Recipe: Orange, Currant and Pine Nut Couscous

 

Orange, Currant and Pine Nut Couscous

Emeril 20-40-60 Fresh Food Fast, p. 48
5 stars

A really great side -- we had this with salmon, steamed broccoli and a Chardonnay. A DELICIOUS MEAL!

Ingredients: couscous, carrots, dried currants, red onion or shallot, orange, orange zest, pine nuts or walnuts, mint or parsley, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, white pepper, water

Notes/Tips:

• Because the couscous takes 10 min to cook, we started cooking the couscous for 5 min, then added the carrots, red onion, etc. We didn't follow the recipe (the steam method).
• Tripled the amount of carrots
• Used 1/2 tsp of salt instead of 3/4 tsp
• Used dried blueberries since we had them on hand
• Used both walnuts and pine nuts -- added them upon serving vs. mixing them in (didn't want to make them soggy)
• Also added the orange segments upon serving

Recipe: Ravioli and Mushroom Skillet

Ravioli and Mushroom Skillet

Bon Appetit Magazine, May 2023, p. 22

4.7 stars

Easy recipe for a weeknight meal, but being a dish that has heavy cream in it, it was a bit rich and well, heavy.

Ingredients: fresh or frozen cheese raviolis, mushrooms, heavy cream, grated parmesan, store-bought fried onions, shallot, garlic, white wine, thyme, lemon zest, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, pepper

Tips:

• Cooked ravioli first (boiled) as we were afraid it wouldn't cook thoroughly in the pan
• Added red pepper

Recipe: Butternut Squash Rigatoni Pasta Pie

Butternut Squash Rigatoni Pasta Pie

HalfBakedHarvest.com

5 stars

This is now one of my FAVORITE pasta dishes we've made. There is a salty-sweetness to this dish with the sweetness coming from the butternut squash, and the fresh sage and gouda add nice layers of flavor. Can't wait to make this one again!

Ingredients: rigatoni, butternut squash, gouda cheese, mozzarella cheese, prosciutto, salted butter, shallot, garlic, milk, honey, sage, oregano, chili flakes, extra virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, black pepper

Tips

• Add enough chili flakes to make it spicy
• Used 10 slices of prosciutto -- the prosciutto shrinks in the oven!

Recipe: Baked Shells with Gremolata Breadcrumbs

Baked Shells with Gremolata Breadcrumbs

Food & Wine Magazine, Nov 2021 p. 48

4.8 stars

We love mac 'n cheese! We've tried a number of recipes -- this one looked "different" because of the amount of half and half (3.5 cups!!!), fontina as one of the cheeses and the amount of seasoning like onion powder, garlic powder, white pepper and nutmeg. It turned out delicious... it's definitely is not low calorie!!!

I preferred the mac & cheese without the gremolata breadcrumbs on top which made it a little to garlicky for me.

Ingredients: pasta shells, fontina cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, half-and-half, whole milk, flour, panko, extra-virgin olive oil, unsalted butter, parsley, lemon, garlic, onion powder, garlic powder, white pepper, nutmeg, black pepper, Kosher salt

Tips:

• Zested lemon instead of mincing lemon peel strips
• Added the salt and black pepper when mixing in the onion powder, garlic powder, white pepper and nutmeg

Recipe: Super-Speedy Ziti

Super-Speedy Ziti

Martha Stewart Living, Jan/Feb 2022, p.52

4.8 stars

There is another recipe on this page in the magazine "Baked Ziti with Sausage and Bechamel" that I actually intended to make and wanted to note here as the recipe looks delicious -- however, because of a lack of time, I tried this Super-Speedy Ziti. It was great!

Ingredients: ziti or rigatoni, marinara sauce, sweet or spicy Italian sausage, mozzarella, ricotta, heavy cream, fresh basil, Parmigiano-Reggiano, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, pepper

Tips:

• Used a jarred Calabrian marinara sauce (could've still used some red pepper)
• Didn't want to over salt the dish; it needed a little Maldon at the table

Recipe: Mama Rosa's Lasagna de Carne

Mama Rosa's Lasagna de Carne

Bon Appetit Magazine, Dec 2021/Jan 2022, p.47

5 stars

This is one of the most interesting lasagnas we've made as the sauce calls for red bell pepper, cilantro and cumin (plus black olives and capers - but we didn't add these ingredients). It also was one of the best lasagnas we've ever made because hubby made the lasagna noodles from scratch. Great for a dinner party; will definitely be making it again.

Meat Sauce Ingredients: ground beef chuck, red bell pepper, onion, plum tomato, cilantro, parsley, black olives, capers, jar of marinara sauce, tomato paste, bay leaves, garlic, Italian seasoning, ground cumin, extra-virgin olive oil, black pepper, Kosher salt

Assembly Ingredients: dried lasagna noodles, ricotta, mozzarella, garlic, Italian seasoning, extra-virgin olive oil, black pepper,  Kosher salt

Tips:

• Made red sauce from scratch instead of using a jar of marinara
• Made fresh lasagna noodles
• Used Impossible plant-based meat instead of ground chuck (also cut the amount in half from 2 lbs to 1 lb)
• Used 3 garlic cloves instead of 5 so it wouldn't be too garlicky
• Left out the black olives and capers

Recipe: Creamy Baked Tortellini with Spinach

Creamy Baked Tortellini with Spinach

Martha Stewart Living, Dec 2021

4.8 stars

Really easy to make for a nice, flavorful weekday dinner. We made this vegetarian by not adding the ground turkey.

Ingredients: cheese tortellini, marinara, ground turkey, cream cheese, spinach, panko, Parmigiano-Reggiano, lemon zest, all-purpose adobo seasoning, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt

Tips:

• Had to go to a couple of places to find adobo seasoning (not canned chipotle in adobo) which I found in the spice aisle at Kroger
• Used double the spinach (about half of a large box of spinach)

Recipe: Sheet-Pan Gnocchi

Sheet-Pan Gnocchi

Bon Appetit Magazine, June 2021

Gnocchi Prep: 5 stars. Overall Dish: 4.3 stars

As noted in my star rating above, the gnocchi prep was so good -- roasted instead of boiled. As the recipe indicated, the gnocchi was crisp on the outside while remaining tender within, but overall, the dish was almost too simple tasting. I would add Calabrian chiles or another layer of flavor to this next time. The recipe, however, was great because I had arugula that we needed to finish up.

Ingredients: shelf-stable or refrigerated potato gnocchi, arugula, cherry tomatoes, red onion, basil, Parmesan, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, Kosher salt, ground pepper

Recipe: Tagliatelle with Prosciutto and Orange

Tagliatelle with Prosciutto and Orange

Bon Appetit Magazine, May 2011, p. 132

5+ stars

I honestly wasn't sure if this was going to be a good dish or not but decided to give it a chance. It looked easy (almost too easy and simple), and from reading the recipe, it looked like it would be too soupy or liquidy. It wasn't. This was an AMAZING pasta dish. I kept saying during dinner that it was restaurant-worthy (this would be $22 per person in a restaurant) and there was no reason for us to go to an Italian restaurant again because it was so good.

The key is to make homemade pasta.

We served this with a Soft Lettuces with Prosciutto, Peas and Poppy Seeds salad (see in the background of the photo). Definitely will be serving this at a dinner party.

Ingredients: 12 oz egg tagliatelle or fettuccine (preferably fresh), prosciutto, heavy whipping cream, orange juice and zest, Parmesan, butter, Kosher salt, pepper

Tips:

• Make only 1/2 the zest (the recipe doesn't say where to use the other half?!)

Recipe: Sausage and Cheese Manicotti

Sausage and Cheese Manicotti

Epicurious.com

5 stars

Definitely a restaurant-worthy dish! As we were eating this, I thought -- no need to ever go to an Italian restaurant again! This will be served at a dinner party in the future...

Ingredients: manicotti, Italian sweet sausages with fennel seeds, Italian plum tomatoes with basil, whole-milk ricotta, provolone cheese, Parmesan cheese, onion, basil, dry white wine, olive oil, red pepper, black pepper

Tips

• Added a garlic clove
• Used mild bulk sausage (instead of links) and added fennel
• Regarding the Italian tomatoes with basil -- a guy in the grocery store said that Cento brand often has basil in its canned tomatoes even if it's not noted, and sure enough, basil is listed on their ingredients list on the can I bought
• Cooked the sausage in the red sauce instead of mixing with the ricotta
• Used a piping bag to pipe the filling into the manicotti

Recipe: One Pot Spicy Alla Vodka Pizza Pasta

One Pot Spicy Alla Vodka Pizza Pasta

HalfBakedHarvest.com

5 stars

Next time we have to go to a potluck, we're bringing this. A one pot yummy pizza pasta -- that's what it is! So good and have been enjoying eating the leftovers this week.

Ingredients: short cut pasta, spicy Italian sausage, pepperoni, marinara sauce, fontina cheese, mozzarella, grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese, vodka, basil pesto, garlic, oregano, thyme, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, extra virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, black pepper, fresh basil

Tips:

• Used 1/4 cup vodka and 1/4 cup broth
• Used spicy Italian sausage (not chicken sausage that it called for)

Recipe: Brown Butter Corn and Feta Orzo with Crispy Prosciutto

Brown Butter Corn and Feta Orzo with Crispy Prosciutto

HalfBakedHarvest.com

5 stars

So good!!! What else can I say? I selected this recipe because it used up many ingredients that we had in our fridge (feta, thyme, chives, corn, jalapeno, avocados -- love it when I find a recipe that uses what we have so it doesn't go to waste!). This could be a main dish or a side dish. Really nice flavors... we had this as a main along with bread as a side.

Ingredients: orzo, prosciutto, shallot, corn, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, avocados, jalapeno, thyme, lemon juice, Champagne or apple cider vinegar, honey, basil, chives, salted butter, extra virgin olive oil

Tips

• Bake the prosciutto so it's super crispy

Recipe: Butternut Squash & Fettuccine Alfredo

Butternut Squash & Fettuccine Alfredo

Better Homes & Gardens Magazine, Oct 2020, p.80

5 stars

We had this as our main for Thanksgiving -- sooo good (I'm not a turkey fan), and I can't wait to eat the leftovers. What made the dish was the fresh pasta. . . I just love the texture of fresh pasta.

Ingredients: fettuccine noodles, butternut squash spirals, onion, smoked sausage, whipping cream, fresh sage, parmesan cheese.

Tips:

• Made fresh pasta
• Added some red pepper
• Used a combination of butternut squash spirals and butternut squash cubes -- will use just the spirals next time and will double the amount
• Will add a clove of garlic next time

Recipe: Spicy Sausage Pasta with Tomatoes and Squash

Spicy Sausage Pasta with Tomatoes and Squash

Food & Wine Magazine, Sept 2020, p. 44

5 stars

Wow. Really delicious, complex, restaurant-worthy dish. In a restaurant, this would be $16 per serving; I would serve this at a dinner party.

I'd had harissa before in restaurants but had never purchased it -- I love the condiment! Our grocery store had the Mina brand which was noted in the recipe.

Super fast to make. Great for a weeknight meal. We'll DEFINITELY be making this one again.

Ingredients: orecchiette or small shells pasta, fresh merguez or spicy Italian sausage, spicy harissa, zucchini, mint, feta cheese, dry white wine, multicolored cherry tomatoes, olive oil, Kosher salt

Recipe: Chicken-and-Gnocchi Bake with Broccolini

Chicken-and-Gnocchi Bake with Broccolini

marthastewart.com

4.4 Stars

Really good easy weeknight GNOCCHI dish! We've had some gnocchi fails so this was an "in-a-pinch" gnocchi dish using pre-made (fresh/frozen ones) -- with Gruyere, one of my favorite cheeses. The dish was bubbling (as you can see) coming out of the oven. Great ski dinner recipe!

Ingredients: Broccolini, fresh or frozen gnocchi, cooked chicken, Gruyere, Parmigiano-Reggiano, butter, garlic, all-purpose flour, chicken broth, Kosher salt, pepper

Notes:

• Used Rotisserie chicken

Recipe: Spicy-Sweet Sambal Pork Noodles and Blistered Green Beans with Fried Shallots

Spicy-Sweet Sambal Pork Noodles
Bon Appetit Magazine, May 2020, p. 30
5 stars

Ingredients: ramen or spaghetti, ground pork, ginger, tomato paste, basil, hot chili paste (sambal oelek), garlic, soy sauce, unseasoned rice vinegar, sugar, butter, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt

Blistered Green Beans with Fried Shallots
Bon Appetit Magazine, May 2020, p.74
5 stars

Ingredients: green beans, oyster sauce, shallot, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, vegetable oil, Kosher salt

I loved this meal so much! Packed with flavor and relatively easy to make.
The noodles were like an Asian bolognese, and the the green been dish is now a new favorite to add as a side for the other Asian dishes we make.

Notes:

• The noodles were pretty spicy but we halved the overall recipe and forgot to half the sambal oelek.
• This meal would be great with a side of simple tofu.

Recipe: Creamy Baked Pasta with Gruyere and Prosciutto

Creamy Baked Pasta with Gruyere and Prosciutto
Food & Wine Magazine, Feb 2020, p. 43
5 stars

This is a restaurant-worthy, guest-serving worthy, delicious mac & cheese. We made half the recipe because I wasn't quite sure how it was going to turn out as there aren't that many ingredients, and it looked so easy ... too easy to make.  It was incredible! We had this as a side dish with steak and a wedge salad.  I have two other favorite mac & cheese recipes, and this is in the top 3.

Ingredients: a short pasta, Gruyere cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, heavy cream, nutmeg, Kosher salt; can serve with sliced prosciutto

Recipe: Spicy Baked Pasta with Cheddar and Broccoli Rabe

Spicy Baked Pasta with Cheddar and Broccoli 
Bon Appetit Magazine, Mar 2020, p. 27
4.5 stars

I was really curious about this recipe as the heading for the article/recipe was "A Very Persuasive Pasta -- Alison Roman couldn't find a baked pasta she liked. So she made one she did."  I would say she did a great job creating this dish. So good and flavorful. I liked the use of the sharp white cheddar and especially loved the crispy topping.

Ingredients: rigatoni, leeks, broccoli rabe or broccolini, sharp white cheddar, chives, fresh breadcrumbs or panko, heavy cream, extra-virgin olive oil, black pepper, Kosher salt

Tips

• Used penne instead
• Used kale instead of broccoli rabe

Recipe: Charred Vegetable Ragu

Charred Vegetable Ragu
Food & Wine Magazine, Jan 2020, p. 45
5 stars

We love bolognese sauce, but after trying this recipe, we think this beats out all the bolognese recipes we've ever made (and there's no meat in this dish!).  The char of the vegetables, including the whole roasted garlic head and umami from the mushrooms, all add a deep, complex flavor that was just so mmm mmm good. This is a restaurant-worthy dish.

Ingredients: dried pasta, portobello mushrooms, cremini mushrooms, garlic, yellow onion, celery, carrots, tomato paste, dry red wine, dried oregano, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, black pepper

Tips:

• Slice the cremini mushrooms instead of quartering them
• Even though this was so good without any meat, this dish could be taken to the next level with the addition of a 1/2 pound of hot Italian sausage

Recipe: Brothy Pasta with Chickpeas

Brothy Pasta with Chickpeas
Bon Appetit Magazine, Oct 2019, p. 28
4.5 stars (with additions)

Easy weeknight dish.
[Once we make this again, I need to come come back and post more info as I'm writing this post a few weeks after making it and can't remember exactly what we thought!]

Ingredients: chickpeas, whole peeled tomatoes, orecchiette or other small pasta, small onion, garlic, rosemary, parsley, Parmesan,  red pepper flakes, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, black pepper

Tips:

• Used cannellini beans instead of chickpeas.
• Added Italian sausage.
• Great with bread on the side.
• Use less water next time.