Archive for Pasta

Broccoli and bow ties

This is such an easy pasta dish and the broccoli in this dish taste scrumptious because of the citrus lemon flavor and the pine nuts add a unique flavor to it. It truly is a summer dish, light, crisp and refreshing. I have made this several times and my kids just love this dish.

BROCCOLI AND BOW TIES

INGREDIENTS
Kosher salt
8 cups broccoli florets (4 heads)
1/2 pound farfalle (bow tie) pasta
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 lemon, zested
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup toasted pignoli (pine) nuts
Freshly grated Parmesan, optional

SERVES
6

PREP TIME
5 minutes

COOK TIME
8 minutes

DIRECTIONS
Cook the broccoli for 3 minutes in a large pot of boiling salted water. Remove the broccoli from the water with a slotted spoon or sieve. Place in a large bowl and set aside.
In the same water, cook the bow-tie pasta according to the package directions, about 12 minutes. Drain well and add to the broccoli.
Meanwhile, in a small saute pan, heat the butter and oil and cook the garlic and lemon zest over medium-low heat for 1 minute. Off the heat, add 2 teaspoons salt, the pepper, and lemon juice and pour this over the broccoli and pasta. Toss well. Season to taste, sprinkle with the pignolis and cheese, if using, and serve.
To toast pignolis, place them in a dry saute pan over medium-low heat and cook, tossing often, for about 5 minutes, until light brown.
CREDIT
Ina Garten from Barefoot Contessa

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Penne with Spinach Sauce

PENNE WITH SPINACH SAUCE

INGREDIENTS
1 pound whole wheat or multi grain penne
2 garlic cloves
2 ounces goat cheese
1 ounce reduced fat cream cheese
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan

SERVES
5-6

PREP TIME
5 minutes

COOK TIME
12 minutes

DIRECTIONS

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the penne and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes.
Mince the garlic in a food processor. Add the goat cheese, cream cheese, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, and half of the spinach leaves. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Set the cheese and spinach mixture aside.
Meanwhile, place the remaining spinach leaves in a large bowl.
Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Spoon the pasta atop the spinach leaves in the bowl. Scrape the cheese and spinach mixture over the pasta mixture and toss to coat, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper. Add 1 tsp of extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle the Parmesan over and serve

CREDIT
Giada Laurentiis from Everyday Italian

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Macaroni Lunch

Here’s a quick healthy and delicious lunch that I made for the kids for a Skiing trip. It’s a great lunch coz it does’nt need to be heated and tastes great at room temperature. Its full of proteins, vitamins and lots of other nutrients and also very colorful and most of all KIDS LOVE IT!!!!….Infact i think the adults are gonna like it too.

MACARONI LUNCH

INGREDIENTS
6 cups water
2 cups whole wheat macaroni / elbow pasta
1 cup canned or freshly cooked kidney beans, drained
1.5 cup frozen peas and carrots mix, thawed
½ cup frozen corns, thawed
½ cup roma tomatoes diced
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1.5 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

SERVES
3-4

PREP TIME
5 – 8 minutes

COOK TIME
10 minutes

DIRECTIONS
In a stockpot, bring water to boil
Add pasta, cook for 10 minutes
Drain the hot water
In a medium bowl, combine the cooked pasta, kidney beans, peas and carrots, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, red wine vinegar, extra virgin oil, salt and pepper
Stir to combine

COMMENTS
Variation: add diced chicken or turkey

CREDIT
Chef LaLa

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