This dish really does need a strong pasta to handle it. I recommend whole wheat because it has a firmer texture and the nutty flavor is perfect. The rich sauce is tangy but it cools the heat of the peppers.The cumin’s warm, earthiness pulls it all together into creamy, spicy perfection. Normally I would not serve corn with pasta- it is just too weird but you know what? Corn works here. I like to leave it on the cob and rest it up by the pasta but you can add the kernels to the dish as well.

I think this pasta is addictive.  This is my submission to Presto Pasta Nights. This week it is hosted by Daphne of More Than Words.

Fettucine Creme Fraiche

• 2 lbs wholewheat pasta, cooked and drained
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 2 large onions, peeled and chopped
• 4 zucchini, diced
• 8 ears of corn, cut in half and cooked
• 1 poblano, seeded and chopped
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 cups shredded colby-jack cheese
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 2 cups creme fraiche or sour cream

1. Saute the zucchini, peppers, onions, and garlic in the olive oil until just tender. This works great in a wok.
2. Stir in the cumin.
3. Add the drained fettucine and stir well.
4. Stir in the cilantro and creme fraiche until all is well mixed and the pasta is coated.
5. Sprinkle with the cheese
6. Serve with the buttered corn on the side.

Serves 8

Tomorrow is my biopsy at 2:45. I have several posts scheduled over the next few days but I may not be available to answer questions. I just want to thank you guys for reading, for encouraging me, and for praying for me. You have been awesome, you have been friends, and I am grateful to count you among my many blessings. I am not looking forward to this thing but I am not worried about it either. I plan on posting on Thursday to let you know how it went, but in case I am unable to I wanted you to know why.

image: marye audet

Post from: Baking Delights

Now, you ask, why oh why would I give a pasta dish a french moniker? Simple. Classic french ingredients. Chevre, spinach, lavender buds… You can substitute more cream cheese for the chevre but it won ‘t be quite as tangy. If you can find a local dairy that makes homemade chevre then go for itl. That is what I use.

This is my entry to Presto Pasta for this week, hosted by Sara of I’m a Food Blog.

Pasta avec Trois Fromages

• 1 lb pasta, your choice, cooked and drained
• 4 oz. of fresh chevre
• 4 oz. of cream cheese
• 4 oz. raclette or mozzerella
• 1 lb fresh baby spinach
• 1/4 cup culinary grade lavender buds
• 1 1/2 cup half and half or raw goat’s milk
• 2 tbs unsalted butter
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 375F
2. Place the pasta in a buttered casserole.
3. Mix in the spinach, no need to cook.
4. Soften the chevre, cream cheese and raclette in the microwave and stir in the milk. Microwave until smooth.
5. Add the lavender buds, salt and pepper.Pour over the pasta.
6. Bake for 35 -40 minutes until top is crusty

serves 6

Post from: Baking Delights

I’d like to be under the sea
In an octopus’ garden in the shade
He’d let us in, knows where we’ve been
In his octopus’ garden in the shade

This is a very kid friendly dish. I saw it somewhere on the internet and I don’t know where, so if I swiped this great idea from you please let me know and I will giveyou due credit and blog linkage.

How cute are these octopi?  And it really does not get easier.  Ramen noodles, spinach, and hot dogs.  That’s it.  A quick and super simple lunch or dinner…or even after school snack.  You could do the same with spagetti or fettucine noodles.  Just slice the bottom 3/4 of the hot dog lengthwise into 8 sections, leaving them attached to the hot dog at the top.  When you boil them the cut part will curl up with a mind of its  own, more or less, and you will have octopi look alikes.  Cook the spinach in with the ramen noodles and there you have it!  A great, kid friendly meal.

This is my entry to Presto Pasta.    This week’s Presto Pasta is hosted by Katie, One Little Corner of the World.  To submit your own pasta dish follow the guidelines found here. Ruth, of Once Upon A Feast, is the brilliant mind behind Presto Pasta and this is number 109!!!

Images:Marye Audet

Post from: Baking Delights

First, don’t forget about Presto Pasta tomorrow.  I am hosting and you won’t believe some of the amazing dishes submitted so far…but I know I am missing one…YOURS! Be sure to submit it soon.

Second, the cool folks at Eggology are doing a promotion for Earth Day.  They emailed me and asked me to ask YOU to participate.  It’s because you guys are so cool, you know, everyone wants to be your friend.

Anyway.  They are inviting you to let them know what you are doing to respect the environment; at home, at the office, where ever.  Just go to the Eggology Blog for details  or submit your eco-deed directly via Eggology’s website You could win a case of organic egg whites.  They will also be donating a percentage of their online sales to Earth Day Network.

Don’t miss out!

image:Presto Pasta Nights, used with permission.

Post from: Baking Delights

Anyway I get to host PPN 108..Can you believe it? ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHT!  One hundred eight weeks of yummy pasta.  So, put your pasta thinking caps on, and please make me look good here.  Daring Bakers, you DO have a pasta dish for PPN 108, as I recall!

I have been working on a star shaped ravioli recipe, and I am hoping to share it for PPN 108.  We’ll see what happens this weekend.

How to enter? Simple!

Just create your pasta dish.  Blog it and send me a link, your name, blog, and image (no bigger than 400px, please) to maudet8816ATaolDOTcom.  CC a copy to RuthAT4everykitchenDOTcom.  That’s it!  Easy!

So, let’s recap.

• Pasta
• Next Friday, April 10
• Be here or be uncool

Now…today Ruth is hosting Presto Pasta so you better head over there for your carb fix.  Three different mac and cheeses? Wow.

image:Presto Pasta

Post from: Baking Delights

This is my entry for Presto Pasta Nights, but it may not be my only one.  It is Presto Pasta Night’s 100th posting date and I wanted to do something special..This was incredible but I am still working on a more incredible birthday surprise..which may or may not work.

Seriously.  Cajun Black Bean Fettuccine. Yum.  You have to like spice for this…and you have to go to Bacon Freaks and get the cajun bacon.

This is spicy.  And different.  And good.

Cajun Black Bean Fettuccine

1/2 lb cajun bacon, chopped (you can use less if you like)

2 onions, chopped

2 cans organic black beans, drained

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 lb fettuccine, cooked and drained

Sour Cream for garnish

Saute bacon until almost done.  Add the onion and garlic.  Saute until the onion is transparent and tender.  Pour off the fat and reserve.

Add the black beans and toss together.  Add about a tablespoon of the bacon fat to the fettuccine and toss to coat the fettuccine.  Place the pasta on a plate and top with black bean and bacon mixture.

Serve with sour cream garnish, avocado on the side, a sour dough baguette, and lots of water.

serves 6-8

images: marye audet (c) 2009

Post from: Baking Delights

This is my entry for this weeks Presto Pasta night hosted by Haalo of  Cook Almost Anything.

One of my favorite things to experiment with is pesto.  It is just so darn good!  I like to grow different kinds of basil because each one adds a different complexity to the pesto.

Then I started experimenting with different herbs as the basic ingredients.  I found that one of my favorite spins on fresh pesto is to make it with cilantro and pecans.

Welcome to Texas.

To me the combination is fresh, rich, and delicious.  It gives it a nice twist.

Here is the recipe for the cilantro pesto.  Go ahead and make it first, that way the ingredients will mellow while you are making the rest of it.

Rotini Pasta with Mascarpone and Cilantro Pesto

• 1 pound rotini pasta or other shapes that will hold the sauce, cooked a la dente
• 8 oz mascarpone cheese
• 1/4 cup cream
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 cup pesto or more to taste
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• a few chopped cilantro leaves

1. Drain the pasta.
2. Heat the mascarpone and the cream together until very well blended and creamy.
3. Adjust seasonings.
4. Stir the pasta into the cream mixture.  Blend well so that the pasta is well coated.
5. Stir in the pesto and parmesan and toss the hot pasta so that the pesto is evenly mixed in.
6. Place on the serving platter and sprinkle with pecans, cilantro and a little more parmesan.

That’s it.  Another really simple recipe from me.  I must be getting lazy.

No worries there.  Daring Bakers is coming up. :/

images:marye audet

Post from: Baking Delights

(c)marye audet 2008

O.k. I admit it.  This is nothing more than macaroni and cheese.  I promised the kids macaroni and cheese and there was no way I could change mid stream…

Or was there?

I love artichokes any way that they are made and I have from the very first time I had them.  That was way back when Marc and I were first married and living just off Presidio in Monterey California.  Let me tell you, it might be a fantastic place to honeymoon but it is EVEN BETTER place to spend the first four months of marriage!

This is your basic macaroni and cheese with mozzarella and a good Parmesan substituted for the cheese you would normally use.  And, of course, the addition of artichokes.  I think that this would be fantastic with a spinach and walnut ravioli in place of the macaroni.

This is an awesome vegetarian dish, perfect for a lunch or light dinner.

This is my entry to this weeks’ Presto Pasta Night, hosted by C, of Foodie Tots.  For more information about Presto Pasta check out the  Presto Pasta Website.

Artichoke & Parmesan Pasta

• 1 lb pasta, cooked
• 1 1/2 cups mozzarella
• 1/2 cup Parmesan
• 1 large can artichoke hearts, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup milk or half and half
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Saute the onion in a little olive oil until transparent.
2. MIx the onion and the cooked pasta in a buttered 13×9 inch casserole dish
3. Add the artichokes and combine well
4. Pour the milk over the pasta mixture and stir it in.
5. Add the cheese, salt and pepper
6. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes

This serves about 8 people at my house but it is probably more like 12-16 servings.  It freezes well so make a batch and divide it up for a couple of meals.

image:marye audet

Post from: Baking Delights

Oddly enough there was a little bit of the creamed spinach left.  And, not so oddly enough I needed a quick side dish.

I took the left over creamed spinach, thinned it down with some cream (yeah, what else?) and stirred it into the cooked fettucine.  Added a handful of toasted, chopped pistachios and there it was…Presto pasta in the truest sense of the word.

And it was perfect.  So much so that next time I am doubling the creamed spinach recipe so I can have more leftover!

This is vey rich…I think it is better suited for shrimp, crab, or scallops if you are going to add a protein.  It seems to me that chicken would get lost in the richness of the dish.  In fact…the more I think about it the more appealing the idea of crab is in this dish…hmmm…

Image:marye audet (c) 2008

Post from: Baking Delights

This is my entry for this week’s presto pasta.  It’s kind of embarrassing because it is so simple that there isn’t even really a recipe.

A few weeks ago I was given a large amount of on-the-edge tomatoes.  I tossed them in the crockpot with garlic, basil, oregeno, onion, and various other sauce ingredients, let them simmer for several hours, and then pureed them and canned them in quart jars.  It was alot of work but I was so glad to have created 8 quarts of free spagetti sauce base!

Things have been nuts around here with the last quarter of the cookbook (sprint, Marye, sprint!) and Matt starting college and totally messing up my schedule…again.. I miss the days when the kids were small and life was predictible.  Anyway..for the first time in memory I have things like leftovers in the fridge. I know, I know..it is so WEIRD!

Yesterday we had a little of this and a little of that…some zucchini but not enough for a meal, part of an onion, a couple of green peppers…..I immediately thought of a fresh pasta sauce with all of those great vegetables tossed in.  There is almost no way I can give you a recipe for this because I used homemade sauce, and then leftovers…but you can do the same thing.  The best way to put this together is to use the crockpot on low for about 4 to 6 hours.

Lots of great vegetables do well in a pasta sauce, so when you have one limp carrot, for example, chop it, grate it, or slice it and toss it in to the sauce. Vegetables that I have used are:

• zucchini
• yellow squash
• carrots
• celery
• spinach
• onion
• shallots
• leeks
• mushrooms
• okra
• peppers of all sorts
• eggplant
• tomatoes
• chopped green beans

Add whatever you like to the sauce and toss in some basil, oregeno, salt, pepper, garlic, a stem of rosemary, about 2 tablespoons good olive oil…cooked leftover meat..shrimp…whatever …(told you this was easy)…

After it has filled the house with an incredible aroma for several hours,  cook enough pasta a la dente for your family and spoon the sauce over the pasta and serve…

This doesn’t even feel like a real recipe..LOL!

It is a great way to get rid of all the leftovers and have an easy meal that everyone will love!

Image:Marye Audet

Post from: Baking Delights