Mexican Pasta Salad

Most of the time, I make pesto (or infused simple syrups) with leftover herbs. Those are definitely my two go-to uses for everything from leftover basil to rosemary to parsley. But last week, when I was faced with a bunch of leftover cilantro, I wanted to try something a little different. So I turned the leftovers into a refreshing dressing that got mixed into this vibrant and flavorful pasta salad.

Mexican Pasta Salad

Yields: 8 servings

For Salad:

-1 pound farfalle pasta (or pasta of your choice)

-1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

-1 cup frozen or fresh sweet corn kernels

-1/4 cup diced red onion

-1 tablespoon diced pickled jalapenos

-Salt and black pepper, to taste

For Dressing:

-1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

-Juice of 1 1/2 limes

-1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

-1 teaspoon chili powder

-3 tablespoons olive oil

-Pinch of granulated sugar

-Salt and black pepper

Directions:

1.) Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

2.) In a medium-sized bowl, rapidly whisk together the ingredients for the dressing. Dunk in a piece of the cooked pasta and taste; adjust seasoning as/if needed. Set dressing aside.

3.) In a large bowl, mix pasta with tomatoes, corn, red onion, and jalapenos. Add dressing and toss until pasta and vegetables are coated nicely (but are not overdressed). (The amount of dressing you make should be perfect for 1 pound of pasta). Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.

This pasta salad can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before serving.

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The bright, flavorful salad dressing mixed with the plump, juicy tomatoes, spicy red onion, and sweet corn was a divine combination - especially when served with veggie sausages and burgers (for the omnivores, obviously) cooked on the grill. I loved how the farfalle pasta's nooks and crannies soaked in all of the dressing, but really any pasta would do well here. 

Bonus: This pasta salad is also vegan!

What's your favorite side dish to bring to a cookout? 

Spring Pasta with Peas, Mushrooms, and Parsley-Arugula Pesto

Ah, spring. The season that brings long-awaited warmer temperatures and happier moods to my corner of the [New England] world. But my absolute favorite part about spring: the fresh, local produce that starts popping up everywhere. 

Ramps, fiddleheads, arugula, fresh herbs - so many green, delicious things sprout up in the spring. And while we're still impatiently waiting for many of these things to be available to us, I tried willing spring's harvest with this super green, super tasty pasta dish. (You're welcome).

Chock-full of sweet peas, meaty mushrooms, and a bright, slightly peppery pesto, this spring-friendly pasta dish was a nice [albeit somewhat cruel] tease for what's to come. 

Spring Pasta with Peas, Mushrooms, and Parsley-Arugula Pesto

Yields: 4 servings

Pasta:

-2 tablespoons olive oil

-2 cups white button mushrooms, stems removed and sliced

-1 clove garlic, minced

-Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

-Splash of dry white wine (I used pinot grigio)

-Salt and black pepper, to taste

-3 cups whole wheat penne (or whichever pasta you wish)

-1 cup frozen peas

-3 spoonfuls Parsley-Arugula Pesto (recipe follows)

-Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions:

1.) Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, and cook until they begin to brown, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and crushed red pepper flakes, and cook until garlic becomes fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add wine, salt, and black pepper, and cook for one minute more.

2.) Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until it begins to become al dente, about 6-7 minutes (time will vary depending on type of pasta used). With one minute of cooking time left, add peas. Drain pasta and peas together in a strainer.

3.) Return pasta and peas to the pot, and stir in mushroom mixture. Add pesto, and stir until pesto is incorporated. Serve with a generous garnish of Parmesan cheese.

Parsley-Arugula Pesto:*

-2 (loosely packed) cups fresh parsley

-2 (tighly packed) cups arugula

-1 clove garlic, peeled

-1/4 cup walnuts

-1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

-Juice of half a lemon

-Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

-2/3 cup olive oil

-Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.) Add above ingredients, through crushed red pepper flakes, to a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Turn on food processor, and stream in olive oil while food processor is running.

2.) Taste pesto and add salt and black pepper as needed.

*One quick note: I made this pesto to make use of leftover parsley and arugula, so I kind of winged the amount of greens used. Just taste and adjust as needed after all of the ingredients are incorporated. 

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This dish was surprisingly light yet full of nutritious, satiating ingredients. (Yes, Parmesan cheese is nutritious...in my opinion, anyway). We actually ate heaping bowls of this by itself, although you could serve it alongside a simple green salad and/or some garlic bread, if you so choose.

What vegetable and/or fruit are you most looking forward to this spring?

Stuffed Shells (with Kale, Ricotta, Parmesan, and Mozzarella)

Cheese and pasta. It doesn't get much better than that. Unless you add kale - and then cheese and pasta become extra delicious, and somewhat healthy (right?).

I made these stuffed beauties for a catering client last week. He loves one-pot, easy-to-reheat meals that make a lot of servings, so I thought these stuffed shells would do the trick. And they did.

The kale and cheese filling is super flavorful, and after being topped off with some homemade tomato sauce - all bets (and diets) are off.

Stuffed Shells
Yields: 20-22 stuffed shells
-1 teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
-1/2 (12-ounce) box jumbo pasta shells (20-22 shells)
-2 cups diced onion
-1 clove garlic, minced
-2 cups baby kale, roughly chopped
-Salt and black pepper
-15 ounces ricotta cheese
-2 large eggs
-1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
-2 cups grated mozzarella cheese, divided
-1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
-1 teaspoon dried basil
-1 teaspoon dried oregano
-Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
-Tomato sauce

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13 x 9 baking dish with 1 teaspoon olive oil.
2.) Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta shells and cook until al dente, about 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Drain again.
3.) In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until very soft, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the kale and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper.
4.) In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan, and 1 cup of the mozzarella. Add the kale mixture, the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, basil, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes, and stir to combine thoroughly. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the kale-ricotta filling into each cooked pasta shell. Place the filled shells in the prepared dish.
5.) Pour tomato sauce over the filled shells and top with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, until bubbly, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

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I made a few extra than this recipe calls for - hey, I had to taste the final product! - and, I must say, these are some tasty pasta shells. I loved how the kale and onions helped balance the richness of the cheeses, while the tomato sauce is just light enough to prevent this from being an overly heavy dish.

What's your favorite one-pot dish?

How to Make Homemade Ravioli

Remember that time I learned how to make egg pasta? Well, it wasn't until recently I became a little obsessed with it.

Z and I got a manual pasta machine as an engagement gift, and we've been saying - for over a year now - that we can't wait to use it. So, this past Saturday - when we finally had no plans and nowhere to be - we made our own egg pasta.

We made linguine to freeze and eat later (and, a few days later, I made more linguine), but for dinner on Saturday, we decided to make ravioli. I winged the filling - some ricotta, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, salt, and pepper - but the delicate pasta made the meal. 

For starters, here's the super easy recipe for the egg pasta base:

Fresh Egg Pasta

Recipe from Sweet Thing Food

-2 cups all-purpose flour

-3 large eggs, beaten

-Water, as needed

Directions:

1.) Pulse flour in food processor to aerate it. Add eggs and process until the dough forms a rough ball, about 30 seconds. (If dough resembles small pebbles, add water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time. If dough sticks to the side of the work bowl, add 1 tablespoon flour at a time and process).

2.) Turn the dough and small bits onto a lightly floured work surface and knead by hand until the dough is smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and let relax for 15 minutes.

3.) Cut the dough into five even pieces and, using a manual pasta machine, roll out the dough (if you don't have a pasta machine, I've heard rolling out the dough with a rolling pin also works, but I have never tried it myself):

A. Cut about 1/5 of the dough from the ball and flatten it into a disk. Run the disk through the rollers set to the widest position (0); bring the ends of the dough toward the middle and press down to seal.

B. Feed the open side of the pasta dough through the rollers; repeat A and B.

C. Without folding again, run the pasta through the widest setting twice, or until the dough is smooth. If the dough is at all sticky, lightly dust with flour. Begin to roll the pasta thinner by putting it through the machine repeatedly, narrowing the setting each time.

D. Roll until the dough is thin and satiny, dusting with flour if sticky. You should be able to see the outline of your hand through the pasta. Lay the pasta on a clean kitchen towel and cover with a damp cloth; repeat with other pieces of dough. (I actually just let the pasta dry for 30 minutes, with no damp cloth, and it came out fine). 

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Once your pasta has dried for at least 30 minutes, you can begin to make the ravioli.

The first step: Brush a little bit of egg wash (1 egg + 1 tablespoon water) on each sheet of dough. Then, spoon about 1 tablespoon of your filling along a sheet of dough, leaving about 1 inch between each spoonful.

Then, lay another sheet of dough over the filling, pressing the dough around and in between each ball, so it sticks to the other sheet of dough underneath. 

Cut in-between each ball of filling to form the ravioli (I used a pizza cutter). Then, press down the sides of each ravioli square with a fork to seal each ravioli closed. 

Yes, there is one smaller ravioli than the rest of them. But it made a good taste tester! ;)

If eating the ravioli right away, boil in a pot of salted water for 1-2 minutes. Seriously, it's that fast. One word of advice, however: Boil the ravioli in water that's simmering over medium to high heat, versus very high heat. The dough is delicate enough that a rapid boil might cause the ravioli to open up.

If not eating right away, store ravioli in the fridge (either in a large Ziploc bag or air-tight container). If not eating for over a few days, store in the freezer. 

Serve with desired sauce (we smothered our ravioli in basil pesto). 

I know it may seem like a lot of steps, but making your own pasta - and even your own ravioli - is actually quite easy. The process definitely takes some time, but if you have it, it is so worth it. 

Have you ever made your own ravioli before? I'm excited to experiment with new pasta doughs and fillings!

Rigatoni with Goat Cheese, Mushrooms, and Asparagus

My life has been more economical than ever these last few weeks. Getting used to not getting a regular paycheck every two weeks is...well, not easy getting used to. Thankfully, I've been extra aware of sales at the grocery store, and have been hoarding coupons - it's amazing how much money you can save just doing these two things.

One sale the grocery store had last week was pasta for $1 a box. It wasn't whole wheat pasta, which is what I normally buy, but...it was $1. I purchased a box of rigatoni and a box of mini pasta shells, two types of pasta we rarely eat in our house. Buying them was like a treat!

We already had goat cheese in our refrigerator, and had picked up mushrooms (also $1) and asparagus at the grocery store, so this meal was a no-brainer. I made enough for two people, but feel free to double the recipe to feed four (or, to give you leftovers). 

Rigatoni with Goat Cheese, Mushrooms, and Asparagus

Yields: 2 servings

-1 tablespoon olive oil

-1/2 bunch asparagus, trimmed and chopped

-Salt and black pepper, to taste

-Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

-1 teaspoon minced garlic

-4 ounces of small white button mushrooms, roughly chopped

-Splash of dry white wine (I used Chardonnay)

-2 cups cooked rigatoni

-2 ounces garlic and herb goat cheese

Directions:

1.) Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large saute pan. Add asparagus, and season with salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 3 minutes.

2.) Add garlic, and let cook for about 30 seconds. Then, add mushrooms and let everything cook for 2 minutes. (Feel free to add more olive oil, if needed). 

3.) Add wine, and let cook off for 3-4 minutes.

4.) Add pasta to the pan. Crumble goat cheese over the pasta and stir until cheese is melted, ensuring each noodle is coated with cheese.

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It's always reassuring to know that, even on a budget, a meal like this can be prepared for barely any money. The creamy, tangy goat cheese melted beautifully over the pasta, and the snappy asparagus and tender mushrooms provided wonderful texture throughout. Let's just say, I was bummed there weren't leftovers.

Bonus recipe: I used up the rest of our asparagus, mushrooms, and goat cheese in a pizza later in the week (I used my no-yeast pizza dough recipe for the crust). A fried egg on top of the pizza made for a filling meal.

What's your favorite budget-friendly meal to make at home?

Easiest Pasta 'Sauce'

It’s been a busy week.

Z’s in NYC this week for work, and I’ve had events/dinners/graduations/you name it every day after work this week (except for tonight, in which I plan to sit on my couch, drink wine and watch “The Real Housewives of New York City” like the cultured person that I am). But let’s get back the craziness of this week.

When time’s short, dinner should be easy. And dinner doesn’t get much easier than boxed pasta with a few canned goods and spices – and, believe it or not, it also doesn’t get much more delicious (at least, for the ingredients you’re using and the short amount of time you have).

Busy weeks call for the Easiest Pasta “Sauce” recipe.

Easiest Pasta "Sauce"

Yields: 2-3 servings

-2 cups canned diced tomatoes 

-8 kalamata olives, roughly chopped

-1 tsp. minced garlic

-2-3 tbsp. olive oil

-Crushed red pepper

-Dried parsley

-Salt and black pepper, to taste

-Splash of lemon juice (or white wine)

Directions:

1.) In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil on medium heat. Add tomatoes and olives, and stir; let cook on medium to low heat for 2-3 minutes. 

2.) Add garlic, and season with crushed red pepper, parsley, salt and black pepper; stir. Add lemon juice, and cook for 30 seconds more. 

3.) Let simmer for 3-5 minutes; pour over pasta and top with remaining olive oil and some grated Parmesan cheese. 

Simple, tasty, and comforting – the ideal dinner to get you through a busy week.

*Side note: If you have leftover canned diced tomatoes, I’d suggest putting them in a sealed container in the freezer – they last for a few weeks, and are great to have on hand for future last-minute dinners.

Second Helping Springtime Pasta

After our friend Zack made a feast for us (and our omnivorous friends), Z and I were left with quite a bit of leftovers. We hate wasting food, so we incorporated some of the leftover ingredients in a spring pasta dish.

The fresh parmesan, tomatoes, garlic, shallots, onions and mushrooms were all incorporated in this easy, flavorful pasta dish. I roasted the onions and shallots to give them an extra punch of flavor, and we also added some chopped up roasted peppers from Trader Joe's. The sauce was simply some olive oil, fresh lemon juice (also from Zack's leftovers) and salt and black pepper. I also added some crushed red pepper flakes for added heat.

Z and I were both surprised at how flavorful this dish was for how simply it came together. It also felt really good to turn a bunch of leftovers into a new, delicious meal.

Are you a fan of leftovers? Why or why not?

Cheating on Risotto

On Friday night, I drove to New York City to surprise my best friend from college for her birthday. It was a long trip, but well worth the mileage. By the time I got home Saturday night, however, all I wanted was a comforting, home-cooked meal. I knew I had some orzo in my pantry, as well as a box of organic vegetable broth (they were 10 for $10 at Stop & Shop a few weeks ago), so I made do with what I already had in my kitchen.

Once I realized I also had some frozen spinach and parmesan cheese in my fridge, the idea came to me: easy, delicious 'risotto.' I call this dish "Cheating on Risotto" because I felt guilty making it - but it was oh-so-good eating it. 

Cheating on Risotto
Yields: 5-6 servings
-1 pound box orzo
-2 cups vegetable stock or other broth
-1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
-1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
-2 tablespoons unsalted butter
-3 cups frozen spinach, cooked and thoroughly drained
-Salt and black pepper, to taste
-Squirt lemon juice

Directions: 
1.) Bring a pot of salty water to a boil, and cook orzo for 4-5 minutes, until softened but still hard in the center.
2.) In a separate saucepan, bring stock and thyme to a simmer. Add orzo and stir well.
3.) Simmer orzo in stock, stirring regularly, until all the liquid is absorbed.
4.) Off the heat, stir in cheese, butter and spinach, and season with salt and pepper. Squirt a small amount of lemon juice over the pasta and serve.

The end result: Luxurious, cheesy, perfectly cooked 'risotto.' It was the perfect meal to savor after a long trip - and to eat right before crawling into bed. 

What did you do this weekend?

First and Second Helping: Buitoni Pasta and Chicken Sausage Sandwiches

A few weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to receive a coupon for a free Buitoni pasta or sauce from the folks at FoodBuzz. I had never tried Buitoni's products before, so I was excited to sample some of their items. In the letter that accompanied the coupon, FoodBuzz recommended I try Buitoni's Quattro Formaggi Agnolotti, which is ravioli filled with imported Grana Padano, Parmesan, Ricotta, Fontina, and garlic.

Quick note: This particular package of Buitoni pasta would have cost me $4.89 if I didn't have the coupon - and it only feeds two people. Personally, I'd normally just buy a box of pasta that can feed 6 or 7 people for less than $4.

Buitoni recommended, for this particular pasta, that a light sauce is best since the pasta itself contains so much flavor. Taking their advice, I made a simple sauce of olive oil, white wine, garlic, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper - all cooked up with frozen veggies from the supermarket.

 

This bag of veggies has been my savior for so many meals - it contains red, green and yellow bell peppers, along with onions - all cut up and ready for me to cook/eat! In terms of the pasta dish, the end result was pillow-like ravioli chocked full of all those aforementioned, delicious cheeses - Buitoni was correct when they said the pasta holds a lot of flavor. My summery, white wine sauce was also the perfect accompaniment to the pasta - if the sauce were any heavier, it easily would have been too much, especially with all of the cheeses.

A few days later, I was still dreaming about my white wine sauce, so I used it elsewhere - in my Chicken Sausage & Pepper Sandwiches:

Chicken Sausage & Pepper Sandwiches

Yields: 2 servings

-2 links of sweet Italian-style chicken sausage, fully cooked (I used Al Fresco brand)

-1 cup Birds Eye Stir-fry Vegetables, frozen (as pictured above)

-White wine

-1 tsp. minced garlic

-Italian seasoning

-Salt and pepper

-2 tbsp. olive oil

-Pepper Jack cheese, shredded

-2 bulkie rolls (I used When Pigs Fly brand)

Directions: Brown sausage on all sides in a frying pan with 1 tbsp. olive oil, then take off heat. In a separate saute pan, heat up the other 1 tbsp. olive oil. Add stir fry vegetables, then sprinkle in Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Cook until veggies are soft, then add garlic. Once garlic is fragrant (about 20 to 30 seconds), add a few splashes of white wine. Slice sausage into 1-inch discs, and place in pan with vegetables. Serve heaping spoonfuls of sausage mixture on each roll, and top with shredded cheese.

This sandwich was seriously awesome. Again, the light oil and wine sauce worked beautifully with the veggies and sausage. This dish was filling, yet easy and light enough to enjoy on a day that's 90 degrees outside.

Have you tried Buitoni's products? Do you think they're worth the extra few bucks? Why or why not?

Whole wheat pasta with chicken sausage & arugula

I have been a horrible blogger lately - but my mini vacation to Bethel, Maine was so worth the lack of blogging (blog post to come on that trip - $2 breakfast, anyone?). But for now, I promised you a whole wheat pasta with chicken sausage and arugula recipe - so a pasta recipe you shall get.

I actually saw a tweet on Twitter a few weeks ago about using chicken sausage in pasta, and I thought it was genius. I am not a big fan of regular sausage, and I love vegetarian sausage - but I never even thought of picking up some chicken-based sausage. It was pretty affordable too, although I forget the actual price (I am a horrible blogger, after all). I almost always have whole wheat pasta in my pantry, and I had a bag of arugula and a few tomatoes in the fridge - so all I had to do was pick up the sausage for this meal.

Whole Wheat Pasta with Chicken Sausage & Arugula
Yields: 2 servings

-2 Trader Joe's Sweet Italian Style Chicken Sausages
-2 cups arugula
-1-1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
-2 cups whole wheat pasta (I used rotini), cooked
-1 tbsp. olive oil
-White wine
-Crushed red pepper
-1 tbsp. minced garlic, jarred
-Salt and pepper to taste
-Dried parsley
-Shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions: In a saucepan, heat up sausages until browned on each side. Take off pan, and cut into slices once cooled. In a separate pan, heat up olive oil and cook arugula until almost completely wilted. Add crushed red pepper, salt and pepper, and dried parsley. Cook for about 30 seconds, then add tomatoes, garlic, and sliced sausage. Add a quick pour of white wine, and let cook off for 15 seconds, then add cooked pasta. Stir, and add shredded mozzarella cheese.

This dish was so satisfying, and took 30 minutes (max) to make!

Are you a fan of chicken sausage? How have you used it in a recipe?

Creamy chicken orzo

Carbs and protein make me a very happy woman. Fortunately for my arteries and waistline, I also like vegetables. So, the other night, when I had nothing planned for dinner, I threw together some of my favorite things that I already had in my kitchen: chicken, orzo, grape tomatoes, kalamata olives and mozzarella cheese.

It felt good to use up some of the food I already had in my apartment. I’ve had the orzo in my cabinet forever, it seems, and I buy the jarred kalamata olives, so they last quite a while. Plus, Trader Joe’s had a big container of grape tomatoes for less money than four of their plum tomatoes, so I had to use up some of those, too. For the sauce, I simply heated some crushed red pepper and garlic in olive oil, seasoned it with salt, pepper, and Herbes De Provence, and added a splash of lemon juice for some acidity (I had no white wine). The end result was delicious, creamy (thanks to the melted shredded mozzarella cheese), satisfying, and free (technically). That’s my kind of dinner.

Ellie Krieger's 'So Easy' garlic-basil shrimp - with an economical eater's twist

I'll try any recipe that includes carbs and wine...especially if it's simple. I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of Ellie Krieger's So Easy cookbook from my parents this past Christmas, and every single recipe in Krieger's book is simple, approachable and nutritious.

There are a ton of recipes I can't wait to try (including her cheddar-apple quesadillas and white turkey chili), but the other night I opted for her garlic-basil shrimp recipe, under the "Dinner - Rush Hour" chapter. I had leftover frozen shrimp, some grape tomatoes, and Market Basket orzo, so I didn't even have to leave the house to make this dinner. The result: I was eating dinner in under 35 minutes, and the touch of white wine and basil gave this dish a more elegant twist versus just having pasta with sauce. I have included Krieger's original recipe here, with notes of "economical" changes I made.

Ellie Krieger's Garlic-Basil Shrimp (with my changes)
Yields: 4 servings

-2 tbsp. olive oil
-1 1/4 pounds large shrimp (20 to 25 per pound), peeled and deveined (I used frozen, medium-sized shrimp I had leftover. Frozen = cheaper)
-3 garlic cloves, minced (I used 3 tbsp. of minced, jarred garlic I had in the fridge)
-1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste (I used more - probably a good 1/2 tsp., and it wasn't spicy)
-3/4 cup dry white wine
-1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
-1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil (I used about 1/8 cup dried basil that I already had. Dried herbs tend to be stronger in flavor than fresh)
-3 cups cooked orzo pasta, preferably whole wheat (I used white, because I already had that in my pantry)
-Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste (I just used regular table salt/pepper)

Directions: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot, then add the shrimp and cook, turning over once, until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl.
Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the remaining oil and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the wine and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and basil, and season the sauce with salt and pepper. Return the shrimp to the pan and cook just until heated through. Serve with the orzo.

On the side, I used another one of Krieger's recipes for Herbed Goat Cheese Crostinis. You simply slice a whole wheat baguette in 1/2-inch thick slices, rub with a fresh garlic clove (cut in half), spread with herbed goat cheese, and stick under the broiler until golden. Having two slices of the crostini on the side also made this meal more special, versus just having wheat bread with butter.

What's your favorite go-to cookbook for simple, yet tasty recipes?

Turkey meatballs with herbs and garlic

Growing up, my mother made the best meatballs - which is ironic, since her spaghetti was always questionable. Her meatballs, however, were always juicy, full of flavor, monstrous, and slow-cooked in the crockpot. Cold, cozy Sundays always smell like tomato sauce and bubbling beef to me - such glorious foodie memories. Now that I've been cooking for myself for the last several years, however, I've become a bigger fan of ground turkey, and almost always choose the bird over the beef. Although I know I will never be able to make a meatball taste as delicious as my mother can, I strive to pack my turkey meatballs with tons of spices and garlic, while allowing them to still taste like turkey. Oh, and I try to get them as big as my mother's infamous meatballs, too. Here goes:

Turkey Meatballs
Yields: 10 meatballs

-1 package ground turkey (lean, with no seasonings) (turkey breast can be used here, too, although it's usually $1+ more expensive)
-1 egg
-1 palmful Italian bread crumbs
-1 1/2 tbsp. minced garlic, jarred
-1 tbsp. Italian seasoning
-Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Empty package of ground turkey in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix with hands, without over "kneading" the meat. Roll into 10 balls, and place on baking sheet. Cook at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through. Check meatballs prior to end cooking time, to ensure they don't overcook/dry out.

I enjoyed these herb-infused meatballs with my pasta sauce (made with frozen veggies this time), and whole wheat rotini pasta. Mangia!

The underestimated orzo

Orzo is one pasta I’ve wrongly underestimated. I used to think, “What, besides soup, could I possibly make with pasta that looks and feels like rice?” Well, after Market Basket offered orzo at the smallest price in the pasta aisle, I made do with the rice-shaped pasta – and now there’s no turning back. Orzo is extremely versatile, and I always have random leftover veggies, meats and cheeses in my fridge that need to be used up in new, delicious ways. Orzo allows me to use up these ingredients, while not having to eat the same dinner three nights in a row. Below is one such orzo dish I made with jarred kalamata olives, feta cheese, and tomatoes – a light, healthy meal that made use of still-fresh produce and sale-priced orzo. Mangia!


Out-of-the-fridge Orzo

Yields: 1

-1/3 cup dry orzo

-4 jarred kalamata olives, chopped

-1/8 cup crumbled feta cheese

-2 tbsp olive oil

-1/2 plum tomato, diced

-1 tbsp. jarred minced garlic

-Dried parsley

-Italian seasoning

-Crushed red pepper (for heat)

-Salt and black pepper

Directions: Boil 1 quart of water, with salt. Add orzo, and let cook for 5-7 minutes, or until al dente. In a separate sauce pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil. Throw in tomato, and add salt, black pepper, red pepper, parsley and Italian seasoning (amount to your taste preference/tolerance). When tomatoes are near mushy, add garlic. Cook for 30 more seconds, then add orzo, and toss with the remaining tbsp. of olive oil. Sprinkle in feta cheese, and serve with an extra dusting of parsley.

Blogger’s note: I include the serving size of the pasta (and will in past/future recipes), because I am a stickler for serving sizes. Paying attention to a packaged product’s recommended single serving not only keeps my weight in check, but also my wallet – by eating only a serving size of orzo, for example, I get the full eight servings out of the box, versus half that.