Garlic Steak Pasta Bowl

GARLIC STEAK PASTA BOWL

There's not a better way to use leftover steak.  This was super easy and tasted great!  I called it "garlic steak" because I used this recipe when we grilled the steak.  However, feel free to use whatever you may have leftover.

Garlic Steak Pasta Bowl

INGREDIENTS:

1lb of leftover grilled steak, cubed

2 cups pasta, cooked
1 orange bell pepper, sliced

1/2 of a large red onion, chopped in bite sized pieces

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium high heat.  Add oil.  Once oil is heated, add onions and pepper to the pan.  Saute veggies until tender (5-7 mins).  Season veggies with garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Add pasta and sauted veggies to a bowl and toss together.  Top with grilled steak.  Enjoy!

Chicken Pasta Salad with Toasted Pecans

CHICKEN PASTA SALAD WITH TOASTED PECANS

This chicken salad was delicious.  I kept it pretty basic, but the toasted pecans give it amazing flavor.

Chicken Pasta Salad with Toasted Pecans (adapted from Allrecipes)

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 cups chopped, cooked chicken meat

1/2 cup toasted pecans

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

1.5 cup of pasta shells, cooked

DIRECTIONS:

To toast pecans, put them on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven at 300 degrees for about 5 minutes, or until they become aromatic.  Watch them, because they can burn easily.

In a medium bowl, mix together mayonnaise, lemon juice, and pepper. Toss with chicken, pecans, pasta and celery.

Creamy Taco Mac

CREAMY TACO MAC

Thanks, Annie, for another great recipe.  This was such an easy dish to make after a long day at work.  Soooo tasty and much, much better than the boxed stuff.

Creamy Taco Mac (Annie's Eats)

Ingredients:

1¼ lbs. ground turkey

8 oz. dry pasta shapes

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained

4 tbsp. taco seasoning

3 oz. cream cheese

½ cup sour cream

Salt and pepper

Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain, reserving ½ cup of pasta water. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet or sauté pan, cook the ground turkey over medium-high heat until no longer pink. A few minutes before the turkey is cooked through, add the chopped onion to the skillet. Once the turkey is cooked through, mix in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Mix in the diced tomatoes and taco seasoning and let simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked pasta, cream cheese, sour cream and reserved pasta water, and continue stirring until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over medium-low heat 3-5 minutes to reduce the sauce a bit. Remove from the heat and top with shredded cheddar cheese, if desired.

Source: adapted from Delish

Spaghetti with Sausage and Simple Tomato Sauce

SPAGHETTI WITH SAUSAGE AND SIMPLE TOMATO SAUCE

So delicious!  Great weeknight meal.  I added some red bell pepper and spinach.

Spaghetti with Sausage and Simple Tomato Sauce (Cooking Light)

INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces hot Italian turkey sausage links
8 ounces uncooked spaghetti
1 (28-ounce) can no-salt-added whole tomatoes, undrained
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup torn fresh basil
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat broiler.

2. Arrange sausage on a small baking sheet. Broil sausage 5 minutes on each side or until done. Remove pan from oven (do not turn broiler off). Cut sausage into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange slices in a single layer on baking sheet. Broil sausage slices 2 minutes or until browned.

3. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

4. Place tomatoes in a food processor; process until almost smooth. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add crushed red pepper and minced garlic; sauté 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, sugar, and salt; cook 4 minutes or until slightly thick. Add sausage and cooked pasta to pan; toss well. Top with fresh basil and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Teriyaki Pork and Vegetables with Noodles

TERIYAKI PORK AND VEGETABLES WITH NOODLES

Like I said in an earlier post, I am following Weight Watchers, so you'll be seeing a lot of lighter, healthier dishes. Over the weekend, I was thumbing through my old Cooking Light magazines and found this recipe. It sounded so good and I was really looking forward to trying it.

Boy am I glad I did. The flavor was so nice and light and it was a nice change from the typical chicken dishes I've been making. We'll definitely be having this again!

Teriyaki Pork and Vegetables with Noodles

Cooking Light

INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces uncooked spaghetti (I used whole wheat pasta)
4 green onions
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper (I used a whole pepper)
3 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick), cut into 1/4-inch strips
1 (3 1/2-ounce) package shiitake mushrooms, sliced (I used 4 mushrooms)
1/3 cup low-sodium teriyaki sauce
4 teaspoons chili garlic sauce (such as Lee Kum Kee)

DIRECTIONS:
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid; keep warm.

Remove green tops from green onions; thinly slice, and set aside. Mince white portions of green onions; set aside.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add minced green onions, bell pepper, pork, and mushrooms; sauté 3 minutes or until pork is browned. Combine reserved 1/4 cup cooking liquid (I omitted), teriyaki sauce, and chili garlic sauce in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add pasta and teriyaki sauce mixture to pan; toss well to coat. Stir in sliced green onion tops.

Yield
4 servings (serving size: about 1 3/4 cups)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 444(27% from fat); FAT 13.5g (sat 4.1g,mono 4.6g,poly 2.7g); IRON 3.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 55mg; CALCIUM 40mg; CARBOHYDRATE 51.9g; SODIUM 633mg; PROTEIN 26.3g; FIBER 3.1g

Barefoot Bloggers: Pasta, Pesto & Peas

PASTA, PESTO & PEAS

This was my first Barefoot Bloggers post. How exciting!! Barefoot Bloggers is an event dedicated to Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten. This group is perfect for me because Matt & I both love Ina.

This recipe was chosen by Elizabeth of Ugg Smell Food. The pasta turned out delicious. I halved the recipe, as it makes a TON. I didn't end up making my own pesto, but I will next time for sure. My recipe, with changes, is below. Be sure to check out Barefoot Bloggers to see the results and check out Food Network for Ina's original recipe!

PASTA, PESTO & PEAS

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 pound fusilli pasta
3/4 pound bow tie pasta
1/4 cup good olive oil (I omitted)
1 1/2 cups pesto, packaged or see recipe below
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/4 cups good mayonnaise (I omitted)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
1/3 cup pignolis (pine nuts)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Cook the fusilli and bow ties separately in a large pot of boiling salted water for 10 to 12 minutes until each pasta is al dente. Drain and cool to room temperature.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree the pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pasta and then add the Parmesan, peas, pignolis, salt, and pepper. Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room temperature.

PESTO:
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup pignolis (pine nuts)
3 tablespoons chopped garlic (9 cloves)
5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups good olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Place the walnuts, pignolis, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 15 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. Use right away or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top.

Notes:
Air is the enemy of pesto. For freezing, pack it in containers with a film of oil or plastic wrap directly on top with the air pressed out.

To clean basil, remove the leaves, swirl them in a bowl of water, and then spin them very dry in a salad spinner. Store them in a closed plastic bag with a slightly damp paper towel. As long as the leaves are dry they will stay green for several days.

Yield: 4 cups

Lemon Pasta

LEMON PASTA

I had seen this recipe on Brooke's blog today and just had to try it. The 'original' version of this recipe comes from Lovestoeat.

I made a few changes to the original recipe and it turned out delicious. Such a light, flavorful dish that went great with our blackened chicken. We'll definitely be making this again!

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 box whole wheat thin spaghetti

2/3 cup lemon juice

1/3 cup olive oil

1-2 tbsp dried basil

1 tbsp garlic powder

1/4 cup Pecorino Romano

Crushed red pepper, to taste

Salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Whisk all other ingredients together. Toss pasta with the lemon sauce and serve immediately.

Ground Turkey Pasta Bake

GROUND TURKEY PASTA BAKE

This was so quick and easy. I wanted to throw something together with what we had in the house. This worked out great and it was so tasty. I served it with a tossed salad. YUM!

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound of ground turkey
2 cups macaroni noodles, uncooked
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, pressed
1/2 cup white wine
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
1/4 cup Pecorino Romano
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1 tablespoon Italian breadcrumbs

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 8x8 baking dish.

Cook pasta as directed.

Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium/medium-high heat. Add onions, ground turkey and cook until browned. Add garlic and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute). Add white wine and cook until reduced by half. Add tomato sauce, bay leaf, oregano, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and simmer for 20 mins. Remove bay leaf. Add Pecorino Romano and stir.

Add cooked pasta to sauce and stir to coat. Pour pasta mixture into the greased baking dish. Top with breadcrumbs and mozzarella cheese. Bake until cheese melts, about 10 to 15 mins.

Creamy Orzo

CREAMY ORZO

YUM! This was so good! I'll definitely make it again. I didn't add the peas, but ended up serving them as a side. Matt picked out the tomatoes, WHATEVER! I loved it, so that's all that matters!

P.S. I halved this recipe and it still made a TON!

Creamy Orzo
(Food Network - Giada)

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, juices drained
1 1/4 cups whipping cream
1 cup frozen peas, thawed (I omitted)
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Crushed red pepper flakes (I added)
Parsley (I added)

DIRECTIONS:
Bring a heavy large saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the orzo and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic, and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until they are tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in the cream and peas. Add the orzo and toss to coat. Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the Parmesan to the pasta mixture and toss to coat. Stir the pasta mixture until the sauce coats the pasta thickly, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to maintain a creamy consistency. Season the orzo with salt and pepper, and serve.

Roasted Pepper & Onion Pasta Bake

We'll call this a 'cleaning out the closet' meal. I had some chicken sausage in the freezer that I wanted to use up, so I put together this dish. It was so good and flavorful.

Roasted Pepper & Onion Pasta Bake

INGREDIENTS

1/2 lb of elbow macaroni

1 green bell pepper, sliced in chunks

1/2 large red bell pepper, sliced in chunks

1 large onion, cut into chunks

4 garlic cloves

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

3 links chicken sausage w/ fennel

2 1/2 tablespoons Italian style tomato paste

1 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes, with juice

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine the peppers and onion in a 9x13 baking dish. Coat the peppers, garlic and onions with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place uncovered baking dish in the oven and roast for 30-40 mins, or until done. Once done, mash the garlic.

Cook the chicken sausage in a pan. Once cooked, slice into half moons.

Cook the macaroni, as directed.

In a large bowl, combine the roasted vegtables, chicken sausage, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Once the macaroni is cooked, drain and add to the sausage mixture.

Coat a 9x9 pan with cooking spray. Pour the pasta mixture into the pan.

In a small bowl, mix 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs with 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture. Dot the top with small bits of butter.

Bake until the top is golden brown. About 20-30 mins.

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

This was such an easy meal to whip up. I found this recipe on Food Network. The flavors came together so nicely. My recipe below is halved and was just enough for Matt and I. So, if you make the original recipe, it will likely serve 3-4. Enjoy!

SPAGHETTI alla CARBONARA (Food Network)

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 pound spaghetti
1 cup cubed pancetta rind removed
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons dry white wine
2 eggs
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons heavy cream
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly ground nutmeg

DIRECTIONS:
Put a large pan of water on to boil for the pasta.

In another large pan that will fit the pasta later, cook the pancetta cubes in the oil until crispy but not crunchy. Pour over the white wine or vermouth and let it bubble away so that, after a few minutes, you have a small amount of salty winey syrup left. Take the pan off the heat.

In a bowl, beat together the eggs, Parmesan, cream, and pepper. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, but since you want it kept al dente start checking it 2 minutes before end of the recommended cooking time.

When the pasta is done, remove approximately 1/4 cup of the pasta water before draining. Put the pan with the bacon cubes back on the heat and add the drained pasta, tossing well to coat with the syrupy pancetta. Take the pan off the heat again and add the eggs and cheese mixture, swiftly tossing everything to mix. Thin with pasta water, if needed. Grind over some more pepper and grate over the nutmeg to serve.

Saucy!

So, I had some leftover pancetta from my Dirty Risotto, so I searched for a receipe to use it up! I came across this receipe on the Food Network, of course created by Giada. After all of the Giada raves, I knew this would probably be a great dish....and it was! The sauce was oh-so flavorful! It was such a hit with my sister and husband. They both had seconds. This is the first meal with no leftovers!!

The only things I did different with the recipe was that I added the Pecorino Romano to the sauce vs. tossing it in and I didn't toss the noodles with the sauce. I'm more of a saucy girl, so I like to add extra to my noodles!

PASTA WITH PANCETTA AND TOMATO SAUCE (Giada De Laurentiis)

INGREDIENTS:

6 ounces pancetta, diced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

Sea salt (did not use)

2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

Pinch dried crushed red pepper flakes (used a couple pinches)

1 (28-ounce) can tomato puree

1 pound linguine

1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano

DIRECTIONS:

Add the pancetta to a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and saute until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato puree. Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat until the sauce thickens slightly and the flavors blend, about 15 minutes. Season the sauce with salt, to taste.

Meanwhile, boil the linguine in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Toss the linguine with the sauce in the skillet, adding some of the reserved cooking liquid until the pasta is moist but being careful not to dilute the sauce. Toss with the cheese. Season with salt, to taste