Food goodness

I like a lot of the recipes on the site that rhymes with Shmaf-Shmaked Shmarvest, but the ads are so invasive that it's almost impossible to read on my phone while cooking. So here's what I did tonight: 1 pound short-cut pasta (I used the Barilla protein elbows) 1 medium cauliflower, roughly chopped lots of chopped kale, stems removed (this was my addition; recipe says you can also use spinach or any other leafy green)  3/4 cup milk 3 oz cream cheese 1 T dijon mustard 1 t garlic powder 2 c shredded cheese (recipe calls for sharp cheddar; I had some weird bagged mac & cheese blend that J bought on sale) 1 c shredded cheddar (recipe calls for fontina or provolone) 2 T butter (recipe calls for salted; i used unsalted; this was plenty salty as it was imo) pinch cayenne some panko or breadcrumbs  fresh chopped parsley and/or chives Preheat oven to 350 (the baking at the end is optional)  In a large pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Add 2 teaspoons salt, ...

Is the texture of this pasta perfect? No it is not. Is this a perfectly balanced dish? Again, no. But do you have a hot home-cooked dinner at the end of a long day without having to do anything, and will your child actually eat it? Yup.  Ingredients: 16 oz dried pasta (bigger shape like fusilli or penne preferable) 2 24oz jars of sauce (or equivalent with crushed tomatoes and water) Frozen meatballs, some amount (I used 12 beyond meatballs)  2 handfuls mozzarella cheese (ricotta/marscapone/grated parm optional, and probably you could get away without the mozz) Directions: Pour half a jar of sauce into the slow cooker Add half the pasta and half the meatballs. Add the other half jar of sauce   Add half the cheese. Repeat til it’s all gone. If the pasta on the top doesn’t have liquid covering it, add some water until all the pasta is covered.  Cook on low for six hours. Serve with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes & oregano so people can add more seasoning to taste....

Compiled from a bunch of different places wheeeee Ingredients: Olive oil  1 package of chicken sausage, removed from casing, or Impossible meat or other ground meat 1 yellow onion, chopped  A few carrots, chopped Some celery, chopped, if you have it 1 can of chickpeas or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed A couple big shakes of oregano or Italian seasoning and garlic powder, or whatever you like 3-4T tomato paste 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 10 cups broth of some kind 20 oz cheese tortellini - can use refrigerated or dried or probably frozen? I don't see why not A couple big handfuls of spinach or chopped kale 1/4c grated Parm or romano Instructions: In your IP, add some olive oil and onion and saute for a minute. Add sausage and spices, and cook until sausage is done. Add carrots and celery. Saute another few minutes. Stir in tomato paste and beans. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for a minute or so; make sure you don't burn it.  Pour in the broth and stir. Bring to a boil...

One of L's most requested dinners, and a good way to use up extra squash. You can use yellow squash as well as zucchini, obvs.  I make some modifications to the original recipe because I found it underseasoned originally, and because something about using ketchup in a recipe is gross (to me; not yucking your yum if you love it). I usually put chili crisp on my own serving of this, too, but the rest of my family does not.  Ooo there's also a crockpot version ; I am going to try this.  Ingredients:  1 lb. Impossible beef (works really well here) or ground turkey or beef 1 chopped onion or 2 shallots 2 t paprika  2 t garlic powder dash of oregano or pizza seasoning  1 pound short cut pasta 2 medium zucchini, grated but not drained 2 c broth or Better than Bullion with water 1 1/2 cups milk (use what you drink) 1 c shredded cheddar cheese 1 tablespoon tomato paste (original recipe called for ketchup)  In a large pot, heat some olive oil and brow...

This is barely a recipe — just the way I’ve started to make ravioli bc L always asks for it, but I really don’t like boiling it, and I want to put some extra cheese and meat/fake meat with it to make it a little heartier.   Saute a pound of meat product of your choice. Add a chopped onion, some garlic, and whatever spices you like in your pasta sauce — oregano, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, whatever. You can also add some spinach or chopped tomatoes or other veggies, but make sure you cook it down a lot bc you don’t want watery sauce.    Take a large casserole dish and spread a little sauce on the bottom. It can be plain jarred marinara or your own sauce from frozen or whatever. Add the rest of the jar or container to the meat mixture   Put down a single layer of refrigerated raviolis. (I think you can do it with frozen, but I’ve never tried.) You should have at least 3 small packages of these. Spread a layer of sauce over it.  Spread a layer of mozzarella c...

From Epicurious. L loves these, and I’m always losing this recipe, so putting it here — it’s a good way not to have to turn the oven on in the summer. Ingredients :  18 jumbo pasta shells (about 6 oz.) 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided, plus more 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 lb. crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup dry white wine or vermouth 5 oz. baby spinach 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter 3 cups marinara sauce 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes 2 cups whole-milk ricotta 3 oz. finely grated Parmesan (about 1 cup), plus more for serving 3 Tbsp. finely chopped oregano, divided Preparation Step 1 Cook shells in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 9 minutes; drain. Run under cold water to stop the cooking; drain again. Step 2 Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over high. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they release juices, then are dry again an...

This is my Rhinebeck friend E’s recipe. It makes two big baking dishes or trays — one for you, one for the freezer or someone else who needs it. Boil 2 boxes of pasta until it's not quite done, then drain. Mix 4 eggs, about 15 oz  sour cream, about 2.5 lbs of shredded cheese (yes that’s pounds and not cups). In my experience, sharp cheddar should make up at least half of that.  Sprinkle on some more cheese (I usually put some shredded Parm in this part) until covered. Add the hot pasta. Bake at 350 until it’s golden, at least half an hour. 

 Not often I say this, but this recipe really is better with meat (fake or real!) in it. Saute a package of chicken sausage (the best), ground whatever, or Impossible ground whatever with a big shake of oregano and/or Italian seasoning. (I wait until the end for salt & pepper.) Saute in your IP with some olive oil until mostly cooked through. Chop any combination of peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, and whatever in your fridge, plus a large onion and a few cloves of garlic. Add this to the saute and cook another few minutes. Turn off the heat and add 2 28-oz cans of crushed tomatoes, plus any fresh ones you have left over and want to use, and a pinch of sugar. Cook on low for 6-8 hours at least. Come home, add s&p, and serve over pasta with Parm. - You can also do this same thing in the IP -- after the sauteeing, set it on manual for 3-5 min. Wait at least 20-30 minutes before releasing the pressure, though, so you don't splatter your whole kitchen with hot spaghetti sauce.

This can be done with the no-boil noodles or noodles you ARE supposed to boil, but you're a rebel like that. And you can double this recipe if you want to freeze one. Preheat oven to 375. Get a jar or about 24 oz. of premade sauce -- you can't skimp on the sauce, because it cooks the noodles. Get some fillings -- sauteed spinach and onions and mushrooms, cooked sausage, etc. Combine one egg, a 16 oz container of part-skim ricotta, about a cup of shredded or diced mozzarella, 1/4 c Parmesan, a big dash of oregano or Italian seasoning.  Start layering with sauce in the bottom of the dish first: Sauce Uncooked noodles in a single layer Egg mixture Other fillings Make sure to end with sauce Cover with foil and bake for an hour.  Take the foil off, sprinkle on more mozzarella and/or Parmesan, and bake 10 more minutes uncovered.

Adults like it too!   Originally here. 2 big handfuls fresh spinach or more 1 cup uncooked mini pasta, such as ditalini or orzo 1/2 tbsp butter 2 tbsp milk 2 tbsp cream cheese or ricotta 4 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated Cook the pasta while you melt the butter in a small frying pan and sauté the spinach until just wilted.  Combine the spinach with the milk and cheeses and chop finely in a food processor or blend with an immersion blender. Mix with the cooked pasta. You can also add chickpeas or other beans, or leftover chicken, or any other protein.

A variation of Smitten Kitchen's mushroom marsala pasta bake (varied largely because I had some open red wine and not marsala)... Prep time: 30 minutes, tops Cook time: 30 minutes, tops Servings: 4 really generous or 6 slightly more moderate ones [[I doubled and it fit into two medium-sized glass dishes. I froze one.]] 1/2 pound (8 ounces or 225 grams) pasta of you choice, such as a ziti or twisty shape 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil 3/4 pounds (340 grams) fresh mushroom, sliced [[when I doubled this, I used two boxes of the sliced mushrooms from TJ's -- one white button and one portobello]] 1 small-to-medium yellow onion, halved and sliced thin Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1/4 cup (60 ml) dry marsala wine [[I used pinot noir]] 3 tablespoons (45 grams) unsalted butter 3 tablespoons (25 grams) all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups (355 ml) stock or broth (chicken, vegetable or mushroom) 1/2 cup (50 grams) finely grated parmesan cheese 4 ounce...

This is soooo cheating and also so good. 3 tbsp butter (or Earth Balance), melted 3 tbsp all-purpose flour 1 garlic clove, pressed 1 cup 2% milk 2 1/2 oz Parmesan cheese, grated (about 2/3 cup) Combine butter and flour in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Add pressed garlic and milk to butter mixture; whisk well. Microwave, covered, on high for 3-4 minutes or until thickened, stirring every 60 seconds. Add cheese; whisk until smooth.

This was really delicious, and I threw the extra chili oil all over everything for a few days... stir fry, bread, etc. It's great. chili oil 2 green onions, thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 2 star anise pods [[I skipped because I don't have any, but it would be delicious]] 2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger 1/2 cup vegetable oil [[I used canola]] soba salad 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into pieces 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil 8 ounces soba noodles 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce 2 tablespoons rice vinegar [[I used more]] 2 teaspoons brown sugar 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil 1/2 seedless cucumber, thinly sliced 4 radishes, thinly sliced 1/2 cup freshly torn cilantro leaves [[I added some wilted spinach and half a bag of that broccoli slaw from TJ's]] Directions: chili oil Combine all ingredients in a small s...

This recipe is good for laziness -- worked well with those jarred bell peppers that I never know quite what to do with. (With what to do?)     12 ounces linguine (or whatever pasta you like, or whatever else needs sauce)     2 tablespoons olive oil     2 cloves garlic, minced     1 onion, diced     1/2 cup milk     1/2 cup heavy cream (I skipped this and just used more milk)     4 ounces crumbled goat cheese     1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish     1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, chopped (I did not bother chopping; the immersion blender took care of it)     Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and onion, and cook, stirring frequently, ...

Annie's got this one just right. I adjusted her version very slightly to simplify the tomato step. 1 (28 oz.) can whole tomatoes 2 tbsp. olive oil ¼ cup minced onion 1 tbsp. tomato paste 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ tsp. red pepper flakes ½ tsp. table salt ¼ to 1/3 cup vodka ½ cup heavy cream ¼ cup reserved pasta water, if needed 2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil leaves Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving 16 oz. dried pasta Boil water for pasta. Cook according to taste/directions. Pulse tomatoes and liquid in blender three or four times. (The quickest of button pushes) Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally until the onions begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and mix just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes and salt. Remove the pan from the heat and add the vodka. Return the pan to the he...

You guys, I really love mushrooms. Sometimes I don't even recognize myself anymore... A variation on this recipe . One package boneless, skinless chicken breast 2T paprika 1 medium onion, diced 16 oz. pkg. of sliced, mixed baby bella and white mushrooms (you could even use more than this. mushrooms for everyone) 1/3 c white wine, sherry or vermouth 1/2 c stock (I used veg, could be anything) 2T tomato paste 1/4 c plain, nonfat Greek yogurt 1/4 c light sour cream (you could probably skip this, but it would be sad) 8 oz. egg noodles a bit of chopped parsley Heat a skillet with some olive oil and cut the chicken with scissors directly into it. (Fewer gross chicken dishes!) Sprinkle with paprika, salt and pepper, mix, and saute until cooked through. Remove from the pan and throw into a bowl. Saute the onions and mushrooms, with a bit more oil if necessary, until everything gets nice and brown, about five minutes. Remove from the pan and throw into the same bowl as...

This has officially replaced the old way I used to make this meal , because this way is easier and better. That is all. Up to two lbs. peeled, seeded butternut squash, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 2 large onions, cut into 3/4-inch pieces 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg Salt Freshly ground black pepper Some tablespoons olive oil 8 ounces dried corkscrew-shaped pasta, such as fusilli or rotelli 1 1/2 cups low-fat ricotta cheese 4 to 6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil and spray with olive oil or cooking spray. Oil the baking sheet and spread out the squash and onions in a single layer. Grate nutmeg over everything, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and spray or drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until the squash is tender and the onion has browned lightly. Remove the vegetables from the oven; reduce the temperature to 350 degrees. While the vegetable...

So, my kiddo might complain that she can't eat meat one day a week, but she only complains a little when this is for dinner. Also, she very much likes cooking, and this is exactly the sort of recipe where I can put all the ingredients on the counter and say "go to it." Winning for everyone. Adapted from here 2 jars alfredo sauce (I used the kind with mushrooms in them) 1 large (20 oz, I think) package tortellini, the cheese/spinach kind a bunch of broccoli (I had some leftover broccoli and cauliflower, plus some raw broccoli. I didn't bother to measure) 1 1/2 c. water 1/2 c. bread crumbs (homemade, in my case) 2 tsp. olive oil Mix the alfredo and water in a large bowl. In a baking dish, combine broccoli and tortellini. Pour alfredo on top, stir to coat. Bake in 375 oven for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, combine bread crumbs and oil and stir to combine. Sprinkle on top of casserole (at the end of 45 minutes). Pop back under broiler for 2-3 minutes (watch close...

I am officially obsessed with brussels sprouts. Yum. I've made this three or four times and finally have it the way I like it, I think. It's loosely based on this recipe from Gina's Skinny Taste, but there are a lot of modifications at this point... I'll still put her nutritional info at the end, but I'm not sure how valid it is any more. Ingredients: 1 package of low-fat chicken sausage, squeezed out of the casings a few splashes of olive oil 2 cloves garlic, chopped  12 oz brussels sprouts, shredded [Wegmans sells these prepackaged, which is amazing; if you are starting with whole sprouts, just dice them them as finely as you can] 1 small onion, diced small 1 carrot, peeled and diced small 1 celery stalk, diced small other optional diced veggies: zucchini, yellow squash, spinach, red or green pepper 28 oz crushed tomatoes  a few T oregano and/or herbs de provance pinch sugar pinch crushed red pepper salt and fresh ground pepper to taste 14 oz ...

Kind of the ultimate comfort food. As usual with the Pioneer Woman , this doesn't exactly qualify as health food, but I used all low-fat dairy products and soy crumble, and it still tasted great. We ate it with roasted brussels sprouts , which were an excellent complement. Ingredients: 1-1/4 pound ground chuck [I specifically chose this recipe because I had a package of soy crumble and couldn't tell if it was going to be disgusting, so I wanted to disguise it in a dish with a lot of strong flavors...] 1 can 15-ounces tomato sauce [I used half a jar of leftover tomato sauce] 1/2 teaspoon salt freshly ground black pepper 8 ounces of e gg noodles 1/2 cup sour cream 1 1/4 cup small curd cottage cheese 1/2 cup sliced green onions 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown ground chuck in a large skillet. Drain fat, then add tomato sauce. 1/2 teaspoon salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Stir, then sim...