Spaghetti Pie

Years ago (15 ish) the school, I worked for then, bought all the administration, planners.  We got the Franklin Covey planner,  which is quite comprehensive in how you use it and what is included.  We were “requested” to do it their way and someone came to speak to us about how to do that.  My organizations skills went to work and I did it “their” way and it was the best year, for me, organizationally speaking.  I, even, recommend it to someone who wants to organize his/her life and is willing to commit.

I love the school year, when I am pretty sure, what I will be doing at most times of the day.  I know what I can get done before and after school.  My day is organized without my planner, simply because I am employed.  I am comfortable with having a schedule.  I get more accomplished with those guideposts standing straight and tall.

This brings me to the summer, when I don’t live by regular commitments.  Sure, I may have an appointment or lunch with a friend but that does not routinize the day and certainly not the week.  In the mornings, I basically know what I want to do and I do it when it is convenient, rather than when it has to be done.  It is nice for a while but I doubt, I would be happy, doing this throughout the year.

This leads into cooking.  When my children were young, I could not have cooked, as I do today.  I have no idea how the young bloggers with children manage to make some of the fancy dishes, they present on their blogs.  I admire them for being able to accomplish so much.

Chopping and sauteing is time consuming and for me, the me with young kids, I wanted something that took little time, with few steps that was edible.  It did not have to be pretty and it did have to taste good……good not great.  Spaghetti with canned sauce (I am not sure they had bottles of sauce then), no spices, maybe some browned chopped beef was a good meal.  Shepherd’s Pie was another but it was a lot plainer than the one, I make now.  You get the idea.

You may ask, what am I talking about?  I am thinking about tonight’s dinner, Spaghetti Pie.  I made that years ago.  The recipe, I made today is from another blogger’s site.  It is probably different than the one I made years ago.  I remember using cottage cheese, not even knowing what Ricotta was.  For this pie, I did use Ricotta.  Things have changed.

Spaghetti Pie  Adapted from REC(ession)IPES

• 8 ounces gluten-free spaghetti
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with roasted onion
• 1 small onion , chopped
• 1 teaspoon oregano
•  10 ounce  package frozen spinach
• 12 ounce container part skim ricotta
• ½ cup shredded mozzarella
• Black pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put water on to boil. Lightly grease a 10 inch pie plate with olive oil or cooking spray and set aside.

Dice onion. Cook in 1 tablespoon olive oil until onions are just translucent, approx. 5-8 minutes. Add diced tomatoes with their juice, along with oregano.

Thaw spinach, then drain in colander. Place ricotta in bowl and combine with spinach by removing small clump of spinach from colander, squeezing vigorously to remove remaining moisture, and then adding to ricotta. Add a few grinds black pepper and stir to combine.

Cook spaghetti until just al dente, drain and toss in large bowl with one teaspoon olive oil. Whisk eggs with a fork in a small bowl with 1/3 cup shredded parmesan. Toss with spaghetti.

Add spaghetti to prepared pie plate. Shape into crust shape by using fingers to flatten center  and press up the sides of the plate. Add spinach-ricotta mixture to middle of crust. Top with tomato sauce and bake, uncovered, 25 minutes.

Top with shredded mozzarella and remaining shredded parmesan. Bake an additional 5 minutes, until cheese is melted. Remove from oven, let cool 10 minutes, then slice into 8 wedges and serve.

This is l inked to

Allergy Free Wednesdays     Gluten-Free Wednesdays     Cast Party Wednesdays     DJs Sugar Shack   Whatcha Whipped Up Wednesdays?

Real Food Wednesdays

Creamy Lemon Pasta with Vegetables

As long as it has veggies…………pasta is not fattening………..or so I tell myself.

1 pound thin spaghetti (gluten-free)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder1 cup low-fat sour cream
plenty of Parmesan                                                                                                                                salt to tastechopped parsley

1 zucchini, diced

grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced

1 medium onion, diced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cook pasta as directed on package.

Put olive oil in skillet.  Add zucchini, onions and tomatoes.  You may need more than one batch.

Add lemon juice to pan and cook for a few minutes.

Add sour cream and mix it through.

Place drained and rinsed pasta in a baking dish.

Pour over it the vegetables and sour cream and mix.

Bake covered for 15 minutes.

Remove covering and bake for additional 7 to 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and top with Parmesan cheese.

Penne with Tomatoes, Feta and Balsamic Dressing

I have been seeing recipes similar to this one, in several places, and each time, I plan to make it but, I never get to it.  Yesterday, I came across a Cooking Light recipe from July 2009 and I changed my dinner plans and made an adaption of the recipe.  Although, I don’t like feta plain because it is strong, I love it mixed into a dish that perks up with its flavor.  This one does just that.  I left out the garlic and I think you should add some because garlic makes everything better, unless you are my husband, who gets sick from it.

I used to think, my husband ate anything and everything, and now realize that he has many sensitivities that he did not have when he was younger.  He is also more willing to try new dishes which was not always the case.  When we first got married, he would not eat chicken. Who does not eat chicken?  Fortunately, he now eats it and likes it but tuna fish is still a stranger to him, unless it is a fresh fish.

I will share my adapted recipe which was quite tasty.  My one problem was that the Cooking Light recipe called for a white balsamic vinegar and the only one, I have, is dark so the color of the pasta is probably less attractive.  On the other hand, the mustard gives color to the pasta and modifies the dark balsamic.  

Penne with Tomatoes, Feta and Balsamic Dressing (adapted from Cooking Light)

Ingredients

• 6 ounces uncooked GF penne
• 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved 
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh oregano leaves
• 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons chopped shallots
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 
• 1 (4-ounce) package crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese 

Preparation

1. 1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain. 
2. Combine cooked pasta, tomatoes and oregano in a large bowl.
3. While pasta cooks, combine vinegar and next 5 ingredients (through pepper) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add oil to vinegar mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Drizzle vinaigrette over pasta mixture; toss well to coat. Add cheese; toss to combine.

Mirror Image

Roasted Tomato and Almond Pesto Pasta

A quick and simple recipe.

There isn’t much to say as a build-up to this recipe, other than, it is good.  The roasted tomatoes and nuts make a subtle combination, not too strong but definitely present.  If you like a more spicy dish, you could add some hot peppers, to the mix.

I do have difficulty toasting nuts.  I stand there, pushing them around and nothing happens so I go to the sink and wash a few dishes to suddenly smell a beautiful fragrance.  The nuts fooled me again and some are too brown but they are good.  Watch those almonds.

Roasted Tomato and Almond Pesto Pasta – Ellie Krieger adapted

From EatingWell.com

Ingredients:

Photo credit: Ed Bierman)

• 3/4 cup blanched  almonds
• 1 /4 bottle roasted tomatoes
• 3/4 cup lightly packed fresh parsley
  
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (garlic flavored)
  
•  1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 3/4 cup  olive oil
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

---

Method:

Toast almonds in a large dry skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Allow them to cool slightly.

Transfer the almonds to a food processor and process until finely ground. Add tomatoes, basil, vinegar, and crushed red pepper. As the processor is running, drizzle in oil in a steady stream, about 30 seconds. Stir in Parmesan and salt.

This is linked to Allergy Free Wednesday

Pasta with Feta, Broccoli and Pecans – Nigella

I found another recipe in Nigella Kitchen that I wanted to make and that became our dinner.  Unfortunately, I was missing several necessary ingredients and did a lot of subbing.  This is a recipe, I would not have made changes to.  It sounded just right the way it was but necessity is the mother of all inventionn, as we discussed previously.  Necessity and I invented an “Almost Nigella” recipe and it was delicious.

(Curly Pasta with Feta, Spinach, and Pine Nuts (adapted)

Shells with Feta, Broccoli and Pecans

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup pecans, rough chopped
• 2 tablespoons  olive oil
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 1/2 pound short pasta like shells  (mine are brown rice shells – gluten free)
  
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 pound frozen chopped broccoli
• 3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Start the water boiling for your pasta.  Once it’s come to a boil add the pasta and cook until tender.
2. Toast the pecans in a dry pan over medium-low heat until they are golden brown. Set aside.
3. Heat the olive oil in large sauce pan and add the onion. Cook until the onion is tender, adding a little salt if they start browning.
4. Add the broccoli  and continuously stir until the frozen broccoli heats up. Add the allspice.
5. Once the pasta is finished cooking, save a small amount of pasta water before draining and add to the broccoli mixture.
6. Add the feta to the spinach mixture and stir it around until the feta has melted. Then add the Parmesan cheese and continue to stir.
7. Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss everything well to combine.
8. Serve warm and top with the toasted pecans.

Linked to This week’s Cravings

See Ya in the Gumbo

Cookbook Sundays

Vegetarian Side Dishes and at Priya’s Easy N Tasty Recipes

Gluten-Free Weekly Menu Plan      Tasty Tuesday

Pasta Salad with Feta Cheese and Walnuts – Ellie Krieger

    

This is an Ellie Krieger recipe which means it has the odds on its side for being a success.  It is uncanny how almost all her recipes are right, for my family.  Whether it is an appetizer or dessert, we almost always like  the dish.  This is yet, another success.

Pasta Salad with Feta Cheese and Walnuts (adapted from – Ellie Krieger)

I made this gluten-free.  It called for whole wheat pasta and I substituted a gluten-free pasta.

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound gluten-free fusilli or other spiral shaped pasta
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
• 1 1/2 cups chopped baby spinach leaves
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. Drain the pasta, rinse it under cold water, and put it in the refrigerator to chill.

In a dry saute pan toast the walnuts over a medium-high flame until they are fragrant, about 2 minutes. Set the walnuts aside to cool then chop them coarsely.

In a large bowl, toss together the chilled pasta, walnuts, feta cheese, onion, and spinach. In a small bowl whisk the oil, vinegar, garlic and mustard. Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

For us, this salad was used as a main dish.  We loved the addition of the crunch of the walnuts and the competing taste of the feta.  I would prefer this in the warmer weather.  I ended up, serving it warm and that worked out.  (I added the cheese, at the table and left that cold.)

This is linked to Scrumptious Sunday    Sweet and Simple Sunday     Savory Sunday     What Makes you Say Mmmm?

Cream Cheese Pasta with Veggies

The familiar voice of my husband reached me, “Are we having lunch today?”  That is his way of not asking me to make him lunch but hinting at it.

If I am busy, he will prepare lunch without a whimper but he is a lot happier, If I respond, “On my way.” Good thing for him, that I love to cook and experiment and a good thing for me, he is willing to try my concoctions.

When I asked what he wanted, he mentioned the possibility of pasta and cheese.  That is easy enough so I took out some elbows (the pasta – not the body parts).  I also found a single zucchini, some tomatoes, an onion (actually a lot of onions) to go along with the pasta.  What I made was easy and we both gave it an A for taste.

Cream Cheese Pasta with Veggies

8 ounces elbows

1/4 cup water from the cooked pasta (secret ingredient)

1 zucchini, roughly chopped

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

8 grape tomatoes, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons whipped cream cheese (the secret ingredient)

Procedure

Cook elbow pasta according to directions, keeping 1/2 cup of cooking water.

While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in skillet and add zucchini, onion and tomatoes.  Cook until onions and zucchini are soft.

Add elbows to vegetables, keeping burner on low.

Add two tablespoons cream cheese and 1/4 cup of cooking water.  Add more water to get desired consistency.  These two turned this dish into a creamy concoction.  Mix it until the macaroni is coated.

I served this with a scoop of guacamole on top which I mixed in.  It does not have to have the guacamole.  I tried it both ways and liked it both ways.

This is linked to Mangia Mondays     Savory Sundays   This Week’s Cravings     Tuesdays at the Table    http://www.jamhands.net/

Baked Rigatoni with Brussels Sprouts, Figs and Blue Cheese – The Food Matters Project

I have been a big fan of Mark Bittman for a number of years.  I particularly like his ability to convey to the cook many ways to make the same recipe.  This attitude was great for me tonight when I thought I was baking the above recipe, only to find that I could not get most of the ingredients.

I have not seen gluten-free rigatoni so I subbed in penne.  Although, I am sure, kosher blue cheese is available, I have not seen it locally.  We are not fans of figs so I subbed apples which were great.  Finally and unbelievably, the local stores were out of brussels sprouts.  I called my daughter and asked her to look around and she also could not locate any.

I guess, I proved that you can  change the ingredients and come out with a facsimile of the original.

I feel particularly bad because this is the first time, I cooked with the foodies of The Food Matters Project.  This group is cooking their way through Mark Bittman’s, The Food Matters.   If you are interested, get the book and join us.

Marcia from Twenty by Sixty chose the  Baked Rigatoni with Brussels Sprouts, Figs, and Blue Cheese (page 221), in The Food Matters.   You will find the recipe on her blog.

Marcia shares her hesitation selecting this recipe which about describes my initial reaction.  Figs? Blue Cheese? Pasta? and Brussels Sprouts?  They just shouldn’t go together but I gather they did and did so beautifully.

My combination of broccoli, Monterey Jack, Apples and Penne also worked although I didn’t believe it.  The almonds seemed to disappear into the dish and it was not until the end that I found one. This is unique but trusting Mark Bittman helps.  I had to believe the recipe was good.

Check out the other cooks at The Food Matters Project.

Patty’s Pasta

This recipe seems to fit my expectations of  Guy Fieri.  It has  an edge to it.  I think it is the horseradish.  Since, I can’t cook meat and dairy together, I had to make the decision whether to make this with the corned beef or cheese.  In truth, the corned beef had a lot more appeal, especially for a change of pace, but practically, I had cheese and did not have corned beef, so gushy cheese came out the winner or perhaps, we came out the winners.   I used about half of the cheese called for and it oozed cheese, anyway.

Patty’s Pasta  (adapted from Guy Fieri)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter, unsalted

• 1 tablespoon canola oil

• 1/2 cup small diced carrots

• 1 1/2 cups diced cabbage

• 1 tablespoon minced shallots

• dash of  black pepper

• 1/4 cup white wine

• 1 cups heavy cream

• 1  cup  milk

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard

• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

• 2 cups grated  Cheddar 

• 3/4 cup fresh peas, or frozen

• 1 pound cooked spaghetti (I used brown rice pasta)

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add the butter and 1 tablespoon canola oil. Add the carrotsand cabbage and saute until they are just tender and the cabbage is starting to caramelize, about 20 minutes.

Stir in the shallots and saute 3 to 4 minutes longer. Add  black pepper.

 Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Add in the cream,milk, the mustards and the horseradish. Let simmer until the sauce has tightened up a bit, about 5 minutes. Stir in the shredded cheese and adjust seasonings, as needed.

Stir in the peas and the pasta, then transfer into a serving dish. Serve immediately garnished with the Parmesan.

This is linked to Tuesdays At The Table  

• Traditional Mac and Cheese for these Cold Rainy Days (kosherblogger.wordpress.com)
• Pasta and Salmon Salad (bookcasefoodie.wordpress.com)
• Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese with Sage and Gingersnap-Pecan Crust (thedailymeal.com)
• Easy Fettuccine Alfredo (bookcasefoodie.wordpress.com)
• Penne Rigate Macaroni and Cheeses (bookcasefoodie.wordpress.com)
• Carroty Mac and Cheese Recipe (thedailymeal.com)

   Gluten Free Wednesdays                       It’s A Keeper Thursdays                             Tasty Thursdays

Full Plate Thursdays                    The Gallery of Favorites

Four Cheese Stuffed Shells

I thought, I was going to make lasagna and cheesecake for our family party and filled my refrigerator with cream cheese, cottage cheese, ricotta and farmer cheese plus Cheddar, Mozzarella and Parmesan and miscellaneous favorite cheeses.  We didn’t make lasagna nor cheesecake.  Instead, I made cottage cheese latkes and bagels and lox.  Dessert was chocolate cake and cookies.

Are you picturing my refrigerator now?  You are right; it is filled with cheeses from top to bottom.  I am planning lots of dairy dishes in the next days.  We  love dairy meals so that is not a problem.  I still, I can’t imagine using up all that cheese.  I started with one meal, stuffed shells.  I added some cream cheese to make it creamier than usual and I like the addition.

Four Cheese Stuffed Shells

Ingredients

1 box large pasta shells, cooked al dente (according to package directions)

1 cup cottage cheese or ricotta

1 cup whipped cream cheese

1/2 cup Parmesan

1 cup mozzarella, shredded

1 egg

1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 jar Marinara sauce (I did not use the entire bottle – make it as saucy as you like)

extra shredded mozzarella to top casserole

 

Procedure

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine cheeses in large bowl.  Mix together so that you have a creamy cheese mixture.  Add egg to the cheese and mix until incorporated.  Add seasoning and mix well.

I have some odd-shaped dishes but the closest standard size is a 9 x 13 baking pan.  Cover the bottom with a thin layer of marinara sauce and put aside.

Spoon cheese mixture into shells and place each shell into baking pan.  When shells are positioned, pour as much sauce as you like on pasta.  Add shredded mozzarella cheese on top.

Place in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.  I keep checking to make sure the cheese does not burn.

We find this to be a hearty dish and a side of salad is satisfying for us.

 

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• As promised: Spinach Lasagna (kosherblogger.wordpress.com)
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