Simple By Cindy

Pasta, Pesto and Peas

May. 25
2016

I have been making a lot of pasta dishes lately. I am not sure why, but who doesn’t love a good pasta dish?

When I came across this pasta dish courtesy of Ina Garten (who is one of my favorite go-to chefs), I knew I had to try it. Don’t let all the ingredients intimidate you. Once you prep each item, it will go very fast. The difficulty level of this recipe is “easy”. Trust me.

Setting up each ingredient first is called a “mise en place”. Garlic and onions are chopped and liquids and spices are measured before you start making the dish. Taking the time to do this will enable you to be more efficient and end up saving you time in the long run. You can concentrate on the cooking process and enjoy it more with much less worry.

You can always prepare the pesto several days before and store it in the refrigerator or freezer (the instructions to do this are included below). This will cut down on your prep time as well.

Now I’ll return to this wonderful recipe. The pasta, spinach and pea combination is delightful. The nuts add a pleasing texture. The creamy pesto sauce just perfects the recipe and is heavenly. I love the addition of the mayonnaise and lemon juice. Ina just gets it right every time.

Just a note: I mixed the pesto with the pasta a little at a time. There is a lot of pesto so be cautious when adding it in. You can always use the rest of this delicious sauce on another pasta dish.

This Pasta, Pesto and Peas serves 12 and each one of your family or guests will love it!

Ingredients for the Pasta

3/4 pound fusilli pasta ( 1 1/2 cups)
3/4 pound bowtie pasta (1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 1/2 cups pesto (recipe below)
1 (10- ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
3 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/4 cups mayonnaise
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
1/3 cup pignoli (pine nuts)
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 tsp. black pepper

For the pesto:

1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup pignoli (pine nuts)
3 tbsp. chopped garlic ( about 9 cloves)
5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 cups good olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Cook the fusilli and bow tie pastas separately in a large pot of boiling salted water for 10 to 12 minutes until the pasta is al dente. Them mix together.

Drain and toss into a bowl with the olive oil. Cool to room temperature.

In a bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree the pesto, spinach and lemon juice.

Add the mayonnaise and puree.

Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pasta and then add the Parmesan, peas, pignoli, salt and pepper. Be sure to add the pesto a little at a time, until you get the desired amount. Do not overdress the pasta.

If you have any pesto left, follow the intructions below to store it.

Mix well, season, taste and serve at room temperature.

For the pesto:

Place the walnuts, pignoli and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade.

Process for 15 seconds.

Add the basil leaves, salt and pepper.

With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed.

Add the Parmesan and puree for 1 minute.

Use right away or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of oil on the top.

Note: Air is the enemy of pesto. For freezing, pack in containers with a film of olive oil or plastic wrap directly on top with the air pressed out.

It’s that simple!

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

May. 23
2016

When researching coffee cake recipes, I look for something easy, with ingredients that I have in my home.

This recipe was the perfect one. I had everything I needed and didn’t need to shop. Baking seemed like a reasonable activity on this dreary day.

Coffee cake always reminds me of my childhood, being at home after dinner on a Friday night. My mother always had it in the house (not always baked, but bought) just in case some company would arrive.

Simple to make and always moist, coffee cakes usually have cinnamon and nuts. The ones that have sour cream are by far the most tender and light.

I loved the streusel, although just so you know, I would double or triple the ingredients for it. There just wasn’t enough for the inside and outside. It definitely could use a lot more.

Coffee cake is great to have in the morning, or as an afternoon snack. It is really yummy and my family loved it. I am sure you will too!

This recipe is courtesy of Food Network Kitchen and yields 8-10 servings.

Ingredients for the Sour Cream Coffee Cake

For the streusel:

1/4 cup sugar
3 packed tbsp. dark brown sugar
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

For the cake:

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
Generous pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Generous pinch ground mace ( an Indian spice)
3/4 cup unsalted butter, plus more for the pan, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Make the Streusel by mixing the sugar, brown sugar, walnuts, vanilla and cinnamon together in a large bowl.

Set it aside.

Preheat the oven to 350.

Generously brush a round 9 by 2-inch deep cake pan with butter.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and mace together and set it aside.

In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with an electric hand-held mixer, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until is incorporated.

Mix the vanilla with the sour cream.

Add the flour mixture in 3 parts to the butter mixture, alternating with the sour cream in 2 parts until just combined.

Spread half the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with half the streusel.

Spoon the remaining batter on top and spread it out with a spatula.

Scatter the remaining streusel over the top of the batter.

Bake the coffee cake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Cool on a rack for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

It’s that simple!

Fried Smashed Potatoes with Lemons

May. 20
2016

Smashed potatoes are quickly becoming more common as an alternative to french fried potatoes. They are similar to mashed potatoes but have more substance. They take less time to cook and prepare than french fried potatoes. You can parboil them a day or two in advance which cuts down the cooking time considerably.

In addition, you can also use a variety of potatoes, such as red potatoes or baby potatoes.

This recipe was absolutely delicious! The outside of the potatoes are crispy and the inside stays smooth and creamy. I love the lemony flavor of the dressing.

There is a lot of lemon zest in the dressing, so if you are not a big lemon fan, you can either cut down the amount of lemon zest substitute your favorite herb. I thought the tartness of the dressing worked perfectly with the potatoes.

But, be extra careful with the garlic. Time it well or it will burn easily!

I think this recipe is perfect just as it is. It is so easy to make and a nice upgrade to “fried” potatoes. It is tangy, full-flavored and just plain yummy!

This recipe is another fantastic one courtesy of Giada De Laurentis. It serves 4.

Ingredients for Fried Smashed Potatoes

2 pounds baby or fingerling potatoes
1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra as needed
3 cloves garlic, peeled and halved

Dressing:

3 tbsp. olive oil
3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 lemons, zested
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the potatoes:

Put the potatoes in an 8 quart stockpot with enough cold water to cover by at least 2 inches.

Bring the water o a boil over medium heat and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Drain the potatoes in a colander and allow to dry for 5 minutes.

Using the palm of your hand, gently press the potatoes until lightly smashed.

In a large, non-stick skillet, heat 1/4 cup of olive oil over medium-high heat.

Add the garlic and cook until fragrant and lightly brown, about 1 minute.

Remove the garlic and discard.

In batches, add the potatoes and cook, without stirring, until the bottoms turns golden brown, about 5 to 8 minutes.

Using a spatula, turn the potatoes over and cook, drizzling with oil if needed, until golden brown on the other side for another 5 to 8 minutes.

For the dressing:

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, parsley, thyme and lemon zest.

Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Spoon the dressing over the potatoes and toss gently until coated.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer the potatoes to a serving bowl and serve.

It’s that simple!

Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower, Parsley and Breadcrumbs

May. 18
2016

I love to try new and innovative ways to make pasta. It may not always be diet-friendly, but it is worth it.

The cauliflower and red onion in this recipe are roasted to perfect tenderness in the oven. The cauliflower offers a nice crunchy texture. It is then tossed with the reserved pasta water that ensures a scrumptious, silky sauce.

All of the ingredients combine to make this a full-flavored, hearty, healthy dish while also managing to stay light and fresh. It is outrageously good!

This recipe is adapted from Martha Stewart. I made a few changes. For example, the recipe called for cavatappi pasta. Since I wasn’t sure where I was going to find that, I used fusilli pasta instead. Any wide, short pasta would be great with this. It also called for white-bread breadcrumbs, which had to be tossed in the food processor with oil. I used my own home-made breadcrumbs that I keep in the freezer. This made my prep time much shorter. You can use any kind of breadcrumbs and it will still be fantastic.

And, as always I used 1-2 more garlic cloves than the recipe called for. If you’re like me, you will too.

This recipe serves 4. It would be great to have for lunch the next day, but make sure you reserve extra pasta water so you can heat it up.

Today’s Hint: Buy some Italian bread, whole wheat bread and Semolina bread at your grocery store. Leave them on the counter for a day. Then place in the food processor and blend. Mix all the breadcrumbs together in a freezer bag and place them in the freezer. Now you will have fresh breadcrumbs when you need them. They last a long time. Take out as much as you need and put them back in your freezer.

Ingredients for the Pasta with Cauliflower

1 head cauliflower (about 2 1/2 pounds) cores and broken into small florets
1 medium red onion, halved and cut into thin wedges
5 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
1/4 cup of olive oil
1 cup of breadcrumbs
12 ounces fusilli pasta
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 475.

Place racks in upper and lower thirds.

Set a large pot of salted water to boil.

On a rimmed baking sheet, toss together cauliflower, onion and garlic with 2 tbsp. olive oil; season with salt and pepper.

pasta cauliflower cauliflower onions garlic in pan

Roast on lower rack in oven, until lightly browned and tender, about 20-25 minutes, tossing once.

Spread breadcrumbs on a rimmed baking sheet.

Bake on upper rack of oven until golden brown, about 5-6 minutes, tossing once.

Cook pasta in boiling water 3 minutes less than the cooking time indicated on the package.

RESERVE ONE CUP OF PASTA WATER!

Drain pasta and return to pot.

Add cauliflower mixture, Parmesan cheese, and half of the parsley.

Mix to combine.

While mixing the pasta, gradually add enough pasta water to form a thin sauce that coats the pasta.

Serve topped with breadcrumbs and parsley and, if desired, more Parmesan.

It’s that simple!

Turkey Meatballs

May. 16
2016

My friend Tina and I share a passion for cooking and always enjoy sharing recipes with each other.

When she told me about this recipe, I knew I had to try it.

The meatballs with the sauce sounded too good to resist.

And it was! The meatballs were tender and juicy. The combination of oregano, garlic and onion, resulted in a light and flavorful dish.

The sauce was a delightful bonus. It had just the right ingredients for a sweet and tangy complement to the meatballs. I served it with whole wheat rice. The sauce, when blended with the rice was delicious.

This recipe made 13 large meatballs.

Tina was not sure from where this recipe originated, so please accept my apologies to the chef.

I will make this recipe again and again. It was so easy. If you make the meatballs into mini-meatballs, you can use them as an appetizer. That is exactly what I will be doing for Thanksgiving this year!

Ingredients for Turkey Meatballs

2 pounds ground turkey
2 large eggs
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced or 1 tbsp. garlic powder
1/2 medium onion, chopped, or 1 tbsp. onion powder
4 sprig fresh oregano, chopped, or 1 tbsp. dried oregano
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

For the sauce:

1 cup brown sugar (either light or dark) packed tightly
4 tbsp. white wine
4 tbsp. white vinegar
2 tbsp. rice vinegar

Preheat oven to 350.

Place all of the ingredients for the turkey meatballs in a bowl.

turkey meatballs in bowl with ingredients 1

Using a fork, mix together and blend.

Shape the turkey mixture into 2 1/2 inch balls (you can make them smaller, about 1 1/2 inch if you prefer).

Heat oil in a large pan or Dutch oven over medium heat.

Add meatballs and cook about 2-3 minutes each side, until golden brown on all sides.

Place meatballs in baking dish.

In a small bowl, place the brown sugar, white wine, white vinegar and rice vinegar. Mix well.

Transfer to a small saucepan over medium heat and cook for 10 15 minutes, until mixture boils and thickens.

Take sauce off the heat, and pour over the meatballs and toss until meatballs are coated all around.

turkey meatballs in pan with sauce before baking 6

Place into oven and bake for about 10-15 minutes.

It’s that simple!