Caprese Pasta

This pasta dish is a no brainer. I looked in my fridge and saw I had fresh basil next to a ball of fresh mozzarella. And what do you know? Sitting on my countertop was a container of cherry tomatoes that I didn't even have a plan for (they were buy one get one free this week at the grocery store)! And so this caprese pasta dish was born. I also added spinach since I'm always trying to get more greens in. I made this as a sidedish, but it ended up being the main event since we all gobbled it up happlily. I love roasting the cherry tomatoes until they are literally bursting with flavor. You could add cooked Italian sausage to this and it would be a perfect meal.

Caprese Pasta

1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 Tbls extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper

2 c mafalda pasta (or your favorite pasta)
2-3 Tbls fresh basil, chopped
1 c baby spinach
1 c whole milk mozzarella, cut in chunks
1 Tbls extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 400. On a half sheet pan, arrange cherry tomatoes and drizzle with two Tbls of olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes or until tomatoes start to burst.

Meanwhile, boil water for pasta. Add salt and pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain pasta and place back in the sauce pan. Add basil, spinach, mozzarella, olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted cherry tomatoes. Heat through and serve.

Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole

Potatoes topped with bacon - what's not to love?!

I grew up eating potatoes probably five days a week. My dad used to joke that it wasn't even a meal if potatoes weren't in the table. When you are feeding a big family, potatoes make the perfect side dish...they are inexpensive, can be prepared a hundred different ways, and they are a hearty, fill-you-up, option. When I was asked to bring a side dish to a friends house, these loaded mashed potatoes quickly came to mind. They can be prepared in advance and then heated through right before serving.
You will see that I used Yukon gold or yellow potatoes instead of a classic russet. We love the golden potatoes for their rich color, smooth texture and flavor.

Loaded Baked Potato Casserole

5 lb bag golden/yellow potatoes, peeled
2 bay leaves
4 oz cream cheese
2/3 c sour cream
5 Tbls butter
3-5 Tbls milk or half and half
1/2 bunch green onion, chopped
1/2 lb bacon, cooked and cut in bite-size pieces
1 c shredded cheddar cheese

Peel potatoes and place in a large stock pot. Cover potatoes with water and add bay leaves. Boil potatoes for 30-45 min until tender. Drain water and remove bay leaves. In a stand mixer add cream cheese, sour cream, butter, milk and potatoes. Mix on medium speed until smooth. Place mashed potatoes in a buttered casserole dish or 9x13 pan. Top with shredded cheese and cooked bacon. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted. Remove from oven and top with green onions.

Sweet Potato Fries

I always like to keep sweet potatoes on hand for this easy recipe. Our whole family loves sweet potato fries and these are not actually fried, but roasted in olive oil, so there is no guilt involved while enjoying them. The hardest part of making this vegetable is remembering to start them an hour before you are ready to eat.
Note: your baking times will vary depending on how thick you cut your fries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sweet Potato Fries

Fries before cooking

1-2 sweet potatoes or yams
2-3 Tbls extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Penzeys California Pepper (a blend of pepper, garlic and dried bell peppers) or pepper
Peel and cut potatoes into uniform fries. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and spread potatoes out evenly. Drizzle generously with olive oil, salt and pepper and using tongs, toss to coat. Bake at 375 for 45-55 minules flipping once.

Craisin Coleslaw

When it comes to coleslaw people, either like it or they don't. I think a lot of mediocre restaurants have given coleslaw a bad wrap with their so-so soggy sidedish. When you do it right, coleslaw is tangy and crunchy and oh-so-good. I like to add different things to mine such as sesame seeds or craisins. If you do not want to make your own dressing there are plenty of prepared ones available that you can use and then add your own touches to. Try this craisin coleslaw with your next barbeque.
1/2 c. mayo
2 1/2 Tbs. cider vinegar
4 Tbs. milk
1 Tbs. sugar
1/4 c. craisins
1/2 tsp. poppy seeds
salt/pepper
16 oz bag cabbage-carrot coleslaw blend
In a medium bowl whisk mayo, vinegar, milk, sugar, poppy seeds, salt and pepper until smooth. Taste dressing and adjust seasoning as you see fit. Add cabbage blend and craisins. Refrigerate for an hour and enjoy!

Sundried Tomato Pasta Salad

I love making cold pasta salads when it is warm outside. They are easy to make, can change with whatever ingredients you have on hand,  are a great side dish for dinner and pack up nicely for lunch the next day. For these reasons, you can look forward to many pasta salads in the upcoming months! When making this dish and others like it, remember that the pasta will continue to absorb whatever dressing/sauce you put on it. I like to add a little extra dressing when I know that the pasta will be sitting in the refrigerator overnight. Unfortunately I forgot to measure ingredients while I was making this so please use the recipe below as a starting point.
Sundried Tomato Pasta Salad

1/2 box bowtie pasta

2 tomatoes, chopped

3 Tbs. red onion, diced

1/4 c. pepperoni slices, quartered

3-5 Tbs. olive oil

1/2 c. sundried tomato vinaigrette dressing

salt/pepper
1/4 c. shredded parmesan cheese
parsley
Boil pasta until al dente. Drain and rinse in cold water. In a large bowl combine all ingredients and toss until well combined. Season to taste.
Printable Recipe

Potstickers

This was our first adventure in potstickers. A package of round potsticker dough caught my eye in the produce section and I bought it not knowing what it would lead to. I read a lot of recipes and found that pretty much anything goes when it comes to the filling of these delicious dumplings. All of the recipes seemed to have cabbage, onion and ginger in common and the rest is for your imagination. I used every item in my house that seemed asian inspired. (Well everything that is, besides the Italian sausage!) They were a little time consuming to assemble but once we got the hang of it, it was easy. Next time I make these I am going to double the batch and freeze the potstickers right after sealing them closed. That way, we can quickly add these tasty treats to any meal.
Potstickers
2 Italian sausage links, casings removed
1/4 head of cabbage, thinly sliced
1 carrot, shredded
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 Tbs. fresh ginger, minced
2 Tbs. sweet and sour sauce
1 Tbs. honey mustard
2 Tbs. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. sesame seed
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 egg
1 pkg. round potsticker skins
vegetable oil for pan
1 c. chicken broth
Break up sausage into small pieces by stirring while browning over medium heat until cooked through. Drain sausage and set aside. In a medium bowl combine cabbage, carrots, onions, garlic, ginger, sweet and sour sauce, mustard, soy sauce, pepper, sesame seed, red pepper flakes, egg and cooked sausage. Take potsticker rounds and brush edge with water. Take a tablespoon of filling and place in the center of the dough. Fold dough over to create a half-moon shape and seal your potsticker by pressing dough together with your fingers. Make up all of your dumplings. You may have to place a damp paper towel over your dough to keep it pliable. (My recipe made about 30 potstickers.) Heat a large skillet pan to medium-high heat and lightly coat with vegetable oil. Working in batches, place potstickers in pan with the sealed side up (you may have to lightly press down to form a flat bottom so they don't tip over). Cook for 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned. Turn dumplings to the side and brown for a minute more. Add about 1/3 c. of chicken broth or enough to cover the bottom of the pan and place a lid over the pan. Steam cook for an additional 2 minutes and serve with your favorite dipping sauce. I like to mix soy sauce with a little bit of honey mustard and crushed red pepper flakes.
Printable Recipe

Roasted Golden & Sweet Potatoes

Roasting vegetables is a method of cooking that I never experienced until a couple of years ago. (I am not sure how this is possible!) One bite and I was hooked. You take any vegetable, drizzle it with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and out comes wonderfully roasted vegetables. My friend Carol gave me the idea to mix sweet potatoes with golden yellow potatoes. The rich potato flavors have a chance to shine through. No need for gravy or butter with this dish - these potatoes are packed with natural caramelized flavor and can hold their own on any table.
Roasted Golden & Sweet Potatoes
2 sweet potatoes
2 golden potatoes
1 sweet yellow onion
approx. 3 Tbs. olive oil
salt & pepper
Preheat oven to 400 F. Peel and slice potatoes into wedges and place on a baking sheet. Cut onion into large chunks and add to potatoes. Drizzle vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss until everything is coated. Bake for 40-50 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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