The sauce is very, very easy.  (If you wanted to, you could just buy the Trader Joe’s raviolis and put the sauce on it – it would be great I’m sure.)  I did swap out the hazelnuts for walnuts, because well my grocery store just didn’t have any hazelnuts.  And also, who the heck even knows what sorrel is?  Well, I googled it – it turns out it kind of looks like a weed you might find in your backyard.  Being that I couldn’t find that either at the local stores, I ended up swapping it out for my favorite leafy green, spinach.  And it was great.

Pumpkin Ravioli with Walnut Cream Sauce – adapted from Marbalet via allrecipes.com

Ingredients

For the Ravioli:

• 1 and 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 large carrot, cooked and pureed
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• dash of nutmeg
• 2-2.5 oz parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• half of one beaten egg
• approximately 1 pound of fresh pasta, rolled into sheets

Saute onion in a skillet over medium heat together with the butter and spices.  To the skillet, add pumpkin puree and carrot puree and stir well.  Remove from the heat, and immediately stir in the Parmesan,  syrup and egg.  Let cool completely prior to filling ravioli!  Remember to keep the pasta moist while working with it so the ravioli stick together.  Lay out a pasta sheet and place about 1 tablespoon of filling (this will depend on your stamper size) about 2-3 inches apart.  Lay a sheet of pasta overtop, squeeze about as much air as you can out of the pockets, and stamp with the ravioli stamp around the filling.  You may lay individually on a cookie sheet and freeze for later use at this point.  To cook, drop into a pot of rapidly boiling water until the ravioli float – then they will be cooked.

For the Sauce:

• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1.5 cups heavy whipping cream
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• salt to taste
• 1 x 10oz package of spinach, thawed and drained

Toast the walnuts at 400 degrees for about 7-10 minutes or until lightly browned.  Place the cream, garlic, and pepper in deep skillet and cook on medium high until the sauce starts to thicken.  When the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, add a dash of salt (to taste) and stir in spinach and half the toasted walnuts.  Put the sauce over the ravioli and garnish with the remaining walnuts.  Enjoy!

I have a confession to make.  As much as I love pumpkin baked goods, I have never tried a savory pumpkin dish.  I’m not a fan of squash, so pumpkin seemed infinitely unlikable.  I definitely had to step out of my comfort zone to make this dish, and I’m thrilled that I did.  While preparing the meal, there were a few times when the sauce smelled way too much like straight up pumpkin puree and I thought that there was no way that it would turn out well.  But it did.  The sauce boasts a mild pumpkin flavor with a hint of nutmeg and sweetly caramelized onion.

While completely different than anything I have ever tried, the seemingly disparate flavors combine product a hearty meal that’s perfect for fall.

Creamy Pumpkin Penne
Yields 2 dinner servings

4 oz penne pasta
2 tsp olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
about 2T chopped fresh sage
2 links cooked chicken sausage, sliced
1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese (1% milk fat)
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup nonfat milk
pinch of nutmeg
3oz torn spinach, thick stems removed
grated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese, optional

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions.
2. Over medium-low heat, heat olive oil in a skillet. Add onions and cook gently for about 10-15minutes, until softened and beginning to caramelize. Continue to saute, adding garlic, sage, and chicken sausage.
3. Combine pumpkin puree, cottage cheese and milk in a blender, blending until no lumps are present.
4. Add creamy pumpkin mixture to sausage mixture in skillet, continuing to cook over low heat.
5. Season sauce to taste with salt, freshly ground pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.
6. Drain pasta and return to pot over low heat. Add sausage mixture and spinach, and toss together. Cover for a few minutes to let the spinach wilt. Serve with parmesan cheese, if desired.

Source: Cara’s Cravings

Ricotta Gnocchi 

From thenaptimechef.com

• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese
• 1 cup flour, plus more for dusting hands and working surface
• Pinch of salt

Combine cheeses and flour into a large bowl – the mixture will seem dry at first, but keep on mixing the ingredients until well combined and it forms a dough.  Dust your hands and countertop.  Roll a handful of dough into a long tube, about 1/2 inch wide.  Cut the gnocchi at 3/4-1 inch intervals.  Lay in an individual layer and refrigerate until cooking time.  To cook – bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and immerse the gnoochi in the water for 3-4 minutes, or until they float.  I followed this with a quick saute in olive oil to lightly brown the outside of the gnocchi.

A well-stocked freezer is a thing of beauty

A trip to the warehouse club can be a dangerous thing if you own a chest freezer.  One moment you’re innocently walking down an aisle buying a package of toilet paper, and the next thing you know– you have a 48-pack of mini quiche sitting in your deep freezer.  How long has it been there? When did you even buy it?!?! And who will take the blame when it’s sitting there taking up space two years from now? It’s time to shape up that freezer and ship out what you know you’ll never eat.

I’m proud to say that our deep freezer was one of the most exciting purchases during my foray into domesticity.  Visions of well-labeled canisters of homemade soup, packets of meat, and frozen vegetables danced in my head. Never again would I need to worry about what to make for dinner– it would all be sitting in my freezer just waiting to be defrosted. However, in order to have dinner at your fingertips, you’ve gotta have the basics and a little something exciting to make you actually WANT to cook dinner.

To kick things off in this season of snow and ice, I present to you Kathleen’s list of Top Five Items to Get in your Freezer Right Now! If you have these on hand, you’ll never end up reaching for that take-out menu.  I swear by all five of the following items, and for the record– they’re all sitting in my chest freezer at this very moment.

5.  Spinach

We all know the story– the dark greens are good for us. If you don’t have it right now, get yourself one of those frozen spinach blocks (or two) and plop them into your freezer. Why? Aside from the nutritional benefits, spinach will liven up and make a one-note dish more colorful. Just defrost for a few minutes, squeeze out as much water as possible, and add it to soups, jarred pasta sauce, and dips. Mix it with ricotta and bam! You’ve got the filling for stuffed shells or cannelloni.  Mix with sour cream and mayo for a great dip. You could even just serve it warm as a side dish (but we know you’re not going to do that).

*Extra Credit:  Make some room in your freezer for those frozen basil cubes and pesto you made at the end of this summer.

4. Frozen cheese-filled tortellini

If you’re feeling ambitious, you could sit down one evening and crank out some handmade filled pasta. Or you could be like me– wanting to boil water and be done with it.  For as simple as it is, frozen tortellini is a grand staple. Sauted lightly with olive oil and that frozen spinach (#5), it’s a simple and satisfying dinner. Thrown into a soup or broth, and you’ve got something that will easily stave off a winter chill. Marinate some overnight in salad dressing and skewer with tomato and mozzarella cubes– and you have a simple and elegant appetizer. As an added bonus, you’ll always have something on hand to whip up for that surprise vegetarian dinner guest or picky nephew. If you’re feeling really experimental, try topping a salad with chilled, cooked tortellini instead of croutons.  I’m a fan.

*Extra credit:  If you can find frozen pumpkin ravioli, stock up. It’s one of those “impress your friends with an easy entree” items.  Saute with brown butter and sage, add a little crumbled Italian sausage (#2), and you’re good to go.

3. Frozen Peas or Corn

Don’t laugh.  It’s a sad day indeed when I realize that we’re out of frozen peas.  I’ll let you check out Beth’s amazing corn salsa if you need extra reason to stock up on some kernels.  Aside from instant faux ice packs when you’ve got a splitting headache, these two veggies are incredibly versatile when you’re looking to spice up your dinner. Just thaw (no need to boil) and add to your dinner salad when all you have is a head of iceberg. Add peas to alfredo or to my incredible artery-clogging, bacon-tastic carbonara (coming soon to DP!) for a splash of color.  Puree with some salt and pepper for an easy dip.

*Extra credit:  We also keep a stock of frozen edamame (soybeans), both shelled and unshelled.  The shelled ones just need a little hot water and salt to make a great appetizer or pea replacement.

2. Italian sausage

Everyone has frozen ground beef in their freezer– I think it might even be issued with the purchase of a chest freezer.  But how inspiring are those little balls of freezer-burned beef? Not very.  I like to purchase Italian sausage (still in casings) and freeze portioned packets of two links each. Once defrosted, it’s easy to pull the casing off, and you’ve got a great way to spice up your dinner. Try mixing in Italian sausage with ground beef for burgers or meatballs. Brown some and add to your frozen tortellini (#4).  Or just keep in the casing and fire up the grill.  I normally have both mild and spicy links on hand for variety.

*Extra credit: This might sound a little lame coming from someone who likes to cook, but do yourself a favor and buy frozen mini meatballs (I like the ground turkey ones, myself). Yes, it’s lazy. However, knowing all you have to do is heat them and serve gives you a lot of options in the kitchen. Add to pasta for an easy dinner. Add to a broth with a few noodles for a soup. Add some sauce and you’ve got a sandwich, or throw into a slow cooker for an easy party appetizer.

and for my absolute staple in the freezer….. (drumroll, please)

1. Bacon!

To know bacon is to love bacon– at least when it comes to adding flavor and variety to your cooking repertoire.  Perhaps you already have the beloved breakfast meat in your freezer, so I’ll be a little more specific. During your next grocery trip, pick up a package or two and immediately slice each 1lb slab into four chunks (each which conveniently fit well in a quart freezer bag).  The next time you’re looking for a bit of extra flavor, pull out a bag. This amount of bacon easily defrosts right in the pan, and you’re already on your way to a fancy mac ‘n’ cheese or rich carbonara.  I’ll often pull out a package just for an easy breakfast addition or something extra to throw into a dip. My personal favorite is to fry up a little bacon, and use some of the drippings to saute fresh brussel sprouts.  I’ve even used it to infuse vodka and create a surprising brownie– but those are recipes for sharing on another day.

*Extra credit: If you’re feeling really adventurous, pick up a small package of pork belly.  This can be just as easily diced up and added to give a little more heft to a pasta or really liven up a salad. And contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to be on a competitive cooking show in order to cook with this luscious ingredient.

What food items do you lean on when it comes to heating up dinner ideas? We want to hear! In the meantime, happy defrosting!

I’ve been dying to take my pasta maker out for its inaugural spin since my husband gave it to me for my birthday in July!  Last week, I finally gave homemade pasta-making a whirl.   If you haven’t made your own pasta before, I would recommend doing so when you have ample time to spare.  Don’t follow my lead and start making the dough at 7:30 on Monday evening when you’re already exhausted and hungry!

Amateur issues aside, the whole process was pretty straightforward and yielded fantastic results.  I selected a basic pasta dough recipe from Mark Bittman’s  to How To Cook Everything.  Following his detailed dough-making and pasta-rolling instructions, I made 1 pound of fresh, beautiful fettuccine.

This was an enjoyable exercise that yielded a delicious, simple dinner.  I look forward to making pasta again and leveraging the lessons learned during my first attempt.

Traditional Egg Pasta Dough

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
1 tsp salt
3 eggs
A few drops of water, if needed

1. Combine flour and salt in food processor work bowl and pulse a few times to combine.
2. Add eggs all at once and turn processor on, Process just until a ball begins to form, about 30 seconds. (Mine never formed a ball. Once the dough was uniform, I proceeded to the next step.)
3. If the dough is dry and grainy, add a few drops of water. If the dough sticks to the side of the work bowl, add a tablespoon of flour.
4. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth – about 1-2 minutes. Add a small amount of water if the dough is dry or flour if the dough is sticky.
5. Cut dough into 6 pieces and wrap in plastic.
6. Working one piece at a time, proceed with your method of pasta rolling. Lisa has an excellent tutorial here.

I highly recommend using a pasta maker - of course, I may be partial as I haven’t made pasta without one – mine is a manual old fashioned one requiring a crank to be turned, but there are many varieties including stand-mixer attachments.  However, I think it isn’t really 100% necessary to have a pasta maker – a rolling pin, cutting board and patience will do the same thing!  My most important tip for a successful Pasta Night – start a pot of water boiling when you start resting the pasta dough, so it will heat up in time to cook the finished noodles!

Whole Wheat Pasta

Ingredients:

Step 1

Mix flours and salt in a large bowl (This can also be done directly on a flat surface such as a table or cutting board – I just tend to make a mess when I do it that way!) and make a well into the center.

Step 2

Add the oil and the first egg to the well in the center of the flour – use a fork to whisk the egg, slowly incorporating flour from the side.  Continue to add the other three eggs one at a time to the mixture until the dough begins to come together.    If the dough is too dry (it is not coming entirely together, or is cracking easily), add a little water – 1-2 teaspoons at a time, mixing very well after each addition.  The dough should form a smooth ball but it should not feel sticky at all to the touch (if it does, it will be impossible to roll flat!)

Step 3

After the dough is completed, it is very important to let it rest!  The texture will not be right unless you follow this step.  I usually place the dough directly on a counter or cutting board and place the mixing bowl over it, so it does not dry out.  Let rest anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour.   When you start resting your pasta dough – start boiling a large pot of salted water!

Step 4

After the dough has rested, divide into smaller balls, about 1-2 inches in diameter, and flatten into discs.  If you are using a rolling pin, roll the discs flat and cut into the desired shape.  If you are using a pasta machine – clamp the pasta machine securely to a countertop or table.  Set the pasta maker to its thickest setting.  Feed the discs of dough gently into the pasta maker to flatten them out.

Step 5

Adjust the pasta thickness on your pasta machine to medium thickness setting – probably 2 notches above the thinnest setting- this dough is a bit fragile, so I would not go any thinner than that.  Put all of the pasta sheets through the thinner setting. 

Step 6

Now we’re ready to cut!  Using the pasta cutting attachment that comes with the pasta machine, feed the pasta sheets slowly into the cutting attachment. 

After the noodles have been cut be careful not to pile them all together for very long, as they could get squished together and you could end up with a giant lump of pasta dough. 

Step 7

Time to cook the pasta!  Hopefully you started boiling a very large pot of salted water when you started resting your pasta dough and now have a rapidly boiling pot!  Add your pasta to the water.  Keep in mind this is fresh pasta, so it takes significantly less time to cook than dried pasta – maybe 3-4 minutes if the water is rapidly boiling.  Drain as usual and add your favorite sauce.  Happy Pasta Night!

It’s been quite awhile since I last posted. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been spending much of my spare time working in the yard. I’m thrilled with the way everything is turning out; the flowers are beautiful, my herbs and starter plants are doing well and my newly-decorated deck looks great. The yard definitely deserves its own post at some point.

Just as house projects change with the season, so does my cooking. With spring in full swing and summer on the way, I’ve been doing a lot of grilling lately. Since a few days last week felt more like March than May, I pulled out my Crock Pot to make an warm, easy dinner.

I used this recipe from Recipezaar as a guide, but modified the liquid content slightly. There’s a bit of chopping involved, but the recipe goes together quite quickly. The chicken is fall-apart tender and infused with so much flavor. Served atop whole grain pasta, this makes for a filling, comforting and healthy dinner.

Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore

Yields 4 Servings

28 oz. crushed tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp celery powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

2 large chicken breasts
1 large onion, thinly sliced
10 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 pepper, finely chopped

1. Pour tomatoes into Crock Pot.
2. Season with garlic, oregano, basil, celery powder, salt and black pepper. Stir to combine.
3. Add chicken breasts and cover with sauce.
4. Add onion, mushrooms and pepper. Stir to combine with sauce. Ensure that the chicken is covered with sauce and vegetables.
5. Cook on low for 7-9 hours or high for 3-4 hours.

Another delicious recipe from Cooking Light! This recipe for Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce, Asparagus and Peas is a quick and easy weeknight meal.

My husband and I often eat meat-free meals, but most are heavier in flavor and rely on a tomato base. This is quite different from our usual fare. I actually selected the recipe several weeks ago when I was looking to use up heavy cream left over from my ice cream making adventure, and some excess asparagus.

I was amazed at how quickly the dish came together. While the instructions list the pasta and sauce preparation serially, I prepared them concurrently. I started making the sauce at the same time I threw the pasta in the boiling water. I think it took about 20 minutes from the time I put the water on to boil to when I tossed the pasta and sauce together.

I followed there recipe pretty closely, altering the ingredients and procedure only slightly based upon what I had in the house at the time. Since I didn’t have cornstarch, I thickened the lemon cream sauce with about a tablespoon of flour. I also added a handful of Parmesan cheese at the same time I added the cream.

The lemon cream sauce is smooth, light and fresh. The bright tang of lemon and the tasty crunch of asparagus hint at the coming of spring. Served with a Caesar side salad, it was a refreshing and fun weeknight meal.

Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce, Asparagus and Peas

Yields 4 Servings

8 ounces uncooked long fusilli, or pasta of your choice
1 3/4 cups (1 1/2-inch) slices asparagus (about 1/2 pound)
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
1 tablespoon butter
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup vegetable broth
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/3 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Dash of ground red pepper
Coarsely ground black pepper (optional)

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. During the last minute of cooking time, add asparagus and peas. 3. Drain pasta mixture and set aside.
4. Melt butter in a saute pan over medium-high heat.
5. Saute garlic for 1 minute.
6. In a separate bowl, whisk together cornstarch and broth.
7. Add broth mixture to saute pan and bring to a boil.
8. Cook 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly.
9. Remove pan from heat and stire in cream, lemon juice, salt, black pepper and red pepper.
10. Pour sauce over pasta and toss to coat.

Cavatelli and Broccoli

Ingredients -

• 2 average-size broccoli crowns, cut into bite-size florets
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 bag of frozen ricotta cavatelli (located the frozen pasta section of the grocery store)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

In the mean time, put the olive oil into a medium sized skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic when the oil is heated and saute until lightly browned. Add the broccoli florets to the skillet and saute until the broccoli becomes a brighter shade of green, about 5 minutes.

When the pot of water comes to a boil, add the frozen cavatelli straight from the freezer to the water. These cook really fast – once water returns to a boil, let cook for 1-2 minutes then drain.

Mix the cavatelli into the skillet with the broccoli. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese over the cavatelli and broccoli and serve!

I’ve been making this recipe for Dijon Alfredo Sauce for years. My husband and I stumbled across this on allrecipes.com when we were searching for a cream sauce to go along with a bottle of Gew?rztraminer that we had picked up.

The Dijon mustard adds an interesting bite to the creamy Alfredo sauce and complements the asparagus quite nicely. In fact, this dish made me fall in love with asparagus. The sauce is rather rich, but it’s a fun treat. This dish has always gotten rave reviews from guests.

I love making this dish for company because of its’ unique flavor combinations and impressive presentation. It does require around 30 minutes of hands-on preparation, but the steps aren’t too complicated. I typically work on dinner while casually visiting with guests in the kitchen.

Based upon reader reviews, I have lightened up a the recipe by reducing the amount of butter and using light cream in place of whipping cream. I also use far less mustard than the original recipe. The resulting sauce is rich, smooth and flavorful.

Asparagus and Ravioli with Dijon Alfredo Sauce

Yields 4 servings

2 (9 ounce) packages refrigerated chicken- or cheese-filled ravioli
1 pound fresh asparagus
6 tbsp butter, divided
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1-2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 cups light cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon pepper

1. Cook ravioli in a large saucepan according to package directions; drain and keep warm.
2. Snap off tough ends of asparagus; cut asparagus into 2-inch-long pieces.
3. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add asparagus, and saute 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Spoon over ravioli.
4. Melt remaining 5 tablespoons butter in skillet over medium heat; add garlic, and saute 1 minute. Whisk in mustard. Gradually whisk in light cream until smooth.
5. Bring cream mixture to a boil; reduce heat, and cook, stirring often, 5 minutes. Stir in cheese and remaining ingredients. Cook, stirring constantly, until cheese melts. Pour over asparagus and ravioli, and toss. Serve immediately.