Chicken Pasta Caprese

I love just about any type of pasta salad.  And I also love Caprese salads.  So when I saw this recipe, I just knew I had to try it!  And it didn't disappoint, of course!  In fact, my husband even raved about this recipe, which wasn't totally shocking, but I was a little surprised he liked it that much.  When dinner was over, I added some balsamic vinegar, pine nuts, and crushed red pepper and turned this into a cold pasta salad to take for lunch at the hospital, where heating time eats too far in to the five minutes I might have to wolf down my lunch between rounding on patients!  Either way you serve it, this pasta is a crowd pleaser and travels easily, making it perfect for a Spring Potluck or picnic in the park!

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized bits

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

salt

pepper

cooking spray or oil mister

9 ounces pasta (gemelli is pictured, but any will do)

4 teaspoons olive oil

6 cloves garlic, chopped

2 1/2 cups halved grape tomatoes

1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil

4 ounces part skim mozzarella cheese, cut into cubes, or buy the smaller pearls (bocconcini)

Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat.  Season the chicken with dried basil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste.  Spray the skillet with oil and add chicken.  Cook until cooked through, then transfer to a plate.

Cook the pasta to al dente.  Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water.

Meanwhile, increase the heat until the skillet to high.  Add the olive oil and garlic, stirring until golden, about 1 minute.  Be careful not to burn the garlic.  Add the tomatoes, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste.  Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until tomatoes become tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the pasta to the tomatoes.  If pasta seems dry, add some of the reserved pasta water.  Add chicken and toss well.  Remove the pan from heat and stir in the fresh basil and cheese.  Serve hot.

Serves 5.

Recipe adapted from The Skinnytaste Cookbook, by Gina Homolka.

Chicken Tetrazzini

This is a classic casserole that everyone's mama's mama has been making since the dawn of time.  It's easy to throw together for a weeknight supper, can be made in advance, freezes (and travels) well, and can be doubled, tripled, or halved to feed whatever size army you have around your table!  Another little bonus I've learned about casseroles?  They may not be the prettiest, especially in photographs, but because they usually involve cheese, you can sneak in tons of veggies for those picky toddlers in your life.  Believe me.  I know!  Oh, and this is even better the next day...hello leftovers!

2 sticks butter

4 chicken bouillon cubes

1 large onion, chopped

1 cup finely chopped celery

1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms

3 cups chicken stock

12 ounces Velveeta cheese, cut into cubes

2 cups bite-sized pieces cooked chicken (I poach 2 or 3 boneless skinless breasts)

12 ounces vermicelli, or other long noodle

grated parmesan for sprinkling

 paprika for sprinkling

Melt the butter over low heat in a large saucepan.  Add the bouillon and mash into the melted butter.  Add the onion, celery, and mushrooms.  Saute until vegetables are light brown.  Add 2 cups of the stock and the Velveeta.  Cook until the cheese is melted.  Stir in the chicken.  Remove from heat.

Preheat the oven to 300.  Cook the pasta until just al dente; drain.  Add the chicken mixture and 1/2 cup of the remaining stock and mix well.  Spoon into a greased 9x13-inch baking dish.  Sprinkle with parmesan and paprika.  Bake 10 minutes.  Pour the last 1/2 cup stock over the top and bake an additional 10 minutes or until bubbly.

Serves 8.

To make it travel-ready:  Bake the casserole in a foil disposable baking dish with a plastic lid.  This way, you can easily write the reheating instructions on the lid with a permanent marker...or tape a note to the top of the pan too.  Your neighbor will appreciate that she doesn't need to wash and return your bakeware, so she can save the meal for later if she's already stocked from other well-meaning friends.

Recipe adapted from My Mama Made That, by the Junior League of Hampton Roads.

Long Life Noodles

Long life noodles are served at Chinese New Year celebrations as well as birthday meals; tradition says that if you break (or cut) one of these noodles, you'll have bad luck.  Regardless, the peanuty sauce and crispy veggies are the perfect accompaniment to most main courses.  I served these with a teriyaki-marinated salmon filets, but they'd be just as yummy as a bed for shrimp or scallops...or the protein of your choice really.

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup rice vinegar

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 teaspoons sesame oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

1 cup snow peas, thinly sliced

1 cup shredded carrots

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

4 scallions, thinly sliced

1 pound soba noodles or spaghetti

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1/4 cup minced cilantro

In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, lime juice, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger.  Stir constantly until the peanut butter melts.  Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the snow peas, carrots, red bell pepper, and scallions.

Cook the noodles until al dente in a large pot of boiling water.  Stir the noodles into the vegetable mixture and add the peanut sauce.  Garnish with sesame seeds and cilantro.

Serves 6-8.

Recipe adapted from The Comfort Table, by Katie Lee.

Katie's Mac & Cheeses

You can't get much more Southern than homemade mac and cheese!  Besides, who doesn't love macaroni and cheese?!  These single cupcake-sized servings are super cute and would be adorable at a kids – or grown-ups – party!  I found the recipe in Cosmopolitan magazine ages ago, thanks to Katie Lee Joel's column.  Make them ahead and reheat as needed.  Mix up the cheeses and pasta shapes to suit your mood.  Add other flavors, like dry mustard, parsley, cayenne, or more according to your tastes.  Pack them for a picnic.  Make mini-muffin sizes as a sweet little appetizer.  This dish is versatile, fun, and 110% picky toddler friendly (trust me...my son went through a phase where he would only eat food shaped like cupcakes!).

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 

1 teaspoon kosher salt 

½ teaspoon onion powder 

¼ teaspoon black pepper 

2 cups skim milk 

2 tablespoons low-fat cream cheese 

2 cups shredded low-fat cheddar cheese 

10 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked to package instructions 

2 Roma tomatoes, sliced 

In a saucepan over medium heat, mix flour, salt, onion powder, and pepper. Cook 2 minutes, stirring. Slowly whisk in milk, then add cream cheese. Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook 4 minutes, stirring, until thick. Remove from heat, and stir in 1½ cups cheddar cheese until melted. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 12-muffin tin with cooking spray. In a bowl, mix cooked macaroni and cheese sauce. Spoon into muffin tin. Top with a slice of tomato and shredded cheese. Bake until bubbly and golden brown, about 25 minutes.

Summer Fresh Tomato Pasta

I have no idea where I found this recipe.  It was saved on my computer in my ever-handy "recipes" folder!  But I had a drawer full of various heirloom tomatoes that needed to be used.  Oh, and I was itching to jump into the pot of fresh basil growing on my patio, too.  Of course, none of that is as important as the fact that it was already 7:30, my husband was starving, and I hadn't even started supper yet.  I whipped together a fairly light menu and decided that if I didn't have some carbs, my husband would be foraging through the refrigerator mere minutes after dinner.  Enter pasta salad!  Feel free to change up the ingredients according to what you have on hand.  Add some chicken or shrimp (or other protein) to turn this into a one-dish meal.  Change the herbs and seasonings to give a totally different feel to this salad (I'm thinking of a Greek Salad-inspired spin next time).  Use colored pastas with fun shapes.  Serve it warm or cold.  The possibilities are endless.  Just make the darn pasta already!

1 12-ounce package penne 

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives 

1 6-8oz container herbed feta cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil 

2 tablespoons olive oil 

1 tablespoon pine nuts

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 

2-3 cloves fresh garlic, minced 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/4 teaspoon black pepper 

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper, plus more to taste

Bring a large pot of water to boil (do not salt the water or add oil).  Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cool water.  Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients.  Toss with cooled and drained pasta.  Adjust ingredients to taste.

Serves 4

Angel Hair Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Goat Cheese

This is a fabulous dish for an easy weeknight supper or even to serve to houseguests!  It would be wonderful as a vegetarian meal or, the way I did it, with sautéed chicken breasts over the top!  Whatever you choose, this meal is exploding with flavor, bright and colorful on the plate, and sure to be a crowd pleaser, no matter who is sitting at your table!  Bon appetit!

1 10-ounce jar sub-dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped (oil reserved)

1 small onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 cup dry white wine

1 pound angel hair pasta

3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3-4 ounces soft fresh goat cheese, crumbled

Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and saute until tender, about 3 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and saute 1 minute more.  Add the tomato paste and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly to combine.  Add the wine and chopped sun-dried tomatoes and summer until the liquid reduces by half, about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain.  Add the pasta and parsley to the tomato mixture and toss to coat.  Season with salt and pepper.  Mound the pasta in bowls, sprinkle with goat cheese and more parsley, and serve.

**If you'd like to add some protein to this dish, before making the sauce, season some boneless, skinless chicken breasts with salt and pepper, and saute with garlic and olive oil until cooked through.  Place on a plate in a warm oven while preparing the sauce in the same skillet.  While the pasta is cooking, slide the chicken into the sauce to soak up more flavor.  Serve the pasta with a chicken breast on top and the sauce poured over all.

Serves 4-6.

Recipe adapted from Everyday Pasta, by Giada de Laurentiis.

Sautéed Tortellini with Prosciutto and Greens

My mama's here on baby watch and it's so much fun cooking in my kitchen with her!  It's also a great excuse to try out some new recipes I've had ear-marked for a while so we can build up the supply of leftovers for after Baby arrives!  This was such an amazing one-dish supper, and perfect for a cold evening before the snow started a couple of weeks ago.  I served it with a big Caesar salad and red wine, but it would be just as good on its own.  Feel free to add more flavors according to taste, too...we threw in a pinch or two of red pepper flakes for a little heat!  Mmmmm....

18 ounces fresh cheese tortellini

5 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 medium red onion, halved and sliced

3-5 cloves fresh garlic, minced

5 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced

1 1/4 cups seeded chopped plum tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

3-4 cups baby spinach

1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Add the tortellini and cook as directed.  Drain well and set aside.

In the same pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over high heat.  Add the onion and garlic and saute until tender and aromatic, 2-3 minutes.  Add the prosciutto and cook 1 minute, stirring to evening incorporate the prosciutto with the onions.  Stir in the tomatoes, basil, oregano, salt and pepper and cook 1 minute longer, stirring constantly to evenly blend the ingredients.  Add the vinegar and taste for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper  if needed.  Transfer the mixture to a large serving bowl.

Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in the same pot over medium-high heat.  Add the tortellini with a pinch of salt and pepper and saute until golden brown, about 4 minutes.  Add the pasta to the bowl and toss with the other ingredients.  Toss with the spinach and cheese, until the cheese melts and the greens wilt (you may need to return the mixture to low heat here).  Spoon into individual pasta plates and pass more cheese alongside!

Serves 6.

Recipe adapted from Celebrate the Rain, by the Junior League of Seattle.

Whole Wheat Linguine with Basil, Bacon, and Shrimp

This is a flavorful, fragrant dish that is perfect for a romantic dinner in.  Put the kids to bed early, turn down the lights, pour some wine, and sway to soft jazz as you wait for the sauce to thicken.  Just to let you know exactly how good this is:  After I made it and was cleaning up the kitchen, my husband saw me pouring a bunch of this into a large Tupperware, and said "Oh goody, we'll have leftovers for dinner tomorrow!"


1 pound whole wheat linguine

1 pound thick-cut bacon, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

4-6 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, diced

1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, with juice

1 cup 1/2 and 1/2

3/4 cup bottled clam juice

1 cup chopped fresh basil, divided

salt and pepper

1 1/2 pounds large peeled and deveined shrimp

Bring a large pot salted water to a boil over high heat.  Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally.  Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl.

While the pasta is cooking, put the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring frequently, until the bacon is brown and crispy.  Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and set aside.

Return the skillet to the heat and add the garlic and onions to the bacon drippings, cooking until aromatic, about 30 seconds.  Add the tomatoes with their juice, half-and-half, clam juice, 1/2 cup of the basil, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.  Bring to a boil and scrape up the browned bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.  Reduce the heat to medium and simmer 10 minutes, until slightly thickened.

Add the shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until just pink throughout and cooked through, about 3 minutes.  Add the bacon and simmer until warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes.

Pour the shrimp mixture over the cooked pasta and toss until coated.  Season to taste with salt and pepper, and garnish with the remaining 1/2 cup basil.

Serves 4-6.

Recipe adapted from Weeknights with Giada, by Giada de Laurentiis.

Copycat Outback Cyclone Pasta

Anybody remember when Outback used to have a dish called Cyclone Pasta on their menu? Well, it was one of my favorites. Only it didn't last on the menu for long, much to my dismay. This was the dish that, after a long day on the ship (in a past life, I spent four years in the Navy as a Surface Warfare Officer), I'd pop by Outback and get this to go to enjoy with a glass of wine and Grey's Anatomy. It came with a fabulous garlic bread, that I have yet to replicate, but that's the easy part after figuring out this dish. Oh yes, I forgot to mention that it's been about six years since I last tasted the original recipe, so remembering the flavors was a bit of a challenge! But thanks to the internet, I was able to combine the memories of several folks hankerin' for this dish and came up with something that is pretty close to what I remember! Enjoy!

1 8.5-ounce jar sun-dried tomatoes, julienned and oil packed (with the oil reserved)

2 large chicken breasts, chopped

1 onion, halved and sliced into half-moons

3 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1 cup prosciutto, thinly sliced and cut into thin ribbons

1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced (I used baby bellas)

1 (16 ounce) box penne pasta, cooked

oregano

thyme

crushed red pepper to taste

1 (16 ounce) jar Classico Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo sauce

Italian blend shredded cheese, as much as you like 

olive oil, as needed 

Separate the julienned sun-dried tomatoes from the oil in the jar. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced chicken, and any additional olive oil as necessary. Just before the chicken is completely cooked through, add the onions and garlic and saute until crisp-tender. Add reserved sun-dried tomatoes, prosciutto, and mushrooms, and continue to saute.

Heat a pot of water to boiling and cook penne as directed. Drain. Meanwhile, add dried herbs and pepper flakes to large skillet, adjusting heat and seasonings as necessary. Add pasta to skillet, stirring to combine. Add entire jar of pasta sauce and heat until slightly thickened and thoroughly combined. Add shredded cheese as desired (one large handful to start) and stir until melted and combined into mixture.

Serve hot, and sprinkle a little more cheese over each bowl.

Serves 4-6.

Ginny's Lasagna

To finish up a month of favorite family dishes, I thought I'd share something with quite a bit of sentimental value to me: my mother-in-law's lasagna recipe (with a few of my own variations).  About seven years ago, my husband and I had just started dating.  One night he invited me to his house and told me he'd cook for me.  When I arrived, the glorious aroma of Italian cooking greeted me and I was thrilled!  Years later, I discovered that he'd called his mom earlier in the day, told her he was cooking for a girl and "needed to impress her" and she'd emailed him this recipe right away!  Fast forward to Christmas last year, when my husband asked if we could have lasagna for Christmas dinner.  Already planning a steak dish (we don't do a big turkey or ham "Thanksgiving 2.0" meal for Christmas), I told him I'd make lasagna for Christmas Eve dinner, and I think it might be a new tradition for us...unless of course my mama's with us, since Christmas Eve is her birthday, so then she'd get her choice of menus!  Anyway, enjoy this hearty meal.  Feed it to just your family...or to your family plus a few!  Eat it right away, freeze it, or divide in half and eat some now and some later!

2 pounds Spicy Italian sausage, casings removed

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 23-ounce jars of your favorite spaghetti sauce (I use Prego Marinara)

1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

2 pounds light Ricotta cheese

3 2-cup bags reduced fat shredded Mozzarella cheese

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon dried parsley

1 16-ounce whole wheat lasagna noodles

1 cup shredded parmesan

Preheat oven to 350.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.  Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions and drain.

Meanwhile, heat a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat.  Add sausage and break up meat as it browns.  Continue to saute until cooked through.  Drain, then return cooked sausage to skillet along with garlic and sauce.  Bring to a boil.  Allow to cook until liquid is reduced to a thick consistency.

In a mixing bowl, combine 1 package shredded mozzarella, ricotta, egg, and parsley until thoroughly mixed.

Ladle about 1 1/2 to 2 cups meat sauce into a 9x13-inch baking dish.  Then layer 3 (or 4 depending on pan shape) noodles, 1/3 ricotta cheese mixture, and 1/3 remaining meat sauce.  Repeat twice.  Top with remaining Mozarella and parmesan cheese.

Bake until lasagna is golden on top and cheese is bubbling, about an hour.

Serves 12.

It goes without saying that this goes great with a crispy Caesar salad, roasted clove garlic bread, and a full-bodied red wine!

Rigatoni with Sausage, Peppers, and Onions

A favorite recipe, comforting and hearty, full of flavor, and fancy enough to serve to dinner guests! This dish goes wonderfully with a simple arugula salad, crusty bread, and your favorite red wine (I served a sangiovese).

1/4 cup olive oil

1 pound sweet Italian turkey sausage

2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and sliced

2 yellow onions, sliced

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup Marsala wine

1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, with juice

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

1 pound rigatoni pasta (I use whole wheat penne)

5 ounces goat cheese crumbles (optional)

freshly grated parmesan

Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown on all sides, 7-10 minutes. Remove sausages from pan.

Keeping the pan over medium heat, add the bell peppers, onions, salt, and pepper and cook until golden, 5 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, and basil and cook 2 more minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir until incorporated, then add the Marsala, tomatoes with their juice, and red pepper flakes, if using. Stir to combine, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all the brown bits. Bring to a simmer.

Cut the sausages into 4-6 pieces each. Return the sausages to the pan. Simmer uncovered until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes.

While the sauce simmers, 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, 8-10 minutes. Drain the pasta and add to the thickened sauce, tossing to combine. Stir in goat cheese, if using, and toss until cheese is melted. Spoon into individual bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Serves 4-6.

Recipe adapted from Everyday Pasta, by Giada De Laurentiis.

Yakisoba

When I lived in Okinawa, Japan, growing up, a favorite weekend adventure involved going shopping downtown and stopping on Gate 2 Street (a street near, you guessed it, Gate 2 of one of the larger American bases on the island) for yakisoba.  I'm sorry, but those microwave versions you can buy at the store are neither authentic or tasty, and after making the real version, you'll see what I mean.  While this is the basic recipe that was served up by the locals, feel free to change up the veggie and meat to suit your preferences...

2 packages fresh soba noodles, cooked and drained (careful, sometimes this can get kind of gooey; one of these days I'm going to skip cooking them and throw them right into the stir-fry)

4 tablespoons sesame oil

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin, bite-sized strips

salt and pepper to taste

Chinese Five Spice to taste (start with about 1/4 teaspoon and go from there)

1 green pepper, cut into thin strips

1 onion, coarsely chopped

1 small/medium bag shredded cabbage and carrots (coleslaw)

1 clove garlic, minced

soy sauce and stir-fry sauce to taste (optional)

In a large skillet, wok, or electric skillet, brown the chicken in the oil.  Season with salt, pepper, and Chinese Five Spice.  Add vegetables, stir-frying until crisp-tender.  Add the cooked noodles and stir-fry until the noodles are lightly brown.  You may need to add more sesame oil.

Adjust seasonings and add sauces to taste, according to preference.  Serve hot, with chopsticks or a fork!

Serves 4-6.

Pasta alla Formiana

I needed a side dish the other night for dinner and remembered seeing Giada make this on one of her shows.  It seemed like just the right thing, and I had all the ingredients on hand.  Just like a nice small side of spaghetti!  Did I mention that it's pretty quick to throw together?!  I was a little skeptical of pasta being quick but I am so glad I had faith in Giada's Italian roots!  I was also skeptical of the fact that I didn't cook my pasta in boiling water first, but the heat of the sauce in the oven takes care of that for me!  At the end of the day, I wish I'd doctored the sauce just a bit, to add some more flavor (I did add quite a bit more garlic!) along with some basil, but since this was the first time I'd tried this dish, I didn't want to change things up too much.  Play around with it; see what you like.  Don't forget to leave me a comment with any changes or additions you made so I can try your variations the next time I make this!!

cooking spray

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, with juice

1/2 cup chicken stock

1 (or about 4, in my case) clove(s) garlic, chopped

1 box penne, or other small pasta

1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling

2 tablespoons dried oregano

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

5 extra-large tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick

Place an oven rack in the upper third of the oven.  Preheat to 450.  Spray an 8-inch glass baking dish (or small rectangular casserole) with cooking oil.

In a blender, combine crushed tomatoes and their juice, chicken stock, and garlic.  Pour into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Stir in the pasta, olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper.

While the sauce is heating, line the bottom and sides of the baking dish with half to two-thirds of the tomato slices.  Pour the pasta mixture into the pan and spread evenly.  Arrange the remaining tomato slices in an overlapping layer on top of the pasta mixture, making sure the mixture is completely covered.  Drizzle with olive oil.

Put the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake 30 minutes, until the tomatoes are slightly crispy and the pasta is cooked.  Cool five minutes and serve.

Serves 4 to 6.

Recipe adapted from Weeknights with Giada by Giada de Laurentiis.

The Best Man Meal Ever

I fell in love with this winter's Celebrity Cook Off with Rachael Ray and Guy Fieri!  I even convinced my husband to watch a few episodes with me.  On one show, Summer Sanders had to grill up a manly rib eye and I was so inspired I wanted to try it myself.  Well, the cast iron griddle my husband had just purchased might have also helped!  On the show, Summer was required to serve her steak with a compound butter, and I wanted to try that too, so after consulting Google, I decided on one of Rachael Ray's recipes.  After all, she was Summer Sanders's mentor too, so why not try her dish?!  The steak recipe I found came with a swiss chard recipe, which was also intriguing, since I'd never worked with that type of greens before...and I had a Martha Stewart pasta and squash dish I'd been wondering about, so I decided to try those as well! My meal ventured off the beaten path of my normal steak, baked potato, and Caesar, but I'm so glad it did!  This was a fabulous meal, amazingly manly, and perfect for Father's Day on Sunday!

The Perfect Rib Eye:

3 bulbs garlic, ends cut to expose cloves plus 2 large cloves, finely chopped

olive oil

salt and pepper

1/3 cup dry sherry

4 tablespoons butter, softened

1 tablespoon dried parsley

1/2 tablespoon dried thyme

1 package dried shiitake mushrooms

1 cup beef stock

1 shallot, finely chopped

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons coarse black pepper

1 cup ketchup

2 large rib eye steak, 1 1/2- to 2-inches thick

Preheat oven to 425. Drizzle garlic bulbs with oil and season with salt and pepper. Wrap tightly in foil and roast to tender, 45 minutes. Reserve 1 head for the Swiss Chard Au Gratin. Add cast-iron pan to oven to preheat.

Squeeze cloves from remaining 2 bulbs garlic into the bowl of a food processor. Add sherry, butter, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper. Pulse process into a paste and reserve.

For the steak sauce, simmer mushrooms in stock to reconstitute and soften. Let reduce, 15-20 minutes, then transfer to a food processor and purée. In a small pot over medium heat, sauté shallots and 2 cloves finely chopped garlic in a drizzle of olive oil to soften. Add puréed shiitake stock, balsamic, Worcestershire, brown sugar, pepper and ketchup, and simmer to thicken 20 minutes over low heat.

Bring meat to room temperature, 30 minutes to 1 hour. Pat meat dry and rub with a drizzle of oil. Season aggressively with salt and pepper. Remove hot cast-iron skillet from oven and place over medium-high heat. Add steak to hot pan and grill 5-7 minutes on each side, or until desired doneness.  Remove meat and let rest before serving.

Slather steak with garlic sherry butter, slice and top with steak sauce.

Swiss Chard Au Gratin:

2 1/4 to 2 1/2 pounds Swiss chard or rainbow chard, 3 or 4 large bundles

salt

4 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup flour

1 1/4 cups milk

pepper

nutmeg

1 bulb roasted garlic from steak recipe, cloves squeezed from skins and pasted 

1 cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese, divided

Heat oven to 400 with a rack in the middle of oven.

Bring a large pot of water to boil.

Stem chard, leaving the leaves whole. Salt boiling water, add chard and wilt – pot will be packed at first. Boil chard 10 minutes, drain in a colander and run under cool water. Let drain and squeeze out excess liquid in a clean kitchen towel. Chop.

Meanwhile, heat butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour, cook 1 minute, then whisk in milk. Season with salt, pepper and a little nutmeg. Stir in roasted garlic paste. Thicken sauce to coat the back of a spoon and adjust seasonings to taste.

Layer half the greens in a medium casserole (8-10” long). Top with half of the béchamel sauce and half the cheese. Repeat layers, ending with cheese.  Bake 15 minutes.

Baked Shells with Winter Squash:

butter for baking dish

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 large onions, halved and thinly sliced

coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

1 pound large pasta shells

2 cups roasted butternut squash puree (or 12 ounces frozen puree, thawed)

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 cup panko bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 400.  Butter a 9-by-13 baking dish.  Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat.  Add the onions; season with salt and pepper.  Cover and cook until onions are soft and release their liquid, about 15 minutes.  Uncover, raise the heat to medium, and cook until browned, about 20 minutes.  Stir in 1 teaspoon of the rosemary.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water for 2 minutes less than the package suggests.  Drain.  Return the pasta to the pot.

Stir the squash into the onions until combined.  Toss the squash and onion mixture with 1/2 cup of the parmesan and the pasta.  Transfer to the prepared baking dish.

Combine the bread crumbs with the remaining olive oil, rosemary, and parmesan.  Season with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle evenly over the pasta mixture.  Bake until golden brown, 10-15 minutes.

Rib eye and Swiss Chard recipes adapted from www.rachaelrayshow.com by Rachael Ray.

Pasta recipe adapted from Everyday Food 's Great Food Fast, by Martha Stewart.

Blue Moon Burgers

It's getting warmer (at least it probably is where you live; Monterey is famously cool year-round) and that means one thing:  grilling out at least four times per week!  And what better way to usher in grilling season than to feature some of my favorite outdoor cookin' recipes, starting with that All-American classic, the cheeseburger!  And since I'm nice, I'll also share my favorite (and surprisingly healthy) macaroni and cheese recipe!  Also goes great with Guacamole Salad!  So yes, this month it's all about grillin' man food...hello red meat lovers (well, I'll share one favorite pork dish at the end of the month for good measure).

1 pound lean ground beef (I use 96/4 ground sirloin)

4 shakes Worcestershire sauce

cracked black pepper

5 ounces blue cheese crumbles

1/4 cup dry red wine

kosher salt to taste

4 crusty rolls or toasted sourdough bread

sliced tomatoes, red onion, chopped lettuce, and fried bacon, for topping

Mix first four ingredients (through blue cheese) in a large mixing bowl, being sure to incorporate the cheese throughout the meat.  Form hamburger patties with one-fourth of the meat mixture, being sure to build a small "crater" in the center of each patty to prevent swelling as the burgers cook.

Pour the wine into a shallow dish and turn each patty in the wine to soak up the flavor.  Let burgers rest on a dry platter while you heat the grill to medium-hot.  Cook the burgers to desired doneness, then salt to taste, plop on a bun, and top with tomato, onion, lettuce, and bacon.

Serves 4.

Recipe adapted from 30-Minute Meals by Rachael Ray.

What something else that's tasty to serve alongside your burgers?  After we went apple picking last fall, I found a great recipe for slow-cooker applesauce and decided that never again would I purchase a jar of Mott's!  This sauce is fabulous chilled, but it's amazing still warm!

Saffron Orzo with Shrimp Salad

I love this dish!  It's light, colorful, and has a wonderful peppery flavor backed by citrus and tangy feta cheese!  It's great on its own, or paired with a crisp green salad.  It's great served warm or chilled, and makes great leftovers.  What's not to love?

4 cups chicken stock

1 teaspoon saffron threads

1 pound orzo

7 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

juice of 2 lemons

3 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons pepper

1 1/4 - 1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined (tail on or off is your choice; I think it's prettier on)

1/2 cup purple onion, halved and sliced into thin half-moon shapes

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, julienned (use the oil too!)

1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles

In a large pot, bring the chicken stock to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to low, bringing the stock to a simmer.  Add the saffron, stir, and simmer until the saffron has "bloomed", about 5 minutes.  Return the stock to medium heat, bring to a boil, add the orzo, and cook until al dente, 8-10 minutes.  Drain the orzo and transfer to a large bowl.  Add 4 tablespoons olive oil, parsley, half the lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.  Combine thoroughly.

In a bowl, toss the shrimp with 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and the remaining lemon juice.  Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the onions and sun-dried tomatoes (and tomato oil) and saute 3-4 minutes.  Add the shrimp and cook until just starting to turn pink, about 2 minutes per side.  Add to the bowl with the orzo and toss to combine.

Just before serving, toss in feta and combine well.

Serves 6.

Recipe adapted from Everyday Pasta, by Giada de Laurentiis.