Blog Posts

This one is a giant summertime hug in a bowl!! I love eating squash all year round but especially in the summer when they taste super fresh!!

To make the breadcrumbs at home: rip up a few slices of your favorite bread (I did a demi baguette of ciabatta) and place them in a food processor. Blend until crumb size. Mix with 2 tbsp olive oil, 1/4 tsp garlic powder and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook the bread crumbs in a skillet on medium heat until toasted and crispy - about 10 minutes. Be sure to stir them every few minutes so that they cook evenly and don't burn.

What you need:

1/2 lb pasta (I used rigatoni)
1 large green zucchini
1 large yellow zucchini
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp evoo
2 garlic cloves, grated
3 tbsp lemon juice (I used half a lemon)
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup reserved pasta water
1/2 cup toasted breadcrumbs (see recipe above in blog post intro)

What to do:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to packaging instructions.
If making homemade breadcrumbs (highly recommended) see the step for that in the intro to this blog post above.
Grate both kinds of zucchini and use either a cheese cloth or thin dish towel to drain out all of their liquid. There's a lot - be sure to get it all so that your pasta dish isn't soupy.
Melt the butter in a large skillet and grate the garlic into it.
Once the garlic is fragrant, add in the zucchini and mix. Season with a little salt and pepper here. The zucchini will start to caramelize after a few minutes and then it's ready for the pasta.
Add the pasta, lemon juice and parmesan cheese to the zucchini and start to mix it all together. About halfway through mixing, add in that starchy pasta water to make it all come together and for an extra silky texture.
Top with a little more parm, breadcrumbs and black pepper right before serving.

2 Comments

Fried Green Tomato Caprese Pasta Salad

7/17/2022

After spending a ton of time traveling in the southern states, I became a HUGE fan of fried green tomatoes. I've had everything from fried green tomato BLT salads to fried green tomato eggs benedict. I've been on such a pasta salad kick lately and really wanted to come up with a way to make the flavors work with pasta and boooom. (I also love a good caprese salad so I added in some elements of that as well - basil, fresh mozz, balsamic!)

The tomatoes aren't actually fried (so much less work - and healthier!) but the addition of homemade crispy breadcrumbs mixed into every bite makes it feel like they are fried and creates that crispy texture! You can buy breadcrumbs, but I highly suggest making your own! Throw a few slices of your fave bread into a processor and toast them in olive oil on the stovetop until golden brown and crispy! Worth every second.

What you need:

1/2 lb pasta (I used orzo but you can use any smaller shape)
3/4 cup mayo (if you don't like mayo you can sub for 1/2 cup evoo)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (I used a white balsamic vinegar bc I like the color better, similar taste)
1 garlic clove, grated
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 large green tomatoes, diced
1 cup fresh mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
Optional - balsamic glaze drizzle (for caprese lovers)
1 cup crispy breadcrumbs

What to do:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions. (When you drain the pasta, rinse with cold water to cool.)
Combine the mayo, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper in the bottom of a large bowl to make the pasta salad dressing.
Add the cooled pasta to the dressing along with the other pasta salad ingredients. Mix well to combine.
Top with the breadcrumbs right before serving. (This keeps them crispier for longer - although I did find that my breadcrumbs stayed crispy after mixed into the pasta for several hours!!)

2 Comments

Cacio e Pepe Mac & Cheese

7/9/2022

3 Comments

Hi, okay so this recipe is insane. Before all you food purists come at me - this dish is a combination of my 10 Min Mac & Cheese recipe AND it has elements of cacio e pepe in it to make the ultimate cheesy pasta hybrid !! If you don't like it, don't make it lol.

I used pecorino romano cheese, toasted freshly-cracked black peppercorns, shredded mozzarella (instead of cheddar to keep the sauce white) and then heavy cream. Lots of people make mac and cheese different ways (with a roux, without a roux) but I personally think heavy cream is the ultimate creamy cheesy pasta sauce hero ingredient so that's the style I prefer.

What you need:

1/2 lb pasta (I used elbow macaroni noodles from TJ's)
4 tbsp butter (1/2 stick)
1 tsp freshly cracked black peppercorns (more for topping)
1 + 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (half and half will work too since the cheese will make the sauce thicccc)
1/2 cup hand shredded super fine pecorino romano cheese (if you're in an absolute pinch, parm will work too)
1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (I LOVE Tillamook brand)

What to do:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the macaroni according to package instructions.
Melt the butter in a large skillet and toss the pepper in. Cook until fragrant and toasted, about 5 minutes on medium heat.
Add the heavy whipping cream and cook for a minute until it's warmed.
Add both cheeses to the cream and mix until melted and very cheesy.
Toss in the cooked macaroni and serve while it's hot! (For a more stringy cheese factor you could add in another handful of the shredded mozzarella cheese.)

3 Comments

Cold Noodle Salad

7/8/2022

My first cold noodle salad!! I've been seeing these for years and always thought they looked so good despite the fact that most recipes for this dish contain nuts and sesame ingredients!! I also do NOT like soba noodles for some reason and it seems like a lot of cold noodles dishes are made with them.

This version is very allergy friendly to those who can't have nuts or sesame! And also gluten!! I used brown rice ramen. PLZ take note that brown rice noodles don't refrigerate well so I usually get them super cool with an ice cold water rinse and then I eat the noodle salad immediately after assembly.

What you need:

2 garlic cloves, grated
1 small piece of ginger root, grated
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tbsp rice vinegar
1/3 cup mayo
4 bricks of instant noodles (I used brown rice ramen)
1/2 cup shredded purple cabbage
1/2 cup shredded cabbage
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped green onion

What to do:

Cook the noodles according to package instructions - if using instant ramen with a sauce packet, discard the seasoning or save it for later. Don't forget to rinse the noodles once they are cooked in order to stop the cooking process and cool them off.
Prepare the sauce in the bottom of a large and wide bowl. Use a whisk to mix the grated garlic/ginger + the soy sauce, rice vinegar and mayo.
Mix all the other ingredients into the sauce until everything is fully coated in it. I eat this dish at room temp (it tastes slightly chilled from the ice cold water on the noodles!) because I like to use brown rice ramen and it gets sort of firm once it's been sitting in the fridge.

0 Comments

Ginger, Garlic & Scallion Noodles

7/6/2022

I LOVE noodles, it's truly no secret. These particular noodles that I used in this recipe are called knife cut noodles and I buy them from my local Chinese grocery store!! You can use any kind of noodle, but I love the wavy edges and the chewy texture of knife cut noodles the best!

This dish is inspired by Chinese scallion noodles - I've seen the dish made a ton of different ways on the internet and even at local restaurants (LJ Shanghai has the BEST scallion noodles if you are a Clevelander) but this is how I like to make them at home. I also have allergies to sesame and peanut so you won't find any of that in any of my home cooking!!

What you need:

1/2 lb noodles
2 cloves of garlic
1 piece of ginger root (about the size of a garlic clove)
1 tsp chili flakes
3 scallion stalks, chopped
1/4 cup neutral oil (I used veg oil)
2 tbsp soy sauce

What to do:

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles according to package instructions.
Grate the garlic and ginger into a small bowl and add the chili flakes and scallions.
Heat the neutral oil in a skillet until it's piping hot and then immediately add it to the bowl with all the ingredients, it should sizzle and really bring out the flavors of the ginger, garlic, chili flakes and scallions.
Pour the sauce and the soy sauce on top of the cooked noodles and mix to combine before serving.

0 Comments

Roasted Garlic + Calabrian Chile Parmesan Butter

7/2/2022

OKAY, so there are two ways I love to use this butter. It elevates every single dish you use it in...the roasted garlic and the chiles take everything to the next level!!

ON BREAD (pictured below)
The best freaking cheesy garlic bread you will ever eat. I promise. My favorite way to make cheesy garlic bread is to use this butter on ciabatta. I usually coat the ciabatta with a generous amount of butter and top with thick shredded mozzarella cheese before toasting in the oven. You can either stick them under the broiler setting until the mozz gets nice and melty or toast them at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes until golden.

ON PASTA
I love using this in my drunken buttered noodle recipe. Think white wine, parmesan, chiles, butter, roasted garlic!! Ah it's so good. Tap here to view my drunken buttered noodle recipe. It pairs so well with everything, especially seafood or roasted cherry tomatoes.

What you need:

1/2 cup room temp butter (1 stick)
10 roasted garlic cloves (click here for garlic confit recipe recipe!)
1 tbsp chopped (jarred) Calabrian chiles (you can use 1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes if you don't have chiles)
1/2 cup parmesan reggiano cheese
1/4 tsp salt
Optional: 1/4 cup fresh parsley

What to do:

Make your garlic confit, tap here to see how I did it. (Cook peeled garlic cloves submerged in EVOO for 25 minutes on low on the stove until they are golden and soft enough to spread.)
Preheat the oven to broil setting.
Add the softened butter to a bowl and mix in the garlic, chiles, parmesan and salt.
Once combined, use desired amount on bread, in pasta dishes etc - store whatever is leftover in the fridge for up to a week.

0 Comments

Elote Inspired Pasta Salad

7/2/2022

8 Comments

I love the flavors of Mexican elote so I used some components of it (mayo, lime, chili powder, cotija) to make a pasta salad!! I love using inspiration from different dishes that I love to eat and figuring out a way to combine those flavors with pasta. :)

The recipe makes enough for 6 side dish servings, if you're planning on making for a large gathering you could definitely double it. It does refrigerate well, so you can def make it a day ahead of time. I suggest bringing it back to life with an additional 1/4 cup of mayo + a squirt of fresh lime juice before serving after chilling for a longer period of time.

What you need:

3/4 cup mayo
3-4 tbsp fresh lime juice (about one lime)
1/2 tsp chili powder or cayenne pepper (or everything but the elote powder from Trader Joes!)
1/2 lb of pasta
1 cup grilled corn (off the cob)
1/3 cup diced red onion
1/3 cup diced fresh jalapeno (2-3 whole jalapenos)
1/2 cup cotija cheese

What to do:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions. Once it's finished cooking, rinse with cold water to cool.
Combine the mayo, lime juice and seasoning at the bottom of a large salad bowl and whisk to completely combine.
Add the cold pasta, corn, onion, jalapeno, and cotija cheese to the pasta salad dressing and toss together until all of the pasta is coated in the dressing.
Serve immediately at room temp or chill in the fridge and eat within a couple of days.

8 Comments

Grinder Sandwich Pasta Salad

7/1/2022

14 Comments

I've been seeing a grinder sandwich recipe all over TikTok the last few weeks and I basically used the "salad" component of the sandwich as inspiration for this perfect summer pasta salad. I also added in diced salami and turkey deli meat, so it does in-fact taste SO much like a delicious deli sub, but in pasta salad form!!!

Obviously feel free to customize but I wouldn't change the red wine vinegar and mayo base and I would def make sure to use iceberg lettuce!! My favorite part besides the dressing and the pasta would definitely be the turkey! SO weird because I don't even eat deli meat, like ever... but it works SO well here.

Recipe makes enough for 4-5 sides of pasta salad!!

What you need:

1/2 lb rotini pasta
1/2 head of iceberg lettuce
4-5 jarred pepperoncini peppers
3 slices of provolone or mozzarella cheese
1/2 red onion
4 slices of roasted turkey deli meat
8 slices of hard salami deli meat
3/4 cup mayo
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

What to do:

Prep by cubing/dicing up all the pasta salad ingredients (including the lettuce) into somewhat equal sized pieces while you cook the rotini in salted boiling water according to the package's instructions.
In the bottom of a large salad bowl, make the dressing by combining the mayo, red wine vinegar, pepper, salt, oregano and red pepper flakes - whisk until smooth.
Build the pasta salad. Start with the iceberg lettuce and then fill in the rest of the ingredients. (Be sure to rinse the cooked pasta in ice cold water before adding it to the bowl!)
Mix and serve right away at room temp or you can put it in the fridge and serve chilled later.

14 Comments

Green Stelline

6/27/2022

It's no surprise that my son's favorite food is pasta. At first I gave him a bite of my plain buttered stelline and then after realizing he loved it, I got sneaky with it and added a whole bunch of spinach. It's really easy to sneak half an avocado into the sauce too, but I usually am eating it with him and I'm allergic to avocados so most times I just mash a little bit of one up and stir it into his bowl!

What you need:

1 1/2 cups stelline pasta
2 garlic cloves
1 handful spinach (about 1 packed cup)
1 1/2 cup grated parmesan-reggiano
1/4 cup EVOO
*If you don't properly salt your pasta water, you'll need to add 1/4 tsp salt to the sauce

What to do:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the stelline according to package instructions.
Combine all other ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
Strain the pasta and the mix the sauce in. I usually add a tablespoon or so of butter too! Enjoy warm, but it's also good cold too. ;)

1 Comment

Basil Butter Pasta

6/6/2022

This is one of the better tasting versions of "pesto" I've ever tasted. It's nut-free and very light and silky tasting! Imagine a hybrid of buttered noodles and pesto pasta. LITERALLY SO EASY TOO! There are only 3 recipe steps, lol.

A few important notes about the recipe:

I left parmesan out of the butter for those that wanted to keep things dairy free and use vegan butter. You could def add some if you want, or just save it for on top of the finished recipe
I love to add spinach or kale for some extra nutrition now that my son Emmitt is eating solids - all about sneaking veggies into meals these days! The basil and garlic are so strong that they overpower any veggie taste.
MAKES 1 CUP OF BASIL BUTTER!! There will be leftovers to use on whatever you would like (you're welcome!) Store in the fridge for up to two weeks or you can freeze it too for up to 6 months.

What you need:

1/2 lb of long shaped pasta (I used Barilla Fettuccine)
1 cup of salted butter (two sticks) at room temperature
1-3 garlic cloves (depending on how much you like garlic! (I used 3 large cloves and it was very powerful)
Fresh basil leaves - since leaves differ in size, it's hard to give a measurement! I used a hand full of large leaves. Start off with less and then taste test because you can always add more if needed.
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

*Optional, but highly recommended - parmesan cheese for topping
*Optional - when I make this for Emmitt I also add a big handful of spinach for extra nutrition! I usually cook the spinach in a skillet until wilted and then I drain out the excess liquid until it's pretty dry. Blends right in!

What to do:

Blend the room temperature butter, garlic cloves, basil leaves and EVOO in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until mostly solid again (usually takes 1-2 hours.)
Once the butter is firmed up and you're ready to cook your pasta, bring a large pot of salted boiling water to a boil. Cook the fettuccine according to package instructions.
Scoop desired amount of butter (for 1/2 lb of pasta I used 4 tbsp) and melt it into the pasta with a splash of EVOO and hot pasta water. Top with parmesan cheese here and then garnish with a pretty basil leaf before serving!

0 Comments

Creamy Sazon Chicken Penne Pasta

5/19/2022

7 Comments

Okay SOOO, I've been making a lot of chicken with sazon seasoning lately (a staple in Latin-American cooking) and I love the flavor. It's like the most perfect tasting seasoned salt. The other day, I had some chicken bits and seasoning left over in a skillet after making chicken and I dropped some buttered pasta into the skillet as I was transferring it to a bowl and a lightbulb went off in my head!! Love when recipe creations are happy accidents!

I kept things pretty simple but I think this dish would be REALLY good with mushrooms and or spinach also mixed into it. Maybe bacon too?? Can you tell that I'm laying in bed writing up this recipe right now and I'm soooo hungry? Lol. If you try and and add stuff to customize, let me know how it goes!

What you need:

2 tbsp olive oil
2 chicken breasts or 4-6 chicken tenders
1 tbsp sazon seasoning
2 tbsp butter
2-4 garlic cloves minced
1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
optional: 1 tsp red pepper flakes for spice
1 cup heavy whipping cream
a handful of roughly chopped fresh basil
optional: a handful of spinach
optional: 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

What to do:

Heat the oil in a skillet until hot - medium/high heat setting. Coat the raw chicken in the seasoning and fry on each side until golden brown, but not blackened. (Check to make sure the center is not pink!)
While the chicken is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne pasta according to packaging instructions.
Once the chicken is done, reduce the heat to low and remove it from the skillet, let the chicken cool and chop it into bite sized pieces. Do not rinse out the skillet, you'll want those browned chicken bits and leftover seasoning in the oil!
Add in the butter, garlic, pepper, optional red pepper flakes to the skillet and cook until fragrant. (About 5 minutes - if the garlic starts to burn your heat is still too high and you need to hurry up to step 3!)
Add the heavy whipping cream, 1/2 cup at a time while whisking to combine it with the other sauce ingredients. Bring the cream to a boil and then reduce the heat to simmer setting and let it thicken up as the pasta finishes cooking.
Add the cooked pasta and optional parmesan cheese to the sauce and mix. If the sauce needs it, add a few spoonfuls of that starchy pasta water to loosen up the texture and make the sauce a little extra glossy.
Top with more fresh basil and parmesan before serving!

7 Comments

Saffron Cream Sauce

4/28/2022

3 Comments

Saffron is THE BEST addition to a simple creamy pasta sauce. It's honestly impossible to explain the flavor but it's pretty subtle and a perfect compliment to a neutral sauce base.

Have you ever heard of saffron before?? I hadn't until I saw a couple of my blogger friends shared it in their recipes a few years back! The spice originates from a flower called crocus sativus — aka "saffron crocus." After looking it up online, it seems that saffron originated in Greece, but today the spice is primarily grown in Iran, Greece, Morocco, and India. That means the saffron we have in the United States is imported!!

What you need:

1/2 lb pasta
2 tbsp butter
1 pinch saffron threads (hard to measure, a pinch is like 10-12 small threads)
1 cup heavy cream
Optional: parmesan for topping

What to do:

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions.
While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a skillet on medium heat and add the saffron threads. Be sure to stir the threads around in the butter for a minute or two in order to let the heat pull out some of their flavor and color.
Add the heavy whipping cream in two separate portions. (Wait for the first portion to start to bubble before you add the second portion - it thickens up better if it's not all thrown in the pan at once.)
Turn the heat to low/medium and let the sauce simmer until it's somewhat thick and can coat the back of a spoon.
Add the cooked pasta and a splash of pasta water (close to 1/4 cup.) Mix to combine. Note: if you didn't salt your pasta water, you may need to salt the sauce.
Top with parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

3 Comments

Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo

4/14/2022

One pot meals have been my JAM since becoming a mom, they're just so quick and easy and I loveeee that there's not much to clean up afterwards!! So obsessed with the rustic flavor of sun-dried tomatoes right now, it's like sunshine in a bowl!!

As always, the recipe makes enough for two large entrees or 3-4 smaller side dishes.

What you need:

2 tbsp EVOO
1 shallot, diced
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup orzo pasta
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cups white wine
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
3/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese

What to do:

Cook the shallot in the EVOO until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Mix the garlic in about half way through cooking the shallot.
Add the orzo pasta, white wine and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and then turn to medium heat and cook until the liquid reduces by half.
Add the fresh and sun-dried tomatoes and also the cream. Continue to cook while the rest of the liquid reduces. Pop the cherry tomatoes with a fork to mix some of their juice into the sauce.
Season with salt and pepper and then test the orzo pasta to make sure it's done! Cooking time should time up with the boiling time on the packaging for the pasta, give or take a few!!
Top with parmesan and a little pat of butter before serving.

2 Comments

Spicy Italian Sausage Pasta Sauce

3/21/2022

Had some spicy Italian sausage that I had to get rid of before it went bad and came up with the idea to make a meat sauce!! It's super simple - onions, red pepper flakes, crushed tomatoes and an optional splash of cream to make it a little pink!

I like the meat in heartier sauces to be super fine, so I ended up running it through my food processor to make it super smooth and I LOVED the texture afterwards! So good and I highly recommend.

What you need:

1 lb of pasta (if you want to jar half the sauce, just make 1/2 lb pasta)
2 tbsp EVOO
1 lb ground spicy Italain sausage
1 cup diced onion
6 minced garlic cloves
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)
1/2 cup reserved pasta water
Parmesan and fresh basil for topping

What to do:

Pour the EVOO into a skillet and cook the sausage until mostly done. Add the onion, garlic, red pepper flakes and tomato paste and cook for a few more minutes until the tomato paste is brick red and the onions are translucent and fragrant.
Add the crushed tomatoes to the sausage, season with salt and pepper and mix to combine. Cover with a lid and let simmer for 15 minutes while you cook the pasta.
Optional - add heavy cream to make the sauce pink and a tad on the creamy side.
Another option which I recommend doing if you like fine textured sauces: blend the sauce in a food processor to break down the larger pieces of sausage and/or crushed tomato pieces.
Mix the pasta into the sauce and serve with parmesan and fresh basil on top!

0 Comments

Creamy Chipotle Chicken Pasta

3/18/2022

4 Comments

I've been obsessed with putting chipotle peppers into all my food lately!! They're so good mixed into pasta sauce...creamy, smokey, cheesy.. AHH!!

Kept this one simple for you guys so that you could customize on your own if you want. Would be really good with spinach and then I was also thinking cilantro might be good in here, but unfortunately I am one of those people who got the "cilantro tastes like soap" genes.

*At first when I made this recipe I blended 4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and it was WAY too spicy so I switched things up for you guys and suggest only using 2 tbsp of the adobo sauce - that way there's no need to get a blender dirty. You can freeze the leftover adobo peppers and save them for another time.. or make my copycat chipotle vinaigrette salad dressing recipe!!

What you need:

1/2 lb pasta (I used Mafaldine)
2 chicken breasts
4-6 minced garlic cloves
2 tbsp of the adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup reserved pasta water
Parmesan cheese

What to do:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook it in a skillet until golden brown on each side. Cut and dice into bite sized pieces.
Cook the garlic in the olive oil for a few minutes until fragrant.
Add the adobo sauce to the garlic, then add the heavy cream in, in two even portions - this allows the first portion to warm up a bit so that it emulsifies better!
Season with a little salt and pepper.
Next, add in the cooked chicken from step 2. (If you want to add a little more to this dish, now would be a good time to add in some greens like spinach!)
Add the cooked pasta to the sauce, add the pasta water here too. Mix until the noodles are coated in the sauce.
Top with parmesan cheese before serving.

4 Comments

Sausage and Kale Rigatoni

3/16/2022

The “sauce” for this one is more of a gloss…which in my opinion is the BEST kind of pasta sauce. Butter + reduced broth and white wine mixed with the flavorful juices from the sausage. Also, the kale gets super soft while it cooks in the broth/wine and it’s probably the best tasting version of kale I’ve ever had!!

What you need:

1/2 lb (usually 1/2 box) rigatoni
2 tbsp EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
1/2 lb ground spicy Italian sausage
1/2 cup diced onion
2 handfuls finely chopped kale (about 1 cup, I used lacinato kale)
4-6 minced garlic cloves
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup broth
1/2 cup white wine
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese for topping

What to do:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to packaging instructions.
Brown the spicy Italian sausage in the EVOO in a skillet on medium heat.
Add the onion, kale, garlic and red pepper flakes in that same skillet and cook until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic, if it starts to turn brown the heat is too high/you should start the next step ASAP.
Pour the broth and white wine into I usually turn the heat up to med-high here in order to let the liquid aggressively simmer and reduce into a glossy sauce.
Once the liquid has mostly evaporated, it's ready for the pasta, butter and pasta water. Turn the heat to low-medium and add the pasta to the sauce - slowly mix in the butter slices and reserved pasta water to take the glossy factor to another LEVEL you might not have known to exist. Season with salt and pepper here too.
Top with parm, more red pepper flakes and more black pepper.

1 Comment

GOlden CREAMY CHICKEN NOodles

3/15/2022

6 Comments

NGL, this dish is totally inspired by the creamy chicken Maruchan Ramen packets I used to eat as a child!! I remember when they first came out with the creamy flavor my family went crazy over it and we literally ate it EVERY day after school for weeks.

The recipe concept is basically to cook noodles in chicken broth on the stove and then once the broth has reduced, add butter and cream to make a lush, creamy chicken flavored sauce!! It's so freaking good. A little tricky with what size and shape noodles you use so pay attention to the tip where I mention to drain out some broth if there's too much in the skillet by the time the noodles are finished.

Last thing -- the noodles are not meant to be al dente, they're supposed to be slightly overcooked and pretty soft.

What you need:

2 cups noodles (smaller flatter shapes work best)
2 - 2 1/2 cups chicken broth (enough so that the noodles are mostly covered in the skillet.)
*1 tsp salt if using unsalted broth
2-3 tbsp butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
Chicken seasoning (optional for extra flavor)
Parmesan cheese for topping

What to do:

Add the pasta and broth to a large and deep skillet and bring to a boil using the high heat setting on the stove. (I used a 12" non-stick skillet.)
Once boiling, turn the heat to medium and let it continue to boil for as long as the cooking instructions say on the packaging of the pasta that you're using. The broth should evaporate and decrease by at least half or more. (If there's a ton of excess broth, you can discard some of it using a strainer.)
Once the broth has been reduced and the noodles are done cooking, add the butter and heavy cream. Keep the heat on medium and stir the pasta on and off while cooking for 4-5 more minutes. The butter will melt and the cream will thicken and you should have a super luscious sauce texture.
Optional but I seasoned with a pinch or two of chicken seasoning here. (I used Trader Joe's chicken-less chicken seasoning which has been discontinued but the taste is veryyy similar to a chicken bouillon cube or powder if you want to use that!)
Top with parmesan cheese and serve hot!

6 Comments

Chipotle Ranch Chicken Tacos

3/7/2022

This chipotle chicken is a staple in our house!! We love to use it to make tacos, burritos, salads, nachos and/or burrito bowls!! The chicken can be paired with any sort taco/burrito faves but we like it with chopped romaine lettuce, white rice, my greek yogurt-based chipotle ranch sauce and then either monterey jack or white cheddar cheese. Basic, but amazing.

What you need:
For the chicken

5-6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
salt for the saltwater brine
1 tsp chipotle seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder

For the chipotle ranch

3/4 cup greek yogurt
1/4 cup mayo
1-2 garlic cloves
1 pepper from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 tsp dried oregano or similar herb (parsley or dill)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon of salt

What to do:

Soak the chicken thighs in a salt water brine for at least one hour or up to overnight.
While the chicken is brining, make the chipotle ranch sauce by combining all the ingredients in a food processor and blending until smooth.
Pat the chicken thighs dry and season with the chipotle, garlic and onion powder. You can dice the chicken here, raw or cook it whole pieces and then dice it. I like to dice while it's raw because I like the shape and flavoring better but it might be easier to cut the chicken thighs once they are already cooked, so, up to you!!
Cook the thighs in a skillet with a little neutral oil on medium-high heat until the pieces start to brown and crisp up a bit. (If you didn't brine your chicken it will need to be seasoned with a little salt here.)
If you're making tacos or burritos, I always love to warm them in the same skillet with the chicken juices so the tortilla gets super soft and flavorful.

1 Comment

One-Pan Homemade Spaghettio's

2/28/2022

8 Comments

I am HERE for the one pan/pot recipes!! Sometimes I don't like the texture of pasta sauce that's full blown pasta water but for this recipe it's absolutely necessary to mimic that thicker texture of the classic Spaghettio's in a can. Obviously, you can leave out the meatballs or use your own meatball recipe - and yes, it's pretty annoying to roll them into such tiny balls but hey, this recipe is fun and it's worth it in my opinion!!

I didn't salt the pasta water since the meatballs are salty and the 1/4 cup of parm bring some saltiness into the dish as well. I highly recommend using freshly grated parm from a block - the pre-shredded stuff never melts as well or tastes as good and it's not great for texture. Also, if you don't grate the garlic there will be little chunks of it in there so that could throw off the texture too, FYI.

Recipe makes enough for two and the whole thing is done in 20-25 minutes depending on how fast of a meatball roller you are, lol.

What you need:
For the meatballs:

1/2 lb ground meat (I used 80% lean ground beef)
2 minced garlic cloves
A handful of chopped herbs (I used basil and parsley)
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup breadcrumbs (I used one slice of bread that was going bad and just
1/4 cup parmesan
1 egg

For the Spaghettio's:

3-4 garlic cloves, grated
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup anellini pasta
3 cups broth (I used chicken)
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

What to do:

Make and cook the mini meatballs. Combine all meatball ingredients in a mixing bowl and roll into marble sized balls. Stir and cook in olive oil until browned (about 5-7 minutes.) Set aside until a later step.
In the same pan/leftover oil that you cooked the meatballs, cook the grated garlic cloves on low heat until translucent. (Only a minute or two!)
Add 2 tbsp tomato paste to the garlic and cook until it turns brick red and becomes caramelized.
Add the pasta, then the broth. Turn the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should be boiling at a lower pace. Do not cover, because some of that sauce will evaporate and thicken up as the pasta cooks.
Once the broth has decreased by almost half, add the parmesan cheese and stir in.
Add the meatballs back in and let them warm for a minute or two in the sauce before serving.

8 Comments

ONE POT LAZY LASAGNA

2/22/2022

6 Comments

Okay so I really wanted lasagna the other day but didn't want to do all the work of layering and mixing and baking! This isn't an exactly pure lasagna recipe so don't come at me -- just a quicker way to achieve lasagna vibes and it's SO good!

What you need:

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 diced shallot or onion
4-6 minced garlic cloves
optional: 1/2 - 1 lb ground meat of choice
1 handful (about a cup) of leafy greens (kale or spinach)
1/4 cup fresh torn basil
2 cups broth (chicken or veggie)
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
about 2 cups broken lasagna noodles
salt and pepper to taste
parmesan shreds
shredded mozzarella
ricotta cheese

What to do:

Cook the shallot and garlic in the EVOO in a large and deep *oven safe* skillet or dutch oven on medium heat until fragrant and translucent. I recommend using a non-stick skillet to prevent the noodles from getting stuck to the bottom of the pan.
If you want to add meat to the dish, cook it in the skillet here. (It's okay if it's not done all the way through because it will continue to cook throughout the rest of the recipe!)
Add the greens, herbs, tomatoes, broth, noodles, salt and pepper and stir. (I always poke the broken lasagna noodles to make sure they are covered by the liquid so that they cook more evenly.)
Preheat the oven, use the broil setting.
Cook for 15 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Every stovetop is different so give or take a minute for cooking time -- you'll want it to be saucy, but not too saucy where it looks like soup. (Do not cover the pot, the liquid needs to evaporate in addition to being soaked up by the lasagna noodles - and if you do notice that too much of the liquid has evaporated too quickly, you should turn the heat to a lower setting and/or add more broth.)
After the 15 minute timer goes off, top with the three cheeses. Parm and mozz first, then dollops of ricotta.
Stick the dish in the oven and use the broiler to melt the cheese until bubbly and golden brown -- only about 2-3 minutes!
Top with basil and fresh cracked black pepper before serving.

6 Comments

Double Garlic Parmesan Noodles

2/16/2022

When it comes to garlic, the limit does not exist. Just cover me in garlic.

This recipe is perfect for garlic lovers because it has TWO kinds of garlic. Fresh and then crispy fried garlic which is one of my all time favorite toppings. Pro tip: if you have or know someone with a nut allergy, crispy garlic can replace that crunchy nut factor in recipes like pad thai or pesto!

Recipe makes enough for 2 entrees or 3-4 smaller side portions. Store any leftover fried garlic in an air-tight container for up to two weeks.

What you need:

1 cup peeled garlic cloves (there will be extra, you can thank me later!)
neutral oil (enough to cover the amount of garlic you fry)
1/2 lb pasta (I used bucatini)
4 tbsp salted butter
1/2 cup parmesan cheese (don't use the pre-grated stuff, grate it yourself for best results!!)
1/2 cup reserved pasta water

What to do:

Mince the garlic - I used a food processor to save time.
Scoop and set aside two tablespoons of the freshly minced garlic.
Place the rest of fresh garlic in a small sauce pot and pour the oil over it until it's fully submerged.
Put the sauce pot on the stove and turn it to medium-high heat. Once the garlic starts to fry, stir it on and off (every 10-15 seconds) until you start to notice it's color changing.
AS SOON as the garlic starts to turn the slightest bit golden brown, lower the heat and pay close attention to it so that it does not burn. (Only takes a minute for it to burn!! I've done it several times lol.) The garlic is done once it's a pretty golden brown color, remove it from heat and strain the oil into a heat-safe storage container. (Makes an awesome garlic infused oil!!)
Place the fried garlic on a paper towel to dry off until you're ready to use at the end of the recipe.
Next, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions.
Cook the fresh garlic and butter in a large skillet on low heat until fragrant.
Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, then sprinkle the parm over top somewhat evenly and then the pasta water. Mix vigorously over heat to combine.
Plate and top with desired amount of fried garlic, more parm and fresh parsley.

1 Comment

Sheet Pan Gnocchi + butter, Garlic, ChilIes, Tomatoes and Goat cheese

1/18/2022

5 Comments

A couple of things about this dish that I LOVE: it's easy, it's quick, and it's versatile! The gnocchi pieces crisp up to perfection from the oil and also, roasted tomatoes are good on their own but tomatoes roasted in butter, garlic and spicy chilis...along side of goat cheese...and then drizzled with honey...way better.

If you want to leave out the gnocchi, this would make the most perfect appetizer/dipping spread for a good crusty bread. Also, sometimes I'm not feeling gnocchi (it's a very filling pasta!) and I'm thinking you could very easily boil your own pasta while the cheese/tomatoes bake and add it to the sheet pan once you pull it out of the oven. Like I said earlier, very customizable dish!!

What you need:

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4-6 minced garlic cloves (4 big or 6 sm/med cloves)
2 cups cherry tomatoes
2 cups gnocchi - fresh, not frozen
2 tbsp chopped calabrian chili peppers
8 oz goat cheese (in log form)
2 tbsp of butter, sliced into 4 pieces
salt and pepper to taste
optional: honey or balsamic glaze for topping

What to do:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Prep: mince the garlic and add it to the olive oil and then slice the goat cheese log into 1/4-1/2 inch pieces.
Add the cherry tomatoes, gnocchi, garlic in oil and chilis to a cookie sheet and toss to combine.
Add the butter and goat cheese slices, distribute them evenly throughout the pan and season the entire thing with salt and pepper.
Bake in the oven for 15 minutes and then turn the oven setting to broil for the last 3-4 minutes. The tomatoes should be somewhat bursted and the goat cheese should be slightly golden brown around the edges.
Remove the tray from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before digging in! Don't forget about the optional toppings of balsamic or honey -- also, bread is really great dipped into it!

5 Comments

Eviction Notice Pasta

10/12/2021

Towards the end of my pregnancy, I kept getting messages about this pasta dish from a restaurant called Frank Papa's in St. Louis that apparently has put a lot of very pregnant women into labor! The restaurant's "Eviction Notice" special is a penne amatriciana which is a spicy tomato sauce with meat (typically guanciale.) I've been served a ton of different versions of amatriciana so I'm sharing how I prefer to eat it -- not the traditional Italian version. ;)

What you need:

1/2 lb pasta (I love it with bucatini)
2 tbsp EVOO
1/2 cup diced onion
2-3 minced garlic cloves
Crushed red pepper flakes (as much as you can handle - I do 1 tsp)
1/2 cup diced guanciale (pancetta or thick bacon works too)
1/2 ground spicy Italian sausage
28 oz can of whole peeled tomatoes
Parmesan cheese

What to do:

Heat a sauce pot and cook the onion, garlic and red pepper flakes in the EVOO until translucent and fragrant.
Add both meats and cook until it starts to brown.
Pour the whole peeled tomatoes and all their juice into a large bowl and crush the tomatoes by hand. (You could use crushed tomatoes here instead but I like crushing them myself for a chunkier texture!)
Add the tomatoes and juice from the can to the sauce pot and let simmer for at least a half hour. It should thicken up a bit, if the sauce needs thinning - add pasta water.
Pour the sauce over cooked pasta and top with parmesan cheese before serving!

2 Comments

Cheesy Sriracha Noodles

9/27/2021