Good Morning.
No more ham, goose, egg bake, scalloped corn, or cookies shaped like stars and bells with garish frosting and silly sprinkles. Today is a new day. It calls for something warm, textured, colorful, and saucy. Here are five pasta dishes for every palate yearning to be free of holiday hassle.
Greek Chicken Linguine
1 16 oz. package linguine
1/2 cup chopped white onion
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound chicken breast, no skin or bones, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 14 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and rough chopped
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup crumbled Feta
2 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. dried oregano
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Cook linguine according to package directions, about 8 to 10 minutes for al dente. Drain in a colander and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Add the chicken pieces and saute, stirring, until thoroughly cooked, probably 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low and add the artichoke hearts, chopped tomato, Feta,
lemon juice, oregano, and pasta. Cook until heated through for about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Dish it up and give a squeeze of lemon to each serving.
Rigatoni with Vodka
1 pound rigatoni
1/4 pound prosciutto, rough chopped
2 cups heavy cream
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 good shot vodka
1 7 oz. jar roasted red peppers
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp. garlic powder, not salt
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan
Drain the peppers but reserve the liquid. Cut up the peppers. In a pot, combine the prosciutto, cream, tomatoes, vodka, and peppers with a bit of the liquid. Add the parsley, garlic powder, sugar, salt, and pepper, and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the sauce comes to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for half an hour. Cook the rigatoni according to package directions and drain. Add the pasta to the pot and stir in the grated Parmesan. Mix it up well and serve. Vegetarians can omit the prosciutto and substitute peas or mushrooms or both. Not in my family. None of them eat peas and one won't touch a mushroom. One would eat mushrooms every day of the week and twice on Sunday. The following dish is for her.
Mushroom Pasta
1 12 oz. package fettuccine
1 tbsp. olive oil
4 or 5 white button mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced
1 small white onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 cup dry white wine - vermouth is okay in a pinch
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Heat olive oil in a skillet, add the mushrooms and onions, and cook until the mushrooms are tender and the onions are translucent. Stir in the garlic, seasonings, white wine, and chicken broth.
Raise the heat to medium and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Reduce heat and add the sour cream and cornstarch. Add the cooked pasta and combine with the sauce. Top each serving with some grated Parmesan. Substitute vegetable broth if desired.
Sort of Mexican Shrimp Pasta
1/2 pound spaghetti
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 pound large, raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp. tequila
1 cup heavy cream
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
Dash of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup fresh baby spinach, stems removed
Grated Parmesan
Cook spaghetti according to package directions and drain. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp and garlic and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low, add tequila and spinach and cook for 3 minutes. Mix up the cream, chipotles, and a dash of salt and pepper in a blender and process until smooth. Add the sauce to the shrimp and simmer on low for 3 minutes. Do not boil. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss to combine well. Top each serving with grated Parmesan.
And finally, Zucchini Alfredo.
1 12 oz. package egg noodles
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups shredded zucchini
1/2 cup Half and Half
4 oz. cream cheese, cut into cubes
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Grated Parmesan
Cook egg noodles according to package directions and drain. Heat the oil in a skillet and stir in the garlic. Cook for a minute or two. Now add the zucchini and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the Half and Half and cream cheese and cook over low heat until smooth. Add the basil and salt and pepper. Add the noodles and combine well. Garnish with grated Parmesan.
Don't use the canned Parm for any of these pastas. Get the grated stuff or even better, grated a chunk on your kitchen counter. Here's a cheese tip: Order on-line virtually any cheese produced anywhere in the world from an outfit called I Gourmet. The only consideration is to wait until you have a pretty sizeable order because the cheese is shipped overnight
in special boxes and it ain't cheap. You'll pay more to ship a couple of wheels of Brie than the Brie themselves, so make a list,
choose a variety from several countries, and have a party. I Gourmet is one of those places that is habit-forming because
they correctly figured out that cheese is addictive for most of the earth's residents. I'm off to the kitchen for an omelet
loaded with every cheese in my fridge. My doc said my calcium was a titch low and I don't like pills.
Best regards,
Elisabeth
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