Eating Well's Fettuccine Alfredo

I loved this pasta from Eating Well.  It was really yummy and reheated well for lunch the next day.  But, it didn't really taste anything like Fettuccine Alfredo, in my opinion.  It was just a nice Parmesan-y sauce.

I doubled this recipe so I would have leftovers.  I substituted summer squash for zucchini, whole wheat spaghetti for fettuccine, and dried spices for fresh.  I also just put chopped garlic in the broth and heated it up; I didn't bother with the whole blender step.  Still tasted great.

Ingredients
3/4 cup vegetable broth
4 large cloves garlic, peeled
4 ounces whole-wheat fettuccine
1 small zucchini, cut into matchsticks
2 teaspoons cornstarch, mixed with 1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Combine broth and garlic cloves in a small saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the garlic cloves are soft, about 15 minutes. 
After the garlic has simmered about 10 minutes, cook fettuccine in the boiling water, stirring often, for 8 minutes. Drop in zucchini and cook until the fettuccine is just tender, about 1 minute more.

Meanwhile, transfer the garlic and broth to a blender. Process until the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute.  Return the mixture to the pot and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add cornstarch mixture; whisk it until slightly thickened, about 15 seconds. Remove from the heat and whisk in sour cream, nutmeg and pepper. Return the pot to very low heat to keep the sauce warm. (Do not boil.)

Drain the pasta and place in a large bowl. Add the sauce and 1/2 cup Parmesan; toss to coat well. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately, passing the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan separately.

Sheetal Bhagat's Thai Peanut Pasta

I brought this recipe to a picnic potluck, and everyone went back for seconds!  Using what I had on hand, I substituted yellow onion for shallots, vegetable stock for chicken stock, and regular sesame seeds for black sesame seeds.  I also omitted the zucchini.  Very tasty, and a good amount of spice-- had a nice kick, but not overly hot.  The recipe says it feeds four; I think it makes a lot more than that.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp butter
¼ cup minced shallot
½ tsp minced garlic
½ cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock (I used vegetable stock)
½ cup smooth natural peanut butter
1 tsp chili paste
1 tbsp vinegar (I used rice wine vinegar)
½ cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb linguini noodles, boiled
1 cup zucchini, small dice
¼ cup shredded carrot
¼ cup green onion, bias cut, garnish
2 tbsp black sesame, garnish

Directions:
Heat sauté pan on medium heat. Add butter, melt. Add shallot, sauté. Add garlic, cook for a minute. Add wine, let simmer and reduce by ½. Add stock, cook for 1 minute. Add peanut butter and smooth out the lumps. Add chili paste and vinegar. Cook off some of the liquid to thicken the sauce. Add cream, reduce heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Sauté zucchini in 1 tbsp oil. Do not overcook; retain the crunch of the zucchini. Remove from heat, add carrots. Mix. Toss linguini with sauce and vegetables. Top with green onion and sesame seeds.

Ina Garten's Roasted Shrimp and Orzo Pasta Salad

I was alerted to this recipe from the Barefoot Contessa via the "20 Paws 4 Feet" blog. I had some orzo in my cupboard that I didn't know what to do with (it was leftover from a recipe I tried that I wasn't too keen about) so I decided to give this one a try.  It says it serves 6-- that would be 6 very hungry people!  This makes a ton.  You could easily half this recipe and still have plenty. I took this to a party and it was well received.

Ingredients

Kosher salt
1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
3/4 pound orzo pasta (rice-shaped pasta)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
Freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds (16 to 18 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used a one pound bag and it was plenty)
1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts
1 cup chopped fresh dill (seemed like too much to me)
1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (I used dried; couldn't find fresh at the store)
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and medium-diced
1/2 cup small-diced red onion
3/4 pound good feta cheese, large diced

Directions

1.) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2.) Fill a large pot with water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and a splash of oil, and bring the water to a boil. Add the orzo and simmer for 9 to 11 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's cooked al dente. Drain and pour into a large bowl. Whisk together the lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Pour over the hot pasta and stir well.

3.) Meanwhile, place the shrimp on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to combine and spread out in a single layer. Roast for 5 to 6 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked through. Don't overcook!

4.) Add the shrimp to the orzo and then add the scallions, dill, parsley, cucumber, onion, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Toss well. Add the feta and stir carefully. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend, or refrigerate overnight. If refrigerated, taste again for seasonings and bring back to room temperature before serving.

Giada De Laurentiis's Pasta with Eggplant, Butternut Squash, and Shrimp

I had planned to make a different eggplant dish this week, but I had some squash left over from making butternut squash risotto.  So, I googled my ingredients and came up with this recipe from Giada. I reposted her original recipe below, but I basically used the amounts that I had leftover in my fridge, which is to say I used the recipe as a basic outline and kind of winged it from there.  In general I used a good deal less than is called for in the recipe-- it serves 6, so it's quite a bit if you follow the recipe exactly). The only substitutions I made was dried thyme instead of fresh, regular eggplant instead of Japanese, and whole wheat farfalle instead of the orange (??) spaghetti.

Looking at the comments section of the recipe, it seemed like people either loved or hated this dish.  Personally, I thought it was good, but it didn't knock my socks off or anything.  I would make it again.  Some red pepper flakes or something with a little more kick would probably be a good addition to this dish.  Overall, a nice healthy meal that was pretty easy to make.

Ingredients
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 5 cups) (You can get precut squash in the grocery store-- makes this step a lot easier!)
2 Japanese eggplants, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 1/4 cups dry white wine
2 cups fish broth, fresh or frozen, or canned vegetable broth (I used vegetable broth)
2 pounds uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt and pepper
17.5 ounces orange-colored fresh spaghetti or linguine
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

Directions

1) Heat the oil in a heavy large nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for just a minute.

2) Add the squash, eggplant, rosemary and thyme and saute for 8 to 10 minutes.

3) Add the wine and broth and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer until the squash is tender and the liquid is reduced by about half, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. (At this step, I used enough liquid to just cover the vegetables. I found that I needed about 20 minutes to let this simmer.  I also covered it for part of the time so the veggies would get soft.)

4) Add the shrimp and simmer gently until almost cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

5) Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Drain pasta. (Alternatively, you can use dried pasta, which will take 8 to 10 minutes to cook.)

6) Toss the pasta, squash mixture, and butter in a large bowl until the liquid thickens slightly and coats the pasta. Transfer the pasta mixture to a wide shallow bowl and serve.  I garnished the pasta with some parmesan cheese.

Almond Crusted Tilapia from Cooking Light

If you have a food processor, this recipe from Cooking Light is quick and easy.  I followed the directions exactly, except I used a bit more oil. I found it to be a little bland-- next time I would probably double the spices.  I also added a squeeze of lemon at the end.  I didn't have parsley so I omitted, but it would be a nice addition.

Ingredients

1/4 cup whole natural almonds
2 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon salt-free garlic and herb seasoning blend (such as Mrs. Dash)
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Directions

1. Place first 4 ingredients in a blender or food processor; process 45 seconds or until finely ground. Transfer crumb mixture to a shallow dish.

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Brush mustard over both sides of fillets; dredge in crumb mixture. Add fish to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired.

Eggplant Roll-Ups

These were quite tasty, and very easy to make.  I am always on the lookout for a good eggplant recipe!  I got this from the vegetarian blog, fresh365.  I cut the original recipe in half.  Serves 2 as an entree.

Ingredients

1 medium eggplant
1 T olive oil
1/4 large onion, chopped
1 T minced garlic
1/4 c sun-dried tomatoes (I used sundried tomato pesto)
1 c  ricotta cheese
salt and pepper
small handful basil, chopped (I used dried)
1 1/2 c prepared red sauce (I used tomato-basil spaghetti sauce)
1/2 c shredded mozzarella or parmesan (or a combination)

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350F. Cut the stems off eggplant, and discard. Slice eggplant lengthwise into 1/4” strips.

2) Arrange slices on a non-stick baking sheet, and sprinkle with a few pinches of salt. The original recipe says to cook for 12-15 minutes until the eggplant is just tender.  This didn't seem to be enough; I cooked for 15 minutes, flipped the slices over, and cooked for an additional 5 minutes. Allow eggplant to cool at room temperature. Leave oven on at 350F.

3) In a small pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and sauté 5-7 minutes, until onion begins to turn golden brown.  If you wish, you can add a little water, white wine, or broth to help loosen and scrape up all the yummy brown bits in the pan.  Stir in sun-dried tomatoes, and cook 2 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add ricotta, salt, pepper, and basil. Stir until well combined.

4) In a 8x8 glass dish, spread enough red sauce along the bottom to cover it. Remove eggplant from baking sheet, and place on a flat work surface. Scoop a few tablespoons of ricotta-spread in the middle of each eggplant. Roll up, and place, seam side down, side by side in the dish (they will fit snugly, in two rows). Pour remaining red sauce over the top, and sprinkle with mozzarella or parmesan.

5) Bake 15-18 minutes, until heated through. Finish under the broiler for 3-4 minutes, until cheese is bubbling and golden brown.

Georgetown Cupcake - Chocolate Ganche

Here's the recipe for the famous Georgotown Cupake chocolate ganche cupcakes! They turned out amazing and really looked just like the ones from Georgetown Cupcake (I was just there this past weekend)! Moist, chocolately, and yummy!! I used a cocoa powder that was purchased from Whole Foods and used Ghiradelli semi sweet chocolate instead. The recipe made exactly 18 cupcakes.
Valrhona cocoa powder and Callebaut chocolate are sold at Sur La Table stores; call for availability.
The cupcakes are best when served on the same day they are made. If the cupcakes are dipped once, you'll have about 1/2 cup of ganache left over.
Makes 18 cupcakes
Ingredients:For the cupcakes
1 1/4 cups flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking soda, sifted
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (4 ounces) European-style unsalted butter, such as Plugra brand, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract, preferably Madagascar bourbon
1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
1/2 cup Valrhona cocoa powder, sifted (see headnote; may substitute another good-quality cocoa powder)For the ganache frosting
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup Callebaut semisweet chocolate chips (6.4 ounces; see headnote; may substitute other good-quality semisweet chocolate chips)
Directions:
For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard cupcake pan with 12 baking cups, and a second pan with 6 baking cups.Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt on a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper.
Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer. Beat on medium speed until fluffy. Stop to add the sugar; beat on medium speed until well incorporated.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing slowly after each addition.
Combine the vanilla extract and milk in a large liquid measuring cup.
Reduce the speed to low. Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, then gradually add one-third of the milk mixture, beating until well incorporated. Add another one-third of the flour mixture, followed by one-third of the milk mixture. Stop to scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the remaining flour mixture, followed by the remaining milk mixture, and beat just until combined.
Add the cocoa powder, beating (on low speed) just until incorporated.
Use a standard-size ice cream scoop to fill each cupcake paper with batter, so that the wells are two-thirds full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes (start checking at 15 minutes) or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the ganache frosting: Lay a large piece of wax paper on the work surface.
Combine the heavy cream and chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Fill a medium saucepan with an inch or two of water and place over medium-low heat. Place the bowl over the saucepan and let the mixture melt, stirring until it is shiny and smooth.
Remove the bowl of chocolate ganache from the saucepan; let it cool slightly, for 2 to 3 minutes. Working with 1 cupcake at a time, carefully dip each cupcake top in the warm ganache, twisting your wrist as needed to make sure the cupcake top gets completely coated. To prevent drips, quickly turn the cupcake right side up and place on the wax paper. Allow the ganache to set for 5 minutes before serving.

Martha Stewart's Strawberry Cupcakes

I got together with Steph and Jenn to do some cupcake baking.  This was my contribution, courtesy of Martha Stewart.  The cupcakes were pretty labor-intensive due to the meringue in both the cupcake batter and the frosting, but they came out quite delicious.  The frosting was particularly yummy!  The cupcakes themselves were very good, but came out a bit crumbly.  That may be because I used all-purpose flour instead of cake flour, because I couldn't find any at the store.  

Instead of reposting the recipe here, I'll direct you to the links for the white cupcakes and the strawberry meringue buttercream frosting.  If you're not familiar with making meringue, I would watch the videos of Martha making these cupcakes with Jennifer Garner!

Rachael Ray's Lemon Chive Spaghetti with Veggies

I saw this recipe on the Rachael Ray show so I thought I'd give it a try.   I thought it was okay, but to me the sauce was too lemon-y.  I might try it again but I would only use one lemon.

Ingredients

Salt

1 pound egg tagliatelle, such as Delverde brand or other thin, wide pasta or egg pasta (I used fettuccine)

1/2 pound thin asparagus, trimmed of tough ends

1/4 to 1/3 pound of thin green beans, a couple of handfuls

1 cup frozen green peas (I used canned)

1 tablespoon EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 tablespoons sweet butter

1/2 cup finely chopped chives

2 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 Meyer lemons or 2 ripe organic lemons

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese to taste, plus some to pass at table

Pepper

2 cups mache or other baby lettuce (I omitted)

Directions

1) Bring a large pot of water to a boil for pasta. Cook pasta to al dente according to package, about 7-8 minutes.

2)Slice asparagus in 1-inch pieces on an angle. Cut beans into thirds, also on an angle. Midway through cooking the pasta, add asparagus and beans to water so they cook 3-4 minutes in boiling water with the pasta.

3) Add peas to the pot 1 minute before draining. Reserve about 1/2 cup starchy cooking water just before you drain the pasta.

4) Meanwhile, heat EVOO in pan and melt butter into it over low to medium-low heat. Add chives and garlic and stir a minute or two. Then add wine and gently reduce a couple of minutes more. Juice the lemons, stir in Dijon and lemon juice and turn off heat.

5) Add pasta and remaining starchy water and toss to coat evenly 1-2 minutes. Add some cheese and pepper to taste. Fold in baby lettuce and serve with extra cheese on top.

Commander's Palace Pain Perdu

Gary and I went to New Orleans last year and loved it. A highlight of the trip was our dinner at Commander's Palace. Gary bought me their cookbook, and a few weeks ago made this French toast, or "pain perdu" from the book. Delicious!

Ingredients

6 medium eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp nutmeg
8 slices day-old French bread, cut 3/4 inch thick on the bias
2 TB butter
1/8 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup cane syrup, molasses, or honey butter
salt and pepper

Directions

1) Whisk eggs with the milk and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Add to egg mixture and whisk until well blended.

2) Place 4 slices of bread into the egg mixture, soaking for 5 seconds on each side. Melt 1 TB butter in a nonstick skillet over high heat. When butter starts to brown (about 2 minutes), put the soaked bread slices in the pan and reduce heat to medium-high. Cook for 1-1.5 minutes on each side until done.

3) Remove slices from pan and keep warm. Wipe pan with a paper towel, melt another TB of butter, and repeat until all the bread has been cooked.

4) Finish the slices with powdered sugar and serve with syrup, molasses, or honey butter.

Asparagus Quiche with Fried Onions

Another easy quiche recipe. I got this from my sister Leanne.

Ingredients
One nine-inch frozen premade pie shell
3 medium eggs
1 green onion, chopped (I omitted)
3 ounces (1 can) of french-fried onion rings
1 cup of shredded Swiss cheese (I used asagio cheese)
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup of asparagus, cooked, chopped
½ cup of milk
½ cup of cream (I used fat free half-and-half)

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Let frozen pie shell defrost for about 10 minutes.

2)Mix together all of the ingredients and pour into the pie shell.

3)Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the middle comes out clean.

4)Allow to stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Pumpkin Black Bean Soup

Shannon made this once and I loved it, so she shared the recipe. I've made it several times now. I have also used pureed sweet potato instead of pumpkin, which is also very good. I have simplified it from the original recipe. Quick and easy.

Ingredients
2 15 oz. cans black beans, drained and well rinsed
1 15 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
1 15 oz. can pumpkin (or pureed sweet potatoes)
1 32 oz. box of vegetable stock
3 TB rice vinegar (can substitute sherry vinegar or cider vinegar)
1/2 large yellow onion, diced
approx 3 TB minced garlic
1 TB butter
salt and pepper

Directions
1)Melt butter in the bottom of a large soup pot over medium heat. Season the onions and garlic with salt and pepper and saute them in the butter until the onions are carmelized, about 15 minutes.

2)Add all the remaining ingredients-- vegetable stock, beans, tomatoes, vinegar, and pumpkin. Stir all ingredients together and reduce heat to medium low.

3)Cook the soup for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens. Remove from heat and serve.

Butternut Squash Risotto

Gary said this is one of the best things I ever made!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1 cup white wine
3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 medium onion, minced
2 TB minced garlic
3-4 cups butternut squash, cubed
1 cup baby bella mushrooms, sliced
A big handful of fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
3-4 TB of toasted pine nuts
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Cooking spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray. Add the butternut squash, mushrooms, and sage. Salt and pepper to taste. Toss with enough olive oil to lightly coat the vegetables. Roast the veggies in the oven until soft, approximately 30-40 minutes.

To cook the risotto, heat a few TB of olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Add the garlic and onions, and cook until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add salt to taste. While you are cooking the onions, warm the broth in a separate pot over medium low heat (do not boil). Risotto cooks best when the broth is warm.

Stir in the rice. Cook for about 2 minutes until rice is covered with oil and lightly toasted. Pour in the white wine. Stir the rice constantly until the wine is almost completely absorbed, and the rice starts getting plump and creamy. Begin adding broth, 1/2 cup at a time. Each time you add broth, continue to stir the risotto until the broth is almost absorbed, and then add more. Continue until all your broth is used up. The whole process will take about 20-25 minutes. The rice should be soft and creamy by the time you are done.

Stir in the parmesan cheese until it is melted. Finally, stir in the roasted vegetables and toasted pine nuts. (To toast pine nuts, place in the toaster oven or regular oven at 400 degrees on a cookie sheet for about 3 minutes.) Sprinkle some more parmesan cheese on top and serve immediately. Serves 2 with leftovers.

To rewarm leftover risotto, add a little milk to moisten before reheating in the microwave or the stovetop.

Easy Broccoli and Mushroom Quiche

This is an easy and forgiving quiche recipe that is very flexible. Instead of broccoli, mushrooms, and cheddar cheese, substitute your favorite veggies, meat, or cheese. This is a quick and easy weeknight dinner, or make ahead for brunch-- it reheats beautifully. The measurements below are approximate.

Ingredients

1 frozen deep dish pie shell
1 1/2 cup chopped broccoli, steamed until soft
1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
4 eggs
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 cup half and half
2 TB flour
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take pie shell out of the freezer and allow to thaw for about 10 minutes.

Beat eggs in a large bowl. Stir in half and half, cheddar cheese, flour, salt, and pepper.

Place broccoli and mushrooms in the pie shell. Pour egg mixture over the vegetables, and top with parmesan cheese.

Put the pie shell on a cookie sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick placed in the quiche comes out clean.

Allow to cool at least 15 minutes before serving. Serves 4+.

Veggie Stuffed Cannelloni

This recipe is originally from allrecipes.com but I modified it slightly and they are listed below:

Ingredients

• 8 cannelloni noodles - used one box of manicotti noodles
  
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 shallots, chopped - forgot to pick up at grocery store, but I would think that it would be good to add in the next time that I make it
  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup dry sherry
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream - used whipping cream instead of heavy, which probably made the sauce thinner, but not quite as fatty
  
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1 small eggplant, diced
• 2 roasted red bell peppers, diced - was not added this time
  
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3/4 cup ricotta cheese - used the whole small container
  
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. In a large pot of salted water, parboil cannelloni. (Parboiling is partially cooking the noodles in boiling water; they will finish cooking when baked.)
2. Meanwhile, cook 2 cloves garlic and 2 shallots in 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat for 30 seconds. Pour in sherry, raise heat to high, and reduce liquid by half. Stir in cream, and reduce until there is about 1 1/2 cups liquid. Remove from heat, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set cream sauce aside.
3. In a large skillet, heat one tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Cook onion, 3 shallots, 3 cloves garlic, mushrooms, zucchini, and eggplant in olive oil until all vegetables are tender. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in red peppers, basil, oregano, ricotta, and Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set filling aside.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease one 9x13 inch baking dish. Stuff vegetable/cheese filling into cannelloni. Place in prepared baking dish, and cover with cream sauce.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Guinea Pig Dinners has been resurrected! My contribution was stuffed acorn squash from Cate's World Kitchen. It had a nice sweet taste, and folks seemed to enjoy it. I made a few modifications to the recipe.

Recipe:
(Originally from Martha Stewart, October 2009)

3 small to medium acorn squashes halved and seeded (I used one large)
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (I added more)
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tsp. course salt, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup bulgur wheat (I used plain couscous)
2 1/4 cups water
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped (I omitted)
3 tbsp. toasted pine nuts
1 1/4 cups cooked or canned garbanzo beans
butter and brown sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 F. Place the squash halves cut-sides down in a greased 9×13 inch casserole dish or roasting pan. Bake until tender, 35 to 40 minutes. I added an additional step here-- after baking, I turned the squash cut-side-up and added butter and brown sugar. I broiled the squash for an additional five minutes.

While the squash is in the oven, heat the oil in a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add the onions, cinnamon and nutmeg, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are very soft and fragrant (5 to 7 minutes) adding 2-3 tbsp of water after the first two or three minutes to keep the onions from drying out or burning.

Add garlic, and cook for an additional minute.

Add remaining teaspoon salt and the bulgur, and stir to combine. (If using couscous, cook the couscous separately according to package directions, and disregard the rest of this paragraph!) Add water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the pot sit covered for 5 minutes.

Fluff the bulgar (or couscous) with a fork, and add the raisins, parsley, pine nuts and garbanzo beans. (Add the onion/garlic mixture here if you didn't cook them together.) Stir together to combine and adjust seasonings if necessary

When the squash is soft, take it out of the oven. Let it cool a little and scrape out enough of the flesh to form 1/4 inch thick bowls.

Mix the squash flesh into the bulgur mixture. Divide among squash halves, and return them to the oven. Bake until warmed through and tops are browned, about 12 to 14 minutes. (I didn't stuff the squash-- I mixed all ingredients in a casserole dish and put in the oven until warm.)

Serves 6-8.

Butter and Sage Sauce

I have sage growing like gangbusters in my front yard, so tonight I made this simple pasta sauce recipe from Mario Batali. I paired it with pumpkin ravioli, and it was delicious! Very quick and simple, and the lemon juice gave it a bright, fresh flavor.

Ingredients

Pasta, of choice (I used pumpkin ravioli)
4 tablespoons butter
8 sage leaves
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions

While your pasta cooks, melt butter in a 12 to 14-inch saute pan and continue cooking until golden brown color ("noisette") appears in the thinnest liquid of the butter. Add sage leaves and remove from heat. Add lemon juice and set aside. Drain the pasta, but leaving some cooking water, and gently pour into saute pan and return to heat. Add the cheese, toss to coat and serve immediately.

Blueberry Banana Bread

I had some overripe fruit that needed to be used up, so I decided to make some bread. I started with this basic banana bread recipe and tweaked it from there. Gary gives this the thumbs up... very tasty!

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce (alternatively, omit and use a total of 1/2 cup butter)
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup blueberries
3 mashed overripe bananas
1 TB vanilla extract
1 TB cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
nonstick cooking spray

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2) In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and allspice.

3) In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs, applesauce, mashed bananas, and vanilla extract until well blended.

4) Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Fold in blueberries.

5) Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake in preheated oven for about 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

PW's Easy Apple Tart

Staying on the tart kick, I decided to make this recipe from the Pioneer Woman. I made this for a potluck breakfast and it was a hit... it was elegant but VERY simple!

Ingredients

1 sheet puffed pastry, cut into half OR thirds
3 apples, cored, halved, and sliced thinly (but not peeled)
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Squeeze of lemon juice
Powdered sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 415 degrees.

Place puffed pastry rectangles onto a baking pan that’s been sprayed with nonstick spray.

Drizzle some lemon juice on the apples and toss. Add sugar and salt to apples. Stir to combine. Allow to sit for a few minutes.

Arrange apple slices on the pastry rectangles in a straight line, overlapping as you go.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until pastry is puffed and golden brown.

Remove from pan immediately and place on a serving platter. Serve plain, with caramel topping, whipped cream, or a sprinkling of powdered sugar.

Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart

I'm back after an unintentional hiatus... I've been falling back on old standbys recently. I decided tonight that I'd bust out a new recipe. I saw these tomato and goat cheese tarts on another blog, and decided to give them a try. This is a Barefoot Contessa recipe. She's never steered me wrong, and this recipe was no exception. Definitely a keeper. The only change I might make is to use regular goat cheese. I love goat cheese, but wasn't a huge fan of the garlic and basil flavored cheese.

Ingredients

1 package (17.3 ounces/2 sheets) puff pastry, defrosted
Good olive oil
4 cups thinly sliced yellow onions (2 large onions- I used one and it was plenty)
3 large garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons dry white wine
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves (I used dried)
4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, plus 2 ounces shaved with a vegetable peeler
4 ounces garlic-and-herb goat cheese (recommended: Montrachet)
1 large tomato, cut into slices
3 tablespoons julienned basil leaves
Flour
Parchment paper

Directions

Unfold a sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll it lightly to an 11 by 11-inch square. Using a 6-inch wide saucer or other round object as a guide, cut 2 circles from the sheet of puff pastry, discarding the scraps. Repeat with the second pastry sheet to make 4 circles in all. (I made two large tarts instead-- one tart from each sheet of pastry.) Place the pastry circles on 2 sheet pans lined with parchment paper and refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium to low heat and add the onions and garlic. Saute for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are limp and there is almost no moisture remaining in the skillet. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the wine, and thyme and continue to cook for another 10 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned. Remove from the heat.

Using a sharp paring knife, score a 1/4-inch-wide border around each pastry circle. Prick the pastry inside the score lines with the tines of a fork and sprinkle a tablespoon of grated Parmesan on each round, staying inside the scored border.

Divide the onion mixture between each circle, again staying within the scored edge. Crumble 1 ounce of goat cheese on top of the onions. Place a few slices of tomato in the center of each tart. Brush the tomato lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with basil, salt, and pepper. Finally, scatter 4 or 5 shards of Parmesan on each tart.

Bake for about 20 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. The bottom sheet pan may need an extra few minutes in the oven. Serve hot or warm.

Serves 2.