Boston and Ree's Cajun Chicken Pasta

My previous post asked you, dear readers, to guess where DH and I went for our first experimental vacation with baby B.

*Ding ding ding*!!! For those of you who guessed "Boston" you win the prize - i.e. bragging rights about how smart and well-traveled you are! As for the rest of you, today you're going to learn a wee bit of trivia. Boston happens to be the birthplace of America's independence, so it's got a lot for all you history buffs to enjoy. It also has Hahvahd (Harvard University) and MIT within spitting distance of each other, so my geeky academic type buddies can get their freak on. Finally, I love the food there, no matter what the internet reviews say, so fellow foodies can look forward to some big-time dear-God-this-is-good moments.

For instance, I'm very excited to share such a moment with you right now ...

See this? For many of you, this looks like something your cat would eat. WRONG! This is a divine, sublime, crave-worthy pasta dish that rocked my world. It's handmade squid-ink pasta simply cooked with ground-up grilled calamari and drizzled with olive oil. And I'm going to cry because I want it now, and there's no way for me to drive up to Boston again to get it! That pasta was perfectly al dente - chewy and earthy and perfectly seasoned. Every bite was a revelation. If you go to Boston, go to this Sicilian seafood place called The Daily Catch (their new location on the pier is fantastic) and order the Black Pasta Aglio Olio. They also happen to serve some other superb seafood, and the atmosphere is lovely, as is the service. But screw all that, I'd go back for that pasta even if it was served by dirty little gremlins!

In the meantime, I can only drown my sorrows in another pasta dish. This one I can make at home, and enjoy sharing with DH. I've noticed that Ree and I share the same taste in pasta, and so I've got another winner from her repertoire. Can't wait to share this with other P-Dub fans on the next Foodie Fans of The Pioneer Woman round-up.

Ree's Cajun Chicken Pasta (find her original take here)
Serves 4-6

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 lb fettuccine pasta
3+ tsp Cajun Spice seasoning (I just kept adding and tasting as I went along)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
1 green capsicum, sliced
1 red capsicum, sliced
1 red onion, sliced
3 tsp minced garlic
4 small tomatoes, diced
2.5 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp cayenne pepper / chili powder
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt
Chopped parsley or cilantro for garnish

Method:

1. Sprinkle 2 tsp of the cajun spice mix over the chicken pieces, then toss to coat. Heat 1 tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of the oil in a pan and brown the chicken over high heat. Remove from the pan and set aside.

2. Add the remaining oil and butter into the same pan, then saute the peppers, onion and garlic with more cajun seasoning, along with some salt. Do this over high heat because you want the veggies to really caramelize and start to get dark (flavor!). 3. Add tomatoes and cook for an additional 30 secs. Pour in the chicken stock now, scraping the bottom of the pan to get all the sticky bits incorporated into the sauce. Cook for 5-10 mins.

4. Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in the cream. Keep whisking the saucing, and sprinkling in the spices per your taste. A dash more salt, lots of black pepper, and some chili powder too. 5. Add the chicken back, and continue to stir the sauce until the whole thing reaches a consistency you like - I just wait for the sauce to be able to coat the back of my wooden spoon.

6. Cook your pasta per the instructions on the box. Drain it and add it directly into the pan with the sauce. Turn off the heat, then toss the pasta, coating it completely with that awesome sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley/cilantro and serve.

Verdict: Guess what? No cheese needed with this pasta! You're surprised because usually all my pasta dishes are smothered in cheesy goodness - and there's nothing wrong with that! But this time, I've got a dish that's a crowd-pleaser as well as a me-pleaser. Lots of vegetables and lean protein made oh-so-delectable thanks to a zingy sauce and gorgeous pasta. This pasta comes DH-approved, so you know I'm going to be making this again and again. And again. My Nintendo Wii Fit virtual instructor is not going to like seeing that spike in my BMI again. But you can't stop love, and I love this.I think I'm also going to submit this carby work of art to the next round-up of Presto Pasta Nights, hosted by the lovely Ruth of Once Upon A Feast.

Ree's Magical Green Beans

See these beans, dear readers? These are magic beans.

Oh yes they are. Not the kind with the beanstalk and the giant. But definitely the kind that make you see and hear things you never thought were possible! Observe this pre-dinner conversation ...

DH: "Beans?? What are beans doing in our house?!"
Moi: "You have something against beans?"
DH: "No, but there's nothing good about them either."
Moi: "Well, this is what we're having as a side-dish with the pasta tonight. We need to add more greens to our diet since we're both trying to lose weight."
DH: "Not me! I'm not going to ruin the pasta by eating beans with them! I don't care about greens!" *additional ranting along these same lines*

Now, carefully read the post-dinner conversation.

DH: "Hey, do we have any more of these beans? These were good! I could have these often. I want more now!"

Moi: *stunned silence*

There you have it, folks. The most compelling evidence in favor of these magic beans! I rest my case.
I have to admit, growing up, beans were one of my least favorite vegetables. My mom used to make a curry with them, chopping them up and adding them to mutton or ground beef - very Pakistani style. And like most kids, I hated that! There was just something very off-putting about those beans cooked in that way. It's only in the last few years that my heart has softened towards green beans, especially when you have them simply steamed with steak or roast chicken and mashed potatoes.

So when I came across The Pioneer Woman's recipe for these beans, I knew just by looking at the ingredients that these had to be good! It's exactly what I need to be eating more of right now. This vegetable is loaded with nutrients — an excellent source of vitamin K (awesome for bone health), vitamin C, manganese, vitamin A, dietary fiber, potassium, folate, and iron. And, green beans are a good source of magnesium, thiamin, riboflavin, copper, calcium, phosphorus, protein, omega-3 fatty acids and niacin. My flabby thighs will thank me for this.

Ree's Green Beans (you can check out her fun take on this dish here)

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:
1 lb green beans (ends snapped off - I cheated and got the pre-cleaned ones, packaged ones)
1 cup chopped onion
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper (capsicum)
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt (or more to taste)
Lots of cracked black pepper
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil

Method:
1. Heat the butter and oil in a skillet. Add the garlic, onions and red bell pepper, and saute for a few minutes.

2. Throw in the green beans and stir them around for a minute.

3. Pour in the chicken broth, along with salt and pepper.
4. Turn the heat down to low, and cover the skillet with a lid - but leave it cracked just a bit for the steam to escape. Let this cook away for 15-20 mins, until the liquid almost completely evaporates and the beans are fairly soft, but still have some bite. Serve!


Verdict: I think I've said enough about these already. Clearly, DH has as well. I'm happy to have found a healthy recipe that tastes really good and is totally satisfying. Oh, and it's pretty too - does that count for anything? I've paired these beans with all kinds of entrees, and so will you. As a matter of fact, you'll soon be looking for excuses to make this dish. And rest assured, this is still me typing. My blog has not been hijacked by some health freak. But even my deliciously calorific blog needs to unclog its arteries once in a blue moon. Never fear, I'll be back to piling on the carbs soon enough!
I'll also be submitting this recipe to the next Foodie Fans of The Pioneer Woman round-up. The deadline is still a couple of weeks away, so you guys have time to join in!

Afternoon Quickie

Yes, yes, I said "quickie". Go on, go ahead and giggle like the 12 year olds you all really are at heart.

Ok, now get your mind out of the gutter and focus! My title refers to the quick and easy P-Dub recipe that I'll be talking about later in this post.

But first, I wanted to tell you all about this Food Writers' Panel I attended at Yale the other day. It was hosted by the Master of Berkeley College, and featured three fellow food bloggers who have done really well for themselves, out there in the world of food journalism.

Left to right: Monica Bhide, Andrea Nguyen, Kim Sunee

Two things are of paramount importance to Yalies - writing and food. Hence, the packed house!

I was really impressed with all three lovely ladies. They were so well-spoken and funny - I enjoyed everything they had to say, from how they got into food writing, to their feelings on being pigeon-holed as one type of writer. Their accomplishments could take up more than one post from me, so let me just say that all three have published books, appeared on various TV channels, including Food Network and Travel Channel. Plus, you may have seen their articles in a variety of popular food magazines. They go around the country giving talks like this one, and are all wonderful cooks in their own right. Check out the dishes they created for the Master's Tea.

Left to right: Saffron-almond cake by Andrea; Banana cake by Kim; Savory cheesecake with red pepper and tomatillo chutney by Monica (my FAV one of the three!)

You can look through Monica's recipes, and catch her at one of her appearances, by going to her blog A Life Of Spice. Kim will take you on an amazing culinary journey in her own blog. And if you love Asian food (and let's face it, most of us do!), check out Andrea's blog Viet World Kitchen.

So, dear readers, do I wish I had what they have? Hell. YES.

One of them said something that I know will stick with me forever. It's very simple, but really important for people striving to be good writers (emphasis on "good"). They said, "don't be fake, because readers will see through it soon enough, and that will ruin your credibility so fast that nothing will bring it back".

I actually think that's a good mantra for all our lives in general. Just don't be fake. Be true to yourselves. We all have something interesting to say and share with the world, so let's not pretend to be something we're not. It's the key to happiness I think - being content and confident with who we are.

Too bad I can't segue that satisfactorily into my recipe for today! The deadline to submit a P-Dub recipe for the next FFPW round-up is today, and I was desperately looking for a recipe I could throw together without running out to the store - not easy when you have a 3 month old to consider. Seriously, why do I feel like we have to pack a suitcase every time we take out this tiny wee thing? And I absolutely hate lugging around that infant car seat of his - weighs a ton! So luckily, Ree always has simple recipes that I can count on. This one, however, was one that she tried from her Tasty Kitchen contributers. More on what I thought about it a bit later.

Coffee-Toffee Bars (original recipe by nhsweetcherry and blogged by Ree, found here)

Makes 9 squares

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp instant coffee powder

1/4 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup chocolate chips

1/4 cup Heath Bar Toffee bits

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter an 8" x 8" baking pan.

2. Cream the butter and sugar together for 2 mins till light and smooth.

3. Mix in the vanilla, coffee, baking powder, salt and flour till you have a soft dough. Pat it into the prepared pan, then sprinkle the chocolate and toffee over the top. Bake for 20 mins. Cool on a rack, then cut into squares and serve as is, with coffee ... or better yet, coffee ice-cream!

Verdict: These definitely had a lot of potential. I'll admit that they were pretty good on the first day, but didn't fare too well after a night in the fridge. Still, ice-cream covers a multitude of sins, and after nuking the bars for 15 secs in the microwave, they were almost back to normal. I was experimenting with the toppings, and made the mistake of adding in the pecans - take note: don't do that. These bars aren't that sweet to begin with, and the pecans simply take away more of the sweetness. To be honest, I'm not sure I'll be making these again, but they're perfect when it comes to putting together something in a hurry - just in time for the Foodie Fans of the Pioneer Woman deadline!

Ree To The Rescue

Post-pregnancy I've been trying to cut down the calories by cutting down on dessert in my life. Where before I would indulge my sweet tooth on a daily basis, (you better believe I made the most of those 9 months of being pregnant!) now I have to seriously discipline myself. It's an uphill battle, to say the least. I was a good girl for a few days, but then I went ahead and bought some french vanilla gelato from my grocery store. Big. Mistake. Because then I started thinking of all kinds of sinful ways to incorporate the gelato into my every day meals. For days it was stashed at the very back of my freezer on purpose. I swear I could hear it beckoning me each time I opened the door to the freezer, enticing me in a dulcet tone ... "Come away wiz moi, mon cher". Yes, my gelato has a french accent. It's french vanilla after all. Duh.

Still, my breaking point did not come till early this morning. I was looking through PW's cookbook to see what I could make for the FFPW - Desserts round-up. And instantly I knew that her Blackberry Cobbler would be the perfect Fred Astaire to my gelato's Ginger Rogers. Not only that, but I knew I could count on Ree to make it easy and quick for me. Two extremely important factors, especially on a day when your baby has been crying all damn day without any fathomable reason (do you moms out there know what I mean? Please say 'yes' and tell me I'm not going crazy!). Oh, one other thing - I was absolutely craving raspberries, so I decided to make it a mostly raspberry cobbler, with a few blackberries thrown in for fun.

My little raspberry, I want to squeeeeeeeeze you! Oh, erm, please ignore my dry, cracked skin - I think it's a casualty of breastfeeding.

PW's Favorite Berry Cobbler (find the original recipe in her cookbook or on her website)
Serves 6

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 cup self-raising flour
1/2 cup + 3 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 stick of unsalted butter, melted
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries/blackberries

Method:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 F. Butter a baking dish.

2. Whisk together the flour and 1/2 cup of sugar in a bowl. Pour in the milk and whisk till combined. Then add in the melted butter and keep whisking until fully incorporated.

3. Pour batter into baking dish and sprinkle berries all over it, distributing evenly. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of sugar over the whole thing.

Oh man, look at those insane raspberries. I could eat this as is.

But I'll throw in a few blackberries too, and now it looks even better!

4. Bake in the oven for 40-45 mins, or until golden and bubbly. 10 mins before the end, take out the dish and sprinkle the last 1 tbsp of sugar over the top - this just gives it that extra crunch. Once it's done, let it cool for 15-20 mins before serving with mandatory scoop of vanilla ice-cream/gelato. Stores well in the fridge, covered in foil, for quite a few days.

Verdict: *Smacking lips* I was licking that very spoon before sitting down to write this post. The aroma as it was baking in the oven was divine - strong enough to counter B's diaper smell! *Sigh* Feels good to have my raspberry craving satisfied. And my lovely french vanilla gelato paired sublimely with it. You've got to make this, dear readers. Cobblers are now my no-fail, go-to desserts. And this one is so easy, it's ridiculous. And yet it will bring out moans of delight in even the most crotchety of people, the manliest of men, the pickiest of kids. But listen, and listen well. You must have it warm, and you must have it with vanilla ice-cream. Don't try to separate the two - it would be a tragedy. It'll make me cry.

PW's White Chicken Enchiladas

Hey Boo-Boo, Mommy was thinking it's time she got up off her tushie and seriously started exercising again. And although carrying you around everywhere is doing wonders for my arms, I think a regular cardio-aerobic routine is what I should aim for. What do you think?

HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAA ... you're shittin' me! You're shittin' me right?! Tell me you're shittin' me Mom ... exercise ... regular ... you?! Ohhhh, you're funny! What else ya got?!

Hmph. Rude child! I see I'm not getting any respect from you already, you little dinkus. Fine. Just for that, I'm going to leave you to fend for yourself, while I go drown my sorrows in Auntie Ree's cheesy chicken enchiladas.

Oooooooo, now you're talkin'! Did you say cheese? I might like cheese. It's made from that heavenly stuff you call "milk" right? Bring it!

It has been brung.
PW's White Chicken Enchiladas (see Ree's original awesome recipe here)
Serves 4-6

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (I used rotisserie style)
1.5 cups chicken broth
12 whole corn tortillas, soft
1 large onion, diced
2 4oz can green chilies, diced
1 jalapeno, diced
1 tsp paprika1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 cup sour cream2.5 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Salt & pepper to taste
Canola oil
Chopped tomatoes & cilantro for garnish

Method:
1. Heat a bit of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and jalapeno. Saute for 1 min. Add chicken, half of the green chilies, and 1/2 tsp paprika. Stir together. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth, then cream and stir again, allowing mixture to bubble and get hot. Turn off heat and set aside.

2. In a separate large skillet, melt butter and sprinkle in the flour. Cook while whisking for 1 min. Pour in 1 cup of the chicken broth. Keep whisking for another min or two. Reduce heat then stir in sour cream. Add 1.5 cups of the cheese and remaining paprika and green chilies, along with salt & pepper. Melt the cheese and incorporate into a smooth sauce.

3. To assemble, spoon chicken mixture on top of tortillas, one by one. Top each filling with cheese and roll up. Place snugly next to each other in a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Pour cheese mixture all over the top.
4. In a preheated 350 F oven, bake for 30 mins till browned on top. Serve with lots of chopped, fresh tomatoes and cilantro.
Verdict: I had a good amount of the chicken mixture left over, so I ended up making this twice in one week! You could possibly use cheddar cheese in this too, if you don't have monterey jack. I totally enjoyed this dish, although must admit that I don't recommend it for entertaining. It looks too messy. That didn't stop me. The cheesy sauce was excellent - it's loaded with flavor. And of course, the best part of any enchiladas for me are the crispy brown edges, crusted over with more cheese! Do I like this more than the Enchanting Enchiladas I made last year? Hmmmm. I'm on the fence about that - they're just so different. What's your take, dear readers? Red or white?
Listen up, little man. It's your Grandpa's birthday today. Be a good boy for once and send your Nana your sweetest smile, and sincere birthday wishes.

Awww, is it really?? Happy birthday Nanaaaaaa! I remember you being petrified of me when you first came to visit. I admit, I must have scared you with all my crying. It's the only way I can get those parents of mine to listen, I tell ya. But I promise to behave if you come see me again soon!

Don't believe a word he says, Dad. His promises about not crying stink more than his poopy diapers. But we do miss you, and can't wait to see you again! As you can see, little B is much happier with his lot in life now - definitely better than when you saw him last. Maybe this time you can actually play with him. So happy birthday Daddy dearest - I know you read my blog, and are my secret fan!

I finally managed to write this post! It's been a long time coming, because I had originally made this recipe to submit to the FFPW - Main Courses roundup. I make no excuses. Actually I do. And my excuse has a face. It's the one dressed up in the orange-stripey onesie you see above.

A Changed Woman

Dear readers, a new note has been added to my edible symphony of a life. I have no idea if I'm singing it right - I feel a bit off-key most of the time, to be honest with you - but I love the new melody. It's complex and beautiful. And I'm still working on it. You see, after nine months of pigging out to my heart's content, cooking and baking scrumptious goodies to sate my growing appetite (and that of DH, bless his calorific heart), it all boiled down to an eventful Tuesday, when I put my trust in God's divine recipe for humanity and let the doctors pull this delicious, delectable niblet out of my oven!Meet Bashaar, which means "bringer of happiness/glad tidings". Born Jan 19th to a pair of awe-struck parents. I drool over him. He smells better than freshly baked bread. And to my biased eyes, he's more gorgeous than a gift box full of Pierre Hermes' best macarons! I want to snuggle into him - but I won't even try, because this little tyke is just 6 lbs and fits pretty comfortably in DH's two hands.

After almost two weeks of having this little guy, I've finally found a few precious moments to share the good news with you all. And get back to some of the loves of my former life - blogging being one of them! Now, before you start thinking I'm superwoman, let me assure you that I haven't got back to cooking as yet. My only forays into the kitchen involve dumping some cereal into a bowl, throwing some blueberries in, and eating that while still standing ... as my cat looks on with disdain and the sting of betrayal in his eyes. Mama hasn't been the same since the new addition has arrived.

*Sigh* - I'll make it up to you Ozzy, I promise. In the meantime, please go play with the "It's A Boy" balloons we got home from the hospital.

Luckily, my mom was in town for two weeks, and now my mom-in-law has the dubious job of keeping our little family fed and clean, while yours truly has been relegated to the honor of being just one, over-sized, milk-producing boob for Bashaar. Exhausted would be an understatement for me right now.

So you'll forgive me if this PW recipe I'm about to talk about is a little fuzzy in my mind, since I'd made it before the delivery. Still, I do remember loving it, and giving Ree a virtual high-five for producing yet another successful recipe to add to my growing repertoire.
PW's Tres Leches Cake (see Ree's original recipe here)
Serves a crowd

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
5 whole eggs, separated
1 cup sugar, divided
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup milk
1 can evaporated milk
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup heavy cream

For the icing:
Half pint heavy cream
1.5 tbsp sugar

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a 9 x 13 inch pan, then put a layer of parchment paper on the bottom.

2. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.

3. Beat egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar on high speed until pale yellow. Stir in milk and vanilla. Pour egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture and stir gently to combine.

After having Bashaar, I don't think I'll ever look at eggs quite the same way again!

4. Beat egg whites on high speed till soft peaks form. With the mixer on, pour in remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat till egg whites are stiff but not dry.

5. Fold egg white mixture into the batter very gently till combined. Pour into prepared pan and spread out evenly. Bake for 35 - 45 mins or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Turn cake out onto a rimmed platter and let it cool.

6. Now for the fun part. Combine the evaporated and condensed milks, along with the heavy cream. When cake is cooled, poke it all over the surface with a fork. Don't be shy - have at it. Slowly drizzle the entire mixture over the cake, especially the edges.

7. Allow the cake to absorb the mixture for about 30 mins. In the meantime, whip the heavy cream and sugar together to make the topping. Then spread it all over the surface of the cake. Top with your favorite berries. Then cut into it and enjoy. This cake keeps really well in the fridge for about 5 days, and stays just as juicy and moist.

Verdict: This is going to be my new go-to cake for large parties. It's easy and super-delicious. Who doesn't go nuts for condensed milk, after all?! And I love that it uses 5 whole eggs. I remember having this day and night during the last week of my pregnancy - under the false pretenses that it was for the sake of having my daily intake of calcium, of course! The fact that it was light and sweet and moist beyond belief had nothing to do with it.

See the pooling of the three milks on the bottom? That's as good as gold, folks.

The perfect bite.

My blogger buddy, Debby, has been holding down the fort over at Foodie Fans of The Pioneer Woman all by herself since the last two weeks. The least I can do is send over this fab recipe as my contribution for the next FFPW round-up, which is the Wildcard round. Hang in there Deb. I may be a physical and emotional wreck these days, but I'm going to get back in the blogging saddle with you soon enough, by golly!

Now I have to rush off to feed Bashaar, who is looking mighty fine right now in his red-white-n-blue striped onesie. Tee hee.

Fastest Pasta Recipe Yet!

Today my friend and I were talking about how our tastes in food have evolved over the last 5 years, since we've been married to our respective fellas. I'd like to think that I've influenced DH's culinary palette as much as he has mine. But it's not a competition, folks - and if it is, it's the best kind, because it's a win-win situation I think! For instance, I now believe and follow DH's mantra that one can pair parathas with pretty much everything. And halwa is no longer just dessert in my house; sometimes it appears in the role of a side-dish with savory kababs. On the flip side, I am guilty of expanding DH's dessert repertoire, appetite, and consequently his waistline. As a matter of fact, this pregnancy has resulted in us both packing on the pounds. It's going to get ugly between us after the baby, when we're both racing to shed the weight. I may subconsciously try to fatten him up, so that I look thinner in comparison, but I'll try to curb this selfish streak!

I digress. Which is not surprising. Pregnancy brain tends to wander. I was talking about how our taste in food has changed, reflecting each other's likes and dislikes. But there are some things that have not yet changed. Pasta being one of them. There are so many amazing pasta recipes out there that I want to try, but most of them are purely vegetarian, and although I love that, it just wouldn't fly with DH. So when I do make my veggie pasta dishes, I usually have to make something else to appease DH - something a lot more meat-centric (trust me, arguments about cholesterol levels fall on deaf ears because he's in the medical field himself and is a confirmed know-it-all!). These days, however, I'm too heavy to be standing around in the kitchen for too long. So when I want a pasta dish all for myself, it needs to be super-quick. The Pioneer Woman, Ree, being a cowgirl who is also usually short on time and needs to take a break from her typical man-pleasing food, had the perfect recipe for me. A pasta dish that came together in almost no time flat.
Pasta With Roasted Red Pepper Sauce (see Ree's original recipe for detailed pics)
Serves 2

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:
2-3 12oz jars of roasted red peppers OR 3 whole red bell peppers (charred on the stove, skins removed, then deseeded)
2 tbsp pine nuts
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup cream
Fresh parmesan, shaved or grated
Chopped fresh parsley OR cilantro OR basil
1/2 lb penne pasta
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Lightly toast pine nuts in a skillet and set aside.

2. Puree peppers with pine nuts in a blender and set aside.
3. Cook pasta according to package instructions. I used whole grain penne, which was pretty good - surprisingly for me; you know my love-hate relationship with health food.

4. In a pot over medium heat, drizzle in the olive oil, and saute the onions till soft. Add the garlic and saute for another minute. Pour in pepper puree and stir together. Add plenty (and I mean it) of salt and pepper - for some reason this sauce needs it.

5. Pour in cream and stir to combine. Add the cooked pasta and stir again. Taste for additional seasoning if needed. Place pasta in a comfortingly large bowl and sprinkle your fresh herb of choice over the top, as well as lots of shaved parmesan. Then smile as you dig in to this bright, cheerful and super-quick pasta.
Verdict: Ree has such beautiful pics of this pasta on her site. I was too busy eating mine before DH walked in and complained about the lack of meat or chicken in the dish. The pasta would have tasted even better had I used fresh bell peppers like P-Dub, instead of the stuff in the jar. But can you believe that my grocery store didn't have a single red pepper the day that I went to get some?! Why is it that when I don't need it, there's always an overflowing abundance of it that I walk by on a regular basis - but the one day that I specifically got off my pregnant ass, got in my frozen car, drove to the store and paraded by huge belly for the world to see, that's when they run out?! So I improvised. And the results weren't bad at all. I still got good flavor with the added benefit of lots of nutrients from the peppers and fibre from the whole grain pasta. Calcium from the cream, right right?!

So this recipe is my submission to the next round-up at Foodie Fans of The Pioneer Woman, where the theme this time was Cowgirl Food. The deadline is tomorrow, so y'all still have time to dig in your heels and indulge your inner P-Dub.

In addition, I think this recipe would also work really well for the next round-up of Presto Pasta Nights, this time hosted by A Scientist In The Kitchen.

My Blog Anniversary And Something Special To Share

I've been waiting and waiting for an appropriate moment to share this rather delicious piece of news with you. Between all my kitchen experiments, cat wrangling drama, Pacific Northwest vacation, and moving to a whole new state, I managed to get myself knocked up! That's right dear readers, I'm pregnant, I'm sooooooooo pregnant. And it's been infinitely wonderful. Even though these days I'm getting very familiar with Mr. Braxton Hicks himself, my ankles have disappeared, and I can't even bend over to put my own socks on anymore, I still can't complain. Without getting too melodramatic and making you all uncomfortable, suffice to say, it's been a tough road getting to this pregnancy, and the fact that we may finally get to hold our own little munchkin, our very first, in our arms is a dream-come-true for DH and I. I don't have too many weeks left, so I'm trying to wring every last drop of enjoyment out of this pregnancy as I can - hence, the weekend outings to plays, movies and restaurants etc., and let's not forget the incessant pigging out.
The reason why I chose this day to tell you all about it, is because today is my blog's one year anniversary! At times I can't believe a whole year has gone by, and at other times, it feels like I've been doing this forever. DH thought it was just a fling when it began, this blogging, but now even he sees that it's turned into a torrid, long-term love affair. This anniversary post is already off to a good start. Now I need to follow it up with a recipe that's worth celebrating. I think I know who to turn to for that.

Say hello to The Pioneer Woman's pear crisp with vanilla ice-cream! It makes sense that Ree is here with me in spirit to kick off my blogiversary. After all, her amazing blog, her gifted writing and delicious food is what inspired me to enter the world food blogging myself. When I used to work full-time, there were days when I would secretly be scouring Ree's site, when I really should have been working on that report for my boss. I couldn't help it if Ree's adventures on the farm were more compelling than mindlessly crunching numbers for the man! And this recipe is another winner. I made it just yesterday, when CT had its first big snowfall of the season, and the windchill made it almost impossible to even think about going out anywhere.

It's always more fun to cook seasonally, when you can. These pears were so sweet and perfect as a holiday dessert.

PW's Pear Crisp (find Ree's recipe on her blog)
Serves 8

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:
4 whole pears (I used Bartlett, but Bosc work great too)
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt

1.5 cups AP flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
1 stick butter, melted

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Peel, core and dice your pears. Place them in your baking dish, tossing them gently with the sugar and salt.

3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, chopped pecans and stir together. Drizzle melted butter over this, and stir with a fork till everything is combined with delicious chunks strewn throughout.

4. Top the pears in the baking dish with this crumb topping. Bake for 30 mins in the oven. If you think the top needs more crisping, place under the broiler for just a minute or so (keep an eye on it!). Serve warm with a generous dollop of vanilla ice-cream.Verdict: The sweet pears still had a bit of bite left to them, which I liked, and the crumb topping with the pecans was just amazing! I adore that warm super-crunchy sweetness in my mouth, combined with the smooth coolness from the ice-cream. And this is such a simple recipe, that I'll definitely be making it again and again throughout the holiday season, and beyond. DH took one big bite, and moaned. I rest my case.

I'll be sending this recipe in for the Christmas/Holiday recipes round-up at Foodie Fans of The Pioneer Woman - a fun blog hosted by Debby and yours truly.

Take a closer looksie, why doncha?! Isn't this what you really want ...

... when it's this cold and frigid outside?!

This isn't Morse code - it's what my balcony looks like right now!