Category Archives: VEGETARIAN RECIPES

EGGPLANT PARMESAN LIGHT

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I absolutely love Eggplant Parmesan. But I don’t like all the calories and mess associated with most homemade versions. Even my favorite recipe from Marcella Hazan, my favorite Italian chef BTW, requires frying the eggplant. And there was a time when the mess was just part of the deal and I accepted that the top of our range would be spattered with grease. But those days are over. I no longer have the strength to clean up that much mess, nor do I need the associated calories. So, when I decided to make Eggplant Parmesan for brother-in-law Rick and sister-in-law Katie last evening, I went looking for a new and improved method of pre-cooking the eggplant.

I found several recipes that baked the eggplant before layering it together with sauce and various cheeses. So, I took inspiration from others and glommed this recipe together, including the use of my old reliable and simple to prepare Marinara Sauce.  

So, if you too love Eggplant Parmesan, I hope you give this recipe a try. It is absolutely delicious without being in the least bit greasy tasting. In fact, the end product fulfilled all my requirements and then some. (In other words, it turned out even better than I expected.)

But in all fairness, Eggplant Parmesan is never going to be a quick and easy fix. It takes a certain amount of time to do all the hacking, slashing, and grating. But I can promise you that all the work involved is worth the effort. And of course, you can use a jar of marinara sauce in place of homemade. But if you have the time, I truly feel that you can’t beat the recipe below for ease of preparation or flavor.

As always, have fun preparing good food. The food you yourself consume and provide for your family and friends should never be just a means of survival. It should always be a pleasure to consume, a treat to smell, and attractive to the eye. And as good cooks, we can make that happen.  

Peace and love to all.

3 lbs. eggplant (about 3 medium sized), ends removed, partially peeled, and sliced into between ¼ and ½-inch thick rounds

kosher salt

extra virgin olive oil

12-16 oz. low fat cottage cheese, whirled in a food processor or blender until smooth

about 3 c. Marinara Sauce (see recipe below)

2/3 c. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided

2 lg. eggs

½ c. loosely packed chopped fresh basil 

2½ c. grated low-fat mozzarella (8-oz.), divided 

Sprinkle kosher salt over the slices of eggplant, being sure to salt both sides. Set the salted eggplant in a colander and let it rest for about 30 minutes. By then the eggplant should begin to sweat. Rinse the eggplant under cold water to remove the excess salt. Then press the eggplant between clean kitchen towels or paper towels to extract as much liquid as possible.    

Lightly grease 2 low-sided sheet pans (or one large sheet pan) with olive oil. Lay the first layer of eggplant on the greased pan. Then lightly brush the eggplant slices with olive oil. Lay the next layer down, and lightly brush the top of this layer too. Bake for about 20 minutes in a pre-heated 450-degree oven or until the top layer of eggplant is a light golden brown.

Meanwhile, combine the cottage cheese, ⅓ cup of the grated Parmesan, eggs, basil, and ½ cup of the grated mozzarella cheese.

Butter the bottom and sides of a 10×16-inch baking or casserole dish. Spread ½ cup of the marinara sauce on the bottom of the pan. Add ⅓ of the eggplant to cover the bottom of the dish. Top with ⅓ of the cottage cheese mixture, ⅓ of the mozzarella cheese, and ⅓ of the marinara sauce. Add another layer of eggplant and repeat with the cottage cheese mixture, mozzarella cheese, and sauce two more times, reserving the third layer of mozzarella for topping. Sprinkle with the remaining ⅓ cup of grated Parmesan cheese.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a pre-heated 400-degree oven until the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit about 10 minutes before serving.

Marinara Sauce

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil

½ c. chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 (28-oz.) can chopped, diced, or Roma tomatoes (Italian tomatoes preferably)

1 bay leaf

pinch crushed red pepper flakes

1 tsp. dried oregano (I use Mexican oregano)

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

3 T. chopped fresh basil leaves

1-2 T. unsalted butter, opt.

In a large, covered saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Remove from heat, discard bay leaf, add the basil, and adjust seasoning. If the sauce tastes acidic, add butter 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavor.

            

ISRAELI COUSCOUS WITH SHALLOTS, GARLIC, AND SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS

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Let me begin with an apology. I have not posted for over 5 weeks now because I have been on vacation. I never announce that I will be gone, for all the obvious reasons. But so far, the good Lord has allowed me to come home with new recipes and a travel log of our adventure to share with everyone. But please know that I was thinking of you the whole time. (Do you really believe that? If so, I have a banana ranch on Camano I would love to sell you. At a reduced price of course.) But I do think of the blog periodically. And each of you of course. And always with fondness, I assure you. And with the hopes that whatever new recipes I tried along the way and subsequently post for your edification, might meet with satisfaction. But more about this recipe and how it came to be.

For this trailer trip, we added a new piece of equipment. It’s called a Koolatron. The only mission in its rather boring existence is to keep things cold. Or hot if you want to warm something. (Very versatile.) We purchased this exciting new piece of camping equipment because I wanted to carry more veggies and fruit than our trailer refrigerator can reasonably accommodate. Don’t get me wrong. There is quite a bit of room in our fridge, but not enough to hold a bag of mandarin oranges, large bunch of grapes, apples, various and sundry salad fixings, fresh asparagus, celery, shallots, and mushrooms. Plus, whatever else I might decide is a perishable necessity. (I really am trying to cook healthier food, even if it means one more thing for Mr. C. to drag in and out of the truck at every new site.)

The cool thing about a Koolatron, is that while we are driving it can be plugged in to the console of our truck (one of those ports for which their use is totally unknown to me) so that the fruit and veggies can stay cool regardless of the temperature inside the cab of the truck. Then, when we arrive at our camp site and Mr. C. attaches the trailer to a current bush, the Koolatron can happily reside right up against our trailer for easy access. I simply wish to never leave home again without my Koolatron by my side. It is one of the best investments I ever made! Thank you Amazon Prime! But on to this recipe.

Because of my Koolatron, I was able to keep shiitake mushrooms from moldering before I was ready to prepare this dish. And my shallot stayed perfect even though it had been along for the ride for over two weeks by the time I was ready to chop it into tiny little pieces. Which by the way, helped turn this simple dish into a thing of beauty. And perfect for camping. Easy to prepare and not too much time on the stove.  

I wish I had a picture to share with you. But I was too busy to think about taking a picture while simultaneously working on other dishes. As soon as I make this again, I will add a picture. Rest assured.

So as always, have fun in your kitchen, be kind to everyone you know or meet, and stay safe. We aren’t out of the woods yet with covid-19. And all though I make jokes about how I feel about you as readers, I actually do care about each and every one of you. Of course, I’ll never understand why you read my blog and put up with my foolishness, but I’m never-the-less very pleased that you do.

Peace and Love to all.   

2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 sm. shallot, finely minced

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 c. thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms (cremini, button, or even canned mushrooms are just fine too)

1½ c. water

1 tsp. Montreal Steak Seasoning

1 tsp. beef base (I use Better Than Bouillon)

1 c. Israeli (pearl) couscous

Heat the olive oil in a small, covered pan. Add the shallot and sauté just until tender. Add the garlic and mushrooms, and sauté gently until the garlic is soft and aromatic. Add the water, Montreal seasoning, and beef base. Stir and bring to a boil. Add the couscous, bring back to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 8-10 minutes.

Great with just about any grilled meat or seafood.

CREAMY GORGONZOLA FETTUCCINI WITH SPINACH

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Yesterday I was in the mood for pasta. But not in the mood to spend long hours in the kitchen. I just wanted to prepare an easy and delicious creamy sauce that would lovingly encase perfectly cooked pasta. Not too much to ask, right?!?! But then came the dilemma. If I didn’t want to spend time hacking and slashing vegetables, or frying up meat, or even watching over a simmering pot, the dish had to be very, very simple.

I thought about making a simple mac and cheese, but that wasn’t quite what I was after. I wanted a dish that was a bit more decadent. But cheese definitely could be part of the equation. And then I remembered that I had a big old honkin’ tub of Gorgonzola cheese from Costco in my fridge. And ideas started formulating quicker that I could write them down.

I knew I didn’t have any heavy cream available, but then Gorgonzola cheese is already so very rich. Perhaps starting with a simple béchamel sauce would be the better choice regardless of whether or not I had heavy cream at my disposal. Then what else could I include in the sauce to add interest and possibly offset some of the richness? (I’ve eaten too many Gorgonzola sauces that became cloying after just a few bites.)

It just so happened that I had a bit of fresh baby spinach available, so now my plan was really coming together. But what kind of pasta to use?

I so dearly love plain old spaghetti, but I thought this yummy sauce might demand a bit more of a sophisticated partner. So, fettuccini immediately came to mind. And luckily, fettuccini was the perfect choice. Then it was only a matter of what to serve with the pasta. Salad. It had to be a simple salad consisting of lettuce with a fairly acidic dressing to offset the richness of the pasta. And it just so happened that I had recently found a recipe for Savory Italian Dressing (will post in the next couple of days) that I thought would totally fit my needs. So, I made the dressing and chopped up some romaine. Total time spent in the kitchen for both the pasta and salad – about 60 minutes. Yeah!

And I must say, the pasta was delicious. We ate every bit of it. And the salad was perfect. Crunchy from the romaine, and the dressing is one that I will be making over and over. Simple to prepare and so very flavorful. One of the best dressing I have ever tasted.

So, as always – stay safe, stay happy, and keep finding the joy in your life. It’s getting warmer outside and daylight is getting longer. Buds are appearing on trees. And while March may bluster and spit water at us, we know that Mother Earth is in her rejuvenating phase. And I for one am going to let Mother Nature take a crack at revitalizing me too. After all we have gone through in 2020 and what yet remains to be done to keep covid-19 under control, it feels to me like Spring could not have come at a better time.

Peace and love to all.   

3 T. unsalted butter

1 T. flour

1 c. whole milk

1 c. Gorgonzola cheese crumbles

freshly ground black pepper

2 loosely packed c. fresh baby spinach

¼ c. finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

scant 8 oz. fettuccini pasta, cooked al dente (reserve cooking water)

Heat the butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the milk and let burble away until the sauce starts to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in the Gorgonzola cheese until the sauce is smooth, about 2 minutes. Then stir in the black pepper and spinach. Place over low heat and add the al dente pasta and Parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning. Thin with reserved pasta water if necessary. Serve immediately.

CREAMY ROASTED CAULIFLOWER CHEDDAR CHEESE SOUP

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OK, I hate to boast, but I truly believe that cauliflower was invented mainly for this soup recipe. Because, regardless of the other good recipes I have for this simple cruciferous vegetable, this preparation is now my favorite. And I’ll bet a years-worth of broccolini, that it’s going to become your favorite way to eat cauliflower too. And never mind that you probably already have a recipe for cauliflower cheddar soup. You simply must give this recipe a try. Roasting the cauliflower imparts such a goodly amount of richness, that in combination with all the other ingredients, there is no way this soup could be anything but delicious.

I served it last evening with just baked Chewy Sourdough Baguette slices, and it made the perfect Sunday evening meal. And it had been ever so quick and easy to build. So, another point in its favor. The only mistake I made was in not making a double batch. Because for lunch today, we are going to have to fight over the leftovers. Good thing Mr. C. is always such a gracious loser.

As always, keep having fun in your kitchen and keep on preparing healthy and delicious food for yourself and your family. I’m flat out of advice on matters I have no business mentioning on a cooking blog in the first place. So, I will simply leave you with my standard hope and prayer for each and everyone of you. Peace and love to all.

Oh, and if you were concerned about me offering to give up broccolini for a full year, please do not worry. I can’t stand the stuff, so I wouldn’t be eating it anyway. But thanks for any unease my words may have caused you.

1 med. head cauliflower, cut into very small pieces (use the stems and florets)

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

4 T. unsalted butter, divided

1 shallot, finely minced

2 lg. garlic cloves, finely minced

1 med. carrot, grated

1 lg. stalk celery, finely chopped

2 c. water 

2 tsp. Better Than Bouillon Chicken or Vegetable flavored base   

3 T. unbleached all-purpose flour

2 c. whole milk

2 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese, loosely packed 

½ tsp. hot sauce, or more to taste (I use Frank’s Red Hot)

chopped chives, opt. (you can substitute green onion in a pinch)

garlic croutons, opt. (see recipe below)

Place cauliflower on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in a pre-heated 425-degree oven for about 20 minutes or until the cauliflower pieces start to get brown around the edges. Remove from oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a covered Dutch oven or soup pot, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and add the shallot and garlic. Cook for about 1 minute, then add the carrot, celery, water, and bouillon base. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the vegetables are completely tender. Add the roasted cauliflower.

While the veggies are cooking, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan. Whisk in the flour until smooth. Gradually add the milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in the cheese and hot sauce. Transfer to the Dutch oven and stir until well blended. (If the soup feels too thick, add a bit more water or milk.) Taste, and adjust seasoning. Serve immediately topped with croutons and chopped chives.

Garlic Croutons:

1-2 T. butter or extra virgin olive oil (or a combination)

2-3 c. cubed crusty, chewy bread (really any kind of bread you want)

granulated garlic

Melt butter or olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add bread cubes and slowly sauté until crunchy and browned. (This takes upward of 45 minutes, so plan to make croutons when you are working on other dishes and are close at hand.) Stir frequently.

When the bread cubes are golden brown and crunchy, lightly sprinkle with granulated garlic. Remove from heat. Cool and store in an airtight container.

       

CREAMY MASHED SWEET POTATOES

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I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – I love sweet potatoes. Love them! And this year for Christmas I served ham. And along with the ham I wanted to serve some type of sweet potato dish because ham and sweet potatoes are just a fabulous combination. But I didn’t want a pecan topping on my sweet potatoes this time, because I was serving a salad (Roasted Beets, Candied Pecans, and Feta Cheese Salad with a Balsamic Vinegar Dressing) which included pecans as an ingredient. So, my Sweet Potato Casserole with Butter Pecan Crumble Topping would have been just a bit too much pecan.

I decided instead, to just prepare the sweet potato part and leave the pecan topped version for another dinner. And oh am I glad I made this dish to serve along-side the ham. Sweet and delicious, and a perfect creamy textural compliment to the crunchy pecans in the salad. I also tried a new cornbread muffin recipe to complete the menu. You will not be seeing that recipe on this site because the muffins simply did not live up to my expectations. (See, I can be polite when I choose to be!)

So, for all of you out there who love sweet potatoes, give this simple recipe a try. It can be prepared a day or two in advance, so it is perfect for dinner parties, or holiday meals, or anytime preparing a dish ahead of time helps keep chaos in check on the day of the event.

As always, keep smiling and stay positive. And stay tolerant of your own foibles, as well as those of your family members. After all, it’s those idiosyncrasies that make us human. And ultimately make us lovable. Peace and love to all. And HAPPY NEW YEAR.  

2 very lg. ruby or garnet sweet potatoes (sometimes labeled incorrectly as yams)

⅓ c. brown sugar, packed

2 T. whole milk

¼ c. (½ stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 lg. egg

½ tsp. vanilla

¼ tsp. kosher salt

Bake sweet potatoes in a pre-heated 400-degree oven for about 90 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool to touch. Remove peel and throw the flesh into your food processor. Add the brown sugar, milk, butter, egg, vanilla, and salt. Whirl until smooth. Pour mixture into a buttered baking dish.

Bake in a pre-heated 350-degrees for 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes before serving.

 

SPAGHETTI IN A BASIL CREAM SAUCE

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This is another one of those “I’m too tired to cook but I want a comforting pasta dish for dinner” recipes. Because you just gotta know that this dish takes no time at all to prepare. (OK, it takes thyme, but no time!) (Sorry – the devil made me do it!) Anyway, there is close to no effort involved in getting this sauce ready to receive freshly cooked al dente spaghetti. (And yes, I know, many recipes of this ilk call for penne pasta. But my heart belongs to spaghetti, so spaghetti it is at our home a lot of the time. But of course, you can choose any old pasta shape you want. Just don’t cook the pasta before it’s time*, or past al dente, and we can remain friends.)

So, the other evening I decided pasta would be lovely for dinner. And along side the pasta, a big old green salad dressed with a simple vinaigrette. So that was dinner. And even chopping a few veggies for the salad, I was done within an hour. And at the tortoise like speed at which I now find myself moving, that ain’t bad for this old gal. OK, the vinaigrette was already prepared, but still, dinner on the table in an hour is just fine in my book.

Now, on to how this sauce tastes. I’d be lying if I said this was the best thing I ever tasted. Because that distinction belongs to my father’s older sister Louise’s homemade salami, which I last tasted when I had just turned 16. (I know that for a fact, because I drove most of the way to Nebraska because I had just gotten my driver’s license.) But to this day, I still remember that delicious salami. It made quite the impression. And since you might also be interested to know, her fried chicken was also absolutely sensational. And it’s not just my memory alone that can recall how outstanding our Aunt Louise’s food was, because my brother Phil also used to wax poetic about her cooking. And he was 4 years younger than me! We were just too young at the time to ask for recipes or even realize that older people might not always be around. But wonderful memories still abound. And that includes wonderful memories of my dear brother. (And yes, I miss my little brother.)  

So, is this the best dish I ever tasted, no. Is it a dish I look forward to enjoying again and again, yes indeed! But about the thyme.

Somewhere I read that basil and thyme go well together. I was a bit apprehensive, but I though just a modicum of dried thyme might be a nice addition. And yes indeed, a great combination. It’s like the thyme is there in the background to lift the basil to new heights. You don’t really recognize the thyme flavor, but you know something is there that you really like. So please leave it in the recipe when you decide that this simple pasta dish is just what the doctor ordered.

As always, try new dishes, but keep your favorites always available. Life is fleeting, so treasure the wonderful times you’ve already had, but make new memories, even during this impossibly ugly pandemic. Someday, when we all look back on this, I pray that we can once again surround ourselves with our families and friends and celebrate together. Peace and love to all.

4 T. (½ stick) unsalted butter

¼ c. finely chopped onion

2 lg. garlic cloves, finely minced   

½-¾ c. loosely packed fresh basil chiffonade, plus more for garnish

¼ tsp. dried thyme

½ c. whole milk

½ c. heavy cream

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

4-6 oz. thin spaghetti, cooked barely al dente (save some of the cooking water)

freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino-Romano cheese

Melt the butter in medium sized fry pan. Add onion and cook until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, basil, and dried thyme and cook for 1 minute. Add the milk, heavy cream, salt, and pepper; cook until thoroughly heated. Transfer the pasta into the sauce using a pair of tongs and let it cook for a minute or two until the sauce thickens. If the sauce gets too thick or you feel a little more sauce would be nice, stir in a small amount of the pasta water. Adjust seasoning. Serve immediately. Pass the cheese.

*It truly makes a difference if you don’t cook pasta ahead of time, drain it, and make it wait for the sauce to be prepared. If anything is required to wait, the sauce is much the better choice.

    

SPAGHETTI IN A SPICY ARRABBIATA (ANGRY) SAUCE

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Now I know there are evenings when all you want is to spend as little time as possible in your kitchen while at the same time serving a delicious and soul satisfying pasta dish to your family. So as the saying goes, “have I got a deal for you”! Now that I have you all excited, I better add a warning. This is probably not a dish young children would appreciate. It is also a dish that anyone whose stomach responds poorly to spicy food might also want to avoid. Not that this dish is super spicy. In my opinion it is not. And I’m kind of a wimp when it comes to spicy food. But everyone’s stomach and taste buds are different. And as much as someone might enjoy an all heat 5 star experience at the moment, there can be a world of hurt that follows if your mouth and your stomach are not in full accord to begin with. (Like wine for me. My mouth loves wine. My stomach, not so much!)

Anyway, before I begin telling you how wonderful and easy this dish is to prepare, I felt it only fair to provide you with the whole story. (It’s called a disclaimer.) Now where was I? Oh yes – telling you how delicious and easy this dish is to prepare. But first, how we discovered the true meaning of “arrabbiata”.

The best arrabiata we ever tasted was in the Eastern part of Italy as we traveled from the Amalfi Coast towards the Adriatic Sea. Our travels took us just north of the Gulf of Taranto with a one night landing in the small town of Bernalda (near Mataponto, if that helps) at what was essentially a modern, business man’s, no frills hotel. We arrived hungry, and as luck would have it, lunch was still being served. But we were informed that the lunch menu was limited to just a few items. Mr. C. chose arrabiata and I went for something else. Mine was excellent, but not nearly as memorable as Andy’s choice. I really could not stop myself from taking small bites of his pasta throughout the meal. That meal at this humble hotel restaurant was the first of many fabulous meals we experienced as we traveled north along the Adriatic. And a wonderful surprise because that part of Italy is much less frequently visited than along the eastern, middle, and northern part of the country. And because the tourist trade is not as prevalent in that part of the country, we had not expected to be so royally treated and served such amazing food along our chosen route. But we were. And I can tell you true, if you want to experience the best that Italy has to offer, go off the beaten track. We are still reeling from the experience, and it was seven years ago! But, back to arrabbiata. (I so easily get distracted.)

This is probably one of the easiest red pasta sauces you will ever prepare. It takes hardly any time to produce a deeply flavored sauce that hasn’t had to spend several hours simmering. So while it burbled away, I made salad dressing, toasted up some croutons, threw some lettuce and romaine through my salad spinner, grated up some pecorino-Romano cheese, and cooked perfect al dente spaghetti. Ta da – dinner on the table.

So give this sauce a try. It’s just as good as the one we had in Bernalda and a heck of a lot easier to obtain. You will also find another really wonderful recipe for Pasta with Arrabiata Sauce on this blog. It too is delicious, and just enough different to give you a choice. Whichever recipe you choose, you are in for an Italian treat.

Two “B”, or not two “B”, that is the question. And yes, you will see this angry sauce spelled with either one “B” or two. But the spelling we learned while in Bernalda contained only one “B”. However, I have since learned that the correct spelling contains double Bs. So “B” it!)

As always, have fun trying new recipes. It’s always good to expand the bounds of your comfort zone. And in such a safe way as trying out new dishes, pretty much a safe way to do so. Peace and love to all.

¼ c. extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, finely minced

½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (more or less to taste) (I use a scant ½ teaspoon – perfect for Mr. C. and me)

1 tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

3 T. dry red wine

1 tsp. brown sugar, packed 

1 (28-oz.) can crushed or whole tomatoes in sauce (Italian if possible – I use Cento brand)  

8 oz. spaghetti, cooked al dente   

1-2 T. pasta cooking water, if needed

¼ c. fresh basil chiffonade, plus more for garnish

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

Heat the olive oil in a medium sized covered Dutch oven. Add the garlic and cook over low heat for a few minutes until the garlic has softened and turned a light, golden brown. Stir often to make sure the garlic doesn’t burn. If it does, start over!

Stir in the crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Let the ingredients dance around the pan together for about a minute before pouring in the wine. Leave alone until the wine has all but evaporated. Then stir in the brown sugar and crushed tomatoes. Bring just to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Remove lid and simmer another 10-15 minutes or until the sauce has had a chance to thicken a bit, stirring occasionally. 

Transfer the al dente pasta into the sauce using a slotted spoon or spider strainer. Stir in pasta water if the sauce is too thick, then add the basil*. Simmer for a couple of minutes to blend flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning. (The sauce should be thick, but not so thick that it almost forms chunks. You want the sauce to lovingly cling to every surface of the pasta.)    

Serve the pasta hot, topped with additional basil. Pass the grated pecorino-Romano cheese.

*It is always best to add fresh basil towards the end of any cooked recipe calling for fresh basil. It can become bitter if added too soon. Plus it gives the sauce (or whatever dish you are preparing) that fresh herby basil flavor we all adore.

STOVETOP MAC AND CHEESE

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Last evening was November 3rd. And frankly what I thought Mr. C. and I needed more than anything else, was comfort food to the max. Well that and a couple of good stiff drinks! I knew the election results wouldn’t be in until later this week (or maybe longer than that), but none the less, I was worried and I wanted as much positive in my life as I could get. At the same time, I didn’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. So grilled chicken sausages, mac and cheese, and more of my delicious Oven Roasted Delicata Squash “Fries” with Buttermilk Herb Dipping Sauce. (I tell you true, I am totally addicted to this recipe for delicata squash. Can’t seem to get enough.)

Anyway, like I said, I didn’t want to spend any more time than necessary in the kitchen last evening. I wanted fast and easy. So I went on line and found the bones for this recipe on the joyfoodsunshine.com site. I changed the preparation instructions a bit and added a couple of ingredients (black pepper and Dijon mustard) that I felt the dish needed, but mainly I followed Laura’s great recipe. (Oh, I lowered the amount and type of salt too. I really can’t help myself!)

And before you ask, of course I had made stovetop mac and cheese before. But I was feeling particularly lazy yesterday and didn’t want to have to think too hard. I wanted someone else to do the heavy lifting, while I just supplied a bit of my years of cooking experience to the mix. So that’s just what happened.

Now I know you too must have several great recipes for mac and cheese. But I would be willing to wager up to a nickel, that none of your recipes are as fast or as easy to prepare as this recipe. Or as delicious! I’m serious. This recipe makes one fabulous pan of creamy mac and cheese.

So give this recipe a try. I’m sure you will be pleasantly surprised.

As always, keep having fun in your kitchen and keep being adventurous. Peace and love to all.

2 T. unsalted butter

2 T. unbleached all-purpose flour 

¼ tsp. kosher salt  

freshly ground black pepper

¼ tsp. granulated garlic  

1 c. whole milk

¼ c. sour cream

1 tsp. Dijon mustard 

2 c. dry (8 oz.) elbow macaroni, cooked al dente*  

2 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese** (fairly packed down)

Melt the butter in a medium sized saucepan. Whisk in the flour, salt, pepper, and granulated garlic. Cook for a couple minutes or until lightly browned.  

Remove from heat and whisk in the milk, sour cream, and Dijon mustard until smooth.

Return to heat and cook until the mixture is thickened (about 3-5 minutes) whisking the entire time. Do not let the sauce boil.

Once the mixture is thick, transfer the just cooked al dente pasta into the sauce using a large slotted spoon. Remove from heat and add the cheese. Stir until smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add a small amount of the pasta water. Taste and adjust seasoning if required. Let sit for a couple of minutes before serving. (This helps the sauce stick to the pasta.)  

*Remember, if the sauce has to wait for the pasta to be cooked perfectly, so be it. No problem. Just don’t make the pasta wait for the sauce. In other words, don’t cook the pasta ahead of time.

**I use Tillamook Sharp Cheddar for this recipe. (The one in the red package.)

OVEN ROASTED DELICATA SQUASH “FRIES” WITH DIPS

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And yes, there’s a “fry” in the Buffalo Dipping Sauce. Not a problem. I love Buffalo sauce. And better a fry than a fly!

OK, am I the only one who didn’t know about delicata squash fries? I mean really, someone should have mentioned these delightful and healthy morsels to me long ago. But if you are another of the uninformed, like I was until two days ago, read on and learn about my new discovery.

First of all, delicata squash fries are so, so delicious. And oh so easy to prepare. And when dipped in a delicious sauce, you are not going to miss any of the more traditional dunkable veggies, like French fries, in the least.

I mentioned earlier that prepared this way, delicata squash fries are a healthy way to eat this delightful fruit. And yes, botanically speaking, delicata squash, as well as other squash varieties such as butternut, acorn, hubbard, kabocha, pumpkin, and spaghetti, are all fruit because they contain seeds and develop from the flower-producing part of the plant. Whereas vegetables are the roots, stems, or leaves of a plant. Pretty cool, right!? And as a quick nutritional note, delicata squash are a good source of potassium and dietary fiber, and contains magnesium, manganese, and vitamins C and B. But back to the real reason I am posting this recipe.

I love squash. And to find such a simple recipe that tastes so great doesn’t happen every day. So I hope you enjoy delicata squash fixed this way as much as we do.

As always, keep fixing good and healthy food for your family. And try new recipes. It will be more fun for you as the cook, and I’m sure your family will enjoy tasting something new. Family dynamics at the best of times can be frustrating. But because of all the pandemic concerns, variety is a bit of a challenge these days. The same four walls can get mighty boring if some new adventure doesn’t come along to relieve the monotony. So a new dish on the table can help. And even if the results don’t work out as well as you planned, you have provided your family members with a new subject to gripe about. Peace and love to all. (Oh and yes, I still consider this a vegetable dish.)

1 delicata squash

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

Wash the squash, cut in half lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds. Cut each half into ½ – inch slices. Dry off with paper towels if necessary.

Place the slices in a bowl and drizzle with the olive oil. Sprinkle with the kosher salt and grind on plenty of pepper. Stir to combine.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the squash on the sheet in a single layer. Roast in a pre-heated 450 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender and slightly browned. Turn the squash half way through the roasting. Remove from oven and serve hot out of the oven with either of the two delicious dip recipes listed below. (Or sans dips, and they’d still be wonderful.)      

BUTTERMILK HERB DIPPING SAUCE

 ½ c. plain Greek yogurt (low fat is fine)

¼ c. buttermilk (I like the Bavarian style)

½ tsp. granulated onion

scant ¼ tsp. dried dill weed

¼ tsp. kosher salt

¼ tsp. seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 garlic clove, finely minced

2 tsp. minced fresh Italian parsley

1 T. chopped fresh chives

Whisk the yogurt, buttermilk, granulated onion, dill weed, salt, and pepper together in a covered container. Stir in the garlic, parsley, and chives. Store in refrigerator.

BUFFALO DIPPING SAUCE

1 T. unsalted butter

2 T. Frank’s Red Hot Sauce

pinch granulated garlic

Melt the butter in a small container. Stir in the hot sauce and granulated garlic together.

 

INSTANT POT VEGETARIAN REFRIED BEANS

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OK, I thought I was done using my Instant Pot because the last time I tried preparing dried beans this way, the darned things never got soft. Even though I added a bunch of extra time, they were still too hard. I assumed there was simply something wrong with my Instant Pot. Nope. The problem was not the pressure cooker. The problem had to do with the age of the beans I was trying to cook.

If you are anywhere around my age (older than dirt), then you grew up with parents who had either lived during the depression or shortly thereafter. And those of us who then grew up to be the cooks for our own families, remembered the lessons from our youth. Don’t waste food. Keep a stock of your favorite ingredients on hand. (Replacement Shop.) And save money any way possible.

We soon discovered that buying in bulk was a good way to stretch the food dollars. That meant, that buying a 5 pound bag of pinto or navy beans, for example, was much more cost effective than buying 5 – 1 pound packages. Because, dried beans last forever. Right?! Wrong!! 

Fact: Dried beans that are several years old (some say even two years old) may not soften no matter how long you cook them. Who knew? I sure as heck didn’t. I just always figured that because the beans were dried, they could happily sit in my pantry for years with no ill effects. Kind of like Twinkies. But in reality, beans are merely dried to extend their shelf-life. They were never meant to last a lifetime! Or even several years.

Now I know what you’re thinking. Does Patti really expect me to go through my pantry and throw away all those wonderful dried beans I‘ve been hoarding all these years? No, that is not what I’m telling you to do. But I’ve got to be honest with you. That’s what I’m going to do. Because frankly, some of my beans may have moved with us from our Bellevue home 12 years ago. Well maybe not, but darned close! And as much as it’s going to kill me to buy dried beans in small packages or small amounts of bulk beans, and forgo my inherent inclination to sock away masses of dried beans in case there’s a zombie apocalypse or devastating earthquake, that’s my plan from here on out. Because there truly is a difference between a one year old dried bean and a 5 year old dried bean. So on that happy note, I’m going to tell you all about this recipe.

I have been trying all of my adult life to build refried beans that had enough wonderful flavor on their own as not to require any type of embellishment or garnish. No added cheese, raw onion, sour cream, salsa, etc. Nada! And I finally reached my goal the other evening after only 56 years of trying. (Persistence is its own reward.) Anyway, this combination of ingredients really worked for us. And using recently purchased dried pinto beans, adding a wee bit of fat, and a lot of flavorful additives, these beans can be served as is. And proudly take their place alongside any other flavor packed Mexican dish. In other words – they are truly yummy. And creamy. And healthy. And very easy to prepare. Your Instant Pot does all the hard work. You just need to feed it a few ingredients, turn the thing on GO, then walk away and let the pot do its magic. Piece of cake. (And no, I am not naïve enough to believe that all dried beans on my grocery store shelves are not as old as the ones in my pantry. But it’s the best I can do to alleviate the problem of dried beans that will not get soft! Well that and cross my fingers.)

So believe me, I am really glad I gave my Instant Pot another chance. And yes I have apologized to it for any unfair comments I may have issued out of ignorance. And to the Instant Pots credit, I have graciously been forgiven.

As always, be kind, be forgiving, give others the benefit of the doubt, and be that person that everyone considers a good friend. Good friends are like stars. You can’t always see them, but you know they are there. Peace and love to all.  

1 c. dried pinto beans  

2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

½ sm. yellow onion, chopped  

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can (4-oz.) diced green chiles (I use mild hatch green chiles)

1/8 tsp. dried jalapeño*

2 c. vegetable broth (I use Better Than Bouillon Vegetable base)

1 c. water

1 sm. bay leaf

1 tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. dried oregano (Mexican oregano is the best)

1 T. unsalted butter

Thoroughly wash and pick over the pinto beans. Place in the instant pot. Heat the olive oil in a small frying pan. Add the onion and sauté until tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Pour the onion and garlic into the pot. (Or you can use the sauté function on your Instant Pot.) 

Add the diced green chiles, dried jalapeño, broth, water, bay leaf, salt, chili powder, and oregano. Stir to combine.

Cook on High or Beans for 50 minutes. When the 50 minutes are over, let the pressure release naturally for 40 minutes. Carefully open the lid.  

Discard the bay leaf. Drain the beans reserving about a cup of water. (You probably won’t use that much additional liquid, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.) Using your immersion blender or potato masher, mush the beans until they reach your desired consistency, adding reserved liquid as needed. Stir in the butter, taste, and adjust seasoning. (You will probably need a bit more kosher salt at this point.) Serve warm as a side dish or as a glorious bean dip.

Can be prepared ahead of time and re-heated just before serving.

*I use dried powdered jalapeño quite a bit because I rarely have a fresh jalapeño on hand. The brand I use is Badia ground jalapeño. (You can purchase it through Amazon.)