This week I made a penne with leeks, bacon and smoked gouda, inspired by a recipe in the March issue of Bon Appetit.

I really liked the smokey flavor of the cheese combined with the bacon and leeks.  I used a whole wheat penne which seemed to me to handle the depth of the flavors better than normal pasta would have.  The sauce was smooth and rich and I really liked the way this pulled together.

Penne with Smoked Gouda, Leeks, and Bacon

• 4 leeks, bulbs and lighter green parts sliced and chopped
• 1/2 lb applewood smoked bacon, cut into small pieces
• 1 lb smoked gouda, grated
• 1/4 c flour
• 2 c milk
• 1 1/2 c half and half
• 1 tbs dijon
• 1/2 tsp hot sauce
• 2 eggs
• 1 lb whole wheat penne

1. Cook bacon until crisp.  Remove from pan with slotted spoon and set aside on paper towel
2. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the baking grease
3. Add leeks to pan, cover and cook until soft, about 10 minutes.  Stir a few times and don’t let them brown
4. Remove leeks with slotted spoon and set aside
5. Add flour, stirring constantly for 2 minutes
6. Add the milk, stirring until smooth.
7. Add the cheese, mustard, and hot sauce
8. Stir until the cheese melts
9. Add a little of the cheese sauce to the beaten eggs to temper; whisk into the sauce
10. Set aside
11. Cook pasta until tender; drain and add to large casserole
12. Stir in the leeks and bacon
13. Add the cheese sauce and stir well
14. Bake for 30 minutes ate 400F

Serves 6-8

images:Marye Audet

Post from: Baking Delights

I love Pasta Primavera.  It is light, flavorful, and really fast.  Can you ask for more? I don’t think so!  The only thing I thought it was missing is a little “bite-cha-back.  You know what I mean.

Chipotle.

This is my entry for  Presto Pasta Night.  You gotta use the freshest ingredients that you can find.  Nitrate free applewood smoked bacon, baby asparagus, the whole thing.  Fresh and fast for the best flavor- keep the vegetables crisp and serve it immediately upon mixing.  The whole thing takes less than 15 minutes.

Because I am using stronger flavors in this I am using a whole wheat angelhair pasta.  The whole wheat gives the pasta a chewy texture and enough flavor to hold up to the intense flavors.  If you are thinking of a light and romantic pasta primavera you don’t know me at all.  This is intense, passionate, and it will bite you back.

Pasta Primavera

1 lb whole wheat angel hair pasta

1/2 lb excellent bacon, chopped

1 lb asparagus, chopped and any tough ends removed

2 onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

1 cup steamed baby artichokes, sliced

1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds

2 teaspoons finely chopped dried chipotle, or to taste

1/2 lb baby spinach

1/2 cup grated romano cheese

1. Cook bacon until crisp.  Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Pour off all but 1-2 tablespoons of bacon grease.
2. Steam the asparagus just until crip tender, and set aside.
3. Steam the artichoke and set aside.
4. Add the garlic, onion, pumpkin seeds and chipotle to the bacon pan.  Saute until the onion is tender and cooked.
5. Meanwhile, cook the pasta.  Do not over cook it!

1. Drain the pasta.  Add to the pan with the vegetables in it.
2. Add the bacon and spinach.
3. Stir the pasta, mixing in a the ingredients well.  Continue stirring over the heat just until the spinach begins to wilt.
4. Sprinkle with the Romano cheese and serve immediately with more grated cheese.

images;(c) marye audet 2009

Post from: Baking Delights

I have such a backlog of recipes and cookbooks that I could probably cook something different, three times a day, all year long, until I died and I would still never have to repeat anything.  I love vintage cookbooks for several reasons, but the main one is practicality.

Now, if you are reading this, and you have the perfect family of 4 people you can buy any cookbook and follow a recipe with out a glitch. But when you have 6 or 8 or 12 people ot cook for then you need a vintage cookbook.  They are family friendly.

Anyway.  Our garden is producing okra like gangbusters and  we are eating tons of it.I needed a recipe that would use alot of okra, a little meat, and everyone would eat so I browsed my 1948 Cooking for American Homemakers..I think it is 1948….anyway….Oops..nope it was the 1954 Federation of Women’s Clubs, America Cooks,cookbook.  There.  Whew.

Honesty is important don’t you think?

Anyway, this recipe is great.  Okra is in season now here in Texas and will continue to be until it gets cold.  Fresh okra, fresh tomatoes, a good amount of onions and some ground beef is a great, quick lunch or supper meal.  The recipe called for it to be served over rice but I preferred egg noodles.  This my submission in Presto Pasta Night.  This week it is hosted by Abby of Eat the Right Stuff.  Head over there and check out the other pasta meals..they are awesome every week.

Turkish Beef and Noodles

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 3 medium onions chopped
• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 pounds of okra, sliced (I used more)
• 1 quart home-canned tomatoes or 4 cups of fresh tomatoes chopped or 2 big cans of Muir Glen Fire Roasted tomatoes
• 2 green peppers, chopped
• 1 teaspoon chipotle (o.k..ya got me, that was not in the original recipe but it was good)
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 3 cups beef broth or water
• 2 lbs of egg noodles cooked

1. Brown the onion and the beef in the oil in a large saucepan.
2.  Add all the remaining ingredients except the noodles.
3. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes
4. Serve over the noodles

Serves 8  generously, with leftovers.

This is definitely one of those mid-century comfort foods. It freezes well so would be great for OAMC, or you could do it in a slow cooker…all in all it is the perfect dish for a busy night.

Images:Marye Audet

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I have learned to love Muir Glen Fire Roasted tomatoes.  They add a smoky bite to everything I have put them in.

Our green beans are just starting to stop producing. I didn’t plant enough this year so I haven’t canned any at all.  I thought about putting in more but I think my time is too limited at the moment to care for them.

Anyway, the okra begins to produce just about the time that the green beans stop. We didn’t have enough for fried okra, only a few tender pods…so I sliced them up with some onions, and other things from the garden, added a can of fire roasted tomatoes and some fresh cilantro..and mixed some whole wheat rotini into the whole thing. Wow! With a little cheese, it was awesome.

It makes a great vegetarian main dish, or a side dish for chicken.

This is my entry for Pasta Presto Night. Check it out for more pasta dishes.

1 lb of whole wheat rotini, cooked

3 tbs olive oil

1 cup sliced okra

1 cup chopped chard

1/2 c chopped onion tops

1/2 cup sliced celery

1 onion, peeled and chopped

2 cloves garlic

2 jalapenos, chopped (add more or less to taste)

4 tomatoes, peeled and chopped

1/4 cup fresh cilantr0, chopped

1 can Muir Glen Fire Roasted Tomato Sauce

1 cup shredded cheese of choice

Sautee onions , garlic, and celery in the oil for a few minutes until softened. Add the okra, jalapenos, tomatoes, sauce, chard, and onion tops.  Simmer until okrai s soft, about 10 minutes.

Mix in cooked pasta and cilantro.  Remove from heat and sprinkle with cheese.

Image:Marye Audet 

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When I am in a rush, and I seem to often be rushed lately, nothing goes on the table quite as quickly as a pasta dish.

There are times I like to make fresh pasta but I always keep a couple of packages of organic whole wheat, and organic semolina pasta on the shelf for “Those Days”.

This was a fantastic hit at my house.  The pasta was garlicky and olive-y with just a hint of fresh tomato taste.  Fresh basil adds a nice touch.  I used elephant garlic but use what you have on hand.  If you are substituting regular garlic for elephant garlic use about 5 good sized cloves.

This is my entry for Presto Pasta Night.  This week it is being hosted by Hillary of Chew on That. Thanks Hillary!

Pasta, Garlic, and Olives 

1 lb of pasta cooked a la dente

1 c widely grated mozzarella or  parmesan

Sauce: 

3 tbs olive oil

1 clove elephant garlic, sliced thinly

1 onion, chopped

8 oz black olives, your choice

1/2 c fresh basil, chopped

2 c chopped fresh tomatoes or a big can of Muir Glen diced tomatoes.

1 tsp dried chipotle (optional- it adds a spicy smoky flavor)

Saute the onion, chipotle, and garlic slowly in the olive oil until the onion is transparent. Do not let it brown.  Add the tomatoes and the olives and warm through.  I like to leave the olives whole but you can slice them if you like.  Kalamata olives are fantastic in this, I just didn’t happen to have any the day I took this picture.  Now, mix the drained pasta into the sauce, sprinkle with fresh basil and then top with the mozzarella or parmesan.  This is great hot or at room temperature.

Pasta Presto! Serves 10

Image:Marye Audet 

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Got you with that title, didn’t I?

This is my submission for Presto Pasta.  Check out Ruth’s blog for more great pasta recipes!

There is nothing all that special about this, or all that involved.  The fantastic flavors depend on the ingredients.  Totally.  I used an organic semolina penne, cooked a la dente for the pasta.

The sauce was simply a couple of cans of fire-roasted Muir Glen tomatoes, onions, peppers, garlic (lots!), fresh cilantro from the garden and……buffalo.  Sprinkle with some  grated pepper jack cheese and you are good to go.

I don’t know if you have ever tried buffalo but I really like it.  It is generally organic, grass fed, no hormones.  It is very low fat.

But the flavor? Ah…it tastes like meat used to taste, back in the day. Not smushy or watery..just good beefy flavor that handles salt and pepper well.  Cost-wise it is similar to organic grass fed beef.

When I was at Target the other day I noticed that they were carrying both organic ground beef and ground buffalo, for about the same price.

If you haven’t tried it, and you like beef,  you should.  When you are browning the meat keep in mind that this is an exceptionally low fat product, and you need to watch it so it doesn’t stick!

I made a salad of organic spring greens to go with it and a simple olive oil based vinaigrette.  After I dressed the salad I tossed in a handful of lavender buds. WOW! Everyone loved it!

Content and Image:Marye Audet ,   for Baking Delights 

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This is my entry this week in Ruth’s Pasta Presto night.   It goes up every friday and if you want some great pasta ideas THAT is the place to get them!

Over on Kettle and Cup I had gotten started talking about the tea room Marc and I had for awhile.  Some good memories, some bad….

Anyway, one of the favorite items on the menu was this pasta salad.  We used it as a side and often people chose it over our fresh cut french fries or homemade onion rings.  And my onion rings are ROCKIN’.  Seriously. We used to go through a ton of this stuff. It is fat free, believe it or not, but it does have rather alot of sugar to balance the vinegar.  The result is a sweet/sour vinaigrette with alot of basil and oregeno flavor.  It does make an awesome side dish, or you can add grilled chicken or shrimp for a meal.  You must use purple onions, and you must put in a full handful of Italian Seasoning. Trust me.

Let is sit overnight if possible, or all day.  It needs at least 4 hours for the flavors to mellow.  Be prepared to make this ALOT.

2 lbs of rigatoni

1 purple onion, coarsely chopped

2 cans back olives, sliced

1 handful mixed Spagetti  seasoning or Italian seasoning

Equal parts of cider vinegar and sugar..adjust to your taste. About 1 c of each.  I like a little more sugar than vinegar. (This is NOT rocket science)

Coarse sea salt to taste (you won’t need much)

Cook the rigatoni until over done. Yep. Overdone. Nope. I am not kidding. Do not try this with a la dente pasta it won’t work.  It needs to be very cooked, but still hold it’s shape.

Drain.  Pour the vinegar and sugar mixture over the pasta.  Dump the handful of herbs on it.  Mix thoroughly and let cool.  Add the onion and black olives and mix well.  Chill overnight.  Serves 12.

Image:MaryeAudet 

Content:Marye Audet Baking Delights 

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