Category Archives: dinner

Farro Asparagus Pesto Salad

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Cold Farro Salad

I had meant to post this recipe in 2014 and didn’t notice it was hanging out in my drafts folder until just now. (Whoops). This salad can be eaten either hot or cold. It kind of reminds me of spring or summer, which is when it was originally supposed to be published. You can either make your own pesto, or use your preferred jarred brand.

  • 1C. cooked farro
  • 1/2C. cooked/roasted corn kernals
  • 1/2 bunch of steamed asparagus, sliced into bite-sized pieces
  • pesto (recipe below)

For the Pesto

  • 1 bunch (or 2, if small) of basil, cleaned, patted dry
  • Handful of toasted almonds
  • 1/4 – 1/3 C. extra virgin olive oil (or more if necessary)
  • 1 clove of garlic, chopped.
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in food processor until well blended. I omitted cheese, but, you can certainly add some grated pecorino.

Cook farro according to directions. Add sliced asparagus and corn to a large bowl, then, add cooked farro (this will steam the asparagus a bit, or, you can steam in a dish with a bit of water in the microwave until crisp tender. I like my asparagus a little crunchy, so, I just steam it with the farro). Add the amount of pesto you desire, grate some pecorino on top and serve, or, let sit and eat cold. This salad is really good the following day.

Kale, Black Bean and Sweet Potato Salad with Spicy Avocado Dressing

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Kale, black bean, onion, sweet potato salad with spicy avocado dressing!

Kale, black bean, onion, sweet potato salad with spicy avocado dressing!

I was going to make guacamole, but decided to make a creamy and spicy avocado dressing for a kale salad. (I’m trying to be good and eat lighter dinners. We’ll see how long that will last. wink). I also added a can of black beans and half of a diced sweet potato. I think this salad would also be good with some corn and roasted pumpkin seeds, but I didn’t have either on hand.

For the salad:

  • 1 head of lactino kale
  • 1/2 of a roasted sweet potato
  • 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/4C. minced white onion
  • 1/2 of a red/orange/yellow bell pepper, chopped

For the Dressing:

  • 1 ripe avocado
  • juice of one lemon
  • handful of chopped cilantro
  • 1/2tsp chili powder
  • 1/4tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/4C olive oil (eyeball it, you may want to use more to have a thinner dressing, or use water to have a thinner dressing
  • 2TB water

Make the dressing: I used my mini food processor (which is an awesome addition to my kitchen). Add avocado, oil, lemon juice and spices and blend until creamy. You may have to add a little bit more oil (or water) to thin out the dressing. Adjust spices to your taste.

Thoroughly rinse and pat dry kale leaves. Fold leaves in half, then cut into strips a few times so the kale is in bite-sized pieces. Add chopped kale to large bowl, drizzle with dressing and massage into the kale until it’s well coated. Add remaining ingredients and toss. Add some crumbled Bulgarian feta too…that might be good. I wish I had thought of that when I made the salad!

Simple Vegetable Bean Soup

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Mmmm, soup is good food (I usually sing the Dead Kennedys song in my head)

Mmmm, soup is good food (I usually sing the Dead Kennedys song in my head)

Did I jinx the nice, unseasonably warm weather that we had the week of Christmas?? Dammit, I miss the 60 degree days and not wearing a winter coat. In fact, I just wore my winter coat for the first time last Monday when it was in the low 40’s here. Sigh. Well, when the temps drop, I like to have a nice bowl of soup and some crusty bread for my dinner. I also seem to make a TON of soup so, I end up freezing most of it. I definitely need a larger freezer. This is a basic vegetable soup recipe…and of course, you can add any type of beans or vegetables you like and adjust the seasonings. I only had white beans on hand, but this is also good with chickpeas. I have also added tiny diced potatoes, chopped broccoli or cauliflower to the soup and it’s delicious.

  • 2TB extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2-3 carrots, chopped
  • 1 stalk of celery, chopped
  • 1/2 a bunch of lactino kale, chopped
  • 1 28oz can of Muir Glen Fire Roasted diced tomatoes
  • 2 cartons of unsalted vegetable stock (I always use Kitchen Basic’s unsalted veg stock)
  • 1 can of cannellini beans
  • 1 cup cooked macaroni or small shell pasta
  • Bay Leaf
  • 1-2 tsp Italian seasoning spice
  • Salt & pepper

In a stock pot or Dutch Oven (I used my Le Cruset dutch oven), heat oil over medium heat, then sauté the garlic, onions, carrots and celery until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the stock and diced tomatoes, let simmer and then add the kale and beans. Add the seasonings to taste. For a kick, I added some crushed red pepper. Simmer over low heat until the kale is cooked. Add the pasta last (so it’s not overcooked). Serve immediately. Grate some pecorino romano on top too while you’re at it.

I miss the DKs:
Soup is good food!

My Baked Macaroni and Cheese

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I think one weakness of mine is my mom’s baked macaroni and cheese…all gooey with a crispy breadcrumb topping, sprinkled with some paprkia. Yum. When I was a kid, however, I didn’t give it enough respect because I liked that florescent orange stuff from a box (Sorry, Mom). It took a few years for me to appreciate my mom’s version, and well, nothing comes close to it. The version of my own below is a pretty good substitute because she and my dad live a few hours away in another state and they’re not here right now. I think the next time I go home I will request that she make macaroni and cheese. See, mom? It’s a win-win. We get to see each other AND enjoy a nice dinner!

  • 1 lb. of gemeli or small shells (or, macaroni/small-sized pasta), cooked
  • 2 C. cheddar cheese, shredded (I used low-fat white Cheddar and NY State Sharp Cheddar)
  • 1/2 C. grated pecorino-romano
  • 1 3/4 C. milk at room temperature (not cold)
  • 1/4 C. half and half
  • 5 TB unsalted butter
  • 5 TB flour
  • 1-2 tsp ground mustard
  • 1-2 tsp smoked paprika (or, hot if you like)
  • dash of onion powder (or, garlic if you prefer it)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 – 1/2 C Panko bread crumbs for topping, toasted

Coat a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cook your pasta, drain, put in a large bowl and set aside.
Make the roux: In a medium-sized saucepan over low to medium heat, melt the butter, then add the (carefully measured) flour. Whisk this until it’s smooth and there are no lumps of flour.

Make the cheese sauce: Slowly add the milk to the roux, whisking all the while. (You don’t want cold-from the fridge milk because I think it’s too much of a shock for the roux.) Continue to whisk for a couple minutes or, until the mixture starts to get thicker. (Don’t let it go until it gets to a paste consistency!). Add the cheeses and keep whisking until the cheese is melted and you have a nice and creamy sauce. Add the spices and mix well. UPDATE 2.16.16: I realized that sautéing the breadcrumbs in a few tablespoons of butter first and then sprinkling them on top of the pasta and cheese worked out better (that way the mac and cheese isn’t in the oven too long and won’t dry out b/c you’re waiting for the crumbs to brown on top.

Pour cheese sauce over cooked pasta and stir until the pasta is thoroughly coated. Put pasta in the baking dish and sprinkle the breadcrumbs and a little bit extra grated pecorino Romano cheese. Bake, uncovered at 400 degrees until it’s bubbly and crispy–about 15-20 minutes. Now you have dinner for the week, or, you can invite a few friends over for dinner. Enjoy!

Before baking.

Before baking.

Mmmm, fresh from the oven. Dinner's on!

Mmmm, fresh from the oven. Dinner’s on!

Some other variations: I think this would be really good with some dried jalapenos added to the cheese sauce, or, add some crushed red pepper for a kick. If you wanted to be more healthy, you could probably add some steamed broccoli florets or some steamed kale or spinach.

Spaghetti Squash Mac and Cheese

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spaghettisquash

I love mac-n-cheese, but sometimes I don’t want to eat pasta. So, enter the lovely (and seasonal!) spaghetti squash, which I’ve used in the past in place of pasta with tomato sauce or pesto. If you’re one of those weirdos (kidding!) who say, “Oh, yuck. I hate squash,” you just might change your mind when you try this. Trust me, if you add enough cheese sauce…you’ll be won over.

  • 1 spaghetti squash, halved, seeds/innards removed*
  • 1 C. steamed broccoli florets
  • 1 C. reduced fat cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 C. grated pecorino romano
  • 1 TB butter
  • 1 TB AP flour
  • 1 C. milk (room temperature)
  • 1 tsp ground mustard
  • 1 tsp hot paprika
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • crushed red pepper (optional)
  • 1/4 C. panko bread crumbs (optional)

Update: I just learned that rather than struggle with cutting a spaghetti squash in half, one can poke a bunch of holes in it with a knife or fork and microwave it whole for 12-15 minutes until soft, OR, roast in a baking dish whole for an hour (also poke holes in it). That is SO much easier than pretty much using a machete and almost cutting off a finger.

Cut squash in half and either spray with cooking spray or, rub a bit of olive oil on the squash. Bake, halved side up on a baking sheet for about 50-60 minutes (or, until the squash is tender and fully cooked (ie: soft) at 400 degrees. Let squash cool off until you can handle it. Using a fork, scrape out the insides of squash–it should look like angel hair pasta. Add to steamed** broccoli in bowl and set aside.

squashnbroccoli

Make the cheese sauce: Over a low heat, melt the butter in a small/medium sized sauce pan, add the flour and whisk out any lumps, add the milk and the cheeses and let it simmer. Add the ground mustard and paprika too. Whisk until a smooth sauce forms. Pour cheese sauce over squash and broccoli, stir until well-coated. Now, at this point you can serve and eat it, but, I went a step further. I put the mixture in an 8×8 baking dish, topped with a tablespoon of grated pecorino and the 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs and baked it for 30-40 minutes at 400 degrees until it was brown and crispy on top.

Spaghetti Squash Mac and Cheese!

Spaghetti Squash Mac and Cheese!

*Wait! Don’t discard those squash seeds! You can eat them! Remove them and rinse in a colander, making sure to get all the bits of squash guts off of them. Pat dry with a paper towel and put ’em in a bowl. Drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil to coat them, sprinkle a little salt and maybe some crushed red pepper, spread on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes, or until toasted.

**I’ve found that I’m too lazy to use a stovetop steamer, so, I put the broccoli florets in a microwave-safe bowl with a bit of water, cover the bowl with wax paper and nuke it for a minute and a half. I don’t like wilt-y broccoli; I still want it with a slight snap…thus the brief cooking time