My introduction to soba noodles was actually on a plane flying from Tokyo to Honolulu, admittedly not the best place to get good food. The flight attendants came around with breakfast and asked if I wanted the Japanese or the American breakfast, and I chose the Japanese because I could see the noodles that someone else already had on their tray. I swirled them in the sauce and enjoyed the slippery sensation and flavor while the American woman next to me eyed them with a look that said, “I can’t believe you are eating that.” I just smiled and enjoyed my breakfast.

Soba noodles also make a perfect light lunch on a hot day and I’ve got my 6-year-old, Builder Guy, hooked on them. Sometimes we have them plain with the traditional dipping sauce, but other times I like them as a salad tossed with some vegetables. This particular recipe has lime juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, grated ginger, scallions, and cilantro for flavor, and zucchini, carrots, and avocado for vegetables. I could eat this all the time, but it tastes best when zucchini is in season, so now is a perfect time of year for this salad. I follow Maki’s method for cooking soba noodles, and it works perfectly.

One common question about soba noodles is whether they are gluten-free because buckwheat is not actually wheat at all and is naturally gluten-free, and the answer is it depends. Many soba noodles have wheat flour added to act as a binder, but you might find some gluten-free soba such as Eden Selected Buckwheat Soba or King Soba Noodles in larger grocery stores, Whole Foods, or even an international grocery store. Of course, you can also make your own gluten-free soba. And if you cook gluten-free, make sure you also choose a gluten-free soy sauce.

I made this with our homegrown scallions, which have started to peak in production. Our ginger isn’t quite ready, but hopefully next month we’ll have fresh homegrown ginger root. Squash vine borers defeated our efforts to grow zucchini this summer, but there’s always next year.

Just a quick reminder that the deadline for the second anniversary of Grow Your Own is coming up on August 30. If you haven’t yet sent your post information, you still have time. Email me at andreasrecipesgyo AT gmail DOT com. If you are new to the event, you can read more about the rules for participating at the Grow Your Own page. I’m excited about the anniversary event and can’t wait to see all your posts!

ZUCCHINI SOBA SALAD

Adapted from Epicurious.

Makes 4 to 6 large servings.

Equipment

5-quart pot
wire mesh strainer
large serving bowl

Ingredients

8 ounces (227 g) soba noodles
3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
6 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1-1/2 tablespoons peeled and finely minced fresh ginger
1-1/2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons sesame oil
3 carrots, cut into 1/8-inch matchsticks
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/8-inch matchsticks
4 scallions, thinly sliced crosswise
2 avocados, cut into chunks
sea salt, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
cilantro, for garnish

Preparation

1. Bring water to boil in the pot. Add the soba and reduce the heat so the water is simmering, not at a hard boil. Cook until soft and pliable, but not mushy. Drain and add very cold water back to the pot, add some ice if necessary. Stir the noodles with your hands or long chopsticks to loosen any remaining starches. Drain again and run cold water over the noodles until the water runs clear.

2. Whisk together lime juice, soy sauce, ginger, honey, and sesame oil in a large bowl. Add the zucchini, carrots, scallions, and avocado chunks and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Serve immediately at room temperature with cilantro for garnish.

More Salads

More Zucchini Salad Recipes From Around the Blogs

Kalyn’s Kitchen – Zucchini Carpaccio (Raw Zucchini) with Lemon, Herbs, and Goat Cheese

Closet Cooking – Grilled Asparagus, Zucchini, and Halloumi Salad

Almost Turkish Recipes – Zucchini Salad with Yogurt

A Veggie Venture – Tomato and Zucchini Salad

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The Daring Cooks have begun! An offshoot of The Daring Bakers, group members strive to hone our skills by tackling one cooking challenge each month. For this inaugural challenge, our founders Lis and Ivonne chose the Zuni Cafe ricotta gnocchi from The Zuni Cafe Cookbook, by Judy Rodgers. I was thrilled to try the challenge because we dearly love gnocchi and though I’ve never been to the Zuni Cafe, I’ve heard wonderful things about it and have had the cookbook on my shelf for some time.

The ricotta cheese makes this gnocchi lighter than the traditional Italian potato gnocchi and the flavor reminded us of a very light omelet. Because we have plenty of chives and sage in our garden, I added both to the gnocchi and use more chives for garnish, a combination we thought worked well. We usually toss gnocchi with our homegrown basil pesto or sun-dried tomato pesto, but this time I decided to keep it very simple and made a browned sage butter.

The ricotta needs to be drained of as much liquid as possible before making the gnocchi, so put it in a strainer over a bowl the day before and let the liquid run off. As the book points out, use the best fresh ricotta you can afford because it makes such a difference in flavor. Check your local farmers market or store or try making your own ricotta cheese.

Thanks to our founders Lisa of La Mia Cucina and Ivonne of Cream Puffs in Venice for choosing a delicious and fun first challenge for the Daring Cooks. You gals continue to inspire me with your dedication to all the Daring folks.

To see all of the ricotta gnocchi, visit The Daring Kitchen Blogroll and the Daring Bakers Gallery at Foodgawker.

RICOTTA GNOCCHI

Abbreviated from The Zuni Cafe Cookbook, by Judy Rodgers with my variations.

Makes about 48 gnocchi.

Equipment

fine mesh strainer
cheesecloth
medium bowl
stand mixer with paddle attachment
shallow baking dish (a pie pan works fine)
sheet pan, lined with parchment and dusted with flour
small pot
wide pan, 10 inches or more, at least 2 inches deep

Ingredients

16 ounces (454 g) fresh ricotta cheese
2 large cold eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
2 or 3 fresh sage leaves, chopped (or a few pinches of fresh grated nutmeg or lemon zest)
10 chives, chopped (5 in the gnocchi, 5 for garnish)
1/2 ounce (14 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated (about 1/4 cup, very lightly packed)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
unbleached all-purpose flour (for forming the gnocchi)

SAGE BUTTER
8 tablespoons (4 ounces/113 g) unsalted butter, sliced
5 fresh sage leaves, chopped

Preparation

1. PREPARE THE RICOTTA: Whether you have made your own or purchased, you need to drain the ricotta before using. Line a fine mesh strainer with cheesecloth and put in your ricotta cheese in it. Let it drain for 8 to 24 hours in the refrigerator before using. You can also wrap it up like a ball in cheesecloth and give it a squeeze to help it along. Test for liquid by placing 2 teaspoons on a dry paper towel. There should only be a small wet spot under the cheese, otherwise it’s still too wet.

2. Bring about 2 cups of water to a simmer in the small pan.

3. MIX THE GNOCCHI: In the bowl of the stand mixer, beat the ricotta vigorously, then smash a little of the cheese against the side of the bowl. If you still see little firm curds, press the cheese through a strainer to break them up.

4. Stir in the eggs. Add the melted butter, chopped sage, and 5 chopped chives to the batter. Add the Parmigiano and salt and beat until the whole mixture is very soft and fluffy.

5. SHAPE: In the shallow dish, make a bed of flour. Use a spoon to scoop out about 2 to 3 teaspoons of the batter. Hold the spoon at an angle and draw it across the surface of the batter so it makes a little oval shape. Use your finger to flick it off into the flour. Gently shake the pan side to side and flip the gnocchi to coat all sides. It’s ok if the gnocchi has a few wrinkles, dimples or bumps (mine had plenty).

6. Test the first gnocchi in the simmering water. It should sink, then swell, roll, and float to the surface and should cook in about 3 to 5 minutes. If it spreads or starts to fall apart, the ricotta was probably too wet. You can try to fix it by adding a teaspoon or so of egg white to the batter. If the gnocchi seems very heavy, trying add 1 teaspoon of beaten egg. Test another gnocchi to make sure it works.

7. Finish forming the gnocchi and just leave them on a the floured sheet pan. Cook right away or refrigerate uncovered for about 1 hour. The resting and cooling makes them easier to cook and handle. They will keep in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours.

8. Bring 2 to 3 quarts of water to boil in wide pan. Add 1 teaspoon of water per quart. Add the gnocchi one at a time, adjusting the heat as you go to maintain a simmer. The gnocchi will puff and float to the surface.

9. SAGE BUTTER: While cooking the gnocchi, melt the 8 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the chopped sage and cook until the butter browns. Keep warm.

10. Use a slotted spoon or skimmer to remove and drain the gnocchi. Roll them in the browned butter and serve immediately with chopped chives for garnish.

Other Daring Challenges

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We’re still cooking from scratch; no take out, no pizza delivery guy ringing our doorbell, we’re just making our weekday meals less complicated. Not that I was serving cordon bleu before, but now we are even more mindful of our menu and time required to prepare food. The season is in our favor, with so many fresh fruits and vegetables available it’s easy to pull together a quick meal. Our tomatoes are ripening beautifully, and we gathered some of the fresh grape tomatoes and parsley and basil from the garden and added all of it to the bowl.

I chose this pasta salad from Stonewall Kitchen Favorites because the beautiful colors jumped out me and the flavors seemed just right. This recipe makes enough for a crowd. I cut it in half and noted it could still comfortably feed four people as a light meal.

This is my contribution to Grow Your Own, hosted by Jessica of Finny Knits. Visit the Grow Your Own information page to learn more about the event, and visit Jessica’s post with information on this round. Entries are due tomorrow August 15.

P.S. If you missed the give away for the Stonewall Kitchen Favorites cookbook, you still have time to enter today!

MEDITERRANEAN ORZO SALAD

Adapted from Stonewall Kitchen Favorites, by Jonathan King, Jim Stott, and Kathy Gunst.

Makes about 6 to 10 servings.

Equipment

large pot with a lid
fine mesh strainer
large mixing bowl
small bowl

Ingredients

16 ounces (~455 g) orzo or other small pasta
1/4 cup (~60 mil) olive oil
1/3 cup (~80 mil) plus 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
1/4 cup (~60 mil) freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cups Kalamata olives, chopped
2 pints (~680 g) grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
1 large red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup drained capers (optional)
1/2 cup (~20 g) lightly packed chopped fresh parsley leaves
freshly ground black pepper
pinch of sea salt

Preparation

1. Bring about 3 quarts of water to boil in the large pot. Add salt and the orzo and cook until al dente. Drain well in the mesh strainer, then pour hot orzo into the mixing bowl.

2. While the orzo cooks, stir together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon zest, and lemon juice in the small bowl. Pour the mixture over the hot orzo and toss. Allow it to sit for about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.

3. Add the olives, grape tomatoes, onion, capers, and parsley, and stir well. Season with fresh ground pepper and a pinch of sea salt. Serve warm, cold, or at room temperature.

Variations

• Mix Kalamata with green and black olives.
• Double the lemon zest and juice.
• Add 1/4 cup freshly chopped basil leaves or fresh oregano.
• Add 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
• Add 1 cup chopped seedless cucumbers or red bell pepper.
• Add 1 cup crumbled feta cheese.
• Substitute a different cooked grain for the orzo, such as Israeli couscous, barley, or quinoa.

Other Light and Healthy Recipes

More Pasta Salads from Around the Food Blogs

The Kitchen Sink – Grilled Vegetable Orzo Salad

The Cooking Adventures of Chef Paz – Orzo Salad

Simply Recipes – Pesto Pasta Salad

Kalyn’s Kitchen – Pasta Salad with Slow Roasted Tomatoes, Grilled Zucchini, and Basil

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

With zucchini in season and a garden full of herbs, I had plenty to work with for creating a quick and easy meal. For this dish, I sauteed shallots and garlic, tossed in some baby portabella mushrooms and julienne zucchini, added some lemon basil chiffonade, then finished it off with a dry white wine and some grated Parmesan.

Using julienne and thinly sliced vegetables makes the dish cook up faster and adds some visual interest as well. You can find julienne peelers or mandolines at many stores or online, or you can use a very sharp knife and cut thin slices and then stack the slices and thin slice again lengthwise for julienne. To chiffonade the basil, lay the leaves on top of each other, then roll them into a cigar shape. Using a sharp knife, slice across the cigar starting at one end and working your way to the other, making very thin cuts.

You can user either lemon or Genovese basil, though we liked the fresh light flavor from the lemon basil.

Other Recipes with Zucchini

Equipment

large skillet
8-quart pot with lid

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 shallots, thinly sliced into rings
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces (227 g) baby portabella mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 medium zucchini, julienned
2 handfuls lemon basil leaves, cut into chiffonade (or you can use Genovese basil)
8 ounces (237 ml) dry white wine
1/4 cup (25 g) grated Parmesan
16 ounces (454 g) farfalle (bow tie pasta), cooked (Prepare while cooking the vegetables.)

Preparation

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

2. Add the shallots and garlic, and saute until wilted and limp.

3. Add the mushrooms and saute for 2 minutes, then add the zucchini. Cook until the zucchini softens, about 4 minutes.

4. Add the basil chiffonade and white wine, and cook until the wine reduces by about one half. Add the grated Parmesan and cook for 2 more minutes. Toss with the cooked farfalle.

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

Winter root vegetables are still available in this area, though the quality is starting to suffer as we near the end of the winter stores. I’ve passed them by for weeks now, waiting to find one that still looked good and felt firm, but perhaps I was a little too choosy with a few that I looked at. I finally found one last week that looked like a winner, and I excitedly brought it home with a plan to surprise Michael with a different spin on baked pasta and hopefully create something that my picky little eaters would enjoy. Michael really liked it and took some to work for lunch for several days. My toddler devoured it and asked for more and created some great photo opportunities with the orange sauce all over his face, hands, hair, and clothes! (I’ll save him future embarrassment by not posting those photos here.)

The sauce reminded me of the soup I made last fall, another squash dish we really enjoy. We like the sage and thyme paired with squash, though I’m not so fond of the “woolly” kind of sage I find in this area. I need to find a plant or some seeds for a type that has a smoother texture for my tastes. The thyme came from our kitchen garden.

Roasting the squash before making the sauce gives it a slightly nutty flavor that we really like, though if you can’t find a good one at this time of year you can use an equal amount of frozen winter squash instead. To make this a vegan dish, use vegetable stock and soy milk and sprinkle the top with fresh bread crumbs.

This is my contribution to Weekend Herb Blogging founded by the talented Kalyn of Kalyn’s Kitchen. This week’s host is Kel from Green Olive Tree, so be sure to check out the round-up when it’s posted next week.

Equipment

large knife or cleaver
rubber mallet, from the garage is fine
baking sheet, lined with aluminum foil and lightly coated with olive oil
3-quart pot with lid
8-quart pot with lid
9×13 baking pan, lightly coated with cooking spray

Ingredients

1 small butternut squash, about 2 pounds
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 shallots, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 sprigs sage leaves, minced (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
3 sprigs thyme leaves, minced (or 1/4 teaspoon dried)
2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth or light vegetable broth
1-1/2 cups low-fat milk or soy milk
kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper
16 ounces penne pasta
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese or fresh breadcrumbs

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.

2. Stand the squash on the large end. Use a large knife or cleaver and cut in half from the stem to the bottom. If you have a rubber mallet, you can use it to tap the blunt side of the blade to help push the knife through the squash. Place the cut sides down on the prepared baking sheet and roast until the skin can be easily pierced with a knife, about 45 minutes.

3. Remove from oven and set aside until it is cool enough to handle. Use a spoon to scoop out the flesh and put it into a bowl. Mash the squash until it’s smooth.

4. In the 3-quart pot, heat the olive oil and saute the shallots and garlic and cook for 3 minutes, stirring, until they soften. Add the mashed squash, sage, stock, and milk. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Stir frequently. Season with salt and pepper to taste and keep warm while cooking the pasta.

5. Reduce oven heat to 350° F.

6. In the 8-quart pot bring water to a boil. Cook the pasta in the boiling water until al dente, not too soft. The pasta will absorb some of the liquid from the sauce in the oven, so don’t overcook it. Drain well and put back into the pot.

7. Pour the sauce over the pasta in the pot, stirring to mix well. Pour sauce and pasta into the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on top. Bake for 15 minutes, until the sauce is a little bubbly and the cheese is a light gold color. Serve hot.

Other Squash Dishes You May Enjoy

Roasted Butternut Squash Puree with Ginger

Roasted Winter Squash Soup with Croutons

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

Orzo is a rice-shaped pasta traditionally used in Italian soups, but it’s very versatile and can be used as a main ingredient for side dishes or in cold salads. We love it because it’s easy to fix for a fast weeknight meal and it dresses up nicely with simple ingredients. This time we had it as a hot side with our chicken with sun-dried tomatoes, shallots, and thyme, another simple dish.

In this version, I browned the orzo lightly in unsalted butter, then added low-sodium chicken broth and water and brought to a boil. After simmering, I stirred in the Parmesan, basil, pine nuts, and seasonings. I recommend preparing the dish right before serving because it tastes better fresh rather than warmed over, though I have been known to enjoy the leftovers for breakfast the next morning.

Equipment

3 quart pot with lid

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup orzo
1-1/4 cups low sodium chicken broth or homemade chicken broth
1-1/4 cups water
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 teaspoons pine nuts, toasted

Preparation

1. Melt the butter in the saucepan over medium heat. Add the orzo and cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. The orzo will start to brown and take on a nutty fragrance.

2. Stir in the broth and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the liquid is absorbed and orzo is al dente, about 15 minutes.

3. Remove from heat. Stir in the cheese, basil, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with the pine nuts. Serve immediately.

Other Good Orzo Recipes

Coconut & Lime – Saffron Orzo with Shrimp

Yumsugar – Modern Side: Orzo with Lemon and Parsley

Columbus Foodie – Orzo Salad with Spinach and Feta

Culinary in the Desert – Carrot Orzo

I can’t help but love lasagna with all its gooey richness. The flavor of the sauce melds with the pasta and mingles with the cheeses and fillings, the cheese stretches from the pan to the plate as you serve it, and the sides start to collapse slightly from the weight of the hot fillings. It’s a feast for the eyes and a comfort food, through and through.

If I were asked to come up with a top ten list of healthy meals, lasagna wouldn’t make the list, but there are some simple ways to make it healthier. Omit fatty meat, use part-skim cheeses, plenty of vegetables and fresh herbs, and whole wheat lasagna, and you can turn this into a relatively healthy meal to enjoy as an occasional treat. Using spinach and basil is our favorite way to make lasagna, and for this one I snipped a cup of basil leaves off the plants growing in the AeroGarden I’ve been testing and reviewing. This time we put Marseille, Genovese, and Napolitano basils into the layers, scattering it around with the spinach. The sauce recipe is from Michael’s mom, and it’s our favorite all-purpose pasta sauce because it tastes great and is easy to make. You can even make it a couple days ahead for faster prep on lasagna day.

We make lasagna only two or three times a year because we consider it a treat rather than a regular meal. We usually assemble two lasagnas at once and then bake one and freeze the other for an emergency meal, which is very handy for our busy family. We have also made double recipes and assembled it in a large lasagna or roasting pan to feed a crowd.

The health benefits of spinach are generally well-known, but basil is also a great source of nutrients. Basil provides vitamin C, calcium, vitamin A and phosphorus, and it also has high concentrations of carotenoids such as beta carotene. So enjoy your basil and spinach together! If you plan to use frozen spinach, make sure it is fully thawed and drain it well in a colander, pressing the spinach with your hand to squeeze out the water. Then put the damp spinach on a white paper towel and press again to make sure the spinach as as dry as possible. Wet spinach makes soggy lasagna!

This lasagna recipe is my contribution to Weekend Herb Blogging, a weekly event created by Kalyn of Kalyn’s Kitchen. This week our host is Vani of Batasari. Make sure you check out the round-up on the 14th!

Equipment

6 to 8-quart pot or slow-cooker
9×13 baking dish, lightly coated with cooking spray
medium mixing bowl

Ingredients

1 recipe Ann’s Spaghetti Sauce
1 (16-ounce) package no-boil lasagna noodles
32 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese + more for sprinkling on top
10 ounces fresh baby spinach or frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained
1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
8 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preparation

1. In the pot or slow-cooker, prepare the spaghetti sauce per directions.

2. Preheat the oven to 350° F.

3. In the medium mixing bowl, stir together the ricotta and 1/4 cup of the grated Parmesan.

4. Spread a ladle or two of the prepared sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Lay down a row of lasagna noodles, then spread about 1/3 of the cheese mixture. It doesn’t have to look pretty, just make sure that it is evenly distributed, even if it’s in clumps. Add 1/2 of the spinach and basil leaves.

5. Add about 1/3 of the remaining sauce, then more noodles, 1/2 of the remaining cheese mixture, and the rest of the spinach and basil.

6. Add another 1/3 of the sauce, more noodles, and the rest of the cheese mixture. Spread the remaining sauce on top then top with the shredded mozzarella and some more parmesan.

7. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until the lasagna is cooked all the way through and the top is bubbly and golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for about 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Tips

To freeze an assembled lasagna, press a layer of plastic wrap down on the top cheese layer, then cover the whole pan in foil. Store in freezer for up to 1 month.

To cook frozen lasagna, preheat oven to 350° F. Remove the foil and plastic wrap and bake for about 45 minutes, until the lasagna is cooked all the way through and the cheese on top is golden brown and bubbly.

In my view, fresh, ripe tomatoes are meant to be enjoyed in their natural state, and nothing beats the taste of a tomato straight off the vine. When I start gathering the tomatoes from my garden, I’ll often stand near the plants and just enjoy inhaling the wonderful smell. I follow my family’s tradition and eat lightly salted slices or I just bite into one and add a pinch of salt with each bite. Little grape or sungold tomatoes adorn our salads and the boys eat them by the handful.

This summer we are growing San Marzano tomatoes, the classic Roma tomato for Italian cuisine, and I couldn’t resist making a no-cook sauce using these terrific tomatoes and some fresh basil and thyme from the garden. The kitchen was awash with the heady aromas of basil, garlic, and thyme, which also seemed to cling to my hands for a few hours after making the sauce, but I didn’t mind a bit.

We thought the flavor was very good, and it was a no-brainer, easy dish to fix. You just mix together all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and let them sit at room temperature for up to three hours, then toss it with cooked pasta. You can make this a quick weeknight meal if you shorten the sitting time for the sauce. Michael and I agreed that there isn’t enough sauce for a pound of pasta, so we would double the sauce next time.

Equipment

large nonreactive bowl

Ingredients
(If you like lots of sauce, then I suggest doubling the ingredients.)

SAUCE
2 pounds ripe San Marzano or roma tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/2-inch chunks (about 4 cups)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup roughly chopped fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh thyme
1 to 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; more to taste
pinch crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

1 pound cooked linguine

Preparation

1. Stir together the tomatoes, olive oil, basil, thyme, garlic, black pepper, and pepper flakes in the large bowl. Set aside at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 hours.

2. Toss the sauce together with the cooked pasta and serve immediately.

****************************************************************

Source: adapted from Fine Cooking

I’m experimenting with mac and cheese again. This was our Good Friday dinner, a meatless meal that we enjoyed with a simple salad. I wasn’t too sure about the tomatoes at first, afraid that the juice would render the cheese sauce watery, but I was pleasantly surprised. I really shouldn’t have been, because I’ve yet to taste a recipe from Ina Garten’s cookbooks that I didn’t like.

The recipe calls for 12 ounces of gruyere, which is a bit more costly than the average cheddar or whatever else you can find in grocery stores. Still, I was not prepared for the $14.99 a pound price tag at my local grocery store. When I looked at the label I said, “Whoa!” out loud and got a few stares in return.

Now let me explain. I love good cheese, and Michael and I enjoy trying different kinds of cheeses and making cheese fondues. But I also try to be a thrifty shopper, particularly since I’m taking a year or two off from work so that I can be with my boys full time. So the thought of spending more than $11 on just one of the cheeses for a dish was a bit disconcerting. I knew that I could probably get the cheese for a lower price at Trader Joe’s, but as much as I adore that store, I can’t take my three boys there by myself. Really, with those smaller shopping carts, I can only manage one child at a time in Trader Joe’s.

So I stood there next to the cheese display, mulling over my dilemma while the boys waited not so patiently in the shopping cart. I really wanted to surprise Michael with this gourmet mac and cheese for Good Friday since he had been gone all week, but I didn’t want to fork over that much money for the cheese. I finally decided the best compromise would be to use half the recommended amount of gruyere and make up the rest with extra sharp cheddar. It wouldn’t be exactly as described in the book, but it would still have some of that good gruyere flavor.

Even with only half the gruyere, we thought the cheese sauce was rich and tasty, and I would certainly make it that way again. And of course, treating ourselves every once in a while is not a bad thing.

Equipment

6 to 8 quart pot with lid
2 quart pot or sauce pan
4 quart pot or sauce pan
food processor with grater disk and blade attachment
3 quart casserole dish, lightly coated with cooking spray

Ingredients

Kosher salt
1 pound elbow macaroni, cavatappi (corkscrews), or conchiglie (medium shells)
4 cups milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (I use Wondra® or Pillsbury Shake and Blend.)
12 ounces Gruyere cheese, freshly grated (4 cups)
8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar, freshly grated (2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3/4 pound fresh tomatoes (approximately 4 small), thinly sliced
1-1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs (5 slices, crusts removed, run through the food processor)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F.

2. In the 6 to 8 quart pot, bring water to a boil. Add some kosher salt and the pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain well.

***While the pasta is cooking***

3. Warm the milk in the 2 quart saucepan. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large (4-quart) pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for about 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. Continue whisking and add the hot milk and cook for another minute or two. The mixture should start to thicken and get smooth.

4. Remove from heat. Add the Gruyere, cheddar, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into the prepared 3-quart baking dish.

5. Arrange sliced tomatoes on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, stir them with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top.

6. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni and breadcrumbs are browned on the top.

Variations

To make ahead, put the macaroni and cheese in the baking dish, cover, and refrigerate until ready to bake. Put the tomatoes and bread crumbs on top and bake for about 40 to 50 minutes.

*************************************************************

Source: adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style, by Ina Garten

Moving day is looming. We have an offer on our house and we’re heading up to the DC area this weekend to hopefully put in an offer on our new home, so it’s imperative that the freezer reach empty status soon. Today I wanted to use up some bay scallops we had, and I kept thinking that they would go well with sun-dried tomatoes, so I sautéed them with garlic and sun-dried tomatoes, then added some white wine and reduced the sauce a bit before turning off the heat and tossing it all with some prepared pesto. It tasted great with capellini.

Using frozen bay scallops is so easy because you just thaw them out, rinse and pat dry, then cook. Bay scallops are smaller than sea scallops and they cook in no time; in fact, you should keep a close eye on them so that they don’t overcook. Total preparation and cooking time is about 20 minutes, including cooking the pasta, so this is an easy weeknight meal.

Equipment

large skillet

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound frozen bay scallops, thawed, rinsed, and patted dry
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and patted dry, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine, I used an Italian Pinot Grigio
1/2 cup prepared sun-dried tomato pesto
1 pound capellini, cooked

Preparation

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Pour in the scallops and cook for 30 seconds without stirring (otherwise they might stick and tear when you start to stir), then stir and let cook another minute.

2. Add the minced garlic and sliced sun-dried tomatoes. Cook, stirring for about a minute.

3. Add the wine and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, reducing the wine by half.

4. Remove from heat and toss in the sun-dried tomato pesto. Serve over hot capellini.