I love to have a nice home cooked meal every day. Yes even on a stifling hot summer day. It doesn't have to require a lot of cooking. But just something somewhat healthy that I prepare and that we can all sit around the table and enjoy together. Today I had a few leftover egg yolks from making a marshmallow frosting and of course I thought~ Carbonara!!
This is super quick, especially if you have some leftover bacon handy. If you can boil water, than this is your dish! That easy. And quick!
Pasta Carbonara
1 lb spaghetti
6 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled
4 egg yolks
1 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Meanwhile, fry the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. ( I cook my bacon in a cold oven set to 400 degrees for about 15-20 mins) Transfer bacon to a paper towel to drain and reserve the drippings. In a large serving bowl, add the yolks and a few tbsp of the bacon drippings. Working quickly, add the drained pasta and the Parmesan to the yolk mixture and toss to combine. Add the salt, pepper, parsley and bacon. Toss to combine and serve immediately. * when cooking pasta, be sure to save some pasta water to add to the dish if it becomes too dry, it also helps the sauce to stick to the pasta.
Happy Mother's Day!
I was lucky enough to have an amazing mom. She was famous for making delicious lasagna, meatballs, pork and sauerkraut, pineapple upside down cake and macaroni and cheese. Well, maybe not famous, but in my eyes she was.
I am sharing her macaroni and cheese with you today. It may not be glamorous or gourmet, but it was what I grew up with and whenever I make it, I think of her.
1 lb elbow macaroni
3 TBSP butter
3 TBSP flour
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups milk
1 block of cheddar cheese, cubed
Mom always used Cracker Barrel extra sharp white cheddar in the red package, so, use that, it is the best!
Cook the macaroni according to package direction. Rinse in cold water to stop cooking.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan on medium high heat; melt the butter. When the butter is melted, whisk in the flour to make a rue . Slowly whisk in the milk. Add the dry mustard, salt and pepper. While stirring, drop in the cubed pieces of cheese, and continue stirring until all of the cheese is melted. Add the cooked macaroni to the cheese mixture and mix until thoroughly combined, getting all of the cheesy goodness into the macaroni. Pour the mixture into a greased 9x12x3 pan. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
This sauce is a little spicy, but you could leave out the pepper or adjust it to suit your taste. It calls for vodka, but I have also made it with white wine and it is just as good. You could skip the alcohol all together and just add more chicken broth too.
2 TBSP olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
2tsp salt, divided
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup white wine ( original recipe calls for vodka)
1/2 c chicken broth
2 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, untrained
1/2 c heavy cream
Thinly sliced fresh basil
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion to the pan and sauté until tender. Add 1/2 tsp salt, pepper and garlic; sauté for another minute. Add wine; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 4 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Stir in 1 tsp salt, broth and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 8-10 minutes. Carefully ladle the sauce into a blender (remove center and cover with a clean towel) pulse until sauce is smooth. Return to pan and add the heavy cream until heated through. Add basil. Enjoy over your favorite pasta.
Pesto is a wonder condiment. Of course I love it on pasta, but it is awesome As a spread on a sandwich! And even more so on a grilled sandwich. Also an excellent topping for a broiled fish, it is just wonderful. I do love my traditional pesto, of basil and pine nuts, but this peppery mix of arugula and basil has just the right amount of kick to make it stand out. I am lucky enough to have a Bendtec blender that I make my pesto in, but if you have a food processor, use that. Even those little mini choppers work fine.
1/2 c. Olive oil
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 1/2 c. Arugula
1 1/2 c. Basil
1/8 c. Pine nuts
1/2 c. Grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Add oil, garlic, arugula and basil to blender(processor) secure lid and pulse 6-8 times until roughly chopped. Add the remaining ingredients and secure lid. Pulse again 4-6 times until coarse purée texture is reached.
Keep in fridge upto 3 days.
