pasta bolognese

i made this for a group of guys who where getting together for a night of poker and wine.  it's really delicious and fun to make. quite hearty and rich, so take your pepcid ac!  it comes together so quickly with the help of a food processor.  there is a bit of tending to the dish in the beginning, but once all of that is complete, just set the dish to simmer and go run your errands.  when you come back home your house will smell incredible.  i normally would use a spaghetti with a meaty sauce like this bolognese, but being a dinner party, a shorter pasta would be easier to eat.  who wants to twirl, slop, and continually wipe pasta sauce off your chin in front of friends?  to start, add 2 large carrots, one large onion, 3 celery ribs, and 4 cloves of garlic to a food processor.  add the mixture with 2 tb of olive oil and a good amount of salt to a large, heavy pan.  i used my 8 quart le crueset. saute the vegetable for about 15-20 minutes.  next, add 3 lbs of ground chuck.  saute for another 15-20 minutes until the beef is nice and brown.  add 2 cups of tomato paste, cook for 5 minutes.  next add 3 cups of red wine.  at this point the liquid will not completely cover the meat, so add about 3 cups of water.  yes, water.  add a bunch of thyme, tied, so you can easily pull it out in the end, and 3 bay leaves.  bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.  cook, uncovered for 4 hours.  you may need to add more water as you go.  taste for seasoning and adjust.  the pasta to meat ratio should be the same.  half pasta, half meat sauce.  sprinkle with some parmesan and enjoy with some garlic bread.  please, don't forget the bread.  this makes a huge batch, it's great for freezing.  the original recipe can be found here.

whole wheat flat bread

this is about the only thing i made this weekend.  it's really about the only thing i did this weekend, if we're being honest here.  i think i left my house for a total of 15 minutes over the weekend.  no grocery store's involved.  i had very little choices when it came to meal time, but this came together beautifully!  i made super thin pizzas - or flat breads, and topped them with the only few items lingering in my fridge and pantry.  i had one onion, some arugula, a block of parmesan, a limpy batch of basil, and 3 artichoke hearts.  i started by making a killer pesto - even with the limpy basil!  i put the basil in a mini food processor, with one clove of garlic, a few walnuts ( i didn't even toast them), olive oil, salt and pepper.  then, i ran into a problem.  i didn't have enough basil - i poured too much olive oil in the processor.  so, i added a few more walnuts.  that didn't work.  i added some grated parmesan.  that didn't help.  that's when i threw in the 3 artichoke hearts i had (which were going to be part of the topping) and blended away.  it made for the best tasting pesto i have ever eaten.  i love it when that happens.  so, i made some pizza dough, rolled it out super thin, and topped it with some pesto and caramelized onions.  popped it in the oven to get crisp, and when it cooled a bit, i threw some baby arugula and strips of fresh grated parmesan on top, with a drizzle of olive oil.  i also made my pizza dough with whole wheat flour - this was one delicious, impromptu dinner.

from scratch

if you love pizza - homemade pizza, you must have a pizza stone to really make a good one.  i just recently purchased one and my goodness what a difference.  i use to put the pizza on the backside of a baking sheet, and that just doesn't do the trick.  you have to have a pizza stone.  plain and simple. the pizza stone i purchased is from emile henry of france.  it's awesome.  it has handles on two sides for easy transportation from the oven to the counter.  and it looks good enough to serve off.  the pizza stone also came with instructions for homemade pizza dough.  i will never purchase pizza dough from the store again.  the dough i made was out of this world.  i'm gonna go ahead and say it - but, it could be the best pizza i have ever had .  seriously.  making dough is so easy.  3 cups of all purpose flour, 1 envelope of fast rising yeast, 1 1/4 cup of hot water, 4 tablespoons of corn meal, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 teaspoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt.  mix it up, knead for about 5 minutes, cover with a towel for 20 minutes, and viola!   rolling this dough out was so much easier than times past when i have bought dough at the market.  it was soft and subtle.  i was fighting with it.  i topped this pizza with marinara, mozzarella, crumbled sausage, fresh pineapple, mushrooms, fresh spinach, parmesan, and feta cheese.  there is a bit of prep work involved.  you actually need to put the pizza stone in the oven at 500 degrees for 1 hour before you plan to bake your pies.  but, turn on some music, grab a glass of wine and get all your toppings ready to go.  you will never go out for pizza again after you make your own.

lobster parpadelle

yum, yum, yum!   i made lobster bisque for a client of mine and had just a little bit of lobster left over (lucky me!).  this was one of those nights that we either had to eat out or get very creative.  my vote is to always eat in and make due.  and that's what we did.  i had some sweet potato parpadelle in my pantry, some peas in the freezer, and a few red potatoes lingering around.  i also had about a cup of the lobster bisque i had made.  starting to sound like a tasty meal, isn't it?  instead of making a sauce for the pasta, i just used the bisque as the base.  in a skillet, i added the bisque, a handful of frozen peas and a few of the lobster pieces and cooked for about 5 minutes - just for everything to warm through.  once the pasta was done, (which i had added a few diced potatoes to the boiling water) i added the lobster mixture and dinner was served!  it was fantastic.  i love those quick go to meals.  next time you think you need to go out to dinner due to lack of groceries in your house.  stop and asses.  you will be surprised what you can come up with, and how good it will be.

gut bomb

sometimes i just want to be bad.  really bad.  and i can't think of anything more for that, than this meal.  heavy cream, sausage, cheese, pasta, and bread (buttered).  i made this a while back for myself and brian  - and it was delicious.  how could it not be with the above mentioned ingredients?  i did use light cream if that makes a difference to anyone who wants to try it...it shouldn't because it's still loaded with fat and calories!
start by boiling your pasta.  i used orecchiette because i like the shape of it, and little clumps of sausage get stuck in the wells.  next, cook the sausage in a saute pan.  i bought 2 hot italian links with casings.  remove the casings and tear into small bits with your hand.  continue breaking the sausage with a wooden spoon into small bits.  once the sausage has cooked through, put it on a plate lined with paper towels.  i wiped out the saute pan as well to get the remaining fat off.  i probably saved 5 calories with this 10,000 calorie dinner, but hey.  next, pour the cream into the same saute pan you used to cook the pork and heat to a slow, soft boil.  reduce to low.  toss the sausage back in with some spinach, and add the cooked pasta.  mix to incorporate and top with lots of parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.  be prepared to lay on the couch after this one!  you'll feel really, really full...

soba stir-fry

 stir fry doesn't have to be full of fat or sodium.  i made this stir fry last week for my clients and used tons of different vegetables and shrimp.  plus, i used soba noodles.  i decided on the soba noodles because they are incredibly healthy for you, and because it is an ingredient i don't think my clients are subjected to very often.  it's always fun to try something new, isn't it?  speaking of trying new things, i told you on an earlier post that i have been going out to a few of atlanta's best restaurants lately.  well, what i have been doing is seeking out the strangest, most unique items on the menu.  things i would never serve my clients or care to make.  chicken livers, pates, pork belly, etc.  it's so fun to try things that aren't on the typical restaurant menu.  where was i?  oh, back to stir fry.  i basically went with whatever vegetables looked good at the market that day.  i used broccoli, peppers, sugar snaps, mushrooms, and asparagus.  the options are endless.  use whatever you like or what's in your fridge.  to make the sauce, mix together in a small bowl, 2 tb low sodium soy sauce, 1 tb water, 2 ts fish sauce, and 2 ts of brown sugar.  heat 2 tb of peanut oil in a large skillet and add 3 cloves of minced garlic, 1 tb of minced ginger, and 1 ts of red chile flakes.  cook for 30 seconds.  meanwhile, cook the soba noodles according to the package.  once the oil is fragrant, add 1 pound of peeled, deveined shrimp and cook for 2 minutes.  remove the shrimp and set on a plate.  add your veggies to the skillet (or wok) and saute for 2-3 minutes.  don't over do it, no one likes soggy veggies! (or they shouldn't).  return the shrimp to the pan and stir to incorporate.  i chopped some fresh basil and cilantro and sprinkled it on top.  in a shallow bowl, add the soba noodles and top with the stir fry mixture.  so good and healthy for you!  by the way did you know that soba contains all eight essential amino acids, including lysine, which is lacking in wheat.  and that soba noodles also contain antioxidants??  next time you are craving stir fry, make your own and substitute rice with soba.  your body will thank you!

spinach orzo salad

ever get tired of the same ole' side dish?  if so, make this.  it's so simple, and it is so good.  boil 1 cup of orzo (it comes in whole wheat, too), in salted water for 10 minutes.  drain and set aside.  i like to drizzle a bit of olive oil over the top while it is cooling, just to ensure it doesn't stay lumpy.  don't know if it really helps or not, but it works for me.  while the orzo is cooking, toast about 1/4 cup of pine nuts for 8 minutes in a 350 degree oven.   while that is all happening, chop a good big handful of fresh baby spinach.  i like to use baby spinach almost always when a recipe calls for it because i don't have to remove the stems - who in the heck wants that tedious job?  throw it in a separate bowl from the orzo.  i have found it takes about 30 minutes for the orzo to cool, and you want to serve this dish at room temperature.  if you threw in the spinach, it would wilt, and you don't want that.  or do you???  anyway, zest one lemon, juice one lemon, and toss in about 1/3 cup of good quality feta cheese, not the kind that is already crumbled.  try to get the real stuff that comes in a block, packed in water.  it's just better.  toss all of these ingredients in the bowl with the spinach.  stir the orzo from time to time to loosen it up and to release the steam it is holding.  once the orzo has cooled, incorporate all the ingredients and add enough olive oil so that it is loose.  don't over do it on the olive oil, use just a tablespoon or so at a time.  greasy lips are gross, and fating, and unnecessary.  add salt and pepper to taste.  this is a very versatile meal, add whatever ingredients you see fit.  but this one is a great introduction to orzo.

spicy thai noodles

a client of mine came back from vacationing in aspen, and brought me back a few packages of flavored pastas. it's from a company called pappardelles.  i made this meal for myself and brian on friday night.  we had every intention of going to the market to shop, but a huge thunderstorm came rolling in, so i decided to stay put.  i hate being out in the rain.  well, i guess it's more accurate to say, i hate being rained on.  i love a big rain storm...when i'm indoors.  okay, back to the pasta.  i didn't have a lot to work with.  come friday, my fridge and pantry are pretty much cleaned out. i did have a few items lingering around that made for a fantastic meal.  i had some frozen scallops, half of an orange bell pepper, some edamame, fresh cilantro, garlic, and ginger.  this meal took no time to throw together.  while the pasta was cooking, i seared the scallops, along with the peppers and soy beans in the same big cast iron skillet.  i deglazed the pan after i removed everything with a big pour of white wine, which created my sauce.  dinner was done.  some wine was left over.  and a fantastic evening ensued.

spaghetti squash and meatballs

ever want a big bowl of pasta and meatballs, but don't want that big gut bomb afterwards?  you know what i'm talking about, don't you?  i love, love, love pasta, but try to be sensible about it.  i have pretty much switched over completely to whole wheat, and i almost never use anything other than my homemade tomato sauce, or a simple olive oil and garlic mixture.  never a cream based sauce.  don't get me wrong, i adore cream sauces, so much so i practically lick my plate clean.  but, i have noticed as i age, it just doesn't come off like it used to.  damn aging.  i made this the other night for my clients and they all loved it.  like me, my clients like to eat clean and simple foods.  i rarely ever cook pasta for them, so this was quite a joy for them when i showed up, with what looked like, a big bowl of spaghetti and meatballs!  a few (the kids) were a bit skeptical about eating squash, but they actually really liked it.  i started by making a big batch of tomato sauce.  saute one small diced onion, and 3 gloves of garlic in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil, for 10 minutes or so.  then add one diced celery stalk, one diced carrot, a pinch of salt and pepper and cook for another 10 minutes.  once all the vegetables are nice and soft, add (2) 32oz cans of whole, peeled tomatoes, 6 basil leaves, about 1 tablespoon of dried oregano, and 2 bay leaves.  cover and simmer for 1 hour.  in the meantime, cut one spaghetti squash in half,  horizontally, and scoop out the seeds.  drizzle a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper on the flesh.  place cut side down on a baking sheet and bake in a 400 degree oven for 50 minutes.  once cool enough to handle, grab a fork and scrape out the strands into a bowl.  there you have it . .  a bowl of look-alike pasta!  once the tomato sauce has cooked for an hour, remove the bay leaves and  pour sauce into a blender. blend until smooth.  be careful and not over fill the blender, do this in stages.  also, be careful when blending hot liquids - trust me on this one, it will explode in your face.  been there, done that.  my turkey meatballs are made with 1 pound of ground turkey (not breast- it's too dry),  2 eggs, 1/4 cup of bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, 2 garlic gloves, 1/4 grated parmesan, 1 tablespoon of dried oregano, 1 tablespoon of italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.  that's it, you can make yourself a delicious, healthy, figure friendly meal this weekend.  have a good one, see you monday!

zola, are you out there?

this pizza probably looks good, but it wasn't really, and i can't figure out why. my friend zola makes the most unbelievable homemade pizzas.  better than any pizza i have ever had.  seriously. so, it seems simple enough... buy some fresh dough, top it with your likings? but there must be a secret to it, and i am going to find out what it is! so, zola, if you are out there, can you please give me and everyone else who might be interested...the secret to your homemade pizzas?  what do you put on them? do you make your own sauce? how long do you cook the pies for and at what temp? i want it all, don't leave out a thing. next time you make pizzas, take a photo and i will post it for all to see!
**** read comments to see how zola makes her pizzas - i'm telling you, if you can get it right like she does, you won't want to buy another pizza. 

pasta primavera

i was a bit skeptical about making this tonight for my clients. i don't know, i just think pasta needs protein in it. anything...seafood, a meatball, chicken, heck even a few pieces of proscuitto will do the trick. just not all veggies. i could never be a vegetarian. not even for a day. i decided on this dish despite my opinion. i  have to say, it was really good. it was light, flavorful, colorful, and low in fat. didn't have a heavy feel to it. i used a combination of red and yellow peppers, a few asparagus, 2 zucchini, 2 summer squash and 3 carrots. cut everything in to matchsticks, drizzled with olive oil, 1 tablespoon of herbs de provence, salt, and pepper.  if you don't have herbs de provence, use dried italian herbs. mix everything together and divide amongst two baking sheets.  roast the vegetables in a 450 degree oven for 20 minutes, stirring after the first 10 minutes.  meanwhile cook the pasta.  i used farfalle, because i wanted to.  put everything in a big bowl and mix.  add about a cup of pasta water and 1/2 cup of grated parmesan. that's it!  when cooking pasta, you should always save the cooking water - a cup of it at least.  it helps moisten and loosen the pasta, rather then adding more olive oil, in case you where curious...

light and delicious

i adore pasta. always have, always will. i wish dr. atkins never spoke up (r.i.p.). it's as if pasta is like crack or something. it is one item that i rarely cook for my clients. not because i don't want to, but it's generally only requested for "special occasions". it saddens me, i love making pasta dishes. the recipes are endless. i agree that there are many that are loaded in fat, cholesterol, etc, but there are many that are not. this meal for instance is full of healthy ingredients. i started with a whole wheat spaghetti, and added to it: roasted grape tomatoes (put a few tomatoes on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, and bake for 12-15 minutes). while the pasta is cooking, saute some garlic, toss in shrimp (peeled and deveined, of course), add a bit of white wine and red pepper flakes. once the pasta is done ( i like to go just a bit longer with whole wheat pasta, maybe 30 seconds or so, i think it taste more like the real stuff, in texture anyway), add it to the tomato mixture. throw in some chopped fresh spinach, fresh parsley and some toasted, chopped almonds. what is possibly unhealthy about that? it's real food, with fresh ingredients, and no preservatives.