Sunday, September 18, 2011

Spicy Penne Tossed with Chicken, Broccoli and Chopped Olives


Now that my appetite is coming back from being sick and living on a bland diet way too long, I'm craving pasta!  So . . . I've been on a mission for new pasta recipes.


Can't wait to try this variation of a pasta dish that I make with chicken, broccoli and mushrooms with hot peppers . . . I also use mozzarella and parmesean cheese.  We prefer rigatoni pasta . . .







Kosher salt 
1/2 cup olive oil 
4 cloves garlic, smashed 
2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary 
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes 
1/2 lb. (about 1 large) boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into thin strips 
2/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped 
1 lb. penne 
1/2 lb. broccoli florets, cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces (about 3 cups) 
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice 
1 cup freshly grated Pecorino-Romano 



Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. 

Meanwhile, heat the oil and garlic in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring gently so the cloves don’t break up, until they become light brown in places and very fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. 

Add the rosemary and red pepper flakes and cook until they start to sizzle, about 15 seconds. 

Add the chicken, sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. salt, and cook, stirring often, until the chicken loses its raw color, about 2 minutes. 

Remove from the heat and stir in the olives.

Add the penne to the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until just barely al dente, 1 to 2 minutes less than the package instructions. 

Add the broccoli and cook until it turns bright green and the pasta is tender, about 1 minute. 

Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, and then drain the pasta and broccoli. 

Discard the garlic from the olive mixture. 

Add the pasta and the pasta water to the skillet and cook uncovered over medium-high heat, stirring, until the pasta absorbs most of the liquid, about 2 minutes. 

Stir in the lemon juice and half of the Pecorino. 

Serve sprinkled with the remaining Pecorino.




Sources:
photo: Maren Caruso
From Book Big Buy Cooking, pp. 12
September 21, 2010
by Tony Rosenfeld

Monday, September 12, 2011

Linguine with Roasted Red Peppers, Tomatoes & Toasted Breadcrumbs



You can never have enough
ways to make pasta!


Ingredients


    • Kosher salt 
    • 1 medium clove garlic 
    • 12-oz. jar roasted red peppers, drained and cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1 cup) 
    • 1 cup small grape or cherry tomatoes, halved 
    • 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 
    • 4-1/2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil 
    • 1 Tbs. capers, rinsed and chopped 
    • 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes 
    • 1/2 cup coarse fresh breadcrumbs, preferably whole wheat 
    • 12 oz. dried linguine or spaghetti 
    • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano; more for serving 


Directions

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat.

Meanwhile, coarsely chop the garlic. Sprinkle it with 1/2 tsp. salt and using the flat side of a chef's knife mash it to a paste.

In a large bowl, stir the garlic paste, roasted peppers, tomatoes, parsley, 3 Tbs. of the oil, the capers, and the pepper flakes.

Heat the remaining 1-1/2 Tbs. oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and toast, stirring frequently, until the smaller crumbs are golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and sprinkle with salt.

Cook the linguine in the boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta in a colander. 

Add the hot pasta to the red pepper mixture, toss to combine, and add just enough of the reserved pasta water to moisten (you won't need it all). 

Add the cheese, toss well, and season to taste with salt. Serve topped with the breadcrumbs and additional cheese.





Sources:

photo: Scott Phillips

From Fine Cooking 94, pp. 82a
July 1, 2008
by Lori Longbotham

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Country Corn Casserole



As far as I'm concerned, corn is the most perfect food and I could eat it every day . . . which is why you will find many recipes involving corn on my blog.  

Of course it is best to use fresh corn in this recipe, but frozen corn will work too.



Serves: 4
Cooking Time: 40 minutes


Ingredients

  • 2 cups corn kernels
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon butter, melted
  • 2 tablespoons cracker crumbs 
  • (Ritz-type or saltines)


Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. 
Pour into a 1-1/2-quart ungreased casserole dish.
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until set.









Source:  Mr. Food

Monday, August 29, 2011

Shrimp Gumbo





Serves: 6
Cooking Time: 20 min
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup sliced celery
  • medium-sized green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 cup frozen okra, thawed
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
Instructions
  1. In a soup pot, melt butter over medium heat.
     
  2. Add onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic, and cook 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.
     
  3. Stir in flour, chili powder, salt, and cayenne pepper, and cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes, okra, and water and simmer 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
     
  4. Add shrimp and cook 4 to 5 minutes, or until shrimp are pink. Serve immediately.

Source:  Mr. Food
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