Easy baked pasta dish for a busy night

Better Homes and Gardens has come out with another binder cookbook, this one even easier than the last. Step-by-step instructions accompany each recipe, which are all very doable. Baked Cavatelli caught my eye because, well, it used wagon wheels pasta which just couldn't be cuter. Lately, I've been looking for recipes that fit the casserole mold. So easy to throw together for a weeknight meal and the wolverines at my house love them. Well, they say that. They know which side of the bread is buttered.

Baked Cavatelli
2 1/3  cups dried cavatelli or wagon wheel macaroni (7 ounces)
12  ounces uncooked Italian sausage links, sliced 1/2 inch thick, or lean ground beef
3/4  cup chopped onion
2  cloves garlic, minced
1  26-ounce jar pasta sauce
1  cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 ounces)
1/4  teaspoon black pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; set aside.

In a large skillet cook the sausage, onion, and garlic until sausage is brown; remove from skillet. Drain.

In a large bowl stir together pasta sauce, 3/4 cup of the mozzarella cheese, and the pepper. Add the cooked pasta and the drained sausage mixture. Stir gently to combine. Spoon the mixture into a 2-quart casserole. (See note.)

Bake, covered, in a 375 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until nearly heated through. Uncover; sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese. Bake about 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted.

Makes 5 or 6 servings

Note: For individual portions, spoon the mixture into 5 or 6 individual (8- to 10-ounce) casseroles. Place the casseroles on a large baking sheet. Cover casseroles with foil and bake in a 375 degree F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until nearly heated through. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese, and bake about 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted.

Source: photos and recipe, www.bhg.com

Easy weeknight meals: Salads, pasta, soup and a fancy surprise

Monday: Go green

Recycle weekend leftovers for a Big Green Salad full of veggies and bits of protein (hard-boiled eggs, leftover chicken, beef or fish, tuna or seafood salad, cold cut strips, any type of cheese). Give your salad crunch with pumpkin or sunflower seeds. Shelled, of course.

Tuesday:  Yes, you can
Scour the pantry for cans of tuna and diced tomatoes and a box of dried penne (or other pasta). Check the fridge for green olives and make Pasta With Tuna, Tomato and Green Olives. While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a saute pan and add some garlic and red pepper flakes. Mix in tuna and diced tomatoes. Add chopped olives and heat through. Mix with drained pasta. Dinner, done.

Wednesday:  Rotisserie chicken
The October Food Network mag, which I have to say I love, has a simple recipe for Spicy Tortilla Chicken Soup. First, shred the meat from the bird and set aside. Puree 2 seeded, soaked ancho peppers (which are dried mild poblanos), 1 peeled onion, 2 tomatoes and 2 garlic cloves. Fry in oil in a large saucepan. Add 6 cups of broth, 4 torn corn tortillas, shredded chicken and 1/2 cup chopped cilantro. Simmer until thick. Season with salt and garnish with crisp tortilla strips, Mexican cheese, cilantro and lime juice.

Thursday: Get messy
Enjoy the last of summer’s fresh corn with a Shrimp and Potato Boil. Bring a big pot of water to boil and add lemon juice, smashed garlic cloves and coarse salt. Sprinkle in Old Bay if you’d like. Toss in small whole red potatoes and cook for about 20 minutes. Add shucked corn in manageable lengths, and about 5 minutes later add the shrimp. Drain and dump in bowl. Serve with bread and butter. Eat outside.

Friday: Fancy night
Pull out the stops tonight and make the fall-centric Wilted Arugula Salad With Sauteed Pork, Pears and Blue Cheese (recipe below). Light the candles and let the family know you love them. Or at least that you love to cook.

Wilted Arugula Salad With Sauteed Pork, Pears and Blue Cheese
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium shallot, finely diced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces baby arugula, washed and spun dry (about 8 loosely packed cups)
1 firm-ripe Bosc pear
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 pound of pork tenderloin, trimmed and sliced 3/8 to 1/2 inch thick
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 pound blue cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup dried cherries

In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar and mustard. Slowly whisk in 1/2 cup of the oil. Stir in the shallot and thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste. Put the arugula in a large bowl. Core the pear and cut it into matchsticks.

Put the flour in a pie pan or large plate. Season the pork liberally with salt and pepper and dredge in the flour. Set a heavy 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil and the butter. When the butter melts and begins to lightly brown, cook the pork (in batches if necessary), flipping after 2 minutes, until it’s just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large plate. Repeat with the remaining pork.

Discard any fat in the skillet and set over low heat. Add the balsamic-Dijon vinaigrette and cook, stirring to pick up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan, until the sauce is warm, about 1 minute. Pour the vinaigrette back into its bowl and whisk to recombine. Toss the arugula with half of the warm vinaigrette. Arrange the arugula on 4 plates. Top with the pork, pear, blue cheese and dried cherries, and drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette.

Serves 4.

Source: Fine Cooking; photo from Rachael Ray, Food Network

Another dish with canned beans

I'd like to say Spaghetti with Northern Beans is a cheap weeknight meal, but the olive oil, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and grape tomatoes sort of tip the scales the other way. That said, it is a delicious meatless dish that uses my new best friend, the canned bean. I've been tinkering a lot with Northern and cannellini beans, which add flavor and substance. Plus, at 89 cents a can for some store brands they are a bargain. I rinse and drain to get rid of some of the sodium.

If you want to save more dough, use a can of diced tomatoes rather than the grape tomatoes. It'll change the dish a bit but won't ruin it at all. This recipe is very tinkerable. You can quote me on that.

Here's tonight dinner:

Spaghetti with Northern Beans
1/4 extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, quartered
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 small diced onion
2 diced celery stalks
1 cup grape tomatoes (or 1 can diced tomatoes)
1 cup dry white wine
2 cans Northern bean, drained and rinsed
1 pound dried spaghetti
6 tablespoon agrated Parmesan-Regiano cheese, divided

In a covered pasta pot over high heat, bring water to a rapid boil.

Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and salt and pepper to to taste and cook, stirring, until garlic is translucent but not browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon remove garlic and discard. Add onion, celery and tomatoes, raise heat and cook, stirring, until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring, until reduced by half. Add beans, reduce heat to very low and simmer until thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside, if necessary.

While sauce is simmering, add salt and spaghetti to the boiling water and water and cook, uncovered, over high heat until pasta is al dente. Scoop out about 1 cup of the pasta water and set aside. Drain pasta.

Return saute pan to heat and add 2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water and raise heat to high. Add spaghetti and toss to coat evenly, adding more pasta water if necessary. Add half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano and toss well.

Transfer to a large serving platter and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6.

Source: Adapted from "250 True Italian Pasta Dishes" by John Coletta (Robert Rose, 2009)

Asian Chicken soup from a rotisserie chicken

The October Food Network magazine has this cool, little pull-out pamphlet with 50 quick and easy soups. It has a Stir Crazy vibe because there are no recipes. The directions are written in just a few sentences. Not quite Twitter-short, but short.

The Asian Chicken Soup calls for shredded cooked chicken and that would be our Wednesday rotisserie bird. Here's the rest of the details: "Puree 2 garlic cloves with a 2-inch piece peeled ginger; fry in oil with 1 bunch sliced scallions. Add 3 cups each chicken broth and water, 1 tablespoon each soy sauce and sherry, and a pinch of sugar; boil. Add shredded cooked chicken, sliced carrots and snow peas, drizzle with sesame oil."

I might throw in some chopped spinach for color and more bulk. Eat up!

Tonight's easy dinner: Chicken and Artichoke Stew

Save for the two boxes of frozen artichokes hearts I used for Chicken and Artichoke Stew, this was an economical dish. (They were $3.19 each; canned is cheaper.) I had 99-cent-a-pound chicken thighs in the freezer. I simply ripped off the skin and left the bones in and then cooked the chicken along with the carrots. I served the chicken on the bone over rice.

Save this recipe for when the weather gets a little cooler if you don't have time to make now.

This is a delicious one-pot dish that can be made ahead and served the next night. We're having leftovers tonight. Sorry, there's not enough for everyone.

Chicken and Artichoke Stew
3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat
Coarse salt
Pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 large onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup flour
2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
6 carrots, cut in 1/2 inch rounds, about 3 cups
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 (14 ounce) cans artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed, and halved lengthwise
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
Cooked white rice or buttered noodles

Generously season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a dutch oven over med-high. Brown half the chicken on both sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining butter and chicken. Set aside to cool.

Reduce heat to med. Add 1/4 cup water; scrape bottom of pan with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Add onions; cook until golden, about 5 minute Stir in flour; cook 1 minute more.

Add broth and 1/2 cup water; bring to a boil. Add carrots, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer until carrots are almost tender, about 5 minutes.

Cut chicken into 1/2 inch chunks and return to pot. Cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through and sauce is thickened, 10 to 15 minutes.

5Add artichokes; cook til warmed about 1 minute. Stir in parsley. Serve. Chicken and Artichoke Stew

Serves 8.

Source: Everyday Food

Easy dinner ideas: Weeknight meals of fish, black bean soup and rotisserie chicken

Here are some ideas for making dinner when you don't have time to make dinner. Your family will think you're a hero.

Monday: Get fishy
Baked Herbed Fish goes well with quick-cooking wild rice and roasted Brussels sprouts. To make the fish, put 2 pounds of firm, white fillets in a baking dish. Sprinkle with dried seasoning (such as Italian herbs), garlic powder, salt and pepper. Top with chopped onion and about 1/2 cup of white wine. Bake, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Tuesday: Oh beans
Black Bean Soup With Rice is a tasty meatless meal that can start with a few cans of your favorite black beans. Make a quick black bean soup by cooking 1 can of beans with 3/4 cup vegetable broth, 1 to 2 minced garlic cloves, 1/2 chopped onion and 1 teaspoon (or to taste) ground cumin. Simmer until onion has softened, about 15 minutes. Puree and serve with cooked rice and chopped onions. Hot, buttered Cuban  bread on the side.

Wednesday: Rotisserie chicken
The Philly cheesesteak gets flipped on its head by a rotisserie chicken for Chicken Cheesesteaks With Peppers (see recipe below). Okay, okay, there’s no Cheez Whiz either. Serve with potato salad.

Thursday: Stuff ’em
Chili Potatoes With Cheese can be made with canned chili or your own recipe. Split hot baked potatoes and ladle on the chili, then top with grated cheese and diced onions. Want to reduce the fat? Use meatless or turkey chili and go easy on the cheese.

Friday: Open face it
Make Crabby-Cheesy Melts by first mixing up a crab salad of canned crab meat, mayonnaise, lemon juice, diced celery and a few shakes of Old Bay seasoning. Pile on split English muffins and top with Swiss cheese. Melt under the broiler. Serve with a mixed green salad dressed with balsamic vinaigrette.

Chicken Cheesesteaks With Peppers
2 to 3 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded
2 mixed bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), thinly sliced
1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as safflower
Coarse salt and ground pepper
6 ounces sliced provolone cheese
4 soft hoagie rolls, split lengthwise
1/4 cup light mayonnaise

Heat broiler. On a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, toss together peppers, onion and garlic with vegetable oil. Broil, tossing occasionally, until crisp-tender and slightly charred, 8 to 10 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add chicken to broiled vegetables; toss, and spread in a single layer.
Top chicken and vegetables with cheese; broil until cheese is bubbling, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Scoop out most of the doughy center from both halves of rolls; discard. Spread rolls with mayonnaise; fill with chicken and vegetables. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Source: Adapted from Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food (October 2008)

 

Easy dinner ideas for busy nights: Asian beef salad to rotisserie chicken

I put on my thinking cap so you don't have to. Here's your week's worth of easy dinner ideas:

Monday: Salad days
Use store-bought sesame ginger salad dressing for easy Asian Beef Salad with Egg Rolls. Load up salad greens with shredded carrots, sliced water chestnuts, crunchy snow peas and bean sprouts. Dress with vinaigrette and layer on rolls of deli roast beef. Serve each salad with halved baked egg rolls.

Tuesday: Tumble of tomatoes
Provencal Tomato Casserole (recipe below) is from my favorite cookbook of 2008, "The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever" by Beatrice Ojakangas (Chronicle Books.) Ojakangas is from way-north Minnesota so she knows something about making a soul-warming dish. Serve with a salad for a meatless meal or as an accompaniment for roast beast.

Wednesday: Rotisserie chicken
Chicken Tacos with Salsa Verde start with shredded rotisserie chicken heated with a jar of green salsa. (Pace makes a tasty version.) Load the chicken into soft or hard shells and garnish with Monterey Jack cheese, avocado slices, sour cream and sliced scallions. Fresh chopped cilantro is optional. Serve with fresh fruit.

Thursday: It’s a one pot night
With the end of the week in sight, you’ll need something simple to get you to Friday. Kielbasa with Apples and Sauerkraut will do it. In a large skillet with a lid, melt some butter and add several links of kielbasa (the cooked kind, not raw) cut into 3-inch lengths. Brown on each side, then add apple slices and a jar of sauerkraut. Cook until the apple has softened slightly and sauerkraut is heated through. Serve with pumpernickel.

Friday: Outside in
Throw something on the grill — pork chops, steak, chicken – and serve it with a Carrot and Couscous Salad a la food writer Mark Bittman. Cook plain couscous according to package directions, then add four shredded carrots, the juice of one lemon, a few splashes of OJ, 1/4 cup of olive oil, salt, pepper and a couple shakes of cumin. Add a handful of raisins. Fluff and serve.

Provencal Tomato Casserole
Cooking spray for baking dish
6 medium tomatoes
11/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
1/4 cup freshly chopped green onions (white and green parts)
1/4 cup freshly chopped basil  (or 2 tablespoons dried basil)
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
2 tablespoons freshly chopped garlic
1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Coat bottom and sides of a shallow 3-quart casserole with cooking spray.

Cut tomatoes into 4 slices each and overlap slices in casserole to cover bottom of dish.

In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, green onions, basil, parsley, garlic, thyme and salt and sprinkle mixture evenly over tomatoes. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with cheese. Drizzle with olive oil. (At this point, casserole can be covered and held at room temperature for up to 2 hours, or refrigerated overnight. If chilled, add 10 minutes to baking time.)

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until bread crumbs are crisp. Remove from oven and serve warm.

Serves 6.

Source: “The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever” by Beatrice Ojakangas  (Chronicle Books, 2007)

Should you leave shell on when grilling shrimp

It's still summer here in Florida so the outdoor grilling season is going full blast, just like the humidity. As much as we cook outdoors here, readers still have questions such as, should you leave shell on when grilling shrimp.

Lots of people say yes because the shell keeps the shrimp from drying out. Uh, what keeps the shrimp from drying out is not leaving them on the grill too long. I think shrimp grilled in their shells are harder to peel. Roasting or boiling shrimp in their shells can instensify the flavor. But grilling adds a flavor of its own so you don't need the peels. If you'd like to save the shells and boil with water to make a stock that's oh-la-la for gumbo, go ahead. Otherwise peel and grill away (but leave the tails on for pretty presentation). Here's a recipe to try:

Lemon Grilled Shrimp
24 extra-large or jumbo shrimp
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pinch black pepper
8 skewers, metal or wooden

Peel shrimp, leaving on tails, and devein if you wish. Place in a bowl or sealable plastic bag. In a bowl, whisk together lemon juice, oil, parsley, garlic, lemon rind, mustard, cayenne and black pepper. Pour over shrimp. Close bag tightly; squeeze gently to coat shrimp well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Remove shrimp; heat marinade to a boil and then let cool for basting.

Thread each shrimp onto soaked wooden or metal skewer, pushing skewer through the shrimp near the tail and again at the other end to keep it secure. (Skewers can be made ahead to this point, covered and refrigerated for up to 4 hours. Cover and refrigerate marinade separately.)

Cook shrimp on greased grill on medium high, brushing often with marinade, for 2 minutes per side or until pink and firm to the touch.

Serves 6 to 8.

Source: Barbecue and Summer Foods Cookbook by Margaret Fraser (Random House, 1995)

Photo from Food Network.

Basic meatloaf recipe with bread crumbs

About a million years ago, okay 2002, we ran a contest in the paper to find the best meatloaf in the Tampa Bay Area. Five-hundred people sent in recipes but I still like the basic meatloaf recipe with bread crumbs. It's partly mine and partly Alton Brown's. He's the one who told me meatloaf is always better if you saute the aromatics veggies (celery, onions, green peppers), let them cool slightly and then mix in with the rest of the ingredients. I don't always do this, because I don't always have time. It is a good idea though. If you click around on the link, you'll find Alton-Inspired Meatloaf and some other good recipes.

I had forgotten until I started thinking about how I wanted to make my meatloaf tonight, about Jean Lanier's "The Surpise Is Inside Meatloaf." It was our very favorite and worthy of your efforts. The surprise inside is a layer of chopped spinach and Swiss cheese. Delicious.

Jean's The Surprise Is Inside Meatloaf
1 package of fresh spinach or two frozen boxes of chopped spinach
1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 pound ground pork
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped red pepper
2 cloves chopped garlic
2 pinches Kosher salt and pepper
1 beaten egg
3/4 cup milk or cream
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
2 slices bacon (optional)
1/4 cup ketchup (optional)
1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional)

Cook spinach and drain well in sieve. Squeeze out excessive liquid. Mix together remainder of ingredients, except bacon, ketchup, brown sugar, in order listed. Divide meat mixture in half and press into a greased 9- by 5-inch loaf pan. Spread cooked spinach evenly over meat and sprinkle cheese on top. Put the other half of meat mixture on top.

Mix ketchup and brown sugar together and spread on top of meatloaf mixture. Lay bacon slices over the top and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Times testing notes: This was one of our favorite meatloafs because of its fantastic flavor. It held together well and the day after it was made, cut like pate. We opted to make it without the ketchup/brown sugar topping and loved the way the flavor of the bacon seeped into the top layer of meat.

Source: Jean Lanier, Seminole; photo by Patty Yablonski, St. Petersburg Times

 

Scallop Po' Boys get zing from spicy mayonnaise

Do not fear making po' boys at home. The seafood in the legendary New Orleans sandwich doesn't have to be deep-fried. The scallops in this recipe are fried in oil in a skillet and not totally submerged. You'll need to cook the scallops in batches and the trick is to not let the pan go one second without something cooking otherwise the coating bits left in the pan will burn and smoke. And that will give the scallops a burned flavor.

Make extra of the spicy mayo and use it on your turkey sandwiches.

Bay Scallop Po’ Boy with Spicy Mayo
1/3 cup light mayonnaise
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges, for serving
3/4 teaspoon paprika
Hot sauce, to taste
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/4 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 pound bay scallops, patted dry
1/2 cup vegetable oil, such as safflower
4 hot dog buns
4 lettuce leaves

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice, teaspoon paprika, and hot sauce; season with salt and pepper. Set spicy mayo aside.

In a medium bowl, combine breadcrumbs, flour, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon paprika; season with salt and pepper. Add scallops, and toss to coat.

In a medium nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Working in two batches, fry scallops, tossing occasionally, until golden and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer scallops to a paper-towel-lined plate; season with salt.

Dividing evenly, spread inside of buns with spicy mayo. Top with a lettuce leaf, then scallops. Serve po boys immediately, with lemon wedges.

Serves 4.

Source: Everyday Food

Photo by Scott Keeler, St. Petersburg Times