Taziki's Friday Special

I found this recipe recently, even though it had been publish in 2008 on AL.com.  I really wanted to make it since Taziki's Friday Special is one of my favorite lunch time items!  I figured that the owners had given AL.com a slightly different version of the recipe to print (a lot of folks don't like to give away all their secrets!) but this dish really did taste like it does at the restaurant!  This recipe is supposed to be enough for 6 people, so I cut down the chicken and pasta portions to 4 people so that Kent and I could eat it for leftovers one night - we still had plenty left over even after the 2nd day, but it doesn't last too long in the fridge.  To cook the chicken, I just sauteed three chicken breasts instead of grilling them, and the chicken was still great.  Be sure to get real feta; I accidentally got reduced fat, and it is not the same!!!  This would be a perfect dish for a luncheon, and I'll definitely be making it again!

 

Photo from AL.com

Taziki's Friday Special
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon shallot, minced
½ cup balsamic vinegar
Juice from one lemon
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 ½ cups blended olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
6 cups mixed lettuces
1 ½ pounds penne pasta, cooked
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts, grilled and cubed
2 cups feta cheese crumbled
3 tomatoes seeded and diced
1 handful fresh basil chopped
Flat or pita bread - toasted

To make vinaigrette: Mix thyme, shallots, balsamic vinegar, lemon, sugar, Dijon mustard. Slowly whisk in oil. Add salt and pepper.

Place about 1 cup mixed lettuces on each plate. Toss cooked pasta with 12 ounces (or to taste) vinaigrette.

Toss grilled chicken with 6 ounces vinaigrette.

Spoon approximately 3 cups pasta onto lettuce, then add chicken.

Top with diced tomato, feta cheese and fresh basil, to taste.  

Chicken, Pesto, and Spinach Quinoa

I've been wanting to try quinoa since it seems to be everywhere now!  This was the first recipe I've made, and I really liked the way it turned out.  The cheese and pesto help to give it a creamier taste, so it doesn't seem dried out.  I'm definitely going to be trying some other quinoa recipes in the future!

Photo from Sea Jet Cook

Chicken, Pesto, and Spinach Quinoa
From: Sea Jet Cook
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
2 chicken breasts
3 big handfuls of fresh spinach (about 3 cups)
6 tablespoons pesto
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Cook the quinoa according to the package directions (we used a brown rice and quinoa mix).  Cut the chicken into small cubes and cook in a fry pan or a grill pan until done. When the quinoa is done, add the spinach, pesto, and parmesan.  Then add the chicken stir it all together.

Orzo with Artichoke Pesto and Grilled Corn

I've finally had time to try a few new recipes!  I made this last week and really liked it - though I would say that this recipe makes WAY more pasta salad than one or two people might want to eat within a few days, so definitely cut the recipe in half unless you're having lots of guests.  The artichoke pesto was wonderful and a great way to add new flavor to pasta salads.

On a side note, this is one of many of Giada's recipes I have tried.  I was telling someone the other day that one of the things that really helped me to become a better cook was following Giada's recipes in one of her Food Network cookbooks that I got while in college.  The pastas, sauces, and dishes she makes are very versatile - so if you're just getting into cooking Giada's recipes can be a great place to start!

Orzo with Artichoke Pesto and Grilled Corn
by Giada de Laurentiis
Ingredients:
Kosher salt
1 pound orzo pasta
2 ears corn, shucked and silks removed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Pesto:
12 ounces frozen artichoke hearts, thawed (about 3 cups) (*I couldn't find frozen ones, so I just got two jars of artichokes from the Italian section of the store.)
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup walnut halves, toasted (see Cook's Note)
1/2 cup fresh oregano leaves
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, smashed
Zest of 1 large lemon
1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved (about 28)
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
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, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and place in a large serving bowl.

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill.

Brush the corn with the oil, using a pastry brush. Grill, turning frequently, until the corn is tender, about 10 minutes. Allow the corn to cool slightly. Remove the kernels with a large knife and add to the serving bowl.

For the pesto: In a food processor, combine 2 cups artichokes, oil, walnuts, oregano, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Blend, scraping down the sides of the bowl, as needed, until the mixture is thick and smooth.

Chop the remaining 1 cup artichoke hearts into 3/4-inch pieces and add to the serving bowl. Add the pesto, tomatoes and Parmesan. Toss until all the ingredients are coated. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Cook's Note: To toast the walnuts, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange the walnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until lightly toasted, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool completely before using.

Easter Lunch - Lamb Chops with Cucumber Mint Orzo Salad

For Easter lunch today, we invited some of our favorite friends to join us after church.  We wanted to find something that we could make ahead (orzo salad) and something that wouldn't take long to prepare once everyone got here (grilled lamb).  Both dishes are very fresh tasting and are perfect for spring and summer weather.  We also served creamed spinach to add a little more green to the plate.  I hope you all had a wonderful Easter Sunday - He has risen!

pictures and recipes from www.fromaway.com

Grilled Lamb Chops with Cucumber-Mint Orzo Salad
Adapted from a recipe in Real Simple; Serves 4
Ingredients:
6 cloves garlic, minced
Zest and juice from one lemon, divided
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
8 small lamb rib chops, about two pounds total
1 cup orzo
1/2 cucumber, peeled and chopped
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 pitted black olives, halved
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

Method:
1.On a shallow plate, combine garlic, lemon zest, 2 tablespoons of the oil, and 1/2 a teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Add the lamb chops, and turn to coat evenly. Refrigerate, covered, for an hour.

2.While lamb chops marinate, cook the orzo according to package directions. Drain, cool under running water, and shake well to remove excess moisture. In a medium bowl, toss orzo with the cucumber, scallions, olives, mint, lemon juice, the remaining olive oil, 1/2 a teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 a teaspoon of pepper.

3.To serve, remove the lamb chops from the marinade and cook, covered, on a hot grill, two minutes per side. Serve with the orzo salad.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Some of our best friends in Birmingham, Susan and Will, left us this week for San Fransisco!  We're so sad to see them go (and Jack's in mourning because one of his bffs, their dog Ruffles, is leaving town, too)!  Last weekend we had a going away party for them at BLC's house and cooked only Southern dishes - we're hoping that they will miss Southern food and want to come back to B'ham!  Kent and I made this baked macaroni and cheese recipe that we found from Alton Brown on Food Network.  We'll definitely be making it again!

the girls at the going away party!

Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients:
1/2 pound elbow macaroni
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon powdered mustard
3 cups milk
1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 large egg
12 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh black pepper

Topping:
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup panko bread crumbs

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps. Stir in the milk, onion, bay leaf, and paprika. Simmer for ten minutes and remove the bay leaf.
Temper in the egg. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.
Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.
Remember to save leftovers for fried Macaroni and Cheese.

Easy Lasagna - from Caroline W.

Riding a horse with Caroline at
Thanksgiving in the late '80s

My cousin, Caroline, sent me this amazing lasagna recipe last year as I was putting together our family cookbook.  Kent loves lasagna, so I'd been looking for a good homemade lasagna recipe (this one's great because you don't have to precook the noodles).  This recipe has so much flavor and makes enough to feed us for a week! 

Easy Lasagna - from Caroline
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 lb Italian sausage
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup water
1 lg egg
1 (12 oz) container cottage cheese
1 1/2 tsp pepper
8 lasagna noodles, uncooked
1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 cups (8 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
Brown beef and sausage, drain.  Stir in spaghetti sauce and water.  Combine egg, cottage cheese, and pepper. Spread 1/2 cup meat sauce in bottom of a 13x9 dish. Top with half each of uncooked noodles, cottage cheese mixture, spinach, meat sauce and mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers.  Cook at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake uncovered for 10 minutes.

Creamy Shrimp and Mushroom Pasta

I got home earlier than usual from work yesterday, so I actually had time to try a new recipe during the week!  I looked around on pinterest to find something new.  It led me to this great food site - foodgawker.com.  It was so hard to narrow down the choices!  I decided on this pasta dish because of the quick cook time.  It's pretty simple since you can use frozen shrimp and dried herbs.  I'm not usually a fan of creamy pasta sauces, but this one was great because it's not too thick.  We added some Parmesan to thicken up the sauce - it had a wonderful flavor!

Picture from Chaos in the Kitchen

Creamy Shrimp and Mushroom Pasta

recipe from Chaos in the Kitchen
serves 4, prep 5 min, cook time 30 min
•4-8 oz fettuccine or linguine
•10 tbsp butter, divided (I used 8)
•8 oz fresh, sliced mushrooms
•2 garlic cloves, minced
•3 oz cream cheese, cut into small pieces
•2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
•1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
•2/3 cup boiling water (from your noodle pot)
•1 lb cooked shrimp (I used frozen - but only about 1/2 lb)

1.Boil and salt a large pot of water and cook your pasta. I usually only use about half of an 8 oz box, preferring fewer noodles.

2.While your pasta is cooking, cook your shrimp if necessary and reserve. If your shrimp are pre-cooked and frozen, quickly thaw them under running water.

3.In a large skillet melt 2 tbsp of butter over medium heat and saute mushrooms until soft and brown. Season with salt and pepper.

4.Reserve cooked mushrooms and melt remaining butter in the skillet. Add minced garlic, cream cheese, and herbs. At this point, I generally feel like something has gone terribly wrong. The cream cheese doesn’t really melt and starts to look almost curdled, don’t worry about it! It will all smooth out and be wonderful when we add the water. I promise.

5.Simmer cream cheese mixture until well blended. Get a scoop of boiling pasta water from your noodle pot and mix it in, stirring quickly to smooth out the sauce.

6.Keep sauce hot and add shrimp and mushrooms, mix well and simmer (stirring often) until everything is hot and thickened, about 10 minutes-you wont ruin this sauce by accidentally boiling it so don’t worry.

7.Toss sauce with cooked noodles and serve.

Baked Rigatoni with Italian Sausage and Fennel

As I've mentioned several times this year, we have had a freezer full of venison that we've been trying to make our way through.  While I spent some time grading papers last weekend, Kent made this wonderful dish using venison sausage (found on allrecipes.com).  It made such a large meal that we were able to have it for dinner several nights.  This is a hearty meal and perfect for cool weather.  The fennel gives the dish a different taste than many other pasta dishes - it's sure to please!

Baked Rigatoni with Italian Sausage and Fennel
Ingredients:
1 pound hot Italian sausage links
1 (16 ounce) package rigatoni pasta
1 (24 ounce) jar marinara sauce
1 bulb fennel, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 roasted red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese

Directions:
1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until almost tender, about 10 minutes.
2.Fry the sausages in a large skillet over medium heat, turning frequently until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove from the skillet, cool slightly and slice into rounds. Add the garlic, fennel and onion to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes, then add the roasted red peppers, basil, sliced sausage and pasta sauce. Heat through over low heat until warmed.
3.Combine the pasta with the sauce and vegetables in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Spread the mozzarella, Parmesan and Asiago cheeses over the top. Garnish with a few fennel leaves left from the bulb. Cover with aluminum foil.
4.Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, then remove the aluminum foil. Set the oven to broil, and cook for another 5 minutes or until cheese is browned.

Gnocchi Mac & Cheese

Okay.  So, let me just start by saying that I will never even come close to describing how amazing this dish is!  It's definitely the best thing I've made all year.  Basically, I'm saying that you MUST try this recipe - and if you like cheese at all, you will be blown away!  After trying the Rocky Road Brownies that I posted in June from the blog, Plain Chicken, I decided that I needed to try some of her other recipes.  This is the only one I've made so far, but it's divine!  I purchased the gnocchi at the store (it takes forever to make!) and it worked wonderfully.  We love using gnocchi in pasta dishes (it's a pasta made from potatoes).  Besides the gnocchi and cheese of course, the white pepper in this recipe really makes the difference.  This dish has so many great flavors - I hope you like it as much as we do!  And, don't even attempt to count the calories - trust me, it's worth every single one!

Gnocchi Mac and Cheese
(from: Cuisine at Home via Plain Chicken)

Ingredients:

1 pound purchased or homemade gnocchi
2 Tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons garlic, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
1/4 cup shredded fontina cheese
1 tsp basil

Salt and white pepper to taste
1/3 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 F. Prepare gnocchi according to package directions. Drain and place gnocchi in a single-layer in a 1-1/2 quart shallow baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick spray.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk in flour until it thickens and bubbles, then whisk in milk and Dijon. Continue to whisk mixture and cook until slightly thickened, about 3-5 minutes.

Combine Gruyere and fontina, then add by the handful to milk mixture, stirring until melted before adding the next handful. Once all cheese is melted, add basil, salt and pepper.

Pour sauce over gnocchi and sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano over top. Bake gnocchi until they puff and cheese is golden and bubbly, about 25 minutes. Let gnocchi rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Turkey Meatballs with Quick And Spicy Tomato Sauce and Whole-Wheat Spaghetti

When I went grocery shopping last week, I saw that the ground turkey was on sale.  I've only cooked with ground turkey once or twice before, but I was sure that I'd be able to find a great recipe on Food Network since Rachael Ray and some of the others use ground turkey pretty frequently.  I picked a few recipes and sent them to Kent.  He thought this one might be the winner, so we gave it a try!  It was really filling, and we both really enjoyed it!

Turkey Meatballs with Quick And Spicy Tomato Sauce and Whole-Wheat Spaghetti   

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
(Please excuse the weird formatting issues.  I'm not sure what happened and can't seem to fix it!) 

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Lemon, Basil, and Salmon

I know, I've been such a bad blogger lately!  Things seem to have gotten a little crazy, so I haven't had as much time to try new recipes lately.  But, I did want to go ahead and share the pasta side that we made on Easter to go with our salmon (we made the salmon following a different recipe that I mentioned last time, but they are very similar).  The pasta had a soft flavor and didn't overpower the fish.  It definitely works well pared with other dishes.

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Lemon, Basil, and Salmon
Ingredients:
1/2 pound whole-wheat spaghetti pasta
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 (4 oz) pieces salmon
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons capers
1 lemon, zested
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves

Directions:
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 and transfer to a large bowl. Add the garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine.

Meanwhile, warm the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Season the salmon with salt and pepper. Add the fish to the pan and cook until medium-rare, about 2 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the fish. Remove the salmon from the pan.

Add the basil, capers, lemon zest, and lemon juice to the spaghetti mixture and toss to combine. Set out 4 serving plates or shallow bowls. Place 1/2 cup spinach in each bowl. Top with 1/4 of the pasta. Top each mound of pasta with a piece of salmon. Serve immediately.
From: Giada de Laurentiis

Venison Spaghtetti

Yes, yes, I know - not everyone likes venison.  But, if do like venison, this is a great spaghetti sauce recipe that Kent and I found.  We made it a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it.  We doubled the recipe to make a large amount of sauce, so we were able to freeze half of it.  This is a great meal for cold winter days!

Venison Spaghetti
Ingredients:
1 lb ground venison, browned, drained and rinsed.
1/2 lb whole wheat spaghetti, cooked
Cooking spray
1 small onion, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
2 cans crushed tomatoes, drained
1 can tomato paste (optional)
Italian seasonings and salt to taste
(we also added a splash of red wine)

Directions:
Cook pasta and set aside.  Brown and drain venison - set aside.  Spray skillet with cooking spray and add onion and celery. Saute for 1-2 minutes.  Add mushroom, pepper and garlic and saute until vegetables are just beginning to soften.  Add cooked venison, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and seasoning. Cook over medium heat until flavors are well-blended and the sauce is heated through.

Combine cooked pasta and sauce in a large bowl and serve. Makes 8-10 servings.
(Recipe from Spark Recipes)

Nutritional Info on Venison Spaghetti from Spark Recipes
Servings Per Recipe: 10
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 198.5
Total Fat: 3.5 g
Cholesterol: 33.3 mg
Sodium: 223.2 mg
Total Carbs: 29.3 g
Dietary Fiber: 5.5 g
Protein: 15.0 g

Southwestern Pasta Salad

This weekend Kent and I hosted a cookout for the folks that I graduated with from graduate school this summer. Sheree brought this amazing Southwestern Pasta Salad (recipe from allrecipes.com). It's a perfect side dish for summer cookouts and would make a great lunch with added grilled chicken. I will definitely be making this soon!

Southwestern Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1/2 (16 ounce) package rotini pasta
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons chili powder, or to taste
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 cups whole kernel corn
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 cup chopped roma (plum) tomatoes

Directions:
1. 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.
2. In a large bowl combine oil, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, salt and garlic. Stir in pasta and set aside to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in corn, beans, green pepper, red pepper and 1/2 of the cilantro leaves. Spoon onto a platter and garnish with tomatoes and remaining cilantro. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Honey Mustard Glazed Salmon Fillets

This is a great quick and easy salmon dish. Sometimes I feel like fish can be a difficult menu item to tackle. But, this recipe is super simple and can be made any night of the week. It is plated in the picture with an orzo salad. The recipe for the salad can be found here. Both recipes are from Food Network chef, Robin Miller.

Honey Mustard Glazed Salmon Fillets
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
4 (5-ounce) salmon fillets
Salt and ground black pepper
Cooking spray

Directions:
In an oiled shallow baking dish, combine lemon juice, Dijon, honey, and lemon zest. Stir together. Season both sides of salmon fillets with salt and pepper and place in the baking dish. Flip salmon to coat in glaze.

Bake immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 hours. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake 10 minutes or until fish is fork-tender.

Gnocchi with Pesto

Though I've always loved Italian food, I didn't discover gnocchi until I went to Italy with Campus Crusade for Christ during college. Gnocchi is a pasta made from potatoes and can be served with a variety of sauces. To make gnocchi from scratch can be very time-consuming. So, I've always bought it from the store (it can usually be found in the Italian food section). If you're not someone who likes to cook, this can be a very easy meal any night of the week. This pesto sauce would be great on gnocchi, but you could always use a bottled sauce if you don't want to make it yourself.

Basil Pesto (from Giada de Laurentiis)
Ingredients:
2 cups (packed) fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1 garlic clove
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
About 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
In a blender, pulse the basil, pine nuts, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until finely chopped. With the blender still running, gradually add enough oil to form a smooth and thick consistency. Transfer the pesto to a medium bowl and stir in the cheese. Season the pesto with more salt and pepper to taste. (The pesto can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Giada says, "The secret to making pesto into a great pasta dressing is to get the sauce to the right consistency. Fresh from the food processor, pestos are usually too thick to coat pastas; you'll just end up with mounds of the sauce amid a lot of undressed noodles. You need to mix in just enough of the pasta cooking liquid to get the pesto to coat the pasta, but not so much that you've created pesto soup."

To cook the gnocchi, just boil water like you normally would in order to cook regular pasta. When the gnocchi starts to float to the top, you'll know it's ready! Just drain and serve with sauce.

Lemon Pasta with Roasted Shrimp - from Sally

Sally sent me this recipe by Ina Garten a few weeks ago. Ina Garten is one of my favorite Food Network chefs - her recipes always use understated and simple flavors. This is a great recipe that can be made any night of the week in just a few minutes.

Lemon Pasta with Roasted Shrimp
Ingredients:
2 pounds (17 to 21 count*) shrimp, peeled and deveined
Good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound angel hair pasta
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
2 lemons, zested and juiced

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the shrimp on a sheet pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Toss well, spread them in 1 layer, and roast for 6 to 8 minutes, just until they're pink and cooked through.
Meanwhile, drizzle some olive oil in a large pot of boiling salted water, add the angel hair, and cook al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking liquid. Quickly toss the angel hair with the melted butter, 1/4 cup olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and about 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid. Add the shrimp and serve hot.

*Note: Count refers to the number of shrimp in one pound. So the lower the number, the bigger the individual shrimp.

After reading some of the reviews, I saw that some people thought the sauce was a little tart from the lemons. You can definitely cut down on those. Also, some people suggested using garlic, parsley, and/or parmesan cheese to give it a little more flavor. Overall, the reviews said that it was wonderful and a new favorite. Everyone seemed to love the idea of roasting the shrimp and said they turned out perfectly.

Greek Chicken with Angel Hair - from Katie

Since tomorrow is Mardi Gras, I had planned on posting the king cake recipe that I made last year. But, we're in the process of moving so it's hard to get to my cookbooks right now! Luckily, my friend Katie sent me a new recipe last week. This is her Greek Chicken with Angel Hair - thanks Katie!

Greek Chicken with Angel Hair
Ingredients:
1 pound uncooked angel hair pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts, halved (seasoned with salt and pepper)
2 cups chopped red onion
1 shallot clove, minced
1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon basil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano
¾ cup (3 ounces) feta cheese, crumbled

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; sauté 3 minutes on each side. Add onion and next 5 ingredients (through tomatoes) to pan; stir well. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove from heat; sprinkle with cheese. Serve with pasta.

*Katie says that this recipe takes about 30 minutes to cook and makes about 8 servings. She also suggests making it with whole wheat pasta for a different flavor.

Spicy Tomato Sauce

I love eating pasta! I usually use a jar sauce because there are some really good ones. But occasionally I like to try something different! This recipe comes from Giada De Laurentiis' Everyday Italian cookbook. It makes enough sauce for four people with dinner sized portions.

Spicy Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup pitted black olives, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons drained capers, rinsed

1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste

Generous pinch of dried crushed red pepper flakes

1 (28 ounce) can crushed Italian tomatoes

Method:

In a large skillet, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. When almost smoking, add the onion and garlic, and saute for 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the olives, capers, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and red pepper flakes; saute for one minute. Add the tomatoes and simmer until reduced slightly - about 20 minutes. Season the sauce with more salt to taste. (The sauce can be made one day ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before using.) Serve over pastas like penne or rigatoni.