Vermouth has become one of my all-time favorite kitchen staples. The funny and ironic part of that statement is that I have never tasted a martini, the number one noted usage of vermouth, or the actual spirit by itself. I should probably do both, you know, for point of reference or something.

I use vermouth in about half of the savory food I make, particularly when recipes call for de-glazing the pan. Vermouth can be used anywhere you'd use white wine in cooking. Generally the flavors are a little stronger than your average cooking wine, so if you're substituting you can use a little less if you're worried about it overpowering the dish. I never have such worries! The other thing to keep in mind if you are a vermouth newbie: dry vermouth adds a herbal flavor, while sweet vermouth adds a little... sweetness. I prefer cooking with extra dry or dry vermouth.

Since I laid that all out there, it should come as no great surprise that one of my "go-to" recipes for when I am cooking for one (me!) includes vermouth. 

Plus, it makes me feel fancy, and we all deserve that from time to time. 

I have certain requirements that need to be met if I am going to cook for myself because lets be honest, I have survived these alone nights perfectly fine with a pop tart and a cheese stick. 

1.  It has to be quick. 
2.  The clean-up has to be minimal.
   
3.  It must produce leftovers.

This meal, as is, takes 15 minutes to prep and cook, and you will need one pot and one skillet. The size of those vessels is at your mercy (and thus the size of your portioned leftovers). If you add a protein, the cooking time will increase. I'll share some notes below the actual recipe.

 

 Hello, you earthy bowl of comfort.

Creamy 'Shroom Pasta

Note: Keep in mind, this is a recipe that would serve two people (me, and my leftovers), so adjust your measurements accordingly, if you are feeding more folks. 

 

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

1/2 onion, sliced

8 oz mushrooms, sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tsp dried thyme 

1/4 tsp dried chili pepper flakes (optional)

1/2 cup extra dry vermouth*

1/2 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup heavy cream**

Salt and pepper, to taste

Parmesan cheese

Your choice of pasta

 

I like egg noodles for this, but I had gemelli on hand, and I chose NOT to run to the market.

Bring water to a boil in a stock pot. Cook your favorite pasta, in the quantity that you want, as directed, or as you have been taught. 

 

While the pasta is boiling, melt butter into olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced onion and sauté until translucent. 

 

Add mushrooms, garlic, thyme and chili pepper flakes. Season with salt, and sauté until mushrooms start to lose some of their water, about 5 minutes.

 

De-glaze skillet with vermouth, scraping any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the vermouth reduce, until it looks like there is none left in the skillet. Add the chicken stock and reduce by half. Finish by stirring in heavy cream right before you serve. (Adding it too soon can make your sauce break.) 

 

Taste and add salt and pepper, if desired. 

 

 

Dump that pasta into the skillet, or the mushroom sauce into the drained pasta - whatever floats your boat. Stir slightly, being careful not the crush the pasta, to incorporate the sauce, and walk away for 2 minutes so the pasta absorbs some of the sauce.

 

Serve in a pasta bowl with a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

 I could literally eat an entire vat of this, even if it isn't my pasta type of choice.

Make it vegetarian: Substitute vegetable stock for the chicken stock.

For the meat-eaters: Add sliced or cubed chicken, beef, pork, or seafood (I've done this recipe with scallops.) Brown your proteins after you saute your vegetables. Remove the browned meat from the skillet, and de-glaze. Add in mushrooms, meat, chicken stock and cover. Adjust your cooking time by about 10-15 minutes to fully cook through your proteins. Finish as above.

Also for meat-eaters: A little crumbled bacon would rock.

As always, if you want more sauce, adjust the liquids. You will be amazed at how much of the sauce is absorbed by the pasta. 

*If cooking with alcohol is not your thing, omit the vermouth and increase the amount of chicken stock you use. You can also de-glaze the pan with water, but that sounds like it would taste terrible.

**If you do not have heavy cream, you can substitute half and half, or sour cream without it affecting the flavor or consistency.

Chicken and Spinach Lasagna

This post is dedicated to my brother Andy,and his fiance, Stephanie.  Less Andy and more Stephanie - since she mentioned about 5 times a couple of weeks ago that I needed to pick this back up.

I've thought about food blogging since my last post on November 17, 2013 and truth be told, it just seemed so....hard.

And, time consuming.

And, UGH!  

If you like comfort food, then make this.  Just be prepared that you do need a little time on your hands to fully execute the preparation.  I gave myself a full hour for prep because I have a wicked small kitchen and needed to wash dishes along the way.

This recipe works for a 9x13 pan, but it can be doubled (and tripled) for bigger pans to fit your needs.

Chicken and Spinach "White" Lasagna

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 bag of fresh baby spinach (or you can use frozen spinach)

2 garlic cloves

1 medium onion, diced

1/8 tsp pepper flakes (optional)

2 tbsp olive oil

1 quart of whole milk

1 stick butter

1/2 cup flour

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp white pepper

1 box of ready to use, no boil lasagna noodles

4 cups mozzarella cheese

1 cup of parmesan cheese

1 large container of ricotta cheese 

1-2 eggs

salt and pepper

parsley, dried or fresh

In a stock pot, boil chicken breasts until done all the way through.  Set aside to cool.  Once cooled, shred chicken, and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil and add onion and garlic, sauteing until onion has softened and garlic is fragrant.  Add washed baby spinach, and saute until wilted.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add hot pepper flakes, if desired.  Set aside.  (Remember, spinach is mostly water - - and that big bunch you start off with is going to basically look like a single serving...but a little goes a long way.  If you really like spinach, double that shit.)

To make the "white sauce," aka béchamel sauce:

Melt butter is large sauce pan.  Once butter is melted, add flour and whisk.  Allow to cook until mixture takes on a nutty smell, and the roux darkens slightly.  Slowly add milk while whisking, and stir every couple of minutes until the mixture thickens.  This will happen when the mixture comes to a boil.  Season with salt and pepper, and add nutmeg.  Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, combine ricotta and 1-2 eggs to form a smooth, spreadable cheesy, messy glob of goodness.

Time to assemble this mass of chicken and cheese.

Layer one: Spoon some of the béchamel into the bottom of a 9x13 pyrex dish.  Lay down a layer of no-boil lasagna noodles.  Layer half of your cooked chicken.  Spoon a third of your ricotta on top of your chicken.  Top with mozzarella and parmesan.

Layer two:  Lay down a layer of no-boil lasagna noodles. Spoon some of the béchamel over the noodles.  Add all of your spinach mixture. Spoon a third of your ricotta on top of your spinach.  Top with mozzarella and parmesan.

Layer three: Lay down a layer of no-boil lasagna noodles. Spoon some of the béchamel over the noodles.  Add the rest of your cooked chicken. Spoon a third of your ricotta on top of your chicken.  Top with Spoon some of the béchamel over the noodles. 

Layer four, and final (for me, at least): Lay down a layer of no-boil lasagna noodles.  Spoon some of the béchamel over the noodles. Top with mozzarella and parmesan.  Sprinkle some parsley on top, just to make it look pretty.  Cover with foil, and bake - or keep in your fridge for a day or two and bake off another time.

Bake that bad boy for about an hour at 350 degrees, covered.  Remove foil during last 20 minutes to brown the top.  Let sit about 15 minutes before serving.

So, normally I would have a lovely picture to share, but since this was made for a funeral and taking a photo didn't seem proper, you will have to use your imagination!  

If you make this, beware - you do not need to serve big, giant helpings.  This recipe, as is, will make about 9-12 filling servings.  You can also freeze portions.  Just chill and cut, and either place in a freezer bag, or a tupperware container.

It is best to reheat in the oven, but the microwave will do a fine job as well.

Creamy Pasta with Shrimp

Friend: "Do you have anything to eat in this house?"

Me: "Ummmm..."

I had frozen pre-cooked shrimp, a green pepper, half a pint of grape tomatoes and cream - plus some pickles, yogurt and a couple Balance Bars. There was some serious potential in my *seriously* understocked kitchen pantry/fridge!

CREAMY PASTA with SHRIMP

Pasta of your choice - I used plain spaghetti
6 tbsp butter
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
1 lb pre-cooked shrimp, de-veined and de-shelled
1 green bell pepper, cut into strips
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp flour
1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved - if desired
2 tbsp fresh basil, or 1 tsp dried basil
Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Cook pasta as usual.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet. Add onion, garlic and green pepper. Cook until onion is translucent and fragrant. Add shrimp.

Combine cream and flour in a small glass - mix well to form a slurry. Pour cream mixture over shrimp and cook until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat. Add pasta, tomato and basil and combine. Grate a little fresh parmesan cheese just before service.


Dinner was done in about 12 minutes, tops. The leftovers were pretty tasty as well - still creamy, which surprised me!

Plus, I got to break out the pasta bowls I've been sitting on for 2 years, which made me very, very happy.

Spaghetti with Creamy Garlic Sauce

Everything's better with bacon, right? Does that question even have to be asked? Creamy pasta happens to be one of my major downfalls - and when combined with crisp bacon it means that I ate a whole lot of this meal, then passed out in a coma on the couch cursing at myself. The pasta itself is so rich and flavorful, not only from the glorious bacon that rests on top, but because it's also loaded to the gills with garlic. Hey, I'm not kissin' anyone right now...I can eat all the garlic I like. (And for those of you who are kissing someone, remember that two garlic breaths cancel each other out!)

SPAGHETTI WITH CREAMY GARLIC SAUCE

12 oz. uncooked spaghetti, or pasta of your choice
1/2 lb sliced bacon, sliced into 1 inch pieces
1 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 1/2 cup milk
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese
2 tbsp butter
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (fresh, preferred)
1 cup frozen peas

Cook pasta according to packaged directions.

Meanwhile, crisp bacon and set aside on paper towels to drain excess fat.

In the same pan you used to crisp the bacon, add butter, onion and garlic and saute until onion is translucent. Add cream cheese, milk, nutmeg, salt and pepper and gently stir until cream cheese has melted into a beautifully creamy sauce. Add peas. Once sauce is thickened, add drained pasta and toss to combine. Top with bacon!

When I make this again, I will probably substitute the peas for a little fresh baby spinach, because I felt that the dish needed a little more green in it. Can I also say "yay" that I got to use my pasta bowls for the first time ev-ah! (I've only had them for 4 years, but they were stored away in the attic.)

Be warned - like most pasta dishes, the leftovers were not as satisfying as the actual meal. The cream sauce solidifies (a little extra milk did loosen the sauce, but it wasn't the same) and the bacon loses some of it's crispness. My advice - make only what you plan to eat that night. If you want more, spend the 20 minutes and make it again...after all, you have that 1/2 package of bacon left!

Pasta Fagioli

I'm a sucka for soup.

I prefer cream based soups to clear broth soups in the winter, but in the summer I really like chunky, fresh from the garden (obviously, not my garden) "meal all in one" soups, that provide leftovers for days.

I've had this Pasta Fagioli recipe stuck in my head for days, after cleaning out my pantry and happening across 3 separate boxes of dilatini pasta and 5 cans of cannalini beans! Sometimes when I grocery shop, my stomach takes over without my mind realizing it - so it's no wonder I've been craving Pasta Fagioli...the ingredients were calling my name from behind closed doors for a few weeks now!

I really like this soup because it is not only simple and economical, but it feeds an army and is so tasty. Unlike some other soups, Pasta Fagioli is flavorful immediately. Try it, and get on the Pasta Fagioli Love Train!

All aboard! The Fagioli Love Train is departing!

PASTA FAGIOLI

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, washed and chopped
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 bay leaf
1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 cup dry vermouth
1 large can (28 oz) of whole stewed tomatoes, with juice
2 cans white or cannalini beans, well rinsed
4-6 cups chicken stock
salt and pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cups cooked ditalini pasta (or any other small pasta)
2 tbsp dried parsley
2 tsp dried thyme

In a large stock pot, heat butter and oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic stirring occassionally until onion is translucent. Add bay leaf and red pepper flake and stir to combine. Add vermouth and cook until liquid reduces and alcohol cooks out.

Meanwhile, rinse beans completely. Add beans, canned tomatoes with juice and chicken stock to pot. Bring to a boil and cook until vegetables are tender. Add herbs, and season with salt and pepper. Before service, add cooked pasta. (Pasta will absorb liquid, so I like to keep the pasta completely separate so it doesn't overcook, or "bloat.")

I've made this same recipe and added zuchinni and squash into the vegetable medley. I've also switched out the chicken stock for vegetable stock.

Some people are scared of red pepper flake, but I've found that if you add the spice at the beginning of the cooking process, it looses some of it's heat and adds just a small kick at the end when you are ready to serve it.

It's important to get a little of each ingredient on the spoon!

Fast, Easy, Tasty

Fast, easy and tasty just about sums up this meal in 3 simple words.



DITALINI WITH PESTO, BEANS AND BROCCOLI RABE


1/2 lb ditalini pasta
1 jar prepared pesto (or, make your own)
1 can light kidney beans, rinsed
1 bunch of broccoli rabe, cleaned and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup vegetable stock


Prepare pasta as directed. About 3 minutes into the pasta cooking, add the broccoli rabe pieces to the boiling water. Drain and return to pot.


Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring vegetable stock to a boil. Add drained beans and pesto and cook until beans are heated through, approximately 1 minute. Add mixture to pasta, stirring gently to combine. Serve!


Seriously good eats in about 15 minutes tops. I really enjoyed the nuttiness of the beans against the fresh flavor of the broccoli rabe - and the rabe was not bitter at all! This definitely made my "make again, and again..." list. (And, did a nice job in satisfying that comfort food craving.)

Brussel Sprouts Alfredo

I didn't try a Brussels sprout until I was well into adulthood, and with good reason - - my mother hates them with a passion. I like anything and everything in cabbage family, Brussels sprouts included! Steamed and tossed with some butter and salt...oh man! I just adore their earthy flavor.

The grocery store had some lovely organic Brussels sprouts that I simply could not pass up when I did my weekly shopping. I bought only about a cups worth - - and immediately started to think about how I would use them.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS ALFREDO

1 cup of Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts
egg noodles
1 jar of your favorite Alfredo sauce*
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place Brussels sprouts on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven, turning once, until sprouts are tender and have developed color. Remove from heat.

Prepare pasta as directed. Drain. Add Alfredo sauce and roasted Brussels sprouts, gently stirring to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Meanwhile, toast pine nuts in a dry skillet until browned. Sprinkle pine nuts over side dish at service time.


I served this pasta side dish alongside breaded and baked bone-in pork chops and applesauce.

The meal itself was pretty darn fantastic! The pasta satisfied that need for something "creamy" without dominating the plate (as I am being very mindful of portion control), and the pine nuts added just a touch of crunch. And, the whole meal was done in about 30 minutes - including roasting time, which also makes it great for a weeknight dinner.

*To make this more of a main dish, add some pre-cooked chicken to the final product.

Tomato and Goat Cheese Pasta

Rachael Ray created an empire on 30-minute meals. I am bitter about her success (to say the least) and posted about my feelings at least once - cleverly titled "Damn that Rachael Ray!" Tee-hee. Dinner doesn't have to be made in 30 minutes, it can be made in 15 with time leftover to make yourself a beautiful cocktail!


TOMATO AND GOAT CHEESE PASTA


1 lb Dried Pasta, shape of your choice
Container of Cherry Tomatoes
1 small block of Goat Cheese, crumbled
1 bunch of fresh Parsley, roughly chopped
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
salt and pepper, to taste


Cook pasta in boiling water. Once drained, add tomatoes, crumbled goat cheese, parsley, salt and pepper and olive oil and toss to combine. Serve!



The heat from the pasta will soften the tomatoes and melt the cheese. It's simply fabulous. If you don't care for goat cheese, make a substitute of either fresh mozzarella cheese or a crumbled feta.

Turkey-day Leftovers - - Swedish Meatballs made healthier

2 people.

18 pound fresh turkey.
4 1/2 hours cooking time.
Leftovers galore = PRICELESS

We're not totally glutenous...we planned for an entire week of leftovers when we bought such a large turkey for two people. Not only did we feast on hot open-faced sandwiches, but I also re-purposed some traditional items into entirely new dishes.
, meat
Who says that you need to roast the entire bird all at once? Before our brine experiment, I cut away one of the breasts and placed it in the fridge for the next day. Why? So that I could use the lean meat to make some homemade turkey meatballs! I just ground the meat myself in my food processor.

(Not Really) SWEDISH MEATBALLS

2 lbs ground turkey meat to substitute the ground beef in my meatball recipe.
1 medium onion, diced
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 tsp olive oil
2 cups half & half (the original recipe called for cream!)
1 cup reduced fat sour cream
1 (10 3/4 oz) can condensed cream of chicken, 99% fat free
black pepper
1 package of uncooked dried egg noodles
chopped fresh parsley, for garnish if desired

Follow meatball recipe in the link provided, substituting 2 lbs ground turkey in place of the ground beef, or make you own meatballs using your recipe...OR purchase a package of pre-made meatballs!

In a large skillet, sweat onions and garlic in olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the half & half, sour cream and chicken soup, stirring to combine. Add already cooked meatballs and continue to cook in skillet for 20-25 minutes, or until sauce begins to thicken. Meanwhile, prepare egg noodles as directed on package.

Season meatballs and sauce with a few grinds of fresh black pepper, and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve over eggs noodles.


This dish satisfies that creamy texture I was craving - but still remained on the healthier side, since I used fat-free or low-fat ingredients and lean turkey breast meat in the meatballs. Be forewarned that the turkey meatballs will have a slightly different texture than beef or pork meatballs traditionally used in Swedish Meatballs. Plus, it was totally different than the other turkey meals we had after Thanksgiving!!! It was a total curve ball!

Stick your vegetables in something cheesy!

There has been a recent influx of cookbooks designed to take healthy vegetables and disguise them in everyday meals. Jessica Seinfeld, wife of comedian Jerry Seinfeld, recently wrote a cookbook entitled Deceptively Delicious. From the Publisher: Deceptively Delicious has all of Jessica's winning combinations, including cauliflower in mac and cheese and spinach in brownies.


Forgive me, but WHAT THE FUCK?! If someone tries to feed me a brownie with spinach in it, I will punch them in the face! I definitely do not agree with this method of cooking because I think it could cause more harm them good - if a child isn't given the opportunity to try new tastes, that kid is going to grow up into an insufferably picky adult!


(Have you ever been to a restaurant with a person who hates everything except chicken nuggets? It makes me want to scratch my eyes out, and I am not even an adventurous eater! "Can you omit the onions?" WHOA lady!!!! No! Just stop already!)


I cook and bake regularly with my niece Kelsey and nephew Shakeer - avid readers will remember our forray into Christmas cookies. I found that if they participate in the food prep, they are more likely to eat something new...plus, they love to help out in the kitchen. Banning children from the kitchen can make things easier, but you are seriously missing out on a great experience, as well as the opportunity to teach them about good nutrition.


That being said - I totally found a recipe that hid a great deal of perfectly tasty vegetables under a melting mound of delicious cheese! I'm such a hypocrite!


SWEET PEA AND ARTICHOKE LASAGNA


12 no-boil lasagna noodles
2 (15 oz.) containers of ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 (1 lb) bag of frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup fresh basil
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
4 cups mozzarella cheese
2 eggs
2 jars of marinated artichokes, drained
salt and pepper


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


Brush a 13x9x2 baking dish with oil, and set aside. In a small bowl, combine drained artichokes, 1/2 cup of cream and basil. Set aside. In a large blender or food processor, combine peas, ricotta, parmesan cheese, 1 cup of whipping cream, salt and pepper and 2 eggs. (I had to do this in 2 batches.)


Pour 1 cup of ricotta mixture in the bottom of the baking dish. Layer 4 lasanga noodles, then 1/2 of artichoke mixutre, then 1/3 of the ricotta mixture. Sprinkle 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Repeat process with second layer.


For the last layer - 4 additional noodles, rest of ricotta mixture and 2 cups of mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 25 minutes or until cheese has browned slightly, and is bubbly around the edges. Remove from oven and let stand 15 minutes before serving.



Yes, it's a little time consuming - but the reward is this sweet and creamy, yet tangy combination of flavors. I never even missed the tomato sauce! The bottom layer of noodles almost becomes this crust of sorts - anchoring the whole dish. Plus, just look at the color of the layers...it's quite eye catching, and everyone knows, you eat with your eyes first.

I ate the leftovers for 3 days!