See?

This is one of those “Dear Lord what am I cooking tonight?” dishes. The refrigerator was skimpy and so was the pantry. I used to have a regular day for everything…Grocery shop on Monday,clean on Tuesday and Wednesday, day off on Thursday, paperwork and scheduling on Friday…

Please note the words “used to”. Now I get so busy I forget to shop and then we have the unique meals that would totally ruin any reputation as a foodie I have. I have not yet lowered myself to the point of making peanut butter ravioli with jelly sauce..but I am not saying it couldn’t happen…

This was made of a few scraps of Fontina, some left over pecans, a whisp of celery and a couple of spinach leaves that would have had to go to the chickens by the next day..

Yumm…sounds appetizing doesn’t it? Just remember; it isn’t you you start…it’s how you finish!

This makes a great luncheon dish, side dish, or vegetarian main course. There is lots of flavors and textures happening on the plate. If I make it again I am going to try adding some unpeeled, chopped apples just lightly sauteed. I wish I would have thought of it this time.

A friend of mine saw Maple Pepper on a trip to New Hampshire. She sent me a jar of it and…wowza! That stuff is potent. If you don’t have access to the maple pepper, add a tablespoon of maple syrup to the vegetables at the end of saute time, and add a finely chopped chipotle pepper in adobo as well.

Need a menu? Try this with:

Autumn Dinner

Autumn Pasta with Fontina and Pecans

Honey Glazed Roasted Parsnips and Carrots

Baguette or  Rosemary Cracked Pepper Bread

Apple Bundt Cake

This is my entry for Presto Pasta Night. PPN is the brain-child of Ruth of Once Upon a Feast and Abby of Eat th Right Stuff is the hostess for this week.

Autumn Pasta with Fontina and Pecans

• 1 lb  whole wheat penne, cooked a la dente
• 1/2 to 1 cup pecans, chopped and  toasted*
• 1 cup fresh baby spinach cut on a chiffonade**
• 4 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup mushrooms of choice, sliced ( a mixture of several is nice here)
• 4 oz fontina, grated
• 1/2 tsp maple pepper
• salt to taste
• olive oil and butter combo for saute pan (about 2 tbs each)

*To toast pecans toss them in a heavy pan and stir over medium high heat watching that they don’t burn.

**To cut chiffonade: layer several spinach leaves on top of each other. Roll up tightly and then cut horizontally very thinly. You will end up with thin strips of spinach.

1. Saute onion, garlic, and celery in pan until just soft
2. Add mushrooms and saute until done
3. Add maple pepper and stir well
4. Put penne in a large serving bowl, spoon ingredients over the top
5. Add pecans, fontina, and spinach
6. Toss lightly and serve immediately with extra fontina

serves 4-6 (8-10 appetizer or side dish servings)

image:marye audet

Post from: Baking Delights

I love pasta.  It is quick, cheap, easy, and filling..what more can you ask?

This is my entry for Presto Pasta.

Ruth is hosting it this week so go by her blog tomorrow and check out the awesome creations!

• 2 lbs penne pasta, cooked a la dente
• 2 pounds sweet Italian sausage, taken from the casings
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 cup chopped bell pepper
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup red wine if desired
• 1 pint homemade or organic marinara
• 1 large can Muir Glen Fire Roasted tomatoes
•   2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Fontina

Brown the sausage, onions, peppers, and garlic in the olive oil until the sausage is cooked through.  Add the marinara, wine,  and fire roasted tomatoes, as well as the mushrooms and simmer for a few minutes to allow the flavors to blend.

Preheat oven to 400

Place the penne in a casserole and pour the sauce over it,  stir to blend.  Sprinkle cheese over the top.

Bake for 20 minutes, until heated through and top is bubbly and starting to brown.

Image:marye audet

Post from: Baking Delights

When Marc and I were at Presidio we new an instructor that went out every weekend mushrooming. He must have been pretty good at it, he was only hospitalized once.

When I think of Monterey I think of a lot of fresh foods. I haven’t been back there in over 25 years but back then it had a great small town feel, lots of fresh produce and sea food, and some wonderful memories.

This dish is named Pasta Monterey because it has mushrooms and lots of fresh produce, as well as Monterey Jack cheese. The sauce is creamy and delicate….and the flavors are perfectly, in my opinion, combined.

I served it with a Blueberry Walnut Salad with Lemon, Lavender and Ginger Dressing, and Mexican Chocolate pudding. I will try to get those recipes posted soon.

Use any type of pasta you want in the salad, I used Da Vinci organic penne and it was perfect.

This is my submission for Presto Pasta! Michelle at Greedy Gourmet is hosting and you know she is going to do an amazing job! Check out the site for more Presto Pasta dishes…and..if you need a good wine recommendation, you know, Cathy is brilliant at that.

Pasta Monterey

1 lb cooked pasta

2 cups chopped mixed mushrooms: portabella, button, enoki, morels, whatever…

2 green peppers chopped

2 red peppers chopped

2 cloves garlic chopped

1 onion chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 bunch green onion for garnish

1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

salt and pepper to taste

Saute the peppers, onions, garlic, and mushrooms in the olive oil until soft. Stir often.Add the cream and simmer until mixture is reduced by 1/4 and slightly thickened. Add the butter, taste and adjust seasonings. Add to the penne and toss to coat the pasta. sprinkle cheese and chopped green onion over all and toss just before serving.

Serves 8

Image: Marye Audet 

Post from: Baking Delights

This is my entry for the Presto Pasta Night Round-up. Head over there and check out the rest of the pasta dishes. They are always amazing.

I discovered whole foods (not Whole Foods, that came later) sometime in the very early 1980s. Yep. Before it was cool. We were vegan for several years and then vegetarian for several years after that.

We still eat a diet that is not average for Americans. It is very vegetable based with more meat in winter than in summer. We try to eat locally and about 90% of what we eat is either home grown or organic.

I like whole grains in most things. Now, back in the day, I made cookies and cakes with fresh ground whole wheat flour; however I am not likely to do that now, relying on organic white flour for cakes and such.

However, I still love whole wheat bread and pasta! The flavor, when paired with a bold sauce, is unforgettable.

In this dish I used vegetarian “meat balls” although you could certainly use sausage or ground beef. The trick with vegetarian “meat balls” is to put them in the sauce at the last minute rather than simmering them for a long time. They will break apart.

I use Nates, but you can use any type available.

This is great to make ahead. It, like most pasta dishes, is better the day after it is made and can be held up to three days in the fridge. It also freezes well for once a month cooking plans (oamc). Just be sure to set some of the sauce aside for when you warm it up. It will be moister that way.

Vegan Whole Wheat Penne Portabello

1 lb of whole wheat penne, homemade or commercial

1 package Nate’s Meatless-meatballs, zesty italian flavor

For Sauce:

1/4 c olive oil

1/4 c fresh basil

1/4 c fresh oregano

1/4 c chopped garlic

1 tbs sugar or honey

1 diced red pepper

1 diced green pepper

1 diced yellow pepper

Diced hot pepper of choice (ancho is good, I prefer chipotle)-to taste..be careful not to get it too spicy. Start with a couple of tablespoons fresh pepper or a teaspoon dried chipotle.

2 onions, diced

3 portabello mushrooms chopped

1 quart homemade stewed tomatoes, or 2 cans Muir Glen fire roasted tomatoes.

In a large pan saute all ingredients, except the tomatoes and honey, until soft. Add tomatoes and honey, and simmer for 1 hour. Remove from heat and let sit for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

Boil the pasta in a generous amount of salted water until a la dente. Drain.

Heat sauce back up. Add meatballs and simmer until warmed through. Serve over pasta.

Serves 12.

Image: Marye Audet

Content:Marye Audet for Baking Delights.

Post from: Baking Delights