Browned Butter and Sage Sauce

Sometimes, the sauce truly is the boss. The right sauce can transform the most basic pasta meal into something amazing. And it can be achieved with less than 5 ingredients!

I've made some pretty awesome sauces over the years, from romescos to marinaras. But I believe that with certain types of pasta, in particular those made with pumpkin, squash or sweet potato, that something a little lighter and savory fits the bill. One evening I found myself in possession of some leftover fresh sage, as well as sweet potato gnocchi that I had brought back from Pittsburgh over the holidays. With just a few more staples, I had what I needed to make this very basic sauce. So if you find you are short on time, and ingredients, this is a favorite.

Browned Butter and Sage Sauce (serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 4 TB butter
• 8 sage leaves
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Instructions:

While your pasta of choice is cooking, melt the butter in a saute pan and cook until it starts to turn into a golden brown color. Add sage leaves and remove from heat. Add lemon juice and then sit aside until the pasta is done.

Once you've drained your pasta, save a bit of your cooking water and then gently pour into the pan and return the sauce to heat. Add the cheese, toss to coat and then serve.

A Failed Soup Experiment...or was it?

I'll be the first to admit that not everything I cook is a winning dish. But 9 out of 10 times, I think I do pretty damn well. But what constitutes a failed dish? In baking, it's pretty easy to determine. The bread doesn't rise properly or perhaps the brownies sink in the middle of the pan (true story.) With cooking, it's a bit more complicated. Yes, you can burn a dish, or over salt, but what happens when you just don't like it?

This was the case when I tried to make a healthy soup for myself using a few ingredients I had on hand that individually, I enjoy. And this is not to say that they wouldn't work together in other dishes, hell, maybe even in this soup. But for whatever reason, I just hated this soup. Maybe my taste buds were off. Maybe the butternut squash had started to go bad. It could just be that what I was craving was something unhealthy, but I made this and couldn't stomach eating the rest. I share this recipe to show that I am human when it comes to cooking and who knows, maybe this will fit your taste buds just fine.

Butternut Squash, Kale and Pasta Stew (serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, diced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 butternut squash, peeled and diced
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 bunch kale, chopped
• 1 quart vegetable stock
• 3/4 cup tiny pasta, like macaroni
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Peel butternut squash and then dice it into 1/4 inch cubes. Or you can be lazy like me and buy the pre-cut squash, and cook it into smaller pieces.

Cook pasta according to directions.

Add oil to a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add onions and cook for a few minutes until they are soft. Add garlic, rosemary, and squash. Continue to cook until squash starts to soften.

For kale, cut out any large stems and roughly chop. Add kale to pot, cover, and let steam for a minute.

Add vegetable stock to pot and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for a few minutes. Then, add cooked, drained pasta. Season with salt and pepper.

A Celebration of Good Things - Food Recap

Back in September, I had a "celebration of good things." I wanted to achieve a few things with this rooftop party.

1) To celebrate good news I had recently received. From a good prognosis for my mom, good test results for myself, and just having life look pretty good, I felt it was a good excuse to throw a party.

2) To thank all the great friends I have here in DC who have been so supportive in the past year.

3) To have an excuse to make a ton of food to celebrate and be thankful for the above.

I made a lot of dishes that I promised I would post the links for the recipes. They are all dishes that I have made previously on this blog, many of which have become staples for me when having friends over for food.

And in case you're wondering why I chose to use this photo of me attempting a selfie with a less than happy llama at Machu Picchu? My answer is simply...why not? The picture always makes me smile, and hopefully it will do the same for you.

Here's the recipe rundown. I should give a quick shout out to my friend Nick Evans at www.macheesmo.com, since three of the recipes below are courtesy of his awesome blog.

Sticky Wings - I love this sweet and spicy rub on wings. I'm tempted to use this on bone-in chicken this winter.

Chickpea Orzo Salad - This is a great side dish for a picnic, and I often make it for weekday lunches.

Three Bean Avocado Salad - This works wonderfully as a summertime side dish, especially if you have access to a grill to char the corn, but it could easily be made without smoky, grilly access.

Peach Tomatillo Salsa - Love. This. If you're into canning, this would be a great recipe to try.

Tomato Jam - You should also can this.

Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies - I make these cookies all the damn time and they never disappoint.

So while you shouldn't try to take a selfie with a pissed off llama, you should follow my lead in trying any number of these recipes soon.

Fettuccine Alfredo with Asparagus

I am finally back in the kitchen and committed to cooking regularly again, not only to provide myself with tasty lunches to take to work, but also to get a grip on relying too readily on picking up something to go on my way home from work.

As I mentioned in recent posts, I've been traveling a good bit and this has put me not only behind on cooking, but also far behind on my magazine perusals for new recipes. I follow a few blogs for recipes as well as my monthly Cooking Light subscription but it had been weeks since I'd given any of those a look. So this first recipe as I find my way back to cooking again is a simple, light version of fettuccine alfredo, which relies on a lighter cream sauce and the addition of vegetables to flesh out the flavor. This was quite good and relatively guilt-free.

Fettuccine Alfredo with Asparagus (serves 3-4)

Ingredients:

8 oz. uncooked fettuccine

1 tsp. olive oil

1 lb. fresh asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

3/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided

1/2 tsp. black pepper, divided

1 tsp. grated lemon rind

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1 TB butter

1 TB vodka or water

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 oz. 1/3-less-fat cream cheese

1/4 cup fat-free milk

1.5 oz. grated Parmesan cheese, about 6 TB

1 TB chopped fresh chives  

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain in a colander over a bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water. I find the best way to do this is to position a bowl directly below the colander.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add asparagus, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; sauté 6 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove from heat. Add rind and juice; toss. Keep warm.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add vodka and garlic; cook 1 minute. Add cream cheese, stirring until smooth. Stir in milk, Parmesan cheese, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Be sure to stir this consistently at a steady temperature to avoid clumping. Stir in reserved pasta water, pasta, and asparagus; toss to coat noodles.

Sprinkle with chives and serve. I enjoyed this with a fresh tomato salad.

Soba Noodles with Cumin Spiced Lamb

Even though I'm back to work, and a steady paycheck, I'm still employing some of my government shutdown practices. This includes keeping my grocery bills low and going through existing proteins in my freezer, and in this case, small amounts of boxed ingredients sitting in my cabinet. This past week, I opted to work with the 8 oz. of ground lamb I had in my freezer, in addition to some soba noodles. This was a good lunch meal...with a healthy dose of vegetables.

Soba Noodles with Cumin Spiced Lamb (serves 3-4)

Ingredients:

7 oz. uncooked soba noodles

1/2 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth

2 TB rice vinegar

4 1/2 tsp hoisin sauce

1 tsp minced garlic

1/4 tsp five-spice powder

8 oz. ground lamb

1 TB dark sesame oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1 cup snow peas, trimmed

1 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper

9 baby carrots, halved lengthwise

Directions:

Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse; drain well.

Combine chicken broth, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, garlic, and five-spice powder in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.

Heat a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add lamb; cook 2 1/2 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Remove lamb from pan with a slotted spoon; set aside.

Return pan to medium-high heat. Add sesame oil to drippings in pan; swirl to coat. Add cumin and red pepper; cook 30 seconds or until seeds begin to pop, stirring frequently. Add vegetables to pan; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add lamb and broth mixture; cook 1 1/2 minutes or until liquid is slightly reduced. Serve over noodles.

Two-Cheese Mac and Cheese

I should never make mac and cheese. Ever. Because I'll eat all of it. ALL OF IT. In two meals, at best. Even this light recipe falls into that category. It's very creamy and you almost forget that it doesn't contain heavy cream or full-fat cheese. So it's still dangerous, but not in a heart-attack inducing way.

Two-Cheese Mac and Cheese (serves me...just kidding, should serve 4-6 people)

Ingredients:

• 10 oz. large elbow macaroni
• 2 TB canola oil
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 1/4 cups unsalted chicken stock, divided
• 1/2 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
• 8 tsp all-purpose flour
• 4 oz. 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper 
• Cooking spray
• 3 oz.extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 3/4 cup)
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain. Set aside.

Preheat broiler to high.

Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat.

Add garlic to pan; cook 3 minutes or until garlic is fragrant, stirring frequently (do not brown).

Stir in 1 cup stock; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute.

Combine remaining 1 1/4 cups stock, milk, and flour; stir with a whisk until flour dissolves. Add milk mixture to garlic mixture, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil; cook 5 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken.

Remove milk mixture from heat; add cream cheese, stirring until smooth. Stir in salt and pepper. Add cooked pasta to milk mixture, tossing to coat. Let stand 5 minutes.

Pour pasta mixture into a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle cheddar and breadcrumbs evenly over pasta mixture. Broil 3 minutes or until cheese melts and begins to brown. Let stand 5 minutes.

Homemade Marinara and Meatballs

There are plenty of jarred sauces out there. However, I think when you have a little time to kill, it's worth it to make a homemade sauce.

I have made this sauce a few times, and every time it turn out a bit differently. It makes for a small army, so I suggest having company over for this. It also freezes amazingly well. I will be breaking out some of the frozen sauce in the coming weeks as I continue to pack my lunch daily.

I've posted this on here before, but I'm reposting because I've made some adjustments to how I make it, improving it a bit, in my book at least.

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• 5 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 small onion, chopped
• fresh chopped parsley (guesstimate, I have no idea how much I ended up using)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 TB oregano
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Fresh basil (approximately 1/4 cup)
• 3 (28 oz) cans of crushed tomatoes (plum, preferably) in sauce
• 1 (15 oz) can of tomato sauce
• 2 carrots (cut up)
• 1 TB salt
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 3 sweet Italian sausage links
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp baking soda

Directions:

Put olive oil in large cooking pot, put enough in to cover the bottom of the pan. Put the chopped garlic and chopped onions in and simmer until light brown color.

Add the 3 cans of tomatoes in sauce. Also add tomato sauce and mix. Add the cut up carrots, which help cut the acidity in the sauce.

Next add the salt and chopped parsley. Add basil leaves and oregano to the sauce. Add bay leaves and 1/2 tsp sugar in the gravy. Simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine the ground beef, eggs, parsley, bread crumbs, 1/2 tsp salt and a little pepper. Sprinkle in the garlic and onion powders. Mix up and make into meatballs. Put the meatballs into a frying pan coated in olive oil and brown each side. This should take approximately 5 minutes. Then add meatballs to the sauce.

Add sausage to the sauce. It should naturally crumble during the course of cooking. The meat can probably sit in the sauce for up to 1 1/2 hours as it simmers.

Enjoy over your favorite pasta. I like to serve with fresh shredded parmesan.

Mint Pesto

Last weekend, I ran my second 5K. Correction: I ran most of my second 5K. Due to a crazy crowd, having to stand way too long to wait, etc., I came up with a variety of reasons as to why I didn't run the whole damn thing. But one thing I didn't skimp out on was carb-loading the night before. So it was only a 5K. So what. I still wanted an excuse to gorge on some pasta, which I don't do very often.  So I made this mint pesto recipe that I've made a few times before, just never featured on this blog. It comes from my buddy Nick at www.macheesmo.com, who is always coming up with interesting takes on very simple dishes. This is a typical pesto recipe, but you swap the basil for mint. And it's great.

Mint Pesto (serves 4)

Ingredients:
  

• 1 1/2 cups loosely packed fresh mint   
• 1/2 cup loosely packed flat leaf parsley   
• 2 TB pine nuts   
• 3 cloves garlic   
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese   
• 1/3 cup olive oil 
• Salt and Pepper to taste 

Directions:

Wash the mint and parsley well. Toast the pine nuts for a few minutes in a dry pan.

Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse until they resemble a coarse paste.Taste the pesto and adjust the flavors. It might need a bit more oil or salt and pepper.

Toss pesto with hot pasta and serve with extra Parmesan cheese.

Orzo and Spinach Salad

Yesterday I revisited a great tradition from 2012...family dinner with some friends in Southwest DC to watch some of our favorite HBO programming. Family dinners started with True Blood a few years ago when my good friend Drina would whip up awesome Creole and southern dishes. It evolved to the group of us watching other HBO shows, including Big Live, Boardwalk Empire, and others. The group had started to watch Game of Thrones two years ago, and while I was a late adopter to the series, I did score an invite for the season premiere this weekend.

My friend Will made a great chicken and pasta dish, not to mention his first cake. I made a light side dish that turned out pretty flavorful despite its simplicity. I'll be making this one again.

Orzo and Spinach Salad (serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup uncooked orzo
• 2 cups spinach
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in halves
• 1/4 cup feta cheese
• 2 tsp white wine vinegar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:

Cook orzo according to instructions on box.  Drain, and then toss into a bowl with the spinach. Mix thoroughly until the spinach starts to wilt slightly.

Add cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, salt and pepper. Toss together. Add white wine vinegar and mix together. Serve immediately.

Seriously, it's that simple. This is not great the second day, so having leftovers isn't ideal. But this is so tasty, I doubt you'll have much left over. This is great for a summer picnic or to accompany heavier main dishes.




Asparagus Pesto Lasagna for Two

Have you ever watched that show called "Kitchen Nightmares?"  Neither have I...but I felt as if I was experiencing my own little kitchen nightmare when I made this dish last week. In theory, it's a great idea, and one I plan to repeat...with different ingredients. Who doesn't love a great lasagna. But it's rare that you have enough people over to warrant making a large batch of it. This recipe calls for making the lasagna in a loaf pan. I think this is a great concept, you just have to break the lasagna noodles in half to fit the pan, and layer just like you would for a regular lasagna.

So at which point did this become a kitchen nightmare? The moment I removed the lasagna from the oven. It was sitting in a bed of oil and even after training a bit and putting back in the oven, hoping it just needed a little more time, it remained an oily, slippery mess. The kicker is it tasted great, but it was not something I would ever serve to others.

So why post it? I'm convinced that the pesto is to blame (I used a jarred variety which may have been a bit too oily), and perhaps simply making this with tomato sauce and meat would have worked out just fine. Again, it's a great concept and something that I will try in a different form in the near future. This is proof that not everything I post is perfect, but I keep experimenting anyway, and come away smarter than I went in.

Asparagus Pesto Lasagna for 2

Ingredients:

1 cup whole basil leaves

1 small clove garlic

1 tablespoon pine nuts

2 TB extra-virgin olive oil

1 TB grated parmesan cheese

Pinch of salt

1/2 pound asparagus

1 TB extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp minced garlic

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 cups mascarpone cheese

1 sheet fresh pasta or 4 lasagna noodles , cooked, rinsed, and coated with olive oil

1 cup grated fontina cheese

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions:

Combine first 5 ingredients in a food processor and blend. (If too thick, add water or more olive oil.) Season with salt and set aside.

Sauté asparagus in olive oil over high heat for 4 minutes. Add garlic, cook 1 minute, and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 375°. Grease a small loaf pan (about 4" x 8") with butter. Combine mascarpone and pesto. Cut pasta to fit dish and place enough noodles in pan to cover bottom; top with 1/3 cup fontina cheese, 1/3 of the asparagus, and 1/3 of the pesto mixture; then sprinkle with Parmesan. Repeat layering two more times with remaining ingredients. Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes. Discard foil and continue baking 10 additional minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.

Spicy Tomato and Chicken Pasta

I'll keep the word "spicy" as the title for this post, because perhaps it is in fact spicy for some people. But for me, I found this to be pretty mild. In fact, this might be a kid-friendly dish for families to try because it is pretty simple, doesn't require any exotic ingredients, and healthy. I don't eat a lot of pasta and when I want to go on a carb-binge, I also want it to include binge-worthy ingredients. Like meat. Sausage. And lots of cheese. Yes, this is on the lighter side and probably not something I'll make again. But if you're looking for something mild in flavor and easy to make, this is it!

Spicy Tomato and Chicken Pasta (serves 4)

Ingredients:

1 tsp ground fennel seed

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 lb chicken breast tenders, cut into (1-inch) pieces

1 TB olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

4 cups canned diced tomatoes, undrained

1 cup white wine

8 oz uncooked penne

1/4 cup (1 oz) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Directions:
Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl; rub over chicken.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 4 minutes, turning once. Remove from heat; set aside.

Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds or until garlic is soft. Add tomatoes and wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Add chicken, and simmer 5 minutes.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain. Toss pasta with sauce in a large bowl. Sprinkle with cheese and basil.

Tortellini Tomato Spinach Soup

As part of the post-holiday detox, I wanted to make a simple soup that I could easily whip up in an hour or less and that wouldn't require too much prep work. You can't get much easier than this recipe, which calls for pre-made tortellini and a few simple ingredients.

Tortellini Tomato Spinach Soup (serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 1 TB olive oil
• 1/2 cup minced onion (about 1/2 small onion)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 to 6 cups broth, chicken or vegetable
• 1 (14-ounce) can whole tomatoes, crushed through your fingers or coarsely chopped
• 1 (9-ounce) package fresh tortellini
• Coarse grained salt and cracked black pepper
• 10 oz fresh or frozen spinach, defrosted and chopped
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, very loosely packed

Instructions:

 

In a 3-quart soup pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Saute the onion and garlic, stirring often until onions are translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add broth and tomatoes, turn heat up to high, and bring to a boil. Add the tortellini and cook according to package instructions.

 

When tortellini is almost done, add spinach and taste, adjusting seasonings with salt and pepper. Serve immediately. Garnish each serving with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.

Creamy Butternut, Blue Cheese and Walnut Pasta

When I try to cook vegetarian, it usually ends up being a dish with a pasta base. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I'm trying to limit my carbohydrate intake, so I opted to try a recipe that uses pasta sparingly, almost as a side ingredient to the main act-butternut squash.

This simple butternut squash pasta dish can be made with any tipe of rounded pasta, I opted to make it with gemili, though the recipe called for cavatappi.

Creamy Butternut, Blue Cheese, and Walnut Cavatappi (serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

4 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 1/3 pounds)

2 1/2 tsp olive oil, divided

1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided

Cooking spray

8 oz uncooked cavatappi/pasta

1 cup prechopped onion

1 TB minced garlic

1 cup 2% reduced-fat milk, divided

1 tsp all-purpose flour

2 large egg yolks

2 oz blue cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)

3 TB chopped walnuts, toasted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°.

Combine squash, 1 1/2 teaspoons oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 24 minutes or until tender, stirring once.

Cook the pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain pasta; keep warm.

Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in 1/2 cup milk, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Combine remaining 1/2 cup milk, flour, and yolks in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Slowly add egg mixture to pan, stirring constantly with a whisk. Cook 5 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently with a whisk.

Combine squash, pasta, and milk mixture in a large bowl; toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with cheese and nuts.

Chicken with Pepperoni Sauce

As I prepare to take my vacation, I've been trying to work through ingredients that I already had to avoid going to the grocery store and spending money on food that would likely go bad during my absence. This recipe requires few ingredients and is extremely easy to make. I made this for my parents during their visit and they commented that it would be a good meal for my brother and his wife to make, since they are short on time with the baby. I think they're right. This would be a great meal for a busy family, especially one with kids because there isn't really anything in this meal that a picky kid wouldn't like.

Chicken with Pepperoni Sauce (serves 4)

Ingredients:

• Cooking spray
• 1/2 tsp minced fresh garlic
• 16 slices pepperoni, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
• 2 TB chopped fresh basil
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds chicken cutlets
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Preheat broiler to high.

Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add garlic and pepperoni; cook 2 minutes or until garlic begins to brown, stirring frequently. Add oregano; cook 30 seconds. Add marinara sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in basil.

Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Sprinkle chicken with pepper. Add chicken to skillet; cook 5 minutes or until lightly browned, turning after 3 minutes. Spoon sauce over chicken; sprinkle evenly with cheese. Broil 2 minutes or until cheese melts.

Serve over pasta with a green salad.

Food Porn: Eastern Market Ravioli

When I first moved to DC, I used to date a guy who lived near Eastern Market. I am grateful to him for introducing me to this neighborhood of the city as because it has become one of my favorite spots to go on the weekends during the summertime.  And while that relationship didn't last, my love affair with Eastern Market (8 years and counting) is still going strong.

In addition to an outdoor flea market and farmers' market, there is an indoor area with vendors who have been selling their products in the market for decades, some dating back to the 1920s. One of these vendors makes amazing homemade pasta, offering an array of raviolis.

I try a different type each time I visit. They offer everything from meat to exotic cheese to chocolate-filled varieties. This particular weekend I went with a type filled with asparagus and gruyere cheese. I served this with a vodka sauce and a green salad. So if you ever find yourself down by Eastern Market, try out the pastas!

Orzo Pasta Salad

The other day I was talking with my friend Sam about the awesomeness that is Trader Joe's. Unfortunately, the Trader Joe's closest to me is near the George Washington University campus and it's a real pain to get to and it's by far the worst store layout I've ever seen. Yet somehow those Hawaiian-shirted cashiers get the job done pretty quickly. In any case, it's been a while since I've gone to the store for my quarterly stock up grocery order where I get sucked in to their ethnic microwaveable meals and cheap staple items. I see a trip in my immediate future as I just used up the last of my last Trader Joe's haul as part of this weekend's brunch. I finally used the 1-pound bag of orzo pasta that has been patiently waiting in my cupboard.

This pasta salad recipe is really easy and makes for a small army. After having 9 people over for brunch on Sunday, I still had several servings left for myself for lunch this week.

Orzo Pasta Salad (serves a small army, or maybe 10 hungry women)

Ingredients:

• 1 pound orzo
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 12 oz. grape tomatoes (quartered)
• 8 oz. feta cheese
• 2/3 cup toasted pine nuts
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 small can of sliced black olives
• salt and pepper (to taste)
• balsamic vinegar (to taste)

Directions: 

Cook orzo as instructed on package.

Toast pine nuts in a skillet with a little bit of olive oil until lightly browned.

Once pasta has cooked and cooled, toss all other ingredients together with the olive oil and a little balsamic vinegar (I used maybe 1/4 cup). Another option would be to use an Italian vinaigrette dressing.

Serve cold.

Homemade Marinara Sauce with Meatballs

There are some recipes that you've had for years and it doesn't turn out the same way each time. This is one of those recipes. I acquired this from my aunt who married into an Italian family. The ingredient list only sparingly includes measurements (i.e., it indicates "three cans of tomatoes," but doesn't specify size) and omits certain seasonings in the ingredients list, but mentions them in the body of the directions. In any case, it's easy to experiment with this recipe and it still turns out fabulous. I had a few friends over to watch the season premiere of Mad Men and this traditional, Italian meal was a hit. Even if I made it up as I went along. Be sure to allow some time for this, because I think it's best for the sauce to simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours. And invite friends,  because it makes a ton (but lucky for me...freezes very well!) My apologies for the bad photo...I was too busy drinking wine and ogling over Jon Hamm to remember to take a decent photo.

Homemade Marinara Sauce with Meatballs (serves 8 hungry people)

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• 5 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• fresh chopped parsley (guesstimate, I have no idea how much I ended up using)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 TB oregano
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Fresh basil (approximately 1/4 cup)
• 3 (28 oz) cans of crushed tomatoes (plum, preferably) in sauce
• 1 (15 oz) can of tomato sauce
• 2 carrots (cut up)
• 1 TB salt
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 3 sweet Italian sausage links (optional, but I think add great flavor)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp baking soda

Directions

Put olive oil in lagre cooking pot, put enough in to cover the bottom of the pan. Put the chopped garlic and chopped onions in and simmer until light brown color.

Add the 3 cans of tomatoes in sauce. Also add tomato sauce and mix. Add the cut up carrots, which help cut the acidity in the sauce.

Next add the salt and chopped parsley. Add basil leaves and oregano to the sauce. Add bay leaves and 1/2 tsp sugar in the gravy. Simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours.

Meanwhile,  in a large bowl combine the ground beef, eggs, parsley, bread crumbs, 1/2 tsp salt and a little pepper. Sprinkly in the garlic and onion powders. Mix up and make into meatballs. Put the meatballs into a frying pan (coated in olive oil and brown each side. Then add meatballs to the sauce.

Brown sausage if desire and then add to the sauce. The meat can probably sit in the sauce for up to 1 1/2 hours as it simmers. Enjoy over your favorite pasta. I like to serve with fresh shredded parmesean.

Sweet Potato Stuffed Shells

Despite most of my dishes on this blog, I do occasionally make something that does not include meat! (this is for all you vegetarian friends of mine). My friend Nick posted this to his blog (http://www.macheesmo.com/) back in January and I've been itching to make it for a while now. I've altered his recipe ever so slightly and was really happy with the results. I'm a relatively recent convert to sweet potatoes, and think this is one good way to try them out. Stuffed shells make for great leftovers and this recipe easily will serve 4-6 people. In other words, I'll have lunch for a week!

Sweet Potato Stuffed Shells (serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

• 2 large yams or sweet potatoes, boiled and mashed
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 fresh sage leaves, minced
• 3 TB unsalted butter
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1 28 oz can tomato sauce
• 6 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 12 oz pasta shells, cooked al dente
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh chives (garnish)

Directions:

Peel and cube yams and boil them in salted water until they are very tender, about 12-15 minutes. Drain and mash in a bowl.

Cook shells until al dente and then remove and drain shells.

Dice onions, sage, and garlic and saute in butter over medium heat until onions are soft, about 5-6 minutes. Add red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt.

Add onion mixture to mashed yams with cinnamon, greek yogurt, cream, and walnuts. Stir together and season with salt and pepper.

Add half of the tomato sauce to the bottom of a baking dish. I ended up having to use baking dish because I had a lot of shells. Working with one shell at a time, fill shell with a few spoonfuls of filling. Arrange stuffed shells in baking dish. Once the dish is full, top each shell with extra sauce and a shredded mozzarella.

Cover dish loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Then uncover and bake dish for another 15 minutes at 400 degrees. Serve shells garnished with fresh chopped chives.