Pesto Chicken Pasta

I have this thing with pesto.

I kind of love it.

Ok, not kind of...I am absolutely in love with it.

How have I gone through 24 years of life without having had pesto pizza? Blasphemy, I tell you. I had pizza this year with pesto instead of pizza sauce for the first time ever...de-lish.

Now, anytime I go to a pizza place, pesto pizza is the first thing I look for. Try it.

You won't be disappointed.

Anyway, I have a pathetic excuse for a food processor so I have yet to make my own pesto...I know, cover your eyes. BUT, the store bought stuff isn't half bad. In fact, its quite convenient to toss into pasta with some sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan cheese for a quick dinner.

Exhibit A.

Pesto Chicken Pasta
Adapted from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) package whole grain pasta
1 small onion, chopped
1 teaspoon oil from sun-dried tomatoes, or olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes to taste
1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and cut into strips
3/4 cup pesto sauce
1/4 cup reduced-fat Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion until tender, about 5 minutes. Then stir in chicken. Season with red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Cook until chicken is golden, and cooked through. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about a minute or so.

In a large bowl, combine pasta, chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, pesto, and Parmesan cheese. Toss to coat evenly.

Lightened Spinach Stuffed Shells with Meat Sauce

Carbs are good.

I don't care what anyone says.

Carbs are better than good.

I always hear girls saying things along the lines of "oh I'm cutting out carbs".

Wait, um, excuse me?!

Isn't that like actually impossible? Impossible like resisting chocolate, or a free pair of heels, or a make-out session with Ryan Reynolds. It can't be done my friends.

Sure, I try to cut out as much white breads as possible and replace them with whole grain and fiber and such but a world without bread, pasta or potatoes is not a world I want to live in.

For those of you who don't fear carbs...then these stuffed shells shall make you salivate as they did me while they were baking. I searched high and low for whole grain shells but apparently they do not exist...at least not in my grocery store. Oh well, extra-carby it is.

This is actually a lightened recipe anyway, so the whole white pasta thing might as well get counted out. Am I right or am I right? The sauce I made for it was a meat sauce with ground turkey and chicken sausage but it was my boss's friends recipe...aka, not mine to share but it was delicious! Definitely my go-to tomato sauce. I changed this up a bit to resemble this said sauce so that will have to do.

Spinach Stuffed Shells with Meat Sauce
Adapted from Skinnytaste.com

Ingredients:

27 (9 oz) Barilla Jumbo Shells
1 cup onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 lb 99% lean ground turkey (I froze the leftover meat to use at a later date)
1/2 lb Italian chicken sausage, casings removed (I froze the leftover meat to use at a later date)
32 oz crushed tomatoes (I used Tuttorosso)
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tablespoon sugar
salt and pepper
2 cups part skim ricotta cheese
8 oz reduced fat mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 egg
16 oz package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed well
1/4 cup reduced-fat Parmigiano Reggiano

Directions:

Boil water and cook shells according to package directions, make sure to make them al dente.

Meanwhile, saute onions and garlic in oil. Add turkey sausage and salt and brown until cooked, breaking up in small pieces. Add tomatoes, red pepper flakes, sugar, salt, pepper and basil, then simmer on low, covered, about 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375°.
In a large bowl, mix together ricotta, egg, spinach, mozzarella, and parmesan.

Once shells are cooked and cool, fill each shell with (about 2 heaping tbsp) cheese mixture and place on a large baking dish, or two smaller dishes, covering the bottom of the dish with a little sauce.

Top shells with half of the sauce, cover with foil and bake 40 minutes; uncover foil and bake 5 more minutes.

Serve with additional sauce on top.

Autumn Penne

You know those mornings you wake up after being in such a deep sleep that you are convinced that the totally unrealistic and virtually impossible events that floated around your head during the night really happened?

This is a common occurrence for me...to wake up arguing with myself about whether or not I really did become a real live Candy Land character, or met Michael Jackson in space so he could teach me the "authentic" moonwalk.

Yesterday morning was no different. Except the focus on the argument was more about why in the heck, of all things, I chose to talk about the "importance of sour gummy worms" with George Clooney.

I've never met George Clooney but my brain failed to register that for at least the first 8 minutes of my morning. And by failed to register I mean more like refuses to accept.

A girl can dream.

Then spend the beginning of her morning in a perplexed and confused state until the disappointment sets in. No, you didn't magically invent some pill that kills calories...so no you can't eat that cupcake for breakfast.

Bummer.

Something else rather disappointing to me...the fact that fall is so far away. Though we could hardly call this thing we've had here in Ohio "winter" I still want it to be over.

I figure...just because it isn't October doesn't mean I can't enjoy a little fall.

This dish does remind me of fall. I know I know, the Brussels sprouts can throw you off but I promise you you barely notice them because they are chopped up. This is a dish that makes me actually LIKE Brussels sprouts. If I had one complaint about this dish it would be that the ragu sauce is a little on the light side. Next time, I would add more crushed tomatoes.

Autumn Penne
Adapted From skinnytaste.com

Ingredients:

1 sweet or hot chicken and pork sausage link, casing removed, crumbled
3/4 lb 93% lean ground turkey
4 tsp olive oil, divided
4 cloves garlic, sliced thin
10 oz brussels sprouts, weight after outer leaves and stems removed
1 small onion, diced small
1 carrot, peeled and diced small
1 celery stalk, diced small
28 oz crushed tomatoes
1 bay leaf
pinch crushed red pepper
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1 lb high fiber, low carb or whole wheat pasta

Directions:

In a large, wide skillet, add sausage and turkey over medium-high heat, breaking up the sausage and turkey as it cooks into small pieces. When completely cooked through; set aside in a bowl.

With a sharp knife, cut the brussels sprouts into thin shreds.

To the skillet, add 2 tsp of oil over medium heat. When hot, add the garlic and cook until golden (do not burn). Add shredded brussels sprouts, salt and pepper and sauté until tender crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes; set aside in another bowl.


To the same skillet, add remaining 2 tsp of oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot and celery, stirring well to coat with oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables turn golden brown, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Add crushed tomatoes, sausage and turkey, bay leaf, crushed red pepper, salt and fresh pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer about 30 - 40 minutes, or until sauce thickens.

Meanwhile, while sauce is simmering, put a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. Add the pasta to the water 10 minutes before the sauce is done and cook pasta al dente.

Drain and add the pasta to the skillet and toss with the sauce.

Add cooked brussel sprouts, toss and place in a large pasta bowl.

Portabello Spinach Lasagna

Some people would be surprised to know that my favorite shirt isn't pink, or adorned with a cupcake of any kind...nor does it have pearls, ruffles or anything that sparkles on it.

I've had the same favorite shirt for as long as I can remember. It is from 1985 and used to belong to my dad.

It is gray and faded and so worn thin that it is almost see-through. If you squint hard enough you can still make out the "1985 All-Stars Game The Twins" on it...just barely.

But it is the most comfortable shirt that has ever touched human skin. It is so light and perfect for that cool summer night when you have the windows down.

I only bring this up because I caught a lot of slack for still wearing it the other night...ahemshawnahem!

He's just jealous.

I will probably mourn for an entire week when the holes in the shirt have become too much. But I don't like to think about that.

I will wear it until it dissolves.

How bout that.

It's comfort for me. Much like lasagna is...and bread...and chocolate...and anything edible for that matter. This lasagna recipe is comforting and get this...pretty guilt free. Ch'yeah.

It is a meatless lasagna...I know I know...that is unheard of and rather preposterous for that matter but I promise you don't even miss it. Shawn didn't, and he is kind of meat and potatoes land.

Seriously.

But if you don't believe me. Add ground chicken. It will rock I'm sure.

Portabello Spinach Lasagna
Adapted from foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

9 whole-wheat lasagna noodles (about 3/4 pound)
2 teaspoons olive oil
12 ounces portobello mushrooms, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups store bought marinara sauce
1 (15-ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 egg, lightly beaten
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
3 ounces grated part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 2/3 cup)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cook the noodles al dente according to the directions on the package. Drain them well and spread them out onto aluminum foil or waxed paper to prevent them from sticking.

Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and all the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the tomato sauce and simmer for 2 minutes. In a medium bowl combine the ricotta cheese, spinach, egg, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, a few turns of pepper, and nutmeg.

Spread 1 cup of tomato sauce on the bottom of a 9 by 12-inch baking dish. Layer 3 noodles on top of the sauce and spread half of the ricotta mixture. Spread half a cup of tomato sauce on that. Repeat a second layer again with 3 noodles, the other half of ricotta and half a cup of sauce. Layer the final 3 noodles on top of that. Spread the remaining 1/2 cups of sauce over the lasagna rolls. Top with grated cheeses, cover loosely with foil, and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes more

Baked Angelhair Timbale

At the bakery I work at we try to have potlucks. For Christmas we had the "Very Merry Margarita" potluck and indulged in mexican food. This past one was our "Italian Stallion" potluck. I absolutely love potlucks but I always have a tough time deciding what on earth I want to make.

So I flipped through one of my Giada cookbooks (the first place I go when I want to make something Italian) and this timbale caught my eye. I was intriqued. I had never heard of a timbale, let alone made one....

If this isn't a recipe for disaster for me, I don't know what is.

I decided to make it because it was so different and I like to make things that are a little unexpected for potlucks. Well, a timbale takes over an hour to bake...which is fine. But I made the mistake of going to the gym while it baked...

As I returned from the gym, already short of breath and slightly hating my life because I really pushed myself (because I was anticipating the damage I would do to my body that night with all the carbs and meaty sauces). I opened my door to find an apartment filled with smoke....

My eyes instantly started to water and my heart dropped to me heels. "Oh my God I've burned it!" I was extra-panic stricken as I was supposed to leave for the potluck in an hour and had no back-up plans. I raced to the oven and yanked the door open, all the while inhaling pure smoke. As I waved the heat and smoke out of my face I got a peek at my timable and saw that is was fine...the floor of my oven on the other hand, was not.

The smoke was spiraling from the lovely black crusted liquid that was dripping from the springform pan...

Lesson learned; when using a springform pan, always line the outside with foil...Even now, a couple months later, when I turn on the oven you can smell the burning from the charred liquid. I can't seem to rid of it no matter how much cleaner or scraping I take to it...

On the bright side, the timbale turned out perfectly and everyone loved it. So there.

Baked Angelhair Timbale
From foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 to 6 Japanese eggplants (about 2 pounds total), cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 pound mild Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
1/3 cup dry red wine
3 cups marinara sauce
1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
8 ounces angel hair pasta
1 pound mozzarella, diced
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 (17 1/4-ounce) package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed

Directions:

Heat 1/3 cup of oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add half of the eggplant and toss to coat in the oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute the eggplant until it is golden and tender, about 10 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium. Add half of the garlic and saute until it is tender, about 2 minutes longer. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the eggplant mixture to a large bowl. Repeat with the remaining 1/4 cup oil and the remaining eggplant and garlic.

Add the sausage and wine to the same frying pan. Cook over medium-high heat until the wine evaporates and the sausage is brown, breaking the sausage into pieces with the back of a spoon, about 8 minutes. Add the sausage, marinara sauce, and crushed red pepper to the eggplant mixture, and toss to combine.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the angel hair and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until pasta is still slightly crunchy and undercooked. Drain. Toss the angel hair with the eggplant mixture. Cool completely. Add the mozzarella and Parmesan and toss to combine.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Roll out 1 pastry sheet on a floured surface to a 13 1/2-inch square. Transfer to a 9-inch springform pan, allowing the excess pastry to hang over the rim. Spoon the pasta mixture into the pan. Place the second pastry sheet atop the pasta filling. Pinch the edges of the pastry sheets together to seal. Trim the overhanging pastry edges to about 1-inch. Fold the pastry edges in to form a decorative border. Cut a slit in the center of the top pastry to allow the steam to escape.

Bake until the pastry is brown and puffed on top, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Let stand for 20 minutes. Remove the pan sides and serve.

Buffalo Chicken-Sausage Penne

This here is part two of my buffalo-chicken sausage experimentation. I love trying to make up new things and come up with my own recipes. It is super excitng when something works out...and not so surprising when something doesn't (as it is bound to happen, especially with me).

Luckily for me, this one worked out. Meaning this wasn't a repeat of the many times I threw stuff together as a kid expecting something out-of-this-world only to find myself gagging on whatever my concoction was at that time. I remember many times as a kid I tried to invent "soup" recipes by boiling water and throwing any and everything I could find in the pot. I'd say I've improved a bit since then...

I actually got the idea  for this recipe off of the package of buffalo-chicken sausage and ran with it from there. I came up with a greek yogurt blue cheese sauce and I really liked it...

Sounds weird I know...

But that's how I roll. Sometimes the unexpected is better than the expected. I think I held my breath the entire time I was throwing stuff together for this sauce and praying it would work. I hate wasting food...absolutely hate it!

Clearly, I was able to breath again...so here it is. Hope you like it.

Buffalo Chicken-Sausage Penne
Dame Good

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

Pasta:
16 oz Al Fresco Buffalo Chicken-Sausage (4 links), sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup celery, chopped
12 oz whole wheat penne
1/4 cup fresh parsely, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Sauce:
6 oz non-fat plain greek yogurt
1 tablespoon dry ranch seasoning
3 tablespoons Franks hot sauce
4 oz reduced-fat blue cheese crumbles
2 tablespoons fat-free sour cream
1 tablespoon skim milk

Directions:

Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl, stir and set aside. Cook pasta according to the directions on the box.

While the pasta is cooking heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a medium sized pan. Add the pepper, celery and onions and saute for about 8 minutes, or until tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the chicken-sausage and stir until heated through. Remove from heat and set aside.

Rinse cooked pasta and toss together with the sauteed vegetables in a large bowl. Add the parsley and some salt and pepper. Stir the sauce into the pasta mixture until combined. Serve warm and enjoy!

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs and Spicy Tomato Sauce

When it starts getting cooler out I (and I'm sure everyone else) really craves good warm comfort food. Something warm and full of carbs and super filling is really comforting in the fall and winter months. Pretty soon I'm going to jump on the soup train and make some warm yummy soup to come home to and warm up with.

This recipe has turkey meatballs instead of the traditional beef. I was worried they wouldn't be as moist but let me tell ya' I didn't miss the beef at all. The meatballs were moist and flavorful. The different vegetables in them gave them an interesting texture that was much better than the one-note texture you get from most meatballs. I absolutely love this sauce as it is spicy and I love it hot :) This recipe is definitely a keeper and I don't even have to feel guilty about it as this is an Ellie Krieger recipe. She's all about eating healthy and light and has yet to dissapoint me.

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs and Spicy Tomato Sauce
From foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

Sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (28-ounce) can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes, liquid included
1 teaspoon finely minced canned chipotle en adobo and sauce, or more to taste
2 teaspoons chopped oregano leaves
1 sprig fresh rosemary
Salt
1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves

Meatballs:
Cooking spray
1 pound ground turkey meat
1 slice fresh whole-wheat bread, crusts removed, pulsed into crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
1/2 cup finely grated carrot
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 box (16 ounces) whole-wheat spaghetti

Directions:

Fill a large stockpot with water and bring to a boil for pasta.

Make Sauce:
In a 4-quart saucepan heat the oil over medium heat. Saute the onions until translucent, about 3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add tomato paste, tomatoes, chipotles, oregano, rosemary, and salt. Bring all the ingredients to a low boil, reduce heat and cook for approximately 15 minutes, until liquid has evaporated slightly. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. While sauce is cooking, make meatballs.

Meatballs:
Preheat the broiler. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Combine the turkey with all other ingredients in a large work bowl. Form into 2 1/2 -inch balls and place on a baking sheet. Broil for 10 minutes, or until browned and almost entirely cooked through.

Meanwhile, remove rosemary sprig from sauce and add fresh basil. Add the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and cook additional 10 minutes, or until sauce has slightly thickened and meatballs have absorbed some of the sauce. While the meatballs are cooking, cook the whole-wheat spaghetti according to package directions.

Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add the sauce and meatballs, toss and heat through over medium heat. Divide evenly among 4 pasta bowls and garnish with parsley and 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan.

Yield: 6 servings (1 serving equals about 1 1/3 cups pasta and sauce, plus 2 meatballs

Turkey Meatballs

Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese

Yes, this is as awesome as it sounds. This is one of my all-time favorite meals I have ever made. I mean buffalo chicken and macaroni and cheese combined? OH...MY...GOSH. I will say though that by no means is this good for you (yeah hi butter, carbs and cheese) but it was for Shawns birthday and special occasions call for special food and were both huge fans of buffalo-anything. I did lighten this up as much as I could and will post my changes as well as the link for the origional recipe. Me and Shawn generally like to eat healthy so that we can indulge at times with no guilt so I usually try to lighten up our meals without compromising the flavor.

I'm telling you, the changes I made were not even noticeable and so worth it. Shawn even said this might be his favorite thing I have ever made. It is perfectly cheesy and has just the right amount of heat spice. You also get an awesome crunch from the celery and onions. This dish is just perfect. Between the two of us, we polished off maybe 5 servings, but thankfully there were tons left for a few days worth of yummy leftovers.

Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese
Adapted from Foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
Kosher salt
1 pound whole grain elbow macaroni
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup hot sauce (I used Franks Hot Buffalo)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons dry mustard
2 1/2 cups fat-free half-and-half
1/2 pound yellow sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 1/2 cups)
1/2 pound fat-free mild cheddar
8 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
2/3 cup fat free sour cream
1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup crumbled reduced-fat blue cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken and garlic and cook 2 minutes, then add 1/2 cup hot sauce and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 more minute.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and mustard with a wooden spoon until smooth. Whisk in the half-and-half, then add the remaining 1/4 cup hot sauce and stir until thick, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses, then whisk in the sour cream until smooth.

Mix together the pasta, cheese mixture and chicken mixture and pour into prepared baking dish.

Put the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted. Stir in the panko, blue cheese and parsley. Sprinkle over the macaroni and bake until bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

A "Congrats" Dinner: Fresh Lemon Mousse, Parmesan Popovers, Arugula Salad with Fried Gorgonzola and Spicy Baked Macaroni and Cheese

As I've said before I had a "bad girlfriend slip" and tried to make up for it by making Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies. Well I have more of a sweet tooth than my boyfriend. Shawn is more of a steak and potatoes kinda guy. He's also a fan of Giada De Laurentiis (hmm I wonder why) as am I so I decided in order to Congratulate him on his promotion I would pick out a few things from her cookbook "Everyday Pasta" that my dad sent me. I made 4 courses, all but one were from the cookbook. For dessert I made this amazing fresh lemon mousse that was to die for! Its an Ina Garten recipe I found on the foodnetwork.com and I could eat the WHOLE thing! I literally melt with every bite I took.

Fresh Lemon Mousse

I had never made mousse before this. For some reason I was intimidated, but it's easy and fun! I have always loved lemon anything. I love lemon yogurt in the morning with my peanut butter toast and peaches and cream oatmeal. My mom always told me when she was pregnant with me she always craved sour stuff and that when I was younger I would just suck on lemons. I guess it should come as no surprise that I am head over heels in love with this dessert.

Ingredients:

3 extra-large whole eggs
3 extra-large eggs, separated
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4 lemons)
Kosher salt
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup good bottled lemon curd, at room temperature
Sweetened Whipped Cream, recipe follows
Sliced lemon, for garnish

Directions:

In a large heat-proof bowl, whisk together the 3 whole eggs, 3 egg yolks, 1 cup sugar, the lemon zest, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for about 10 to 12 minutes until the mixture is thick like pudding. (I change to a whisk when the mixture starts to get thick.) Take off the heat and set aside for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours, until completely chilled.

Place half the egg whites and a pinch of salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and continue to beat until the whites are stiff and shiny. Carefully fold the beaten whites into the cold lemon mixture with a rubber spatula. Place the cream in the same bowl of the electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (no need to clean the bowl) and beat on high speed until the cream forms stiff peaks. Carefully fold the whipped cream into the lemon mixture. Fold in the lemon curd, and pour into a 7-inch-diameter, 3-inch-deep souffle dish. Decorate with sweetened whipped cream and lemon slices that have been cut into quarters. Chill and serve cold.

Sweetened Whipped Cream:

1 cup cold heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place the cream, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on medium and then high speed until the cream just forms still peaks. Spoon the whipped cream into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip.

Parmesan Popovers

Okay I had problems with these but I am posting the recipe because it had great flavor and I realize that I caused the problems after looking over the reviews on foodnetwork.com. Mine turned out eggy, kind of like quiche and they did not pop up like popvers are supposed to. As it turns out, you should know what you're doing before making these and be really careful with popovers. I think I messed up on a few things...1.) I didn't use whole milk like the recipe called for. 2.) I peaked...yep I'm a guilty peaker. Apparently with popovers you DO NOT open the oven until they are done because they will deflate. And finally 3.) I read that the oven should be VERY hot, completely pre-heated. It is recommended to use a thermometer (of which I need) to make sure it is the proper temperature. I was also intrigued by something else I read, it is recommended that you preheat the muffin pan for a couple minutes before pouring in the batter. Hopefully when I try this recipe again (which I will) these adjustments will give me light, fluffy and delicious popovers!

Ingredients:

3 eggs
3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon herbs de Provence
4 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
1 cups whole milk
3/4 cup grated Parmesan (about 5 ounces)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a blender, combine eggs, flour, salt, pepper, and herbs, milk, and cheese. Blend on medium speed.

Spray a mini-muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the batter into the muffin cups, filling each cup 3/4 full. Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove popovers from muffin tin and cool on a wire rack. Save in a storage container to take to the picnic.

Arugula Salad with Fried Gorgonzola

I really like the peppery flavor of arugula and had never worked with gorgonzola before. It tastes very similar to blue cheese and I LOVE blue cheese. I mean how bad can fried cheese in a salad be? I did make a couple minor changes. Since gorgonzola is such a strong cheese I reduced the size of the balls. I also tossed in a couple crumbles of fresh gorgonzola for more color.

Ingredients:

7 ounces Gorgonzola
1 large egg, beaten to blend
3/4 cup dried Italian bread crumbs
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for deep-frying
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 cups coarsely torn arugula (about 10 ounces)

Directions:

Blend the Gorgonzola in a food processor until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of the work bowl occasionally. Using 1 rounded teaspoon of cheese for each, form the cheese into 18 (1-inch) balls. Working in batches, coat the balls with the egg then with the bread crumbs. Repeat coating the balls in the egg and bread crumbs. Arrange the balls on a small baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours or overnight.

Whisk the lemon juice, garlic, and lemon peel in a medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in 1/3 cup oil. Season the dressing, to taste, with salt and pepper. Set the dressing aside.

Add enough oil to a heavy small saucepan to come 2 inches up the sides of the pan. Heat the oil over medium heat. At this point, remove the refrigerated Gorgonzola balls from the refrigerator. Working in batches, add the cold balls to the hot oil and fry just until golden brown, about 20 seconds. (It is essential that the Gorgonzola balls be cold when they go into the oil, otherwise they will fall apart in the oil. If they start to warm up at any point, return them to the refrigerator to firm back up.) Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried balls to paper towels to drain.

Toss the arugula in a large bowl with enough dressing to coat. Season the salad, to taste, with salt and pepper. Mound the salad on plates. Top the salads with the hot fried Gorgonzola balls and serve immediately.

Spicy Baked Macaroni and Cheese

The name of this dish immediately caught my eye. I love spicy anything and macaroni and cheese is such a heart-warming comfort food. And nothing says "congrats" better than something made from the heart. The only thing is that this is a vegetarian dish and my man loves meat...as do I. So I tossed in some italian sausage that I browned before mixing it in the pasta. I also love red onions, especially when there's spiciness involved so I used that. Also, the more cheese the better if you ask me, I practically doubled the cheese :) Turned out wonderful!

Ingredients:

Salt
1 pound elbow macaroni pasta
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound assorted mushrooms, quartered
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained of excess liquid
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cups bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/3 cup
1/4 cup Romano, plus 1/3 cup
2 tablespoons butter, softened, plus 2 tablespoons
12 ounces mozzarella cubed (about 2 cups)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, onion, and garlic. Cook until the mushrooms are tender and the onion is golden, about 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes, spinach, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and 1/4 cup Romano. Spread the softened butter in a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish and sprinkle half of the bread crumb mixture inside the dish to coat.

In a large bowl combine the vegetable mixture with the cooked macaroni, cubed mozzarella, the remaining Parmesan and Romano cheeses, and the nutmeg. Spoon into the prepared baking dish, top with the remaining bread crumb mixture, and dot the top with the remaining butter. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Jazzin Up That Ol' Box of Mac & Cheese

My dad sends me packages quite often and I adore him for it...they literally make my entire week as they are usually stuffed with candy, Bon Appetit magazines and $2 bills. Even though I love to cook he often sends me boxes and boxes of Kraft Mac and Cheese. For the past 3 boxes, I wanted to jazz them up and used various things I found in my kitchen and they didn't turn out half bad so I thought I'd share!

Spicy Tuna Mac

Ingredients:

1 box Kraft Macaroni and Cheese Dinner (regular kind)
1 5 oz. can tuna, drained
1 cup Fiesta style veggies (can be found in the frozen section at the grocery store, they have brocolli, beans and peppers)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon sirracha (or other hot sauce)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Prepare mac and cheese as directed on box. Defrost the veggies in the microwave. When defrosted, saute in a pan of hot olive oil for about 7-10 minutes. Add in tuna and stir until warm. Toss in chili powder, cayenne pepper, cumin and red pepper flakes just until combined. Combine veggie mixture with mac and cheese. Add desired amount of hot sauce, salt and pepper.

Chicken Alfredo Mac

Ingredients:

1 box Kraft Mac and Cheese Dinner (Alfredo kind)
1 5 oz. can chicken, drained
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 cup of frozen brocolli/cauliflour mix
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon of wheat germ (for a nutty crunch)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Prepare box of mac and cheese as directed on box. Defrost the brocolli and cauliflour. Saute onions and garlic for about 5 minutes in olive oil. Then add in the brocolli and cauliflour and saute another 5 minutes or so. Add the chicken and just stir until warm. Mix veggies in with the mac and cheese. Season to tatse and top with parmesan cheese and wheat germ.

Sweet Pepper Salmon Mac

Ingredients:

1 Box Kraft Mac and Cheese Dinner (shells)
1 5 oz. can salmon, drained
1 cup chopped bell peppers (I used yellow, orange and red)
1/2 cup edamame
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 tablespoon garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Prepare mac and cheese as directed on the box. Saute the peppers, edamame, onions a garlic for about 10 minutes in olive oil. Add salmon and saute until warm and combined. Toss in cumin and paprika and mix just until combined. Then mix the veggies in with the mac and cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.

This isn't exactly rocket science, nor is it anything special. But just though I'd share some simple ideas to turn any boring frozen, boxed or plain side items into something a little more exciting!

Shrimp Linguine with Lemon Oil

I have a lot of favorite personalities from the Food Network. It's a given that I love all the cake guys and gals...but when it comes to cooking...I love Bobby Flays use of flavors and his style, I love Paula Deans at-home feel, Guy Fieri's cooking reminds me of my dad, Rachel Ray makes stuff that both me and my boyfriend LOVE and Giada appreciates simplicity of flavors. I wanted something light for dinner so I turned to my friend Giada. I trust her because everything I've made of hers has turned out wonderfully fabulous (I say "friend" only because I wish...haha).

I found this recipe on the foodnetwork.com. I didn't have a few of the ingredients but it sounded like exactly what I was in the mood for and I had a few things that would substitute nicely. Instead of linguine I used spaghetti (whole wheat of course). I didn't have arugula (which would have been nice) so I used fresh spinach. Lastly, the only fresh herb I had on hand was thyme so I used that instead of parsely. It still turned out light and delicious but I would recommend doing it Giada's way so I'm posting the recipe as-is!

Linguine with Shrimp and Lemon Oil

Ingredients:

For the lemon oil:
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 lemon, zested

For the pasta:
1 pound linguine pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
16 ounces frozen shrimp
1/4 cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
1 lemon, zested
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 ounces arugula (about 3 packed cups)
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

For the lemon oil:
Combine the olive oil and the lemon zest in a small bowl and reserve.

For the pasta:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, in a large, heavy skillet warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook until pink, about 5 minutes. Add the cooked linguine, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine. Turn off the heat and add the arugula. Using a mesh sieve, strain the lemon zest out of the reserved lemon olive oil and add the oil to the pasta. The zest can be discarded. Add some of the cooking water to desired consistency. Add the chopped parsley to the pasta and toss to combine. Serve immediately