Simple By Cindy

Friday Night Pasta

Mar. 13
2017

The original sauce in this recipe was similar to a puttanesca sauce. I made a lot of welcome changes, however and if I do say so myself, my sauce is outstanding.

Since I am not a lover of olives, I did not include them in this recipe. If you are fond of them, feel free to use them.

One of the secrets to making this dressing is to brown the tomato paste. This adds another depth of flavor that makes this dish so special. It is easy to do, and I hope that you take the extra few minutes to do it. All you have to do is push the other ingredients to one side of the pan. Add the tomato paste to the other side and allow it to get a little brown and caramelized. When mixed with the other ingredients, you really have added a new dimension of flavor to the sauce.

All of these ingredients combine together to make an exquisite sauce that is perfect for any weeknight meal (not only Friday!). You can use any kind of pasta with it, as it will be just as enjoyable!

This recipe will serve about 6 very overjoyed pasta lovers.

Ingredients for Friday Night Pasta

1/4 cup extra- virgin olive oil
10 anchovy fillets
6 garlic cloves
3 tbsp. tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
3/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 cups unsalted chicken stock
1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup basil, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1 package spaghetti
3 tbsp. capers
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Bring a medium size pot filled with water and a handful of kosher salt to a boil.

Add the pasta to the pot and cook for 2 minutes less than cooking time specified in directions.

RESERVE 1 CUP OF PASTA WATER.

Heat a large high-sided dutch oven over medium heat.

Place olive oil into the pan.

Add anchovies and cook until melted.

Place in oregano, red pepper flakes and garlic. Cook for 1 minute.

Friday pasta anchovies oregano pepper flakes

Move the oregano, red pepper flakes and garlic over to one side of the pan.

Add the tomato paste and brown for two minutes, turning as it browns.

Pour in the chicken stock and bring it to a boil.

Add the can of crushed tomatoes. Mix thoroughly.

Mix in kosher salt and pepper.

Let simmer for 5 minutes.

Add in the capers and pasta.

Pour the reserved pasta water a little at a time, until the sauce reaches the desired thickness.

Serve hot.

It’s that simple!

Eat-At-Mom’s Banana-Sour Cream Crumb Cake

Mar. 10
2017

Marcy Goldman is one of my favorite baking authors. Any recipe she creates is reliable, easy to follow and just plain delicious. This Banana-Sour Cream Crumb cake did not only look beautiful, it was scrumptious. Finger-licking good!

It is so moist and fluffy, it is hard to stop taking bite after bite. I added the blueberries, and loved the combination of the banana-blueberry flavors. The soft and smooth texture of the cake was a slice of heaven in every bite!

There is one noteworthy addition. The author did not mention how she made the banana puree. I just peeled 2 bananas and placed them in the processor for a minute or two. It came out perfectly. Now we know how to make banana puree. I bet this is great on vanilla or chocolate ice cream as well!

I also doubled the ingredients for the topping, as there never seems to be enough.

This is a great dessert to bring to any family or friend dinner. It is a “crowd pleaser” for sure. It will serve 12-14 (yes, it is that big), happy crumb cake lovers and may create some new ones too!

Ingredients for Banana-Sour Cream Crumb Cake

For the Cake:

2 cups sugar
1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
4 eggs
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup banana puree (about 2 very ripe bananas)
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (optional)

For the Topping:

1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 to 4 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into bits

Preheat oven to 350.

Lightly coat a 9-x 13-inch rectangular pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

For the cake, combine the sugar, butter, and shortening in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream until light and fluffy, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl often.

banana sour cream cake sugar butter and shortening

Stir in the eggs and vanilla.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together .

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until blended.

Stir in the sour cream, then the banana puree and blueberries.

banana sour cream sour cream, banana puree and blueberries

Spoon into the prepared pan.

For the topping, combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl. (I doubled the ingredients for the topping).

Use your fingers to mix until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the batter.

Place the pan on the prepared baking sheet, and bake for about 55-65 minutes, or until firm to the touch.

Let cool completely on a wire rack before unmolding and cutting to serve.

It’s that simple!

Italian Baked Beans

Mar. 8
2017

I am a lover of any kind of beans. Black beans, kidney beans, white beans—I enjoy eating all of them. Sometimes they can be time consuming to make because you must remember to soak them or cook them for long periods of time.

This recipe solves that problem. It is a comfort-food dish that is made with canned cannellini beans and a can of crushed tomatoes which I am sure you have on hand in your pantry. In fact, you probably have most of the ingredients right on your shelf.

The combination of the beans with the tomatoes and cheese result in spoonful after spoonful of warmth and enjoyment. It is beans disguised as an traditional Italian dish. The lemon juice and zest give it a nice “tang” and the crushed red pepper flakes add a little “kick”. The blending of all the ingredients is perfection!

It is a quick go-to weeknight dish, and just as delicious for company. This recipe will serve 6-8 people who will relish this new Italian baked bean recipe.

Ingredients for Italian Baked Beans

3 tsp. extra-virign olive oil
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 tbsp. lemon zest
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
3 15-oz. cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup Fontina cheese, shredded or chopped
4 sprigs fresh oregano, chopped, plus 1 for garnish, whole leaves
1/2 -1 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 tbsp. kosher salt, divided
1 tsp. pepper, divided

Preheat oven to 400.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.

Add the onion, 1/2 tbsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper and cook until translucent, about 4-5 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Stir in the tomatoes (with the juice), lemon zest, lemon juice and oregano. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes or until thickened.

Stir in beans and 1/2 cup of Parmesan. Season with the rest of the salt and pepper and the crushed red pepper flakes.

Transfer to a 2-quart baking dish .

Top with remaining Parmesan cheese and Fontina cheese.

Bake 15-20 minutes, until the edges are just lightly browned.

Top with remaining oregano leaves.

It’s that simple!

Chicken Thighs in Tomato and Olive Sauce

Mar. 6
2017

I was first introduced to Michael Symon when he had to cook a Passover meal in a strict, kosher kitchen on a TV show. He was hilarious, and I have been a big fan of his since then.

He has such a big personality and always seems genuine. I have been enjoying his recipes for many years now.

This recipe is adapted from his book, 5 in 5. He used boneless, skin-on chicken thighs for this recipe, but I chose to use bone-in, skin-on thighs instead. I just like them better, and didn’t want to pound the thighs too thinly, as he instructed to do in his recipe. I also used chicken broth instead of water. Basically, the ingredients are the identical, but because I used bone-in thighs, the cooking time had to be adjusted. You can get the original recipe here.

This recipe is wonderful. The rosemary, garlic and olives give it a deep, rich flavor which tastes like it has been cooking all day, whereas, in reality, it was prepared quickly. The tomatoes, orange zest and juice forms a luscious combination and the red pepper flakes give it that delightful “kick”.

I will definitely make this recipe again, especially when I need to make dinner quickly.

This recipe will serve 4 happy, dark meat chicken lovers.

Ingredients for Chicken Thighs in Tomato and Olive Sauce

1/4 cup olive oil
4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, sliced
2 tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
1 (14-ounce can crushed San Marzano tomatoes with juices
1 cup kalamata olives, chopped
1/2 cup of chicken broth
Zest of 1 orange
Juice of 1 orange
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

Put a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil.

Season both sides of the chicken thighs with kosher salt and pepper.

Put the chicken thighs skin side down in the pan and cook until golden brown, about 7 minutes.

chicken thighs tomato chicken browning in pan

Turn the chicken over, add the garlic and rosemary and cook for 4-5 minutes.

Add the chicken broth and deglaze the pan, scraping with a wooden spoon to get up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan.

Add the tomatoes and juice, olives, orange zest and juice and the red pepper flakes.

chicken thighs tomato rosemary olives and zest

Cover and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 20-30 minutes.

Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed.

Remove from the heat and serve.

It’s that simple!

Crusty Baked Shells and Cauliflower

Mar. 3
2017

This is another yummy, comfort food recipe from Ina Garten. I just love her new book, Cooking for Jeffrey. There are so many recipes in it that I can’t wait to share with you. Her instructions are easy to follow, and the dishes are quick to make and always delicious.

This recipe has a combination of ingredients that I thought would be delectable together, and I wasn’t disappointed. Any recipe that has capers, lemon zest, two kinds of cheese, and pasta is a “must try” for me. I loved the addition of the cauliflower and the sage as well.

I would not label this as a quick, go-to recipe, however it was easy to make. If you measure all your ingredients first (and you should), the process runs smoothly and efficiently. It was worth it because this was a scrumptious dish. The flavors blended beautifully and every bite was delightful.

You can also make this dish ahead. Just assemble the ingredients first, cover and refrigerate. Bake right before serving.

This recipe will serve 6-8 very contented, happy people.

Ingredients for Crusty Baked Shells and Cauliflower

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound medium shells, such as Barilla
Good olive oil
2 1/2 pounds cauliflower, cut into small florets (1 large head)
3 tbsp. roughly chopped fresh sage leaves
2 tbsp. capers, drained
1 tbsp. garlic, minced (3 cloves)
1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 cups freshly grated Italian Fontina cheese, lightly packed (10 ounces with rind)
1 cup (8 ounces) fresh ricotta
1/2 cup panko (Japanese bread flakes)
6 tbsp. freshly grated Italian Pecorino cheese
2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley leaves

Preheat oven to 400.

Fill a large pot with water, add 2 tbsp. salt, and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, according to the instructions on the package. Since it will be baked later, don’t overcook it! Drain and pour into a very large bowl.

Meanwhile, heat 3 tbsp. of olive oil in a large (12-inch) sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add half the cauliflower in one layer, and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the florets are lightly browned and tender.

Shells and cauliflower cauliflower browning in pan

Pour the cauliflower, including the small bits, into the the bowl with the pasta.

Add 3 more tbsp. of oil to the pan and the remaining cauliflower, cook until browned and tender, and add to the bowl.

Add the sage, capers, garlic, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, 2 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. black pepper to the bowl and stir carefully.

shells and cauliflower sage, capers lemn zest

Stir in the Fontina.

Transfer half of the mixture to a 10 x 13 x 2-inch rectangular baking dish.

Spoon rounded tablespoons of ricotta on the pasta and spoon the remaining pasta mixture on top.

Combine the panko, Pecorino, parsley and 1 tbsp. of olive oil in a small bowl and sprinkle it evenly on top.

shells and cauliflower pecorino and parsley

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until browned and crusty on top.

Serve hot.

It’s that simple!