Monday, March 4, 2024

Rigatoni Alfredo with Chicken and Kale

 



We love pasta at our house, and I especially love it when it can be loaded with veggies. I also especially love it when it can be made in ONE POT. This is both.



This also fits my weeknight trifecta: delicious, easy, fast. AND it's "fancy" enough to serve to company, too - just add a green salad and some sort of garlicky carb, and you've got a great dinner. (Chocolate lava cakes for dessert, anyone?)




Kale is a veg that is so good for you, but I have to admit it's not my favorite. So when it can get chopped up and then wilted in a dish like this, it's a lot easier to take.



Since I last made this, I've actually figured out that I can tolerate kale a lot better if I chop it super fine in my food processor - here I've just roughly chopped it by hand, which was ok because of the wilting factor. But that's a tip I gladly share with you for salads or other raw appearances of kale - mince it up in the chopper, and it's WAY better!



However you choose to deal with the kale, this is a delicious dish that won hearty approval from everyone around the table - young adults PLUS their friends. So that's a major win in my book.




  • Rigatoni Alfredo with Chicken and Kale
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 3 small chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds), diced
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 8 ounces rigatoni
  • 2/3 cup chicken broth
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 3-4 ounces kale, chopped
  • 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan

  • Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 6-7 minutes, turning after the first 2 or 4, until browned and cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  • Add the chopped onions to the skillet and cook over medium heat until they turn translucent; then add the garlic and cook and stir for 30 seconds. Add in the pasta, milk, and broth. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium low and cook for about 10 minutes at a light simmer.  
  • When the pasta is al dente, stir in the cream and the Parmesan, leaving a little cheese for garnish. Add the kale, stir, and cover again and let the kale wilt for 2-3 minutes. Add in the chicken and stir to distribute it through the dish, letting the chicken warm back up. 
  • Sprinkle with pepper, parsley and Parmesan before serving. Serves 6.






Thursday, February 22, 2024

Banana Layer Cake

 


My husband chose this cake for his birthday this year, and since he normally says "whatever you want" when I ask what HE wants for his birthday dessert, I figured I better make exactly what he picked out! 
 



And I'm glad he did. This is banana bread on steroids - a delicious layer cake with cream cheese frosting. 




This is a nice change of pace from heavy chocolate cakes or the like - but is still completely substantial. 




The cream cheese frosting adds a delicious richness to the cake - when I make this again, I might be tempted to double the frosting! If you need an easy, delicious cake for the weekend, or for any celebration, and you love banana bread - this is the winner!







Banana Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cake:
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. banana extract, optional
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3 medium ripe bananas, mashed

Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
½ cup butter, softened
3 tsp. milk or cream
1 tsp. banana extract (use vanilla if you don't have banana)
1½ cup powdered sugar

For the cake, in a large mixing bowl, beat sugar and butter until smooth and creamy. Add buttermilk and vanilla, and banana extract (if you have it). Mix until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition until combined.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add the dry mixture gradually, beating until combined. Fold in mashed bananas.

Pour into greased 8 or 9 inch round cake pans and bake at 350 on center rack of oven for 30-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. (Time will vary based on your pan size.) Remove to wire rack to cool, then remove from pan.

For the frosting, mix together the cream cheese, butter, milk and extract until light and fluffy. Slowly add powdered sugar, a little at a time, mixing until smooth and creamy.

Generously frost bottom layer of cake, stopping at the edge. Place top layer on frosted bottom layer, then frost top layer generously, then frost the sides. (If you prefer, you can leave the sides "plain" and just frost the middle and top. Up to you!) Chill until frosting is firmed up before slicing.  Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Tuesday, February 6, 2024

Banh Mi Turkey Burgers




Do you need to shake up your dinner routine a bit? Are you in a menu rotation rut? Do you love trying new flavors and experimenting with "fusion"? Then this recipe is for you!! This got two thumbs up from everyone at our dinner table, and the leftovers were great, too.




This recipe does require a little planning ahead, because the vegetables need time to pickle. You can get those ready the night before, the morning of, or even a day before. After that, this comes together really quickly - whip up the burgers, mix up a spicy sauce (only 2 ingredients!) and quickly toast the buns, and you are ready to go.




My family loves traditional banh mi (made with pork) but we really enjoyed this turkey burger version. It's a great way to get lots of veggies ON your burger, and a wonderful combination of flavors. Fusion away, baby!


Banh Mi Turkey Burgers

  • 1 

    carrot, sliced into matchsticks

  • 1 

    cucumber, sliced into matchsticks

  • 1 

    jalapeño, thinly sliced

  • 1/4 cup 

    rice vinegar

  • 1/4 cup 

    water

  • 1 Tbsp. salt

  • 1 Tbsp. 

    plus 1 tsp. sugar (divided)

  • 1/4 c. 

    mayonnaise

  • 2 Tbsp. 

    sriracha, divided

  • 2 lb. 

    ground turkey

  • 1 Tbsp. 

    fish sauce

  • 2 

    cloves garlic, finely chopped

  • 2 

    green onions, thinly sliced

  • 1 1/2 tsp. 

    cornstarch

  • 2 Tbsp. 

    toasted sesame oil or vegetable oil

  • 6 

    brioche hamburger buns

  • Fresh cilantro leaves 


  • In a medium bowl, combine cucumber, carrot, jalapeño slices and salt. Add vinegar, water, and 1 Tbsp. sugar. Mix until combined and chill for at least 6 hours to meld the flavors and perfectly pickle the vegetables. (You can also do this a day or two ahead of time.) 

  • For the spicy mayo, mix together mayonnaise and 1 Tbsp. Sriracha, adding more hot sauce if desired. 

  • For the burgers, in a medium bowl combine the turkey, remaining 1 tablespoon of Sriracha, cornstarch, fish sauce, remaining 1 tsp. sugar, garlic and green onions. Mix with your hands just until all combined, and be careful not to overmix. Season meat with salt and pepper. Divide the mixture into six equal patties. Heat sesame oil (or vegetable oil) in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the burgers, flipping once, until cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. As the burgers begin to brown, add about 1/2 cup water to the pan and cover. Cook for a few minutes or until the internal temperature is 165 degrees F. 

  • To serve, top each brioche bun with a burger patty, a generous slathering of spicy mayo and a scoopful of pickled vegetables. Garnish with cilantro leaves. (I like to lightly toast the buns first - just on a dry skillet over medium low heat - do watch them carefully so they don't burn.)

Friday, January 26, 2024

Meatball and Butternut Squash Orzo




About this time of year, I start to get really uninspired with menu planning and cooking. It's the end of January, but I feel like I've had enough comfort food, but we're nowhere near ready for spring yet. So a dish like this comes in handy. Hearty enough for the winter but not so heavy that you feel like you can't move. Chock full of protein AND colorful vegetables, with a creamy pasta base -- there's something here for everyone!




This recipe comes together pretty quickly, too, making it great for a weeknight. While you roast the squash and bake the meatballs (same time!), you assemble the rest of the dish. You can absolutely make your own meatballs for this, but I pick up a pound of fresh ones already made, then I re-roll them to make 24 instead of 12. They bake more quickly when they're a little smaller, too. 



Cook the orzo, add spinach and a bit of half and half for creaminess,


 then add back in the squash and the meatballs. Voila! Dinner is done. 




Here's a close up of all that goodness! 





Meatball and Butternut Squash Orzo

16 oz. pork/beef/chicken meatballs
12 oz. butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 tsp. thyme
1 cup orzo
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chicken broth
5 oz fresh spinach
1/2 cup half and half

If you are using unbaked meatballs, bake them at the same time as the squash. (I get the 12-pack of fresh meatballs at Aldi, and re-roll them to make 24 meatballs.)

In a large bowl, toss cubed butternut squash with 1 Tbsp. olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, and thyme. Spread the squash on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in one layer, without overcrowding. Roast at 400 F on the middle rack for 20 or 30 minutes. 

Combine orzo, minced garlic, and remaining Tbsp. of olive oil in a large skillet. Cook the orzo over medium heat, stirring, for about 2 minutes until browned. Add chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 5 or 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is cooked through.

Reduce heat to low, add spinach, and stir it in until it wilts. Add half-and-half, then stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Add roasted butternut squash and baked meatballs to the cooked orzo. Serves 6.

Thursday, December 28, 2023

Best Recipes of 2023

 


The New Year is upon us, but before we turn the calendar, and before sharing new recipes, I want to remind us of the best recipes this past year from this blog.

For the "best recipes" feature I always choose the recipes that have made it into regular rotation in our house -- that is a sure sign that they are the "best" and not just "very good," - which is the standard by which they make the blog in the first place!

The recipes below are ones I have now made over and over again. If you haven't tried them yet, make a New Year's resolution to try a few new recipes this year! I hope they'll be as popular at your house as they are at mine.





I was on cloud 9 when I realized I didn't have to use my sourdough starter (and its discard) for bread baking every weekend. I love sourdough bread, but it is a COMMITMENT. And I don't always have the time/energy/dedication for making traditional sourdough. But there are a lot of other things you can do with discard, including this amazing banana bread. I will never go back to making regular banana bread again. The 1/2 cup of sourdough starter (you can use freshly fed or discard!) really makes a difference. This is the best banana bread you'll ever eat. If you don't have a sourdough starter, figure out how to get one - just so you can make this banana bread!





This is, hands down, my favorite recipe of the year. It comes to us from Pinch of Yum, and from the first time I tried it, was an instant and huge success at our house. I now make it about every three weeks! So it is definitely a standard. I make it for family dinners, when we have company, to take as a meal to someone with a new baby, you name it, this dish works! It's not saucy like other stir fries, but you won't miss the sauce - the flavors are so fresh and light and just so darn delicious. If you don't make any other recipe this year, make this one!


Now that I've named Ginger Peanut Chicken as my favorite recipe of the year, I don't suppose I can name another one? This one is also very good - a flavorful rub is added to the salmon, and it gets a quick bake in the oven while you make a delightful sauce from red curry and coconut milk. Heaps of spinach finish off the dish. I usually find this makes enough sauce that I can get a second meal by adding shrimp to the sauce. Two in one! Score!

I initially made this for a birthday meal at our house (that's gutsy - trying a new recipe for a birthday!) and it turned out to be a family favorite that was requested for subsequent birthdays! Phew! Italian sausage and peppers swim in a creamy sauce with bucatini to swirl it all up. This is the kind of pasta that dreams are made of.


This made an appearance at several picnics this year and would be just as good in the winter as a side dish to beef or pork. Roasted potatoes with chives, cheese, bacon, and a yummy mustard-y dressing makes any dinner (or picnic) better!





This salad is not photogenic at all, but it is life-altering delicious. It got rave reviews from my teenage nephews, who said it tasted just like Chipotle. If you know anything about teenage boys, you know that's a high compliment! Pasta, corn, bacon, avocados, queso fresco, and more -- the sum is definitely greater than the parts on this one. 





These little beauties are the perfect dessert - a little cookie, a little custard, a little fruit - and perfectly sized to enjoy after dinner. (I don't know about you but I can't fathom eating those giant restaurant-sized chocolate cake pieces after dinner!) This is just the right amount of dessert, and so fresh and light. You make the custard from scratch, but it is easy peasy. These would be especially perfect for Easter or Mother's Day. 

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

Ricciarelli (Italian Almond Cookies)




I rarely make the same cookies two years in a row, but for these little delights, I made an exception. We enjoyed these so much last year that they made the list this year again. And these cookies are gluten AND dairy free, and can be made vegan by using aquafaba instead of an egg. (Aquafaba is the liquid in the chickpea can, and it "acts" like an egg!) So they're perfect if you have relatives or friends with special dietary needs. 


I know some of you read gluten and dairy free and think - oh taste free, too! NOT AT ALL. These are really good, especially if you love almonds. They have a triple whammy - almond flour, almond extract, and sliced almonds. 


I also love that these are two-bite cookies. I like smaller cookies because that means you can try more varieties at your party or gathering! HA!


Try these - I know you won't be disappointed!


Ricciarelli (Italian Almond Cookies) 

2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. orange zest
pinch salt
1 egg or 1/4 cup aquafaba
2 Tbsp. apricot jam (or peach jam or orange marmalade)
1 tsp. almond extract
1 1/2 cups sliced almonds

In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, sugar, salt, and orange zest. In a separate bowl,  whisk the egg until frothy (just by hand is fine) and then add the jam and extract and stir until combined and the jam is incorporated. 

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir well until all the ingredients are incorporated. Place in the refrigerator for about half an hour to chill.

Once the dough is chilled, scoop out tablespoonfuls and roll each into a ball.  
Place the sliced almonds into a small bowl then roll each dough ball in them until covered. Use your hands to help press them into the dough. (The shape might become more football-ish which is totally fine.) 

Place the cookies on a silpat or parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 12-14 minutes or until golden. Let cool for a few minutes on the sheet then cool completely on a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.


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