Pasta

Sausage Macaroni and Cheese

~ lk529 ~ Leave a comment

Macaroni and Cheese is one of those comfort foods that everyone seems to have a soft spot for. I know it’s one of my guilty pleasures. I say that because I still (in my upper 2os) prefer the highly processed boxed macaroni to a homemade pasta. I think what I don’t care for is a baked casserole dish of mac and cheese. I don’t care for the extra cheese or breadcrumb crust on top and baked noodle dishes to me always seem dry.

But I do give a “fancy” mac and cheese a chance every now and then. And when one is a stove-top version of the comfort food I’m more inclined to give it a try. Especially when cream cheese is one of the ingredients!

And with sausage being a main ingredient I know that my husband would definitely approve. That makes this pasta a main dish and not a side.

Sausage Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 lb uncooked macaroni noodles
  • 2 links Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 1 1/4 C milk
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 3/4 C shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/3 C shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
  • 1/4 C cream cheese
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Steps:

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
  2. In a large, high-sided skillet over medium-high heat cook the sausage, breaking it up.
  3. In a measuring cup, whisk together the milk and flour. Add to the skillet and bring to a boil, whisking continuously. Reduce to a simmer and whisk in the cheeses, spices, and salt to taste. Stir until cheese is melted.
  4. Add cooked pasta to the skillet, coating it in the sauce.

*This recipe is adapted from Deborah at http://www.tasteandtellblog.com/cheesy-goodness/*

sausage macaroni and cheese | sew you think you can cook

An Orange Potluck Party

~ lk529 ~ 4 Comments

Instead of choosing a Fall or Halloween theme for our October potluck, we decided to broaden the category a little bit by going with “orange.” Anything orange in color, containing an orange ingredient, or using the flavor of orange was fair game. Understandably our menu contained a lot of pumpkin and squash.

I brought sweet potato chili. This chili recipe was inspired by my October CLUE assignment Eliot’s Eats. I made quite a few changes to Debra’s recipe, the main one being that I added ground beef to make a hearty chili versus something a little “soupier.” I swapped out the beans for adzuki beans, used crushed tomatoes instead of diced, removed the kale, and forgot about the orange zest.

I first made this chili as football grub when some friends came over. I needed something gluten and lactose free and chili seemed like the perfect solution. And it was a huge hit! Everyone went back for seconds and there wasn’t anything left the next day. Top your chili with tortilla chips and cheese, if desired.

I thought it’d be a perfect fit for our themed potluck and easily transportable in a slow cooker. Be sure to read past my recipe for the amazing collection of “orange” foods. We had a spectacular turn out of over two dozen friends.

Sweet Potato Chili

Ingredients:

  • 2/3 C dried adzuki beans
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided use
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 tsp chili powder, divided use
  • 1/2 large onion, diced
  • 1/2 tsp minced garlic
  • 2 C peeled and diced sweet potato
  • 2 – 2 1/2 C broth (I’ve used both chicken and vegetable)
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tsp finely diced chipotle in adobo
  • 1/2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tbsp dried parsley

Steps:

  1. Soak beans for 1-2 hours. Rinse. Cover with water by 2″. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook uncovered 50-60 minutes. Set aside.
  2. In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef in 1 tbsp vegetable oil. Season with 1/2 tsp chili powder, S+P. Set aside.
  3. In a large pot over medium-high heat, cook onion in 1 tbsp vegetable oil until tender. Add 1/2 tsp minced garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the diced sweet potatoes and cook for 2 minutes, allowing them to get some color. Add 1 1/2 C broth and the cooked beans. Simmer for 10 minutes, covered.
  4. To the chili, add the crushed tomatoes, 1 chipotle in adobo, 1/2 tsp chili powder, coriander, parsley, S+P. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked ground beef to the pot. Add 1/2 – 1 C more broth and simmer until the beans are completely tender, approximately 30 minutes. (Note: If you want a meatier chili, cook uncovered. If you want more liquid cook partially covered, and add more broth as needed.)

*This recipe is modified from Debra at http://eliotseats.com/2012/03/01/black-bean-and-sweet-potato-chili/*

Sweet Potato Chili | Sew You Think You Can Cook

Here are the other recipes brought to the orange potluck:

  • Orange Julius: Mix 1 can (12 oz) frozen OJ concentrate, 2 C milk, 2 C water, 1/2 C sugar, 2 tsp vanilla. Add approximately 16 ice cubes and blend until smooth.
  • Pumpkin Spice Latte: http://thrivinghomeblog.com/2013/09/crock-pot-pumpkin-spiced-latte/
  • Buffalo Chicken Dip: https://www.franksredhot.com/recipes/print/?re=re1242-1
  • 12 Recipes for an Orange Themed Potluck | Sew You Think You Can CookMacaroni and Cheese: Cook 1 lb pasta, drain, and set aside. In skillet, cook 1/2 onion (diced) and 2 tsp minced garlic in 2 tbsp veg oil until tender. In a large pot add 4 tbsp butter, 1 C milk, 1/4 lb Velveeta cheese until melted. Add in pasta, onions and garlic, and 2 C shredded cheese until mixed completely.
  • Gnocchi with Squash, Spinach, and Prosciutto: Cook 1 lb gnocchi according to package instructions, reserve 1/2 C cooking water, drain and return to pot. In a large skillet, cook 6 slices chopped prosciutto in 1 tbsp butter, transfer to paper towel lined plate. Add 3 tbsp butter to same skillet and brown 1 1/2 lb cubed butternut squash 4 min, add 2 tbsp fresh thyme and cook 30 sec, deglaze pan with 1/2 C white wine until reduced by half, add 1 C chicken broth and cook 4 min until thickened. Add squash, 4 oz baby spinach, and cooked prosciutto to gnocchi, adding reserved pasta water as needed.
  • Carrot Pudding: Boil 5 lb peeled and chopped carrots until tender, drain, and mash. Cream 1 C melted butter, 1 C sugar, 1 C brown sugar and add to carrots. Mix in 2 tbsp cinnamon, 1 tbsp ginger, 1 tbsp nutmeg, 1 tsp ground cloves, 6 eggs, 1 heaping tbsp baking powder, and 1 tbsp vanilla. Pour into a 9×13″ casserole dish and bake 1 hr at 350 deg F.
  • Sweet Potato and Orange Puree with Almond Streusel: Make Streusel: Combine 1/3 C flour, 1/3 C whole almonds, 3 tbsp brown sugar, 2 tsp paprika, 1/2 cold cubed stick butter; refrigerate at least 1 hr. Make Puree: Mix together 4 lb worth cooked peeled sweet potatoes, 1/3 C OJ, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 2 tbsp room temperature butter, 1 1/2 tsp orange zest; place in 9×13″ casserole dish, top with streusel, bake 40 min at 400 deg F.
  • Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells with Sage Browned Butter: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/butternut-squash-stuffed-shells-with-sage-browned-butter/
  • Oatmeal Pumpkin Cookies: http://www.budgetbytes.com/2013/09/oatmeal-pumpkin-cookies/
  • Met in your Mouth Pumpkin Cookies: Beat 2 C butter until fluffy, mix in 2 C sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, 2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp nutmeg until combined, add 2 eggs and 2 tsp vanilla until combined, mix in 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin, slowly add 4 C flour until combined. Drop spoonfuls onto greased baking sheet and bake 10-12 min at 350 deg F. Make icing: Beat together 1/2 C butter, 1 pg (8 oz) softened cream cheese, 3 3/4 C powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla. Frost baked cookies. Garnish wish cinnamon.
  • Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars: http://roxanashomebaking.com/pumpkin-cheesecake-bars-recipe/

#SundaySupper: Fall Flavors

~ lk529 ~ 22 Comments

It is officially Autumn and to celebrate the Sunday Supper crew has assembled a menu of Fall flavors. If you are looking for all things pumpkin, apple, and sweet potato scroll on past my recipe for a wonderful collection of Autumn inspired dishes. Thank you to the Sunday Supper Movement for hosting today’s event.

Today’s Sunday Supper is a fun one for me because my newest recruit to the Sunday Supper family is posting her first recipe with us today -Tara, of Tara’s Multicultural Table! I have been encouraging Tara to join this group since my first Sunday back in February. Of course, the birth of her second child (my beautiful Goddaughter!) was a valid excuse to stay away from the extra blogging commitment. I’m sure my Sunday Supper participation will be on a slight decline come November when I, too, add “mother of two” to my resume.

Not only am I excited that Tara’s joining Sunday Supper today, but when this event was announced over a month ago I knew exactly what I’d be sharing. One of Tara’s recipes – that I modified to accommodate my allergies.

Tara posted a recipe for Pumpkin Alfredo two years ago and my mouth has always watered looking at it. But, I can’t have pumpkin. I finally decided to make it with sweet potato, instead. We first ate this Sweet Potato Alfredo back in March on a bare fridge/pantry night. I served it with egg noodles and some sliced smoked pork sausage. That’s the version pictured below. I have also served this with ground Italian sausage and fettuccine.

Sweet Potato Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 1 tsp butter or olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 C chicken stock
  • 1/2 C sweet potato puree
  • 1 1/4 C heavy cream
  • 1/4 C shredded Parmesan cheese

Steps:

  1. In a saucepan over medium heat, saute garlic in olive oil until fragrant. Add in the chicken stock and scrape the bottom of the pan if needed. Add the sweet potato puree and heavy cream, whisking until smooth. Bring to a gentle boil. Melt in Parmesan. Season to taste with S+P.
  2. Serve over cooked pasta (tortellini, ravioli, linguine, etc). Add cooked meats if desired (sausage, chicken, etc). Note: reserve some pasta cooking water if sauce gets too thick.

*This recipe is modified from Tara at http://tarasmulticulturaltable.com/tortellini-with-pumpkin-alfredo/*

Sweet Potato Alfredo for #SundaySupper from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Check out A Guide to Apples plus Best Fall Recipes Ideas for #SundaySupper and this week’s recipe collection:

Breakfast

Appetizers and Sides

Main Dishes

Desserts and Cocktails

Plus, 8387592742_f6164fd5a8_oJoin the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the#SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

#FoodieExtravaganza: Mushrooms

~ lk529 ~ 20 Comments

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This month’s #FoodieExtravaganza theme is mushrooms. TheFoodie Extravaganza is a monthly party hosted by bloggers who love food! Each month we incorporate one main ingredient or theme into recipes to share with you. Thanks to Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm for hosting this month.

Honestly, I wasn’t sure I was going to participate in today’s event as I’m not a mushroom lover. I didn’t rule it out completely though because my husband and son quite enjoy them.

A couple of weekends ago I had quite a lot on my schedule in preparation for a game night I was hosting (making fresh lemonade, baking this cake, and mixing roasted almonds) so my husband took our son out of the house and went to a grocery store that specializes in fresh, mostly organic foods. They came home with all sorts of great produce, including mushrooms.

I guess it was just meant to be that I participate in today’s Foodie Extravaganza!

I decided to also utilize another fresh produce grab, Brussels sprouts, in a creamy pasta dish that even this mushroom hater could enjoy. At the request of my husband I added Italian sausage to the dish, too. It was this ingredient addition that meant I couldn’t pick around the mushrooms and I ate most of them without worry. So, if you’ve got some picky family members who dislike mushrooms, you can easily hide them in this hearty entree! I’d consider it a success – all three of us enjoyed this for dinner and lunch the next day.

An Original Recipe

Ravioli with Mushrooms and Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:

  • 18 oz cheese ravioli
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, divided use
  • 2 links Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 2 C chopped mushrooms (I used baby bellas)
  • 2 C sliced Brussels sprouts
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 1/4 C chicken stock
  • 1 1/2 C milk, at room temperature (I used whole)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp flour
  • 3/4 – 1 C shredded Parmesan, to taste

Steps:

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook ravioli according to package directions. Strain, reserving some of the cooking liquid.
  2. In a Dutch oven, or other large pot, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook the sausage, breaking it up. When fully cooked remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
  3. Add remaining tbsp olive oil and the butter to the pot. Saute mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, and rosemary until tender, about 8 minutes. Season with S+P. Add the garlic and cook another 60 seconds, until fragrant. Deglaze the pot with the chicken stock and cook until the liquid has evaporated.
  4. In a measuring cup whisk together the milk and flour. Slowly add the milk to the pot, stirring to prevent lumps. Bring to a gentle boil and melt in the cheese. Season with addition S+P if needed. Add in the cooked ravioli and sausage. If the sauce is too thick, add some of the reserved pasta water.

Ravioli with Mushrooms and Brussels Sprouts for #FoodieExtravaganza from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Be sure to check out the rest of these mushroom recipes:

Cheesy Mushroom Chicken by Fearlessly Creative Mammas

Chicken and Mushroom Stuffed Crepes by Cooking with Carlee

Crusted Seafood Mushroom Caps by The Freshman Cook

Duxelles by Food Lust People Love

Marinated Mushrooms by Making Miracles

Mushroom and Chorizo Ragu by Cookin’ and Craftin’

Mushroom Bread Pudding by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Mushroom Leek Chinese Dumplings by The Joyful Foodie

Mushroom Stroganoff with Herb Spaetzle by Caroline’s Cooking

Mushroom Zoodles and Cheese;by Brunch with Joy

Portabella and Butternut Squash Crepes by Cherishing A Sweet Life

Rántott Gomba – Hungarian Fried Mushrooms by Tara’s Multicultural Table

Shiitake Bruschetta by Culinary Adventures with Camilla

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Lemon Ricotta Pasta with Sausage

~ lk529 ~ 1 Comment

Up until I discovered this pasta recipe, I never knew what to do with leftover ricotta cheese. I actually wasn’t quite sure if I even cared for ricotta outside of ravioli filling and lasagna layers. This quick recipe has changed how I feel about ricotta! I will be more open to other uses of ricotta. I now never worry about if the container I bought is too big because if I can’t find something else to do with it, I can make this pasta. Something I have done four times already (once without the meat, too!)

IMG_2976I chose to use veggie fusilli pasta in an effort to “sneak” veggies into my son’s mouth. (I know it doesn’t yield the best photographs.) He has loved this pasta each and every time. He now doesn’t discriminate against certain colored pasta, but the first time we enjoyed this dish he picked his way around the green spinach noodles. I also added Italian sausage as I knew my husband wouldn’t consider this a real meal. Feel free to omit the sausage (increase the garlic to 1 tbsp and saute very quickly in the oil. Add the entire garlicky oil mix to the ricotta sauce) if you prefer and make this a great side dish.

Lemon Ricotta Pasta with Sausage

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 links Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 lb fusilli pasta
  • 1 C ricotta cheese
  • 1 C heavy cream
  • zest of 2 lemons
  • juice of 1 lemon

Steps:

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and keep warm.
  2. In a small skillet, brown the sausage over medium-high heat, breaking it up as it cooks. When the sausage is almost cooked through, add the garlic and saute another minute or two. Remove from heat and set aside, draining any extra fat if needed.
  3. In a bowl whisk together ricotta, cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, and season to taste with S+P.
  4. In a large bowl toss together pasta, sausage, and ricotta sauce.

*This recipe is adapted from Cooking from the Farmers’ Market*

Lemon Ricotta Pasta with Sausage | Sew You Think You Can Cook

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

Turkey Lasagna

~ lk529 ~ 2 Comments

Fun fact: It’s National Lasagna Day!

It’s quite baffling to realize that I have had this blog for over two years now and have yet to share my lasagna recipe! I played off of it for a fancier version with lasagna roll ups last February.

Lasagna - Sew You Think You Can CookNo-boil noodles are the secret to making this dish easy to whip up. They don’t have that wavy shape of traditional lasagna noodles, but they make spreading ricotta on them as simple as spreading butter on toast. I like to sneak in extra veggies, too; bell pepper and onion join the ground turkey and I mix chopped fresh spinach in with the ricotta cheese. A double helping of cheese (mozzarella in every layer with the ricotta) doesn’t hurt anything either!

When I would have to travel for work I liked to prepare a lasagna the night before I left so my husband would have something to eat in my absence. (It’s also a great option to take to someone’s house in the event of a new baby’s arrival!) I most recently made this particular lasagna (read: this [poorly] photographed lasagna) the night before I took the little man to Florida for a friend’s wedding.

IMG_4253 (2)I’m happy to report that even my little man loved my lasagna! I was astounded by how much he devoured. I do think it was my favorite lasagna to date! I have a couple of theories as to why this one tasted better: whole milk ricotta cheese and Parmesan Romano marinara sauce – both of which are Kroger brands.

Turkey Lasagna

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1/2 bell pepper, diced
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 lb ground turkey (you could increase this up to 2 lb if you like a meatier lasagna)
  • 1/2 C chopped baby spinach
  • 1 container (15 oz) whole milk ricotta cheese
  • no boil lasagna noodles
  • 3 C shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat saute onion and bell pepper in olive oil. When onion is translucent add the garlic and cook 60 seconds. Add the turkey to the pan and cook through, breaking up as you go. Seasoning with S+P.
  3. In a bowl, combine the spinach and ricotta. Season to taste with S+P.
  4. Layer the lasagna: Put a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a casserole dish. Spread some of the ricotta mixture on the noodles and place in the dish (break up noodles as needed to fit your dish – I used a total of 7) ricotta side up. Top with half of the turkey mixture, half of the remaining sauce, and half of the mozzarella. Repeat with a second layer.
  5. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and cook another 5-10, or until bubbly and golden. (Note: If you prepare the lasagna ahead of time, remove from fridge while oven is preheating and add an extra 5-10 minutes to the covered bake time.) Allow lasagna to cool for 5 minutes before cutting or it will fall apart.

Turkey Lasagna | Sew You Think You Can Cook

#HotSummerEats: Asian Sesame Pasta Salad

~ lk529 ~ 4 Comments

HotSummerEatsEven though grilling is quintessential to summer eating, I find that pasta salads are equally synonymous with summer gatherings. Whether it’s a barbecue, a picnic, or a potluck, there’s always a pasta salad handy to round out your plate. A lot of people try to avoid mayonnaise based pasta salads when the weather is warm and turn instead to lighter versions using vinaigrettes and salad dressings.

b8882-tlishT.Lish provided participating bloggers with their three flavors of vinaigrettes: Asian Sesame, Chipotle, and Sweet Garlic. As you can tell from the blog post title, I used the first flavor for a pasta salad. The Chipotle was a fan favorite when we had friends over for wings (and I served up some Garlic Hot Wings along with a couple other flavors). The Sweet Garlic is my personal favorite and have tossed it on haricot vert for a simple side dish.

There are many veggie add-ins that would work with the Asian Sesame vinaigrette. I was really hoping to add baby corn to my salad but my grocery store didn’t have any. Broccoli, snap peas, cucumber, and carrot would also work. You could even turn this pasta salad into an entree by adding some cocktail shrimp!

An Original Recipe

Asian Sesame Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

  • 2 C uncooked rotini pasta
  • 3/4 C frozen shelled edamame, thawed
  • 1/3 C diced red bell pepper
  • segments from 1 1/2 – 2 mandarin oranges
  • 1/2 C Asian Sesame Vinaigrette
  • juice 1/2 – 1 mandarin orange

Steps:

  1. Cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente.
  2. In a bowl, toss together veggies, mandarins, and cooked pasta.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together vinaigrette and mandarin orange juice. Season to taste with S+P. Add to pasta salad and toss to combine. Keep cold until ready to serve.

Asian Sesame Pasta Salad for #HotSummerEats from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Today is the last day to enter our giveaway and be sure to check out the other bloggers who posted more summertime recipes today:

Thank you to #HotSummerEats sponsors BenBella Vegan, Caribeque, Casabella, Gourmet Garden, Intensity Academy, Not Ketchup, Out of the Weeds, Pirate Jonny’s, Quirk Books, Spicely Organics, T.Lish , and Voodoo Chef for providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for#HotSummerEats without additional compensation. All opinions are my own.

SRC: Gnocchi with Sweet Potato in Garlic Cream Sauce

~ lk529 ~ 30 Comments

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Today is another Secret Recipe Club Reveal Day! In the secret recipe club, each participating blogger is assigned a blog from another participating blogger and secretly searches their site for something to recreate. The accompanying blog post then goes live on reveal day! So while I was immersed in my assigned blog, someone else was picking through mine! I’m so excited to be part of this group, to see what on my blog peaks other’s interests and to stumble upon new blogs and new recipes.

This month I was assigned the blog Food Baby Life written by Susan. Susan blogs all the way from Australia! (No wonder I stumbled upon ingredients I’d never heard of!) Susan has three boys who are growing up in a happy home with some healthy food. Susan has decided to cut most processed foods out of their diet and opts to make as much as she can from scratch and uses alternative sweeteners in place of sugar.

I have to say, I found and made my recipe for today’s reveal within the week of being assigned Susan’s blog. I don’t think I’ve every accomplished a task so quickly. Trust me, with a very busy almost 10-month-old son who is on the move, very curious, and highly interested in eating paper, I’ve been feeling very “scrambled” when it comes to my blog. I’m always frantically typing up posts, replying to comments, and visiting blogs during his short naps. And most nights I find myself crawling into bed after he falls asleep (he has a late “bedtime”).

So, I knew I didn’t want to let my SRC assignment fall into neglect. I was intrigued by Cornmeal and Fruit Loaf, tempted by Oat Pancakes with Strawberries, and inclined to try her Healthy Bread.

I ultimately went with a hearty meatless meal which I served on Good Friday. Stuart and I really like gnocchi but very rarely eat it. I am always a sucker for a creamy sauce. And sweet potato is a favorite of not only my husband, but my little man, too. Mushrooms aren’t my favorite and I tend to pick around them, but my brother was in town for the Easter holiday and he and Stuart enjoy them. (Recent discovery indicates that my son also likes mushrooms.) I figured I couldn’t go wrong with this dish although I had an inkling that I’d be wanting bacon in it. Fun fact: it doesn’t need the bacon, although I’m sure it wouldn’t hurt.

This recipe makes 6 servings and can easily be halved if desired.

Gnocchi with Sweet Potato in Garlic Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 1 large sweet potato, cut into bite sized cubes
  • ~1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 pkgs (16 oz) gnocchi
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 pkg (8 oz) mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 3/4 C heavy cream
  • 1/2 C shredded Parmesan

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss sweet potato in olive oil, season with S+P. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake 20 minutes, or until tender.
  2. In a large, high-sided skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Saute onions, garlic, and mushrooms until onions are translucent and mushrooms browned. Add the cream and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and season to taste with S+P.
  3. Cook gnocchi according to package directions. Drain and add to the sauce along with Parmesan and sweet potatoes.
  4. Serve with extra Parmesan cheese, if desired.

*This recipe is adapted from Susan at http://www.foodbabylife.com/2012/03/meatless-monday-gnocchi-with-roasted.html*

gnocchi with sweet potato in garlic cream sauce | sew you think you can cook

To see the other bloggers who participated in the Secret Recipe Club this month click here:

#SundaySupper: Picnic

~ lk529 ~ 19 Comments

Picnics. Now there’s a word that means something different to everyone. You might not have thought that before, but think about it.

Do you think of a romantic meal for two on a blanket in a meadow? Maybe sandwiches on the beach? A backpack meal on a hike?

For me, picnic is almost synonymous with family reunion.

Every year my dad’s family has a huge reunion in July. My grandparents came to America from the Dominican Republic along with many cousins from their generation. We rent out a park space and everyone comes together. Much of the family is still in the Chicago area so that’s where we all convene. Growing up we would always travel back to spend the Fourth of July at my mom’s parents lake house in Lake Geneva, WI and spend time with my dad’s parents in Illinois, ending our vacation with the family picnic.

Everyone is assigned a category of food to bring based on last name. Except for my aunt – she’s required to bring her 7 layer dip. And my mom used to be “the candy lady” – she’d buy huge bags of candy (and those giant pixie sticks) and all the kids would love her for it. All the kids are grown up now so she still brings a little something but it’s definitely not to the scale she did when we were younger.

It’s a wonderful gathering of family and I hope to make it this year! Now that I’m an E last name I think I’m supposed to bring veggies instead of salad. Maybe I’ll find some great ideas from the rest of my Sunday Supper family.

A big thank you to T.R. of Gluten Free Crumbley for hosting this event. For more fun picnic ideas scroll past my recipe!

When I think picnic food I think hotdogs and macaroni salad. Stuart doesn’t like macaroni salad so I thought I’d try something new to tempt him. We were having people over for grilling and this spicy version was a huge hit! I used veggies typically served with buffalo wings – celery and carrots – and added tomato to cool it down a bit. Be warned: this macaroni salad gets spicier the longer it sits!

Buffalo Macaroni Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1 C uncooked macaroni noodles
  • 1/4 C finely diced red onion
  • 1/4 C finely diced celery
  • 1/2 C finely diced carrot
  • 3/4 C diced tomato
  • 3/4 C mayonnaise
  • 1/4 C buffalo sauce
  • 1/4 C red wine vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder

Steps:

  1. Cook macaroni in boiling salted water according to package directions.
  2. In a small bowl whisk together the mayo, buffalo sauce, vinegar, garlic, and chili powder.
  3. In a large bowl toss cooked pasta with the veggies.
  4. Coat pasta salad in as much dressing as desired. (I only used about half of the sauce)

*This recipe is inspired by Whitney at http://littleleopardbook.com/2012/05/29/whats-for-a-side-spicy-buffalo-macaroni-salad/*

Buffalo Macaroni Salad | Sew You Think You Can Cook

Appetizers:

Beverages:

Main Dishes:

Sides:

Soups and Salads:

Desserts:

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Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the#SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

Red Wine and Chocolate Cream Sauce

~ lk529 ~ 2 Comments

The title of this blog post has already created it’s first impression in your mind. You either thought “that’s just weird” or “yum!” Either way, you’re intrigued. I’ll clear up one assumption off the bat – it’s not sweet.

When I saw this blog post pop up on my WordPress Reader last year it was Carlynn’s photography that had me sold. What caught my attention was her use of chocoalte pasta! I didn’t have, couldn’t find, and wasn’t about to make chocolate linguini so I used the boring normal stuff.

I made this for Valentine’s Day last year and while we were all a touch skeptical we all found we really enjoyed it! But a uninamous vote agreed that it needed some protein. A cocoa or coffee rubbed steak would accompany this pasta pretty nicely.

While I typically halve recipes that claim to serve 6 I made this one as is. We had a lot of pasta leftover. Good thing it reheated well! If you opt to serve this dish as a side then I’d highly suggest halving it – unless you’re feeding an army.

Red Wine and Chocolate Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1/2 C red wine
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 qt beef broth
  • 1 1/2 C heavy cream
  • 1/2 C marscapone cheese
  • 2 oz dark chocolate, chopped
  • 1/2 C Cacao Nibs
  • 1 lb uncooked pasta

Steps:

  1. In a large pot over medium-high heat melt butter. Saute onions until translucent, approximately 5 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve some if the cooking liquid, if needed.
  3. Deglaze the pan with the red wine and the balsamic vinegar. Simmer until thick. Add the beef broth and simmer until reduced by half, 15-20 minutes.
  4. Whisk in the cream. Melt in the marscapone cheese. Remove from heat and melt in the chocolate. Stir in the cacao nibs. Season to taste with S+P.
  5. Add as much of the sauce sauce to the cooked pasta as desired. Use the reserved pasta water if needed.

*This recipe is adapted from Carlynn at http://jjbegonia.com/2014/02/03/pasta-with-chocolate-and-red-wine-cream-sauce/*

Red Wine and Chocolate Cream Sauce | Sew You Think You Can Cook

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