Category Archives: PASTA RECIPES

CHICKEN MARSALA WITH DRIED MUSHROOMS AND EGG NOODLES

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I don’t always have fresh fungi hiding out in the veggie drawer of my refrigerator. (And yes, you should refrigerate mushrooms to keep them fresh. Store them in a paper bag or porous container. Avoid plastic bags and sealed containers when storing mushrooms as the lack of air flow will speed up spoilage.)

Anyway, I didn’t have any mushrooms the other day when I decided to serve chicken marsala for dinner. And as everyone knows, mushrooms are an integral component of marsala. (Chicken marsala is an Italian American dish of pan-fried chicken cutlets and mushrooms in a Marsala wine sauce. The mushrooms are typically seared and tossed with the chicken.) Well, there you go. Except I didn’t have any mushrooms, and I jolly well wasn’t going to make a special trip to the grocery store for one ingredient! So, then, what to do? Well, duh, use dried mushrooms. And that’s just what I did. (And yes, I always keep 2 or 3 types of dried shrooms in my pantry.)

I also didn’t have any heavy cream. Which is also an ingredient you find in most marsala sauced recipes. (Witness one of the other chicken marsala recipes already on this site – Creamy Chicken Marsala with Egg Noodles. (Which BTW, was the basis for the recipe you find below.) My other recipe entitled Chicken Marsala, contains mushrooms but no heavy cream. But neither recipe was exactly right for this occasion, so I simply made do with what was available.

So, basically, I’ve got you covered whether you have or don’t have mushrooms on hand or do or don’t have or want to use heavy cream. And if you hate mushrooms, just leave them out. (I’m sure you figured that part out all by yourself!)  

Regardless of which recipe you use, even if it isn’t one of my recipes, you should make chicken marsala in the near future. It is just so yummy. And I would advise serving it with egg noodles.

Well, that’s all I have to say on the matter. Mr. C. is doing some errands today and has offered to stop at the store and pick up some fresh fish for tonight. And I thought simple fried rice (brown of course) would make a nice and different side dish. So, along with some kind of lemony aioli for the fish, I better do a bit of research on fried rice, because again, I am lacking some of the ingredients in the three fried rice recipes already on this site. So, wish me luck coming up with a tasty new recipe. And I’ll let you know if fried rice is a nice accompaniment to fried fish. Never a dull moment here at Chez Carr.

And as always, peace and love to all.     

⅓ c. broken dried mushroom pieces (I used dry porcini mushrooms)

½ c. boiling water

3 T. unbleached all-purpose flour

½ tsp. seasoned salt

fresh ground black pepper

1 lg. chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

2 T. unsalted butter

1 shallot, thinly sliced or 2 T. finely diced onion

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

¼ tsp. dried thyme

1 c. Marsala wine

1 c. chicken broth

½ c. whole milk

2 T. cream cheese

2 c. lightly packed dry egg noodles, cooked al dente

Combine the mushroom pieces and boiling water together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Whisk the flour, seasoned salt, and black pepper together in a Ziplock bag. Toss the cubed chicken pieces in the flour mixture to coat. (Save the flour that remains in the bag.)

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large frying pan. Add the chicken and sear on all sides until lightly browned. (The chicken will not be cooked at this point.) Remove the chicken from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl.

Add the shallot or onion and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and dried thyme. Cook for 1 minute.

Add the wine and the chicken stock to the pan. Scrape the bottom of the pan using a wooden spoon to remove any browned bits remaining in the pan. Let the liquid come to a boil.

Add the partially cooked chicken back to the pan along with the drained dry mushroom pieces. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Whisk the milk and the remaining flour together in a small bowl and stir the mixture along with the cream cheese into the pan with the chicken. When the sauce is smooth, add the al dente pasta and toss to coat.

Cook for another 1-2 minutes or until the pasta absorbs a bit of the creamy sauce. Taste and add kosher salt and more black pepper if required. Serve immediately.

CLASSIC SOUTHERN MACARONI SALAD  

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Yesterday I posted my recipe for Muffaletta Sandwiches. I included this salad recipe at the bottom of the post because I feel macaroni salad is the perfect side dish to serve with this classic New Orleans sandwich. But then I got to thinking; I really should post this recipe separately because a really tasty pasta salad is a hard thing to find.

It has been my experience that pasta salads, in general, are boring. They tend to lack flavor, crunch, and eye appeal. And I must admit, the salad I served the other evening fit the category of “lacking eye appeal” because I didn’t have a red onion on hand. But sometimes, you simply must go with what’s in your veggie larder. So, I used green onions instead of red onion because green onions were happily residing in my veggie crisper, and the closest red onion was marking time at our neighborhood IGA. (See how that works!)

So, the eye appeal could have been better. But the flavor and crunch were there in spades. And I could have added some fresh tomato for color, but I didn’t. Or some chopped pimento, but I didn’t have any. So, I went with what I had.

That’s the beauty of playing mad scientist in the kitchen. You can mix and match and sometimes come up with a new and better “whatever”. Of course, you can also blow the whole dish to hell. But as in this case, the appealing color factor was the only thing missing.

So, if you too love a good pasta salad, let me recommend this recipe. Also, my recipes entitled Pasta Salad, Veggie Macaroni Salad, Shrimp and Macaroni Salad, and Tuna Macaroni Salad are easy to make and delicious.

And because I so appreciate all the wonderful cooks who post their fantastic recipes that benefit all of us, many thanks to the southernbite.com site for this recipe. Slightly modified by me, of course.

Well, that’s it for today. Mr. C. is rehearsing for a gig this afternoon and playing at a gig this evening. I usually go along, but there are just those times when I need to stay home and play in the kitchen. Mr. C. brought home some lovely ripe peaches a couple of days ago. And if I don’t use them in the next couple of days, they will turn themselves into peach puree. So, why not tempt the fates by creating a recipe for a “crumble topped peachy bourbon-pecan quick bread”? So, that’s exactly what I am going to do after I post this recipe. Wish me luck!

Peace and love to all.           

1 c. mayonnaise

1 T. yellow mustard

3 T. white vinegar (the old-fashioned kind)

1 tsp. granulated sugar  

1 tsp. seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp. granulated garlic

¼ tsp. granulated onion

½ c. finely chopped dill pickle

1 T. dill pickle juice

½ c. finely diced red onion* or green onion

½ c. finely diced celery (plus leaves)

3 c. uncooked small elbow macaroni, cooked al dente, drained and cooled by tap water

kosher salt, if needed

In a covered bowl, whisk the mayo, mustard, vinegar, sugar, seasoned salt, black pepper, granulated garlic, and granulated onion together. Then stir in the chopped dill pickle and pickle juice. Set aside. 

Place the onion, celery, and cooked macaroni in a covered bowl. Add about 2/3rds of the dressing and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate the pasta for at least 2 hours. (Refrigerate the remaining dressing too.)

When ready to serve, add remaining dressing and toss to coat. Taste and add kosher salt if needed.

*If you use diced red onion, before adding it to the rest of the ingredients, give it a bath for about 15 minutes in ice water. This will reduce the “bite” that is often associated with red onion. Be sure to drain and pat the diced onion dry with a paper towel before adding it to the salad.

TOMATO CREAM SAUCE FOR RAVIOLI, TORTELLINI, OR GNOCCHI  

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For me, there are only two sauces that truly compliment cheese ravioli, tortellini, or gnocchi. The two sauces being tomato cream and gorgonzola cream. So, the other evening at a local Italian restaurant, Mr. C. was hungry for ravioli, so he ordered ravioli that came in a fantastic tomato cream sauce. And I had my mouth set for gnocchi smothered in creamy gorgonzola sauce. So, that’s what I ordered.  

Now, gorgonzola sauce, I can make at home. But a good tomato cream sauce, nope. Not until now.

Oh, I’ve tried over the years to come up with a good recipe. Using vodka, not using vodka. One with multiple ingredients, one with only 5 ingredients. Yup, I’ve given it my best. But none before had the depth of flavor I was looking for.

But after once again tasting a luscious tomato cream sauce, (I swiped a ravioli off Andy’s plate), I knew I had to try again.   

So, I went online and found several recipes that looked good. I ended up slightly modifying a recipe I found on theburntbuttertable.com site.

So, if you too love tomato cream sauce, I suggest you give this simple recipe a try. The sauce is truly delicious with that wonderful depth of flavor that was missing in my other attempts.

And in case you too are crazy for gorgonzola cream sauce, please check out my recipe entitled Ricotta Cheese Gnocchi in a Gorgonzola Cream Sauce. I’m sure you will like that fantastic pasta dish too.

But do not deceive yourself. Neither of these recipes are low fat. (They are “cream” sauces after all.) But for an occasional treat, there is just no finer way to put on weight. And believe me, I am the grandmaster at adding pounds one creamy mouthful at a time!

Well, that’s it for now. I’m about to go build cornbread to go with the chili I’m serving for tonight’s dinner. I mean really, how could I expect Mr. C. to eat chili without a side of cornbread slathered in butter. Inconceivable!! And of course, for the chili toppings – grated sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream, and chopped green onions.  

And as always from our home to yours, peace and love to all.

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

4 T. (½ stick) unsalted butter

½ small white onion, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely diced

1 tsp. anchovy paste

pinch kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 small can tomato sauce (preferably Italian tomatoes)

2-3 T. tomato paste (preferably Italian tomatoes)

1 c. heavy cream

½ c. half & half

1-2 T. fresh lemon juice

1/3 c. finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for table

6-8 oz. al dente cheese ravioli, tortellini, or gnocchi (depending on how “saucy” you like your pasta)  

Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium sized heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook until very soft. Add the garlic, anchovy paste, salt, and pepper. Cook for a minute.   

Add the tomato sauce and tomato paste and whisk to combine, cooking for a minute or two.

With the heat on low, add the cream and half and half and whisk to combine thoroughly. (The cream should never go past a very gentle simmer.)  

Add 1 tablespoon of the fresh lemon juice, taste, and add more if desired.

Remove from heat and stir in the finely grated Parmesan.   

Add your drained pasta straight into the sauce with a splash of pasta water if necessary. Let the pasta bubble away in the sauce gently for a minute or two to thicken the sauce.  

Taste and adjust seasoning if required.

Serve with extra Parmesan.  

   

SEARED SCALLOP FETTUCCINI

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We love scallops. We love pasta. We love lemons. We love capers. Put ’em together and what have you got? Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo. (Feel free to sing along with Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother and me if you like.)  But in this combination, instead of “Salagadoola Menchicka Boola”, you get “Scallops Nofoola Mucha to Droola” – Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo! (And no, I can’t help myself sometimes!)

But seriously, this simple recipe makes for some mighty fine eating. Serve a green salad or steamed veggie on the side, and dinner is ready before you can remember why in the world you still remember that stupid song from Cinderella and can’t remember why you walked in your pantry 75% of the time! Need I say more? I thought not!

Well, that’s it for today. We have nothing on our calendar today which is just fine with both of us. I mean really, is a bit of boredom too much to ask?

I hope you enjoy this recipe. (And in case you don’t notice immediately, there’s no heavy cream in this sauce. I gave myself a gold star for that very reason!)  

And as always, from my kitchen to yours – peace, love, and fine dining to all.

½ lb. sea scallops (small flash frozen are perfect for this dish)

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

3 T. unsalted butter, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 T. flour  

1 c. chicken broth

1 c. whole milk

½ tsp. fresh lemon zest

3 – 4 T. fresh lemon juice

¼ c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish

2 T. capers, liquid drained

6-8 oz. fettuccini, cooked al dente (save some of the pasta water)

1 T. finely chopped fresh parsley

Pat scallops dry with a paper towel and lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add seasoned scallops and sear for about 2 minutes on each side. The bottom and top should be a light golden brown. (You don’t want to cook scallops too long, or they will be tough. It’s actually better if they are a bit underdone.)

Transfer the scallops to a container and cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes.

Then whisk in the chicken broth and whole milk making sure there are no lumps. Raise heat to medium and let simmer for 2 – 4 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Whisk the entire time.

Reduce heat to medium-low, and whisk in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and Parmesan cheese. Once fully combined, remove from heat and gently stir in the seared scallops, capers, and hot al dente pasta. Add pasta water if needed to achieve desired sauce consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning. 

Serve immediately topped with fresh parsley and pass Parmesan cheese.

CACIO E PEPE (CHEESE AND PEPPER) PASTA

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The other evening, I was in the mood for pasta. And lately I have been craving dishes that are either meatless or contain much less meat than I would have enjoyed a few years ago. Plus, I wasn’t in the mood to spend a great deal of time in the kitchen. So, I decided to make this recipe and a grilled romaine salad. We enjoyed the dressing I made for the grilled romaine, but my technique for grilling romaine halves leaves much to be desired. So, I will be posting the Lemony Vinaigrette recipe soon while continuing to perfect the grilled romaine part.

I had been looking at this recipe I had found online several years ago, but never made it because, well, it just seemed too good (and easy) to be true. But now I wonder why in the world I waited. Yes, it’s easy to fix. And it only takes a few minutes to prepare. Plus, the ingredient list could not be shorter. But does that make it less delicious than a dish with 46 ingredients. I think not! It just makes it perfect for weeknight meals and old ladies who upon occasion are not 100% in the mood to spend hours in the kitchen! (That would be me!)

Cacio e Pepe (pronounced ca-cho ee pepe) is a Roman pasta dish that translates to “cheese and pepper”. This simple 4 ingredient dish consists of butter, black pepper, Pecorino Romano cheese (or Parmesan if you prefer a milder flavor), and al dente spaghetti. It is truly the quickest and easiest pasta dish I have ever prepared. Used as a main dish, it’s perfect with a side salad. Used as a side dish, it would be perfect with a roasted pork tenderloin, baked chicken, flank steak, you name it. And did I mention that it is very quick and easy to prepare.

Anyway, next time you can’t think of anything to prepare for dinner, give this simple dish a try. Add a steamed green veggie or simple salad, and dinner is on the table in no time flat. What could be better than that!?

Peace and love to all.   

8 oz. dried spaghetti or bucatini

2 T. unsalted butter

½ tsp. cracked black pepper

½ c. finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for garnish

Fill a pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add a small bit of salt and pasta to boiling water.

Cook pasta, stirring occasionally until al dente, 6 to 8 minutes. While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a frying pan. Add the pepper and let it bloom* for about 2 minutes. Over low heat.

Drain the al dente pasta, reserving 2/3 cup of the pasta water.

Pour the al dente pasta into the frying pan with the butter and pepper along with 1/3 cup of the reserved pasta water. Add the grated cheese and continue to toss together until cheese melts and the sauce is nice and creamy. Add additional hot pasta water as needed.

Top with more grated cheese and serve.

*Blooming (the heating of spices in fat) draws out and extends the spice flavor to spread throughout a dish. Blooming is most often done at the start of the cooking process because, once infused in oil, the spice flavors more easily permeate a dish as it cooks.

CREAMY CHICKEN MARSALA WITH EGG NOODLES  

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And yes, I do already have a great Chicken Marsala recipe on this site. But this recipe is just a bit different, and a bit quicker and easier to prepare.

As you know, I’m always looking for ways to cut the time I spend in the kitchen without sacrificing the enjoyment both Mr. C. and I find in stuffing our faces. So, really, the difference between my two recipes is minimal. But then, who doesn’t want choices? And for me, there is always the hunt for and the fun in finding or creating a variation on a dish I already know I adore. Thus, this recipe.

Now, if you have never eaten chicken marsala, you are in for a treat. Even if you have been enjoying this dish since God was a child or your first visit to Italy (whichever came first) but have never made it at home, then you may not know how terribly easy this dish is to prepare. And since I am very adroit at stating the obvious, this dish costs a heck of a lot less to prepare at home than it does to order at a good Italian restaurant. And when you make this amazing dish at home, not only can you eat your fill at table, but you might just have terrific leftovers to fight over the next day! What’s better than that?

Anyway, this is one pasta dish that I can’t even name one person who doesn’t swoon when even hearing the name of this delicacy. So, you might consider giving this dish a try. Easy to make, contains normal ingredients (doesn’t everyone have dry marsala in their liquor collection), and tastes like it was prepared by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich herself. Don’t know who she is? Look her up!

Well, that’s it for now. It’s sunny outside. And all I have on my agenda for today is a doctor’s appointment this afternoon. Of course, I do! I’m turning 79 this month and going to the doctor is what people my age do for entertainment! Or so I have tried to convince myself. The reality is that as you get close to being in your golden years, your body starts to treat you like you are secretly housing an alien species who merely wants to escape its confinement. “Let me go or I’ll keep punching you in the stomach, or the back, or whatever causes you the most discomfort!”

So, if you are young – live it up! If you are older, don’t give up. You are not alone. We are all in this together.

Peace and love to all.  

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into thin, one bite pieces

¼ c. all-purpose flour

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

4 T. (½ stick) unsalted butter, divided  

1 sm. shallot, finely minced

8 oz. button mushrooms, sliced

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

⅔ c. + 1 T. dry marsala, divided

⅔ c chicken stock 

¼ c. heavy cream

1 big handful thick egg noodles, cooked al dente

Place the flour, salt, and black pepper in a small zip-lock bag. Add the chicken and shake it all about.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet. Add the chicken and brown on both sides. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet. Add the shallot and sauté a couple of minutes. Add the mushrooms, and sauté until beginning to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Pour in the 2/3 cup marsala and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and stir in the heavy cream. Simmer for a few minutes until there is only about ¾ cup of sauce left. Stir in the cooked chicken, al dente egg noodles, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of marsala. Serve immediately.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE, ZUCCHINI, AND ORZO STOVE TOP CASSEROLE  

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As you might have guessed by now, I am getting lazier and lazier in all aspects of my life. Even cooking. Or to be exact, mostly in the day in day out, what should I cook for dinner, realm of cooking. Which for those of you who know me, or are yourself in your late 70s, is not a condition I am experiencing any different than most other cooks my age. As a group, we are all slowing down. And most of us have been preparing dinners now for 5 decades. That’s a blooming lot of dinners to not only cook but think up! So, both the appeal of cooking 7 dinners a week and the reality of the work involved has diminished at least my eagerness to continue performing miracles in the kitchen. So, for me, it’s mainly the energy involved that has dampened my zest for providing unique and tantalizing dishes every stinkin’ night! Which is hard for me to accept since I have always been kind of an energizer bunny! But Mother Nature has put the kibosh on what was once my norm. Because boy howdy, things have changed dramatically in this old gal’s body! And one of the major changes is how I feel about cooking dinner EVERY BLOODY NIGHT!

Luckily Mr. C. understands where I am coming from because as strange as it may seem, he is slowing down too. Funny how that works. And of course, with all his gigs that are often held in restaurants, I get a break from cooking dinners every night. So, that helps. Plus, there are the days when I simply announce that I am not cooking dinner. And bless his heart, he has never questioned my decision or tried to change my mind.  

Now don’t get me wrong. I still love to cook. And I especially like to prepare food for gatherings at our home. And I love to hear Mr. C. verbalize his pleasure over food items that I have set before him. So, of course I continue to enjoy that aspect of dinner preparation. I just don’t want to spend as much time in the kitchen as I did when I was younger. But I still insist that the food be as healthy and tasty as possible. Thus, the recipe you find below.

I found this recipe on the tippsinthekitchen.com site. I had some bulk Italian sausage in the freezer and a couple of zucchinis that were trying to self-destruct, so to the internet I proceeded. Not only was this pasta dish extremely quick and easy to prepare, but it was also delicious. I made a couple of slight changes, but then, that’s just what I do!

So, I hope you too enjoy this lovely main dish. I served it with a crisp green salad, and dinner was delightful.

And as a gentle reminder, let’s all remember to cut ourselves some slack. Our bodies all change as we get older. So, we need to be reminded that not only are we changing, but so are others around us. And as our bodies morph into their new reality, let’s all work even harder to keep our minds focused on kindness, patience, forgiveness, empathy, and the willingness to accept what we can’t change. Because aging is not for the faint of heart! But luckily, kindness, etc. is a gift you can give others that doesn’t adversely impact your aging body in any way, shape, or form. In fact, quite the opposite. Being a thoughtful human being brings on a high that not even the best-known uplifting drugs can duplicate or exceed. A natural high, as the saying goes!

Peace and love to all.

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 lb. bulk Italian sausage  

2 sm. zucchini squash, chopped in 1-inch pieces

4 cloves garlic, finely minced

pinch crushed red pepper flakes

¼ tsp. fennel seeds

1½ c. dried orzo (Make sure the orzo was made in Italy)

3 c. chicken broth  

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 c. grated Parmesan, plus more for passing

2 c. fresh baby spinach or arugula, optional

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy, covered pan over medium high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the sausage as it browns. Add the zucchini and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Then add in the crushed red pepper flakes, fennel seeds, and orzo. Cook for 1 minute.

Pour in broth, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring every few minutes until orzo is cooked. (If the consistency seems a bit watery, remove the lid for the last bit of cooking time.) Add the Parmesan and stir until well blended.   

Add the spinach or arugula and cook only till wilted. Taste and adjust seasoning. Offer additional grated Parmesan to the table.

HUNGARIAN PAPRIKÁS WITH PORK AND EGG NOODLES  

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Before leaving on our spring trailer vacation, I decided to take some pork tenderloin along with us. Mr. C. loves to grill, and pork tenderloin is so wonderful when BBQed. Plus, I had a new marinade recipe I wanted to try.

But this was not the vacation to do any grilling. It rained, it snowed, and the wind was exceedingly busy. So, I kept putting off using the tenderloin. Finally, the day our good friends Margo and Jim were due to arrive, and I had previously told them not to worry about dinner after their long drive, I decided to put the pork tenderloin to good use. It was either that or go to the local grocery store and try to find some other kind of meat to serve. And grilling was out of the question. So, I took inventory of what I had on hand that could work its’ way into a pork dish and decided on some type of pork stew. And what immediately came to mind was paprikash.

So, the recipe you find below is the result of me making do with what I had on hand. And it worked. All 4 of us declared it a winner and the stew had been so very easy to prepare. Even in our trailer.

Sure, I had to simmer the stew for about 90 minutes to tenderize the meat and break down both the onion and red bell pepper. While occasionally giving the whole mess a stir. But, really easy to do in a trailer. (Especially when you must remain in the trailer anyway because of inclement weather!) And as it was burbling away, it smelled so good that I was surprised some of the other campers weren’t lined up at supper time to claim their fair share! So, this is definitely a recipe I will be making in our trailer again. (And at home too, of course!)

So, if you too love Hungarian food and are particularly fond of tender pork in a paprika and sour cream sauce, this is the recipe for you. Easy to build, fairly inexpensive to produce, and totally yummy.

Well, that’s it for today. We are off to a piano recital this evening in Seattle. Works by Frédéric François Chopin. One of our favorite composers. So, I am stoked. What can be better than paprikash for dinner followed by Chopin for dessert? Not a thing I can think of.

Peace and love to all.

Since I am posting this recipe the day after I wrote the preface, I feel duty bound to mention that the concert was fantastic. And if you live in the Seattle area and love music, you might avail yourself of the concerts that are performed at Meany Hall on the U of W campus by the School of Music faculty. Since we are seniors, our concert tickets cost us $10 each. If you are not a senior or a U of W student, the cost is still reasonable – only $20. The best bang for your buck in town. And to hear and watch a world class pianist like Craig Sheppard is magic in and of itself. And hearing all of Chopin’s nocturnes played so beautifully was heavenly. To learn more about upcoming recitals etc., visit the U of W School of Music’s web site.

2 T. veggie oil

1 pork tenderloin, cut into ¾-inch cubes

1 tsp. salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2-3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

4-6 tsp. paprika, or more to taste

2½ c. chicken stock

2 T. unsalted butter, room temp.

3 T. flour

1 c. sour cream, or more as needed

2-3 c. dry thick egg noodles, cooked al dente (I use Homemade Style Country Pasta Egg Pasta) (Costco)

In a large pot, heat the oil. Add the pork cubes, salt, and pepper. Brown the pork. Add the onion, red bell pepper, garlic, and paprika. Stir and cook for a couple minutes. Then add the chicken broth, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer covered for about 90 minutes or until the pork is tender.

Meanwhile mash the butter and flour together. (I use a table fork) When the pork is fork-tender, stir the beurre manié (the French name for butter and flour mushed together as a thickening agent) into the pork. Let burble for a couple of minutes or until the sauce thickens. (If the sauce doesn’t thicken enough, add another beurre manié using 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon flour). Reduce the heat to very low and whisk in the sour cream.

Add the al dente noodles to the sauce and serve immediately.

 

CREAMY BLUE CHEESE PASTA WITH MUSHROOMS, SPINACH, AND WALNUTS

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When do I not love a great pasta dish? Never. Actually, I should be the poster child for pasta lovers everywhere. (I wonder where I go to apply for the position?) Anyway, last evening I wanted to serve a quick and easy main dish. And in doing so, I really wanted to use up the already cooked pasta I had in the fridge. Along with some blue cheese that was quickly becoming a darker and unhealthier shade of blue than God intended, a few button mushrooms heading towards extinction, and some heavy cream past its pull date. What immediately sprang to mind was a blue cheese sauce over pasta. But how to incorporate the other ingredients?

I immediately remembered that walnuts and blue cheese were practically invented to be used together. And mushrooms? Why not? And when did heavy cream ever hurt a sauce? And for a small nod towards eating healthy, some roughly chopped fresh spinach. (I use spinach a lot in dishes, because it’s green, it’s chock full of vitamins, and it comes pre-washed in a nice plastic container.)

So, that’s the history of this pasta dish. Quick and easy to prepare and darned yummy if I do say myself.

It’s semi-sunny here in our part of the world right now. I can’t see any snow-capped mountains because of some low-lying clouds hiding them from view, but Port Susan Bay is looking calm and lovely. Andy has a big band gig tonight and I’m going along for the ride. And of course, for the music. And to watch the dancers. Not to mention that we will be having dinner out after the dance. As much as I love to cook, I also appreciate it when someone else places a plate of food in front of me. And I always remember to say thank-you. Just like Mr. C. always says thank you to me after every meal I set in front of him. It’s called common courtesy. Granted, an old-fashioned concept, but one I find extremely endearing. May you too find common courtesy a routine part of your everyday life.

Peace and love to all.

3 T. unsalted butter, divided

½ lb. button mushrooms, sliced

½ c. finely diced onion

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 T. all-purpose flour

1 c. whole milk

½ c. heavy or whipping cream 

1 c. blue cheese crumbles, or more to taste

6 oz. pasta (your choice) cooked al dente (save some of the water)

2 c. roughly chopped baby spinach

1 c. toasted chopped walnuts

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Add the mushroom slices and cook until the mushrooms are nicely browned. Remove to a small bowl and set aside.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan and sauté the onion until it is soft. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Add salt, pepper, and flour to the pan. Mix all together and cook for about a minute. Then slowly stir or whisk in the whole milk and cream. Cook until slightly thickened. About 2-3 minutes.   

Add the crumbled blue cheese. Simmer gently until the blue cheese is almost melted. Then stir in the reserved cooked mushrooms, al dente pasta, and spinach. Allow to simmer for a couple of minutes until the baby spinach is a bit wilted.

Taste and add additional blue cheese crumbles or adjust seasonings. If the sauce is too thick, stir in a bit of pasta cooking water.

Just before serving, stir in the walnuts, reserving a few for garnish.  

     

SPAGHETTI ARRABBIATA WITH ANCHOVIES

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This is a lighter version of my previously posted recipes for Pasta with Arrabiata Sauce and Spaghetti in a Spicy Arrabbiata (Angry) Sauce. Both recipes are wonderful and vegetarian, if that is a necessity in your world. But both include a bit of brown sugar. This recipe, although very similar, is just enough different to be interesting. No use of sugar, but with the addition of 4 anchovy fillets. Which of course, disqualifies todays recipe from being a vegetarian dish.

Now, if you happen to be the kind of person who simply must have meat with every meal, or are married to one, then I’ve also got you covered. Take a gander at my recipe for Italian Meatballs in Arrabiata Sauce.       

Whichever recipe you choose, you absolutely cannot go wrong fixing this delicious and easy to prepare pasta dish. It packs just a world of flavor in a short amount of preparation time. (No simmering the sauce for hours, for example.)

So, if you are a pasta lover like Mr. C. and me, you should jump on the “Arrabbiata bandwagon”. Quick and easy to prepare, containing ingredients that are available at most grocery stores, and absolutely delicious. What’s not to like?

And for all you English majors or folks who speak fluent Italian, I’m sure the age-old question “two Bs or not two Bs” came to mind. So, to set your mind at rest, arrabbiata can be spelled two different ways. Thus, you will find my recipes for this dish spelled both ways. The spelling on the menu in the cafe in Bernalda, Italy where we first discovered this culinary delight contained only one “B”. But after further research into the making of this amazing dish, I learned that it is more common for there to be two “Bs”. (Must be a regional thing.)

But believe me, either way you spell the name of this classic Italian pasta dish, it will make no difference to how much enjoyment you will experience with your very first bite. And every bite thereafter.

Well, that’s it for today. The sun is shining, or at least it is for the moment. Mr. C. is practicing a Bach classic. Miles is asleep in the cat bed on Andy’s desk. Max is holding down the mattress on our bed. And since it’s lunch time, I’m going to go hot up some of the yummy chili that our dear friends Jim and Margo gifted to us. We are both still feeling under the weather. So, a lovely hot bowl of chili is exactly what the doctor ordered. Or at least any doctor worth his or her salt would I’m sure highly recommend.

Peace and love to all.  

1 T. extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1½ c. chopped yellow onion

3 garlic cloves, finely minced 

¼ – ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

pinch sea salt

freshly ground black pepper  

4 anchovy fillets

2 T. tomato paste

½ c. vegetable broth

1 (14.5-oz.) can crushed tomatoes (preferably Italian)

1 T. chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish

1 T. chopped fresh parsley

6 oz. spaghetti, cooked al dente (save some of the cooking water)

freshly grated pecorino-Romano cheese (Parmesan in a pinch)

Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized saucepan. Add the onion and sauté until the onion pieces are translucent. Add the garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, black pepper, and anchovies to the saucepan. Stir everything together and let it all simmer for another minute or until the garlic is fragrant.

Add the tomato paste and vegetable broth; stir and bring to a simmer. Add the crushed tomatoes, fresh basil, and fresh parsley.

Bring the sauce to a simmer and let it burble on low for about 10 minutes. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning.

Stir in the al dente spaghetti. If the sauce is too thick, add a bit of the pasta cooking water.  

Serve immediately with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a garnish of fresh basil. Pass the pecorino-Romano at the table.