Pasta – Page 27 – Fun Foodie Family

Summer Veggie Pasta Salad

Pasta, Side dishes...veggies, potatoes, grains, Vegetarian

Hey food friends! It has been a while since I have posted. I went on a small beach trip with my family, so no cooking or blogging went on. Just lots of coffee, seafood, beach drinks, and tons of memories with my family by the sea. I came back to my garden flourishing with tomatoes, squash, green beans, and even corn! So excited to make this pasta. I used this beautiful squash and cherry tomatoes straight from the garden.

Super easy, light, and healthy! All vegetarian; but I would never fault you for adding some fresh grilled shrimp or shredded rotisserie chicken.

Summer Veggie Pasta Salad

Seriously guys. So easy! Saute your veggies in a bit of oil and 2 heads of crushed and sliced garlic on med.low heat; I used my squash, cherry tomatoes, and a handful of sliced mushrooms. You could really add any veggie you like…

Salt and boil water. Cook your pasta al dente. I used 1 cup of rotini, but any kind will work.

Add your pasta in your veggie pan. Add a bit of your starchy cooking water and a bit more olive oil. Stir, add parmesan cheese, and eat! SO GOOD!!! I even had a bit leftover, so I shared with my neighbors who always like to taste test my recipes!

It was a great lunch, but would also be great for a veggie dinner or side dish. Top with grilled shrimp or chicken breast for an added healthy protein.

Baked Lasagna with Bolognese Sauce

Date Night, Pasta, Pizzas, Flatbreads, Toasts

Hey guys! Gymnastics tonight, so I made an easy semi-homemade baked lasagna with a pork and beef Bolognese Sauce. So easy and delicious. Here is the simple recipe. Happy eating!

Baked Lasagna with Bolognese Sauce

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
Your favorite jar of plain marinara
red wine- a couple of glugs
a handful of fresh herbs- I used basil, oregano, parsley, thyme, and marjoram
lasagna noodles
cheese… see below

Directions
Preheat oven to 350.
Using a large saucepan, heat oil, saute’ onion and garlic until onion becomes translucent, about 4 minutes. Add your meat and lightly brown while occasionally stirring. Mix in your jar of marinara, wine, and fresh herbs. Simmer over medium heat. Let cook for 15-20 minutes.

While your sauce cooks, boil a large pot of salted water and cook your lasagna noodles. Spray a oven safe casserole dish. Once pasta is drained and cooled, place alternating layers of your Bolognese Sauce, noodles, and mozzarella cheese. My husband hates ricotta, so I just used all mozzarella. BUT if this was just for me or cooking for a party, which it is sometimes, I would make a combo cheese mixture of mozzarella, ricotta, and Parmesan. About 3/4 cup of each, more if you deem necessary. Bake for 40-50 minutes, until your cheese brown and bubbly on the top.

Pork Ragu with Bucatini

Pasta, Pork, Side dishes...veggies, potatoes, grains

Happy Father’s Day to all the men out there! You truly deserve a day pf relaxation and great time with your family. Last night I made a tasty steak and potatoes for my hubby; the best daddy for my girls that I could ever ask for! Tonight, I made this delicious Pork Ragu for my Daddy. I made this for Christmas Eve Dinner with Cheesy Polenta and he LOVED it. Instead of Polenta, I added to Bucatini; a thick spaghetti like pasta. It was pretty delicious. I added a nice oven roasted squash (roasted 400 with salt, pepper, and olive oil), fresh from the farmer’s market, and a delicious mixed green side salad.

Pork Ragu with Bucatini

Ingredients

1 large Pork Butt
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped (feel free to add any more veggies…mushrooms, peppers, etc…)
2 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
3 tablespoons tomato paste
4 tablespoons Worschestire Sauce
1 glass of red wine
1 large can tomato sauce
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1/2 container of beef broth
1 tablespoon sugar
salt and pepper to taste
fresh herbs, chopped- whatever you have- use dried herbs if you don’t have fresh…tablespoons of whatever, don’t be scared to add herbs…sage, oregano, rosemary, marjoram, thyme, parsley, etc.
1 pound of Bucatini- I have also used polenta, egg noodles, couscous, mashed potatoes etc. Use a sturdy pasta/grain/potato

Directions

Salt and pepper each side of your Butt. Make sure you heat your large Dutch oven on high.

Brown your meat on all sides. Give each large side a good 8-10 minutes. Each small side gets a good 4-5 minutes. There probably will be a lot of smoke. This is normal.
While browning all sides, cut up all your veggies.
Once all sides are brown, take the meat out.
Add your veggies and cook down for 6 minutes. Add your garlic. Add your tomato paste. Cook together for about 4 minutes or so. Add the wine and worcestershire; reduce to half, about 8 minutes. Mix well.
Add the tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes.
Add in your beef broth. Mix Well.
Add back in your pork.
Cook for at least 4 hours. Turn every 1/2 hour.
Cook your pasta. Add your sauce to the pasta. AMAZING!

Eggplant Parmesan Lasagna and Spaghetti Bolognese with Garlic Butter Rolls

Breads and Muffins, Pasta, Vegetarian

Dinner tonight was so fun to make. I love making different pasta sauces, and I adored this one. I decided at the last minute to add some sweet peppers to the mix; I love this addition to a marinara. It gives it an extra chunky and sweet component that added something different from the normal marinara.

I am the only one who likes eggplant in this family, but that never stops me from making what I want! When I saw a beautiful eggplant at the store, I just had to get it. I made a small pan of eggplant parmesan lasagna- no noodles. I used the eggplant disks as the pasta; this recipe can serve 4. I had one, saved one for lunch tomorrow, and gave the rest to my awesome neighbor along with a bunch of leftover pasta. Oh, and those garlic butter rolls? So good!!!

Spaghetti Bolognese

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef (could use sausage, turkey, chicken)
1 onion, chopped or sliced
1 container of sliced mushrooms
1/4 each yellow and orange pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed and finely chopped
A few good squirts of tomato paste
A few good glugs of your favorite red wine- I used Cabernet Sauvignon tonight
2 tablespoons of worcestershire
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 large can of crushed tomatoes
1 large can of tomato sauce
1 small can of diced tomatoes
Any fresh herbs, chopped- I added basil, sage, thyme, oregano, marjoram, and parsley. Use dried herbs if you don’t have fresh. I would even combine them if you need to.
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Take your ground beef. Add in a screaming hot pan. Cook until meat is browned. I used a cast iron skillet. Once done, drain any excess fat/grease. Place to the side.
In a large dutch oven, cook your onion in a bit of oil/butter combo (about 1 tablespoon each). Add the rest of the veggies. Add your tomato paste and stir. Add the wine and worcestershire. Cook down for about 10 minutes. Add the canned tomato ingredients, sugar, and fresh (or dried) herbs. After it cooks for about 25 minutes, separate half in another pan (this is to have one without meat for your veggie eggplant parmesan). Add your ground meat in one of the sauce pans. Cook all together for AT LEAST 30-45 minutes— The longer you cook it, the better. Add to your favorite pasta. I used whole wheat spaghetti. There are some really great whole wheat pastas out there now. Give them a try!

Eggplant Parmesan Lasagna (vegetarian)

Ingredients-
1 large eggplant, sliced in medium slices
Salt and pepper
canola oil
flour

Directions

Cut your eggplant in medium slices. Salt and pepper both sides well and let sit for 15 minutes or more. This draws out the water a bit in the eggplant. Add a bit of oil or cooking spray on each side of the eggplant. Dip each side in flour. I did not go with the traditional dip with eggs and breadcrumbs; trying to make it semi healthy. Brown each side in a bit of canola oil.
Put a bit of your marinara sauce on the bottom of a small corningware dish. Layer the eggplant (like noodles in lasagna), marinara, and mozzarella cheese. Bake at 300 for 30 minute. I turned it on broil the last 5 minutes or so to get my cheese to brown. SO GOOD!!!

Garlic Butter Rolls

Melt a stick of butter with 4 cloves of crushed and chopped garlic. Take ordinary yeast rolls (or whatever bread you have). Poke some holes in them with a fork. Brush the rolls with the garlic butter. Cook for about 5 minutes. Then baste them in the garlic butter again. Put back in on broil with your eggplant. Take out and baste again. Heaven!

Summer Veggie Pasta

Pasta, Side dishes...veggies, potatoes, grains, Vegetarian

So yesterday I went to the farmer’s market. I bought an iced coffee, which has inspired me to make my own at home, and just meandered around the market to see what looked good. Everything looked good. I ended up buying kale (planning on making some kale chips tomorrow), squash, asparagus, broccoli, a sweet onion, and some radishes. I will be snacking on radish and butter sandwiches for a few days. Delicious.

I spied some rotini pasta in the cabinet and decided to make this pasta, which I made up along the way. Of course, you can add any veggies you have on hand in this. This pasta is showcasing the veggies, so the sauce has to be light and refreshing.

Summer Veggie Pasta

Ingredients

1/2 sweet onion
2 yellow squash
small bunch of asparagus
small bunch of broccoli
1/3 box of rotini pasta (or whatever you have on hand)
1 lemon
splash of white wine
chopped fresh herbs ( I used oregano, thyme, marjoram, and basil)
olive oil- I would say use sparingly a bit at a time)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Heat up a couple tablespoons of oil in a large pot on med. high heat- I used my large dutch oven.
Bring water to a boil for your pasta. Make sure you heavily salt the water.
While the water is coming to a boil, cut up your veggies and put in the heated pan. Salt and pepper liberally.
Add the pasta and cook you veggies about the same time. When the veggies are browning, add in a splash of white wine (I used Chardonnay) and the juice from the whole lemon. I also grated some lemon peel (make sure you wash the lemon skin very well; I like organic lemons when I know I am going to use the peel).
Add your fresh herbs.
When the pasta is al dente, add it to the veggies and sauce. Add a bit of the starchy pasta water to the mix. Stir and cook together for a few more minutes. Add in some parmesan cheese.

So good!