The last couple Fridays, I've shared some grilling ideas and grilled pizza recipes. But this Friday, it's all about the light. the tasty. the refreshing. And simple too. It's a "boil the kale, boil the pasta, then toss with some lemon and Parmesan" kind of simple. Serve like this...or with some fresh fruit...or with a side of grilled chicken slices. Whatever … [Read more...]
Lasagna with Kale, Zucchini and Garden Herbs
Kale. Have you ever cooked with it?! It kinda fits in the spinach category...at least in terms of how you can use it and in what recipes. It works well with pasta (I'll be sharing another recipe later this week. But not too many after that, because I fear that kale will take over the site if I share more than 2 in a short time frame!) I grew kale for the first time this … [Read more...]
Marinated Vegetable Pasta
This is a great light summer recipe that is loaded with vegetables from the garden or farmer's market. We make a version of this dish at the Cooking Class that I teach for our hospital. It is always delicious and is a great way to highlight summer produce. I used Ronzoni Smart Taste pasta for this dish. It is also great with whole wheat pasta for added fiber … [Read more...]
Lemon Pasta with Ham and Peas
When I think of pasta and peas together, I think of blue box macaroni with a can of tuna and a can or bag of frozen peas. Well, that's what I thought about pasta and peas before I really learned how to cook. The fun of cooking comes with exploring with flavors, textures and tossing together new ingredients. I'm always on the hunt for new favorite recipes, especially for … [Read more...]
Southwestern Spaghetti Pie
This recipe is born of a desire to not waste leftovers. When my kids were young and their palates were limited I often had a spaghetti night and a taco night. At the end of the week when I cleaned out the fridge I often had mix matched ingredients. Leftover noodles, but no sauce. Leftover taco meat, but no tortillas. Instead of throwing them out I decided to combine them. My … [Read more...]
Baked Rosemary Garlic Chicken
I like to tuck things into chicken thighs. (Exhibit A - Grilled Salsa Chicken & Exhibit B - Grilled Marinara Chicken) I realize that this might sound strange, but it's how I cook with chicken thighs...when I'm not cooking them in the slow cooker. The other day I was planning to fix some chicken thighs in the slow cooker with a couple garlic cloves and some rosemary from … [Read more...]
Enchilada Stuffed Pasta Shells
My oldest child was born while my husband was deployed in the first gulf war. Our squadron's support group organized dinners for me every night until my husband returned 4 weeks later. But that is not all. Whoever brought me dinner packed a lunch for me to enjoy the next day. Seriously. I have been paying that amazing gift forward for the last 20 years. One of my favorite … [Read more...]
Minestrone Casserole
This Minestrone Casserole is a must-try recipe! All the loveliness of Minestrone Soup...in casserole form. The beans, the pasta, the veggies, the cheese. Without a drop of broth! This one didn't last long at our house. (And for those of you dairy-free folks, I actually made half with cheese for Steve to have for dinner and lunch the next day...and made the … [Read more...]
Pizza Penne Bake
There comes a time in every home cooks life when you really, really, really have a hankering for pizza. Except dinner is in 30 minutes. And you have no store bought dough. And no time at all to put together a dough, let it rise, etc. Might I suggest this pizza bake as an alternative?! It's sure to cure that craving and it can be on the table in 30 minutes or less! Here's … [Read more...]
“Toss It In” Pasta Salad
I was having a "what to have for lunch" moment the other day. I've been having salads for lunch lately. A lot of salads. And while I love them for a variety of reasons, it was time for a change. A salad wasn't going to work for me, hence the "what to have for lunch" moment. Then it occurred to me that I have quite a few boxes of pasta in my stockpile from recent sale. I … [Read more...]