don't belive the hype: pasta with 2 sauces

There's a lot of hoopla regarding pasta with vodka cream sauce. Some say it's the cure for what ails your pathetic love life, others say it's gonna get you hitched and the rest think it's just about the best pasta sauce ever. Meh, I'm not convinced. I mean, I love vodka, I love cream and pasta holds a special place in my heart, but I don't think this sauce is the be-all-end-all of anything. It's good, it's simple and it's rich, but I'm certainly not going to drop my drawers after a bowl of this.

I made this pasta with vodka cream sauce a little while ago after consulting various recipes and creating one of my own. Not surprisingly, my husband loved it. Maybe there is something about it working it's way into a gentleman's heart, but for me, I like something a little more complex in flavour. So the next time we ate pasta, I used the rest of the farfalle box and created something that I thought was ten times more delicious. It didn't leave me hot and bothered either, but it was simple, tasty and oh so fine. I wish I could have snapped a photo but it was gobbled up way too quickly. 2 recipes, 1 box of pasta. Take your pick.

pasta with vodka cream sauce
2 T unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 t red pepper flakes
1/2 c vodka
1 small tin of diced tomatoes
1 c heavy cream
3/4 c parmesan cheese
salt & pepper
250 grams farfalle or other short pasta

1. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat and saute onions, garlic and chili until soft, about 20 minutes. Add in vodka and tomatoes and let everything come to a nice slow boil so that it bubbles but doesn't splatter and go nuts. Pour in cream and turn down to a simmer.

2. Meanwhile, prepare pasta according to package directions.

3. When pasta is done, drain but reserve a little of the pasta water. You may need to add more water to the sauce if it's too dry. Use your judgement. Gently add pasta to skillet and stir in cheese, adding salt and pepper if necessary. Stir pasta well to coat, reducing some of the sauce if necessary or adding in some pasta water if it's too dry. Serve in large bowls with parsley and extra parmesan cheese, if desired.

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lemon sauced pasta with ham and peas
2 T butter
2 T grapeseed oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t red pepper flakes
juice and zest of 1 lemon
1/4 c heavy cream
1/4 c parmesan cheese
1/4 c diced ham
1/2 c frozen peas
salt & pepper
250 grams farfalle or other short pasta
1/2 c chopped fresh parsley

Prepare pasta according to package directions.

When pasta is almost ready, prepare the sauce. In a large skillet, melt butter and oil over medium heat, adding in garlic and red pepper flakes and saute until fragrant but not brown. Add in lemon zest and juice and about 1/3 cup of pasta water. Reduce slightly and stir in cream, ham, peas and pasta. Add parmesan cheese and parsley and stir. Add more pasta water if necessary. Salt and pepper as needed.

happy new year: pasta with sausage, kale and lentils

In some cultures, it's traditional to eat lentils on New Years day for good luck, but I decided to get my lentil luck on a little early early and end 2007 off right. I found this recipe on epicurious but changed it to add in some greenery in place of some of the sausage. The kale went really well with the dish and it's definitely something I'll make again. It's the makings of a new year's staple, I think!

For the cheese in this dish, I used an organic Parmesan that I bought at a pretty amazing Vancouver market, Tosci & Co. It's the oldest Italian market in Chinatown (and I'd venture to say in this whole city) and I had always been afraid to step inside since you have to ring a bell to be let in. I must have been crazy to worry about that because it's pretty much my favorite store now. I wrote a post about it over at Bazaar on the Food Network Canada site. Take a look and leave a comment!

pasta with sausage, kale & lentils
2 T olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 bunch of kale, chopped
3/4 c dry red wine
2 hot Italian sausages, casings removed and crumbled
1 can of lentils, drained & rinsed
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
500g pkg of short pasta (I used bowtie pasta)

1. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, peppers and sausage and stir about until the sausage is brown. Add in the kale and saute until softened. Add wine and cook until almost all liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Stir in lentils and cook until mixture is heated through, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain well, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking water. Return cooked pasta to pot. Add sausage-lentil-kale mixture, cheese and toss to coat. Add enough reserved pasta cooking water to moisten. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with additional cheese if needed.

beat the clock: italian minestrone with beans, pasta and chard

I've been doing a lot of cooking lately, but I've pretty much sucked at the documentation part of things. I could tell you about the amazing chicken tortilla soup I made yesterday for lunch or the wonderful spicy pork loin I roasted the other day, but without photos or a story, there ain't much to tell.


It's not that I'm becoming a bad blogger or anything like that, it's just that with the holidays around the corner and a trip to visit family across the country looming, time is of the essence. I'm sure I'm not the only one feeling pinched by time! Which is why this recipe for a hearty Italian pasta and chard soup is a perfect no-brainer. It's quick and simple and any leftovers make a delicious speedy and filling lunch. And top this bowl with some organic parmesan cheese...well, you can almost forget about all the directions you are being pulled in.


italian minestrone with beans, pasta and chard
2 T olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 rib of celery, diced
1 carrot, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1 large can of diced tomatoes
1/2 c small soup pasta (I used a tiny pasta that was shaped like a baby's tears)
2 c chard, cut into fat ribbons
5-6 c vegetable broth
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 t dried oregano
1/2 t dried basil
1 t teaspoon salt
1 t teaspoon black pepper
parmesan (optional)

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat and add in onions. Saute until soft and then stir in the garlic, red pepper, carrots and sprinkle with 1/2 t of salt. Add in the tomatoes and pasta and the vegetable broth, stirring constantly so the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot. Add in chard, beans and the remaining herbs and spices. Lower heat and cover until vegetables are done, about 15-20 minutes. Serve in big bowls topped with freshly grated parmesan.

like an old sweater, but better: baked pasta with roasted vegetables

It's been rainy and grey for the past 2 days now and I'm totally getting back into cooking and baking again. It feels good and familiar, like wearing a comfy sweater with holes in the cuffs to poke your thumbs through. I may not win any style points but it feels so right. Last night's dinner is like that sweater. It ain't pretty but it was comfort through and through.

baked pasta with roasted vegetables
My fridge is pretty packed with vegetables and I had to do something with them before things turned bad, so I pulled everything out onto the counter and decided that roasting them would be the best option. I turned on the radio to my favorite station and poured myself a bit of wine and got busy. Onions were peeled and chopped, green beans were snapped, cauliflower was broken into florets, cherry tomatoes were chopped in half, kale was roughly torn and into the pan went a lone yam. Everything was drizzled with soy sauce, a generous glug of balsamic vinegar and a pull of olive oil. Salt, pepper, rosemary, oregano, a few cloves of fresh garlic and even a chopped apple rounded out the mix. Into a high heated oven it went and I tossed things occasionally to keep the cooking even. When I felt things were almost ready, I put on a pot of water, set it to boil, salted the water and added in some whole wheat rigatoni. Another glass of wine was poured and the pasta drained.

In a large oven proof pot I mixed the pasta and the roasted vegetables and tore up some slices of emmental cheese, threw in some leftover soft stinky cheese left over from a party last week, and stirred in a few heaping spoonfuls of ricotta. If I was so inclined I would have covered the whole mess with buttered crumbs, but I wasn't....so back into the oven this meal went. A few minutes later, once all the cheese got all melty and creamy, it was out of the oven and into a couple of waiting bowls....Oh yeah, that's what I'm talking about. Comfort through and through.

the rain can't stop me now

Well my mantra to bring along summer didn't quite work as I had hoped. This morning it poured rain real hard but that didn't stop me from heading to the farmer's market in Trout Lake with a couple of friends. When I got home, I was soaked from head to toe but my bags were full of organic, local produce. The other day I had spied some mustard greens over at PocoCocoa and was curious since I've never eaten them before. Lo and behold, there were mustard greens galore at the farmers market, so I picked up a bunch along with some pretty tomatoes, baby beets, baby portobellos, baby potatoes, rhubarb and some sunchokes. I was pretty pleased with my haul and had all sorts of ideas regarding dinner floating about in my head. Crystal's recipe for mustard greens and pasta would be the basis of the meal and since I had also picked up some fresh, crusty sourdough bread earlier that day, I decided that bruschetta would be the perfect accompaniment. And oh boy, dinner was awesome! The meal was put together in about 20 minutes and the flavours were simple enough to let the freshness of the vegetables and herbs do their thing. Pair this meal with a glass of wine (or two), put some old records on the hi-fi and eat this up with your favorite someone and you might even forget that it's raining outside.

The original pasta recipe called for lemon zest but I only had a naked (zest removed) lemon in the fridge, so I just used the juice. I'm sure the zest would only make things more awesome. And the tomatoes I used for the bruschetta were half cherry tomatoes and half of these crazy green & orange striped ones. They had the perfect sweet/acidic balance and were possibly the best tomatoes I've ever eaten.

fettucini with mustard greens
(based on a recipe from Crystal)

250g fettucini
1 T olive oil
1 T butter
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 lb mustard greens, washed & trimmed
3 T parmesan cheese, grated
pepper

1. Prepare fettucini according to package directions. Make sure to salt the water because that's the only salt you'll find in this recipe.

2. In a large skillet, heat up olive oil and butter. Add garlic and sautee until fragrant and slightly golden. Add mustard greens, tearing them into bite sized pieces. Sautee until bright green. Add drained pasta to skillet along with the lemon juice, 1 T of parmesan and a few grinds of fresh pepper. Toss and serve with remaining parmesan cheese.

bruschetta
1/2 loaf of fresh sourdough bread, sliced into thick slices
10 large cherry tomatoes, quartered or cut into eights
2 cloves garlic, crushed
8 basil leaves, torn
a small handful of parsley, torn
1-2 t balsamic vinegar
1-2 T olive oil
fleur du sel & pepper
1/2 c parmesan cheese

1. Combine the tomatoes, garlic, basil, parsley, balsamic, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Let rest for 10 minutes.

2. Arrange sourdough slices on a cookie sheet. Brush bread with the olive oil/balsamic/tomato juice mixture from the bottom of the bowl. Toast under the broiler for a few minutes until slightly golden. Remove from oven and spoon the tomato mixture on top. Sprinkle with parmesan and return to the broiler for a few minutes until the cheese melts.

the garbanzo triumphs

I love finding joy in the simpliest of things and a meal should never have to be too complicated to be enjoyable. Tonight's dinner was a perfect example in simplicity because even though my fridge was looking pretty bare, I still had everything I needed to make a meal that had us both licking our chops.

I knew that I had a can of chickpeas kicking around in the cupboard and some broccoli that had to be used stat, so I typed "broccoli & chickpeas" into Google and came up with a recipe from Food & Wine. Not content to leave well enough alone, I gauged what I had available to me, tampered with the recipe and was so pleased with the results. Everything about this meal is greater than the sum of it's parts. Together - the spagetti, the florets of broccoli and even the lowly (but lovely) chickpea - is elevated to honeymoon status*. This is simple eatin' at it's best and it makes a near-empty fridge turn into a triumph! Huzzah!

broccoli & chickpea pasta
250 g pasta
1 can of chickpeas
1 head of broccoli
1 lemon, juiced & zested
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 c olive oil
1 t red pepper flakes
salt & pepper
1/4 c pasta cooking liquid
2 T parmesan cheese

1. Drain chickpeas and place in a bowl. Add a 1/4 cup of olive oil, lemon zest and juice, salt, pepper, and minced garlic. Set aside.

2. In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add in broccoli and salt and cook until bright green. Remove broccoli with a slotted spoon and add to the chickpea mixture. Toss.

3. Add pasta to pot where you just cooked the broccoli. Bring to a boil and then turn down to medium heat until pasta is cooked al dente.

4. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat up the remaining oil and saute the red chili flakes and onion until just starting to turn golden and fragrant. Dump in the chickpea and broccoli mixture. Combine. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the liquid and add into the skillet. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and toss until everything is coated. Serve in deep bowls and top with some more cheese if you want.

* Dude, don't even ask me what honeymoon status is except that it sounds pretty damn wonderful. And it also probably means that I need a vacation, pronto!

ravenous like a tiger

Sometimes I like to fly by the seat of my pants. No plans, no forethought. Just an idea and the faith that I can make it happen. Last Friday, I went out with friends to The Foundation, one my favored Vancouver eating spots. Vancouver is in the midst of a boil-water advisory due to all the insane amount of rainfall we've been having. No worries, though, as there was enough beer to keep us all afloat. I was modest in my choice of soup but I did manage to snag a few forkfulls of my friends pasta dish, the aptly named "Spicy Peanut". Oh the deliciousness that danced on my tongue that night! It was a party for the tastebuds and I've been dreaming of that damned "Spicy Peanut" ever since.

This evening without nary a look into the cupboards or fridge, I decided that hell or turbid water, I would make the Spicy Peanut dish! Unfortunately, I was out of fresh ginger, sambal oelek, limes, and my soy sauce bottle was almost empty. Did I let that deter me from the power of the Spicy Peanut? I think not. So I made do with what I could scrounge up, squeeze out and hastily substitute. And you know what? The results tasted pretty damn close to the mighty fine "Spicy Peanut" from The Foundation. This sauce will be a work in progress. Of course I'll make it again with fresh lime juice instead of lemon juice and I'm sure it will taste infinitely more fabulous with fresh ginger, and I'm sure a healthy dollop of chili-garlic sauce will render my black pepper additions useless. But, you know, I'm not ready to bad mouth this sauce for what it could have been. This velvety, coconutty, smooth concoction is a dream. If I could marry it I would. I mean, while you know there might be a Top-Of-The-Line Peanut Sauce out there, you just gotta love the one you're with.

I served this decadant sauce over whole wheat pasta, stir fried tofu, red onion and green peppers (the only vegetables I had!) and a tiny bit of shredded leftover chicken. This sauce would make a great dipping sauce for satay or fried tofu or poured over baked yams or steamed spinach. Oh the possibilities!

my spicy peanut sauce
1 c natural peanut butter
1 can light coconut milk
2 T fresh lemon juice
2 T soy sauce
1 T fish sauce (if you want to make this vegetarian, leave out & put 1T of soy sauce in its place)
2 T hot sauce
2 t ginger powder
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T brown sugar
1 t ground black pepper
dash of salt

1. Add all of the ingredients into a small saucepan. Stir over low heat until everything is warm and blendy. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

And the title of my blog post? Well, I have Shake Your Fist to thank. Amy wrote about Dr. Joel and included a link to a song that I pretty much OD'd on in July. The track is gone off of Amy's blog, but you can hear Ravenous Like a Tiger on Dr. Joel's MySpace account. So good!

hey, goodlooking

I've really been getting the hang of working full time...and it's only 2 more weeks before I go back to my slacker life of working from home. I've got my daily routine pretty much set and I've discovered that when I don't have too much freelance work to do in the evenings, I pretty much have my old life back. It's a good feeling even if it only means that I now have time to cook proper meals, tidy up my desk space and make it to the gym. I don't want to spend my precious evening hours searching for recipes or running out to the store to get ingredients so I just fell back on the old standbys. However, a trip to the farmer's market this past weekend gave me some new inspiration and so far, I've been cooking up a storm!

Sometimes the most comforting food doesn't end up looking so pretty, but when you can turn a few ordinary ingredients into a colourful dish full of texture and flavour, well, you've pretty much got it made. Tonight's dinner had colour, texture and flavour to spare. It not only was easy on the eyes but it's simple to prepare on the most hectic of days. Substitute ingredients as you wish.

pasta primavera
1 400g bag of spinach & cheese ravioli (frozen)
1 small zucchini, diced
1/2 red pepper, sliced thinly
1 celery stalk, diced
1/2 onion, sliced thinly
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 large handfuls of green beans, broken in half
3 T olive oil
1 t chili flakes
1 large pinch of dried basil
salt & pepper
parmesan cheese

1. In a large pot, cook pasta according to package instructions in salted water. Shortly before the pasta is finished cooking, add in the green beans and cook until bright green and tender-crisp. Reserve some of the pasta water for the sauce, but drain the pasta and beans and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, in a large cast iron pan, heat olive oil and add garlic and onion until translucent and fragrant. Add the celery, red pepper and zucchini along with the red pepper flakes and basil. Add salt and pepper. Stir about for a couple of minutes until the vegetables soften slightly. Add in the ravioli and green beans along with some of the reserved pasta water (a quarter of a cup should be good, but add more if necessary). Toss everything about and serve with a bit of grated parmesan cheese.

busy like a bee

It's gearing up to be a busy fall. For the next few weeks, I'll be working away from my home sweet home and facing office culture head on. Not that I mind, really. Working on design projects in my lil' home office space has it perks, but it can be socially stiffling at times, so I relish these little social opportunities to chat around the water cooler. It's also very familiar since I'm working at a company I used to work for years ago. It's corporate work, but it's still design work and I like the people (even though I hate the fact that I can't wear jeans!). Oh well, a small price to pay for a regular paycheque!

Yesterday after riding -- or rather flying home (I can be quite speedy on my bike when I want to be), I quickly made Helios' Tortellini and Zucchini Soup (with a few modifications, of course). Even Cornelius who normally isn't so fond of "the soup", loved the soup! It really was the perfect quick weeknight meal for a rainy night and it helped to power my bike ride to the bowling alley and back for my Monday night bowling league game.

Tonight's dinner was another success and an easy meal to whip up on a busy night. It may look like a lot of steps, but once you start this recipe, you'll be eating in just over an hour. A veggie lasagna filled with zucchini, spinach and cheese. Really, what's not to love about it?

zucchini & spinach lasagna
tomato sauce:
1 T olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
salt & pepper
1 t crushed chili peppers
1 t dried basil
1 t oregano
1 large can of tomatoes
1 c tomato sauce

1 box of frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 clove of garlic, minced

1 small zucchini, cut into half moons
1 t oregano
salt & pepper
1 clove garlic minced

1 small container of cottage cheese
2 T parmesan cheese

8 no-cook lasagna noodles
3/4 c mozzerella cheese, grated

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Make the tomato sauce by sauteeing garlic, onion, celery in oil. When translucent, add in tomatoes, sauce and spices, breaking apart tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Let the sauce simmer and breakdown until you are ready to put together the lasagna.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the zucchini, oregano, salt, pepper and garlic. Set aside. In another small bowl, mix together the spinach and garlic and set aside. And in a third small bowl, combine the cottage cheese with the parmesan and yes, set aside!

3. Spread enough tomato sauce to cover the bottom of a square baking dish. Add 2 lasagna noodles on top. Next, layer the spinach mixture followed by another layer of noodles. Add the cottage cheese mixture and 2 more noodles. Add another layer of sauce and top with the zucchini and another layer of noodles. Add the remaining tomato sauce and top with grated cheese. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for 15 minutes until the top is golden brown and bubbly. Let cool 15 minutes before serving to help the lasagna set.

time to play catch-up

In spite of yesterday's rain, today is all sunshine and lollipops. And with that bit of good news, I'm heading off on my bike to explore the city and get a few errands done. But I'll leave you with a couple of recipes that reared their lovely little heads this past week.

The first is such an old standby that I can't believe I hadn't posted it before now. Pasta e Fagioli was pretty much my standby during those lean years when I worked in a record store earning not much more than the $8 minimum wage and all my money went into seeing shows, getting cds & records and buying vintage dresses. I meticulously cut my own bangs and scrimped on groceries, but always managed to make incredible vegetarian feasts that would last me for days for as little as $4. There was a simple kidney bean and lentil casserole that sounds humble but was truely a delight and then there was this soupy/stewy concoction that worked wonders on a cold, damp evening. And years later, this dinner still satisfies many a belly for less than $4. Nice.

pasta e fagioli
1 T olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1 celery, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 c uncooked macaroni
1 large can of tomatoes
1 t dried oregano
1 t crushed dried chili peppers (more of less to taste)
2 T ketchup
1 t worchestershire sauce
1 T hot sauce
2 cans worth of water or vegetable stock
1 can of kidney beans, drained & rinsed
a few leaves of fresh basil, torn

1. In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, celery and green peppers and saute for a few minutes until somewhat softened. Add the macaroni and stir until well coated with the oil and vegetables.

2. Add the can of tomatoes, breaking up tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon. Add the oregano, chili peppers, ketchup, worchestershire sauce and the hot sauce and stir. Add in 2 cans of water or stock until everything is covered. Cover pot with lid and turn down heat to medium-low, stirring occassionally. Add more water or stock if necessary.

3. When pasta is cooked and sauce has thickened, ladle out into bowls and top with fresh basil. Serve with crusty bread and parmesan cheese, if desired.


Lately, I've been on the lookout for low-fat desserts. And although my snacking desires lead me closer to the wonderful world of salty treats, I still have a very strong sweet tooth that rears it's head once in a while. Last week, I made the very yummy low fat chocolate zucchini muffins and I was looking for more recipes that used applesauce as a fat replacement. Instead, I found these cocoa fudge cookies on Nic's blog, Baking Sheet. They looked too good to pass up and they were low fat-ish, so I whipped them up and didn't regret a thing! Plus, I made them vegan. They were the right amount of chewy on the inside and had a nice crispy outside and they were bursting with an intense chocolate flavour. I still have a whole jar of homemade applesauce sitting in the fridge, so if anyone has any good low fat dessert recipes using applesauce, I'm all ears!

cocoa fudge cookies
(adapted from Baking Sheet)
1 c flour
1/4 t baking soda
1/8 t salt
1/4 c Earth Balance, melted
7 T cocoa powder
2/3 c white sugar
1/3 c brown sugar
1/3 c soy vanilla yogurt
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. In a large bowl, mix together the melted margerine, sugars, and cocoa. Stir in the yogurt and vanilla extract. Slowly, add in the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Add the chocolate chips and blend.

2. Drop spoonfuls of batter onto cookie tray. Press down slightly to flatten; cookies do not spread a lot. Bake at 350F for 9-12 minutes or until set and slightly firm at the edges. Do not overcook. Allow to cool on the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes about 2 dozen.

close to home

The weather is getting cooler and the days are getting shorter....autumn seems just around the corner. And while I do love my autumn nights, this summer has been nothing short of lovely and I'd love it to continue just a bit longer. Leisurely picnics, tennis games that stretch long into the evening and bike riding in skirts and bare legs are things I'm not ready to give up yet. But fall is a time that brings me closer to home and that means comfort foods eaten on the couch while watching black and white movies. Yes, autumn does have it's pull. And this is where the homey, rich and borderline sinful mac n' cheese takes it's rightful place alongside of me on the sofa.

macaroni and cheese with broccoli
3 T butter
3 T whole wheat flour (hey, it was all I had & I never noticed any difference)
1/2 t red pepper flakes
2 3/4 c skim milk + an additional 3/4 c
4 c sharp cheddar, grated
2 t dijon mustard
salt & pepper to taste
1 500g pkg of macaroni or any short pasta
1 head of broccoli, cut into florets & stalks trimmed and chopped

topping:
1 T butter, melted
1 c panko bread crumbs

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, prepare the topping by adding the panko crumbs into the melted butter. Stir well and set aside.

2. In a medium sized saucepan, melt butter and whisk in the flour and red pepper flakes. Cook for 3 minutes and then slowly add in the 2 3/4 c of milk. Whisk constantly while bringing to a boil. When it's thickened, add in the cheese, mustard, salt and pepper. Add remaining milk, stir well and remove from heat.

3. Just before the pasta finishes cooking, add the broccoli to the boiling pasta and cook until the pasta is finished and the broccoli is bright green, about 4 minutes or so. Drain well and put the broccoli and pasta into a large baking dish. Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and mix well, making sure the sauce covers all the pasta. Sprinkle topping over the pasta and bake until golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes.

Tomorrow's lunch

When I spied the recipe for Linguine with Tofu and Coconut-Lime Sauce on Crystal's blog, I was instantly smitten. Coconut + Lime = Awesomeness. Plus, I had everything to make this amazing sounding dish on the spot! My friend Kristen was coming over for dinner and I figured this would make a quick and delicious vegan meal. Originally, I was going to use the magic loaf studio to concoct some kind of tasty magical loaf, but didn't want to risk turning on the oven, as it was already hot enough in the kitchen. So after studying Crystal's recipe, I made a few mental notes and got to cooking. When you have someone else in the kitchen it seems silly to keep running to the computer to check on a recipe, so I just started chopping and frying as Kristen, Cornelius and I laughed and talked and drank ice cold club soda to keep cool.

I wish I had the forethought to take some photos before we all dug in (and hey, each one of us went back for seconds), but it didn't even cross my mind. So unfortunately, you'll have to stare at my very unglamorous refrigerated leftovers tucked inside a Que Pasa salsa container. Someone is going to have a very lucky lunch tomorrow!

My notes: Although I did like the taste of using regular Italian fettucini here, next time I would use Asian rice noodles instead to keep things a bit more authentic. I also added in spinach and basil to the recipe since I had some on hand. This is a great recipe base to use up any vegetables in your fridge, so if you've got some celery, bok choy, carrots or broccoli on hand, throw it in!

Fettucini with Tofu and Coconut-Lime Sauce
(recipe adapted from poco-coco.com)
1 500 gr package of fettucini
1 package extra-firm tofu, patted dry and cut into 1/2-inch squares
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger
1 c sugar snap peas, trimmed
1 red bell pepper, sliced into 2-inch strips
3 green onions, sliced
1 bunch spinach
1 small bunch basil
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/2 t cornstarch
1 can light coconut milk, well-stirred
2 T soy sauce
juice of 1 lime + zest

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well.

2. Heat olive oil in a large wok over medium-high heat. Add garlic and ginger and heat for 1 minute. Add tofu and stir fry until golden. Remove tofu from pan. Add sesame oil to pan. Add peas, green onion and bell pepper; saute 3 minutes until softened. Add coconut milk, soy sauce, lime juice and zest. Add basil and spinach and let wilt in the liquid. Mix together the cornstarch and broth and add to pan, bringing mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes or until slightly thick. Add pasta and tofu; toss to coat.

holiday beach picnics

This weekend was all about relaxation, fun times, good food and great friends. Holiday weekends, you are perfect! Cornelius and I missed out on the largest Critical Mass bike ride because we had free tickets to see the Vancouver Whitecaps soccer team play. Despite not knowing anything about soccer, it was good times all 'round and the bbq hot dogs and icy cold beers didn't hurt either. Canada Day was pretty much spent at a friend's house party where we played Pit ("Corner on wheat!") on the lawn and ate vegan curry. Sunday we gathered with a group of friends and had a bbq picnic out on the beach where we grilled up veggie dogs & meaty sausages, drank margaritas & strawberry-pinapple daiquiris. Hello, summer!

Besides making the stealth daiquiris, I also made a delicious pasta salad and promised to post the recipe on this ol' blog. It was that good. The roasted tomatoes are the key to success for this salad. They add such a sweetness and a lovely smokey flavour that can't be beat. If I could eat roasted tomatoes all day, I most certainly would. The day before I had made a similar salad, but added grated parmesan cheese to the dressing and chunks of boccocini to the salad. But this was a salad for mixed company (ie. vegans!) and I left out all dairy. The picture above also includes some blanched cauliflower which I didn't add to the picnic salad because I had run out...but if you've got some, add it. It was tasty too!

roasted tomato pasta salad
8 grape tomatoes, halved
sea salt
pepper
crushed garlic
balsamic vinegar
olive oil

1. In a small tin or a piece of tin foil folded to give it sides, place the haved tomatoes cut side down. Sprinkle with sea salt, pepper, garlic, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

2. Place under broiler for 15 minutes or until the skins blister & char. Using tongs, flip tomatoes and broil for another 15 minutes or so. Remove from oven.

For the salad:
Radiatore pasta or other short chunky pasta
1/2 sweet Vidalia onion, chopped fine
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 green or orange pepper, chopped
2 T capers
1/2 c spicy green olives, chopped
roasted tomatoes with their juices
a bunch of fresh basil leaves, torn

For the dressing:
1 t balsamic vinegar
1/4 c olive oil
juice of 1 lemon + zest
1 T dijon mustard

1. Cook pasta according to directions. When ready, rinse under cold water and dump into a large bowl. Add the onion, celery, peppers, capers and olives and mix well.

2. Prepare dressing mix until emulsified. Toss with salad. Add roasted tomatoes with their juices and the fresh basil. Chill for at least 1 hr or if you can't wait, just dig in!

spring fling

When I cook, I try not to add more fat that I should. While Cornelius could stand to "fatten up", I'm always trying to fight the good fight. I've always been quite content and even pleased with how many dishes have turned out when I've used skim milk instead of cream or done away with adding butter or added cheese. But sometimes you've got to give in to the primal urges of forbidden foods. As I looked in my fridge and tried to figure out what I'd make for dinner, I had already half way decided to make Kayak Soup's Healthy Spring Pasta...but then something in me snapped. I always end up making the healthy version of something (not that there's anything wrong with that at all). This time, I wanted to be bad and endulge in something naughty. So I walked over to the corner grocer and picked up a small bottle of heavy cream. My dinner plans were set.

Oh my...so worth every fantastic calorie! The sauce tasted light and lemony and the tender asparagus was sweet and perfect. When dinner was done, I was tempted to lick the pot when it was empty. Who am I kidding...I most certainly licked it all up. Definitely a springtime treat.

lemon asparagus pasta
1 large bunch of asparagus
250 g bow-tie pasta
1 t salt
3 T butter
3/4 c heavy cream
2 T freshly grated lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
1/4 c fresh lemon juice
1/4 t salt (optional)
1/3 c finely chopped parsley
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese

1. Prepare asparagus by snapping off the bottom tough ends & then snapping each stalk into 1 inch pieces.

2. In a large pot, boil water and add 1 heaping teaspoon of salt. Add pasta. When pot comes back to a boil again, put prepared asparagus into a large metal colander, place over the boiling pot and cover the asparagus with the pot lid. One and a half minutes into the steaming process, take tongs and gently toss asparagus, replacing lid for another one minute and a half. Remove colander and rinse asparagus under cold water until cool. The asparagus should be crisp-tender. Drain well and set aside.

3. In a smaller pot, combine lemon juice, butter and cream over moderately low heat. Stir in zest then remove pot from heat and stir in 1/4 cup of the pasta water into the cream sauce.

4. Drain pasta and return to pot. Add in the asparagus and parsley and combine well. Add the cream sauce and parmesan chees and cook over moderate heat, tossing until heated through. Taste and add remaining salt if necessary.

computer free to be you and me

I lost computer access for a little while, thinking my lovely computer was a dud, it had been to the apple shop going through diagnostic tests and turning up fine. Phew! It took a bit of getting used to being computer-free, but I not only adjusted to my new lifestyle, I embraced it! I picked up and finished books (many in the same day), I went on exciting bike rides and met up with friends to play in the sunshine. I also did quite a bit of leafing through cookbooks and did quite a lot of cooking. Being computer-free was time well spent! Luckily, I didn't miss any work or annoyed any clients by not being available and it was only when my picked up my computer on Monday afternoon, did a client ring up with a small job. Phew, again!

And because I've been away from the computer for so long, I'll quit my yapping and post 2 yummy recipes right away.

cabbage, spinach and tofu on noodles with peanut sauce
1/2 block of extra firm tofu, cut into squares
1/2 head of cabbage, sliced into strips and then cut in half to make shorter strips
1 bunch spinach, cleaned & picked through
1/2 onion, cut into large chunks
2 stalks celery, cut on the diagonal into thick slices
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T fresh ginger, minced
soy sauce
whole wheat pasta or brown rice
1 t vegetable oil
lime wedges (optional)

for the sauce:
1/4 c natural peanut butter
1 T honey (or brown sugar if you swing vegan-style)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t fresh ginger, minced
1 t sesame oil
2 T soy sauce
hot sauce
2 T rice wine vinegar
warm water

1. In a blender, mix all the ingredients for the peanut sauce, adding a bit of warm water if the mixture gets too thick. Taste. You may need to add a bit more honey or hot sauce depending on your own tastebuds. Set aside.

2. Boil water in a large pot and add pasta at the boiling point. Drain and set aside.

3. In a large skillet or walk, heat the oil and add the garlic and ginger when hot. Add the tofu and fry until golden on both sides. Add the onion and celery and when the onion becomes translucent, add the cabbage. Once the cabbage gets slightly wilty, add the spinach and a bit of soy sauce for flavour. Stir until spinach is cooked, then turn off heat.

4. In large bowls, add the pasta and then top with the tofu-vegetable mixture. Drizzle with peanut sauce. Serve with lime wedges.

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Butter tarts seem to be a genuine Canadian invention. A mixture of eggs, sugar and raisins are baked into individual tarts and the result is similar to a pecan pie, but decidedly different. I love butter tarts and I still have yet to get over my fear of making pie dough, so I went a different route and opted to make a still very Canadian butter tart bar. Interested to know more about the butter tart? Listen to the CBC on what makes a great butter tart.

butter tart squares
base:
3/4 c flour
1/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c butter

topping:
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c corn syrup
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
1/4 c flour
1/4 t salt
1/2 c chopped walnuts
1/2 c raisins
1/4 c unsweetened coconut

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease 8 inch square cake pan. Beat butter and brown sugar together until creamy. Add flour and combine until crumbly. Press base mixture into prepared pan and bake for 12-15 minutes until golden.

2. Combine topping ingredients and blend together until well mixed. Pour toppping over the base and return to the oven until bubbly around the edges but still slightly jiggly in the centre, about 20-25 minutes. Cool completely in pan and then cut into squares.

deceptively simple.

I'm a firm believer in simplicity. Speeding down hills on a bicycle, holding hands with the one you love or getting lost in a book are all things that are pure and good. I'm a girl who loves living in the city but also dreams of building an energy efficent home out of cob in the country. Ahh, the simple life is for me.

Food is one thing that tastes best when it's simply done. Sure, I love a knock 'em back decadent meal (when someone else is cooking), but when I'm making a meal, the simpler the better, I say. Tonight's dinner is a perfect example of simplicity. The nice thing about pasta is that a welcoming plateful of something that can be whipped up in no time with ingredients that probably exist in your own kitchen.

Note that with any egg recipe that uses undercooked eggs, fresh free range eggs (my preference is for free-range organic) should be used at all times.

broccoli carbonara
12 oz of whole wheat rotini
1 bunch of broccoli, cut into bite sized florets & stems peeled and sliced
1 large free range egg, lightly beaten
2 T milk
1/2 c parmesan cheese
salt & pepper to taste
2 T butter, room temperature

1. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until halfway done. Add the broccoli and continue cooking until pasta has cooked and the broccoli is bright green and tender. Drain.

2. Mix the egg and milk together in a small bowl and pour over the hot pasta/broccoli mixture. Add the parmesan cheese and mix well until combined. The heat from the pasta will cook the egg as it tosses. Add salt, pepper and butter, tossing to mix well. Serve immediately.

get your veg on.

It was so sunny and bright and warm this afternoon that I spent a lot of time wandering my neighbourhood. It was a welcome relief from being chained to the computer working on client projects. The sun was strong and it smelled like springtime -- a welcome relief from the cloudy drizzle that the Pacific Northwest is known for. I went to the little Italian market in my neighbourhood and picked up some beautiful looking vegetables that could, by their very presence, transform my kitchen into a bit of early spring.

With this recipe, any vegetable combination would work well. Use what's in your kitchen and I'm sure you'll be fine.

roast vegetable pasta bake
250 g dry short pasta (I used Creste di Gallo)
1 red onion
5 cloves of garlic
1 small zucchini
6 large mushrooms
1 small red pepper
1 small yellow pepper
2 large leafs of kale, torn into small pieces
salt & pepper
3 T olive oil
1 T dried basil
zest of 1 lemon
2 T capers
1 c grated mozzerella
1/2 c crumbled feta cheese
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese
2 c cubed bread

1. Cook pasta as per box directions. Drain and set aside.

2. While pasta is cooking, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Chop onion into large chunks and roughly chop the garlic. Cut zucchini into 1/2" slices. Cut mushrooms into quarters and chop up the peppers into large pieces. In a large bowl, toss the vegetables with 2 T of olive oil, some salt & pepper and 1/2 of the basil. Dump the vegetable mixture into a large baking dish and roast until vegetables are somewhat soft, about 20 minutes.

3. Add the cooked pasta into a large bowl and toss with the capers, lemon zest, roasted vegetables, kale, feta cheese and the grated mozzerella. Add a bit more salt & pepper and throw in the rest of the basil. Pour out into a large baking dish.

4. For the topping, combine the bread and parmesan cheese with the reminder of the olive oil and spread over the pasta mixture. Bake uncovered for 400 degrees until golden, about 30 - 40 minutes.

headache for two

Yesterday both Cornelius and I had splitting headaches. I think it was due to our lack of caffine (we ran out and were too lazy to get more). By dinnertime, we both couldn't get off the couch but we realized that we couldn't survive on Gilmore Girl repeats alone. We needed something quick and simple and then I remembered Crystal's package and the small packets of Mexican macaroni. She taped a short recipe to the package and a simple and satisfying dinner for two was born.


simple sopa de conchas
1. Saute the pasta in a bit of olive oil until the pasta browns a little, stirring frequently.

2. Add 1 can (14.5 oz) of diced tomatoes, 1½ - 2 cans of water, salt and pepper and stir.

3. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, or until pasta is cooked.

* I added a couple cloves of crushed garlic to the sauteed pasta.
** Crystal eats this in bowls with avocados. We ate it topped with grated mozzerella cheese since we were avocado-less. So good!!

Crystal has a slightly more elaborate version on her blog, which you can find here.

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Next Day:

Yes, dinner was another lazy meal and I took the above recipe and expanded it. It turned out fabulous. I sauteed bacon until crisp and added chopped garlic and onion, and followed the rest of the recipe. Five minutes before the meal was ready, I added some chopped broccoli to the mix for a bit of green. Tasty!

Thanks Crystal for a great base to a fantastic meal that will definitely be a repeat in this tiny kitchen!!

tribute in tuna

Tonight my friend Kyla's radio documentary, "Gerda and Olcott" will air on CBC Radio One. It's about some love letters she found at a Berkeley flea market and the resulting meeting with one of the letter writers. It's an amazing story and I think everyone should tune in their radios at 8:43pm PST tonight. If you aren't in Canada, you should tune in your computers to stream here. If my brilliant sales job didn't get you up to tune in your radio dial, you can read a bit more about the documentary on the CBC Outfront website. If you miss it, I'm sure it will be available as a podcast.

And on that note, I figured I'd make a fitting dinner tribute to my dear old friend, Kyla Sweet. Believe it or not, I had never eaten tuna casserole growing up and Miss Sweet (as she was known at the time before marriage added a hyphen Chavez) decided to remedy that fact. One night after a nursing a broken heart, it was decided that a tuna casserole had to be made. Before popping it into the oven, we topped off the casserole with Miss Vickie's Salt & Vinegar chips. Growing up, Kyla's family always ate their tuna casserole with soy sauce and I'm glad to say that I've picked up the tradition. Though, I have doctored my tuna casserole with ketchup if the occassion strikes. I think Kyla would have a heart attack if she knew.

Kyla now lives in Portland, OR and I only see her a few times a year. I'll be listening to the CBC tonight while eating my soy sauce-laced tuna casserole.

tuna casserole
In a large heavy oven proof pot, bring water to a boil. Add salt and add half of a 450g pkg of short pasta to the pot. Just before pasta is aldente, add about 2 cups of chopped broccoli florets (stems too!) and cook for a few minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drain and keep in colander. In the same pot, heat 1 T of oil and add 1 chopped onion and 2 chopped celery and saute until soft. Add the pasta and broccoli mixture and stir. Drain a can of flaked or chunk tuna (in water) and add to the pasta. Add 1 can of cream of mushroom soup and 1 cup of grated cheese and mix well. Add crushed chips to the top. Put the whole thing in the oven and cook until the top is golden brown, about 30-40 minutes. Serve in deep bowls with soy sauce or ketchup!

hooray for autumn!

Last night I was cheering that it had only rained one day this past week. I spoke too soon and I managed to get all soaking wet from my bike ride today. I've been busy this past week volunteering my time at the Vancouver International Film Festival during the day and working on some freelance design work at night, so updating this blog and planning recipes hasn't been a priority. Yesterday, I had my day free, so after a quick ride to get groceries, I got down to business. After looking through the lastest Martha Stewart Living mag, I figured I'd make some spicy squash pasta. However, I didn't have any ricotta cheese or parmesan, so I decided to make a few modifications to her recipe....

Jeannette's Spicy Squash Pasta
1 acorn squash
4 large cloves of garlic still in their papery skin
2 T olive oil
salt & pepper

Cut squash in half, remove seeds and place on cookie sheet. Add 2 cloves of garlic to each half and drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Bake at a 400 degree oven for 45 minutes or until tender. Let squash cool slightly and then scrape out the fleshy insides and discard skins. Remove skins from garlic and set aside.

1 lb pasta (I used fresh tortalini)
When the squash is out of the oven, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt. Add pasta; cook until al dente. Drain well.

2 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
salt
1 t rosemary
1 t sage
1/2 t red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
1/3 c prepared tomato sauce
1/4 c light cream

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, a large pinch of salt, red pepper flakes, and a teaspoon each of sage and rosemary. Cook, stirring, until garlic is golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add squash; cook, stirring and mashing with a spoon, until heated through. Add the tomato sauce and cream and stir until combined and smooth in texture. You may need to add a bit more sauce or cream if you feel the sauce is too thick.

I loved this sauce and I kept it rather thick. I served this along with some steamed broccoli and I just loved dipping the broccoli into the squash sauce! So tasty!! I'm definitely making this again my way....and I just might try ol' Ms. Stewart's version one day soon.

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I was tagged by culinary in the desert to do the 23rd post meme thingy. I felt kind of silly after counting out all my posts to discover that my polenta post from a couple posts down was actually my 23rd post! I guess I've got a long way to go. Luckily the cooler weather is here and I can bake and cook to my hearts content. Be forewarned, that there will be lots of squash recipes in the near future. I've got some butternut squash and a few cans of pumpkin to play with! Heck, I've got some yams to throw in there as well. Enjoy autumn, I think I will. Well, once I can get used to the idea of bike riding in the rain again.