Ravioli with a Fresh Tomato Sauce

Tags

cheese, Dinner, fresh, mushrooms, pasta, quick, ravioli, sauce, tomato, vegetarian

This is a quick work night dinner or busy weekend lunch that you can make to use up the last of this season’s tomatoes. I am sad that winter is coming but looking forward to fall foods… I can’t wait for soups, chowders, and root veggie hash. Mmmm!

Ravioli with a Fresh Tomato Sauce

• 2 servings of fresh cheese ravioli
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 5 leaves of basil, sliced very thinly
• 1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 small onion, chopped
• Olive oil
• Parsley, chopped, to garnish
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Prepare the ravioli per package instructions. In a skillet, heat up about 1 tbsp. olive oil and sauté the mushrooms, garlic, and onion until tender. Add the tomatoes and warm through. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in the basil. Place al dente ravioli on plates; top with sauce and garnish with chopped parsley. Serves 2.

Advertisement

Ham and Havarti Pizza with Onions and Apples

Tags

apples, cheese, Dinner, ham, havarti, Italian, onions, pizza, quick

These little pizzas are a snap to throw together one a busy work night. Buy the flatbreads so you don’t have to make crust. Even your kids can make these. And the salty/sweet combo is amazing.

Ham and Havarti Pizza with Onions and Apples

• 3 oz thinly sliced deli ham
• 1/3 cup Havarti cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced onions
• 1/2 tart apple, thinly sliced
• 1/2 tsp fresh thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 2 flatbreads

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Place the two flatbreads on a pizza stone. In a small bowl, add the onions, thyme, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Toss to combine. Spoon evenly over flatbreads. Take the thin apple slices and lay evenly over the onions. Roll the ham into a cigar and slice thinly. Sprinkle ham over apples. Top with the cheese. Bake until cheese is melty and slightly browning. Serves 1 or 2 with a large side salad.

DELICIOUS Cheesy Garlic Bread!

Tags

bread, breadsticks, cheese, garlic, Italian, mozzarella, parmesan

To me there is nothing better than decadently cheesy garlic bread. When I was in college, I would order Domino’s cheesy bread on particularly bad weeks. Talk about the ultimate comfort food. This recipe is super easy to make and definately satisfying!

Cheesy Garlic Bread

• 1 (10 oz) tube of prepared pizza crust
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
• 1/8 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp dried basil
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Fresh parsley garnish, if desired

Spread the pizza crust evenly on a pizza pan or stone. In a bowl, combine the butter, garlic, dried herbs, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Spread over the crust evenly. Top with cheeses. Bake at 425 degrees for approx 20 minutes or until the cheese is melty and very lightly browned. Cut into rectangle breadsticks. Makes 12 breadsticks.

 

Cheese Ravioli with Asparagus and Walnuts

Tags

asparagus, cheese, Italian, main dish, pasta, pesto, vegetarian, walnuts

I love this recipe because it is delicious, quick, cheap, and easy….. That’s what she said!

Cheese Ravioli with Asparagus and Walnuts

• 20 frozen cheese ravioli
• 1/2 bundle of fresh asparagus, lightly roasted in the oven
• 1/4 cup English walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
• 1/8 cup pesto
• Parmesan cheese to garnish

Cook ravioli according to package directions. Drain and return to saucepan. Add the asparagus, walnuts, and pesto. Toss to coat. Garnish with Parmesan cheese. Serves 2.

A Simple Pasta Dinner

Tags

cheese, garlic, Italian, main dish, parmesan, pasta, quick

I love to cook but some nights I am just not in the mood to be in the kitchen for an extended period of time. This pasta dish is quick, easy, and satisfying. Plus the leftovers are good too!

Spicy, Garlicy Pasta

• 1/2 box of spaghetti
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp of chili pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
• Parmesan cheese, grated

Cook spaghetti until it is al dente. Drain and set aside. While the noodles are cooking, gently heat the garlic, chili flakes, olive oil, salt and pepper until fragrant. Pour over the noodles and toss to coat everything evenly. Garnish with Parmesan cheese. Serves 2.

Everything in My Fridge Casserole

Tags

artichokes, broccoli, casserole, cheese, food, main dish, pork, wild rice

I had a fridge full of food but none of it was in any semblance of an actual meal. So I created a dish inspired by this recipe from Smitten Kitchen.

Wild Rice, Pork, and Broccoli Cheese Casserole

• 3 tbsp butter
• 1/2 large onion, diced
• 2/3 cup wild rice blend
• 1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 1/2 lb fresh broccoli, cut into small florettes
• 1 can artichoke hearts, halved (I used leftover artichokes)
• 1/2 tsp ground mustard powder
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2/3 cup low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 8 oz cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a medium sauce pan, melt 1 tbsp of butter. Add the onion and saute until translucent. Add the rice and continue to cook for another minute. Add 1 1/3 water and a generous amount of salt. Cover with a lid and bring to a simmer. Cook until soft. When done, set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a cast iron skillet, add the broccoli and the pork. Fry together until the pork is done. Cover intermittently to help the broccoli steam a bit. When done, combine the broccoli/pork mix with the rice and the artichoke hearts.

In the rice pot, melt 2 tbsp of butter over medium heat. Add the mustard powder, cayenne, and garlic. Let cook for a minute then whisk in the flour. Allow to cook, constantly whisking, for another minute or so. Slowly add the milk, continuing to whisk. Then add the broth. Bring to a summer and allow to thicken slightly. Whisk in 1/3 of the grated cheese. Season with desired amount of salt and pepper.

Pour the sauce over the rice/pork mixture. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese over the top. Bake casserole for 10 to 15 minutes, until bubbly and the cheese is slightly browning. Serves 4.

Greek Flatbread Pizza

Tags

asiago, cheese, flatbread, food, greek, kalamata, main dishes, parmesan, pizza, prosciutto, quick

Working late the past couple of weeks has really put a crimp in my cooking style. I can’t stand just eating fast food or frozen junk. This pizza is super quick and very tasty. Thank goodness for flatbreads. You can just throw on your toppings and bake. Poof! Tasty meal in less than 30 minutes. Really.

Greek Flatbread Pizza

• 1 flatbread pizza crust
• Your favorite sauce or pesto
• 3/4 cup shredded Asiago cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 10 kalamata olives, halved
• 3 to 4 thinly sliced slices of prosciutto
• 1 jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and halved
• 5 mushrooms, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the flatbread on your pizza pan (I used a pampered chef stone. LOVE IT!). Top the crust with the desired amount of sauce or pesto. Add the olives, artichoke hearts, and mushrooms. Evenly sprinkle the cheese over the veggies. Scatter the prosciutto over the cheese. Bake the pizza until the cheese is melty and the edges of the proscuitto is lightly browning on the edges. Serves 3.

 

Savory Parmesan Bread Pudding with Bacon and Kale

Tags

asiago, bacon, bread, cheese, kale, main dish, parmesan, pudding, savory, side dish

I just love the photo below. I don’t mean to brag. It just looks so inviting, comforting, nourishing. Like home. This dish was very tasty. The only change I would make is to add about 8 ounces of sauteed mushrooms. And maybe some onions. It could be a main dish with a small salad or a side dish. I reheated the leftovers and served it with Easter morning’s Eggs Benedict.

Savory Parmesan Bread Pudding with Bacon and Kale (inspired by this recipe)

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 slices of thick cut bacon, cut into 1/2 inch strips
• 5 oz kale, large ribs and stems removed, cut into 1 inch pieces
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 6 large eggs
• 1 3/4 cup milk
• 8 cups of good crusty bread, cut into 1 inch pieces (I used sourdough)
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup shredded asiago cheese
• 2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a cast iron skillet, heat the oil. Add the bacon and cook until getting a touch crispy. Add the kale, salt and pepper. Toss to coat the kale in the grease and allow to wilt.

In a large bowl, whisk together red pepper flakes, eggs, milk, pepper to taste, and the rosemary. Add the bread cubes; toss to evenly coat. Add the kale, bacon, 1/2 cup of parmesan, and 1/3 cup of asiago.  Toss again and be sure everything is even distributed. Transfer the contents of the bowl into the cast iron skillet. Spread out evenly. Top with the remaining parmesan and more salt/pepper if you desire. Bake for 40 minutes until the top layer of bread is beginning to brown and the egg is set. Top with additional parmesan.  Serves 6 to 8.

Cheesy Baked Chicken Taquitos

Tags

appetizer, baked, cheese, chicken, easy, main dish, Mexican, taquitos

I love taquitos, even the frozen ones. But I don’t love the price, the high sodium levels, or that they are so processed with ingredients I can’t even begin to pronounce. I didn’t want something complicated, though. This recipe is a perfect match for my food needs. You can make up a whole bunch of these and then freeze them for later use. Plus, they are easy to make so you can get your kids evolved.

• Servings: 4 to 6
• Time: 40 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

• 3 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup salsa verde
• juice of 1/2 a lime
• 1 tsp chipotle chile powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• pinch cayenne pepper
• A couple of shakes of red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 tbsp finely chopped onions
• 2 cups cooked and shredded chicken
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 12 to 15 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• Cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the first 11 ingredients. Stir in the chicken and the shredded cheese. Taste then season with salt and pepper as needed.

When you make the taquitos, the tortillas need to be pliable. Dampen a couple of paper towels and layer the tortillas on a plate in this order – two tortillas, paper towel, two tortillas, paper towel. Microwave for 20 to 30 seconds, until they are soft and pliable.

Spoon 3 tablespoons of filling onto the tortilla and roll tightly.  Place seam side down on the prepared baking sheet.  Repeat until all the filling is used.

Spray the taquitos lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until the tortillas are crisp and golden-brown.  Serve with salsa, sour cream, and/or guacamole. Inspired by this recipe from Pink Parsley. 

Fontina and Mushroom Pizza with Bacon and Onions

Tags

bacon, cheese, fontina, food, Italian, mushroom, onion, pizza

Studies show that people who eat more veggies and less meat have lower cholesterol. Not to mention 16 oz of mushrooms is cheaper than 16 oz of steak. But I couldn’t do without the meat… so I added the bacon. I just can’t give up the bacon 🙂

Fontina and Mushroom Pizza with Bacon and Onions

• 1 prepared pizza crust
• 16 oz mixed mushrooms, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 5 slices of fried bacon, crumbled
• 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
• 6 oz grated fontina cheese

In a skilled, saute mushrooms, garlic, thyme, olive oil, salt and pepper together until wilted. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread dough out onto your pizza pan and bake until very very lightly browned. Top the crust with the sauteed mushrooms, the bacon crumbles, the onion slices, and the fontina cheese. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the cheese is beginning to brown. Serves 2 to 3.