Pasta Primavera Alfredo

When I checked my chiller the other day, I saw a couple of bunches of broccoli and few pieces of carrots. I thought I could make some salad before they go bad. But I remember seeing a pasta dish that uses veggies in a magazine so I thought maybe I could try that one. It is called Pasta Primavera Alfredo, a meatless pasta dish that looked very easy and yummy. I thought my hb wouldn't like it because it doesn't have meat but seemed to not mind, all he said was it's very interesting. My little son loved the carrots because they were crisp and sweet. I sliced the carrots thinly using mandoline slicer.

PASTA PRIMAVERA ALFREDO

INGREDIENTS

3/4 lb. spaghetti, uncooked
3 cups small broccoli florets
3 carrots (3/4 lb), cut into thin slices
4 oz. (1/2 of 8 oz.pkg) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, cubed
1 cup milk
1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/2 tsp garlic powder

DIRECTIONS:
1. Cook spaghetti in large saucepan as directed on package, adding vegetables to the boiling water the last 3 minutes.
2. Meanwhile cook remaining ingredients in saucepan on medium low heat until cream cheese is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring occasionally.
3. Drain spaghetti mixture; return to pan. Add sauce; toss to coat.

Yield - Makes 6 servings (1 1/3 cups each)
Source: Kraft Foods

Linguine with Kielbasa and Broccoli

My family is a pasta lover so there's no week that pasta is not included in my planned menu. I mostly use tomato sauce in my pasta dishes but because hb requested that I make some pasta with sauce other than tomato for our Christmas get-together with friends, I thought I'd try this interesting Linguine with Kielbasa and Broccoli recipe that I found in my Food Network magazine. I love basil pesto and I've used it in some of my dishes like baked salmon, however, I have never tried using Gorgonzola cheese. I was reluctant at first to try this dish anticipating that it might have very strong flavor because of the Gorgonzola cheese and the salty kielbasa, but it turned out really great.

INGREDIENTS:
1 16-ounce pkg. uncooked linguine
4 cups fresh small broccoli florets
1 pkg. Hillshire Farm Polska Kielbasa
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 7-ounce pkg. refrigerated basil pesto
1 5-ounce pkg. crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
2 green onions, sliced
Salt and ground pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
1. Cook linguine according to package directions. During the last 4 minutes of cooking, add broccoli to water. When linguine and broccoli are tender, drain; keep warm.
2. Cut sausage into 1/2 inch cubes. Heat a 4 to 6 quart pan over medium high heat for 3 minutes. Add sausage and onion to pan; cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sausage is browned and ionion is tender.
3. Add hot sauce, cooked linguine and broccoli. Toss gently over medium heat for 1 minute. Stir in pesto, Gorgonzola and green onions; heat through. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

Source: gomeat.com

Penne in Italian Sausage Sauce

When I had some guests over last month, I served them few dishes that I featured here in my food blog. I'm sure it's not as good as the ones they had at a San Diego CA Hotel where they just came from ;-), but nevertheless the dishes received high remarks from them. Here is one of them.

PENNE IN ITALIAN SAUSAGE SAUCE

INGREDIENTS
1 lb of Penne cooked according to package
Sweet and Hot Italian Sausage Sauce
Parmesan Cheese Topping

SAUCE
1 pack of Sweet Italian Sausage (6 links)
1 pack of Hot Italian Sausage (6 links)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cans of 16 oz. Tomato Sauce
2 cans of 16 oz. Diced Tomatoes
1/2 tbsp dried Italian Seasoning
1/2 tbsp Parsley Flakes
1/2 tbsp dried Sweet Basil
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 tbsp Olive oil

PROCEDURE:
1. In medium heat, saute garlic and onion in olive oil for about 3 minutes or until soft.
2. Meanwhile, remove the skin of the sausage links and slice them in 1 inch thick pieces, just so it is easier to move them around the pan. But you can also drop them straight to the pan and just break them with your cooking spatula.
3. Mix in the sausage in the pan and stir until opaque.
4. Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and herbs. Adjust the heat to low and simmer for about an hour, stirring every now and then. Slow cooking makes the sausage really tender and yummy.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Shrimp Lasagna Rolls with Creamy Marinara

This is another recipe from my fave chef Giada de Laurentiis from her cookbook Everyday Pasta. Shrimps and pasta noodles are staples in my freezer and pantry so anytime I want to cook this dish, I have them ready. In this dish just don't overcook the lasagna noodles when boiling as they will finish cooking in the oven.

SHRIMP LASAGNA ROLLS

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb lasagna
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
salt and ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 (15-ounces) containers whole-milk ricotta cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
3 cups marinara sauce (store-bought or homemade)
1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese (about 5 ounces)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 deg. F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and partially cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain.

2. Meanwhile heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Season the shrimps with salt and pepper. Add the shrimp and the garlic to the pan and saute until the shrimp are cooked, about 4 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat and let cool. Coarsely chop the cooled shrimp and place in a large bowl with 2 cups of the ricotta cheese (one container and about 1/3 of the other), the Parmesan cheese, eggs, basil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and the nutmeg. Stir to combine.

3. In another bowl, combine the marinara sauce with the remaining 1 cup of ricotta cheese and stir to combine.

4. To make the lasagna, cover the bottom of a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking dish with 1 cup of the marinara mixture. Lay 4 noodles flat on a dry work surface and cut in half (to make 8) Spread about 2 tablespoons of the shrimp mixture evenly over noodle. Roll up and place seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat twice more to make 24 lasagna mozzarella.

5. Bake until the lasagna rolls are heated through and the cheese is beginning to brown, about 25 minutes.

Yield:
Makes 6 servings

Chicken Carbonara

The traditional carbonara is made of eggs, pancetta, Parmesan cheese, and spaghetti, but this one has a different twist for added texture. Instead of pancetta which is kind of pricey I just used strips of bacon. This is another recipe from Giada de Laurentiis of Everyday Italian.

CHICKEN CARBONARA

INGREDIENTS:
2 tsps olive oil
4 ounces thinly sliced pancetta or bacon, chopped
2 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
8 large egg yolks
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 tsps minced garlic
4 cups coarsely shredded chicken (from 1 roasted chicken)
salt
1 lb spaghetti
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped (see how to toast nuts here)
1 Tbsp finely grated lemon zest

DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy frying pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and saute until it is brown and crisp, about 8 minutes. Cool until lukewarm.

2. Whisk in the cream, cheese, yolks, basil, parsley, and garlic. Stir in chicken.

3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add teh spaghetti and cook, stirring often to prevent the pasta from sticking together, until tender but still firm to the bite, about 10 minutes. Drain.

4. Add the spaghetti to the cream mixture and toss over medium-low heat until the chicken is heated through and the sauce coats the spaghetti thickly, about 4 minutes (do not boil). Season the pasta to taste with pepper.

5. Transfer the pasta to a large, wide serving bowl. Sprinkle with the walnuts and lemon zest, and serve.

YIELD:
Makes 6 main course servings.

Penne In Italian Sausage Sauce

Sorry for not posting any recipes here in a while. It's not that I was not cooking. My kitchen was actually very busy the past weeks when my FIL was here. It's just that before I can even post them here I need to of course have an accompanying picture to make it more enticing and appetizing to my readers. Well the cooking; making presentations; taking pictures; downloading and cropping of pics before I can post my recipe seem to slowdown the process. Ok enough of the excuses, the important thing is My Kitchen Table is back on business, LOL.

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One of the favorite ingredients that I always use in my kitchen is pasta. I have different kinds in my pantry. Here's one very easy and quick pasta dish that I know you will enjoy to try.

PENNE IN ITALIAN SAUSAGE SAUCE

INGREDIENTS
1 lb of Penne cooked according to package
Sweet and Hot Italian Sausage Sauce
Parmesan Cheese Topping

SAUCE
1 pack of Sweet Italian Sausage (6 links)
1 pack of Hot Italian Sausage (6 links)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cans of 16 oz. Tomato Sauce
2 cans of 16 oz. Diced Tomatoes
1/2 tbsp dried Italian Seasoning
1/2 tbsp Parsley Flakes
1/2 tbsp dried Sweet Basil
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 tbsp Olive oil

PROCEDURE:
1. In medium heat, saute garlic and onion in olive oil for about 3 minutes or until soft.
2. Meanwhile, remove the skin of the sausage links and slice them in 1 inch thick pieces, just so it is easier to move them around the pan. But you can also drop them straight to the pan and just break them with your cooking spatula.
3. Mix in the sausage in the pan and stir until opaque.
4. Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and herbs. Adjust the heat to low and simmer for about an hour, stirring every now and then. Slow cooking makes the sausage really tender and yummy.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste.

KITCHEN TIP #2:

I usually make more sauce than what the recipe calls for and just keep the rest in a vacuum sealed canister for later use. So next time I crave for another pasta dish, I will have an instant sauce to use.

A Quick and Easy Tuna Casserole

When I run out of idea of what to make for dinner, I always do what is quick and easy. And on top of my easy and quick list is Tuna Casserole. I always stock any kind of Pasta, Albacore Tuna and Cream of Mushroom in my pantry, so it is very convenient to prepare this dish. In this dish, any pasta you may have in your pantry is just fine. I usually use Penne but this time since I want to make room in my freezer, I used the frozen Tortellini with cheese and spinach.

TORTELLINI TUNA CASSEROLE

INGREDIENTS
2 lbs frozen Tortellini with cheese and spinach
2 cans Cream of Mushroom
2 cans Albacore Tuna
1 medium onion
2 stalks celery
1 cup green peas
1/4 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

PROCEDURES:
1. Boil pasta in salted water for about 5 minutes or until tender.
2. Meanwhile in medium heat, saute onions and celery until tender.
3. Mix in tuna, cream of mushroom and milk. Stir until creamy.
4. Mix in green peas and 1/2 cup cheese. Stir for a minute then remove from heat.
5. Add boiled pasta and mix until incorporated.
6. Transfer to a baking dish and sprinkle top with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese.
7. Bake in a pre-heated 375 deg. F oven for 15 minutes or until cheese on top is bubbly.
8. Serve with toast or as it is.

Rotini with Broccoli and Shrimp

This is my own twist to Giada's recipe of Farfalle with Broccoli. I used whole grain instead of regular pasta to make it healthier; Rotini (spiral pasta) instead of Farfalle (bowtie pasta); and added some shrimps for more flavor and texture .

BENEFITS OF WHOLE GRAIN:
A grain is considered whole when all three parts – bran, germ and endosperm – are present. Most people know that fruits and vegetables contain beneficial phytochemicals and antioxidants, but many do not realize that whole grains are often an even better source of these key nutrients. In fact whole grains are a good source of B vitamins, Vitamin E, magnesium, iron and fiber, as well as other valuable antioxidants not found in some fruits and vegetables. Most of the antioxidants and vitamins are found in the germ and the bran of a grain.

ROTINI with BROCCOLI and SHRIMP

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound whole grain Rotini pasta
24 pcs medium shrimps, shells removed
2 heads broccoli, trimmed to florets (about 4 cups)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
3 garlic cloves, chopped
8-10 anchovy fillets, diced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

PROCEDURE:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally.

2. After 5 minutes, add the broccoli florets to the pasta and stir and cook for another 4 minutes. Drain pasta and broccoli, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.

3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the garlic, anchovies, and red pepper flakes and cook for 3 minutes.

4. Add the shrimp and cook for another 2 minutes.

5. Add the broccoli, pasta, salt and pepper and toss. Add some of the reserved pasta water, if necessary, to make a light sauce.

6. Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with Parmesan.