Rigatoni Rosa with Shrimp

As promised, here is a post about this Penna Rosa with Shrimp recipe.

This pasta was creamy, with a nice flavour.  In the future, I would definitely add fat-free greek yogurt to dishes, in lieu of heavy cream.  The shrimp was a great addition of protein, without adding a lot of calories.  As usual, I didn't follow the recipe to the letter, so I will share my rendition.

Serves:  4  (BIG servings!)

Nutritional Information:  466 calories, 6.5g fat, 3g fiber, 34g protein

Ingredients:

• 300g of penne or rigatoni
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp crushed garlic
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 pkg of mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 red pepper, julienned
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• salt and pepper
• 12 oz of shrimp (about 48 medium shrimp)
• 4 c. spinach
• 3/4 c. crushed tomatoes (or marinara sauce if you don't want to season)
• 1/3 c. fat-free Greek yogurt (I like Liberté Plain Greek Yogurt 0%)
• 1 tbsp Litehouse freeze-dried Italian Herb Blend
• 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta to slightly al dente.  Drain and set aside.  As the pasta is cooking, prep the veggies and shrimp.
2. Heat the olive oil on medium in a very large skillet or wok.  Cook the garlic and onion until they are soft.
3. Increase the heat to medium high and add the mushrooms, red pepper and tomatoes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook until the mushrooms release their liquids.
4. Add the shrimp and cook for around 2 minutes, until the shrimp are pink.
5. Remove the skillet from the burner.  Spread the spinach over the top and place the lid on the skillet.  Let it sit for around 2 minutes to wilt the spinach.
6. While the spinach is wilting, mix up the tomato sauce, Greek yogurt and Italian seasoning.
7. Return the skillet to low heat.  Toss in the pasta and let it cook for a few moments, allowing it to release some of the sugars.  Add the sauce and mix it in.  Let the pasta cook up the sauce for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the pasta is tender.
8. Served topped with the parm cheese.

Roasted Sole and Penne tossed with Roasted Vegetables and Goat Cheese

This was a super easy supper, it came together in less then 30 minutes.  The directions sound a bit complicated, because there is a lot going on at the same time, but it just assures that everything is ready at the same time.  My photo of this dish is hideous, but it actually presents really nicely in person.  You could serve the pasta with chicken or shrimp, but the sole was definitely a nice change!

Serves:  4
Source:  A SarahSmiles original!

Ingredients:

• Sole fillets (8 small or 4 large)
• Lemon juice
• 9 oz (250 g) penne
• 1 +1 tbsps Kirkland Rustic Tuscan Seasoning (or similar seasoning blend)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 c. green beans, cut into thirds
• 1 red pepper, julienned
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 8 oz white mushrooms, quartered
• 3 oz goat cheese
• 1/4 c. grated parm
• Red pepper flakes, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• Minced chives for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.  Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Spray.
2. Slice the veggies and toss them in the EVOO and 1 tbsp of Tuscan seasoning.  Spread the veggies out on one of the baking sheets and put in the oven.  Set the timer for 10 minutes.
3. Put the water on to boil and add the penne to cook once the water is boiling.
4. While the veggies start roasting, place the sole on the other baking sheet and sprinkle with Tuscan seasoning and lemon juice.
5. When the 10 minute timer goes for the veggies, turn them and return them to the oven with the sole.  Roast both for 10 more minutes. 
6. When the penne and veggies are ready, toss them with the goat cheese, grated parm, red pepper flakes and pepper.
7. Serve and garnish with minced chives.

Rigatoni with Swiss Chard and Sausage

This was the cover recipe on of the November issue of Canadian Living magazine. My sister gets the magazine and we made it together on Sunday night while I was visiting her in Halifax. It was healthy, fresh and just right for a lazy (and cold!) fall evening. We added extra sausage and swiss chard, so it probably could have stood a bit more liquid, but over all, it was very good! Because we nearly doubled the recipe, we made two baking dishes of it, ate one and froze the other. Amanda put it in the freezer after assembly, but pre-baking. We'll see how it is when they go to eat it out of the freezer.

RIGATONI WITH SWISS CHARD AND SAUSAGE
Source: Canadian Living

Ingredients:
4 c. pasta
1/2 c. salted pasta water
4 italian sausages, removed from casings
1 onion, chopped
8 c. swiss chard, chopped
1/2 c. fresh basil, chopped
1 c. diced tomatoes
1 can navy beans, rinsed and drained
3 cloves of fresh garlic or 3 tsp pickled garlic
red pepper flakes
Mozza cheese
Parm cheese (I just used a package of Kraft 4 cheese Italian)

Directions:

1. Turn water on to boil pasta. Cook pasta as preparing the sauce.
2. Cook sausage meat, removed from casing, with the chopped onion. Drain fat. Add garlic, basil, red pepper flakes to taste and canned tomatoes. Simmer for 10 mins. Stir in navy beans.
3. Drain pasta, set aside 1/2 c. drained pasta water. Stir in swiss chard, pasta sauce and pasta water. Pour into baking dish. Top with italian cheese.
4. Bake at 350 F covered in foil for 20 mins. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 mins.

Maple Curry Chicken Pasta

MAPLE CURRY CHICKEN PASTA

This is a great dish from a restaurant in town. The combination sounds strange, but I promise you, it is DELICIOUS! Savoury and sweet all at once. I use whatever veggies we have on hand, but peppers, shredded carrots and onions are usually in it. You could add zucchini, mushrooms, water chestnuts, etc...



Ingredients:

• 1 package of pasta cook, slightly undercooked (I use penne noodles, but linguine is good too)
• 1 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, slightly under cooked, cut into strips or bite sized pieces
• 1 c. cream (I used milk and it tastes the same!)
• 1/4 c. maple syrup
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 2 tbsp curry paste
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, crushed (1 tbsp of jarred garlic)
• Sliced peppers (I use 3 of different colors)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 c. shredded carrots
• olive oil
• pepper
• red pepper flakes (optional, add if you like is spicy :)
• 3 green onions, chopped

Directions:

1. Cut chicken into pieces. Cook until outside is browned, but slightly pink in the centre. Set aside. I ususally grill it, but you can boil, bake or fry too.
2. Put pasta on to boil, you will add it to the sauce at the end, so try to time it accordingly.
3. In a large skillet, cook vegetables in oil and garlic until they are starting to soften. Add chicken back in skillet.
4. Sprinkle sugar or splenda over veggies and chicken. Cook for 3 mins.
5. Pour maple syrup over it, mix and let it cook for 3-5 mins, or until slightly caramelized.
6. Add curry paste and milk/cream. Simmer for 10-15 mins.
7. Strain pasta and add curry from skillet. Cook on low heat for about 5 mins covered, stirring regularly so the pasta cooks up some of the sauce. To be flavourful, this should be quite saucy, almost runny.
8. Top with chopped green onion.

**The leftovers are almost better then it is fresh, because the pasta absorbs so much sauce. YUM!

Penna a la Vodka and Honey Garlic Sausage and Peppers

I didn't have to cook supper this Sunday! Marilyn and Ann provided the food and Marlyn hosted. It was a nice break, since the last two weeks it has been challenging doing it all on my own (especially the clean-up!)

I thought I would post a couple of recipes I have made in the last few weeks that turned out well. Unfortunately, I have no photos, but next time I make either, I will take some!

Penne a la Vodka
Source: http://www.amateurgourmet.com/2009/01/penne_alla_vodk.html (with a few modifications/additions)

Ingredients:

• 1 box of penne
• 1 can of crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 c. vodka
• 10 cloves of garlic, peeled and whole
• red pepper flakes
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• grated parm cheese
• chopped parsley

Optional:

• chicken
• Shrimp
• peppers
• onion

**Timing is everything with this recipe. It is best if you have everything all chopped and ready to go, measured out, because things happen quickly!

1. Put water onto boil for pasta. Saute and chicken and veggies you will use as water is boiling. Set aside.

2. Put penne in water. Coat pan in olive oil (probably about 1/4 c.) and drop in 10 garlic cloves. Brown them.

3. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste. Boil for 2 mins.

4. Add the vodka and lower heat. Simmer until pasta is ready.

5. Add cream and swirl in.

6. Pick the garlic cloves out of the sauce, unless you like to eat whole cloves, but I would not recommend this! Drain the pasta.

6. In the pasta pot, combine pasta, sauce, veggies/chicken, fresh parsley and about 3/4 c. parm cheese. Continuously stir over low heat until pasta has absorbed sauce.

Comments: This was delicious and looked restaurant quality. I would definitely add chicken or shrimp and some veggies though, otherwise it is quite plain. Do not skimp on the fresh parsley either, it really makes the dish! Good leftovers too.

Honey Garlic Sausage and Peppers
Source: allrecipes

Ingredients:

• 1/4 c. oil
• 1/4 c. dijon mustard (or any dark spicy mustard)
• 1/3 c. honey
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 3 cloves crushed garlic
• 1 tsp ginger
• brown rice

Optional:

• honey garlic sausage (or any spicy sausage)
• chicken
• shrimp
• peppers (green and red)
• onion
• mushrooms
• shredded carrots
• chopped celery

1. Put brown rice on to cook.

2. While rice is cooking, brown meat (any one of or combination of the proteins above are great!), add veggies and sauce. Saute until veggies are desired consistency.

3. Serve over rice.

Comments: This is more a sauce recipe and you can add any protein or veggies that you want. the first time I made it, I stuck with the classic sausage, peppers and onion mix. Since then, I have branched out and added different proteings and veggies. Last Friday, I used all three proteins, shredded carrots, mushrooms, a chopped pepper, onion and celery. It was still yummy!