Spaghettini with Aglio e Olio

I loaned Lidia Bastianich's Italian American Kitchen Cookbook from the local library, now I might have to purchase this for myself, there were so many wonderful recipes and tips and tricks to try. This is a stellar read if you get the chance. The recipe is simple, delicious, and will for sure be made again!

Spaghettini Aglio e Olio (from Lidia Bastianich's Italian-American Kitchen Cookbook)

1 Pound spaghettini or linguine (as I did)
5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
10 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 Tsp crushed hot red peppers, or more to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian Flat Leaf Parsley
1 cup freshly grated Parmesean-Reggiano

Bring a large pot of water to a full rolling boil over high heat and add a generous pinch of salt to the water. Cook the pasta semi covered, stirring occasionally until tender.

Meanwhile, heat 3 Tbsp of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add the garlic and cook. Occasionally stir and cook until the garlic is pale golden, about two minutes. Remove from heat and add the crushed red pepper.

Ladle about a cup of the pasta cooking water into the sauce. Add the parsley, the remaining 2 Tbsp of olive oil and salt to taste.

If the skillet is large enough to accommodate the sauce and pasta, fish the pasta out of the boiling water and add directly to the skillet. If not, drain the pasta, return it too the pot, and add the sauce to the pot. Toss the pasta to coat with the sauce and heat for about a minute. Remove from heat and add the grated cheese, check the seasoning, and add more crushed red pepper if needed.

Serve immediately.

8 Layer Taco Dip

This little appetizer was made for a Cinco de Mayo party at work. This was my first try at this and I think it turned out fairly nicely :) The proportions are open for interpretation, if you like less tomatoes, use less, if you want to add chopped jalapenos, add them, this is YOUR dip after all :)

8 Layer Taco Dip

~14 oz can of refried beans (low-fat)
~10 oz low fat sour cream (seasoned with 1-2 Tbsp Taco Seasoning)
2 medium chopped tomatoes
1 1/2 cup shredded cheese (taco blend or cheddar)
2 green onions (chopped)
1/2 cup cilantro (chopped)
1 cup salsa (your preference)
1 1/2 to 2 cups shredded lettuce

Optional add-ins: Ground or Shredded Beef, Shredded Pork, Chicken, Olives, chopped jalapenos (canned or fresh)

Layer the dip in a dish** in the following order: Refried Beans, Seasoned Sour Cream, Salsa, Shredded Lettuce, Shredded Cheese, Diced Tomatoes, Chopped Cilantro, Chopped Green Onions.

Serve with Tortilla Chips!

**Serving dish can vary, I used a 9" cake pan, you could also use an 8"x8" square baking dish.

Spaghetti and Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

Spaghetti and Meatballs makes it on to our weekly menu fairly often. Who knew the addition of a little string cheese would make such a tasty difference. Gorgonzola also makes for a delicious stuffing for meatballs, but here I figured Mozzarella was in order!

Spaghetti and Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs (from foodnetwork.com)

Ingredients
Meatballs:
1/4 cup milk
2 slice white bread, cut into cubes
1 pound 80 percent lean ground beef
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 egg
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 sticks mozzarella string cheese, cut into small cubes or 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
Nonstick cooking spray

Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium onion diced
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes (I used San Marzano Tomatoes)
2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (16-ounce) box spaghetti

Directions
For Meatballs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl combine the milk and bread. Let the bread absorb the milk. Add remaining meatball ingredients except the cheese. Using your hands, gently combine all the ingredients until they are thoroughly mixed. Take about 3 tablespoons of the meat mixture and roll into a ball and press into a patty. Place a mozzarella cube or 1 tablespoon shredded cheese onto the patty and bring up the sides around the cheese and roll between hands to form a ball. Place onto a nonstick baking sheet or a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Repeat process with remaining meat and cheese. Place the meatballs into the oven and cook for 12 minutes. Remove baking sheet from the oven and set aside.

For Sauce:

In a medium pot heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and saute for 3 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes. Gently stir in the meatballs and any pan drippings from baking sheet and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Spaghetti:

Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and place the pasta on a large serving platter. Place the meatballs over the spaghetti, pour the sauce on top and serve immediately.


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Spring Fettucine Alfredo

I love pasta-flat out admission, I love it. However I do try and limit to once a week but I had some beautiful asparagus from the farmers market, as well as some peas and carrots. I turned to an indulgent comfort food to celebrate these lovely veggies-Fettuccine Alfredo! However this is being deemed a "Spring Alfredo" with the addition of my farmers market finds and some diced ham added to the mix. Homemade Alfredo sauce is too easy to make, and I know there are a lot of variations out there, and that's good. I love the one I use. When I am in the grocery store passing through the spaghetti aisle, I cringe when I see jarred Alfredo sauce. It's so easy-try it for yourself!

Spring Fettuccine Alfredo (source: me!)

2 Tbsp butter
3/4 cup of heavy cream
1 cup grated Parmesan (can also use asiago, but DO NOT use the powdery stuff in a green plastic container)
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (prefer fresh)

prepared fettuccine (we usually use about half of a box of dried-prepare according to package directions)

1 cup sliced asparagus (remember to break the woody bottoms off!)
1/2 cup carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup fresh peas
3/4 cup diced ham
sliced green onions for garnishing

While your pasta water is heating, assemble the sauce ingredients so they are ready to use as soon as you need them. The sauce comes together rather quickly, so you don't want to be hunting for things last minute.

Prepare the fettuccine according to packaged directions. I added the asparagus, carrots and peas to the pasta water two minutes prior to the end of the cooking time. This was done primarily to cook the asparagus and carrots a little before adding them to the finished pasta(you could also add the sliced ham to the pot just to heat it up if it's been in the refrigerator if you wish.) If you prefer to cook them separate, feel free to do so. At the end of the cooking time, drain the pasta and veggies and set aside for the moment.

To prepare the sauce:

In a skillet or saute pan, preheat over medium heat and add the butter to melt. Once that has melted add the cream to the the pan and heat until bubbles start to appear and the cream has become hot. Add the cheese to the pan and swirl the pan to combine. Add the nutmeg to the sauce. At this point the sauce should start to thicken. Add the pasta along with the veggies to the pan and toss to combine.

Garnish with fresh Parmesan, sliced green onions, and chopped Italian flat leaf parsley if you choose.

Banderillas

So I believe that this is post number 74 I think and realized I had never truly mentioned why I chose to name this blog The Olive Bar. Sure its kind of a cute or maybe unique or interesting name, but there is sort of a story behind it. One day at my favorite grocery store there were samples out as usual, and this place does samples right, one day they had a grill going outside and they were sampling steaks and their dry rub, they always some cheese from the cheese counter that they are trying that day (which makes for a great way to learn about various cheeses.)

Anyway, last summer they were sampling appetizer ideas for parties. I will try most things, but until then I really didn't care for olives and mushrooms, and fish. Other than that I'll try whatever, but you'll notice that very rarely will a recipe I put up ever have mushrooms in it. It's a texture thing, I like the flavors though.

I must have been feeling semi-daring that day, because the appetizer the grocery store was sampling had olives in it from the olive bar. Well I am glad I broadened my horizons because I would have never known the tastiness known as the olive bar. It turns out the only kind of olives I had tried were the canned or jarred versions, the kind that generally goes on pizzas and taco salads. Those olives were much different than a marinated and stuffed olive-they were real olives.

Well coming full circle I wasn't certain that I would enjoy blogging, similar to how I wasn't certain I would like the olives-but I love them both and enjoy both of them weekly :) However, in 74 blog posts, this is my first one with olives, as well as it's the very same appetizer recipe that introduced me to The Olive Bar.

Banderillas are tapas, where the ingredients can very greatly. Some recipes call for shrimp, some call for vegetables, some very the cheese used, but the version shown is both quick and easy. Everything you need is in the deli/cheese/olive area of the grocery store. Banderillas are also the decorated barbed darts that are thrust into the bull's neck or shoulder muscles by a banderillero in a bullfight.

Hmm-tasty. The common thread is that all versions are served on a skewer, or a decorated barbed dart.



Banderillas (from Lunds and Byerlys)

8 Olives-varietal of your choosing (non pitted)
8 peppedew peppers (from the olive bar)
8 cubes of good cheese, I like a sheep's milk cheese, something mild and kind of nutty.
8 skewers/longer toothpicks

As pictured, skewer an olive, then skewer a peppadew pepper, then skewer a piece of cheese. Finished, make as many skewers as you have guests. Refrigerate if making day before.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Soup season is close to over in MN (thankfully) and warmer weather is on it's way. However, soups make an easy lunch to bring to work, so I thought of broccoli cheese soup this week! My husband liked this soup, even though it has an arch enemy in it-broccoli! I don't blame him, it's not everyones favorite veggie. I don't mind it if it's in a soup like this or dipped in a veggie dip or ranch dressing. Broccoli is high in vitamins K, C, and A and Fiber-I vow to try and like this veggie more from now on :)



Broccoli Cheese Soup (from My Kitchen Cafe)

1 3/4 cups of chicken stock
1 small onion, diced
1 Tbsp butter

1/3 c. flour
1/4 c. butter
Pepper to taste

2 c. milk (1% is fine)
1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c. shredded swiss cheese
2 1/2 to 3 cups steamed chopped broccoli

In a saucepan, cook chopped onion with 1 Tbsp butter for a few minutes until the onion softens and begins to turn translucent (about 4-5 minutes.) Add chicken stock and bring to a simmer for 15-20 minutes in a covered small saucepan.

Heat milk in microwave for 1-2 minutes.

In a separate medium-sized stockpot, melt butter then add flour and pepper. Cook together for a couple of minutes, then whisk in warmed milk. Stir and heat together on medium-high heat until soup starts to thicken. Next add chicken broth and continue to stir until well blended. Add cheeses and steamed broccoli. Serve immediately.

Makes approximately 4 servings

Tuscan Mac and Cheese Bake

I have been searching for more ways to incorporate more whole grain pasta into our everyday meals, I usually have to sneak it in to boot. My husband is a little leary when it comes to whole grain pasta (I kind of am also also I sheepishly admit.) However, this was a hit! I fessed up as we were finishing up to what kind of pasta it was (to secretly prove a point :) and he was all for it. I used the Barilla Plus Penne. A serving has 17g of protein, 360mg of Omega-3, and 7g of fiber. All of this wrapped up in a tasty and easy lunch, this cannot be beat!

Tuscan Mac and Cheese Bake (from My Kitchen Cafe)

12 oz precooked smoked chicken or turkey sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 1/2 cups uncooked whole grain penne
8 oz cream cheese, cubed and softened
1 generous cup of shredded mozzarella cheese (I had about 1/2 cup mozzarella left at home, as well as a cheddar monterey jack blend, so I used a mixture of the two which worked just fine)
1 1/2 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 Tbsp flour
1 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tomato, seeded and roughly chopped
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook pasta according to package directions. In a large bowl, combine the sausage, cooked pasta, cream cheese, and mozzarella cheese. In a small separate bowl, combine the flour and spices together.

In a medium saucepan melt the butter, then whisk in the flour and spices. Allow the butter mixture to cook without browning for about 30 seconds, the flour-y texture and flavor should cook out of it. Slowly add the milk while whisking/stirring, and continue to cook and stir constantly until milk mixture thickens, about 5-6 minutes.

When the mixture has thickened, slowly pour the mixture over the pasta mixture and stir to combine.

Pour into an 8"x8" lightly greased baking dish and tightly wrap with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle the tomatoes and Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered for 10 more minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Giada's Italian Lasagna

The tomato bechamel sauce used in this recipe is a nice variation from the standard tomato sauce variety. Layer the lasagna however you'd like, I doubt that there is a right and a wrong way, just make sure you top the dish with sauce and mozzarella cheese and you are sure to have a hit. If you'd like, add spinach or eggplant for a slight nutritional benefit.

Giada's Italian Lasagna (inspired by Food Network)

Tomato Bechamel Sauce

5 Tbsp unsalted butter

1/2 cup all purpose flour

4 cups of whole milk, room temperature

pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

2 cloves finely minced garlic cloves

1.5 cups of tomato sauce (home made or I used a jarred sauce)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 pound ground Italian Sausage (or ground chuck beef)

15 oz container of Ricotta Cheese

3 large eggs

1 package of lasagna sheets (I used the no cook kind)

3 cups shredded Mozzarella

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Tomato Bechamel Sauce:

In a large pot, melt the 5 Tbsp of butter over medium heat. When butter has completely melted, add the flour and whisk until smooth. Gradually whisk in the milk, stirring constantly to prevent any lumps from forming. Continue to simmer and whisk over medium heat until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. This will take about 10 minutes. Removed from heat and add the nutmeg, garlic, and tomato sauce. Set aside and allow to cool completely.

In a saute pan, heat the extra virgin olive oil and when the oil is hot add the sausage to the pan and break up the meat with the back edge of a wooden spoon. Brown the meat until it is no longer pink. Remove from heat, drain any excess oil, and allow to cool.

In a medium sized bowl combined the eggs and Ricotta Cheese, season with salt and pepper and set aside.

In the bottom of a 9"x13" baking dish, spread a third of the tomato bechamel sauce. Arrange the pasta sheets side by side, covering the bottom of the baking sheet. Evenly spread a layer of Ricotta mixture, followed by a layer of pasta sheets. Spread a layer of sausage, followed by a layer of sauce, sprinkled with some of the mozzarella cheese, and yet another layer of pasta sheets.

Alternate the layers how you wish, just make sure to reserve some sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan to top the lasagna with. Once your lasagna is assembled, cover the pan with foil and placed in a preheated oven and bake until top is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake until cheeses lightly browned, about another 15 minutes.

Red Pepper, Leek, and Bleu Cheese Steak Roulade

I saw this recipe in the Food Network Magazine (December 2009) and I knew instantly I had to try this. I've never tried to make something like this, so I knew this would be interesting. If you are not familiar, a roulade is French for a sort of rolled dish, as in meat or a light cake. You can vary the ingredients to what you and your family prefer. The few ingredients I chose I knew were going to be a success. But I whole heartedly confess to using shortcuts (and some not so shortcuts as you will see later) to make this dish quick and easy-which is especially appreciated coming up on this time of year, the holidays!

Here's my secrets: I grocery shopped on Saturday, on Sunday I sliced and cleaned my leeks, roasted off a red pepper on the grill, and the bleu cheese was purchased already crumbled ready to use. So I knew during the week that all I would really have to do was saute the leeks quickly, give my flank steak a once over with something heavy to ensure uniform thickness, assemble (roll it up,) get the bread crumb topping on and into the oven it went.

It was smooth sailing all the way up until I realized I did not have any twine, which turned out to be semi-essential! So I looked and looked and found these small skewers (what they were from I'll never know) and I managed to "pin" my roulade closed. Laugh if you will, but it worked, in a not-so-pretty way, it worked. Kitchen twine is now on my Target list this weekend!

Red Pepper, Leek, Bleu Cheese Steak Roulade

(inspired from Food Network Magazine December, 2009)

For the steak:

1 large red bell pepper (charred and peeled)

3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 leek, white and light green parts only, cleaned and finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

Kosher salt and fresh black pepper

1.5 pound flank steak, trimmed

1/2 to 3/4 cup crumbled bleu cheese

For the crust:

3/4 cup breadcrumbs

3 tsp dried rosemary (or fresh)

3 tsp fresh chopped parsley

3 tsp grated Parmesan

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Kitchen twine for tying

Prepare the stuffing for the steak. Rub the outside of the red pepper with a bit of canola or vegetable oil and roast the red pepper under the broiler or on the grill for 8-10 minutes. When the skin is slightly charred remove pepper from heat and place in a paper bag for 5-10 minutes. I'm not entirely sure why, but I've heard that this will help to ease the skin from the pepper, which is your goal. Once the pepper is peeled, remove stem and seeds.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Saute the leeks in a little butter or olive oil until soft, about 5 minutes, remove from heat and cool.

Gently pound the steak with the back edge of a heavy pan, or with a meat mallet, until the entire steak is about 1/4 inch thick. Lay the steak on a cutting board with the long side facing you. Season the steak with salt and pepper. Place the red peppers in one row lengthwise, leaving a one inch boarder. Lay the leek mixture in the next row, next to the peppers. Lastly lay the crumbled bleu cheese in the last row, leaving an inch border to the end.

Roll the meat into a tight roll, tucking in the filling and seems as you go.

Assemble the crust. Mix the crust ingredients in a small bowl and toss until the mixture resembles wet sand. Brush the roulade with a bit of olive oil, and press the crust topping on top, try and do this rather firmly. Tie the roll with kitchen twine in three to four places, not too hard as to not disturb the topping. Depending on the size and thickness of your steak, you may need to tie the twine before you add the crust and snip off before serving.

Place the steak on a rack in a roasting pan and roast until the crust is nice and golden brown and a thermometer inserted in to the middle registers 130 degrees for medium rare (about 45 minutes.) Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 15 minutes.

Carefully cut the twine and remove, slice the roll crosswise into slices and serve.

Sausage Penne

I have said it once, I'll say it again..In my opinion the Williams-Sonoma website is a goldmine of tasty recipes and ideas. They are fairly easy to prepare, always delicious, and have quickly become go-to favorites. I also enjoy bringing the leftovers to work the next day, it reheats wonderfully. There is some flexibility in choosing the type of pasta you utilize. The types that will offer the best results are ones that will hold on to the sauce such as penne, cavatappi, rigatoni, and others. I would stay away from ones like linguini, spaghetti, and angel hair. Not that it can't be done, it's your dinner! But in my opinion, there are better options. We like a little spice in our dinners, so often I'll add a bit of crushed red pepper flakes to the mix.



Sausage Penne (adapted from Williams Sonoma)

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lb Italian sausage (I prefer spicy)
1 Tbsp fennel seed
1 lb plum tomatoes, seeded and diced (can substitute canned plum tomatoes)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/8 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb dried penne or cavatappi pasta
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan-reggiano

In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add Italian sausage to the pan, carefully breaking it up with the edge of a wooden spoon or like utensil and cook through, do not overcook it to prevent hardening. Add the fennel seed. Stir in the tomatoes and parsley. Add the cream and let simmer until some of the liquid has reduced. Keep sauce warmed until pasta has been prepared.

Meanwhile bring a large pot of salted water to boil and prepare the pasta according to directions on the package. Drain the pasta and add to simmering sauce. At this time add the Parmesan to the pan and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Smoky Macaroni and Cheese

The first time I made this I was in love, the addition of a nice smoky Gouda was the perfect touch. Then, how can you improve on perfection, you can't right? Well you can, add a nice smoky bacon! That's how! Oh word, now she did it. Whether you try the bacon or not, it's our favorite mac-n-cheese (sorry Kraft.)

A few macaroni facts taken from Wiki: Did you know that Kraft first introduced Macaroni and Cheese as Kraft Dinner in 1937 due to the rationing of milk and dairy products and decreased meat availability. Also, singer Kurt Cobain, who suffered from a rare stomach disorder, stipulated in Nirvana's tour rider that his diet consisted only of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese. Maybe Kurt would like this mac-n-cheese recipe? We could only hope!

Smoked Macaroni and Cheese (From William-Sonoma)

4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 1/2 cups milk
1 Tbs. tomato paste
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded smoked Gouda cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Pinch of cayenne pepper
4 oz. crustless country-style bread
2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
1 lb. rigatoni, cooked until al dente and drained

**Diced and cooked bacon if using, amount is up to you :)

Preheat an oven to 375°F. Butter a large rectangular baking dish.

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the 4 Tbs. butter. Add the flour and cook, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the tomato paste. Add 1 1/2 cups of each cheese and stir until melted. Season with salt, black pepper and cayenne.

Tear the bread into crumbs. In a small bowl, stir together the bread crumbs and the 2 Tbs. melted butter and season with salt. In a large bowl, combine the pasta and the cheese sauce (and bacon if using,) then pour into the prepared baking dish.

Top with the remaining cheeses and the buttered bread crumbs. Bake until the cheeses are golden and bubbly, about 40 minutes (mine only took about 20-25 minutes.) If the top becomes too dark, cover with aluminum foil. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serves 8 to 10.

Apple Raisin Chutney

I don't often find myself without anything to say, but...I think it's actually come to this. I think that I cannot correctly sum up how delicious these flavor combinations are. Perhaps pure happiness may be correct, or 'giddy-ness?' Oh what the heck I'll borrow Google's definition of happiness "state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy." Yeah, that might sum it up nicely.

Now whether you prefer Gorgonzola, or cambozola, or brie, or whatever else you'd like, I personally think there is no loser here. This apple raisin chutney was easy to prepare, and I've never made a chutney before-So you should try to! This powerhouse flavor combo includes a nice crusty bread or crostini, apple raisin chutney, oven roasted garlic, and the cheese of your choosing.

I've chosen to only blog about the chutney itself, only because the rest are self evident or rather Google-able (Is that a word now?)

Apple Raisin Chutney (Adapted from Simply Recipes)

2 large tart cooking apples (such as green Granny Smith, peeled, cored, and chopped)

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 Tbsp grated orange peel

1 Tbsp grated fresh or 1/2 Tbsp powdered ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and stir well. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20-25 minutes. If the chutney looks too dry, as in too much liquid has cooked off, add a little apple juice or cider. Uncover and simmer over low heat for a few minutes more to cook off excess liquid if there is any; let cool. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
Makes about 2 cups.

*Note: This chutney would also pair really well with roasted chicken or pork