely chopped

·         Kosher salt and pepper

·         1 clove garlic, finely chopped

·         ¾ cup skim milk

·         4 ounces lowfat cream cheese, cut into pieces

·         ¼ cup grated Parmesan

·         1  tsp. chopped chipotles in adobo, plus 1 tsp. adobo sauce

·         Pinch ground nutmeg

·         1 ½ cups frozen corn, thawed

Directions

1.)    Cook the pasta according to package directions. Reserve ¼ - ½ cup of the cooking liquid, drain the pasta and return it to the pot.

2.)    Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and ¼ tsp. each salt and pepper and sauté, stirring occasionally, until very tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

3.)    Whisk in the milk and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the cream cheese, Parmesan, chipotles and adobo sauce, and nutmeg. Stir in the corn and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the corn is heated through and the mixture has slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.

4.)    Toss the pasta with the sauce, adding some of the reserved cooking liquid if the pasta seems dry.

My husband and I both really enjoyed this dish.  It was not too spicy, so I added some additional adobo sauce to my servings (I didn’t want to add too much heat).  It wasn’t very creamy, so when I make it again I will likely add 6 oz. cream cheese or some additional milk.  I ended up adding about ½ cup water to help the creaminess, I didn’t want to add any more than that as it would affect the taste.  The corn adds a slightly crispy texture to the otherwise soft and chewy dish (even though I cooked the pasta al dente, when I tossed it with the sauce, it lost its crispness). 

Overall, an easy dish to whip up when you are short on time. I do plan on making this again!

Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed Shells

Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed Shells (slightly adapted from Naturally Ella, Servings: 4, Total Time: 45 minutes)

Ingredients

·         ½ box lasagna noodles

·         ½ Tbsp. olive oil

·         ¼ cup onion, finely diced

·         2 cups pureed acorn squash (from 1 roasted acorn squash)

·         ¼ cup part-skim ricotta cheese

·         ¼ cup shredded Parmesan

·         Salt and pepper to taste

·         2 Tbsp. margarine

·         1 tsp. dried rosemary (divided in half)

Instructions

1.       To roast acorn squash, cut squash in half and remove seeds. Place cut side down on a baking sheet. Roast at 400˚ until squash is tender (about 30 minutes.) Remove and let cool. Scoop out the insides and set aside.  After the squash is cooked, turn oven down to 350˚.

2.       While the squash is baking, cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain and let cool.

3.       In a bowl, stir together the squash, ricotta and Parmesan.

4.       In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions to pan and cook until they are translucent and cooked through. Stir in the squash mixture and cook over low heat until warm.

5.       In a small skillet, heat butter and rosemary over low heat until ready to serve. Once everything is ready, spoon some squash mixture onto each of the lasagna noodle and roll up.   Place in a baking dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Once all the mixture is used, drizzle the butter over shells.

6.       Place dish in oven and cook for about 20 minutes, until lasagna rolls are heated through.  Serve hot.

I made some minor changes to the original dish because I had lasagna noodles and no shells – alas, lasagna roll ups!  Everything else was pretty much the same as the original (except using dried instead of fresh rosemary and margarine in place of butter).  I had a little trouble with the lasagna noodles and ended up with some think pieces from rips, but that’s alright.  If I was perfect, I would be working in a restaurant, not trying my efforts out as a home cook.

I have never had acorn squash before, but I like it!  When it’s baked, it is soft and creamy and has a bit of a sweet taste.  Maybe similar to the taste of spaghetti squash as opposed to butternut squash.  Anyway, I found this dish a little bland and would probably add some more butter sauce or more cheese.  My lasagna noodles got really tough when I reheated the dish, but the acorn squash portion was still good.  I say, give it a try!

Gnocchi with Summer Squash, Basil and Feta

Gnocchi with Summer Squash, Basil and Feta (from Real Simple, Total Time: 20 minutes, Servings: 4)

Ingredients

·         1 pound gnocchi, fresh or frozen

·         ¼ cup olive oil

·         3 yellow squash (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut into 3/4-inch pieces

·         3 cloves garlic, chopped

·         kosher salt and black pepper

·         4 oz. Feta, crumbled (about 1 cup)

·         1/3 cup torn fresh basil leaves

Directions

1.       Cook the gnocchi according to the package directions; drain and return it to the pot.

2.       Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the squash, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes.

3.       Add the squash to the gnocchi and toss to combine. Serve sprinkled with the Feta and basil. Season with pepper.

Another simple recipe that was pretty tasty.  My only complaint is that it was a little too salty for me, so when I make it again I’ll omit the added salt.  Overall, though, it was good.  The gnocchi was light, soft and chewy.  When paired with the crisp yellow squash, it was fantastic.  My husband also really enjoyed this dish, which is always a plus in my book.  I may add a little more garlic next time, but other than that, no changes (except less salt!).

Gnocchi with Summer Squash, Basil and Feta

Gnocchi with Summer Squash, Basil and Feta (from Real Simple, Total Time: 20 minutes, Servings: 4)

Ingredients

·         1 pound gnocchi, fresh or frozen

·         ¼ cup olive oil

·         3 yellow squash (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut into 3/4-inch pieces

·         3 cloves garlic, chopped

·         kosher salt and black pepper

·         4 oz. Feta, crumbled (about 1 cup)

·         1/3 cup torn fresh basil leaves

Directions

1.       Cook the gnocchi according to the package directions; drain and return it to the pot.

2.       Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the squash, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes.

3.       Add the squash to the gnocchi and toss to combine. Serve sprinkled with the Feta and basil. Season with pepper.

Another simple recipe that was pretty tasty.  My only complaint is that it was a little too salty for me, so when I make it again I’ll omit the added salt.  Overall, though, it was good.  The gnocchi was light, soft and chewy.  When paired with the crisp yellow squash, it was fantastic.  My husband also really enjoyed this dish, which is always a plus in my book.  I may add a little more garlic next time, but other than that, no changes (except less salt!).

Fresh Tomato and Basil Pasta with Feta

Fresh Tomato and Basil Pasta with Feta (slightly adapted from Kraft Recipes, Total Time: 30 minutes, Servings: 6)

Ingredients

·         3 cups chopped, ripe tomatoes

·         ½ cup  thinly sliced fresh basil

·         2 Tbsp.  olive oil

·         1 clove  garlic, minced

·         ¼ tsp.  salt

·         ¼ tsp.  ground black pepper

·         8 oz.  radiatore pasta (radiator-shaped pasta), uncooked

·         1 pkg. (4 oz.) crumbled Feta Cheese

Directions

1.)    Mix tomatoes, basil, oil, garlic, salt and pepper.

2.)    Cook pasta as directed on package; drain.

3.)    Toss hot pasta with tomato mixture and feta cheese. Serve immediately.

Another easy summer recipe!  We had a ton of cherry tomatoes from our own garden, so I decided to make a pasta dish with fresh tomatoes as the sauce.  I used 3 cups of the tomatoes, but then added even more to leftovers because it didn’t seem like enough (and I still had a lot left over).  This dish is easy to make and the taste is light and fresh – good for a hot day.  I really enjoy the combination of tomatoes, basil and olive oil, so the flavor was very pleasing.  The garlic and feta just helped enhance that flavor – nothing was overpowering.

I actually used penne instead of radiator because that is what we had in the pantry.  The only change I recommend is adding more tomatoes! 

Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese

Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese (slightly adapted from Sweet Anna’s, Servings: 6, Total Time: 25 minutes)

Ingredients

·         1 box (about 16oz) pasta - elbows or shells
·         1 Tbsp. olive oil
·         1 clove garlic, minced
·         3-4 large fresh jalapeño peppers, seeded and diced
·         1 cup water
·         ½ cup skim milk
·         8 oz. fat-free or Neufchatel cream cheese
·         2 cups shredded taco cheese
·         salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

1.       Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente.  Drain.
2.       While the noodles are cooking, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and preheat the broiler of your oven to Low.
3.       In the heated skillet, drizzle in the olive oil & then add the jalapeños and garlic, sautéing until tender, about 5 minutes.
4.       Reduce the heat to low and stir in the water, milk & cream cheese, stirring often until melted and smooth. Turn off the heat and stir in the shredded cheese until melted. Taste and add salt & pepper to taste.
5.       When the noodles are done, toss them in with the cheese mixture and if your skillet is oven-proof place in the oven. If it is not oven-proof, place mixture into oven-proof dish and then pop into oven.
6.       Broil for 5-10 minutes, watching carefully, until the top is golden and the sauce is bubbling.
7.       Let sit for 5 minutes and then serve.

When I picked up my bi-weekly CSA bag, I had one large jalapeno, a habanero, and two red chilies.  My first thought was “What am I going to do with these since I just made salsa?”  As I’m sure you know by reading other entries, my husband is not in love with hot food – although he is better than he used to be, he’s still not up to my level of heat.  So, I went online to find something, anything, that would appease both of our palettes.  I saw this recipe and thought that it was a good option considering all of the dairy products – they would help dampen the heat down.  I made it two days after receiving my veggies.  Unfortunately, in that short time, my jalapeno rotted, but the habanero and the chilies were still good. 

I made a few adjustments to the original recipe to cut back on fat and calories – using skim milk instead of heavy cream, fat-free cream cheese instead of full-fat, and eliminating the parmesan and tortilla chips.  I think it turned out great – still very cheesy and tasty, with just a bit of kick.  My husband even liked it – and ate most of the leftovers!  A win in my book!  I used medium shells as the past, and I think that was a great idea because the cheese really coated the little openings to the pasta.  I will let you know that the cheese congeals when it cools.  Maybe using Neufchatel cheese instead of fat-free is good (fat-free also takes a while to melt down).  I like this dish and intend on making it again.

Blue Bird Inn (Lebanon, PA)

http://www.bluebirdinn.com/

My husband and I met his family for Father’s Day dinner at Blue Bird Inn in Lebanon.  I have been there once before and remembered the food being alright.  This time, we had to sit inside because of impending thunderstorms.  The front of the restaurant is bright, with big windows, ample seating, and a large bar. The back portion, where we sat, was dark and looked a little aged. 

There were a few vegetarian options on the menu, but I decided to go for the Sangria Basil Chicken (sans chicken, of course).  Mistake!  I was excited because it was Roasted Garlic & Asiago ravioli tossed with sautéed shallots, mushrooms, and baby spinach topped in a Sangria Tomato Basil Sauce.  Reading the description, I expected a flavor explosion!  Unfortunately, I didn’t get one.  It was actually really bland.  The ravioli was cooked alright, maybe a little too tough.  I couldn’t taste any sangria or basil in the sauce or any roasted garlic in the ravioli.  Overall, it was a pretty big letdown.  My husband’s father really likes this restaurant, so chances are I’ll be going again.  Next time, no Sangria Basil pasta for me.

Vinny's Café (Dundalk, MD)

http://www.vinnyscafe.com/

My husband and I went to Dundalk, MD on Mother’s Day to see my grandmother.  While there, we went with her and my mom and stepdad to Vinny’s Café (grandmom’s favorite restaurant).  They had a fixed menu, but were able to make me a vegetarian pasta (ended up being spaghetti and marinara).  The service was extremely slow, but the atmosphere was pleasant.  We sat in a side room which had a few tables and a painted ceiling.  The chandeliers had medallions on the ceiling, very ornate!  The main room has a lot of tables and booths and more ornate painting.

So, now time for the actual meal.  The bread that they brought out included some tomato pie.  The tomato pie was on soft bread with crispy edges.  It had a mixture of marinara and parmesan on top.  It was really good, but I stayed away from the crust because they were a little too hard.  The bread basket was followed by a salad with house dressing (creamy Italian).  The dressing coated iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers.  I thought that the house dressing would be extremely good, but it was just kind of mediocre (similar to bottled dressing).  My main dish was spaghetti with marinara and was, unfortunately, quite bland.  There was a ton of it though! I actually had enough to make three additional meals!  I added some basil and red pepper flakes when I had the leftovers – that definitely added what I was looking for.  For dessert, my husband and I shared a slice of the Fondant Cake.  It consisted of chewy chocolate sponge cake layered with chocolate icing and topped with chocolate fondant.  Each bite was full of chocolatey goodness.  I will say that the dessert made up for the mediocre food. 

Will I go there again?  Of course!  It’s grandmom’s favorite restaurant and the dessert is delicious!

Sauceless Garden Lasagna

Sauceless Garden Lasagna (from AllRecipes, Servings: 6, Total Time: approx.. 1 hour)

Ingredients

·         1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced

·         1/3 cup chopped red onion

·         1 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, divided

·         ½ cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese

·         2 Portobello mushrooms, sliced into small pieces

·         4 cups fresh baby spinach

·         ¼ cup chopped fresh basil

·         1 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano

·         3 cloves garlic, minced

·         3 Tbsp. olive oil

·         ¼ cup balsamic vinegar

·         1 tsp. sugar

·         ½ tsp. salt

·         ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

·         1 (8 oz.) package no-boil lasagna noodles

·         9 roma (plum) tomatoes, thinly sliced

Directions

1.      Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly coat a 9x9 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

2.      In a large bowl, toss together the zucchini, mushrooms, spinach, garlic, red onion, ½ cup mozzarella, and feta. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, stir in basil, oregano, sugar, salt and pepper. Toss to coat.

3.      Place a layer of lasagna noodles into the bottom of the prepared pan. Make a layer of tomato slices over the noodles. Spread a generous amount of the spinach mixture over the tomatoes. (NOTE: it shrinks a lot while cooking.) Layer slices of tomatoes over the spinach mixture, then another layer of noodles. Start with another layer of tomatoes on top of the noodles, and repeat layers until ending with the vegetable mixture. Sprinkle remaining cheese on the top.

4.      Bake for 35 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until noodles, and vegetables are tender. Let stand for a few minutes to set, then slice and serve.

First, I’ll say that this dish is not too pretty to look at – the cooked spinach looks a little mushy.  But the taste is there, for the most part.  I think that there is a little too much balsamic vinegar and it slightly overpowers the taste – I recommend either less vinegar, or adding more olive oil.  The dish does become quite large, and I only used 3 cups of spinach and bout 1/3 of the box of lasagna noodles (it would have overflowed the pan with 4 cups of spinach and the whole box of noodles).  One other change I recommend making – remove the skins from the tomatoes, I had some stringy parts in mine.

The zucchini and red onions remain crisp, which adds a nice texture component compared to the softness of the other ingredients.  Surprisingly, the tomatoes were a little crisp too (probably because they were not fully ripe when we bought them).  My husband was OK with the dish, but did not eat any of the leftovers.  The above veggies also remain crisp upon reheating.  Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Soup with Spinach Ravioli

Butternut Squash Soup with Spinach Ravioli (slightly adapted from AllRecipes, Total Time: 1 hour, Servings: 6-8)

Ingredients

·         ¼ tsp. ground cumin

·         ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

·         2 Tbsp. margarine

·         1 cup chopped onions

·         ¾ cup sliced leeks

·         2 ½ cups peeled, seeded and cubed butternut squash

·         ½ cup dry white wine

·         5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

·         1 pinch ground cinnamon

·         1 pinch ground ginger

·         1 pound cheese-filled spinach ravioli

·         ¾ cup half-and-half

·         salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1.      Cook cumin and nutmeg in a large saucepan over medium heat until lightly browned. Stir in the margarine and sauté the onions and leeks until tender.

2.      Mix in squash, wine, and vegetable broth. Season with cinnamon and ginger. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 to 15 minutes.

3.      Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ravioli, and cook according to package directions for al dente.  Drain.

4.      With a hand mixer, puree the soup mixture. Blend in half-and-half and season with salt and pepper.

5.      Mix in the cooked ravioli just before serving.

I used two packages of tortellini (about 9 oz. each): one cheese and one spinach.  Since there was more pasta, I also increased the spices, broth, and wine to help keep the texture more soup-like.  Even though, I made these changes, I found that it was more of a pasta sauce than soup – the consistency is quite thick.  That being said, this is a pretty delicious recipe and quite creamy.  The sauce does not have an overwhelming taste of butternut squash and you cannot taste the onions (the cooked down so much that I couldn’t even find them!).  I do find that this needs a little bit more heat for me, so I have added red chili pepper flakes and cayenne pepper to leftovers to help amp up the spiciness.  This dish also reheats quite well.  I definitely plan on making it again!