Favorite Artichoke Pasta

We have a really good Student Food Courts at NYU, & this recipe was conceived from a lunch I had at the Kimmel Center Market Place Pasta station... You pick your pasta, your sauce & items to put in the sauce, just like a salad bar. And these are mouth-watering sauces & additions. I wanted to replicate the lunch at home for my family & lo & behold, it has become a staple in our house!!! I've dubbed it "our favorite artichoke pasta". But you can call it what you like! :) <3 Lishie

Favorite Artichoke Pasta

• 1 lb. medium pasta shells
• 1 TBSp olive oil
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 3 oz. chopped pancetta (or bacon, can be turkey)
• 1 can of artichokes in water, drained
• 1 can petite, diced tomatoes in sauce
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 1/4 c shredded mozzarella
• fresh parsley
• grated parmesan, optional

Cook the pasta to box instructions.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil on medium, add the shallot for a minute. Add the pancetta, stir for a minute. Add the artichokes & allow to cook for a couple of minutes, "dry out". Pour in the tomato sauce & the full clove of crushed garlic. Simmer, stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes. Pull out the garlic clove with tongs; discard. Add in the mozzarella, stir. Top with fresh parsley; Serve w/grated parmesan, optional.

Stuffed Cabbage

This past Sunday, after seeing the gorgeous cabbage already at the market readying for St. Patrick's Day, I decided to make Stuffed Cabbage. This is a departure from this Irish girl's usual Italian sauce Sundays... And it was a yummy one!
<3 Lishie
PS- no worries, I will be bringing my Irish for St. Patrick's Day too! 

Stuffed Cabbage (or Galumpkis)
adapted from All Recipes.com via Pinterest

1 c cooked white rice 8 cabbage leaves 1 pound ground beef 1/2 small onion, chopped 1 egg, beaten s & p 1 tsp garlic powder fresh parsley 1, 29 oz. can tomato sauce

	Bring a large, wide saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add cabbage leaves & cook for 2 to 4 minutes or until softened; drain.
	In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, 1 c cooked rice, onion, egg, s & p, garlic powder & parsley, along with 1/2 c of tomato sauce. Mix thoroughly.
	Divide the beef mixture evenly among the cabbage leaves. Tuck them under & secure them.
	In a large skillet over medium heat, place the cabbage rolls, tuck down, & pour the remaining tomato sauce them. Add 1/2 c water. Cover & bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low & simmer for about 40 minutes, stirring and basting with the liquid often.

Chicken in Tomatoes

Is anyone else still mourning summer? I know, I know. I love Autumn & the change it brings, the gorgeous hues & vegetable variety... the holidays & all. But I am still a summer lovin' girl. So when I was looking into my recipe clippings for ideas & came across something with the heading "Saving Summer", I stopped short. Yes, please, let's save it!!! It was a clipping from a 2 year old back issue of Everyday Food for Chicken in Tomatoes. The article had been about freezing some of the fresh produce of the season for the upcoming chillier months. And I saved it because we always have an abundance of fresh, Jersey tomatoes from my pop-in-law's garden. Well, until this year. Don't get me wrong, we had fresh Jersey tomatoes this past summer months from pop's garden but not as many as usual. Black thumb over here heard something about the high temps causing the problem as well as the sneaky squirrel who resides in our tree. So I went ahead with this yummy recipe using canned tomatoes & it was tasty! I served it with cavatappi pasta on the side & it was a hit!

<3 Lishie

Chicken in Tomatoes
originally printed in Everyday Food

• 32 oz can of tomatoes
• 1 TBSp olive oil
• 1-2 lbs skinless chicken breasts
• s & p
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 tsp oregano
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed & peeled

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Coarsely pulse the tomatoes in a food processor. In an overproof skillet, heat oil over med-high. Season chicken pieces with s & p & brown on one side, about 7 minutes. Flip & cook about 1 minute. Transfer chicken to a plate, set aside. Reduce heat to med., add onion & cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add oregano, then garlic, stir for about a minute. Add tomatoes, more s & p, & bring to a boil.

Place the chicken pieces back into the skillet, darker side up. Transfer skillet to the oven & cook 25-30 minutes, until chicken is done.

Chicken Cacciatore

In the northeast, NYC/NJ we are feeling hints of Fall. I am glad that the day I chose to cook this was a particularly brutal weather day with high wind gusts, rain & tornado warnings to boot. This meal is a cozy, tummy-warming one especially served sided with shell shaped pasta. "Cacciatore" means hunter in Italian. But really, who hunts chicken? Ha ha... Despite that, this rustic-like meal is very delicious- you should make it!

<3
Lishie

Chicken Cacciatore

• 2 lbs. Chicken breast, boneless
• S & P
  AP Flour (for dredging)
• ¼ c olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• ½ c of water, chicken stock or white wine
• 1 28oz can tomatoes w/liquid, crushed
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 8oz button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 red & 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Cut each chicken breasts into large pieces (about 3-4 pieces per breast). Season the chicken pieces w/S&P. Dredge the pieces in flour, coating them lightly & tapping off the excess flour. In a wide 5-quart braising pan, heat the oil. Add the chicken to brown without crowding. After all chicken is browned on all sides, remove from skillet, & add the onions to the pan, stirring, 5 minutes. Pour the liquid (wine, water or stock) into the pan deglazing it, stir then bring to a boil, & cook until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes & oregano, season lightly with s & p, & bring to a boil. Tuck the chicken into the sauce, place on a low simmer & cover. Cook, stirring a few times, 1 hour, simmering. 

Swap time! Bloggers Choice ~ Lentil Bolognese

I love these swaps, especially when I find a recipe that I love!!! This week, we have the ever popular "Swapper's Choice" which means our Blog Swap Queen, Sarah at A Taste of Home Cooking gives us a URL of a fellow blogger & we can pick ANY recipe we want to make. It is not easy. Well, unless you, as I do, have had a recipe bookmarked to try.


And bookmarked, I had this gem: Lentil Bolognese. Only thing is, my hubby won't eat lentils or any beans for that matter. When I read Nicole of PreventionRD's post, it struck me as funny because this recipe was one in a week full of non-hubby approved ones. I, too, having the same issue, chose this one to make now for my lunches while off from work a couple of days. I cannot believe I waited so long to make this! It is delicious. The lentils add so much to the sauce. I pretty much stuck to the recipe except I thought I had carrots (well, I had them but used them all in salad not thinking the night before). I love carrots... Next time!


Check out Nicole/PreventionRD's blog- it is wonderful! The pictures are amazing & I love all of the nutritional information. She is a Nutritionist!


<3 Lishie

Lentil Bolognese 

slightly altered from PreventionRD(through My Bizzy Kitchen)

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 c diced celery
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
• 2 c low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 c dried lentils (any color – mine were brown)
• 1 28oz. can crushed tomatoes with juice
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp dried basil
• salt & pepper, to taste

In a large stock pot, heat oil on medium-high. Add celery & garlic. Cook, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Add vinegar and scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in the broth, 1 c water, lentils, tomatoes, oregano, parsley & basil. Reduce heat to medium & simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes, stirring occassionally. Yield: 6 servings (6 cups).

For Nutrition Information go here. 

Swap ~ Vegetarian

It's the middle of July!!! Half my birthday month flew by... how did that happen? Well I will move on & enjoy the rest of this glorious summer. This post is our bi-weekly Swap from my National Cooking Board, put together by Sarah from A Taste of Home Cooking (THANK you, Sarah!) I love, love, love these swaps & the subject was Vegetarian. I always am looking for a great veggie dinner for when my sister visits & I love my veggie meals too so I was ecstatic. I got this gem from Mary Ellen... & I saw quinoa. Now, I am really not a fan of quinoa (to the extent I pronounce it Quin-Noah purposefully- it's Keen-wah.) When I saw Mary Ellen had a recipe she wanted to share I became ecstatic again. Her blog is great! That, combined with my hubby's need to eat better/lower his cholesterol... And I made it. And it was yummy. Not "I cannot wait to eat quinoa again yummy" BUT it you love or like the grain, MAKE this. It came out moist & tasty. The only thing I will interject here is that this was a hard one for the summer for me- turning on the oven (to roast the garlic) in 100 degree weather like we've had (even with a/c) was awfully hot & tough. But the outcome was delish. Thank you, Mary Ellen!
<3 Lishie (btw- I gave my Round Pasta)

This is Mary Ellen's Italian version of quinoa:

Quinoa with Roasted Garlic, Tomatoes, and Spinach from Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations

• 1/2 c quinoa, rinsed and drained (it is important to rinse quinoa to wash off any residue which can be bitter in taste)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, I like them for some kick)
• 2 tbsp dry white wine
• 1 c vegetable broth
• 1/2 bulb roasted garlic (about 6 cloves), chopped
• 1 small tomato, seeds removed and chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh spinach
• 1 tbsp shallots, chopped
• 1 tbsp Parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil in a pot
Add shallots and red pepper flakes and saute for 1-2 minutes
Add quinoa and stir for 1-2 minutes
Add wine and stir until absorbed (wait until you see how the quinoa jumps around in the pot when liquid is added!!)
Add broth and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and cover. Let simmer until broth is absorbed, about 12-15 minutes.
Once the broth has absorbed, stir in the roasted garlic, tomatoes, spinach, and cheese.
Serve immediately.

Spring Pasta

Another quick & easy, spring-time pasta. I love these options on a work night. And I LOVE artichokes, do you?

<3 Lishie

Spring Pasta

• 1 package farfalle pasta, cooked
• 3 TBSp olive oil 
• 2 cloves, garlic, minced
• 1 container grape tomatoes
• 1 can quartered artichoke hearts (in water)
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, diced
• 2 TBSp fresh parsley, chopped
• sea salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Toss the pasta with the olive oil & minced garlic as soon as it is cooked... add the tomatoes, artichokes, mozzarella & parsley...Toss. Add S & P, to taste. Serve!

Caprese Bites

Looking for a yummy & easy appy or snack? You've found it! This is tasty & so simple.

Caprese Bites

• 1 tube refrigerated crescent rolls
• 1 package grape tomatoes, each tomato cut in half
• 1 small package of either regular mozzarella OR fresh mozzarella (for this, the mozzarella string cheese works WELL)
• fresh basil

Roll out the crescent dough, keeping it in one piece. Cut it into little rectangles. On one side of the rectangle place a piece of mozzarella, then a half of grape tomato & lastly, a piece a basil on top. Fold over the other half of the rectangle, secure & create a little bundle.

Place on a lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 for 8-10 minutes or until browned.

Try these other DeLish recipes using refrigerated crescent rolls!!!:

Cinnamon~Sugar Knots

 Mini Cinnamon~Walnut Pinwheels

Easy Parmesan Knots

Lemon~Rosemary Knots

<3 Lishie

Pomodoro

Pasta always hits the spot... paired with a beautiful sauce & it makes for the perfect meal. Pomodoro is literally translated to "golden apple," pomodoro is Italian for "tomato" (the first tomatoes in Italy were a yellowish color). But my pomodoro sauce is a sumptuous & thick red. If you have the right texture & flavor, along with acidity (taste the sauce as it simmers every 15 minutes to see if you need to add sugar or salt...) the tomato does not need many additions...

Enjoy!

<3 Lishie

Pomodoro Sauce

• 2 TBSp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes; Put them in a food processor or a blender until they're the consistency you like (We like pureed, for a creamier sauce.)
• 1 tsp sugar
• Kosher salt or sea salt
• pinch of dried parsley
• fresh basil

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a saucepan.  Add the tomato puree, allow to heat through, then add the minced garlic & parsley, stir.

Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. 

Cook approximately 30 - 60 minutes, until the sauce slightly thickens. Stir & check it occasionally. Add sugar & salt according to taste during simmering...

Add freshly-chopped basil right before serving

Patatas Bravas

Everyone seems to love tapas, Spanish appetizers. Well, I sure do! And I love Spanish food. (See my Delish Spanish Torta!) These potatoes were delicious in Spain & truly easy to capture the authenticate taste at home.These can be a side or an appetizer. The name of the recipe roughly translates into "fierce" or "angry" potatoes. But I promise you, you won't be angry after eating them!

Enjoy!

<3 Lishie

Spanish Roasted Potatoes with Tomato Sauce

Slightly adapted from Simply Recipes

• 2 pounds potatoes peeled, cut into 1 to 1 1/2-inch chunks
• Olive oil
• Salt
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 cup white wine (can substitute stock)
• 2 TBSp tomato paste
• A 14-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
• 2 tsp Tabasco or other hot sauce
• 1 tsp smoked paprika (or sweet paprika)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar

Preheat oven to 375°F. Toss the potatoes with 3 tablespoons of olive oil & salt well. Arrange in one layer in a casserole pan or rimmed baking tray & roast until browned, about 50 minutes.

While the potatoes are roasting, make the sauce. Heat 2 TBSp of olive oil in a medium pot set over medium-high heat. Sauté the chopped onions, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes, or until they begin to brown on the edges. Add the garlic & sauté another 2 minutes.  

Add the white wine to the pan & turn the heat to high. Boil on a high boil until the wine is reduced by half, then add the tomato paste & stir to combine. Add the crushed tomatoes, Tabasco sauce, salt, sugar and smoked paprika. Stir well & reduce the heat to a bare simmer. Let the sauce cook slowly while the potatoes roast.

When the potatoes are well browned, toss with the tomato sauce and return to the casserole pan. Continue to roast until the tomato sauce dries out a bit on the potatoes and caramelizes, about 10 minutes. 

Serve with the remaining tomato sauce as an appetizer or side dish.

Spanish Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

If you have a lot of peppers from your garden, this is a great, refreshing sauce to make with pasta. It's delicious & fragrant & puts the veg to good use while maintaining the vibrant taste. 


Do not let the heavy cream worry you- go ahead & switch it out for a light alternative, it simply gives the sauce a smoother texture.


Top your favorite pasta with it, a little grated asiago... You are good to go!


Spanish Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

• 5 red peppers
• 3 medium tomatoes or 14 oz tomato sauce
• 1 small Onion, diced
• Olive Oil
• 3 TBSp Heavy Cream
• S & P

Place the red peppers & the tomatoes on a baking sheet & sprinkle with olive oil. Roast them under the broiler until they are blackened, roasted. Allow to cool.


Transfer the veg to the food processor & puree with a little more olive oil.


Meanwhile, saute the onion is a sauce pan on medium-high. Add the pureed mixture & stir. When the sauce is nearly heated through, add the cream. Add S & P to taste.

<3 Lishie

BLT Pasta

OK so it's really Bacon~Broccoli~Tomato~Pasta but it is so good!!!!! The cherry tomatoes are fresh from our garden (my Father in Law's green thumb print!) This is another super easy, super quick pasta with a lot of natural flavor. I made it before we ran out of the house for our local Bayonne, NJ National Night Out. What a beautiful, fun night!!! Gabriel got to sit on a police motorcycle & tons of neighbors & friends & family were there! 

Bacon, Broccoli & Tomato Pasta

• 6 slices of Bacon
• 1/2 cup cherry or grape Tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup Broccoli florets
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Zest & juice of 1 Lemon
• 1/2 lb-1 lb. Pasta 
• fresh, grated Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Prep 1 baking sheet with a level roasting rack or parchment paper & place bacon evenly on it.

On a 2nd baking sheet, place the broccoli florets & halved tomatoes. Sprinkle liberally with the olive oil.

Place BOTH baking sheets in the oven & roast for 20 - 25 minutes, until the bacon is crisped & the veggies are browned on the edges.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to box directions. 

Chop up the bacon into pieces & mix with the broccoli, tomatoes & pasta. Zest the lemon & add the juice, along with more extra virgin olive oil, toss, top with parmesan cheese & serve. 

Gabriel @ National Night Out

YUM. The roasting brings out the flavors of the fresh veg. & adds to the pasta. ENJOY!

 <3 Lishie

Garden Tomato–Zucchini Tian

We love fresh veggies & always have an abundance of them (never mind the fact that my father in law grows them too!!!) And herbs ~ a Summer Bounty! So I am always looking for ways to make them to showcase a variety at the same time outside of a salad... Tian's are perfect because they are so pure~ the cooking process simply brings out the intense, true flavors of the veg & allows a few different varieties to marry in the baking dish. I recently saw this recipe from Saveur which, along with my father-in-law's gorgeous tomatoes, plus,  reminded me to make one... It was delish! Use it to top some pasta & you have a delicious vegetarian meal or go ahead & have it as a side.

Saveur promises: 

"This beautiful dish "speaks" summer, using vegetables just plucked from the garden. Fresh herbs enhance its simplicity."

& delivers!

Tomato–Zucchini Tian

Adapted from SAVEUR

• 1 medium eggplant, peeled & sliced 
• Salt
• 1 large onions, peeled & sliced
• 1 clove garlic, peeled & minced
• 1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium zucchini, sliced diagonally
• 1 medium yellow summer squash, sliced diagonally
• 2 ripe large tomatoes, sliced
• 4~6 fresh basil leaves 
• 1⁄2 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano (optional)

1. Cut eggplant in 1" slices, sprinkle with salt, & place in a colander. Drain for 30 minutes, then pat dry.

2. Cook onions and garlic in 3 tbsp. of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until slightly browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a medium baking dish. In the same skillet, cook eggplant in 2–3 tbsp. of the olive oil until tender and slightly browned, about 10 minutes. Season with salt & pepper, and stir into onion mixture.

3. Preheat oven to 400°. Arrange zucchini, squash & tomatoes in layers with eggplant. Place in the basil, on the sides, drizzle with remaining oil, season with salt & pepper, and bake 30–40 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese, if using, and serve.

BTW~ Have I mentioned that if a recipe even mentions cheese as "optional", it's always a must for me? ;)

Enjoy!

<3 Lishie

Recipe Swap! Independence Day~4th of July~ Corn, Tomato & Avocado Salad

So I gave this recipe for the swap: Lishie's S'Mores Bars (which I also made a double batch of for today) & received this recipe: Lauren's Kitchen's Corn, Tomato & Avocado Salad from my friend Lauren. A whole bunch of friends were getting together at Liberty State Park for the 4th of July. Since I was making it for a large group, I doubled the recipe & switched out lemon for the lime, taking Lauren's suggestion that the lime was a little overpowering. As she stated, it was super simple to make & it was delicious!!! Plus, since there's no mayo & the lemon juice is a natural preservative, it held up well. Thank you, Lauren!!!

These are the measurements I used:

Corn, Tomato & Avocado Salad

• 14 oz. frozen corn, thawed completely
• 2 pints grape tomatoes, halved
• 6 scallions, thinly sliced
• 3 avocadoes, diced
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons good quality olive oil
• kosher salt & coarse ground black pepper, to taste

Combine corn, tomatoes, scallions in large bowl. Whisk together lime juice, olive oil, salt & pepper and pour over vegetables. Chill for 1-4 hours.

When ready to serve, add gently fold in avocado and allow salad to come to room temperature. Season again with salt and pepper if needed.

What a wonderful Independence Day celebration! Good food, friends, a children's playground near... Practically in the Statue of Liberty's shadow. Happy birthday, America! 

Chicken Bruschetta

I made a favorite in our house last night... Chicken Bruschetta. I don't know about you, but I get ideas everywhere for things to make & this one just happened to be a craze on a board I frequent. It's a  on Kraft's Bruschetta Chicken Bake. Thing is, I like to cook with fresh ingredients especially when they are plentiful! So this is my take on it. It's very versatile & I'll give you switch-up ideas after the recipe! This is yummy so make it!!!

Chicken Bruschetta

• 1 medium to large Tomato, diced small
• 2 cups of Croutons (made fresh from crusty, stale bread or you can use store bought or a stuffing bag)
• 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated or shredded
• 2 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
• 1 TBSp fresh Parsley, chopped
• Bunch of fresh Basil... 2 TBSp chiffonade & some whole leaves to top
• 1 cup Water
• 1-2 lbs. boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts
• Slices of fresh Mozzarella

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
"Grease" an oven baking dish with cooking spray.


In a medium bowl, combine the diced tomato, croutons, parmesan, garlic, parsley, 2 TBSp of basil, & water. Spoon into the baking dish. Place the chicken on top of the crouton mixture. Top with thin slices of fresh mozzarella & full basil leaves.


Bake for 55-60 minutes, until the chicken is well done. 

Enjoy!

*Lishie tips- You can use provolone or asiago cheese... Flavored croutons... Add roasted red peppers or mushrooms or artichokes to the mix. YUM