Do you have any recipes from your childhood that you still enjoy just as much now that you are an adult? I do. Macaroni and tomatoes happens to be one of them. It’s simple. It’s quick. It showcases the wonderful sweetness of tomatoes. One small problem: Ryan does not like it. Like at all. This, along with tuna casserole topped with potato chips, are meals that I  reserve for myself when Ryan isn’t going to be home for dinner. However, I was bound and determined to get him to love this dish so I decided to use the vine ripened tomatoes that I bought to make Macaroni with Fresh Tomatoes. I threw in a little basil for good measure and voila! He ate 2 bowls.

I have always wanted to make tomato sauce from scratch but it always seemed too complicated. Boiling the tomatoes, tossing them in an ice bath and then peeling them just seemed too much. But like I said, I was determined to get Ryan to like this dish so I bit the bullet and tried it. And guess what? It is really super easy. It only took about 10 minutes from the time I put the water on the stove to boil. And the results left me wondering why I waited so long.

Now, any suggestions on how can I get him to go for the tuna casserole?

Serves 4

You will need:

• Ice
• 2 pounds vine ripened tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 pound dried elbow macaroni
• 5 basil leaves

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2. Fill a large bowl with cold water and some ice cubes to make an ice bath.
3. Using a paring knife, make an “X” on the bottom of the tomatoes. Do not cut too deep, just through the skin.
4. Once the water starts boiling add the tomatoes and cook for 30 – 60 seconds or until the skin starts to fall off of the tomatoes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer tomatoes to the ice bath.
5. Once tomatoes are cool enough to handle remove skin. Slice tomatoes in half and remove the seeds inside. Reserve 1/2 cup of tomato seeds and juices. Dice tomatoes
6. Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add garlic and cook just until fragrant. Stir in diced tomatoes, reserved tomato juices, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer for 30 minutes.
7. After 30 minutes, begin cooking your pasta according to package directions. At this time you can also chose to leave the sauce as is for a chunky version or use an immersion blender to make it a little more sauce like. It’s up to you.
8. Transfer cooked pasta to the tomato sauce. Stir to combine. Adjust salt and pepper if needed. Transfer to serving dish.
9. Roll basil leaves together and chop. Sprinkle over the pasta and serve.

Enjoy!

I am trying to stretch summer out as long as possible before I break down, get out my pumpkin spice candle and start cooking mashed potatoes and gravy. That is why when I went to the grocery store on Sunday I happened to pick up what seemed about every kind of fresh tomato they had. I bought grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, regular vine ripened tomatoes and some very lovely, sweet campari tomatoes. It was the first time that I purchased campari tomatoes but it won’t be the last especially if I keep stuffing them with toasted bread crumbs and a little arugula walnut pesto.

Campari tomatoes are bigger than cherry tomatoes but smaller than your standard tomato. They are perfect for little bite size appetizers such as these. And they couldn’t be any easier. Simply remove the insides and stuff them with a little toasted bread crumbs, garlic, olive oil and arugula walnut pesto. The result is a sweet burst of summer flavor.

You will need:

• 6 campari tomatoes
• kosher salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 tablespoon arugula walnut pesto
• 1 tablespoon parmesan or romano cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Cut the tops off the tomatoes. Gently remove the flesh and seeds inside and reserve 1 tablespoon. Season the cavity of the tomatoes lightly with salt and pepper.
3. Place olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and bread crumbs. Cook until bread crumbs are toasted. About 2 minutes.
4. In a bowl combine bread crumbs, reserved tomato juices, and pesto. Mix well.
5. Spoon mixture into tomatoes. Sprinkle cheese on top. Place in preheated oven and cook for 15 – 20 minutes or until the top has browned slightly and the tomatoes have softened.
6. Transfer to serving platter. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

Enjoy!

Happy Monday all! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Ryan and I did. Quite wonderful actually as we spent the last week in sunny San Diego. We had a blast. We attempted to get tan at the beach and we got knocked around by some waves. We ate good food and enjoyed even better company. All in all it was a great vacation that came to an end all to quickly. And sometime between when the plane landed yesterday and I the time I got up this morning I had to go grocery shopping and make dinner. Needless to say it was a light supper for us that all started with this arugula walnut pesto.

Most of you have probably tried basil pesto and this is essentially the same concept only a couple of differences. Instead of basil I use arugula and instead of pine nuts I use walnuts. Other than that the ingredients and process for making this pesto is exactly the same but the taste will be quite a bit different. Where basil is sweet, arugula is peppery and it brings a nice bite to this classic.

Makes about 1 cup

You will need:

• 2 cups baby arugula
• 1/2 cup shelled walnuts
• 1/2 cup romano cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup olive oil

1. Combine arugula, walnuts, cheese and kosher salt in the food processor. Turn processor on.
2. With the processor, running slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Process until smooth, about 1 minute.
3. Serve.

Store in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap. Press the plastic wrap down on the top to prevent the pesto from oxidizing. Use within a few days.

Enjoy!

Hi everyone! I’m back!

What a week this has been. It’s been tiring. It’s been draining. But we’re finally all moved into our new home. Moved in however, doesn’t mean unpacked and if you read my last post you know how I feel about packing. My lovely mama did come to help me unpack my kitchen while she was here, yet I am still too busy setting up the rest of our house to do too much cooking. Blasphemy I know. Over the last few days I could feel the effects of kitchen withdrawal starting to set in so I decided to make this quick, flavorful appetizer to get my kitchen fix.

Have you looked at the calendar? I just did. It’s the 4th. of August. The 8th month of the year. I have never really been a fan of August. The weather gets a little too hot. It marks the end of summer and means that the days of sunshine are going to become fewer and fewer here in Seattle. However one thing that is great about August, besides my mom’s birthday, is the beautiful glorious tomatoes that reach their peak this month. They are sweet, tender, juicy and pair perfectly with sweet basil and creamy mozzarella. Place it all atop crusty garlic laced french bread and you have one heck of a summer snack.

Serves 4

You will need:

• 1 large heirloom tomato, diced
• 2/3 cup pearl size mozzarella
• 10 basil leaves chopped
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
• 12 baguette slices
• 1 clove garlic

1. Combine diced tomato, mozzarella, basil leaves, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven broiler. Place baguette slices on a baking sheet. Broil for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Rub garlic clove over the top of toasted bread.
3. Spoon chilled tomato mixture over the top of the bread. Serve.

Enjoy!

Do you love cherry tomatoes as much as me? I love biting into them and getting a sweet burst of tomato goodness that just screams summer time. And as good as they are raw they are even better when they are slow roasted with some garlic. And as if garlic and tomatoes wasn’t enough, how about adding some chicken and wine to the mix? The result is a simple, rustic dish that reminds me of a few I had while I was in Tuscany.

I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again because I think it’s really important. One of the things I really loved about Tuscan cooking was the simplicity of it all. Each and every meal we had while we were exploring Fiesole, Siena and Florence was simple but oh so flavorful. There were very few ingredients and they were seasoned so delicately that the true flavor of the ingredients really shined through. I have tried to bring that philosophy into my cooking at home and every once in a while I will get a true gem like this dish that transports me back to that little restaurant in Fiesole overlooking the city of Florence. Ahhh Italy. One day we’ll get back, probably a year when we don’t buy a house.

Serves 4 – 6

• 1 1/2 pounds  combo of chicken drumsticks and thighs
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 4 cloves garlic roughly chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Rinse and pat dry the chicken.
3. Place chicken in a baking dish. Place tomatoes around chicken. Sprinkle with chopped garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and white wine. Cook for 45 – 60 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. If it starts to brown too much place foil on top to prevent burning.
4. Serve.

Enjoy!

This month has been busy. I’m talking crazy busy. I’m talking barely have enough time to sleep, eat or watch Real Housewives busy. But we take it all in stride. After all this is all part of the joy of owning a home. So when Ryan tells me that we have about 1 hour to make, take pictures of and eat dinner before we head over to the house to do some more work, I smile, take a deep breath and turn to fresh tortellini, sausage, tomatoes and spinach for a quick and satisfying dinner. After all of the work we’ve been doing, dinners like this are a blessing.

Things with the house are shaping up rather nicely. The hardwood floors have been refinished. The living room, dining room and bedrooms have been painted. The furniture ordered and scheduled for delivery. Now the only thing left that is taunting me like you wouldn’t believe is the lovely (insert sarcasm font) wallpaper that someone thought would be a good idea to put in the bathroom. Let me stress this very important point. If you ever intend to move from your home and you don’t want to make the new owners curse you for hours and hours and hours on end remember this very important thing: Wallpaper is never a good idea. And as I prepare for yet another fun filled evening scraping, pulling and wiping away wallpaper I’ll be wishing that I made more of this pasta to help get me through it.

Serves 4

You will need:

• 1 pound fresh cheese tortellini
• 5 turkey Italian sausage links
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ red onion sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 3 cups baby spinach leaves
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
• 3 – 4 fresh basil leaves, chopped

1. Bring the water to a boil. Cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain.
2. While you are waiting for your water to boil and your pasta to cook, cook sausage until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a cutting surface, slice and set aside.
3. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook just until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in sliced sausage, cooked pasta, cherry tomatoes, spinach leaves, kosher salt and black pepper.  Cook just until spinach wilts, about 2 minutes.
4. Transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle with chopped basil and serve.

Enjoy!

Happy Monday all! How was your weekend? Mine was full of trips to home depot, looking at paint swatches, sanding hardwood floors and a day full of furniture shopping. Just typing it makes me tired. So needless to say, by the time last night rolled around I was ready for a hearty, rustic sunday supper. It was just what I needed and it all started with this lovely appetizer.

I served this dish as an appetizer along side some oven roasted chicken, sauteed spinach and rosemary potatoes. However, I think that this would make a fantastic light summer supper for two as well. If I was making it for Ryan and I, I’d serve it along side some fresh greens with a drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette and extra virgin olive oil and a cool glass of pinot grigio.

Serves 2 – 4

You will need:

• 10 slices rustic baguette
• extra virgin olive oil
• 5 slices thinly sliced prosciutto cut in half
• 10 small basil leaves
• fresh cracked black pepper

1. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat.
2. Brush baguette slices with olive oil. Place, oiled side down, in the skillet and cook just until toasted, about 3 minutes. You can also do this step by placing the baguette slices on a baking sheet and placing them under the broiler for a couple of minutes.
3. Transfer to a serving plate. Place sliced prosciutto and basil leaves on top. Drizzle with more extra virgin olive oil and a few grinds of fresh black pepper. Serve.

Enjoy!

I recently got a copy of The Flavor Bible. I figured it would help me find new flavor combinations that I had not previously thought of. And boy was I right. My latest flavor combo, which for some strange reason I had yet to try, is shrimp and bacon. I’m not quite sure why I had never tried it before but man oh man is it delicious. Take this pasta for instance with shrimp, bacon and onions trust me when I tell you you won’t be able to get enough.

I don’t normally recommend things on this blog, but I really am a fan of this book. Its not new, its been out for a while but I just bought myself a copy. It’s not your typical cookbook as there are no recipes in it. Instead it has hundreds of ingredients and tells you what flavors go best with each ingredient. I’ve learned so much from it already and I’ve only had it a week or two. For this reason, I’m also going to give away a copy. All you have to do is leave a comment telling me your favorite flavor combination. Sweet, salty, sour. Whatever. I’m curious. My personal favorite: garlic and onions. I’ll pick a winner at random.

Now on to the recipe.

Serves 4 – 6

You will need:

• 1 pound dry linguine
• 8 slices bacon, diced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 pound (51-60 count) prawns, peeled and deviened
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• kosher salt

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat. Once browned, transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Reserve 1 tablespoon bacon drippings.
3. In the same pan you cooked the bacon in combine reserved bacon drippings and olive oil. Add onions and garlic. Cook 5 minutes or until softened. Pour in white wine, cook 1 minute. Add in prawns cook until opaque and cooked through, about 3 – 4 minutes.
4. By this time your pasta should be cooked. Add cooked pasta, bacon and chopped parsley to shrimp. Toss to combine. Season to taste with salt if needed.
5. Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Giveaway rules:

One entry per person.

No entries after 5pm pacific time on Saturday May 22.

I have personally purchased the book for the giveaway. I have not been compensated in any way for this post and book recommendation.

Traditionally when I think bruschetta, I think tomatoes and basil, but I like to save that for later on in the summer when tomatoes and basil are at their best. Mmmm….fresh tomatoes. Oh I can’t wait until summer! Until then however, its fun to experiment with different kinds of bruschetta. And shrimp as it turns out is a great addition.

Now that the weather gods here in Seattle are finally starting to realize that it is May and are granting us blue skies and sunshine, it’s time for a little bit lighter fare when it comes to dinner. This Shrimp Bruschetta fits the bill perfectly. I know it is listed under my appetizer section, but paired with a light salad and a little Pinot Grigio and you have the perfect summer supper.

You will need:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 pound medium prawns, peeled, deviened and cut in half
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• pinch of salt
• 8 – 10 baguette slices
• extra virgin olive oil

1. Turn on oven broiler.
2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Stir in prawns, crushed red pepper and salt. Cook until pink and cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Place baguette slices on a baking sheet and broil 2 minutes or until slightly toasted. Remove from oven and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Spoon shrimp onto toasted slices.
4. Serve.

Enjoy!

If you are a fan of risotto and cheese then you will love this dish. Perfectly cooked risotto is delicious enough but add a little wine, freshly shredded mozzarella, parmesan and fontina cheeses and you have an absolutely scrumptious side dish. Seriously, if I were to pick three words to describe this dish they would be: Creamy. Cheesy. Heaven.

My experience with risotto is pretty limited. I’ve eaten it a few times at restaurants and while we were in Italy.  I have also watched people make it on a few occasions yet I was always intimidated by the process. However, after a few attempts at it myself I realized the reward of the creamy risotto is well worth the work that goes into it. And when I say work, I don’t mean that you’re slaving away in front of the stove for hours on end but it does require you to gradually stir in one ladle of hot broth at a time. The whole process takes about 30 minutes. But trust me when I tell you, its not much work for the creamy delicious result.

Serves 4

• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup freshly shredded fontina cheese
• 1/2 cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat chicken broth over medium heat. Reduce heat to low while you prepare the rice.
2. Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Stir in onions and cook until they are translucent. About 5 minutes.
3. Stir in rice just until it is coated in the butter. Do not brown. Pour in wine and cook until wine absorbs. Pour in one ladle of hot chicken broth. Stir consistently until liquid is absorbed. Repeat process, one ladle at a time, until all broth has been absorbed by the rice.
4. Remove from heat. Stir in mozzarella, fontina and parmesan cheese until they melt. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let stand a few minutes.
5. Serve.

Enjoy!