Pasta Archives - The Tasty Fork

Bacon, Spinach and Gnocchi Casserole #CountryCrockStars

April 24, 2013 by admin · 3 Comments

Thank you Country Crock for sponsoring this post.

Things have been busy in our home the last few weeks. And for me, that means I’m rushing to get dinner on the table. Why is it once 5pm hits, there is always a laundry list of things to do??!!!

When time isn’t on my side around dinner time, I love making casseroles. Casseroles have such a retro vibe, but this recipe I created for Country Crock is nothing like what your Mom used to make. (Not that there is ANYTHING wrong with the casseroles your Mom makes:) )

I came up with a Bacon, Spinach and Gnocchi Casserole on a night when I was racing againist the clock. I was wanting a comforting meal with a lot of flavor. This casserole is very easy to put together and it spends only 10 minutes in the oven. Plus, it’s loaded with cheese. YUM! I’m sure your family will love this meal as much as we did. If I was the type person who planned ahead, this casserole could be prepared in advance and then baked sometime that week.

Do you love casseroles as much as I do? If you do be sure to enter the Country Crock Stars contest. Its easy [like a casserole] just “Share a photo of your favorite casserole, and share in 100 words how you demonstrate creativity and resourcefulness in the kitchen.” 3 finalists will win $5000 and a trip to New York City! 12 semi-finalists will win cookware! All great prizes – you can enter your best casserole recipe by clicking here.

Bacon, Spinach and Gnocchi Casserole

Ingredients

1 tbsp Country Crock
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 bacon strips, diced into pieces
1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup water
One 17.5-ounce package potato gnocchi
1/4 cup low sodium cream of mushroom soup
1 cup baby spinach
A dash of red pepper flakes
Ground pepper & salt, to taste
1 cup shredded Cheddar Gruyere cheese, divided

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a casserole dish with cooking spray.
In a large skillet, melt Country Crock over a medium heat. Add onions, garlic and bacon. Cook and stir for 6 minutes. Stir in thyme; cook for 2 more minutes. Pour in chicken broth and water; bring to a simmer. Stir in gnocchi. Cover and cook until the gnocchi is slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add cream of mushroom soup, spinach and red pepper flakes. Stir and taste. Add Salt & Pepper, if needed. Fold in 1/2 cup of cheese.
Pour gnocchi into baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

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I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Filed Under: Entree, Pasta, Recipes · Tagged With: casserole, contest, Country Crock, Country Crock Stars, easy meal, easy recipe, pasta, quick recipe

Skinny Spinach & Artichoke Dip Stuffed Shells

March 4, 2013 by admin · 26 Comments

Happy Monday! Sorry I’m getting this post up a little late. My Sunday was on the non-productive side. Lots on laying around and watching TV. It was a great way to end the weekend because I feel so well rested and excited about my week.

Since it’s Monday, let’s start off with a healthified recipe. I always try to eat healthy but it always seems to be easier to do in the beginning of the week. The March Issue of EveryDay Rachael Ray has several skinny recipes! I came across her recipe for Skinny Spinach & Artichoke Dip and I was very intrigued to try it. Instead of mayo, the recipe calls for Greek yogurt, which is now becoming a very popular healthy substitute. The thing that made me go “hhmmmm” with Rachael’s recipe was adding pureed edamame. I sampled the dip before stuffing it into pasta shells and the edamame adds a creamy texture. Not to mention tons of protein!

If you just want to try the skinny dip, it can be baked for 15 minutes in a baking dish with the oven set to 350 degrees. I decided to take a step further and use the dip as a filling for stuffed shells. It was amazing as a filling and was a healthy alternative to the usual stuffed shells filling.

I hope all of you have a great week! Give this recipe try as a healthy alternative to the everyday classic!

Skinny Spinach & Artichoke Dip Stuffed Shells

Ingredients

For the Dip:

1 cup shelled edamame
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 small onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 10 ounce package thawed frozen chopped spinach, squeezed dry
1 9 ounce package thawed frozen chopped artichoke hearts
1 1/4 cups plain nonfat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup shredded parmesan
Salt and pepper

For the Pasta:

12 oz jumbo shells
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup your favorite white wine
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Salt & Pepper

Instructions

1. Set the oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor or blender, puree the edamame. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
2. In a large nonstick skillet set at medium heat, pour the extra virgin olive oil and add onion & garlic. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the spinach and artichoke hearts; cook & stir for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat - add in the yogurt and lemon juice.
3. Add half of the spinach mixture to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Fold into the remaining spinach along with the edamame, cheese, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Set aside.
4. Cook pasta shells according to package directions. Drain and spread jumbo shells on 2 baking sheets. Let them cool before stuffing.
5. For the pasta sauce - Add oil to a heated pan. Saute onions and garlic until onions are translucent. Deglaze with white wine; cook until wine has evaporated. Add both cans of tomatoes, brown sugar and red pepper flakes. Bring to boil and lower to simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and season with salt & pepper.
6. Spray a large baking dish with cooking spray. Cover the bottom of the dish with tomato sauce. Start to stuff the shells with the dip and line them up in the baking dish. When the dish is full, drizzle pasta sauce over the shells. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes.

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Dip recipe was inspired by Rachael Ray

Filed Under: Dip, Healthy, Pasta, Vegetarian · Tagged With: dinner, meatless monday, pasta recipe, Rachael Ray Recipe, recipe, skinny dip, Vegetarian

Four Cheese Risotto with Bacon & Caramelized Onions

February 13, 2013 by admin · 30 Comments

A few weeks ago, my husband & I went to a very popular burger bar in Chicago. It’s called Kuma’s Corner — maybe you’ve heard of it…?? It’s known for it’s award winning heavy metal themed burgers, loud music and long wait times. The description I just gave doesn’t give it justice — Kuma’s has serious burger street cred. Just google to see the endless reviews and famous guests they’ve served. (It’s Lady Gaga’s favorite burger joint!)

Besides having the best burgers, they’re also known for their “killer mac n’ cheese.” I think the killer comes from how sinfully delicious this little dish can be. It’s very cheesy and you have the option of picking two toppings. I looked right past the calorie content and picked two of my favorite – bacon and caramelized onions. There are no diet options when eating at Kuma’s…or when ordering mac n’ cheese.

Weeks have passed since eating at Kuma’s. And guess what I can’t stop thinking about?? Killer mac n’ cheese. With Valentine’s Day around the corner, I thought making a rich pasta dish using the inspiration from Kuma’s would be a great recipe to share with you. I said last week, there is something about Valentine’s Day which makes me crave Italian food. Mac n’ cheese doesn’t scream romance, but risotto sure does.

I’m not sure what kind of cheese Kuma’s uses for their recipe, so I picked a variety that would go great together. Sharp White Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Cream Cheese and Parmesan Cheese. (FYI – There are no calorie restrictions on special occasions.) The sharpness of the white cheddar could easily stand alone… but by pairing it with monterey jack and cream cheese, the dish is transformed into a creamy and decadent flavor bomb. And of course, by topping the risotto with Parmesan cheese, bacon and caramelized onions, you’ve got a fancy restaurant style meal made in your own home.

Making risotto is a labor of love (and a great arm work-out!). I can’t think of a better way to show someone you care than by making an amazing dinner. This Four Cheese Risotto with Bacon & Caramelized Onions fits the bill. It’s special occasion worthy!

Are you making a special meal or dessert for Valentine’s Day? I’d love to hear about it!

Four Cheese Risotto with Bacon & Caramelized Onions

Ingredients

6 slices of bacon, cut into pieces
1 onion, sliced thin
6 cups of stock or broth
Splash of olive oil
12 oz arborio rice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup white wine, at room temperature
1 cup shredded sharp white cheddar
1/2 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
1 tbsp cream cheese
Pepper, to taste
Shredded Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Instructions

In a large skillet, cook and brown bacon slices. Remove from skillet and place on a paper lined plate. Set aside. Add onions to same skillet and cook in bacon fat. Cook low and slow to caramelize onions. This will take 20-30 minutes. Add a little water if the skillet gets dry. When onions are brown, remove from heat and place on a plate. Set aside.
In a sauce pan, bring stock or broth to a boil. Lower heat to low and cover with a lid.
In the same skillet used for bacon and onions, add a splash of olive oil, rice and garlic. Stir until rice turns a light brown. Pour white white in skillet and stir until all liquid is absorbed.
Using a ladle at a time, pour warmed stock/broth into the rice skillet. Stir until all liquid is absorbed. Repeat this step until rice is cooked to al dente. (can take up to 30 minutes.) If you run out of stock/broth, just add warm water.
When the risotto is cooked, add cheddar, monterey jack and cream cheese. Stir until the cheese melts and is well combined. Add 1/2 of the onions and bacon to the skillet. Stir into the risotto.
Taste and add pepper. (you won't need salt, trust me!) Top each serving with shredded Parmesan cheese, bacon pieces and onions. Serve warm.

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Filed Under: Entree, Pasta, Recipes · Tagged With: bacon, Caramelized Onions, Dinner recipe, Four Cheese Risotto, pasta, recipe, The Tasty Fork

Lasagna Bolognese Pasta Toss

February 6, 2013 by admin · 16 Comments

Hi Everyone!! What is the first thing you think of when someone says – Valentine’s Day. I’m sure a lot of you think chocolate, flowers or romance…but for me, I think Italian food. I’m not sure why but I’m guessing it has to do with a certain spaghetti scene from a dog loving Disney movie…. And I guess there is something about Italian food which is kinda sexy. (I blushed when I typed that!) Twirling pasta, drinking wine, low lighting….meow!

Since I love to cook, my hubby & I will celebrate Valentine’s Day by staying in. In Chicago, if you don’t book your reservation weeks in advance, good luck at getting something that isn’t super early or late.

Making a special meal is a great way to show someone you love them, but you don’t need to stay in your kitchen all evening to prepare a spectacular meal. Lasagna is amazing, but it takes FOREVER to actually eat it. You have prepare everything, assemble the lasagna and then bake it for 60 minutes. There is a time and a place for lasagna, just not on Valentine’s Day.

To give you more time with your honey, I created a Lasagna Bolognese Pasta Toss. It has all of the elements of a lasagna — meat sauce, bechamel sauce, cheese and pasta — but you don’t have to bake it in the oven. And that means you’ll get to eat a lot sooner!

Bolognese sauce is one of my favorite meat sauces. It’s filled with veggies, garlic, pancetta, ground pork, red wine and tomatoes. This meat sauce recipe is doubled. I like to let it sit for a few days, so the flavor even builds and toss it with spaghetti. Or freeze the sauce and use it at a later date.

If you’re still scanning the Internet for the perfect Valentine’s Day meal, give this Lasagna Bolognese Pasta Toss a try! You can make a sexy Italian meal and spend more time with the one you love.

Lasagna Bolognese Pasta Toss

Serving Size: 6 people

Ingredients

* 3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
* 1 Onion, diced
* 3 Celery stalks, diced
* 4 Carrots, diced
* 5 Slices of Pancetta, sliced
* 4 Garlic cloves, minced
* 1 lb Ground pork
* 2 tbsp Parsley
* A few dashes of Red Pepper flakes
* 1 cup Red Wine
* 28 oz canned Crushed Tomatoes
* 28 oz canned Diced Tomatoes
* Salt & Pepper, to taste
* 13.25 oz Whole Wheat Penne Pasta
* 2 tbsp Butter
* 2 tbsp Flour
* 1 cup Skim Milk
* 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
* Salt & Pepper, to season
* 1 1/2 cups of your favorite Italian Style Cheese Blend
* Shredded Parmesan Cheese, garnish
* Parsley, for garnish

Instructions

Pour oil into a warm large skillet. At a medium heat, add onions, celery & carrots. Stir and cook until soft. Stir in pancetta and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes and keep stirring. Add pork and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until pork starts to brown. Stir in parsley and red pepper flakes. Cook for an additional minute.
Pour wine into the skillet and cook until wine is evaporated. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan and get the brown bits. Add both cans of tomatoes. Bring to simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Taste and add salt & pepper, if needed.
In a pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package directions and drain.
To make bechamel - In a sauce pan, add butter and flour. Stir consistently and cook until the color turns to a deep blonde color. Stir in one cup of milk, using a whisk. When sauce starts to thicken, add Dijon mustard, salt & pepper. Turn off heat and add in the 1.5 cups of the cheese blend. Stir until there are no clumps.
Remove half of the meat sauce and set aside. (Use at a later date!) Add drained pasta & bechamel sauce to the meat sauce. Stir until well combined.
To serve, top each portion with shredded Parmesan cheese and parsley.

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Filed Under: Entree, Pasta, Pork, Recipes · Tagged With: bolognese sauce, dinner, lasagna bolognese pasta toss, lasagna toss, pasta recipe, romantic dinner, skillet pasta, The Tasty Fork, valentine's day, valentine's day recipe

Cheesy Meatball Lasagna

October 29, 2012 by Miss Tasty · 22 Comments

Sometimes I think of a recipe and it won’t leave my mind. It’s in my mind all day. While I’m driving to work, I’m thinking about my grocery list. During lunch, I’m dreaming of dinner. At the gym, I’m trying to burn extra calories because I know what I’ll be eating later. Seriously, I think I have a one track mind for food.

I’m not sure what the weather temperatures are like in other cities, but in Chicago, last Thursday night it dropped 20 degrees in less than 2 hours. I’m pretty sure we’ve seen the last of 70 degree days until 2013. Kind of sad, but I think I’ll get over it. I’m ready for comfort food which warms me up and hugs me from the inside… things like this Cheesy Meatball Lasagna.

This is probably the 2nd time in my life I’ve made a lasagna…but I knew I wanted to do something a little different. Enter Smoked Gouda Cheese. I put it in the meatballs and layered shreds of it throughout the lasagna. I think it gave the lasagna such a O.M.G. quality. I’m thinking I might need to add Smoked Gouda to everything I make. It truly has the effect of making everything that’s already awesome even better.

My only complaint is it took sometime to put together and cook to cheesy perfection in the oven. One of my favorite things to say is, “Drink some wine to kill the time.” Trust me, I had a big pour…but I was still checking the timer every 10 minutes to see how much longer I had to wait. It was total torture.

But I was rewarded with this delicious dinner. Oh so totally worth it.

This lasagna was meaty, extra cheesy, smoky and has a deliciously easy tomato sauce with fresh basil. I’d make this dish for anyone. Well, anyone who loves meat and isn’t lactose intolerant.

So go ahead, day-dream about this lasagna and drink some wine while time stands still.. I mean while it’s cooking in the oven.

Cheesy Meatball Lasagna, inspired by Family Circle

MEATBALLS

1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1 egg
2 tbsp milk
1/2 cup smoked gouda cheese, grated
2 tbsp olive oil

LASAGNA

12 traditional lasagna noodles
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can (28 oz) fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
1 can (28 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1/2 cup basil leaves, finely chopped
1 container (15 oz) ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 bag (8 oz) shredded mozzarella
1 cup smoked gouda cheese, grated

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Make Meatballs. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, sausage, bread crumbs, egg, milk, and cheese. I used a medium-sized cookie/ice cream scooper to shape meatballs. You can also use your hands. Size of the meatball should be around 1 tablespoon.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the meatballs and cook for 5 minutes, shaking pan to turn meatballs while maintaining their shape. Remove to a plate and repeat with remaining meatballs. Reserve drippings in pan. (FYI – Meatballs don’t need to be cooked all the way through.)
Meanwhile, to make Lasagna, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boiling. Add noodles, 1 at a time, and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cool water.
Place skillet from meatballs over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, 4 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute. Stir in both crushed and diced tomatoes. Simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in half the chopped basil. Set aside 3/4 cup of the sauce.
In a medium bowl, blend ricotta, remaining basil, the egg and 2 tbsp of the Parmesan.
Begin layering: Spread 1 cup of tomato sauce in bottom of a 13 x 9 2 inch baking dish. Top with 4 noodles, overlapping. Scatter half the meatballs over noodles. Pour half the remaining tomato sauce over meatballs. Top with 4 more noodles and spread with ricotta mixture and half of the mozzarella and smoked gouda cheese. Add remaining meatballs. Pour remaining tomato sauce over meatballs. Top with final 4 noodles. Spread with reserved 3/4 cup sauce. Top with remaining mozzarella, smoked gouda and remaining 2 tbsp Parmesan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes until bubbly and slightly browned. Let stand 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

Filed Under: Entree, My Kitchen, Pasta · Tagged With: blog, cheese, cheesy meatballs, dinner, food, lasagna, meatballs, recipe, tomato sauce

New Recipe: Full Flavor Pasta Sauce – Vegetarian Meal

July 26, 2012 by Miss Tasty · Leave a Comment

I’ve taken “Meatless Monday” to “Let’s eat meat free till the weekend.”

It’s summer time. Produce in the mid-west is at it’s very best…. so why not take advantage of it. Instead of making the typical tomato sauce for pasta, I decided to change it up a bit. I made a Roasted Red Pepper & Sun-Dried Tomato sauce for my whole wheat spaghetti. SO GOOD!!

If you have a picky eater or kids in your home, an easy way to sneak in veggies is to puree them into a sauce or soup. Besides roasted red peppers & sun-dried tomatoes, I added carrots, onions, basil and garlic to the blender to make a full flavor pasta sauce. Once it’s pureed, it will be a little thick. You can thin it out with stock or some of the water your pasta cooked in.

To add some “meat” to this pasta meal, I sautéed sliced mushrooms and tomatoes. Add it to the cooked pasta and throw in some spinach. The heat from the warm pasta and mushroom mixture will slighty wilt the spinach but it will still maintain some crunch.

Another great thing about this recipe, it’s on the table in 30 minutes. Very quick & easy with depths of flavor. It’s a tasty mid-week meal!

Roasted Red Pepper & sun-dried Tomato Sauce with Whole Wheat spaghetti, serves 4 to 6

1 lb (uncooked) Whole wheat spaghetti
1 medium onion, diced and divided
3 garlic cloves, minced and divided
2 carrots, chopped
1 12oz jar of roasted red peppers, drained
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
5 -8 basil leaves
splash of cream
2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 tomatoes, diced
2 cups baby spinach
basil for garnish

Directions:

Cook spaghetti according to directions. Reminder — You might want to save some of the pasta water to thin out the sauce if you don’t have stock on hand.
Saute half of the diced onions & garlic with olive oil. Add carrots and cook until onions are translucent. Add to blender along with roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes & basil. Puree until smooth. Add water or stock until you get the consistency you like. Finish sauce by adding a splash of cream.
In a saute pan, pour in a splash of olive oil and add the rest of the onions and garlic. Toss in sliced mushrooms and tomatoes. Cook until the liquid from the tomatoes have evaporated. Add this mixture to cooked spaghetti. Fold in spinach — it will wilt but not overly cook it.
Pour pasta sauce into the noodle mixture. When you’re ready to serve, garnish with torn basil leaves.

Filed Under: Entree, Pasta · Tagged With: dinner, easy meal, food, pasta, pasta sauce, quick meal, recipe, Vegetarian

Just a quick vegetarian week night meal….

February 16, 2012 by Miss Tasty · Leave a Comment

Remember the pesto I made earlier in the week? I promised it would show up again later in the week. So here it is…

Wednesday night for me includes watching Modern Family & Top Chef. This is my routine since I got back from Hawaii. I like it and not much will get in the way of my hot date with my TV.

With that being said, I’m not going to make some exquisite meal which requires more kitchen time than couch time. Quick meals on a night like this are a must…. so I give you Creamy Pesto & Goat Cheese Pasta with Spinach & Sun Dried Tomatoes.

Quick Meal = Quick Post.

Enjoy!!

Creamy Pesto & Goat Cheese Pasta with Spinach & Sun Dried Tomatoes (recipe serves 2)

1 1/2 cups mini penne pasta, uncooked
2 tbs butter or olive oil
2 tbs flour
1 cup skim milk, warm
1/4 cup pesto
1 tbs goat cheese
1/2 cup spinach
2 tbs sun dried tomatoes, cut julienne
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray.
In a pot of boiling water, add uncooked pasta. Cook until al dente. Drain but save 1/2 cup of pasta water. (You may need it later.) Put the drained pasta back in the pot.
In a sauce pan at medium heat, add butter and flour. Stir consistently until the paste has a light blonde color. Slowly stream in warm milk and keep stirring until all of the milk is in the pan. Your sauce will be thick.
Add pesto & goat cheese to the sauce. Taste — add salt & pepper if needed.
In the pasta pot, add spinach, sun dried tomatoes & pesto sauce. Stir and incorporate all ingredients. Add pasta water if the mixture needs to be thinned out. You probably won’t need to add the full 1/2 cup of pasta water; you can be the judge of what the recipe needs.
Pour pasta into the casserole dish. Sprinkle cheese over the pasta. Bake for 10 minutes.