Pasta Al Pomodoro

I tend to stay away from ordering pasta at restaurants. These so called chain-Italian restaurants can't get pasta right. It's such a disappointment especially when it's my cheat day of my "diet". Sigh.

Pasta al Pomodoro couldn't be easier to make. The key ingredient in this dish is tomatoes hence it's name, translating to "pasta with tomato". It's best to save making this one until the end of summer when tomatoes are at their best, however, for busy mama on a Spring/work/soccer practice night, a giant can of peeled tomatoes works just fine.

It's important to cook the pasta al dente (about a minute or two less than what is stated on the package) since the noodles will continue to cook once you toss the sauce with them.

Serve with garlic bread, (recipe to follow). Yummy!

Pasta al Pomodoro

Adapted from: Epicurious: Dinner Rush Summer/Fall 2013

Makes 4 Servings

Stars of the Show:

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1 (28 oz) can peeled tomatoes
• kosher salt
• 12 oz bucatini or spaghetti
• 1/4 cup parmesan or pecorino

And Action:

Puree olive oil, onion powder, garlic, red pepper flakes, peeled tomatoes, and salt in food processor. Pour into a sauce pot and heat over medium until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring water to a boil in a large pot. Season with salt, add pasta, and cook stirring occasionally until 2 minutes before tender.

Drain pasta.

Combine pasta and sauce. Remove from heat and add the cheese. Enjoy!

Garlic Bread

Epicurious: Dinner Rush Summer/Fall 2013

Makes 4 to 6 Servings

Stars of the Show:

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• kosher salt
• 1/2 stick of butter, softened
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp finely chopped flat leaf parsley
• 1 loaf Italian bread - I used French bread.
• 4 tbsp grated Parmesan

And Action:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mash garlic to a paste with 1/4 tsp salt.

Stir together butter, oil, and garlic paste in a bowl until well combined, stir in parsley.

Halve loaf horizontally and divide butter mixture between halves and spread it in an even layer. 

Divide cheese between halves and spread in an even layer.

Put halves, cheese side up, on a large baking sheet. Cover bread with a large piece of foil, tenting it slightly on the top and tucking it under the bread.

Bake 15 minutes.

Remove foil and turn oven to broil. Broil bread until golden, about 2 minutes. 

Lemon-Garlic Chicken And Rice

When I first started this blog my mama was so supportive. I received a surprise package and inside it was loaded with cookbooks. In that stack was a Rice-A-Roni and Noodle-Roni: Recipes For Busy Cooks cookbook. At the time convenience cooking wasn't that necessary since I was an at home mama. Now that I work a full time job meals that come together in 30 minutes or less are very helpful to avoid turning to fast food. 

While I don't prefer to cook using boxed mixes because of the sodium content I don't mind every once in a while. I once only thought of Rice-A-Roni as a side dish. This cookbook has changed that thinking. Seasoned chicken is browned in a skillet then simmers with the rice as it cooks. Before serving red bell peppers (forgot to buy one) and lemon peel are stirred into the rice. 

This was absolutely flavorful and enjoyed by everyone. Definitely a keeper recipe for a busy work night. Just serve with a tossed salad. 

Lemon-Garlic Chicken And Rice

Rice-A-Roni And Noodle-Roni: Recipes For Busy Cooks

Makes 4 servings

Stars of the Show:

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1 tsp paprika
• salt and pepper (optional)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 package (6.9 oz) Chicken Flavor Rice-A-Roni
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 cup red or green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 tsp grated lemon peel

Action:

Sprinkle chicken with paprika, salt, and pepper.

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add chicken and garlic, cook 2 minutes on each side until browned. Remove from skillet, set side, reserve drippings. Keep warm.

In the same skillet, saute rice-vermicelli mix in reserved drippings over medium heat, until vermicelli is golden brown. Stir in 2 1/4 cups water, lemon juice, and contents of seasoning packet. Top rice with chicken, bring to a boil over high heat.

Cover, reduce heat. Simmer 10 minutes. Stir in red bell pepper and lemon peel.

Cover and continue to simmer 10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed, rice is tender and chicken is no longer pink inside.

Nutritional Information Per Serving:

Calories: 360

Total Fat: 8g

Saturated Fat: 1g

Cholesterol: 70mg

Vitamin A: 41%

Vitamin C: 87%

Sodium: 850mg

Carbohydrates: 39g

Dietary Fiber: 2g

Protein: 33g

Calcium: 4%

Iron: 22%

Fettuccine with Olive Oil, Garlic, and Red Pepper Flakes

I am a big fan of pasta and olive oil thanks to my Italian mama. Many nights our plates would have a side dish of pasta noodles drizzled with olive oil. It is a comfort food of mine since it immediately transports me back to my mama's table.

This recipe is quick and simple. It makes for a perfect weeknight meal and even for a "Meatless Monday" like our family enjoyed with a side of fresh green beans.

The garlic and red pepper flakes get infused into the olive and then tossed into the pasta with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese and parsley. This pasta packs a heat kick. If you are not a fan of spicy then I would recommend adjusting the red pepper flake amount to your liking.

Fettuccine with Olive Oil, Garlic, and Red Pepper Flakes

MyRecipes.com and Cooking Light, April 2011

Makes 4 servings

Stars of the Show:

• 1/4 cup olive oil, divided - I used half this amount and didn't drizzle the remaining amount over the pasta. I felt it would make it too oily.
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes - This amount makes for quite a spicy kick. Adjust to your liking.
• enough water for boiling fettuccine
• 3 1/4 tsp salt, divided - I only used enough salt for salting the boiling water the noodles cooked in. I decided not to add any extra salt to the pasta since parmesan cheese has a salty bite.
• 8 oz uncooked fettuccine
• 1/2 cup (2 oz) grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley - I used dried parsley since that was what I had on hand.

And Action:

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil and the garlic. Stir constantly for 30 seconds, stir in the red pepper flakes and then remove from heat.

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain over a large bowl and reserve 1/2 cup of the liquid. Add the pasta, cooking liquid, and salt (optional) to the garlic mixture. Toss to combine well. Add the parmesan cheese and parsley. Drizzle the pasta with remaining olive oil if desired.

Nutritional Information Per Serving:

Calories: 397
Fat: 19g
Saturated fat: 4.6g
Monounsaturated fat: 11.3g
Polyunsaturated fat: 2.5g
Protein: 13.2g
Carbohydrate: 44g
Fiber: 2.1g
Cholesterol: 12mg
Iron: 2.4mg
Sodium: 559mg
Calcium: 180mg

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for an Organic Bikes Biodegradable Water Bottle!

Garlic-Dill Crackers

If I had to choose my favorite spice it would come down to garlic and dill. You can imagine how giddy I was when I came across this recipe. Oyster crackers are coated with a vegetable oil spice mixture and then baked until dry.

These crackers on their own are delicious and flavorful. When I added these crackers to my tomato soup for lunch it took an ordinary bowl of soup to a whole new level!

Garlic-Dill Crackers

MyRecipes.com and Cooking Light, July 1996

Makes 4 1/2 cups (Serving size = 1/4 cup)

Stars of the Show:

• 1 1/2 tbsp dry ranch dressing mix
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp dried dill
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp lemon pepper
• 1 (11 oz) package oyster crackers (about 4 1/2 cups)

And Action:

Preheat oven to 175°.

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl and stir well. Add the oyster crackers and toss to coat. Spoon mixture onto a baking sheet.

Bake at 175° for 30 minutes stirring frequently. I stirred my batch every 10 minutes. Cool completely and then store in an airtight container. Add to soups, salads, or grab a handful.

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 90 (34% from fat)

Fat: 3.4g (sat 0.3g,mono 0.5g,poly 1.3g)

Protein: 1.4g

Carbohydrate: 14g

Fiber: 0.0g

Cholesterol: 0.0mg

Iron: 0.1mg

Sodium: 338mg

Calcium: 5mg

Tomorrow is the last day to link your recipe to the Culinary Smackdown Battle. I will be announcing the winner the morning of February 28, 2011. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with!