Green Pesto Pasta

This Pesto was adapted from Giada's spicy pesto recipe.... which is incredibly yummy. The original recipe calls for 1 jalapeno. I omitted the jalapeno and used half an avocado instead, I figured it would give it a nice creamy touch and besides I was cooking for my girls. Let's get started!

RECIPE:
1 lb Pasta (your choice)

1 cup baby spinach

1 cup arugula

1 cup raw walnuts

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 avocado

2 garlic cloves

5-8 oz cheese (I used a parmesan, romano & asiago mix)

pinch of salt and pepper to taste

While the pasta cooks to perfection, blend the pesto ingredients together. If mixture is to thick, feel free to add a bit of pasta water, this will ease the blending process.

You pesto should look something like that!! Now taste to adjust the seasonings. Once pasta is cooked, place in a large bowl and incorporate pesto. Garnish with chopped walnuts and more cheese!! Easy right!

This is perfect on its own, or aside grilled chicken, fish or even a shredded rotisserie chicken.

ENJOY!!

Cold Orzo Salad

This quick pasta is a great side or delicious on it's own!

1 box cooked orzo (cooled)

Couple bunched of raw kale (chopped)

1 large tomato (seeded & chopped)

3 Persian cucumbers (chopped)

1/4 red onion (finely chopped)

Red Wine Vinaigrette:

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Pinch of oregano 

Salt & pepper to taste 

Mix veggies with the orzo & slowly incorporate Vinaigrette. Mix & taste, adjust seasonings if needed. Sprinkle feta cheese crumbs on top, add more to your liking. 

Refrigerate for about 20 mins, allowing flavors to incorporate. 

Enjoy!

Simple Spaghetti & Meatballs

Ingredients:

(For the meatballs)

1 1/2 lean ground beef

1 egg

1/2 shredded small zucchini 

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Some bread crumbs

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1Tb salt & freshly ground pepper 

Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, with a small ice cream scoop

form the balls. Heat up a large skillet, add olive oil, brown the meatballs

 in two batches. Take out meatballs onto a plate lined with a paper towel

 to drain excess oil.

Sauce:

Favorite store bought marinara

1 garlic clove

1/4 diced red onion

1 bay leaf

Some dried oregano 

You will then add the diced onion & garlic to the skillet you cooked your

meatballs. Sauté for 3-4 mins, add marinara sauce, bay leaf, oregano &

simmer for 10mins. Add meatballs into the sauce & simmer another 10mins.

1 1lb spaghetti to pasta

Meanwhile cook the pasta accordingly. To serve place pasta on a plate & spoon

 over generous amounts of sauce & meatballs. Finish with Parmesan cheese &

 possibly some fresh basil. Enjoy!!

Roasted Veggie & Shrimp Linguine

This "experimental" dish just came to be one afternoon.. & man was it delicious! It worked, the ingredients married one another & not to mention it was pretty simple to execute. Hope you enjoy!

RECIPE:

1 lb. linguine pasta

2 cloves of garlic (thinly sliced)

3 garlic cloves (minced)

2 lbs shrimp

1 red bell pepper (quartered)

1 yellow bell pepper (quartered)

2 zucchini's (quartered)

1 pkg. of cherry tomatoes (halved)

1 red onion (sliced into chucks)

Parsley (chopped)

Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven at 400.

Place all veggies on a baking sheet & drizzle with olive oil, salt & pepper. Add sliced garlic on top & mix to combine seasonings. Roast at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until veggies are slightly tender. Next place shrimp on a baking sheet, add olive oil, paprika, salt, pepper, garlic (minced). Place in the oven during last 10 minutes before the veggies are done. Make sure shrimp is placed on the top rack.

Meanwhile, cook pasta accordingly, drain & set aside. (Reserve 1/4 pasta water)

Prepare a large mixing bowl or pot to combine all ingredients.

Take both veggies & shrimp out of the oven. Add to pasta, along with the reserved water & combine.

 Finish with parsley & your desired amount of Parmesan cheese. 

Serve!!!

This meal may require a ton of dishes, but the actual preparation is simple! Don't be intimated! 

Let someone else wash the dishes!!

ENJOY!!

Party Pasta (as we call it)

This 'party pasta' or Ham & cheese pasta are always present during our special gatherings...
 the obvious, it's freaking delicious! Also its a perfect make ahead meal.

Always a crowd pleaser!

I usually prep the day before, cook the pasta, cool & store in ziplock bags. Chop cheese, ham & store in a separate ziplock. Cook veggies & store!

Party day arrives & you toss everything in a large bowl add condiments & mix.

RECIPE

  2lb Spiral Pasta

1lb Yellow cheese

1lbs Ham

1/2 frozen mixed veggies

1 cup Mayo

1 cup sour cream

1 TP Mustard

Cook pasta accordingly & remember DO NOT overcook.
 Add mixed veggies during the last 2 minutes.

Cube cheese & ham.. if prepping the day before store in ziplock bags.

Once pasta cools, store in the refrigerator.

Day of: In a large bowl combine all ingredients & mix to incorporate mayo mixture.

Pasta should look saturated with mayo mixture because it will absorb half.

  

Enjoy! 

Always remember the rules of cold pasta, don't put out to early on or place in the sun. 

Once pasta is no longer cool, store away (if for some odd reason there's leftovers)!

Double or triple the recipe. I've made up to 4 boxes of pasta for parties :)

Turkey Sausage Pasta with Feta cheese

1 pk. Turkey Sausage (about 1- 1 1/2 lb.)

2 cups Broccoli

1 Yellow squash (quartered)

2 bell peppers (your choice)

1/2 red onion (thinly sliced)

1 pk. bow tie pasta (cook accordingly)

some fresh thyme

Slice all your veggies, meanwhile brown sausage in a large saute pan, cook pasta 

& add broccoli florets during the last minute.

This was my first time using Jennie-O Turkey sausage and I must say it was pretty tasty :)

Once sausage browns add red onion (cook about 2mins)... followed by the yellow squash
& bell peppers (cook until tender) .

 

Lastly add cooked pasta with broccoli to the sausage & veggie mixture!

Combine the thyme & feta cheese.. I know what your thinking FETA CHEESE?? Yes feta cheese in a warm pasta dish! It added a nice tangy flavor and brightened up the whole dish. We all had seconds & ate the leftovers the following day... even my picky fiance ate his veggies & added more cheese ;)

Easy & light..

ENJOY!!

Pasta Primavera

I'm very excited to share this recipe! Ok I'm always very excited to share...

This happens to be the first "real" pasta recipe I learned to make.. I believe my Tia Hortencia shared it with my mom, glad she did! YUM!!! I know some variations of this dish contain Peas or other veggies. SO..add what you enjoy most, we actually added Eggplant this time & it worked, very tasty. I kinda forgot about it & had not made it since. Anyhow, I was visiting my parents this week & we decided to cook this! Don't let the recipe scare you off, it's long.. YES... but it's easy (just don't overcook the pasta & veggies). 

RECIPE:

(Serves 6)

1 lb. of Bow-Tie Pasta

2 cups of Asparagus (cut diagonally)

1 small stem of broccoli (cut out florets)

1 tbsp of Olive oil

1 Green, Red, Yellow Bell peppers (sliced)

1 small red onion (sliced)

2 Garlic Cloves (minced)

1 cup Cherry Tomatoes (halved)

a few Sun dried Tomatoes (chopped) *optional

1/2 cup of Chicken stock

1/4 cup of Heavy Cream

Crushed Red Pepper

1/2 Tbsp of Salt & some Pepper

Parmesan Cheese

Fresh Basil 

Cook pasta accordingly & add Broccoli/ Asparagus during the last minute... cook for 1 MINUTE only!!

Chop all Veggies... chop, chop, chop



Place chopped bellpeppers & onion in 1 plate.. Tomato separately

Heat up your LARGEST skillet (we want everything to fit at the end), add Olive oil.

Saute garlic, onion & bell peppers (5mins).

Add Tomato's & combine (1min).

Add Chicken stock, Heavy cream, salt/ Pepper & Chile flakes

 (cook for 2 mins or until it comes to a light simmer) Combine!

Add in Cooked Pasta, Cheese & sprinkle Basil ribbons

(Serve Immediately) or pasta drys up & may over cook especially if left covered.



Top with more cheese!!



SERVE..



*Optional.. Top with Chopped Chicken! YUM



ENJOY!

Elbow Pasta w/ Ground Beef

This dish is one of his <3 favorites.

Thanks to my mom for sharing & teaching me the recipe. Our girls love this as well. All the fresh veggies really make this a well rounded dish, in my opinion.

(Add a side salad & dinner/ lunch is ready)

RECIPE:

1 lb. Elbow shaped Pasta

1 lb. Lean Ground Beef

2 (16 oz.) Can of Tomato Sauce

1 Large tomato or 2 Roma Tomato's (chopped)

1 Celery Rib (chopped)

1/4 onion (chopped)

2 Tomatillos (chopped)

1 Garlic Clove (chopped)

Pinch Dried Oregano

Salt & Pepper

Mozzarella & Parmesan Cheese

Boil water & cook pasta according & set aside.

 

Evenly chop all veggies..



 In a large Skillet add 1 Tbsp of Olive Oil & brown ground beef. (Season with Salt & Pepper) 10-15mins.

Add in garlic, onion, celery. Cook 2 mins.

Follow by adding tomato & tomatillo, stir to combine & cook for 1 min.

Add in can of Tomato sauce & rinse can with a tiny bit of water & add in as well.

Stir!

Cover & allow to simmer on low for 5 mins.

Add in cooked pasta, handful of Mozzarella cheese & add dried Oregano. Stir to combine.

Lastly, sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top & Serve.



ENJOY!

Summer Pasta Salad

Summer by far has the best available ingredients in my opinion. It’s all about cooking using fresh ingredients and grilling outside (Right!? Wish I ate like that all summer). However, it can be somewhat of a struggle just to eat healthy or enjoy eating outdoors. Remember to treat yourselves, especially when we’re blessed with such beautiful weather!

This weekend we celebrated our Godson’s 3^rd birthday, I made my sister a pasta salad for the gathering, and it happens to be one of my favorites. The freshness of all the veggie ingredients makes it light yet satisfying. An Aunt of mine introduced me to this recipe and traditionally all the veggies were sliced length wise and included black olives. However, I’m a sucker for bite size pieces so I chopped the ingredients a little smaller and choose to omit the black olives this time.

RECIPE:

 1 pk. Bow Tie Pasta
Italian Dressing or favorite Vinaigrette

1 Green Bell pepper

1 Red Bell pepper

1/4 sliced red onion

3 Cucumber (quartered)

2 Small Broccoli heads
1 case Cherry Tomatoes

Pepper (to taste)

Black Olives (optional)

Tips: Sprinkle Crumbed Feta Cheese (Tastes YUMMY!)

Ingredients

1. Fill up a large pot with water and set to boil.
2. Wash all the veggies! Quarter cucumbers, cut small broccoli florets, thinly slice red onion, and chop bell peppers into small cubes.
3. As water comes to a boil add salt to the pot.
4. Add the pasta and cook according to package. (remember to add the broccoli for the last minute)Drain both pasta and broccoli. Set aside to cool.

5. Once pasta is cool enough, add all veggies, coat with salad with enough dressing, season with black pepper, and mix to combine all ingredients. (Keep in mind salad will absorb dressing quickly & its fine to add more)


Pasta with veggies (Hasn't been mixed)




Serve and Enjoy or store in a refrigerator for later use!!!

** Italian Dressing can be easily substituted for a red wine vinaigrette... play around with it and see what works for you. :-)

(Double or even Triple the recipe for Parties)