winter squash and greens bake

 Looking around the kitchen, not wanting to go to the store ... this sounded good with a lot of substitutions.  I followed both the post I found for winter squash and spinach bake and their source pasta and butternut squash cake.

Ingredients

• 8 oz broken up lasagna noodles 
• 400 g winter squash, peeled and sliced very thinly
• 3+ cloves garlic, sliced very thinly
• 1 egg
• 100 g ricotta (I substituted a mix of sour cream/yogurt/cottage cheese; recipe called for 200-250 g)
• 50-100 g parmesan, grated (divided)
• 200 g feta, crumbled small (divided)
• 1 cup grated fontina cheese (I used mozzarella) 
• 5 oz/150 g baby greens chopped 
• salt, pepper
• basil, thyme, parsley  
• red pepper flakes (<1/2 tsp)
• 2 T olive oil 
• 1 cup water

Mix together in a big bowl, sprinkling top with feta and parmesan left.  Put into 9" round or square pan lined with parchment paper.  Cover tightly with foil.  

Bake at 350 degrees for 90 minutes.  REmove foil, drizzle 1 T olive oil, and let bake another 30 minutes. 

 

another minestrone

Zucchini to use up, I'm following this recipe (sort of) for minestrone.  

• pasta (elbows or another small shape are nice), about 1 cup dried
• onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2-4 cloves garlic (depends on size)
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1 cup green beans (in shorter lengths)
• tomatoes and water (1 15 oz can diced tomatoes + 6 cups of water, or whatever tomato/water combo worked - I used passata for most of it)
• bouillon (or use broth)
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary (or fresh)
• 1 tsp dried basil (or fresh)
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme (or fresh)
• 1/2 tsp dried parsley (or fresh) 
• salt, pepper
• parmesan rind piece 
• bay leaf
• can (or equivalent) of beans: white beans, kidney beans, or cranberry beans  

Saute carrots, celery, and onions until beginning to soften (about 5 minutes).  Add garlic and saute gently for a minute or two.  

Add zucchini and beans (and any other vegetables, though leafy greens should come later), beans, spices, tomatoes, water, parmesan rind, etc.  

Cook about 30 minutes until vegetables are cooked but not soft.

Cook pasta separately and add in (unless the whole pot of soup is getting eaten then).   

rishtayeh - lentils with pasta

 When I asked friends what their favorite lentil recipes are, I got a heap of wonderful ideas.  One, whose husband is Palestinian and they often visit in Jordan, said rushtayeh, which set me on a search and I found this recipe.  It differs from my friend's in several ways - she also fries garlic for the top, she uses brown lentils instead of red, and she uses homemade frozen pasta or dumplings instead of dried pasta.  But it was tasty this way, too!  This recipe only really made two servings of a big bowl as a dinner, so if I make it again I will probably triple it to have plenty to share.  

Red Split Lentils with Pasta (Rishtayeh) عدس رشتاية

Ingredients:

• 1 cup split lentils (red lentils - or another kind)
• ¾ cup pasta (we used pappardelle from Trader Joe's but homemade would be better)
• 4 cups boiled water (or broth)
• salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• ½ teaspoon turmeric

For garnish:

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 yellow onion chopped
• 1 small onion (red or yellow), to serve raw mixed with sumac
• 1 teaspoon sumac
• handful of parsley

Instructions:

1. Add chopped yellow onions to heated olive oil, continue with occasional stirring and until onions are fried.
2. Rinse lentils and cover with boiled water and let it boil for 10 minutes
3. Add salt, cumin, and turmeric.
4. Add squarely chopped pasta over the mix and stir together, lower heat and let it simmer.
5. Pour whatever little olive oil left from fried onions over the pot and stir one more time.
6. Keep frequent stirring for another 8-10 minutes and until the pasta has softened and the mix looks pasty.
7. Pour into serving plates.
8. Decorate plates with parsley, onion with sumac, and fried onions.

 

chili mac

 Something about all these red juicy tomatoes has me craving chili mac, and this is what I plan to do:

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper or poblano, chopped
• 1/2-3/4 pound lean ground beef
• 28 oz crushed tomatoes
• can red kidney beans (or another bean)
• 2 1/2 cups broth
• 8 oz uncooked elbow macaroni pasta (whole wheat)
• 2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese 
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper or pure chilli powder (adjust spiciness to taste) (Note 1)
• 2 tsp paprika powder
• 2 tsp cumin powder
• 1 1/2 tsp onion powder (can sub garlic powder)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
•  

 Instructions

1. Heat oil in large pot over high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook for 1 minute. Then add pepper and cook until onion is translucent. 

2. Add beef and cook, breaking it up as you go.  Add chopped tomatoes to cook down if using fresh.
 
3. Once the beef turns from red to brown, add remaining ingredients except cheese. Stir, bring to simmer, then turn the heat down to medium. 

4. Cover and cook for 12 minutes or until the macaroni is al dente. It should be saucy but not tons of liquid. 5. Turn the stove OFF but leave the pot on the stove. Stir through half the cheese – it should be a bit saucy. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Top with remaining cheese, put the lid back on and leave until the cheese melts - about 2 minutes (sauce will absorb further during this period)  

snap pea pasta

Too many snap peas in the garden, everything is better with pasta!

Ingredients

• Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt
• Sugar Snap Peas
• Garlic Cloves
• Shallot
• Red Pepper Flakes
• Salt & Pepper
• Pecorino Romano Cheese
• Lemon
• Casarecce Pasta

Instructions 

Melt the butter/oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the snap peas, garlic, shallot and red pepper flakes; sauté for 4-5 minutes. Once the garlic is fragrant and the snap peas are lightly sautéed turn off the heat and add the cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper.

pasta e ceci

 Just made this soup (Italian chickpea and pasta stew) and it was outstanding.  

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
• ½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 packed cup canned whole tomatoes, drained (diced tomatoes, not drained)
• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed (i canned them myself without salt so not rinsed)
• 1 cup ditalini (little elbow macaroni was fine)
• 4 cups roughly chopped escarole, Tuscan kale or radicchio (I used Tuscan kale and added it earlier)
• Grated pecorino, for serving  

 

Preparation

1. Heat the oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not taking on any color, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary and red-pepper flakes, and cook 1 minute more. Season well with salt and pepper.
2. Stir in the tomatoes and the chickpeas, breaking up the tomatoes with the back of a spoon or spatula and smashing about 1/2 cup of the beans.
3. Add 3 cups water and bring to a boil over high.  (If using kale, add now and let it cook a little) Add the pasta and simmer, stirring often to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan, until the pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes. The water will mostly be absorbed by the pasta, but if you prefer it brothier, you can add 1/2 to 1 cup water and simmer until warmed through, 1 minute more. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Add the escarole and stir until wilted. Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly. Ladle into bowls and top with grated cheese and a drizzle of olive oil

andouille, pasta, greens, white beans

 Continuing this theme with both greens and beans, I made this but scaled it down because I don't feed 20 people at a time and cheaped it down because I'm not buying special ingredients.

• 1/2# rigatoni (other ridged pasta) - cook and strain, saving 1/2 c of pasta water

Then heat a skillet and add in \

•  1 link andouille sausage, cook about 5 minutes, then add
• 1 shallot, minced
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced, and cook a couple minutes until aromatic, then add
• a bunch of chopped greens (I used some Russian kale and mizuna and whatever else is in the garden) and cook down until just wilted a few minutes, then add
• 1/2 jar of white beans, drained and rinsed, and
• salt, pepper, thyme

Put pasta back in warm skillet and heat it up, then add in the sausage greens beans mixture until warmed and mixed.  

Serve with:

• parmesan
• flat leaf parsley
• lemon juice and zest
• chives
  

 

minestrone

 OMG, this was so good.  I think I sauteed it just right because it smelled and tasted amazing.  The only bummer was the macaroni I used - next time will try something better.  Putting what I did below and in italics what I didn't from the recipe here. 

 

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 medium ribs celery, chopped
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 2 cups chopped seasonal vegetables (potatoes, yellow squash, zucchini, butternut squash, green beans or peas all work) - I used one zucchini and one potato
  
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 large can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, with their liquid (or 2 small 15-ounce cans)
• 4 cups (32 ounces) vegetable broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 bay leaves
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup whole grain orecchiette, elbow or small shell pasta
• 1 can (15 ounces) Great Northern beans or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked beans
• 2 cups baby spinach, chopped kale or chopped collard greens
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnishing (optional)

Instructions

1. Warm 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion, carrot, celery, tomato paste and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables have softened and the onions are turning translucent, about 7 to 10 minutes.
2. Add the seasonal vegetables, garlic, oregano and thyme. Cook until fragrant while stirring frequently, about 2 minutes.
3. Pour in the diced tomatoes and their juices, broth and water. Add the salt, bay leaves and red pepper flakes. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper.
4. Raise heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil, then partially cover the pot with the lid, leaving about a 1” gap for steam to escape. Reduce heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer.
5. Cook for 15 minutes, then remove the lid and add the pasta, beans and greens. Continue simmering, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until the the pasta is cooked al dente and the greens are tender.
6. Remove the pot from the heat, then remove the bay leaves. Stir in the lemon juice and remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Taste and season with more salt (I usually add about ¼ teaspoon more) and pepper until the flavors really sing. Garnish bowls of soup with grated Parmesan, if you’d like.

 

pasta alla puttanesca

 This has to be one of the most satisfying dishes EVER.  I looked at a number of recipes and they were all pretty much the same.

- Heat oil (don't be skimpy) on medium

- Crush 4 cloves of garlic and put them in the oil for a minute or two, then add

- 4 anchovy fillets* and cook for a minute or two, then add

- 1/4 c. capers

- 1/2+ c. of good black olives (I cut in half)

- 28 oz can good crushed/diced tomatoes

- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes 

- pepper and salt (light on the salt - lots of salty food already in there)

Heat up, simmer about 15 minutes. 

Toward end of cooktime, heat water and boil spaghetti or other pasta in lightly salted water, and mix together.

*I went down a rabbithole about anchovies, but my only option was to buy a tin.  I gave one to my dog - whose mind was BLOWN - and put the remainder in a jar in the fridge to use up.  Next time I'll probably double the batch and freeze several containers worth.

kasha varnishkes

 I bought a bunch of buckwheat and looking for more purposes, and came upon kasha varnishkes.  I think I've made it before, but this was much better especially when I added mushrooms.

Ingredients

1. • 2 large onions, sliced in rounds
   • 2 to 3 tablespoons butter or chicken fat
   • about a pound of mushrooms (could be good with rehydrated dried?)
     
   • 1 large egg, slightly beaten
   • 1 cup medium or coarse kasha
   • 2 cups water or bouillon (homemade chicken broth)
     
   • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
   • lots of freshly ground black pepper
   • 12 oz. bow tie-shaped noodles
   • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
   • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander (optional)

   1. Roast buckwheat groats about 5 minutes (1/2 cup at a time)

   2. Heat butter/fat and cook onions until golden.  If using mushrooms, add them midway.  When finished, remove to a plate.

   3. Add egg to kasha and stir until all grains are coated.  Cook in the same pan after onions for about 4 minutes - until dried.

   4. Add broth, salt, pepper and bring to a boil.  Add back in the onions/mushrooms and simmer about 10 minutes, covered. 
   

   5.  Cook pasta.

   6.  Check kasha after about 12 minutes; give it more time if it needs, and if still wet then leave cover off.  

   7.  When kasha is done, stir in pasta and eat. Yum.
   

   
   

kale and pasta

I'm not a fan of kale, but I do sort of like lacinato.  I had a soup that I would make regularly with it that was quite good, but I'm not really in a soup mood.  So I made dinner based on this.  I think it also might work nicely with some marmite in it, for that umami. Leftovers would be great in this frittata.

• kale (I used 1 bunch equivalent)
• garlic (I used 5 small cloves)
• pasta (I used elbows as that's what I have, but linguini or thick spaghetti would be better)
• salt, pepper, red chile flakes
• Romano or Parmesan cheese

Boil water, boil kale for 2 minutes, then pull it out and put in a colander and run cold water over.  Use same pot/water to cook the pasta.

In another pot, heat oil.  Add garlic cloves and crush them up a bit as they soften and darken.  Then add the kale and cook a few minutes.  Add salt, pepper, chile flakes.  Then add the pasta with up to a cup of pasta water, let it cook down, and then sprinkle with cheese and enjoy.

white bean swiss chard pasta

I found this "recipe" here.

Greens and White Bean Pasta

 

Cook a few thinly sliced garlic cloves in olive oil in a deep skillet until fragrant.

Stir in a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, followed by thinly sliced kale or Swiss chard leaves with the ribs removed. Cook, stirring often, until wilted.

Then add rinsed canned cannellini beans and cook until heated through.

Toss with cooked farfalle (bow-tie pasta) and plenty of finely grated Parmesan. Squeeze with lemon juice over just before serving.

spaghetti sauce with meat

This was pretty good and made enough to freeze leftovers (in half pint jars seems a good amount). I did not care for it when canned - it changes the flavor significantly.   

Spaghetti Sauce with Ground Beef

Ingredients

    1 pound ground beef (or 1/2 a 1.25 package of Costco beef, so about .65 pounds)
    1 onion, chopped
    4 cloves garlic, minced
    1 small green bell pepper, diced

(other vegetables as desired; great with 2 carrots, black olives, etc.)

    1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
    1 (16 ounce) can tomato sauce
    1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste

(Note:  I like crushed tomatoes and use that instead of the large can of diced tomatoes; it seems just a bit too saucy then so next time I want to try a large can of crushed and a 16 oz can of diced tomatoes, and no sauce)
    2 teaspoons dried oregano
    2 teaspoons dried basil
    1 teaspoon salt
    1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Combine ground beef, onion, garlic, and green pepper in a large saucepan. Cook and stir until meat is brown and vegetables are tender. Drain grease.
2. Stir diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste into the pan. Season with oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Simmer spaghetti sauce for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

 

pasta frittata

This pasta frittata is a great way to use up leftover pasta.  I made up some with carrot top pesto and it was kind of bland and soft, so this is better than just reheating. From here.

INGREDIENTS
¼ pound spaghetti, linguine, fettuccine or other long pasta (or about 1/2 pound cooked pasta)
Salt and pepper to taste
4 tablespoons butter or extra
virgin olive oil
¼ cup minced pancetta, bacon or prosciutto, optional
6 eggs
1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

PREPARATION
Y I E L D 4 to 6 servings
T IM E 40 minutes
Pasta Frittata
By Mark Bittman
This dish is one recipe calling for leftover pasta that is actually worth planning for. It's portable, it's endlessly versatile, and it's practically foolproof. Substitute almost any cheese for the Parmesan (or leave it out altogether) and toss in any cooked vegetable or meat. Make it your own.
One last bit of advice from Mr. Bittman: “The key to extreme enjoyment is to make sure that some ends of pasta pieces protrude from the top of the mixture when you put it in the oven. They will become crunchy, giving the leftover pasta yet one more pleasant dimension.”

Step 1
If using leftover cooked pasta, chop it up. If using dried pasta, bring a large pot of water to a boil, and salt it. Cook pasta until barely tender, somewhat short of where you would normally cook it. Drain, and immediately toss it in a wide bowl with half the butter or oil. Cool it a bit.

Step 2
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Put remaining butter or oil in a large nonstick ovenproof skillet, and turn heat to medium-high. If you are using meat, add it, and cook, stirring occasionally until crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. (If not using meat, proceed.)

Step 3
In large bowl, combine pasta with remaining ingredients, along with salt and pepper (less salt if you are using meat). Pour into skillet, and turn heat to medium-low. Use a spoon if necessary to even out top of frittata. Cook undisturbed until mixture firms up on bottom, then transfer to oven. Bake just until top is set, about 10 minutes. Remove, and serve hot or at room temperature.

chicken broccoli pasta bake

Still on my fridge-cleaning bender, I'm making a chicken-broccoli-pasta bake modeled after this.

And broccoli stem hummus or pesto or something such.

chicken broccoli pasta bake

Ingredients

• 10-14oz chicken tenderloin (raw), breast or thigh, cut into 1/2" pieces
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tsp dried thyme (or other herbs and/or spices of choice)
• 8 oz spiral pasta, uncooked (See Note 1 for other shapes)
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth/stock , preferably warmed
• 2 cups milk, preferably warmed
• 1 large garlic clove , minced
• 1 - 2 tbsp butter (optional)
• 1 large broccoli or 2 medium broccoli or cauliflower , broken into small to medium florets
• 1 - 1.5 cups shredded cheese, any melting type
• 1/4 cup flour  

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees convection (or 375).
• Sprinkle chicken with salt (be generous), pepper and thyme, toss to coat.
• Spread pasta in a baking dish. Sprinkle over flour.
• Pour over milk and broth, add garlic and butter. Stir.
• Spread chicken over the top, then broccoli.
• Cover with foil, bake for 15 minutes (or 20 minutes if milk & broth were cold).
• Remove foil, STIR WELL. Add most of the cheese, then STIR WELL again. Top with remaining cheese.
• Return to oven. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes until top is golden and sauce is thickened (See note 4 for troubleshooting).
• Stand for a few minutes then serve immediately!

stir fry ground beef noodles

I had half a box of linguini and half a pound of ground beef to use up, and I was looking for something to eat with stir fried bok choy and boiled daikon (neither of those recipes were that great, so I'd add bok choy to this instead). From here.

Ingredients

SAUCE

• 3 Tbsp soy sauce 
• 1 Tbsp water 
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar 
• 1-2 Tbsp chili garlic sauce, sambal, or sriracha
• 1 tsp sesame oil 

STIR FRY

• 8 oz. rice noodles (or anything like linguini)
• 2 cloves garlic 
• 1 Tbsp grated ginger 
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil 
• 1/2 lb. lean ground beef
• bok choy or other greens
• 1 carrot 
• 3-4 green onions 
• Handful fresh cilantro (optional) 

Instructions

• Cook the noodles according to the package directions, being careful to leave them al dente and not over cooked. drain the noodles in a colander and set aside.
• Prepare the sauce by stirring together the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, chili garlic sauce, and sesame oil. Set the sauce aside.
• Mince the garlic and grate the ginger. Use a large-holed cheese grater to grate the carrot (or julienne using a mandoline). Slice the green onions on a diagonal, separating the fleshy white portions from the green ends.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the ground beef, garlic, and ginger. Sauté until the beef is cooked through, adding in the bok coy or other greens. Add the white portions of the sliced green onions and sauté for one more minute. Add the shredded carrots and sauté for one minute more (leaving the carrots slightly crunchy).
• Add the drained noodles and the prepared sauce to the skillet. Stir until everything is coated in sauce and any extra moisture has been absorbed by the noodles. Turn the heat off and top with the green portion of the sliced green onions and fresh cilantro leaves.

Tried this

tasty turkey pasta

Shortly after I moved here, I saw turkeys on sale for a very good price so I got one.  Served dinner to a friend who'd helped me move, stripped meat and froze it in portions, and made gallons of stock.  Such a win!

So now I'm trying to get through the portion of meat (to justify cooking a chicken I recently bought) and looked up a lot of turkey recipes.  I had turkey tetrazzini on the mind but I don't really eat cheese now and I'm not interested in using canned soups and I wanted to use what I had on hand.

So this came up which I made some changes to and ended up with a very nice turkey pasta dish.  It took longer than I expected but I think it'll be easier and quicker next time (use the right pans, for one thing; cast iron for this was rough because it's so heavy).

Turkey Noodle Casserole

Ingredients

• chopped cooked turkey (I usually freeze in baggies of about 2 cups)
• 6 ounces egg noodles (half of a package)
• 1 T butter
• 8 ounces sliced mushrooms (I used crimini as they were on sale)
• 2 T flour
• 1 c broth/stock
• 1 c milk/half and half (I mixed them)
• 1 c frozen pease
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp salt
• 1tsp pepper 
• red pepper flakes to taste
• 2 T breadcrumbs (I used panko)
• 1 t smoked paprika

Directions

Cook noodles, set aside.

In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter.  Add mushrooms and cook for 7-10 minutes.

Add flour, stir vigorously for two minutes. 

Slowly whisk in broth and milk until well-combined (to create a roux).  Bring to a boil to thicken sauce, cook for two minutes.

Add frozen peas, oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.  Cook for a few minutes; add in turkey and simmer for 10 minutes or until thickened.

Remove from heat, add noodles.  Put into well-greased casserole and put breadcrumbs and paprika on top.

Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.

spaghetti carbonara

from NY Times 

Ingredients

• Salt
• 2 large eggs and 2 large yolks, room temperature
• 1 ounce (about 1/3 packed cup) grated pecorino Romano, plus additional for serving
• 1 ounce (about 1/3 packed cup) grated Parmesan
• Coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 ½ ounces of slab guanciale, pancetta or bacon, sliced into pieces about 1/4 inch thick by 1/3 inch square
• 12 ounces spaghetti (about 3/4 box

Preparation

1. Place a large pot of lightly salted water (no more than 1 tablespoon salt) over high heat, and bring to a boil. Fill a large bowl with hot water, and set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, yolks and pecorino and Parmesan. Season with a pinch of salt and generous black pepper.
3. Set the water to boil. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add the pork, and sauté until the fat just renders, on the edge of crispness but not hard. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Add pasta to the water and boil until a bit firmer than al dente. Just before pasta is ready, reheat guanciale in skillet, if needed. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain pasta and add to the skillet over low heat. Stir for a minute or so.
5. Empty serving bowl of hot water. Dry it and add hot pasta mixture. Stir in cheese mixture, adding some reserved pasta water if needed for creaminess. Serve immediately, dressing it with a bit of additional grated pecorino and pepper.

 
 
 

halusky

Halusky - or "how to eat a half a head of cabbage and love it"

More from Budget Bytes.  Yum!

Ingredients

• 8oz. wide egg noodles $1.00
• 3 Tbsp butter, divided $0.33
• 1 yellow onion $0.25
• ½ head green cabbage, shredded (5-6 cups) $1.78
• Salt and pepper to taste $0.05

Instructions

1. Cook the egg noodles according to the package directions (boil until tender) and then drain in a colander.
2. While the noodles are cooking, thinly slice the onion. Remove any dirty or damaged outer leaves of the cabbage. Cut the cabbage into wedges, remove the core, then slice thinly to shred.
3. After draining the noodles, add 1 Tbsp of the butter and the sliced onions to the pot used to cook the noodles. Sauté the onions over medium heat just until they begin to soften (about 3 minutes). Add the cabbage and continue to cook until the cabbage is tender (5-7 minutes).
4. Return the drained noodles to the pot with the cabbage and onion. Add the remaining 2 Tbsp of butter and stir until the butter is melted and everything is evenly coated. Season the cabbage and noodles liberally with salt and freshly cracked pepper. Serve warm.

tuna pasta salad

I'm cooking up a maelstrom.  None of it is great.  But it works. 

this recipe for tuna pasta salad is here.

Ingredients

• 12 oz. bow tie pasta $0.88
• 5 oz. can chunk light tuna in water $0.70
• 1 medium lemon, juiced $0.25
• ½ cup diced onion (yellow, purple or green) $0.25
• ½ tsp. salt $0.05
• to taste fresh ground black pepper $0.05
• ¾ cup light mayonnaise $1.00
• 2 cups frozen sweet peas $0.64

Instructions

1. Take two cups of peas out of the freezer and let thaw on the counter. Cook the bow tie pasta according to the package directions (boil 5-7 minutes). Drain in a colander and let cool.
2. As the pasta is draining and cooling, combine the rest of the ingredients (peas, tuna, mayonnaise, lemon juice, onions, salt and pepper). Adjust the lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.
3. If your pasta is still hot when you are finished combining the rest of the ingredients, run cold water over it until it has cooled down. Make sure to drain the pasta well before combining it with the rest of the ingredients. Stir the pasta into the pea/mayo mixture until it is well coated. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve!

***
I forgot the salt, the pepper, the lemon, and went light on the mayo.  Um ... next time I'll get it right.  But even like this, it satisfies a craving.