Creamy Pasta with Spinach and Fried Capers

Want a meal with virtually NO PREP?! This pasta is great as a meal or a side dish. You need to decide what you will use it as and modify the recipe accordingly. However, it's pretty good as leftovers too. The pasta is gemelli. You may not know about this pasta but it is fun! It's like rotini being in a spiral shape but it is skinny and hollow with fatter twists. Just find it and enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

• Salt
• 1 pound gemelli, strozzapreti or other short pasta
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 1/4 cup capers, drained
• 1 large clove garlic, smashed
• 2 packed cups spinach, stemmed and chopped
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• Pepper
• 1 pinch nutmeg (optional)
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DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving the pot.

2. While the pasta is working, in a medium skillet, heat the EVOO, 8 turns of the pan, over medium heat. Add the capers and fry until they open, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Add the garlic to the skillet and cook until lightly golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, 1 minute.

3. In the pasta pot, whisk the ricotta and milk over low heat until warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with the thyme, some pepper and the nutmeg, if using. Add the pasta and toss to coat. 

4. Discard the garlic and stir the spinach into the pasta. If desired, add some of the spinach oil from the skillet. Top with the fried capers.

Roasted-Potato Pennette

When the hubby and I were considering being vegetarian for a week, we found this Rachael Ray recipe. It is mostly pasta and potatoes so it is very filling. It was not as good as leftovers but that's just because it was so good freshly cooked.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 large baking potatoes (aboout 1-1/2 pounds)
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 pound small tube pasta, such as pennette rigate
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
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DIRECTIONS:

1. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 450°. Cut the potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the potatoes with 3 tablespoons olive oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; arrange in an even layer. Roast until golden and crisp at the edges, 25 to 30 minutes

2. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and transfer to a bowl. Add the parsley, butter and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss. Season with salt and pepper; add the potatoes and toss again.

Stretch a Buck Turkey and Bean Burgers

Take a wild guess where this recipe came from. =) Rachael Ray is obsessed with burgers so the hubby has no problem with this recipe. This recipe is great if you have leftover rice from a previous recipe or takeout Chinese.

Ingredients

• 1 cup cold leftover white or brown rice
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• Palmful chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons, half a palmful, cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander, half a palmful
• 1 tablespoon grill seasoning, (recommended: Montreal Seasoning by McCormick)
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 clove garlic, grated or finely chopped
• 1 lime, zested and juiced
• 1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 4 red leaf lettuce leaves
• 1 ripe tomato, sliced
• 4 crusty rolls, split

Directions

Combine rice, meat and beans with spices and grill seasoning. Form 4 big patties from the meat and bean mixture then heat 1 tablespoon oil, a turn of the pan, in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook patties 7 to 8 minutes on each side.

While burgers cook, combine avocado with garlic, lime zest and juice, jalapeno and red onion. Mash to roughly combine, then stir in the sour cream.

Place burgers on buns with lettuce and tomato and top with sour cream guacamole.

Vegetable-Noodle Stir-Fry

This recipe, surprise surprise, is from Rachael Ray. There will be an ingredient or two in the sauce that you may not own. Trust me, go buy it and make this recipe. You will be making it enough times to use that ingredient. I made this recipe for when Jerome came home from classes one day. He went back for multiple bowls. I love this recipe and want to make it again soon.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound whole grain spaghetti or linguine pasta
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 baby bok choy, thinly sliced
• 1 small red bell pepper, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 small bunch scallions, chopped into 3-inch lengths
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• A handful of snow peas, thinly sliced on an angle
• One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
• 2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup tamari or other soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons black bean sauce
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce or sambal olek sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey or sugar
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta
   and cook until al dente. Drain.
2. While the pasta is working, in a large skillet or wok,
   heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 turn of the pan,
   over high heat. Add the eggs and scramble until firm.
   Transfer to a plate.  Add the remaining 2 tablespoons
   vegetable oil, 2 turns of the pan, and heat until smoking.
   Add the bok choy, bell pepper, scallions, carrots and
   snow peas and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the ginger and
   garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute more.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the tamari, black bean sauce,
   lime juice, hot sauce, honey and sesame oil.
4. Toss the pasta with the sauce and vegetables. Top with the egg.

Two Bean Ranch Wrap

I found this recipe in high school with others that use the brand Ranch Style beans. One thing I do differently is the instant rice. We love jasmine rice so we use a rice cooker and jasmine rice for any recipe that needs rice. We also just discovered that Ranch Style Beans with Jalapenos adds a little extra heat. We just remove the jalapenos  once we put the can of beans in the mixture.

Ingredients
2 cans (10oz) ROTEL diced tomatoes & green chilies
2 cups instant rice
2/3 cup water
2 cups (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
1 can (15 oz) Ranch Style Beans, undrained
1 can (15 oz) Ranch Style (any brand is ok) Black Beans, undrained
1/2 cup chopped scallions
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
12 10-inch flour tortillas
Salsa, if desired

Instructions
1. In a large saucepan, combine ROTEL, rice, and water.
2. Heat to boiling, reduce heat, cover, and simmer 1 minute. Remove from heat.
3. Let stand for 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
4. Stir in cheese, beans, scallions, and cilantro.
5. Spread about 1/2 cup mixture over each tortilla to within 1/2 inch of edge. Roll to enclose.
6. Serve with salsa if desired.

Mini Meatball Minestra

This is a recipe by, of course, Rachael Ray. We did have to use ground turkey instead of the meatloaf mix. I'm thinking about making my own meatloaf mix. I cannot find it in a store (especially since Stillwater is limited in grocery options). I found that it's equal parts beef, pork & veal. However, ground veal is hard to find too. If I find it, I will make my own mix, make extra and freeze it.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 pound pancetta, diced
• 1 medium-large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
• 2 heads escarole, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
• 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained
• 2 quarts chicken stock
• 3 cups water
• 1 pound ground beef, pork and veal, meat loaf mix
• 1 large egg
• 2 handfuls bread crumbs
• Splash milk
• A handful grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus some to pass at table
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• A handful fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
• 1 cup mini penne or ditalini pasta
• 1 lemon, zested, for garnish

Directions

In a heavy bottomed soup pot heat olive oil over medium to medium-high heat. Add pancetta and cook until crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Add onions and 2 cloves of garlic and saute 4 to 5 minutes then add the escarole and wilt. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir in beans, add stock and water and bring to boil.

While stock comes to a boil, combine meat, egg, bread crumbs, milk, a handful of cheese, fennel, allspice, parsley, salt and pepper. Combine and roll into 1-inch balls, and add to the soup. Cook 2 minutes then add in pasta and cook 6 minutes more. Turn off the heat, garnish with lemon zest and serve with cheese passed at the table.

Hash Brown Casserole

I was looking for a recipe that reminded me of the Hash Brown Casserole that Cracker Barrel makes. This is the one I tried. I honestly don't know how close it is because I am obsessed with this recipe. It is so good to me I don't even care if it's like Cracker Barrel's recipe or not.


Prep. Time: 0:45
Serves: 8
10.25 oz. can condensed cream of chicken soup
8 oz. Colby cheese - grated
1/2 cup melted butter OR margarine
1 sm. onion - minced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 lb. bag frozen shredded hash browns


-Spray a 13" X 9" X 2" baking pan with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.
-In a bowl, combine soup, cheese, butter, onion, salt, and pepper.
-Gently fold the potatoes into the mixture and pour into prepared pan.
-Bake in a 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes, until heated through and top is browned.