Somehow, pumpkin has become the new bacon. I’m not sure how or why, but it seems that the second Labor Day was over, every food blogger in the history of the world started blogging pumpkin recipes. That may be a tad overdramatic, but to be honest, I was and still am overwhelmed by the volume of pumpkin recipes invading the interwebs over the last couple of months. I have certainly been guilty of this in the past, but I didn’t really want to contribute to the oversaturation this year…until now. This is one of two pumpkin recipes I have made recently. I won a giveaway on Mango & Tomato and was sent a couple of boxes of pasta. The spaghetti went quickly in one of my favorite easy recipes, but I wanted to try something a bit different with the farfalle which is not a type of pasta I use often. This dish is total comfort food, but not unhealthy. There is the slight sweetness of the pumpkin and cinnamon and a gentle heat from the red pepper flakes. The sage is not overpowering rounds out the flavor. The spinach added a bit of green and more would certainly be welcome. I’ve been sort of obsessed with Romano cheese lately, but if you don’t have it, Parmesan works well.



One year ago: Brunch at The Churchill
Two years ago: SugarFISH
Three years ago: Albondigas
Four years ago: Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Farfalle with Sausage and Pumpkin
(Adapted from My Kitchen Addiction)

Makes 4-5 servings

10 ounces farfalle pasta
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
Kosher salt to taste
12 ounces sage pork sausage
1/2 teaspoon diced fresh sage
1/8-1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup finely chopped spinach
3/4 cup dry white wine (I used Pinot Grigio)
Freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese for serving

Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Drain the pasta and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and season lightly with salt. Cook until the onion has softened a bit, about 3 minutes. Add the sausage and use the back of a wooden spoon or spatula to break up the meat. Cook for 8-10 minutes until the sausage is browned and cooked through.

Add the sage, red pepper flakes, and cinnamon to the pan. Cook for one minute. Add the pumpkin puree, spinach and wine and cook for 2-3 minutes until everything is warmed through and combined. Taste and season with salt if necessary. Add the pasta to the pan and toss to combine. If the mixture looks dry, add the reserved pasta water to the pan a little bit at a time until the desired consistency is reached. Serve the pasta topped with Parmesan or Romano cheese if desired.

Printable Recipe

Do you read Design*Sponge? It's one of my most favorite websites ever. My favorite features are the "Living In" and the Before and After on Thursdays, but I also often save recipes I find on their Friday feature "In the Kitchen With". I saw this recipe a few weeks ago and had to make it almost immediately. It takes minutes and packs a flavor punch that is irresistible. It was great to curl up with a bowl of spaghetti on a chili night on my couch. The best thing is that if you're anything like me, you probably already have most of the ingredients in your cupboards. I'm hearing that here in Southern California, tomatoes are going to be plentiful until Thanksgiving so I will have time to make this again and again.


One year ago: Susan G. Komen Menu at Osteria La Buca
Two years ago: Braised Lentils with Swiss Chard and a Poached Egg
Three years ago:  Mediterranean Salad with Prosciutto and Pomegranate


Pasta with Bacon, Rosemary, and Tomatoes
(Adapted from Melissa Clark)

*Note: instead of chopping the rosemary, you can leave the sprig whole and saute with the garlic and red pepper. Rosemary's strong flavor will still come through and the sauce will be a bit less bitter.

Makes 2 servings

6 ounces whole wheat spaghetti
3 ounces bacon, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves torn off and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper
2 large tomatoes, cored and chopped
Balsamic vinegar to taste

Cook the pasta according to package directions in a large pot of salted water.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon over medium heat until it's reached your desired crispness. Remove the bacon from the pan and drain on paper towels. Reserve about 1 tablespoon of the fat in the pan and drain the rest.

Add the rosemary, garlic, and red pepper flakes to the skillet and cook until the garlic has softened and is fragrant, about 1 minute. Carefully add the tomatoes to the pan (they may splatter) and cook for 1-2 minutes.

Drain the pasta and reserve about 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Add the pasta and bacon to the skillet and toss to combine.If the pasta is dry, add some of the reserved pasta water. Season to taste with salt and pepper and the balsamic vinegar.

Printable Recipe

I mentioned in my last post that for the first time, I stayed in this past New Year's Eve and had a quiet night of movie watching.  Just because I was staying in alone didn't mean I couldn't have a great dinner. I'm not really a spaghetti and meatballs kind of girl, but when I saw this recipe back in June on Bridgett's blog, I promised to make it when the weather got a little cooler and I was in the mood to do this kind of recipe. This is a kicked up, fancier version of the classic. The meaty sauce is the perfect vehicle for the amazing, flavorful meatballs with a smoky mozzarella surprise on the inside. Bridgett warned me that the  meatballs are addictive and I could not agree more. This is a warming, comforting dish for a cold winter night, but really, you can make it anytime you get the craving for a spicy meatball. 




Spaghetti All'Amatriciana with Spicy Smoked Mozzarella Meatballs
(Adapted from La Bella Cook)

Makes 4 servings (A note about the serving size. This post advises that 2 ounces of uncooked pasta per person is an appropriate serving size. This has varied in the past on my posts, but in the interest of being a little healthier, it's the rule I am going to go by from here on out. You will get anywhere from 16-20 meatballs with the recipe below.  Four meatballs per person is plenty. If you have leftovers, have them as a snack!)

For the sauce:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces pancetta, diced
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves minced
1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you want it)
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, crushed in a food processor or blender
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

For the meatballs (Makes 20 meatballs):
1 small onion, grated
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped, plus extra for garnish if desired
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
1 egg
2 tablespoons ketchup
4 garlic cloves, grated
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces smoked mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 pound ground turkey (93% lean)

8 ounces spaghetti or other long pasta

To make the sauce:
In a large skillet or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until it is crisp and golden.

Remove the pancetta from the pan using a slotted spoon. Add the onions to the pan and cook until translucent, about 5-7 minutes.

Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes. Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Cook the sauce uncovered over medium-low heat until thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Reduce heat to low, cover and set aside to keep warm.

To make the meatballs:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with foil or parchment paper.

In a large bowl, mix together the onion, parsley, Parmesan, panko crumbs, egg, ketchup, garlic cloves, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Add the turkey meat and use your hands to combine.

Use a tablespoon measure to scoop out the mixture. Form into a circle and make an indentation in the middle. Place a cube of mozzarella in the indentation. Roll into a ball, making sure the meat covers all of the mozzarella.

Bake the meatballs for 15 minutes or until cooked through. Toss the meatballs with the sauce.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously and add the pasta. Cook for 9 minutes or until al dente. Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce and meatballs. Serve topped with grated Parmesan and chopped parsley if desired.

Printable Recipe

As part of Foodbuzz's Tastemaker program, I recently received a large package of goodies from Hickory Farms.  The smoked cheddar went quickly because I'm strangely addicted to smoked foods (cheese, salmon, etc). I wasn't a huge fan of the sweet turkey sausage, but the beef sausage was quite good with cheese and crackers. Great for a party. The spicy cheddar packed a punch and I knew it had to be put to good use. I'm sort of obsessed with the truffle cheese at Trader Joe's and have been wanting to make an interesting mac and cheese with it for a while. The combined cheeses were great and this mac and cheese is kind of addicting. Bacon would certainly make this infinitely better, but I wanted to keep it less heart attack inducing so I used nonfat milk and spray oil to grease the ramekins. The butter in the sauce and the cheese kept this rich enough for me and a decadent weekday dinner (and breakfast...shhh...don't tell anyone).






Merry Christmas to those that celebrate!

Spicy Truffle Mac and Cheese
(By Esi)

Makes 4 servings

Kosher salt
2 cups elbow macaroni
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 ounces grated truffle cheese
3 ounces grated spicy cheddar cheese
3/4 teaspoon truffle salt (or to taste)
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease an 8x8 pan or 4 ramekins with butter or spray oil. If using ramekins, place them on top of a foil-lined baking tray and set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a healthy pinch of salt and then the pasta. Cook for about 6 minutes or until al dente. Drain the pasta.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the milk over low heat. Make sure the milk doesn't come to a boil. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Slowly whisk the heated milk into the flour and butter and cook for another 5 minutes until thickened and smooth.

Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the cheeses and salt. Taste and adjust the seasonings as necessary. Add the pasta to the cheese mixture and stir to combine. Pour the macaroni and cheese into the ramekins. Top each ramekin with a tablespoon of panko and a light sprinkling of truffle salt. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the panko has browned and the cheese is bubbling. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Printable Recipe

Dear friends, I promise, I haven't abandoned my blog. Thank you to those that emailed me your concerns. Unfortunately, computer problems and the craziness of summer have caught up to me and that's why it's been so long since my last post. I hope you can forgive me. Fortunately, I have this really delicious and simple recipe that is perfect for when you don't feel like doing a lot of cooking in the summer time.  A pistou is basically the same thing as pesto, but without the pine nuts. I loved the idea of making a tomato based version and while I loved this, I definitely would ramp up the tomato flavor next time with either slow roasted tomatoes or tomato paste. The herbes de Provence breadcrumbs put this dish over the top. They take two seconds to make, but add so much flavor I could probably eat handfuls of the crumbs on their own. To make this ever so slightly healthier, I used whole wheat pasta and a touch less oil, but even less oil would probably be fine as long as you up the amount of pasta water to keep the pasta moist. This is a great dish for a quick weeknight dinner, and the leftovers are just as great for lunch the next day. It's filling without feeling heavy. With a nice green salad, you've got yourself a great meal.




Red Pistou Pasta with Shrimp and Herbes de Provence Crumbs
(Adpated from Serious Eats)



Makes 2-3 servings

For the pasta and pistou:
8 ounces spaghetti
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes in olive oil
1 tablespoon oil from the sun dried tomatoes
3/4 cup basil leaves
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Zest 1/2 lemon
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
Salt to taste

For the Herbes de Provence Crumbs:
3/4 cup baguette crumbs
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Heaping 1/2 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a healthy pinch of salt. Add the pasta and cook to al dente, about 10-11 minutes for whole wheat pasta.

Meanwhile, combine the sundried tomatoes, basil, oils, garlic, sugar, lemon zest and juice in a small food processor. Pulse until smooth and the mixture resembles pesto. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and season with salt to taste. Transfer the pistou to a large bowl.

While you're cooking the pasta, makes the crumbs by heating the olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the bread crumbs, Herbes de Provence, and salt and cook until the bread is toasted and crunchy.

Drain the pasta and reserve a half cup of the pasta water. Toss the pasta with the pistou and add more water if it is too dry. Top the pasta with cooked shrimp if desired and a healthy handful of the Herbes de Provence crumbs.

Printable Recipe

Another week, another whole wheat pasta recipe with a spring delicacy. I first fell in love with green garlic two years ago when I started food blogging. It has such a great flavor and cooking with it is easy and it doesn't burn as quickly as garlic cloves. I pretty much only use the white and light green parts, but in the LA Times version of this recipe, it looks like they use the whole thing. It's a great, quick cooking dish and the egg yolk helps create a lovely creamy sauce. It's been a little chilly here this week so this was a nice dish to curl up on the couch and watch some of my favorite trashy tv shows.






Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Green Garlic and Fried Egg
(Slightly Adapted from the Los Angeles Times)



Makes 2 servings

4 ounces whole wheat spaghetti
4-5 stalks green garlic, halved lengthwise, washed, dried and sliced thinly
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 eggs, at room temperature
Coarsely grated black pepper
Sea salt

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti until just al dente, about 9-11 minutes, or according to the instructions on the package.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until tender and beginning to caramelize, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently so as not to burn. Remove the garlic from the pan and put it into a large bowl. When the pasta is cooked, add it, with a bit of the pasta water, to the bowl with the garlic and toss to combine.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan and turn the heat to high. One at a time, break the eggs into a small bowl and gently pour into the hot skillet, trying to keep them from touching. Cook until the edges are crispy and golden brown, the whites are set and the yolks are still runny.

Divide the warm pasta among plates. Gently slide an egg onto the top of each. Grind plenty of black pepper over each plate and add a generous pinch of sea salt. Serve immediately.

Printable Recipe

Back when I first started food blogging, I used to race home, cook something, and then post the recipe right away. Obviously times have changed and it takes me much longer (sometimes a month longer!) to post the recipes I've made. However, last night I made an incredible and simple dinner that just couldn't wait to be shared. I first heard about ramps a little over two years ago when I first discovered recipe blogs. They dominated the pages of TasteSpotting and I would search my farmers market for them to no avail. I soon discovered ramps are pretty much indigenous to the east coast. However, over the last couple of years, ramps are making appearances at some of the west coast markets. Around the same time, I also heard of fiddleheads and learned that they too were mostly an east coast fave.

Now, I know I am always boasting about what great produce we have in southern California and the produce I feature is all supposed to be local, but I have been ACHING to try these non-regional favorites for ages so I finally bite the bullet yesterday and paid extraordinary prices for these non-local treats...luckily, my investment paid off. Fiddleheads are the unfurled fron of a fern (say that ten times fast). When they are in this young tender state, they resemble a cross between green beans and brussels sprouts. In other words, totally delicious. Apparently you are supposed to boil them twice before cooking, but I took a walk on the wild side and simply sauteed them. Ramps are baby leeks that have an oniony, garlicky, and peppery bite all in one. By cooking these greens simply in some garlic and olive oil, I let the natural flavors shine through and the lemon brought out a burst of freshness that made this dish totally appealing. It doesn't take long to cook so even if you get home a little late like I tend to do, you can have this on the table in no time. It's not pictured here, but a healthy heaping of grated Parmesan certainly adds a nutty, saltiness to this dish that compliments the greens, lemon, and pasta well. I'm very happy that my first experience with these ingredients was a delight, and the only change I would make to this in the future is to put an egg on it. Will I pay these insane prices for the ingredients next time? Probably not, but at least I got a good fix. I guess now, I just have to move to the north east...or not.


Whole Wheat Pasta with Fiddleheads and Ramps



Makes 2 servings

6 ounces whole wheat spaghetti
1-2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, or as needed
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 ounces ramps, whites and greens separated
4 ounces fiddlehead ferns, trimmed
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Zest of 1/2 lemon
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes.

Sometimes, when I see I recipe, I can't stop thinking about it until I try it myself. That's how I have been with this asparagus and orzo. Asparagus is sort of always in season in SoCal, even though it's not as great now as it will be in a couple of months. I normally am not a huge fan of cooking with butter (unless it's a sweet treat), but I think the butter is essential here, plus if you use whole wheat orzo like I did, you can trick yourself into thinking this is a healthier dish. The leftovers keep really well for a few days so this was a great lunch to have at work last week. Now that I have had my first asparagus of the year, I am already thinking of more ways I can use it.



Orzo Pilaf with Asparagus and Prosciutto
(Adapted from Hungry Cravings)



Makes 2-3 servings

2 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
8 ounces orzo
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, julienned
8 ounces asparagus, trimmed of woody ends, thinly sliced on a bias
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Grated Parmesan, for serving

Bring the broth to a simmer in a small saucepan. Meanwhile, heat a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat heat the oil and butter until very hot, but not smoking. Add the orzo and saute for 4 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Add the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add the hot broth and simmer, stirring frequently, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the orzo is al dente. Stir in the prosciutto and asparagus and season to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange on individual plates, top with Parmesan, and serve immediately.


Printable Recipe

Well, as I mentioned yesterday, pork has been heavily featured in my "diet" lately. Last week I was cooking up a storm. Partly to have some work lunches and partly to heat myself up in LA's super cold temps. A lot of my posts lately seem to come from The Kitchn. They always seem to know what I want to eat and this was no exception. I had recently picked up some wonderful brussels sprouts at the Hollywood farmers market. Unfortunately for me, I don't own a large food processor or mandoline so the main task was shredding the sprouts with just my knife, but I tried to make it fun by playing dance music and got the task over with in no time. I have only truly enjoyed brussels sprouts by roasting them in the recent future, but I have to say, pork fat and crunchy pine nuts add a nice layer. I would definitely add some balsamic vinegar to this mix for a nice tangy note the next time I make it, but this dish as is with a little sprinkle of Parmesan got a thumbs up from my work colleagues (something which always seems to justify my cooking).






Pasta with Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Bacon
(Lightly Adapted from The Kitchn)



Makes about 3 servings

1 pound brussels sprouts, shredded
1 tablespoon olive oil (as needed)
4 pieces of bacon, sliced
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 pound spaghetti
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
Salt and pepper

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Season generously with salt.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until fairly crispy and cooked through. Clear some space in the middle of the pan and add the shallots and garlic. (If you don't have enough room in your pan to create space, you can remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and add it back in when you add the sprouts.) Cook for about 5 minutes, until the shallots are soft.

While the shallots are cooking, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente.

Add the brussels sprouts and the chicken broth to the large skillet, season with salt and pepper, and toss all of the ingredients together. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the brussels sprouts are tender but not too soft, about 5 minutes.

When the pasta is finished cooking, drain and add it to the skillet. You can add a splash of the pasta water (or more broth) if the mixture seems dry. Add the pine nuts, toss everything together, season to taste, and serve.

Printable Recipe

I am so happy the tomatoes are still plentiful this season. I discovered this dish a while ago, but I have not had all of the ingredients to make it. I tell ya, strange things are going on here in So Cal. A week ago it was raining and then a few days later it was 90 degrees. Then it cooled down briefly and now it's about to be 90 again. I just can't handle this. In fact, my body is not responding well to this roller coaster and I haven't been feeling so great the last few days. When I saw this dish, I knew I wanted to try some dill in it. Unfortunately the dill at the farmers market was not in good shape because of the rain, but fortunately I got a great deal (free!) on it. It took me a while to get this done with all the prep work, but otherwise it's a straightforward dish that really delivers on flavor. I wanted to healthy this up a bit with whole wheat orzo, but my teeny, little Bev Hills Whole Foods just does not stock the stuff (or maybe it's hidden). Regardless, despite the feta, this only requires a small bit of oil so you get great flavor for not a lot of fat and a dish that is very satisfying to eat.





Baked Shrimp and Feta Pasta
(From Closet Cooking)

Makes 4 servings

1/2 cup orzo
2 teaspoons - 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup white wine
1 1/2 cups tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh herbs, chopped (I used a mix of dill and parsley)
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup crumbled feta

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees

In a medium saucepan cook the orzo for about 8 minutes until just al dente, but not soft (the pasta will cook more while baking).

In a large sauce pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the white wine, tomato and oregano and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.

Remove the pan from heat and stir in the herbs and green onions. Mix the sauce, orzo and shrimp, place in a baking dish topped and top with the feta.

Bake until the shrimp is cooked and the sauce is bubbly, about 10-15 minutes.

Printable Recipe

For the last week or so, I have been existing on leftovers and freezer/pantry finds. Luckily, I have been still able to eat pretty well, but my body has been begging me for some freshness. I was so excited to find this salad which is just full of vegetables and bright flavors. It's quick and simple to make and I made the full recipe which meant I had this for dinner and lunch over the last couple of days. It was so good, I didn't mind eating the same thing over and over again. This is not your typical pasta salad and that is a very good thing. Obviously the written recipe calls for these pesto tortelloni which are found at TJs, but any stuffed pasta will do. This is a great recipe to have on hand for lunches and if you are going to a picnic it is perfect since it travels well. It is really worth it to make the full batch and again since it travels well, it can be used for a picnic, a beach trip, or whatever fabulosity you have planned for the weekend.


Tortelloni and Spring Vegetable Salad
(Adapted from The Kitchn who adapted from 101 Cookbooks)

Makes 4 main dish servings

1 package Trader Joe's fresh pesto tortelloni (8 ounces) (or any fresh stuffed pasta)
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch spears
1 cup shelled peas (fresh or frozen)
3 cups fresh spinach
1 scallion, chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts
5 ounces feta, crumbled
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (or a squeeze of lemon juice)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Bring a pot of water to a boil, salt. Meanwhile, prepare and ice bath and prep vegetables.

When the water is boiling, add the tortellini. It will cook in about 5 minutes (or follow package directions). After 3 minutes, add the asparagus. Add the peas for the last 30 seconds.

Strain the pasta and vegetables and place immediately into the ice bath. Once they've cooled, strain again and pour into a mixing bowl. Add the spinach, green onions, pine nuts and feta. Toss with vinegar and oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Printable Recipe

Our inaugural Daring Cooks challenge is picked by the founders of all things daring in the kitchen, Lis of La Mia Cucina and Ivonne of Cream Puffs in Venice. (I swear, they didn't make me say that!). I was so excited to learn that in addition to Daring Bakers, our fabulous founders had also decided to do the Daring Cooks. Most of my cooking recipes are pretty simple so it is going to be fun to push myself a bit when it comes to the savory side. I have made gnocchi one other time and it was a pretty fun process so I was excited to give this a go. Many of the Daring Cooks made their own ricotta, but I made this on one of those weekends filled with so many other recipes that I didn't feel like adding another one so I just used full fat ricotta from the store. I placed the ricotta in cheesecloth and let it "drain" overnight. I guess store bought ricotta is not as wet as homemade. I got absolutely no liquid out of it, even with wringing the cheesecloth. No matter, I pressed on. I found this challenge pretty easy, but in the end...I just didn't like the gnocchi. I enjoyed the flavor, but the texture was just not for me. I felt like I was eating baby food. For the "sauce" I made a basil oil and some crispy pancetta both of which I ate more of than the gnocchi.

Not everyone in the Daring Kitchen is a member of the Daring Cooks, but if you have a few minutes, scroll through the blogroll to check out how other cooks did on the gnocchi.



Ricotta Gnocchi
(Adapted from The Zuni Cafe Cookbook: A Compendium of Recipes and Cooking Lessons from San Francisco's Beloved Restaurant)

For the gnocchi
8 ounces fresh ricotta
1 large cold egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tablespoon (1/2 ounce) unsalted butter
A few pinches of chopped lemon zest optional
2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
1/4 teaspoon salt (a little more if using kosher salt)
All-purpose flour for forming the gnocchi

For the sauce
2-3 slices prosciutto
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup fresh basil
Kosher salt

To make the gnocchi:
To test the ricotta, take a teaspoon or so and place it on a paper towel. If you notice a very large ring of dampness forming around the ricotta after a minute or so, then the ricotta is too wet. To remove some of the moisture, line a sieve with cheesecloth or paper towels and place the ricotta in the sieve. Cover it and let it drain for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.

Place the drained ricotta in a large bowl and mash it as best as you can with a rubber spatula or a large spoon (it’s best to use a utensil with some flexibility here). As you mash the ricotta, if you noticed that you can still see curds, then press the ricotta through a strainer to smooth it out as much as possible. Add the lightly beaten eggs to the mashed ricotta. Melt the tablespoon of butter and add to the ricotta mixture. Add the lemon zest, Parmgiano and the salt. Beat all the ingredients together very well. You should end up with a soft and fluffy batter with no streaks.

Fill a small pot with water and bring to a boil. When it boils, salt the water generously and keep it at a simmer. You will use this water to test the first gnocchi that you make to ensure that it holds together and that your gnocchi batter isn’t too damp.

In a large, shallow baking dish or on a sheet pan, make a bed of all-purpose flour that is 1/2 an inch deep. With a spatula, scrape the ricotta mixture away from the sides of the bowl and form a large mass in the center of your bowl. Using a tablespoon, scoop up about 2 to 3 teaspoons of batter and then holding the spoon at an angle, use your finger tip to gently push the ball of dough from the spoon into the bed of flour. Shake the dish gently to ensure that the flour covers the gnocchi or use your fingers to very gently dust the gnocchi with flour. Gently pick up the gnocchi and cradle it in your hand rolling it to form it in an oval as best as you can, at no point should you squeeze it. What you’re looking for is an oval lump of sorts that’s dusted in flour and plump. Gently place your gnocchi in the simmering water. It will sink and then bob to the top. From the time that it bobs to the surface, you want to cook the gnocchi until it’s just firm. This could take 3 to 5 minutes. If your gnocchi begins to fall apart, this means that the ricotta cheese was probably still too wet. You can remedy this by beating a teaspoon of egg white into your gnocchi batter. If your gnocchi batter was fluffy but the sample comes out heavy, add a teaspoon of beaten egg to the batter and beat that in. Test a second gnocchi to ensure success.

Form the rest of your gnocchi. You can put 4 to 6 gnocchi in the bed of flour at a time. But don’t overcrowd your bed of flour or you may damage your gnocchi as you coat them. Have a sheet pan ready to rest the formed gnocchi on. Line the sheet pan with wax or parchment paper and dust it with flour.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the remaining gnocchi and serve with the sauce.

To make the crispy prosciutto:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay the prosciutto flat on the parchment. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the prosciutto is crispy. Drain on paper towels and crumble by hand.

To make the basil oil:
Roughly chop the basil and place in the bowl of a food processor. Add oil until the mixture has reached the desired consistency. Season lightly with kosher salt. (Can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Bring to room temperature before using)

Here we have yet another recipe with one of my favorite springtime ingredients...asparagus! It also has another great spring ingredient peas, but since my small farmers market seems to be lacking in fresh peas, I had to go with frozen. I hope to get to the bigger market soon so I can have a lovely afternoon sitting outside shelling peas. You think I'm joking? Last week and this week I am cooking with things in my fridge, freezer, and pantry in preparation for a cleansing week next week so I had to use some bacon I had in my freezer. I still have more bacon in the freezer, but I am hoping the fact that I actually have to wait for it to thaw out won't be too much of a temptation. I had never made a carbonara before this, but it was quite easy and I hope to do it again. I had wanted to use whole wheat spaghetti, but I only had a little bit left and not enough for the recipe, so I used the rest of some leftover linguine. I must say, the whole kitchen cleaning thing is going quite well and leaving lots of room for my cleansing stuff. Watch me last all of a day doing it. Anyway, this is a wonderful and flavorful pasta dish. The salty Parmesan and bacon where perfect with the sweet peas and the sauce was nice and creamy.

It's Thursday, but really my Friday. Do the rest of you have a short week? Do you have plans for Easter? My friends and I are doing a New Orleans/Southern themed brunch and I am super deluxe excited. I am sure I will be sharing recipes very soon!


Springtime Carbonara
(Adapted from the New York Times)

Makes 2-3 servings

2 slices bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
8 ounces linguine
2 ounces asparagus, sliced 1-inch thick (1/2 cup)
5 fresh basil leaves, sliced thin
1 egg, whisked, at room temperature
1 tablespoon whole milk
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish (2 ounces)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and add the bacon, cooking for about 5 minutes, until crispy. Transfer the cooked bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel and set aside. Drain most of the fat from the pan. Return the pan with the rendered fat to the stove top for future use.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 6-7 minutes, or until al dente.

While the pasta cooks, heat the bacon fat in the sauté pan over medium heat. Add the peas and asparagus, and sauté for about 2-5 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the basil, and set aside.

Whisk together the eggs and milk. Have the egg mixture, vegetables and bacon ready to toss with very hot pasta.

Quickly drain the pasta and transfer immediately to a large serving bowl. Pour the eggs and cheese on top of the pasta, and toss vigorously to coat the strands and gently cook the eggs, forming a creamy sauce. Add the vegetables and bacon, and continue tossing to incorporate them. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Portion the spaghetti on plates and ladle any sauce left in the bowl over each serving. Grate additional cheese on top if you like.

It's here! It's here, the March 2009 Daring Bakers Challenge is here!! Ok, I'm calm. That's just how I get at the beginning of each month when the new challenge is revealed.



The March 2009 challenge is hosted by Mary of Beans and Caviar, Melinda of Melbourne Larder and Enza of Io Da Grande. They have chosen Lasagna of Emilia-Romagna from The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper as the challenge.



This challenge caused a lot of debate among the Daring Bakers. I think it was mostly to do with the fact that when people think of DBers, they think of sweet creations. However, since I have joined, I have noticed an increasing number of savory challenges and have welcomed them. As much as I love sweets once in a while, I prefer savory dishes over sweets almost any time. Also, I was really excited about making a pasta sauce from scratch. All winter I craved standing over a stove and cooking something for hours. It's the kind of cooking I look forward to all winter, but unfortunately (fortunately?) living in Southern California, you don't get many opportunities for that type of cooking. I was perfectly happy standing over a stove for four hours watching my bolognese come together.

Green sludge aka future bolognese:


My pasta making work station:


I chose to do a bolognese because it was made mostly with ingredients I had on hand. I am not a huge fan of Anne Burrell...actually I don't like her at all. I just don't understand what she means "cook the crap" out of something and all her grunts and arm pumps make me tired. However, I have to admit, this sauce is really good...however there is one thing which I note below. Anne suggests tasting and salting the sauce each time you add water. I definitely agree with her about tasting, but the salt I just can't get on board with. Lucky for me, it was one of those rare times when I actually followed instructions and so each time I added water, I tasted the sauce. Besides the initial stages, I did not have to add more salt. Remember that Top Chef episode when Jamie got sent home for salty celery? I liken this sauce to that. Even though you are adding water every so often, the sauce is reducing and the flavors get more concentrated. All I am saying is salt with caution. Also, the first time I attempted the sauce, my base ingredients came out looking green and tasting green. I threw them out (ugh, such a waste) and started over (after a quick trip to the store). The ingredients still looked green, but didn't taste green so I kept going. The sauce was fantastic.

Spinach dough all wrapped up:


Bolognese after almost four hours of simmering:


I thought the pasta came together quite easily. I was worried about rolling it thinly enough because I don't have a roller, but with some patience and a lot of space (my roommate was out of town), I got thin slices of noodles that I was happy with. I got four layers of lasagna for my 8x8 dish and still had some dough left over. I didn't really do anything creative with the leftover dough which is why you don't see it here. Even though it was a long process, this was one of my most fun challenges to date. I hope the other DBers had as good a time with it as I did and to see their creations visit the blogroll. Also, check out our new amazing site to find out how you can join the Daring Bakers or the new Daring Cooks!

Lasagna of Emilia-Romagna (Lasagna Verdi al Forno)
(Adapted from The Splendid Table: Recipes from Emilia-Romagna, the Heartland of Northern Italian Food)

Serves 4-6 main dish servings

Preparation Time: 15 minutes to assemble the lasgana and 40 minutes cooking time

1 recipe Spinach Pasta cut for lasagna (recipe follows)
1 recipe Bechamel Sauce (recipe follows)
1 recipe Bolognese sauce (recipe follows)
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano


Working Ahead:
The bolognese and the béchamel sauce can be made up to three days ahead. The bolognese can also be frozen for up to one month. The pasta can be rolled out, cut and dried up to 24 hours before cooking. The assembled lasagna can wait at room temperature (20 degrees Celsius/68 degrees Fahrenheit) about 1 hour before baking. Do not refrigerate it before baking, as the topping of béchamel and cheese will overcook by the time the center is hot.

Assembling the Ingredients:
Have all the sauces, rewarmed gently over a medium heat, and the pasta at hand. Have a large perforated skimmer and a large bowl of cold water next to the stove. Spread a double thickness of paper towels over a large counter space. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius).

Cooking the Pasta:
Bring the salted water to a boil. Drop about four pieces of pasta in the water at a time. Cook about 2 minutes. If you are using dried pasta, cook about 4 minutes, taste, and cook longer if necessary. The pasta will continue cooking during baking, so make sure it is only barely tender. Lift the lasagna from the water with a skimmer, drain, and then slip into the bowl of cold water to stop cooking. When cool, lift out and dry on the paper towels. Repeat until all the pasta is cooked.

Assembling the Lasagna:
Spread a thin layer of béchamel over the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange a layer of overlapping sheets of pasta over the béchamel. Spread a thin layer of béchamel over the pasta, and then a thin layer of the bolognese. Top with another layer of pasta. Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used, finishing with béchamel sauce and topping with a generous dusting of Parmesan cheese.

Baking and Serving the Lasagna:
Cover the baking dish lightly with foil, taking care not to let it touch the top of the lasagna. Bake 40 minutes, or until almost heated through. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, or until hot in the center (test by inserting a knife – if it comes out very warm, the dish is ready). Take care not to brown the cheese topping. It should be melted, creamy looking and barely tinged with a little gold. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar and let the lasagna rest for about 10 minutes. Then serve.

Spinach Pasta

1 large egg
5 ounces fresh spinach, rinsed dry, and finely chopped
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

Equipment: A roomy work surface, any smooth surface will do, but marble cools dough slightly, making it less flexible than desired. A pastry scraper and a small wooden spoon for blending the dough. A wooden dowel-style rolling pin. Plastic wrap to wrap the resting dough and to cover rolled-out pasta waiting to be filled. It protects the pasta from drying out too quickly. A sharp chef’s knife for cutting pasta sheets. Cloth-covered chair backs, broom handles, or specially designed pasta racks found in cookware shops for draping the pasta. (I used plastic hangers)

Mound the flour in the center of your work surface and make a well in the middle. Add the egg and spinach. Use a wooden spoon to beat together the egg and spinach. Then gradually start incorporating shallow scrapings of flour from the sides of the well into the liquid. As you work more and more flour into the liquid, the well’s sides may collapse. Use a pastry scraper to keep the liquids from running off and to incorporate the last bits of flour into the dough. If the dough does not come together, add some room temperature water.

With the aid of the scraper to scoop up unruly pieces, start kneading the dough. Once it becomes a cohesive mass, use the scraper to remove any bits of hard flour on the work surface – these will make the dough lumpy. Knead the dough for about 3 minutes. Its consistency should be elastic and a little sticky. If it is too sticky to move easily, knead in a few more tablespoons of flour. Continue kneading about 10 minutes, or until the dough has become satiny, smooth, and very elastic. It will feel alive under your hands. Do not shortcut this step. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and let it relax at room temperature 30 minutes to 3 hours.

If using an extra-long rolling pin work with half the dough at a time. With a regular-length rolling pin, roll out a quarter of the dough at a time and keep the rest of the dough wrapped. Lightly sprinkle a large work surface with flour. The idea is to stretch the dough rather than press down and push it. Shape it into a ball and begin rolling out to form a circle, frequently turning the disc of dough a quarter turn. As it thins outs, start rolling the disc back on the pin a quarter of the way toward the center and stretching it gently sideways by running the palms of your hands over the rolled-up dough from the center of the pin outward. Unroll, turn the disc a quarter turn, and repeat. Do twice more.

Stretch and even out the center of the disc by rolling the dough a quarter of the way back on the pin. Then gently push the rolling pin away from you with one hand while holding the sheet in place on the work surface with the other hand. Repeat three more times, turning the dough a quarter turn each time.

Repeat the two processes as the disc becomes larger and thinner. The goal is a sheet of even thickness. For lasagna, the sheet should be so thin that you can clearly see your hand through it and see colors. Cut into rectangles about 4 by 8 inches (10 x 20 cm).

Dry the pasta at room temperature and store in a sealed container or bag if not using right away.

Bechamel

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups milk
Salt and pepper

Add the butter over medium-low heat. When the butter is half melted, add the flour and stir to combine. When the butter is completely melted, add the milk and cook for 5-10 minutes until the mixture has reached the desired thickness. Season with salt and pepper.

Bolognese
(Adapted from Anne Burrell)

1 onion, cut into 1-inch dice
2 small carrots, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 1/2 ribs celery, cut into 1-inch dice
4 cloves garlic
Extra-virgin olive oil for the pan
Kosher salt
1 1/2 pounds ground chuck, brisket or round or combination (I used chuck)
1 cup tomato paste
1 1/2 cups hearty red wine
Water
1-2 bay leaves
1/2 bunch thyme, tied in a bundle

In a food processor, puree onion, carrots, celery, and garlic into a coarse paste. In a large pan over medium heat, coat pan with oil. Add the pureed vegetables and season generously with salt. Bring the pan to a medium-high heat and cook until all the water has evaporated and they become nice and brown, stirring frequently, about 15 to 20 minutes. Be patient, this is where the big flavors develop.

Add the ground beef and season again generously with salt. Brown the beef, cooking another 15 to 20 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and cook until brown about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the red wine. Cook until the wine has reduced by half, another 4 to 5 minutes.

Add water to the pan until the water is about 1 inch above the meat. Toss in the bay leaves and the bundle of thyme and stir to combine everything. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally. As the water evaporates you will gradually need to add more, about 2 to 3 cups at a time. Don't be shy about adding water during the cooking process, you can always cook it out. Stir and taste frequently. Season with salt, if needed. Simmer for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

Notes on making the pasta:
With just one egg, the pasta dough didn't come together very well so I ended up adding some water. Many of the other Daring Bakers added extra eggs.

Notes on making the sauce:
My onion, carrot, celery mixture turned green and tasted green the first time I cooked it out so I threw it out and started again. It turned green the second time, but I pressed on. I cooked it for about 30 minutes until fond started develop on the bottom of my pan and it ended up tasting fine with the meat.

As the meat browned, I drained as much of the oil off as I could. I didn't want to end up with an oily end product.

Taste the sauce each time you add water, but be careful of how much salt you add each time. As the sauce cooks down, the flavor gets more concentrated and you don't want a salty meat sauce

Here's another quick recipe if you don't have a lot of time on the weeknights. I saw it recently on Serious Eats. I have had a jar of kalamata olives in my refrigerator for longer than I care to admit. This dish basically takes as long as it takes to bring the water to a boil and cook the pasta. I decided to add a little more Mediterranean flair to it with some of the unbelievable feta I picked up at the farmers market. I wish you could all have some of this feta. It is so creamy. I have never had anything like it. The tapenade is really good. I wish I had made a little more of it to go on the pasta. It's kind of hard to tell, but it really did a go throughout the whole dish, but I wanted more for spreading on bread or crackers. You really want to go light on the salt in this dish and perhaps only use salt in the water for the pasta. Also, since I used the red pepper flakes (just a small pinch, I am still recovering from the chipotle shrimp), I left out the ground black pepper. I love my mini food processor for small jobs like this...well, really any jobs that require a food processor since I don't have a full sized one, but anyway, I think I am going to be making some more tapenade this weekend...





Pasta with Olive Tapenade
(Adapted from Real Fast Food: 350 Recipes Ready-to-Eat in 30 Minutes as found on Serious Eats)

2 tablespoons pitted kalamata olives
1/2 teaspoon capers
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
Olive oil as needed
Red pepper flakes (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 pound long pasta, like spaghetti
Small pat of butter
Salt
Ground pepper (optional)
Crumbled feta (optional)

Bring a pot of salted water to boil, and cook the pasta until al dente.

In the meantime, combine the olives, capes, oregano, and a little olive oil in a mini food processor or mortar and pestle. Blend or smash until well-combined into a paste. Add more olive oil if needed, aiming for a loose paste. (If you'd like to add a little chili, cook chili flakes over low heat in the olive oil, then add to the rest of the ingredients).

Drain the pasta, reserving some cooking water, and toss in a serving bowl with the olive paste and chopped parsley. Add the butter and toss until melted. If the pasta is dry, use a little pasta water or more olive oil to loosen it. Top with crumbled feta if desired and serve immediately.

Just as I said I would on Friday, I stayed in all day yesterday. Unfortunately (?) for me, it wasn't rainy all day as the meteorologist promised. Oh well, I had a great day cooking and playing far too much Wii tennis. My arm is quite sore today! This is one of those recipes I saved a while ago, but was reminded of when I saw it last week on Diana's site. It's exactly the kind of food you crave when the skies get dark and the rain is coming down and it's enough to make you forget that a nice baked mac and cheese with bacon is on your mind. I couldn't track down the whole wheat orzo in time to make this recipe. I am told it's sold at Whole Foods, but that store isn't exactly convenient to me right now. I used regular orzo. I used homemade vegetable stock which I make every so often with scraps left over from the farmers market. One of the reasons why I love making vegetable stock myself is because it requires far less time than chicken stock. I just wait for the water to boil and then I can go off and do a Pilates workout or play Wii for an hour...or whatever. Since I had read Diana's review of this recipe, I decided to make some bread type food to go with the soup just in case it wasn't filling enough. More on that tomorrow, but let's just say, I have had my fill of cheese puffs for at least the next week. Normally on Saturdays I am left to eat scraps of leftovers from the weekday before I go to the farmers market on Sunday, but this was such an easy fresh recipe to make on the weekend and one that didn't make me feel guilty afterwards.


Orzo Soup
(Lightly adapted from 101 Cookbooks)

3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
3/4 cup orzo
1 cup spinach, chopped
1-2 large spoonfuls canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained
Large pinch red pepper flakes
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 egg white
Salt (I used Kosher salt)
Grated Parmesan (for topping)

Bring the broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the orzo and cook until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in the spinach.

In the meantime, heat the tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and a splash of olive oil in a separate saucepan. Taste and season with a bit of salt if needed.

Just before serving, slowly pour the egg whites into the soup, stirring quickly with a whisk. The white should take on a raggy appearance. Taste and add more salt if needed. Serve the soup in individual bowls, with each serving topped with a spoonful of tomatoes, a drizzle of olive oil, and a dusting of cheese.

OH THANK GOODNESS IT'S FRIDAY!! Can you tell I am happy it's finally the end of the week? Yesterday and today are the two days I have been looking forward to all month and they could not have come soon enough! Last's night's dinner at Comme Ca was everything I hoped and dreamed it would be...and more. I think I am going to be in a three day food coma. I brought my camera with me, took (dark) pictures and will hopefully be posting my thoughts before the weekend is over. I am also so incredibly excited for tonight because I get to see two of my favorite artists live! Adele is playing at the Wiltern and James Morrison is opening the show. The last time I saw Adele live I was completely blown away that her voice is just as beautiful (if not better) live than on the album. I know I go on and on about Adele, but she is just so amazingly talented, you really all should get to know this wonderful artist. I just know it's going to be an amazing night.

Ok, I am going to stop blabbing about seeing this show. Let's talk about the salad now, shall we? I found it the other day on one of my favorite websites The Kitchn. I often think they are in my head and know exactly what I am feeling like eating or what I have in my kitchen that I need to use up. Like I said, when I made the fritters the other day, I kind of went around the farmers market picking up produce without really knowing what I would be doing with it. I had a bunch of carrots left over after the fritters and used some of them up in the salad. The rest I just munched on which I love because to me carrots are quite the addictive snack. I love the simplicity of flavors in this salad and I think it is a good starting off point for a salad of this nature. I added a little bit of honey to sweeten up the dressing and I think I will definitely make this again with even more vegetables. The recipe calls for just the green parts of the scallions, but I used the whole thing. I didn't toast the sesame seeds, mostly because I was feeling lazy. As usual, I reduced the amount of ingredients in this recipe for just me. I didn't have the mugwort soba called for in the recipe, so I just used a single serving of regular soba and adjusted the other ingredients accordingly. This is definitely a recipe that is to taste so the measurements are all approximate. Feel free to add or subtract whatever you want. Ok, I know I have been going on and on about how fabulous the end of my week has been. What do you guys have planned for the weekend?

Cold Soba, Sesame, and Carrot Salad
(Adapted from The Kitchn)

1 serving soba
2 carrots
2 scallions
1 teaspoon sesame oil, or to taste
1 tablespoon rice vinegar, or to taste
2 teaspoons soy sauce, or to taste
1 teaspoon honey, or to taste
Sesame seeds

Cook the noodles 4-5 minutes, or according to package instructions. Drain and toss with a small amount of vegetable oil to keep them from sticking together. Put the noodles in the refrigerator to cool.

Peel the carrots and shave with a peeler (or mandoline if you have one). You should have a cup of loose carrot shavings. Thinly slice the scallions.

Whisk together the sesame oil, vinegar, and soy sauce and taste. Adjust to taste. Toss the chilled noodles together with the dressing. Add the carrots and scallions and sesame seeds and toss. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Is this week over yet?? I know I shouldn't be complaining because I had a short week, but still... How are you coming along with your resolutions/goals? Well I am making good headway into my 101 in 1001. In fact, I completed one of my goals two days ago so I made another (similar goal) and set the bar higher! I am actually still finishing my list. It can be kind of difficult to come up with that many concrete goals. As I mentioned yesterday, I have been cooking some lighter fare to kind of make up for all of that holiday indulgence. I don't believe in diets, but I do think it is important to find light, healthy meals that don't sacrifice flavor. This dish is the epitome of that. I recently found it on Andrea's fabulous Cooking Books site and I was going to do it last week, but at the last minute, the carrot found it's way to the pork tenderloin and roasted carrots and parsnips. I scaled down the recipe a bit, but left some of the original components like the full 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. If spicy isn't your thing, just reduce the amount. Also, my carrots were on the small side so I used two, but you may find one is enough. This was so easy to prepare and really delicious. Plus, I loved the savory smell it gave my apartment. This recipe proves that you can have a light and healthy and yet hearty meal that still tastes delicious.


Spaghetti with Spicy Lentils
(Adapted from Cooking Books)

I fought the cold and the cold won. Blech! Not feeling so hot this morning, but I still gotta eat. I made these bad boys after I (finally) got home from my NYE celebration. I was having some trouble figuring out what to eat that day so I didn't eat anything at all. Weird...I know. When I got home, I decided to make these as a little snack to have while watching a movie (Sex and the City for the umpteenth time!). I have had this recipe saved for what seems like ages so I am glad to finally have used it. Instead of having these with marinara sauce, I enjoyed them with some leftover slow roasted tomato soup from the night before. The second time I made the soup, it came out quite chunky so it was the perfect consistency to use as a dip. This was definitely a new experience food-wise, but a really good one. I hear that Dan Tana's has this as an appetizer on the menu, but I can tell you my version is a lot cheaper. I am off to go lay back in bed for the rest of the day. Get out there and enjoy the last couple of days of your break (if you are on break).


Fried Raviloi
(From Giada De Laurentiis)

Oil for frying
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups Italian style breadcrumbs
1 box fresh ravioli
Parmesan for sprinkling
Marinara sauce (or other sauce) for dipping

Pour enough oil into a large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 325 degrees F.

While the oil is heating, put the buttermilk and the bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Working in batches, dip ravioli in buttermilk to coat completely. Allow the excess buttermilk to drip back into the bowl. Dredge ravioli in the bread crumbs. Place the ravioli on a baking sheet, and continue with the remaining ravioli.

When the oil is hot, fry the ravioli in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried ravioli to paper towels to drain.

Sprinkle the fried ravioli with Parmesan and serve with the sauce of your choice for dipping.

I planned to make this dish several weeks ago, but other things kept coming up that I wanted to try instead. However, I really want to make some space in my freezer and I had just enough pumpkin to make this. I have never made my own pasta before, so this was a nice and simple introduction to that world. Now, I want to get a pasta roller and make all sorts of things. As if I need another thing to clutter my odd kitchen. As usual, I made a couple of mistakes, but overall this turned out well. I forgot to add the salt and nutmeg called for in the original recipe to the pumpkin mixture, but I salted the pasta water well enough, that it made up for it. Since I am not the hugest fan of nutmeg, I didn't feel like I was missing anything. Remember that thing I said, about not being all there lately, this was classic, but it ended well. This is a pretty hearty dish so if you're looking for something filling on a cold night, this could definitely fit the bill.

You know what else? This would look really good on Christmas plates! Click here to find out how to win a set.



Pumpkin Gnocchi with Sage Butter
(Adapted from Cookthink)

1/2 cup pumpkin purée
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large egg yolk
6 tablespoons whole wheat flour
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
5-8 fresh sage leaves (depending on the size, mine were small)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan

Stir the egg yolk into the pumpkin. Add the whole wheat flour, then half the all-purpose flour and stir just to combine the flour with the pumpkin. Add the remaining flour a little at a time, stirring, until the mixture forms a dough.

On a floured work surface, knead the dough two or three times to firm it up, taking care not to overwork the dough or the gnocchi will be tough. Separate the dough into four pieces and roll each piece into a ball.

Again, on a floured work surface, roll each ball out into a long dowel shape, about an inch in diameter. With a fork or pastry knife, cut the dowel into 2-inch pieces. Roll each piece across the back of a fork with your thumb to form a small indentation on one side and ridges on the other. Toss the finished gnocchi with flour.

Bring a large pot of water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil over medium-high heat.

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: melt the remaining butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When the butter melts, add the sage leaves and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Shake the pan around until the butter lightly browns, then remove the pan from the heat so the butter doesn't burn.

Add the gnocchi to the boiling water and cook them until they rise to the surface, 4-6 minutes per batch. Put the butter back over medium heat if it has cooled. Drain and add the gnocchi to the skillet with the butter and sage and toss to coat. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve.