Chicken Parm Meatballs

I can't believe I made these Chicken Parm Meatballs months ago and never blogged them. They are utterly amazing and super easy.  Back when the pandemic began, I took a few cookbooks out of the library for inspiration. This was one of the recipes I flagged to make immediately. I even ground my own chicken since ground chicken was so hard to find.

I started making my own pizza sauce awhile ago, but canned sauce is fine. I'll put the recipe for the sauce below. It's simple to make big batches, portion them out and freeze for later.

Chicken Parm Meatballs
As seen on Dinner: A Love Story

1 1/4 pounds ground chicken
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/2 cup Pecorino (or Parm)
salt and pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 egg, whisked
zest of half a lemon
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 14-ounce can storebought pizza sauce (such as Don Pepino’s)
4 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut in thin slices

Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with foil and top with a sheet of parchment paper. 

In a large bowl, mix together ground chicken through lemon zest. Shape into balls (I like to use my ice cream scoop for this) and place a few inches from each other on the prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, mix one spoonful of pizza sauce with the olive oil. Brush some on each meatball. Bake for 15 minutes.

Remove meatballs from oven, spoon more sauce on top of each meatball, and cover each with a slice of cheese. Bake for another 5 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden.

Serve with remaining sauce on top with pasta and garlicky sauteed spinach on the side.

Homemade Pizza Sauce 

1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil/1 teaspoon dried basil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Set aside until ready to use. I recommend making a big batch using a 28-oz can of crushed tomatoes and freezing individual 1-cup portions. 

Pioneer Woman's Lemon Pasta Pronto

The Pioneer Woman recently posted a video of herself making this recipe for Lemon Pasta Pronto on her Instagram stories. It sounded right up our alley so I printed out the recipe (fair warning, the recipe on the Food Network site doesn't include all the ingredients/directions).



Past experience has taught me that I can always add more lemon juice but I can't take it away so I was skeptical about using the juice of two lemons in this recipe. Sure enough, one was plenty.

We all LOVED this but I'm not sure I'll spend the extra money for the pancetta next time. Bacon would be just as good and a heck of a lot cheaper. I served this with an incredible beet, citrus and ricotta salad that I'll be blogging soon and it was just the thing to cut the richness of the pasta.

Lemon Pasta Pronto
Modified from the Pioneer Woman

Kosher salt
1 pound orecchiette
6 tablespoons butter, divided
1/2 lb pancetta or bacon, cut into bite-size pieces
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 lemons, 1 juiced and both zested, divided
2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1 cup half and half
3/4 cup panko
1 cup grated pecorino

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions.

While the water is coming to a boil, melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta (or bacon) and cook until the fat starts to render and the pancetta gets crispy. Add the thyme, garlic and onions and cook until the onions soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the zest and juice of one lemon, the peas and half and half. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.

In a small skillet, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat. Add the panko and season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the panko is golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the zest of one lemon. Stir and then set aside.

Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet along with the pecorino. Toss together, taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. The original recipe calls for the juice of two lemons but a lot of people said it was too lemony. If you want more lemon flavor, add more juice. Remember, you can always add but you can't take away!

To serve, spoon some of the pasta into a bowl or on a pasta plate. Sprinkle some of the crispy panko on top.

Sour Cream Noodle Bake

This is another recipe that I made a lot last year and apparently never found the time to blog. Sorry about that, folks. It's from the ever-popular Ree Drummond, a.k.a., the Pioneer Woman, so you might have already seen it over on her blog. It's an easy, comforting weeknight dinner that we all love.



If you aren't sure how you feel about cottage cheese, never fear. It combines beautifully with the other ingredients and makes the whole thing taste insanely good. Trust me.

Sour Cream Noodle Bake
From The Pioneer Woman

1 1/4 pounds ground beef
1 15oz can tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 bag egg noodles
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cups small curd cottage cheese
1/2 cup sliced scallions
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13" baking dish with cooking spray.

Brown ground beef in a large skillet. Drain fat, then stir in the tomato sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Simmer while you prepare the other ingredients.

Cook egg noodles until al dente. Drain and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine sour cream and cottage cheese. Add plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Add to noodles and stir. Add scallions and stir.

To assemble, add half of the noodles to the baking dish. Top with half the meat mixture, then sprinkle on half the grated cheddar. Repeat with noodles, meat, then a final layer of cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until all cheese is melted. Serve with salad and crusty French bread.

Spaghetti with Crab

This is another draft post I never published. At least this is more recent - late summer 2017. My mom had been down the shore with her sisters and she brought home a bunch of steamed crabs. I find picking crabs to be so therapeutic and I had a blast getting every last morsel of meat from those beauties. And then I whipped up this delicious Spaghetti with Crab.



Spaghetti with Crab
Slightly modified from For the Love of Cooking

1/2-lb lump crab meat
1 lb spaghetti, cooked per instructions
3 tablespoons salted butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
3 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
Drizzle of olive oil
salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Fresh Parmesan, grated
Lemon wedges, for serving

Pick through the crab meat carefully to remove any bits of shell. Set aside. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta cooking water.

Heat the butter in the large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and the crushed red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring often, for 1 minute. Add the crab meat, fresh parsley, lemon zest, a drizzle of olive oil, and season well with sea salt & freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Add the drained pasta along with some of the pasta water, and toss to coat evenly.

Pour into a serving bowl and serve with fresh parmesan and lemon wedges.

Sausage, Pepper and Onion Pasta

Hello there, friends! Long time no see. I'm sorry it's been so long since I posted a new recipe here on the ol' blog. Sadly, this space has become more of a recipe archive these last few years for a variety of reasons. But, for now, I'm back. I have a stockpile of photos and draft posts I never published so prepare yourselves for the onslaught.

We all love the iconic sausage, peppers and onions, so when I saw Nicole's recipe for Sweet Pepper Pasta with Sausage over on PreventionRD, I knew I could make it my own with a few tweaks. We loved this and I made it quite often this summer.



Sausage, Pepper and Onion Pasta
Modified from PreventionRD

1lb short-cut pasta (I used rotini)
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
19.5 oz hot Italian sausage, casings removed
1 lb multicolored sweet bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
1/4 cup fresh basil, chiffonade

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 1/2 cups of the cooking water.

While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up any big pieces, until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the sliced peppers and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the vinegar and garlic; cook 1 minute.

Add the cooked pasta and toss everything together. Stir in some of the cooking water, a little at a time, until the sauce is smooth and coats the pasta. Stir in the oregano. Taste and add more salt and/or pepper, if needed.

Add in the grated cheese and basil and toss again. Serve.

Easy Weeknight Beef and Broccoli Lo Mein

Busy, busy, busy. That's all I can say about life these days.

It's summer, so at least I've got that going for me. It's my favorite time of year and I soak it all in to get me through the cold, dark days of winter.

We recently had a privacy fence installed on the part of our backyard that faces the street and quite a bit of landscaping done, so we're using our patio again. It's so lovely back there now and the weather has been cooperating so we can eat dinner outside.

This Easy Weeknight Beef and Broccoli Lo Mein was last night's meal, eaten al fresco until the damn flies found us and made things so miserable Katie decided to finish her dinner inside while Steve and I cleaned up.

And THAT is why I want a screened in porch.



So...this lo mein was awesome. I thought it was a bit too sweet so I'll cut down on the sugar next time, but my family loved it. You'll see quite a large range for the flank steak. The original recipe called for half a pound but my supermarket doesn't sell such a small amount of steak, and we wanted more steak than that anyway, so I upped it to 1.5-lbs. Use however much you like.

I also used oyster sauce instead of hoisin because I already had it in the house. They're completely different flavors but I think both will work fine.

Easy Weeknight Beef and Broccoli Lo Mein
Modified from The Recipe Critic

12 ounces lo mein noodles, or spaghetti (I use Dreamfields and the boxes are some weird amount like 13.25 oz)
3 cups broccoli florets
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
8 oz - 1.5 lbs flank steak, sliced against the grain
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup shredded carrot
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons hoisin or oyster sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/3 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cook the noodles according to package directions. Add the broccoli during the last 4 minutes of cooking. Drain the noodles and broccoli. Set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, heat oil in a wok or other deep skillet over high heat. Add the steak and cook until just starting to brown. Add the garlic and carrots and cook for a minute more.

In a 2-cup measuring cup whisk together the chicken broth, brown sugar, soy sauce, hoisin or oyster sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil, ginger, red pepper flakes and pepper. Add to the skillet and bring to a boil. Simmer until the sauce thickens.

Add the spaghetti and broccoli to the wok and toss until incorporated. Serve.

Tortellini with Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomatoes (with Shrimp)

A while back I bought a club pack of cheese tortellini. That's two, 20-ounce packages of tortellini. The first dish I made was a total flop, so I really wanted something great for the other package. I did a few searches and nothing was jumping out at me. Apparently most people use tortellini in soup, which I didn't feel like making, or they just toss it with a simple sauce. I wanted a flavorful, complex sauce to balance the blandness of the tortellini (let's be honest, cheese tortellini aren't exciting on their own).



I finally stumbled on this AMAZING recipe for Tortellini with Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomatoes. Seriously, this was SO GOOD. Even Steve, who hates sun-dried tomatoes, loved this meal. I bulked it up with some cooked shrimp, but you could also use chicken or sausage, or leave out meat all together.

I can't wait to buy another club pack of tortellini so I can make this again!

Tortellini with Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Modified from The Brown Eyed Baker

1 lb shrimp, chicken or Italian sausage (optional, see note)
20 oz cheese tortellini
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper, to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese
7 ounces baby spinach, roughly chopped
1 (7-ounce) jar julienned sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil

Boil the tortellini according to the package directions.

While the tortellini is cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the flour and stir until a paste is formed. Whisk in the heavy cream, half-and-half and chicken broth. Season with a little salt and pepper, then add the Parmesan cheese. Simmer until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the spinach, sun-dried tomatoes (fish them out with a fork. You want some of the oil in the sauce but not the whole jar's worth), and shrimp/chicken/sausage, if using. Once the spinach is wilted, add the cooked and drained tortellini and stir to coat the tortellini with the sauce. Serve immediately.

NOTE: If you want to bulk this up a bit, you can add cooked shrimp, chicken or Italian sausage. I used shrimp that I seasoned with salt and pepper then seared in a hot skillet with a little oil. Once the shrimp were cooked I cut them in half (or thirds if they were big) so they were bite-size. If you want to do chicken or sausage instead, cut them into bite-size pieces and cook in a skillet with a little oil (be sure to season the chicken with salt and pepper).

Creamy Shrimp Boil Pasta

I love the idea of a shrimp boil when we're down the shore, but on a weeknight I need something quicker, easier and less messy. That's where this Creamy Shrimp Boil Pasta comes in. All the flavors of a classic shrimp boil served with pasta instead of potatoes.



I lightened it up a bit by subbing half-and-half for the heavy cream. As I was making the sauce I realized the cream/half-and-half isn't even necessary. It was a nice treat, but I think the pasta could stand alone with the other ingredients. Totally your call. We also thought it needed more corn, so I upped the amount in the recipe below. This was so delicious and easy to make on a busy summer weeknight.

Creamy Shrimp Boil Pasta
As seen on Damn Delicious

1 pound cavatappi or rotini pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (12.8-ounce) package smoked andouille sausage, thinly sliced
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined (my shrimp were larger so I cut them in half)
3 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning, divided
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken broth, plus more as needed
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 1/2-2 cups frozen corn kernels
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives (optional)

Cook pasta according to package directions. Save 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain well.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring frequently, until sausage is lightly browned, about 3-4 minutes. Place the sausage in a large bowl and set aside.

Season the shrimp with 1 1/2 teaspoons of Old Bay seasoning. Add the shrimp to the skillet and cook until pink, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the pan to the same bowl as the sausage.

Melt the butter in the skillet. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, half-and-half, Parmesan, thyme and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay. Cook until slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes. If the mixture is too thick, add more broth as needed. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Stir in the pasta, sausage, shrimp and corn. Toss to combine. Thin with some of the pasta cooking water, if needed. Serve immediately, garnished with chives, if desired.

One-Pot Bacon and Feta Pasta

One-pot meals are amazing, right? I know they're so 2015, but what busy family doesn't love a meal that combines minimal effort with maximum flavor? Ashley's recipe for One-Pot Chicken Feta Alfredo sounded perfect for a busy weeknight.



I decided to make a few changes to the recipe - I left out the chicken, swapped the pancetta for bacon (although my family LOVES pancetta) and left the tomatoes and basil as a garnish rather than cooking them with the pasta (because I simply cannot stand loose tomato skin - blech).

The result was a creamy, cheesy, simply delicious and EASY weeknight meal. This is absolutely going in the permanent rotation, although I'll need to double it next time if we want leftovers.

One-Pot Bacon and Feta Pasta
Modified from Cheesecurd in Paradise

4 slices of bacon, cut into pieces (I like to use kitchen shears)
8 oz bow tie pasta
6 oz crumbled feta, divided
1 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
2 tomatoes, chopped

In a large non-stick skillet with a lid, cook the bacon until it's crispy. If there's a lot of fat, drain most of it off. Add the pasta, 4 oz of the feta, Parmesan, chicken broth, half-and-half and garlic powder.

Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes, just until the pasta is al dente (with a little bite left).

Add the basil, tomatoes and remaining 2 oz of feta. Stir to combine and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Pasta with Garlic Butter Caper Sauce

Sometimes I feel like this guy:



I really haven't been doing a good job as a blogger lately and I'm sorry for that. But like the meme promises, if you DO see a post from me it means I've made something so delicious I simply have to dust off my computer and type up a post.

Take this meal for instance. Today I'm sharing the side dish - Pasta with Garlic Butter Caper Sauce. Tomorrow you get the real star - Eggplant, Prosciutto and Mozzarella Stacks. But don't think for one second that the pasta isn't delicious in its own right.



I was a little sad that I only made 6oz of pasta because I could have eaten a whole pound myself. It's light yet flavorful and so, so simple. I simplified it even further by cooking everything in one pot. And I left out the wine because all I had was Riesling. We didn't miss it so I probably won't bother with it next time. And there will most certainly be a next time since this is now Steve's favorite meal of all time.

And hey, don't forget to come back tomorrow for those delicious eggplant stacks.

Pasta with Garlic Butter Caper Sauce
As seen on Iowa Girls Eats

6oz spaghetti
2 tablespoons butter, divided
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/4 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
juice of 1 small lemon

Cook the spaghetti according to package directions. Drain well and set aside.

In the now-empty pot, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and saute until just starting to brown. Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, and capers then turn heat up to high. Simmer until the sauce is reduced by half. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Taste and add salt, only if necessary.

Turn off the heat and add the cooked pasta to the pot. Toss to combine, then let sit for 3-4 minutes so the pasta can absorb some of the sauce.

Pasta with Shrimp, Brie and Tomatoes

I love when my friends post on Facebook about the meals they make, especially when they include a recipe. As much as I love reading food blogs, many of the ones I follow simply don't cook the way I do. They post all sorts of fancy, trendy meals that I just know in my heart I'm never going to make for my family. So when I see posts from friends about food they're actually cooking, I pay attention.

Take this recipe for Pasta with Shrimp, Brie and Tomatoes. I was hooked as soon as I saw my friend's photo. This recipe has it all - pasta, one of my favorite cheeses, fresh tomatoes and shrimp. And, bonus, it's a one-pot meal. What's not to love?



The original recipe calls for sundried tomatoes and Kalamata olives, both of which I left out, opting instead for all fresh tomatoes, and no olives simply to save Steve from going to the olive bar at Wegmans. This really couldn't be simpler - mix the Brie with the tomatoes and seasoning, cook the pasta and, in the last few minutes of cooking, add in the shrimp. When the pasta is done, toss everything together and serve. I can't wait to make this one again.

Pasta with Shrimp, Brie and Tomatoes
Recipe adapted from Coastal Living

8 ounces Brie
4 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup fresh basil leaves, minced
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
8 ounces uncooked spaghetti
1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Remove the rind from the Brie, if desired. Cut the Brie into pieces and add it to a bowl along with the tomatoes, garlic, basil, salt and pepper and olive oil. Toss to combine, then cover and let stand at least one hour.

Cook pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions. Add the shrimp two minutes before the pasta is done. Finish cooking, then drain well. Immediately toss the pasta and shrimp with the Brie mixture. Serve immediately with freshly grated Parmesan.

Shrimp Carbonara

We love a good carbonara around here. It's been a while since I made a new variation, so when I was reading a book that mentioned pasta carbonara I knew it was a sign. And thus, Shrimp Carbonara was born.



I'm not sure why it never occurred to me to make this before but now that I have, it will definitely become a regular thing. All I did was add shrimp to my standard carbonara recipe. I mean, what's not to love about shrimp cooked in bacon fat? Positively delicious.

Shrimp Carbonara
Based on Nigella Lawson's carbonara recipe

1 pound spaghetti
6 slices bacon, chopped into bite-size pieces
1 pound shrimp, any size you like, peeled and deveined
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup dry vermouth (or white wine)
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup half and half cream
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly ground nutmeg

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

In a large skillet that will fit the pasta later, cook the bacon until crispy but not crunchy. Remove with a slotted spoon, leaving the bacon grease in the pan.

While the bacon is cooking, pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. After you've removed the bacon from the pan, add the shrimp in an even layer. Cook the shrimp until they're pink on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove to the plate with the bacon.

Add the sliced onions to the pan and cook until softened and starting to caramelize, about 15 minutes. Add the vermouth and let it bubble so that, after a few minutes, you have a small amount of thick syrup left.

While the vermouth is reducing, beat together the eggs, Parmesan, cream, pepper and nutmeg in a bowl.

Once you have a nice syrup, add the pasta to the pan, tossing well to coat with the sauce. Take the pan off the heat (remove from the stove completely, don't just turn off the burner) and add the egg and cheese mixture, swiftly tossing everything with tongs to mix well. Add the bacon and shrimp and toss again. Taste and season with some more pepper and grated cheese, if desired.

One Pan Orecchiette with Sausage and Kale

I've been on a serious kale kick lately. If I see it on a restaurant menu, there's a good chance I'll order it. But I very rarely (read: never) cook with it at home. I think I've purchased kale only once for this Italian Sausage, Potato and Kale Soup. I'm also really into one-pot meals, specifically when they involve cooking pasta in a flavorful broth. This One Pan Orecchiette with Sausage and Kale combines my two latest obsessions into one delicious meal.



Looking at the pictures of this meal made my mouth water and the end result did not disappoint. I made a few minor adjustments to the cooking method but otherwise I followed the recipe. Katie and I both cleaned our plates in record time. I had the leftovers for lunch today and they were sensational, dare I say better than the first day. I needed to add a smidge of water just to loosen the sauce a bit, but this reheated beautifully.

Not that I have any nutrition background whatsoever, but as far as our personal eating habits, this is a pretty awesome meal. You've got grains, protein and veggies covered. The pasta is minimal (less than half a pound, thankyouverymuch) and plenty of healthy kale. And a bonus - the Italian sausage we buy is actually made from turkey instead of pork. The best part is, you can't taste the difference. We've served this sausage to countless people who had no clue they were eating turkey instead of pork.

One Pan Orecchiette with Sausage and Kale
As seen on For the Love of Cooking

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow or white onion, diced
1 lb mild ground Italian sausage (if you buy links, remove casings)
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed well
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 quart chicken broth
6oz (weight) orecchiette pasta
Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
4oz (weight) kale, chopped
Parmesan, shaved or grated

Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally until soft and golden, about 5-6 minutes. Stir sausage into the onions along with the Italian seasoning, oregano, crushed fennel seed, red pepper flakes and garlic. Cook and stir until sausage is broken up and just browned, about 3-4 minutes.

Pour the chicken broth into the sausage mixture and bring to a boil. Be sure to scrape up the browned bits off of the bottom of the pan. Once the broth is boiling, add the orecchiette pasta. Cook, stirring every so often to prevent the pasta from sticking together or to the bottom of the pan, about 15 minutes. Taste and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, if needed. Be sure to taste before adding any salt since the chicken broth will be salty.

Stir the kale into sausage mixture until it wilts, about 1-2 minutes. Ladle pasta into bowls and top with Parmesan.

Braised Pork Ribs with Rigatoni

Another meal prepared by SP for Sunday dinner with my parents. He loves cooking this time of year because he's really into long-simmering, hearty, comfort food. We're big fans of Lidia Bastianich, so he turned to one of her cookbooks when deciding what to make. He chose Braised Pork Ribs with Rigatoni because we had a rack of ribs in the freezer that needed to be used up, but when he read through the recipe he realized we'd need more ribs. D'oh. Oh well, we'll just have to make these again.



He made this while Baby Girl and I were away for the weekend, so we didn't get to smell the delicious aroma throughout the house as it cooked. But the end result...man, oh man. The meat was so tender you could just lightly pull on the bone and it would slide right out. Delicious. Comforting. Hearty. Everything you want in a Fall/Winter meal.

SP had to make two adjustments to the recipe - we can't easily find San Marzano tomatoes so he just used two cans of crushed tomatoes. He also couldn't find pickled cherry peppers, so he used banana pepper rings. Both worked just fine.

Braised Pork Ribs with Rigatoni
As seen in Lidia’s Italian-American Kitchen

One whole rack (about 4 pounds) pork spare ribs
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 large yellow onions, sliced (about 3 cups)
8 garlic cloves, peeled
6 pickled cherry peppers, stemmed, seeded and quartered (can also use mild banana pepper rings)
Two 35-ounce cans plum tomatoes (San Marzano) with their liquid, seeded and crushed (or 2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes)
2 bay leaves
6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 to 3 cups hot water, or as needed
1 pound rigatoni
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving

Cut the rack of spare ribs between the bones into single ribs (or ask your butcher to do this for you.) Season the rib pieces with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy braising pan over medium heat. Add as many of the ribs as will fit without touching. Cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove the ribs, drain on a baking sheet lined with paper towel. Repeat with the remaining ribs. Adjust the temperature throughout the browning, so the fat in the pan is sizzling, but the pieces of pork that stick to the pan don’t burn.

Pour off all but about 4 tablespoons of fat from the casserole. Add the onions, garlic and cherry peppers and cook, stirring, until the onions are wilted and caramelized, about 4 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, bay leaves and thyme. Bring to a boil, scraping the pan to loosen the brown bits stuck to the bottom. Tuck the spare ribs into the tomato sauce, season lightly with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat to simmering and cook, turning the spare ribs in the sauce occasionally, until the ribs are fork-tender, about 2 hours. Ladle some of the hot water into the casserole from time to time as necessary to keep the ribs covered with liquid.

To serve: When the ribs are almost tender, cook pasta according to package directions.

Drain the pasta, return it to the pot and spoon in enough of the spare rib sauce to generously coat the pasta. Toss in the parsley and bring the sauce and pasta to a boil, tossing to coat the pasta with sauce. Check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper if necessary. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in 2/3 cup grated cheese. Transfer the pasta to a warm platter or individual plates and top with the spare ribs. Spoon a little of the remaining sauce over the pasta and serve immediately, passing additional sauce and grated cheese separately.

Chicken Piccata with Lemony Noodles

My family loves a good chicken and pasta dish so this recipe for Chicken Piccata with Lemony Noodles was right up our alley. Simple yet bold flavors from the lemon juice and the capers really make the dish.



I rarely make a full pound of pasta anymore and it didn't sound like there would be enough sauce, but I went ahead and made the whole box (actually, since I buy Dreamfields pasta, it was 13.25-oz) and there was too much pasta and not enough sauce. I increased the liquid below and decreased the pasta to 8 ounces. I think that will be a better ratio since hot pasta is like a sponge and soaks up all the liquid.



And one more photo because Baby Girl loves it when I photograph our plates together.

Chicken Piccata with Lemony Noodles
As seen on So Tasty, So Yummy

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup half and half, plus more if needed
1 tablespoon drained capers
8 ounces spaghetti, angel hair or linguine

Slice each chicken breast in half lengthwise. In a food storage bag, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Add the chicken, seal the bag, and toss to coat.

Heat the butter and oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken to a plate.

Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the broth, wine and lemon juice, whisk and scrape the bottom of the skillet. Cook until the sauce is reduced by half. Add salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to low, stir in the cream and capers.

While the chicken and sauce are cooking, cook and drain the pasta. Toss the drained noodles with the sauce. Serve with slices of the chicken on top.

Florentine Lasagna Roll-ups

I haven't made a lasagna roll-up in years. I don't know why; they're so easy to make and more fun than regular lasagna because everyone gets their own roll or two. As soon as Kylee posted these Florentine Lasagna Roll-ups on her blog I knew I had to make them.

I prepped the roll-ups on a Sunday and popped it in the fridge for later in the week. The night we had them for dinner I just had to preheat the oven, make the salad while the roll-ups cooked and dinner was served. I love easy meals like that.

The only change I made was adding ricotta cheese to the filling. I had some to use up and ricotta is synonymous with lasagna, in my opinion. But feel free to leave it out since there's enough going on with that delectable Alfredo sauce.

Florentine Lasagna Roll-ups
Slightly modified from Kylee Cooks

Alfredo sauce:
1 stick butter
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2oz cream cheese
2 cups half and half
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

12 lasagna noodles

Filling:
2 cups cooked and shredded chicken
1 1/2 cups baby spinach, chopped finely
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella, or cheese of your choice

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Add the cream cheese and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the half and half. Season with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Bring to a simmer (don’t boil!) and whisk frequently until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Add the Parmesan and whisk until melted and blended. Set aside,

Cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse the noodles with cold water. Lay them out to dry on clean kitchen towels. This will make them easier to work with.

While the noodles are cooking, combine the chicken, spinach, ricotta, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and 1 cup mozzarella cheese in a large bowl.

Spread about half a cup of the Alfredo sauce in a 9x13" baking dish. Working with one noodle at a time, place some filling onto each noodle, then roll it up. Place each roll seam side down into your baking dish. Top with the remaining Alfredo sauce and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. (If making in advance, stop here, cover the dish with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake).

Bake at 350 degrees, for about 30 minutes until the casserole is heated through and cheese is bubbling.

Penne with Five Cheeses

Another Sunday dinner prepared by SP. As I've mentioned before, he's loving Ina Garten right now. Her Penne with Five Cheeses sounded not only easy, but delicious. I've never seen a cream sauce like this before - you don't cook it ahead of time, just add the cooked pasta to the sauce and cheese and bake. I was skeptical but it worked.

We all loved this but, unfortunately, it doesn't reheat well. I was so excited for the leftovers the next day, too. Oh well - that just means we get to eat it all next time. The only thing he changed was the cooking method. We don't own enough large ramekins to make individual servings, so we put the pasta and sauce in a large baking dish and baked it at 350 for about 20 minutes, until the sauce was bubbling.

Penne with Five Cheese
From Ina Garten

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup crushed tomatoes in thick tomato puree
1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano (1 1/2 ounces)
1/2 cup shredded Italian fontina (1 1/2 ounces)
1/4 cup crumbled Italian Gorgonzola (1 1/2 ounces)
2 tablespoons ricotta cheese
1/4 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced
6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 pound penne rigate pasta

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all the ingredients except the penne in a large mixing bowl. Mix well.

Cook the penne in boiling, salted water until al dente (1 or 2 minutes less than the recommended cooking time on the package). Drain well in a colander, then add to the ingredients in the mixing bowl, tossing to combine.

Add the pasta to a large baking dish (9x13 or larger). Bake for 20 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the edges are beginning to brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.

Note: due to the cream in the sauce, this doesn't reheat well.

Pasta with Chicken Meatballs

Raise your hand if you miss natural light? ::raises hand:: My photos are nothing special in the spring and summer, but once I lose the natural light all bets are off. And it makes me so sad because I know people choose recipes in part because of the drool-inducing photos. So, my apologies, but you'll have to trust me that this was incredible.

On our flight home from California SP and I both watched cooking shows on the plane. During an episode of Giada's show she made Orecchiette with Mini Chicken Meatballs. It looked so delicious I knew I had to make it as soon as we got home.

I made a few modifications, subbing campagnelle for the orecchiette since I had a box in the pantry. Really, any small shape will do. I also used diced tomatoes because I'm weird and don't like loose tomato skin. Because I used canned tomatoes, I measured out the liquid in the can and then topped it off with chicken broth.

This was truly outstanding, with light, tender meatballs and a delicious sauce made even better by the addition of fresh, melty, gooey mozzarella cheese. The recipe made enough food to feed an army, which was good because we were all fighting over the leftovers.

Pasta with Chicken Meatballs
Slightly adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

1 pound small cut pasta, such as orecchiette, campagnelle, penne, etc.
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon ketchup
3/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound ground chicken
1/4 cup olive oil
chicken stock (amount will vary, see directions)
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes, juice reserved
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or more Pecorino
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, parsley, eggs, milk, ketchup, cheese, and the salt and pepper. Add the chicken and gently stir to combine. With wet hands (this is key, otherwise the chicken will just stick to you rather than form into meatballs), roll the chicken into mini meatballs. Make them as big or as small as you want. You'll need to wet your hands often so keep a bowl of water nearby.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook without moving until brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Turn the meatballs over and brown the other side, about 2 minutes longer.

Add the juice from the tomatoes to a large measuring cup. Add enough chicken stock to make 1 1/2 cups total. Add the chicken stock, tomato juice and tomatoes to the skillet. Bring to a boil. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Add the pasta to the skillet. Add the Parmesan and toss, adding reserved pasta water, if needed, to loosen the pasta. Add the mozzarella cheese and chopped basil. Gently toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Skillet Chicken Saltimbocca Spaghetti

I've done it again. I'm sorry that I disappeared for a few weeks. This whole blogging thing has become a lot more complicated these days. We're just so busy. And the lack of natural light, coupled with a waning desire to be in the kitchen, isn't exactly conducive to blogging.

I wish my photo of this Skillet Chicken Saltimbocca Spaghetti was better because this is one outstanding meal. Go look at Elly's photo to see it in all its drool-inducing glory.

We all thought this was outstanding. Baby Girl isn't a huge fan of capers, but otherwise this was right up her alley. I can't wait to make it again.

Skillet Chicken Saltimbocca Spaghetti
As seen on Elly Says Opa!

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
8 large fresh sages leaves, plus 3 Tbsp. minced sage
1 lb. boneless/skinless chicken breast, cut into pieces
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
pinch of red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons flour
1 cup dry white wine
3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
12 oz. dried spaghetti, broken in half
3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest + 2-3 tablespoons juice

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the prosciutto and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp (about 5 minutes). During the last 30 seconds or so, add the sage leaves and cook until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the prosciutto and sage to a paper-towel lined plate.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper and then place in the hot skillet. Cook until browned and just shy of cooked through. Remove the chicken and keep warm.

Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil to the skillet. Stir in the onion and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5-6 minutes. Stir in the minced sage, garlic, and red pepper flakes, and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the flour and cook for one minute before whisking in the wine. Simmer until reduced by half, about 1-2 minutes.

Slowly whisk in the broth and water. and then stir in the pasta. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook at a vigorous simmer, stirring often with tongs, until pasta is tender and sauce has thickened (about 12 minutes).

Add the chicken and cook just a minute longer, until completely cooked and warmed through. Stir in the capers, butter, lemon zest, and lemon juice, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the pasta with the crispy prosciutto and sage.

Spinach & Parmesan Orzo

::tap, tap, tap:: Is this thing on?

Sorry for disappearing there. I'm hoping some of you have stuck around despite the brief hiatus. I've been saying for months now that I've lost my blogging mojo and, well, it still hasn't returned. But I do have a few posts in my draft folder that I figured I should get published. I hope you guys will stick with me as I weather this (hopefully temporary) storm.

So...spinach and Parmesan orzo. I saw this one on my friend Kylee's blog and it looked like a great, simple side dish. Right up my alley these days.

As suspected, it was easy to make and we all loved it. Baby Girl kept calling it risotto, one of her all-time favorite cold weather meals. I'll definitely be making this one often.

Spinach & Parmesan Orzo
As seen on Kylee Cooks

8oz orzo pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

Cook the orzo according to the package directions.

While the orzo is cooking, heat the olive oil in a saucepan. Add the garlic and cook just until it's fragrant.
Sprinkle the flour into the pot and stir to combine. Whisk in the milk, and continue to cook over low heat until thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Once the orzo is cooked, drain it and add it to the sauce. Add the spinach and Parmesan. Stir gently to combine. Taste it and adjust the seasoning, as needed.