Whats for Dinner? One Pot Pasta

 What is One Pot Pasta?

Pasta and veggies all in a pot and cooking at the same time.

 A great dish to use leftover veggies with. 

You will want to begin by prepping all your ingredients:

chopping asparagus, slicing mushrooms, slivering garlic cloves,

and pinching off a sprig or two of fresh thyme.  
Shredded Parmesan will be added at the end along with some cream.

Tonight I have decided to serve along side hot and buttery french bread.

This buttery and baked hot bread by The Pioneer Woman which
she calls The Bread is French bread slathered on both sides 
with lots of butter then baked and finished under the broiler 
until dark brown and begins to burn.  That's right, 
she actually says, "... begins to burn." 

Once prepped and ready to go,

 

add all the veggies along with the dried pasta and water

to a stockpot along with salt and pepper.

 Bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered, until pasta is cooked

and vegies are tender.  Give the pasta a stir frequently so it does not

stick to itself. The liquid will actually reduce on its own.

 

  Parmesan is stirred in at the end, along with cream,

and Voila! it is done. Serve immediately with

some extra shredded Parmesan on the top

and that delicious hot bread!

Here is the recipe:

One Pot Pasta

1 lb. dried spaghetti

1 lb. mushrooms, sliced

1/2 lb. asparagus, cut diagonally in apx. 1" pieces

2 cloves garlic, cut into thin slivers

1 or 2 sprigs of thyme

4 1/2 cups water

Kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup heavy cream

In a large stockpot, add the dried spaghetti, mushrooms, asparagus, garlic, thyme sprigs, and water.  Season with salt and pepper.

Bring to boil, reduce heat to a simmer and let cook, uncovered, until pasta is cooked through and liquid has reduced, apx. 20  minutes.  Stir in Parmesan cheese and heavy cream. Serve immediately.

Adapted from recipe by Damn Delicious.

Enjoy!

I will be linking up with

Thanks for visiting!

Fondly,

~Karen

A Bird's Nest Napkin Fold and Dinner!

 Lucky me! 

Continued outdoor dining at my daughter's!

Previously, I enjoyed a lovely dinner on her balcony.

If you missed that post, you can check it out HERE

 

Tonight, dinner was originally for four but dwindled down to two.

That's okay. It happens... and it means more leftovers!

I like to include one or more wow-factors when entertaining

and often a napkin fold does just that.  I found this fun napkin 

fold in the shape of a bird's nest on You Tube HERE demonstrated

 by Denise Vivaldo. She has authored a book named 

"Top 100 step-by-step Napkin Folds." 

I decided to go with a bird theme and thought it coordinated

 well with this Morning Glories tablecloth and matching 

cloth napkins from Target.

My dinner for two began with an easy appetizer.

On a skewer, I added a cube of cantaloupe melon, a small fresh mozzarella

ball, and thinly sliced prosciutto.  I placed two each in margarita glasses,

drizzled each glass with a balsamic reduction sauce and chopped parsley.

The sweet melon goes beautifully with the Italian dry-cured ham

and the mozzarella ball has great texture and adds to the overall flavor.

They are pretty and were very nice to nosh on with a glass of wine.

For the entree, I made an Artichoke Chicken and Spinach Lasagna and served it

with a Caprese Summer Salad with Cannellini Beans. The salad had a

Basil Pesto Dressing that was really good.

Instead of a garlic bread traditionally served with lasagna, 

I tested a bread made with pizza dough stuffed with a soft herb

cheese, sprinkled with parmesan and topped with sliced zucchini 

and red onion.  You can find that recipe HERE.

Dessert was a wonderfully simple Lemon and Pistachio 

one-layer cake. Check back and I'll share the recipe with you.

I will be linking up with these following blog parties:

The Tablescaper's Seasonal Sundays

Between Naps on the Porch's Tablescape Thursdays 

Rattlebridge Farm's Foodie Fridays

 

 As always, thanks for visiting me!

 

Fondly,

~Karen

Whats for Dinner? Crock-Pot Chili with Chocolate

 

This chili with fool you!

Going into the crock-pot, it may seem like any ordinary chili.
 

 

It begins with black beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans,

along with cooked ground beef, tomatoes, onions, and spices.

It cooks for 6-8 hours... then for the last 15 minutes it

gets finished with chopped Chocolate - and just a tad of honey!
 

 

It's sure to please the most skeptical palate and would be fun to

serve guests, asking them what they think is the secret ingredient.

Its actually pretty tasty and delicious and, other than seeing the

sprinkling of shaved chocolate on the top for garnish, you would

never suspect there was chocolate in it.  The chocolate really is that subtle.
 

 

I made some seasoned saltine crackers to serve
along side. I often make these with chili flakes but for
tonight I left the spicy-ness off so we could get enjoy
the full spicy flavors of the chili.

 

Come on! Eating can be an adventure. Give this a try!

You can click on this link for the recipe for the

Slow-Cooker Chocolate Chili with Three Beans

and here is the recipe for the crackers:

 

Seasoned Crackers

Source: Unknown
 

1 lb. unsalted saltine crackers
1 cup canola oil
1 (1 oz. pkg) ranch dressing mix
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons chili flakes (optional)

Line crackers on their ends in an air-tight container. In a small bowl, combine canola oil, ranch dressing mix, garlic powder and red pepper flakes. Stir until well combined. Spoon mixture evenly over crackers. Close the lid and gently flip over the crackers.  Flip over every 5 minutes for a total of 20 minutes.  There will be excess oil at first but as they get flipped they will absorb the oil.  The crackers can be stored in a ziploc bag and will last for about a week.

Enjoy and Thank you for visiting!

 

I will be sharing this recipe along with others at

Rattlebridge Farm's Foodie Friday

 

Fondly,

~Karen

 



 

 





Queen's Valentine's Dinner

Each year, a Valentine's Queen is elected in my sorority

chapter.  She is a gal who gives of herself her friendship,

is supportive, and is a gal we can look up to and see

a smiling face.  She is a true sorority sister in every way.

 

She gets to wear our chapter's coveted Queen's Crown...

...and a Queen's Valentine's Dinner is given in her honor.

 

Her dinner was given at a sorority sister's home the other night.

The sister hostess set a lovely table made the dinner. She asked me

to make the dessert.  Days prior, I asked our Queen what

her favorite dessert was.  She responded with "cupcakes".

The dinner was going to be a plated-sit down dinner so I opted for

Creme Brulee with dinner and Cupcakes saved for later in the evening.

The red and pink cupcakes rested beautifully on the piano while we ate dinner.

The Valentine's dinner began with festive salads plated

on the table when the sorority sisters arrived.

We each sat down with our choice of red or white wine

to a delicious entree of chicken, roasted potatoes, and green beans.

I made Creme Brulee in shallow ramekins garnished with

raspberries, mint, and a flourless-chocolate cake heart

cut-out and drizzled with chocolate.

 

Here is the evening's actual dinner menu:

 

Mixed Green Salad w/Beet-Infused Goat Cheese Hearts

Chicken Parmesan w/Marinara Sauce, Avocados, and Mozzarella Cheese

Roasted Red Potatoes

Steamed Haricots Verts

Creme Brulee w/Flourless Chocolate Cake Heart Garnish

Rose-Piped Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream

 

The dinner was delicious!

After a lively dinner, we settled into the livingroom, each exchanged

Valentines, then ate the cupcakes - leaving four for the

Queen to take home to her family.

 

It was a fun evening and one we all look forward to every year.

 

I hope you enjoyed this post and thank you for visiting!

 

I will be joining

Susan's Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursdays.

Feel free to go on over and check out all the tablescapes linked there.

 

Fondly,

~Karen

 

A Prelude to Thanksgiving!

This week I've decided to create a tablescape and make-believe dinner for two using

all the gorgeous golds and ambers of Autumn and Thanksgiving with a

favorite cranberry accent thrown in! I think the centerpiece is stunning

and was taken off a nearby sofa table...

along with this lovely brass candlestick.

The color theme centered around this beautiful April Cornell

tablecloth I purchased at TJ Maxx.  The amber plates were a Marshall's find.

The drinking glasses were a gift from my mom which she purchased

from a current home party - sorry, the name of which I just can't remember!

At each place setting, I included a shiny gold pumpkin that I had

gotten at Michael's and included in a previous post HERE.

I added another less-shiny but glittery pumpkin on a gold

pedestal, as an addition to the centerpiece.

Tucked inside each cranberry napkin ring is a sweet-smelling gardenia blossom.

Along with some sexy lighted votives, this would clearly be a romantic dinner for two!

Don't you think?

 

The menu suggestion I have made tonight would be:

 

Bacon-Wrapped Beef Appetizer with a Horseradish-Chive Dipping Sauce

Spinach and Mushroom Pastry

Slow-Roasted Pork Roast with Cherry Sauce

Carrots Vichy

Molasses Walnut Tart

 

(Menu compiled from Southern Living Sept/Oct Issue,

Cook's Illustrated Fall Entertaining, and

Le Cordon Bleu Vegetable Practical)


This week I will be joining:
 

   

 

Thank you for visiting!

 

Fondly,

~Karen

 

 

 

My Pesto Salmon with Julia's Braised Rice!

I try to eat fish a couple of times of week for the benefits

of the Omega 3's.   Supposedly, they contribute to every inch of 

our beautiful bodies - from our hearts to our minds!

Keeping that in mind, one of my favorite fish to eat is salmon.  

But not every day am I able to pop in and buy a fresh piece of fish!

Costco sells these nifty individually wrapped salmon portions in a bag 

on their freezer aisle. Depending on how hungry you are (and if you are 

sharing it, how hungry they are), you can get two meals out of one.

Or, okay, one meal and the other half is lunch for the next day 

(crumble cooked salmon, then add capers, chopped red onions, 

and a sprinkling of olive oil and champagne vinegar. Yum!).

But, I'm feeling pretty hungry tonight so I'm eating it 

all - and not sharing! It's just me! 

This is one of my old stand-by meals I can make in a pinch because I usually have

both the pesto in the frig and the salmon portions in the freezer at all times. 

The salmon defrosts fairly quickly but its always best to think ahead and 

place in the frig to thaw in the morning before you head out!  

As you can see, I just use purchased pesto and plop some 

down on the baking dish, sit the rinsed and patted-dry salmon on top,

 then slather a little more on its top.  Bake at 350 degrees for exactly 

30 minutes (less if you get a thinner piece).  As it bakes, the olive oil from

the pesto sort of melts in the heat adding the wonderful taste

of basil to the salmon.  As it bakes, put together a 

couple side dishes, set the table, pour the wine, and

Voila! There you have it!

One of the easiest and tastiest salmons you will ever make!

I accompanied the salmon with buttered brussels sprouts

(also from the freezer) and another stand by - Julia Child's 

Braised Rice.  I can easily make it from memory and change 

it up now and again.  Her Braised Rice - Risotto (French Style) recipe 

is in her cookbook, Julia's Kitchen Wisdom, "Essential Techniques and 

Recipes from a Lifetime of Cooking".  This recipe is also in her 

cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking but the recipe is a 

little easier to follow in her Julia's Kitchen Wisdom. Just so you'll 

have it, here is the recipe.  I know you'll love it and it has a 

much nicer flavor than the boiled rice we grew up with.

Braised Rice - Risotto (French Style)

Source: Julia's Kitchen Wisdom, by Julia Child

     Saute 1/4 cup of finely minced onion in 2 tablespoons of butter to soften. Stir in 1 cup of rice and cook, stirring with a wooden fork [!!], for 2 to 3 minutes, until grains look milky.  Stir in 2 tablespoons dry white French vermouth and 2 cups chicken stock, add 1 imported [!!] bay leaf, and bring to simmer.  Season lightly. Stir once, lower heat, cover, and cook as for basic boiled rice. [I just love Julia Child!]

So - Enjoy - and Bon Appetit! 

Please join me this Friday and Monday at:

Fondly, ~ Karen

What's for Dinner? Southwestern Beef Kabobs and Orzo Salad

The menu tonight is 

Southwestern Beef Kabobs on an Orzo Salad

It starts with a cool bed of Orzo Salad full of vegetables tossed with

a sweet lime-jalapeno dressing.  You can adjust the amount of 

jalapeno, depending on how much heat you want.

The beauty of this salad is that you can make it 24 hours before serving.

I find it helpful to throw a salad like this together before going to work

in the morning.  When I get home, I just have to grill the meat.

 The Beef Kabobs are southwest because of the spice rub they are coated with.

Chili powder and cumin are the predominate flavors but added to those

is the kick of ground oregano.  These Kabobs can be grilled or broiled.

The make ahead tip is to cube the beef in the morning or night before

when making the salad.  I also put the spices in a separate gallon Ziploc ahead 

of time.  I combine the beef cubes with the spices just before lighting the gas 

grill. Give them a good shake to coat well, then thread them onto 

the wet skewers as the grill is preheating.

Recipe:

Southwestern Beef Kabobs with Corn and Orzo Salad.

Source:  Better Homes and Gardens: Make & Take

Serves 8

8 10-inch bamboo skewers

2/3 cup dried orzo 

2 cups fresh corn kernels (4 ears)

1 medium orange sweet pepper, cut into bite-size pieces

2/3 cup grape tomatoes, halved

1 14.5- to 15-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

1 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon finely shredded lime peel

1/4 cup lime juice

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 fresh jalapeno chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped

2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons garlic salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground oregano

2 pounds boneless beef sirloin, cut in to 1-inch cubes

1. Soak skewers in water for at least 30 minutes.

2. Cook orzo according to package directions, adding corn kernels for the last minute of cooking time.  Drain orzo and corn in a colander; rinse with cold water.

3. In a large bowl combine orzo, corn, sweet pepper, tomatoes, beans, onion, and zucchini.

4. In a small jar with a screw-top lid combine olive oil, honey, lime peel, lime juice, garlic, jalapeno, snipped cilantro, and salt.  Shake well.  Add dressing to orzo mixture, mix well.

5. In a resealable plastic bag combine chili powder, garlic salt, cumin, and oregano.  Seal bag and shake to mix.  Add beef cubes to bag.  Seal bag and shake to coat.  Thread beef cubes evenly onto bamboo skewers.

To broil:

6. Preheat broiler. Place kabobs on the unheated rack of a broiler pan. Broil 3 to 4 inches from heat for 8 to 12 minutes or until desired doneness, turning once.

For gas grill or charcoal grill:

7. Preheat grill.  Reduce heat to medium. Place kabobs on grill rack over heat. For a gas grill, cover.  For a charcoal grill, uncovered, over medium coals.  Cook for 8 to 12 minutes or until desired doneness, turning once halfway through grilling.

Enjoy!

Thank you for visiting!

I will be joining these parties: 
Stone Gable's On The Menu Monday
and



Wishing everyone a great week! 

Fondly,

~ Karen

Berry Spring Salad

This could also be called a Berry Summer Salad - but its still Spring!

Spring greens tossed with Wisconsin Bleu Cheese (Gorgonzola), small slices

of red onion, and fresh blueberries.  I added some Craisins (aka dried

cranberries) for added color and added sweetness. 

My salad dressing of choice is Ken's Steak House Lite Raspberry

Walnut Vinaigrette.  This is a delicious low-fat and low-calorie dressing.

I like the way the raspberry flavor adds an additional berry taste.

This salad makes a nice and light side to our dinner tonight.

In lieu of a starch, I'm serving it along side halved cherry tomatoes

drizzled with balsamic vinegar and olive oil with chopped fresh basil.

The Menu

Grilled Salmon

Berry Spring Salad

Cherry Tomatoes

Recipe:

Berry Spring Salad

Adapted from a Better Homes and Garden recipe

4 cups mixed greens

1 cup fresh blueberries

1/4 cup bleu cheese or feta

1/8 cup Craisins (dried cranberries)

1/8 cup thinly sliced red onion

1/4 cup toasted walnuts (optional)

Ken's Steak House Lite Raspberry Walnut Dressing

Toss together salad ingredients.  Drizzle with desired amount of vinaigrette.  Tossing gently to coat.

Enjoy!

Thank you for visiting me!

I will be joining:

On The Menu Monday

Foodie Friday

Fondly,

~ Karen