My Spaghetti

What do you do with a dozen Roma tomatoes that disparately need to used? Make spaghetti. All part of  the proper care and feeding of my curmudgeon.

I chopped about a dozen tomatoes and put them in a sauce pan with a little salted water. They boiled about an hour. Poured back in the pan added 4 beef bouillon cubes, a little more salt, minced onion,  and tomato paste and balsamic vinegar. Blended it till smooth in myVita mix, and then poured back into the pan

I cooked it for anther 45 minutes, added Italian seasoning. 

In a large skillet browned a pound of ground beef, celery, onion and green pepper. salt pepper and Italian seasoning. 

Next put pasta on to boil. cook to package instructions, drain, add pack to pot with butter parley and basil. mix well. 

Add sauce to ground beef, pour over pasta and serve  yum. The curmudgeon said it was so disgusting that I could torture him again with in any time. ha ha

. 

For the sauce:

12 Roma tomatoes

3 tablespoons dried minced onion

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon ground pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

    

Ground beef mixture

1 lbs ground beef

1/2 green bell pepper

1/2 small onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

3 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

2 teaspoons balsamic

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

salt and pepper to taste

For the pasta

1 lbs spaghetti

3 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon dried basil

1 tablespoons parsley

Best Ever Chicken Salad

I couldn't make up my mind today: whether to to chicken soup or chicken salad. The I looked at the thermomater-- and this is salas weather. Like fer sure.
Too hot for soup. I'll wait till fall.

Ok, bragging -- I love my chicken salad. There's lots of goodies in it. This one goes great with BBQ

1 lb box of macaroni, or other pasta cooked and cooled.
1/2 lb cooked chicken breast, cubed small
2 ribs of celery chopped fine
1/8 cup onion minced
1/2 Tbs minced garlic
1 cup fresh cooked corn
1 diced tomato (optional)
3 tbs chopped bacon
1/2 cup mayo
2 tbs ranch dressing
2 tbs bbq sauce.

Mix all ingredents together. If it seems a little dry add another tablespoon or t wo of mayo. Chill for at least an hour before serving.

Pasta with spinach and breans

 

 

2 cups small shell pasta (8oz)

1 cup thinly sliced onion

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon water

6 cups fresh spinach leaves

3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cook pasta until just tender. Ladle 1 cup of pasta cooking liquid into bowl and reserve.

Drain pasta.

Sauté onion and garlic in oil then add 1 T water to skillet and cook over medium heat until onion is golden and tender, stirring often.

Add 1 c reserved pasta cooking liquid, spinach and tomatoes to skillet.

Cover and cook until spinach wilts, about 3 minutes.

Add cannellini beans and pasta.

Cover and cook until heated, about 2 minutes.

Stir in cheese and season with salt and pepper.

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/pasta-with-beans-and-spinach-parmesan-43229#ixzz1uKUqMxP4

 

Mini Italian Meatloaves with Penne and Sautéed Zucchini

Weight Watchers Recipe


10PointsPlus Value Prep time: 25 minCook time: 50 min Serves: 6 It’s a meatball in meatloaf form. Paired with whole grain pasta and garlicky zucchini, this meal is sure to satisfy your craving for Italian food. RecipeRead All Reviews (58).Ingredients

2 spray(s) cooking spray,



MEATLOAVES

1 1/4 pound(s) uncooked lean ground beef, (93% lean/7% fat)

2 large egg(s)

1/4 cup(s) grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup(s) seasoned bread crumbs, Italian style

1/4 cup(s) parsley, finely chopped

3/4 tsp kosher salt

1/8 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste

1 1/2 cup(s) store-bought marinara sauce, divided



PASTA

1/4 tsp kosher salt

8 oz uncooked whole-wheat pasta, penne



ZUCCHINI

1 tsp olive oil, extra virgin

2 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), thinly sliced

2 small uncooked zucchini, chopped (about 3 cups)

1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste



GARNISH

1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese



Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray.





In a large bowl, combine beef, eggs, cheese, bread crumbs, parsley, salt and pepper until well-combined (do not over mix). Divide beef mixture into 6 even portions and form into mini loaves; place on prepared baking sheet. Spoon 3 tablespoons marinara sauce over each loaf and bake until cooked through, about 35 to 40 minutes; allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.





Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Once pasta is cooked, reserve 1/4 cup of pasta cooking liquid and then drain pasta.





While pasta and meatloaves cook, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. Once garlic begins to brown, add zucchini; increase heat to medium-high and cook zucchini, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and soft, about 6 to 7 minutes. Season to taste with salt and then add pasta and reserved cooking liquid to pan; stir to combine and cook for 1 minute to heat through.





Heat remaining marinara sauce; spoon 1 tablespoon sauce over each meatloaf before serving. Yields 1 meatloaf, about 1 cup pasta-zucchini mixture and 1/2 teaspoon cheese garnish per serving.





weightwatchers.com

Pork and Peas, Please

•  Ingredients
• 
  

1 pound rotini pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup red onion
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 cup frozen peas
2 pork cutlets
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt to taste
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh basil

Preparation

Cook pasta in lightly salted boiling water according to the package directions; drain. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add peas, pork cutlets, radicchio, chicken broth, kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, and the pasta. Cook until the liquid is absorbed and the meat andvegetables are heated through, about 5 minutes. Toss with lemon juice and more salt to taste. Top with fresh basil.

Lamb's Ears

if you are a fan of Italian cooking shows  like i am, you've been introduced to a type of pasta called orecchiette. )ō-ˌrā-kˈe-te)


orecchiette is a small piece of pasta that looks like small shell or bowl.  It comes from another word that means ear. in Italian.

Well, orecchiette is fun little pasta to cook and eat. It's little bowl is perfect for holding sauce and cheese.

So here it is. This was the voted the best dish in San Francisco in 2004.





INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons salt
3 bunches broccoli rabe, about 1 1/2 pounds, coarsely chopped
10 ounces orecchiette (preferably Rustichella brand)
3 hot Italian sausage links, about 1 pound
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 ounces finely grated Pecorino Romano
1/2 lemon
1 1/2 tablespoons very crunchy toasted breadcrumbs (optional)



INSTRUCTIONS:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil with the salt. Add the broccoli rabe and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or until soft. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Return the same pot of water to a boil, add the orecchiette and cook for 10 minutes, or until slightly undercooked. Drain, reserving the cooking water.

Split the sausages lengthwise down the middle and remove from their casings.

Heat the olive oil in a high-rimmed skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage meat, breaking it up as finely as possible. Add the broccoli and continue cooking and stirring until the broccoli breaks down to a saucelike texture.

Add the chicken stock and orecchiette. Finish cooking the pasta in the sauce, being careful it doesn't stick. You may have to keep adding a little pasta water, additional stock or tap water until the pasta is soft yet chewy (al dente), making sure not to overcook it.

Finish the pasta by folding in the cheese, a few squeezes of lemon juice and the optional breadcrumbs.

Serves 4-6

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/10/04/FDG83LGQE41.DTL#ixzz1mTf4HsrM

Lemon Baisl Pasta with Chicken

This recepie is easy and pretty Serve as romantic dinner for two, or take to work, and wow the co-workers.

8 oz farfalle pasta (bowtie)
1 lemon
1/4 cup shredded  fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 chicken stock
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup cherry tomatoes
2 4-oz chicken breast cutlets.
2 Tablespoons pine nuts
2 Tablespoons  butter
1/2 cup whole kernel corn
salt and pepper
flour for dredging
dried Italian seasoning


Mix flour, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning together. Dredge the chicken cutlets. Fry the cutlets  in the butter, 5 minutes on each side. set a side, and keep warm.

Zest the lemon then squeeze tout the juice.

Boil the pasta in salted water.

Cut the tomatoes in half, cut the basil in small strips if not already.

in a small sauce pan add the sour cream, corn, tomatoes stock, lemon juice and pine nuts. As soon as the cream starts to simmer, add the cheese and the pasta.

Serve with the chicken. Garnish with the basil and lemon zest.