My love affair with pasta began a long long time ago [sorry husband], and I don’t anticipate it disappearing anytime soon! Especially now that I’m in my final week of taper for my upcoming marathon, I’m carbo-loading up a storm this week!
[side note: I’ll be automatically tweeting my progress at the race on Sunday, via live runner tracking. You can follow me here if you don’t already.]
Last night was homemade fried rice, and you can bet that pasta, rice, and bread will be filling my lunchbox and plate many times this week. Yum! Even though heavy, cheesy, rich pastas are my thing, I also love light, veggie-filled delights like my new creation, Springtime Linguine. These sort of light dishes are great for carbo-loading and ensure that you don’t [gasp] get sick of pasta before your big event. Oh, the horror! Anyways. This dish is pretty simple and easily customizable. Each bite held a hint of creamy and cheesy goodness [the good stuff] as well as the tangy freshness of lemon and parsley and the nutritious stuff of veggies and protein [the good for you stuff]. I just love a meal with a wide variety of tastes and textures, don’t you? Enjoy!
Springtime Linguine
Ingredients:
1/2 pound whole wheat linguine, uncooked [or any other type of pasta]
1/4 cup red onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup cooked ham, chopped
1/2 cup peas [I used frozen]
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup fat free half and half
5 tablespoons lemon zest [from 1 large lemon]
handful fresh parsley, minced [about 1/4 cup]
about 1/4 cup asiago cheese, grated
olive oil
Directions:
Cook linguine to al dente. While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil over medium heat in a small skillet. Add onion and garlic and cook until soft. Mix in chopped ham and peas. Set aside.
When pasta is ready, drain and return to pan. Toss with a little olive oil [maybe 1-2 tablespoons] and stir in lemon juice and half and half. Toss in onion, garlic, ham, lemon zest, and parsley until well combined. Top with asiago cheese and stir until cheese melts. Serve immediately.
I’m embarassed to say that this recipe has been in my posting queue for two months now. TWO MONTHS! Oh my goodness. I am so, so, sorry, you precious pizza you. 😦 I should just quit school and tend to food all day long.
Kidding.
Kind of…
But anyways, I whipped this Mexican Pizza up back in the good ‘ole snowy days of yore February on a Saturday night. I was hungry after a long marathon training run and in the mood forsomething delicious and easy, packed with oodles of my favorite flavors. and filling. This Mexican Pizza fit the bill perfectly! It was substantial enough to be filling, but I think it’s light enough to be a great appetizer. It reminded me of a less-greasy quesadilla on pizza. Each slice was loaded with savory black bean spread [that was incredible on tortilla chips too, by the way] and a chock-ton of vegetables like onions, peppers, tomatoes, and corn. I can’t wait to make this in the summer with even more fresh veggies! Summer is almost. here. YAY! Topped off with crazy amounts of gooey cheese, this dinner was a winner in my book! [okay…maybe not crazy amounts of cheese, but definitely enough to delight in!]
generous amount of freshly ground black pepper, to taste
water or chicken broth, added to consistency’s sake
Directions:
Prepare pizza dough as directed, divide into two portions if applicable. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Roll out 1 round of pizza dough and bake for about 8-10 minutes [use your judgment–longer, 14-16 minutes, if a thick crust in a springform pan; shorter if spread thin… basically you want the crust to cook somewhat but not be crispy when it’s time to top that baby!].
Meanwhile, prepare black bean spread. In the bowl of a food processor, combine black beans, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, garlic, and cayenne pepper. Pulse to blend well. Add freshly ground black pepper to taste and water or chicken broth to thin out the sauce if need be. A hummus-like consistency is good.
Then, prepare the pizza! Spread a thin layer of black bean spread on the crust, then top with onions, tomatoes, peppers, corn, and cilantro. Cover with cheese and return to oven for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until done. Serve with spinach and sour cream.
Hanging out in the cool compression socks on Saturday! These things work!
On Saturday, I ran 20 miles in the pouring rain and thunderstorm as part of my training for the Cleveland Marathon. [As the worst part of the storm hit, I decided to call it a day and finish up the last 2.5 miles on the treadmill.] I know I haven’t talked about it very much on the blog, but running and school have pretty much consumed most of my free time since January. I am so ready for this semester to be over with, and I can’t wait for my marathon to get here so I can see what I can do! Last weekend I ran a local half marathon in 1:39:32, which is a nearly 10 minute PR… so I have high hopes for the marathon! But aside from all of that… I’ve just been really busy and really tired lately, which is why posting has been down. I hope to remedy that starting in May.
plate of deliciousness
Moving on to yummy things… I made this pasta dish a few weeks ago [before my first 20 mile run this training cycle, actually] and was wowed beyond belief. I know the The Pioneer Woman can cook, but this was absolutely phenomenal. I was a brave little girl and picked up some Kalamata olives especially for the occasion [I am not an olive fan] and Ben was a brave boy and faced his arch-nemesis: the red onion. Results? Bravery is awesome! What we loved about this simple dish was the pop of each flavor. The sauce kept the best attributes of each component [onion, garlic, tomatoes, olives, wine] without letting any one item overwhelm and overpower the others. Each bite was flavorful and fresh, without the addition of a million herbs or vegetables. I love those things, but sometimes basic is best. One of the greatest parts of this dish is that I think it’s totally customizable. Leave out the chicken if you’re a vegetarian, swap the chicken for shrimp or steak. Use chicken or vegetable broth if wine isn’t your thing. The possibilities are endless! Plus… this totally makes more than enough for two. I had leftovers after my run and was fully satisfied!
Bring a large stockpot to boil and then prepare linguine according to package directions. Set aside.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to soften. Add garlic and saute for another minute. Stir in tomatoes with juice and olives until combined. Cook for an additional minute. Pour in wine and simmer, covered, over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Then, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a separate skillet. Season chicken with pepper and then cook on both sides until golden brown and cooked through.
Arrange cooked linguine on a platter or large bowl. Spoon 3/4 of the sauce over the pasta. Place chicken on top, then spoon the rest of the sauce on top of the chicken. Sprinkle on grated Parmesan or Asiago and serve immediately.
Note:
Feel free to play around with this recipe. Swap chicken for shrimp or steak, or leave out altogether. Use broth instead of wine. The possibilities are endless!
Yes, it’s warm out. [It was 75 here yesterday!!] But that doesn’t mean comfort food has to go away. I mean, why would you want to make those creamy, cheesy, warm casserole dishes feel sad and lonely? Then they might not be so willing to rush to your side come dark, cold, rainy, snowy, icy nights. As if all those conditions could align simultaneously.
Traditional pot pies [or at least the store-bought variety that many of us think are traditional pot pies] are heavy and filling, tiny vegetables and chicken bits bathed in a heavy sauce covered with a greasy crust. Well, this version doesn’t exclude the vegetables, chicken, sauce, or crust, but it is certainly lightened up and more real than any store variety. The chicken is pan-fried in herbs and spices, and veggies abound in every bite. The crust is light and buttery [my favorite pie crust ever] and is the perfect topping for the creamy filling. Wanna know the best part? Because my chicken pot pie isn’t heavy, it is perfectly acceptable to make on a warm spring day or throughout the heat of summer… perhaps with fresh vegetables from your local farmer’s market! See? You can enjoy your comfort food year-round… just gotta work it in. 🙂 Enjoy!
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into 1 inch cubes
2 cups chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup Fordhook lima beans [mine were frozen]
1 cup corn [mine was frozen]
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon freshly ground lemon pepper
1/2 teaspoon tarragon
6 tablespoons all purpose flour
6 tablespoons butter
4 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup fat free half and half, at room temperature
Directions:
Make crust. I use this All Butter Crust and only made a top layer, but you could do a dual layer if you want. Be sure to make this crust at least an hour in advance, as it needs time to rest in the refrigerator prior to rolling out. Alternatively, you could use store bought crust or puff pastry sheets.
In a large bowl, stir together carrots, celery, lima beans, and corn. Set aside.
Heat olive oil [just enough to go once around the pan] in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken to pan then season with lemon pepper and tarragon. Toss to coat, then saute chicken until fully cooked. Remove from heat and drain oil, if necessary. Mix chicken into the vegetable bowl. Set aside.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and garlic to pan. Cook until golden brown and soft, about 4 minutes. Add flour and stir constantly, making a roux. Cook for another 4-5 minutes, or until roux darkens slightly. Slowly stir in chicken broth. Cook and stir for another 3 minutes or so while sauce thickens, then remove from heat and stir in half and half. Pour sauce over vegetable and chicken mixture, then transfer mixture to a large casserole dish [I used a 10 inch round casserole dish]. Dish should have a capacity of at least 2-3 quarts.
Roll out crust and gently place over filling, pressing the edges around the dish to seal. Brush top with a beaten egg for shine. Cut small slits in crust for ventilation, then bake for approximately 30-35 minutes, topping with foil halfway through. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
So, I know this dinner doesn’t look like much. But it tastes like a million bucks… like a trip to the tropics! Except much, much cheaper, albiet not as relaxing or as fun considering the recent springtime rain we’ve been experiencing here. 🙂
Succulent pork topped with a sweet and tangy pineapple glaze, paired with the nutty, refreshing flavor of toasted coconut-infused rice…. incredible! This dinner whips up in a flash and is great for a quick weeknight. It definitely satisfied our desire for vacation, and hope it does the same for you too! [Well, maybe not our need for vacation, but our need to get away for a moment… even if just for dinner!
Sweet and Tangy Pork Chops with Pineapple [from Robin to the Rescue by Robin Miller]
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 pork chops
freshly ground black pepper
8 ounce can crushed pineapple, undrained
2/3 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Directions:
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Season the pork chops with pepper, then sear each side in hot skillet for about 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown.
In a medium bowl, whisk together pineapple, orange juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, and cornstarch, stirring until cornstarch dissolves. Add mixture to pan with pork chops. Cover and let cook for about 5 minutes more, until pork is fully cooked and sauce has thickened.
Coconut Toasted Rice [from Robin to the Rescue by Robin Miller]
Ingredients:
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
1 teaspoon honey
1 cup white or brown rice, uncooked
one 14 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
Directions:
Toast coconut in a dry medium saucepan set over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes, or until coconut is golden brown. Stir frequently to prevent burning. Add the rice, honey, and coconut milk, then bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes for white rice or 45 minutes for brown rice, until rice is soft and fluffy. Fluff with a fork before serving.
The Pajama Chef 