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Tag Archives: pasta


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Israeli Couscous and Grilled Vegetable Salad

Mike and I took advantage of the nice weather we had on Friday and decided to grill out! Yes, for the first time in what feels like months we had a gorgeous day. No rain, snow, hail, or wind. This salad really hit the spot. It was light, filling, and super easy to make. The charred vegetables? To die for. I loved that we were able to cook this meal together, too. I cut, marinated, and cooked the couscous, and Mike did the grilling. The only thing I love more than cooking in my very own kitchen is cooking in my own kitchen with my husband.

Israeli Couscous and Grilled Vegetable Salad

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper
2 green zucchini, quartered lengthwise
1 yellow zucchini, quartered lengthwise
6 spears asparagus, trimmed
2 green bell peppers, seeded and quartered
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and quartered
1/2 pint grape tomatoes
1/4 cup basil chiffonade
2 teaspoons olive oil (I used garlic olive oil from a local store)
1 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
8 ounces uncooked Israeli couscous (also called pearl couscous)

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, mustard, and garlic. Slowly add olive oil, whisking until incorporated.
  2. Arrange vegetables in a 9×13 baking pan and pour vinaigrette over. Let sit for 20 minutes.
  3. Remove vegetables from vinaigrette, and set vinaigrette aside. Grill vegetables until tender-crisp.
  4. Meanwhile, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium heat in a large pan. Add couscous and cook, stirring frequently, until a light golden-brown color.
  5. Add stock to pan and bring couscous to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until couscous is tender. Remove from heat and transfer to a large serving bowl.
  6. Cut grilled vegetables into 1/2 – 1 inch pieces and place into serving bowl. Mix couscous and vegetables together with basil and vinaigrette. Serve immediately.
After we had grabbed a couple bowls, I decided to toss some feta cheese on top. It was pretty darn good. Next time, I’ll probably mix some feta in with the rest of the salad.


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Lemon Pepper Shrimp Linguine

I stumbled across this recipe on allrecipes.com and just had to make it. I made a few adjustments and was pretty pleased with the results. I think next time I may kick it up a notch and make it a 3 Pepper Lemon Shrimp Linguine. Ohhh yeah: that’s this recipe with a dash of cayenne and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes added to it to give it an even bigger kick than plain black pepper. Some white pepper might even be good.

Lemon Pepper Shrimp  Linguine
adapted from allrecipes.com

8 ounces linguine pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
1 lemon, zested and juiced
salt to taste
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried basil

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook linguine according to package directions. Drain.
  2. Meanwhile, heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Saute garlic in oil 1 minute.
  3. Add in chicken broth, wine, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer until liquid is reduced by half, about 7 minutes.
  4. Mix in shrimp, butter, parsley and basil and cook until shrimp is opaque, about 2 – 3 minutes. Stir in cooked pasta and toss, coating evenly. Cook for 2 more minutes and then serve immediately.


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Pasta with Tomatoes and Artichokes

I was searching for an easy-to-prepare dish that was light and refreshing. I stumbled across a few inspiration recipes in Food Network Magazine, epicurious.com, and allrecipes.com and created this. It turned out just like I thought it would – light, but with a bite 😉

Pasta with Tomatoes and Artichokes

1 14 ounce can artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 28 ounce cans whole tomatoes, crushed*
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
12 ounces pasta of choice, cooked

  1. Heat olive oil in medium saucepan. Add onions and cook until almost translucent. Add in garlic and cook until onion are translucent.
  2. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, parsley, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Add in artichoke hearts (liquid, too!) and simmer for an additional 15 minutes.
  4. Serve over cooked pasta.

*I crushed the tomatoes with a potato masher in the pot. Super easy and not at all messy!


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Spaghetti with Spinach, Tomato, and Bacon

I had leftover bacon and wasn’t quite sure what to do with it. I’m not a huge fan of bacon (yeah, yeah, don’t hate me), so having it for breakfast wasn’t really an option. I threw this together for dinner and it turned out pretty tasty. It was simple and I was able to use up the leftover bacon! Win-win.

Spaghetti with Spinach, Tomato, and Bacon

1 pound spaghetti
6 slices bacon, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 bunch fresh spinach, torn into pieces
Parmesan cheese for garnish, optional

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
  2. Meanwhile, cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crispy. Drain most of the fat off and add garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute.
  3. Add in tomatoes and cook until warmed. Add in spinach and cook until just wilted. Toss with cooked spaghetti until well incorporated. Serve immediately with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese on top.


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Shrimp Scampi

The first time I made this recipe from allrecipes.com it was just a little too buttery for me. This time, I scaled back on the butter and made a few other adjustments. I was pretty pleased with the results.

 

Shrimp Scampi
serves 6

1 stick butter, melted
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 lemon, juiced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds medium raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 pound spaghetti, cooked
Grated Parmesan cheese for garnish, optional

  1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
  2. Whisk butter, mustard, lemon juice and garlic in a bowl.
  3. Arrange shrimp in a baking dish and pour butter mixture over the shrimp.
  4. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes until shrimp are pink and opaque.
  5. Serve over spaghetti and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired.


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Pesto Chicken Pasta

It’s amazing how quickly time goes by. I create a to-do list almost daily with the intention of completing every.last.thing. on the list before I go to bed at night. I don’t think I have succeeded in doing so yet this semester. No matter how busy I am though, I still find the time to cook almost every single night. I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s not that I have too much to do, it’s that I just don’t want to do any of it. With graduation just a few months away, I’ve found it increasingly difficult to get my school work done. Senioritis much?

Pesto Chicken Pasta
serves 4 – 6

1 16 ounce package of pasta
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
crushed red pepper flakes to taste
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, rehydrated and cut into strips
1/2 cup pesto sauce

  1. Cook pasta according to direction. Drain and place back into pot.
  2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic until tender, 2 minutes, and then stir in chicken.
  3. Season with red pepper flakes and cook until chicken is golden brown and fully cooked.
  4. In the pasta pot, combine the chicken, sun-dried tomatoes and pesto with the pasta. Toss to coat evenly.
  5. Serve immediately.


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Yakisoba Chicken

Yes, I am still alive, although my lack of posts contradicts this fact… Looking back though, I can’t really remember what I’ve eaten. That’s probably because I haven’t eaten any substantial meals. The reason? Well, school started and, as always, I am way too busy aaaaaaand – Mike and I got a puppy!

His name is Ripley and although he is the most time-consuming thing in my life, I wouldn’t trade him for anything.

To make up for lost time, I present to you Yakisoba Chicken. I had a package of soba noodles leftover and I had no idea what to do with them. I went to allrecipes.com and searched by ingredient and this recipe sounded too good to pass up.

Yakisoba chicken

Yakisoba Chicken
from allrecipes.com

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons chile paste
2 cloves garlic, chopped
4 n, boneless chicken breast halves – cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 onion, sliced lengthwise into eighths
1/2 medium head cabbage, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, coarsely chopped
8 ounces soba noodles, cooked and drained

  1. In a large skillet combine sesame oil, canola oil and chili paste. Stir fry 30 seconds. Add garlic and stir fry an additional 30 seconds. Add chicken and 1/4 cup of the soy sauce and stir fry until chicken is no longer pink. Remove mixture from pan, set aside and keep warm.
  2. In the emptied pan combine the onion, cabbage and carrots. Stir fry until cabbage begins to wilt. Stir in the remaining soy sauce, cooked noodles and the chicken mixture to pan and mix to blend. Serve and enjoy!


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Fettuccine with Sweet Pepper Cayenne Sauce

One of my favorite things to do is cook for my friends. I think I get this from my mom who is always finding a reason to throw elaborate dinner parties. I honestly hope that I can one day host parties that impress as many people as she can.

I made this for Mike and a couple of our friends one night for dinner and served it with some crumb-topped rhubarb for dessert.

This dish was very easy to make and so good! People who have a lower spice tolerance won’t find it too spicy and if you can handle the heat, then bring on the cayenne!

Red Bell Peppers

Fettuccine with Sweet Pepper Cayenne Sauce
adapted from allrecipes.com

12 ounces fettuccine
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 red bell peppers, julienned
1 large onion, sliced
3 gloves garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or adjust to taste)
1/2 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup Parmesan, grated
1 cup fat free sour cream
salt and pepper to taste

Fettucine with Sweet Pepper-Cayenne Sauce

  1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to directions and drain.
  2. Heat oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Cook bell peppers and onions for 1 – 2 minutes. Add garlic and cayenne and cook for 3 more minutes.
  3. Stir in broth and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Remove sauce from heat and stir in Parmesan. Salt and pepper to taste. Whisk in sour cream until smooth.
  4. Toss pasta with sauce and serve immediately.


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Spaghetti with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Feta

This pasta is hands down the best pasta I have ever had. It’s cheap, easy, and delicious. What more could a girl ask for? I need to find a place to buy sun-dried tomatoes in bulk so I can make this dish more often.

Spaghetti with Sundried Tomatoes and Feta

Spaghetti with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Feta

1 16-ounce package spaghetti
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium onions, sliced into rings
3 ounces sun-dried tomatoes, softened and chopped
1 8-ounce package feta cheese, crumbled (the tomato basil feta was exceptionally good!)
1 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

  1. Cook pasta in a large pot according to directions. Drain and return to the pot.
  2. Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Saute garlic, onions and sun-dried tomatoes until the onions are translucent. Mix into the spaghetti and stir in feta, Parmesan and cilantro. Serve immediately.


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Easy Pasta Salad

As the GRE crept closer and closer, I found myself cooking less and less. Looking back, I can’t even remember what I ate for the past week. The only thing I remember is going to Harvest with Mike for our fourth anniversary.

Now that I’m done with the GRE, I have a little time to enjoy food again… or at least until I start applying to grad school 🙂

This pasta salad is probably the easiest thing I’ve ever made. It’s food like this that keeps me sane when I’m stressed.

Easy Pasta Salad

Easy Pasta Salad

1 pound tri-colored rotini
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup black olives
2 green peppers, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cucumbers, sliced
4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup Italian dressing

  1. Cook pasta according to directions. Rinse with cold water and set aside to cool completely.
  2. Mix mushrooms, olives, green peppers, onion and cucumbers together with the dressing. Stir in the pasta, chill for 2 hours or overnight and serve cold.