Easy weeknight meals: From pasta to couscous

This week we celebrate starches. (Don't we always?) Ideas for what to serve with noodles, rice, potatoes and couscous.

Monday:  With noodles
Go meatless tonight with Mediterranean Spinach and Pasta. While 8 ounces of spaghetti or fettuccine are cooking, saute diced onion and chopped garlic in olive oil. Add red pepper flakes. Stir in 1 bag of baby spinach leaves and a can of undrained kidney beans. Let spinach wilt, add drained pasta and some grape tomatoes, a handful or two of feta cheese and fresh, chopped parsley. Heat through.

Tuesday: With rice
Pan-Seared Scallops and Scallion Rice is quick and easy for a weeknight. Start the rice first because the shellfish will take less than five minutes. Cook rice in vegetable broth and add chopped scallions toward the end. Sear the scallops in a bit of olive oil, basting with melted butter on each side as they cook. Squeeze lemon juice over scallops and serve with rice. Make a green veggie, too.

Wedesday:  With rotisserie chicken
Slice up the bird and serve it with Sauteed Broccoli Rabe. Broccoli rabe looks like skinny-stemmed broccoli but it’s actually a member of the turnip family. Strip off the little leaves (like you do broccoli) and saute the stocks in olive oil and garlic with a few shakes of red pepper flakes. Season with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Crusty bread on the side.

Thursday: With potatoes
Hash Browns and Ham Casserole (recipe below) gets a head start from frozen hash browns, but you’ll need to make your own sauce. C’mon, you can do it.

Friday: With couscous
Grill or saute fish fillets and serve with Zucchini-Mint Couscous. Prepare couscous according to package instructions and make the accompaniment by sauteing diced zucchini and minced garlic in hot olive oil. Add a few shakes of cumin, diced fresh tomatoes and a handful of chopped fresh mint. Spoon sauce over couscous.

Hash Browns and Ham Casserole
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cups diced ham
1 (24-ounce) package frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained well
1/2 cup buttered bread crumbs, optional
Over medium heat, melt butter in a large saucepan; add flour. Stir until smooth; add milk. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly; remove from heat and stir in cheese and mustard. Place half of the ham in a lightly greased casserole. Top ham with half of the hash brown potatoes and half of the cheese sauce mixture. Spoon spinach over the top. Repeat with the remaining ham, potatoes and sauce. Top with buttered bread crumbs if desired. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 to 55 minutes.

Serves 6 to 8.

Source: About.com

Easy weeknight meals: Fast scampi and a nutty-blue chicken salad

Out of dinner ideas? Here are five to get the juices flowing.

Monday:  What a scampi
We’ve made Shrimp Scampi Fettuccine before and it’s a dish worth repeating. Saute garlic, and minced shallots if you’ve got ’em, in a mixture of butter and olive oil. Don’t let the garlic go brown; keep stirring. Add peeled shrimp and a few good splashes of white wine (or chicken broth). Let shrimp cook through and serve over hot fettuccine. Green salad on the side.

Tuesday: Corny alternative
Saute corn kernels, fresh or frozen, and sliced jalapeno peppers for Spicy Corn & Jack Quesadillas. Mix the corn and jalapenos with grated Monterey Jack cheese and use as the filling for quesadillas. Serve with green salsa and sour cream.

Wednesday: Rotisserie Chicken
Nutty Blue Chicken Salad is what’s for dinner. Shred the bird and arrange meat over iceberg lettuce mix; add some crunchy veggies if you’d like. Sprinkle toasted walnuts and crumbled blue cheese over all; dress with balsamic vinaigrette.

Thursday: Going light
Sausage and Egg Flatbread (recipe below) from Cooking Light is, as you would expect, a light meal. The lemony dressing pairs well with the peppery arugula that garnishes this “pizza.”

Friday: Simply salmon
When you see salmon on sale, grab it. Saute fillets seasoned with salt and pepper in olive oil, about 4 minutes a side. Remove from skillet and add grape tomatoes, a bit of butter, fresh lemon juice and capers to pan. When tomatoes go soft, dump the chunky sauce over the salmon and serve. Five-minute couscous on the side.

Sausage and Egg Flatbread
1 (11-ounce) can refrigerated French bread
2 teaspoons cornmeal
2/3 cup chopped onion
1 (4-ounce) turkey Italian sausage, casing removed, crumbled
1/2 cup  shredded Fontina cheese
4 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 cups arugula
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Find lengthwise seam in dough. Beginning at seam, gently unroll dough into a rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough crosswise into 2 equal portions. Roll each portion into a 15- by 6-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Place each rectangle on a baking sheet sprinkled with 1 teaspoon cornmeal.

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and turkey Italian sausage to pan; cook 4 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring to crumble.

Divide sausage mixture evenly between rectangles, spreading evenly down length of dough, leaving a 1/4-inch border on each; top evenly with 1/4 cup cheese.

Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven. Break 2 eggs onto each flatbread, packing evenly lengthwise; sprinkle evenly with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until eggs are set. Turn off oven; leave flatbreads in oven with oven door closed for 4 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from oven.

Combine arugula, lemon juice and olive oil; toss. Arrange arugula mixture evenly over flatbreads. Cut each flatbread crosswise into 3 squares; serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.

Nutritional information per serving: 288 calories, 12g fat, 17g protein, 28g carbohydrates, 676mg sodium.
Source: Cooking Light, October

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

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 weeknight meals: Meatloaf, shrimp tacos and rotisserie chicken

Start Tuesday's dinner on Monday by roasting garlic for a new favorite recipe: Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower, Garlic and Walnuts. Here's the rest of your simple weeknight meals ideas:

Monday: Old-school dinner
Dust off your mother-in-law’s meatloaf recipe and make your spouse oh-so-happy. Or perhaps dish out some punishment. Serve it with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli. Green salad with Thousand Island. (While the meatloaf is cooking, roast the garlic for Tuesday’s dish.) (Meatloaf makes me think of the '50s which makes me think of the Donna Reed Show, pictured here. I loved to watch that in reruns. Had a big crush on Dad Carl Betz.)

Tuesday: Blooming pasta
Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower, Garlic and Walnuts (recipe below) isn’t our usual Stir Crazy dish because it takes some time to prepare. If you roasted the garlic last night when you made your meatloaf, you’re ahead of the game.

Wednesday: Rotisserie chicken
It’s not high-brow for sure, but Poppy Seed Chicken Bake will get high-fives from the family. In a large bowl, mix 3 cups cubed cooked chicken, 2 cans condensed soup (make it low-fat, low-sodium), 1 cup low-fat sour cream and 2 teaspoons poppy seeds. Spread the mixture in a shallow casserole dish and cover with a cup of buttery crackers (like Ritz) mixed with a couple tablespoon of melted butter. Layer on some shredded cheese if you’d like. Serve with green salad.

Thursday: Tacos that swim
Load Spicy Shrimp Soft Tacos with shrimp tossed in chipotle peppers with adobo sauce and sauteed in a bit of oil. Garnish with sour cream mixed with cilantro, shredded lettuce, crumbled fresh Mexican cheese and sliced avocado. Spanish rice and fruit on the side.

Friday: Two in one
Cheeseburgers and pizza are at the top of the list for most Americans when it comes to favorite foods. Why not combine them for Cheeseburger Pizzas tonight? Use whatever type of pizza crust you like. Brown ground beef with diced onions; drain well. Mix pizza sauce with ketchup and spread over crust. Layer on meat mixture, then sliced tomatoes and lots of grated Cheddar cheese. (Crispy bacon pieces before the cheese if you dare.) Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Pasta With Roasted Cauliflower, Garlic and Walnuts
2 heads garlic, papery skins removed, top quarter of heads cut off and discarded
6 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided use
1 head cauliflower (about 1 1/2 pounds, see note)
Table salt and ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 pound pasta
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 to 3 tablespoons juice from 1 lemon
1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves, chopped
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
Adjust oven rack to middle position, place large rimmed baking sheet on rack and heat oven to 500 degrees.
Cut one 12-inch sheet of foil and spread flat on counter. Place garlic heads, cut-side up, in center of foil. Drizzle 1/2 teaspoon oil over each head and seal packet. Place packet directly on oven rack and roast until garlic is very tender, about 40 minutes. Open packet and set aside to cool.
While garlic is roasting, trim outer leaves of cauliflower and cut stem flush with bottom. Cut head from pole to pole into 8 equal wedges. Place cauliflower in large bowl; toss with 2 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper to taste and sugar.
Remove baking sheet from oven. Carefully transfer cauliflower to baking sheet and spread into even layer, placing cut sides down. Return baking sheet to oven and roast until cauliflower is well browned and tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer cauliflower to cutting board. When cool enough to handle, chop into rough 1/2-inch pieces.
While cauliflower roasts, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta; cook until al dente. Squeeze roasted garlic cloves from their skins into small bowl. Using fork, mash garlic to smooth paste, then stir in red pepper flakes and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Slowly whisk in remaining 1/4 cup oil.
Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup cooking water, and return pasta to pot. Add chopped cauliflower to pasta; stir in garlic sauce, 1/4 cup cooking water, parsley, and 1/2 cup cheese. Adjust consistency with additional cooking water and season with salt, pepper and additional lemon juice to taste. Serve immediately, sprinkling with remaining ½ cup cheese and toasted nuts.
Serves 4.
Source: Cook’s Illustrated

Easy weeknight meals: Chicken every which way

Monday: Homestyle dinner
Pair Parmesan Chicken with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli for a hearty Monday night dinner. To make the chicken, dredge boneless, skinless breasts in beaten egg, then in a mixture of grated Parmesan cheese and sesame seeds. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes. Flip halfway through cooking time.

Tuesday: Meatless tonight
Pasta with Eggplant-Tomato Sauce will fool most meat lovers. Simmer cubed eggplant with a couple cans of diced tomatoes and minced garlic for about 45 minutes. We use the tomatoes that are already flavored with oregano and garlic (or whatever seasonings you like). Don’t worry if the mixture looks too dry; the meaty eggplant releases lots of juice. Spoon over cooked pasta and garnish with Parmesan cheese. Salad and bread on the side.

Wednesday: Rotisserie Chicken
Low-fat Cantaloupe Chicken Salad (recipe below) reminds us
of an old-school ladies-who-lunch dish. Pile the salad into half
a melon, and serve with breadsticks. Ladies have dinner too,
don’t they?

Thursday: Seafood grill
Oil up the grill grate for sea scallops and shrimp. Brush them with olive oil infused with minced garlic and parsley. Serve over couscous that’s been cooked with thinly sliced mushrooms. Sprinkle your one-bowl meal with sliced scallions, both white and green portions.

Friday: Burgerfest
Put your stamp on Cheese-Stuffed Burgers by forming the patties around a tablespoon or so of feta, goat, mozzarella or pepper Jack cheese. Adorn accordingly, though we think they all go with thin slices of Granny Smith apples and thick slabs of bacon. Serve with fresh fruit and pasta salad loaded with veggies.

Cantaloupe Chicken Salad
1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fat-free sour cream
1?1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Dash salt and pepper
1 cup cubed cooked chicken breast
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup seedless red grapes, halved
2 scallions, chopped
1 small cantaloupe, halved and seeded
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

In large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, sugar, peel, lemon juice, ginger, salt and pepper. Add the chicken, celery, grapes and scallions; toss to coat. Spoon 1 cup salad mixture into each cantaloupe half; sprinkle with almonds.

Serves 2.

Nutritional information per serving: 350 calories, 11g fat (2g saturated), 40g carbohydrates, 5g fiber, 37g protein, 417mg sodium.

Source: Taste of Home: Healthy Cooking

Photos from Taste of Home and Williams-Sonoma

Lasagna with wonton wrappers

About a year ago I wrote a story about the versatility of wonton wrappers. I covered the gamut from savory to sweet, soups to sauced up, but I never thought about using them in a baked pasta. This weekend as I noodled around ideas for this week's meals, I came upon White Bean and Spinach Lasagna from Anne Byrn's "What Can I Bring" cookbook. You know Anne. She's the Cake-Mix Doctor. Her book has lots of clever ideas for family dinners and many of the recipes feed 8 or more.

My boys gave a thumbs-up for this recipe though I will say the thin wonton wrappers are a bit gummy. They are thinner than traditional lasagna noodles so there's no "al dente" here. Also, I might experiment with the beans next time and puree them before adding to the sauce. I like the flavor and the fiber, but wasn't as high on the texture. Still, those are minor quibbles. This is a keeper.

White Bean and Spinach Lasagna

For the sauce:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound ground turkey or lean ground beef

2 medium-size cloves garlic, sliced

1 jar (32 ounces) tomato-based pasta sauce

1 can (15 to 16 ounces) white beans, drained

1 teaspoon dried oregano

For the lasagna:

1 container (15 ounces) whole or skim-milk ricotta cheese

3 cups (12 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese

2 large eggs

12 large egg rolls (about half of a 16-ounce package)

2 loosely packed cups fresh spinach

Make the sauce: Place the olive oil in a large pan over medium-low heat. Add the ground turkey or beef and garlic and cook, stirring, until the meat browns and cooks through, about 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the pasta sauce, beans and oregano. Let the mixture simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Set the sauce aside.

Make the lasagna: Place the ricotta, 1 cup of mozzarella and the Parmesan cheese in  medium-size bowl and stir to combine. Add the eggs and stir until mixed well. Set the cheese mixture aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spoon 1 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 13- by 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish and spread it out with a rubber spatula. Place 4 egg roll wrappers on top of the sauce, cutting 2 of the wrappers as needed to cover the bottom of the baking dish. Spread a third of the cheese mixture over the wrappers. Cover with 1 cup of the spinach, then top with a third of the remaining sauce.

Add 4 more egg roll wrappers on top of the sauce, cutting them as necessary to cover. Spread half of the remaining cheese mixture over the wrappers and top with half of the remaining cheese mixture over them. Top the cheese mixture wit the remaining cup of spinach and spoon the remaining sauce on top. Scatter the remaining 2 cups of mozzarella over the lasagna.

Bake, uncovered, until the lasagna bubbles around the edges and browns slightly, 40 to 45 minutes. Let the lasagna rest for about 20 minutes, then cut it into squares and serve.

Source: "What Can I Bring?" by Ann Byrn (Workman, 2007); Photo of Wolverine Sr.'s portion by me.

A pasta sauce worth making from scratch

Stir Crazy classic from Oct. 27, 2006. Pasta with Bolognese Sauce, so comforting, so meaty. Click here for the recipe.

A meatless recipe that might help the environment

"Livestock alone contributes more to the global warming effect than emissions from the world's transportation." That quote from Anna Lappe, author of Taking a Bite Out of Climate Change, may be enough to make you go meatless once a week.

Stir Crazy readers know that earlier this year I vowed to provide a meatless recipe once a week but then stopped a few weeks back. I bored myself with the selection. But now, a few readers have asked me to keep looking for good meatless recipes. Who am I to argue? It's an important issue.

I've been thinking a lot about meatless meals lately. Marion Nestle, the NYU prof and expert on American eating habits and food policy, says to forget the discussion about how much oil it takes to get meat to your grocery store. What we should be focusing on is eating less of it for the sake of our health and the environment.

More food for thought from the New York Times: "A 2007 study by the National Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science in Japan estimated that 2.2 pounds of beef is responsible for the equivalent amount of carbon dioxide emitted by the average European car every 155 miles, and burns enough energy to light a 100-watt bulb for nearly 20 days."

Here's a recipe you can eat without feeling guilty (about meat anyway):

Baked Rigatoni With Cauliflower in a Spicy Pink Sauce

1 pound rigatoni pasta
3 tablespoon olive oil, divided use
2 (28 ounces) cans whole tomatoes
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided use
1 pound (about 3 medium) yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sliced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 cups cauliflower florets
10 ounces (about 2 1/2 cups) shredded Fontina cheese
2 ounces (about 3/4 cup) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 450 degrees.

Bring well-salted water to boil In a large-ish pot with a pasta insert. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Pour off 1 cup of juice from one of the cans of tomatoes and discard it or reserve for another use. In a mixer or a food processor, puree both cans of tomatoes with their remaining juice and set aside. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 6- to 8-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When oil is shimmering, about 1 minute, add the onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally until nicely browned, 5 to 10 minutes.

Push the onion to the side of the Dutch oven and add the garlic. Cook until it just starts to sizzle and becomes fragrant, about 10 seconds.  Add pureed tomates and cream, plus remaining 1 teaspoon salt.  Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring every once in awhile, and cook for 10 minutes, reduce to a gentle simmer, so that sauce thickens a bit. Add parsley and red pepper flakes and cook this until flavors are melded, about 5 minutes more.

Taste for salt and pepper and remove from heat. Meanwhile, when salted water comes to boil, cook rigatoni until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving pasta water in pot. Add pasta to sauce.
Return water to a boil and add cauliflower to pot. Cook cauliflower until barely tender, about 2 minutes. Drain and add to sauce.

Add 1 1/2 cups of Fontina cheese to pasta mixture and toss well. Transfer to prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Top pasta with remaining cup of Fontina and then the Parmigiano-Reggiano.  Bake, until cheese is golden brown, uncovered, about 15 minutes.  Let pasta rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 6 to 8.

Source: Fine Cooking

Poster from www.myblueplanet.com

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