Pasta, Pancetta and Kidney Bean Soup (Pasta e Fagioli)

YIELD: Makes 2 quarts, serving 5  ACTIVE TIME: 25 minutes  TOTAL TIME: 35 minutes


IINGREDIENTS:
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes packed in juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1 tablespoon butter
3 ounces pancetta or bacon, finely chopped (optional)
1 medium onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1 quart low-sodium chicken broth
2 (15 ounce) cans dark red kidney beans
2 bay leaves
1 cup small pasta such as shells, ditali, or elbows
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

DIRECTIONS:
Pour the tomatoes into a medium bowl and using hands, squeeze each tomato through your fingers to break it up into small pieces (be careful, they can squirt). Set aside.

Heat olive oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until butter is melted. If using pancetta, add to pan and cook, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add onion, garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring constantly until fragrant and softened but not browned, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and their juice, chicken broth, kidney beans, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce to a bare simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, adding pasta to soup for the last 5 to 10 minutes (depending on the package directions). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Discard bay leaves, stir in parsley and serve, drizzling each serving with extra-virgin olive oil at the table.

Original recipe from Serious Eats

Green Bean Pasta Salad with Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette

Total prep & cook time 35 minutes

Ingredients
12 ounces uncooked casarecce pasta Penne pasta may be substituted.
1/2 pound haricots verts (tiny green beans), cut in half lengthwise
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
5 teaspoons lemon zest, divided
1/4 cup finely chopped roasted, salted pistachios Or any other nut you have in your pantry
2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups loosely packed arugula
Toppings: roasted, salted pistachios; Parmesan cheese

Preparation
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, adding green beans to boiling water during last 2 minutes of cooking time; drain. Rinse pasta mixture with cold running water; drain well.
2. Place pasta mixture, thyme, and 3 tsp. lemon zest in a large bowl; toss gently to combine.
3. Whisk together pistachios, next 5 ingredients, and remaining 2 tsp. lemon zest in a small bowl. Add oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until blended. Drizzle over pasta mixture. Add arugula, and toss gently to coat. Serve with desired toppings.

May give you garlic breath...
Barbara Lauterbach, Southern Living MARCH 2012 Issue.

Italian Goulash

4 big servings.   25 mins prep.   2.5 hours total.

Ingredients
1 tsp olive oil
1 lb of lean ground beef (94/6)
1 small sweet yellow onion, diced
3-4 baby bell peppers, diced recipe calls for red & orange. I used regular red & green pepper as a substitute.
8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced canned or fresh
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
3 cups of Roasted Tomato, Onion & Garlic Marinara i.e a whole container
12 oz elbow macaroni, cooked per instructions 12 oz = 3 cups <- too much. Try 2.5 or 2 cups next time.
Fresh basil, chiffonade
Asiago, grated

Directions
Heat the olive oil in a small Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and mushrooms then cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the ground beef, bell pepper, chopped garlic then season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper; cook for 4-5 minutes making sure to crumble the ground beef as it cooks. Drain any excess grease from the pan then add the marinara sauce, stir until mixed thoroughly. Simmer the sauce for 1-2 hours so flavors combine.

Cook the elbow macaroni per instructions (make sure to season the water with salt) then drain completely. Combine the macaroni with the sauce, add the fresh basil and mix well. Simmer for 15 minutes so the sauce has time to flavor the noodles. Top with Asiago cheese if desired and serve. Enjoy.

Recipe by For the Love of Cooking.

Shrimp Scampi With Thin Whole Wheat Spaghetti Noodles

Side comments #1 - Will my flowers and jalapeno peppers ever grow?

 And now for the recipes.

Total Time: 30 min    ๑   Prep 20 min    ๑   Cook 10 min    ๑  

 Yield: 3 servings    ๑   Level: Easy

Ingredients
Pasta
1.5 tablespoon butter

• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds fresh shrimp, shelled and deveined without tails
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 shallot, chopped (optional)
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
• 2 tablespoons white wine
• 2 tablespoons brandy

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Directions

If shrimp are frozen, defrost.

Put the shrimp on a large pie pan or plate and pat them completely dry with a paper towel. Arrange the shrimp so they lay flat and are evenly spaced.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Add the butter to the skillet. When the foaming subsides, raise the heat to high, and invert the plate of shrimp over the pan so the shrimp fall into the pan all at once. Cook the shrimp, without moving them, for 1 minute. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Turn the shrimp over and cook for 2 minutes more. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl.

Return the skillet to the heat and pour in the olive oil, wine, brandy and lemon juice. Boil the liquid about 30 seconds. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir the zest and parsley into the sauce. Pour the sauce over the shrimp, season with salt and pepper to taste and toss in crushed cayenne red pepper to combine.

Divide the shrimp among 3 plates or arrange on a platter and serve.

Lots O'Meat Lasagna (Paula Deen revised)

My revised recipe is below. To see how to triple the cheese and meat, view original recipe here.

Ingredients
    * 2 pounds ground chuck
    * 1 onion
    * 2 cloves garlic, minced
    * 2 teaspoons ground oregano
    * 1 teaspoon ground basil
    * 1/4 teaspoon salt
    * 1/4 teaspoon pepper
    * 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano
    * 2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
    * 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
    * 1 1/2 cups low-fat Mexican shredded cheese mix
    * 1 (5-ounce) package grated Parmigianno-Reggiano
    * 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves
    * 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
    * 9 oven-ready lasagna noodles
    * 1 (8-ounce) packages shredded mozzarella

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.






Sauce:
In a large saucepan, combine ground chuck, sausage onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat until meat is browned and crumbled; drain.

Return meat to pan and add oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and paste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 30+ minutes.

In a small bowl, combine Mexican shredded cheese, Parmesan, parsley, and eggs.

Spoon 1/4 of sauce into bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan. Place 3 uncooked lasagna noodles on top of sauce. Do not overlap noodles. Spread 1/3 of cheese mixture over noodles, top with 1/4 of sauce and 1/3 mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers, ending with sauce, reserving 1/3 of mozzarella cheese.

Bake 35 minutes. Top with remaining cheese and bake 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

I really have to get some nice serving dishes. Nah, I don't.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi, 100% From Scratch

This recipe is taken straight from Kat's Sweet Potato Gnocchi recipe. See it here.

Who knew gnocchi was such a simple dish that could be made from various vegetables? See Pumpkin Gnocchi or Spinach Gnocchi recipes for other delicious variations.

1. BAKE

2. MIX INGREDIENTS

3. ROLL & CUT

4. BOIL, THEN FREEZE FOR LATER OR FRY

5. EAT

Served w/Za'atar

Served w/Spaghetti Sauce

Also good as alternative for croutons in salad.

Calorie discussion... If this recipe makes 4 servings, then the calorie count is:
   2 cups whole wheat flower = 400
   1 egg = 70
   2 Sweet Potatoes = 350
---
   Total before frying: 820
   Divided by 4: 205; sweeeeet.