A New Recipe Called Mushroom Agnolotti with Corn, Tomatoes and Arugula Pan Sauce

Ok, so I cook occasionally. I won't tell you how many times I actually cooked dinner at home during the last 3 weeks because it's embarrassing.  But, I've decided to turn over a new leaf.  I've begun meal planning again.  I've decided to get some different, better food back on the table.  Because, I was in a rut.  I preferred Hamburger Mac (no one was complaining though) to something a little more healthy.

So, my first try back to interesting but easy cooking was something with a crazy name but a pretty yummy and fresh looking picture. I have also wanted to know what the hype was about arugula so, I thought this would be perfect.  Especially since Utah corn is at its prime.  Yum.  Here are a few notes:

1.  I used frozen ravioli. Costco kind with the spinach in it.  They said I could.  Agnolotti is basically ravioli.  It just sounds more special.
2.  My ravioli did not have mushroom in it.   So I actually put in some white mushrooms for my husband.  And picked them all out of my bowl at dinner time.
3. Most important discovery:  I hate arugula.  It's gross. If you like it, pardon.  But if you don't like it, you know what I'm talking about.  Andrew took a bite and said, "What tastes so bitter?"  Yeah, so we both ate around the arugula.  If you want the rest of my arugula in the fridge, it's yours.

So if I were to make this again here are the good things:

1.  Great for meatless Monday.
2. Fast
3. My corn was white and awesome and fresh and inexpensive.  Delish.
4.  It was pretty healthy.
5.  We ate it with garlic bread.   Bueno.
6.  Substitute the stinking arugula with spinach.  That would be good.  And don't put a full 5 oz in.  That's a lot.  Maybe half of that?

Theirs (Better Homes and Gardens)

Mine

The Recipe:

2 ears sweet corn on the cob
18 oz wild mushroom agnolotti or ravioli
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion thinly sliced
1 clove garlic thinly sliced (I have the jar of costco minced for ease)
2 medium tomatoes, cored and chopped
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
5 oz baby arugula (6 cups)  *too much!  Sub spinach if you don't like arugula
2 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano finely shredded (I used shredded parm)

1.  Bring large pot of salted water to boil.  Shave corn off the ears with knife and reserve.  Add the cobs and agnolotti to water, set timer for 6 min.
2.  Meanwhile, for pan sauce, heat oil in large skillet over med-high heat.  Add onion and garlic.  Cook until fragrant about2 min.
3.  Add corn kernels to skillet; cook over med-high heat until bright and crisp tender; 1 min.  Add the tomatoes (and mushrooms if adding) and toss until they begin to release some juices, about 2 min more.
4.  Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid.  Discard cobs.  Add pasta back to the pot with the reserved cooking water, corn mixture and butter.  Gently toss over low heat to melt butter.  Stir in arugula and toss until just wilted.  Divide among four bowls and top with finely grated cheese.
4 servings.

566 cal
6g fiber
(in case you were wondering)

homemade pine wreath

Well, something good had to come out my toppled pine trees in last weeks wind storm.  The top 5 ft of one of them was donated to a family who didn't have enough money for a Christmas tree.  Then, I made a homemade wreath from some of the limbs that were sitting on my curb. 

It was improvised.  I used what I had laying around (as in painters tape, zip ties and hot glue...)  But I don't think it turned out half bad.  Free Free Free.  It also needs a little more stuff on the top left portion- it's a little thin. But, who cares. 

Here is the website that I found the tutorial on.  http://www.save-on-crafts.com/wreatmakandd.html

Shush Kabobs (Apple Meatballs)

I wish this picture did it justice.  This was another good recipe I made lately.  I found it in Parents Magazine as a way to eat more apples.  The sauce that you put on them is really good.  I think I made one and one half the amount here.  I think I'd just double the amount of sauce for the amount of meatballs so that you can get enough on the rice.  Really good wish brown rice.  Yum!  I used gala apples, too.  Oh, and I had sticks and the recipe suggested using sticks to make your kids like them.  I put them on the stick for the picture then promptly took them off.  I didn't even give Nathaniel one so he didn't gouge his eye out.  Cute idea, but I'm definitely losing the stick next time I make these. Also, I didn't put my meatballs into the glaze.  I just put them on the plate and spooned glaze over them and the rice.  I'll try coating them next time and see which way I like better.

1 cup (whole-wheat) bread crumbs (I didn't have whole wheat, use any)

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 medium apple grated coarsely

1 Tbs. Dijon mustard (didn't have so I just sprinkled a little ground dried mustard in there)

1 Tbs. chopped parsley

1/4 tsp. each of salt and pepper

1 lb. ground turkey breast (I used hamburger because I didn't have turkey)

2 Tbs. vegetable oil

1/2 cup apple juice or cider

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

1.  In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs, cheese, egg, apple, mustard, parsley, salt and pepper.  Mix well.  Add turkey (or hamburger) meat and fold into wet mixture until just combined.

2. In frying pan (I used my big electric skillet), heat oil on medium.  Roll meat mixture into 12 balls.  Fry, turning frequently until meatballs are browned and cooked through, about 15 minutes.

3. Glaze: In a pot, mix apple juice, maple syrup and vinegar.  Simmer over low heat until reduced by half, about 15 minutes.  Toss meatballs in glaze, thread three onto each stick.  Makes 4 servings.  



Chicken Sausage Oven Roasted Pasta Primavera

I know!  It's a post.  Shocking.  This is a really good one from realmomkitchen.com  Andrew loved the mushrooms and I shoved all of them into his portion.  Great way to get the hubs to eat veggies.  I'm making it again tonight!  Here's the link!

Chicken Sausage Oven Roasted Pasta Primavera

veggies and noodles with thai coconut curry sauce

I got the recipe for this on the Our Best Bites website (linked on the left of the blog). You can find it here. It's a knock off of Noodles & Co Bangkok Curry, which I'm now considering ordering on my next visit there. Yum.

I don't like curry. This doesn't taste like "curry". It uses red curry paste, which I actually had lying around in the fridge. I also happened to have coconut milk in my cupboard. This really hit the spot with me tonight. Even Nathaniel ate it up, which really shocked me!

A couple of notes:

1. I used fresh broccoli and fresh carrots instead of the stir fry mix. I didn't blanch them first, I just threw them in the wok the same time as the red peppers and it was fine. With sitting for 5 minutes in the sauce to thicken, they soften even more. If they're soft once you add the sauce, I'd imagine they'd get a little limp.

2. I did half the recipe. Probably a smart idea. But, after I ate my 3 lbs and Thanny ate some, there's probably enough for Andrew to eat for dinner when he gets home and not a whole lot of left overs. So I may actually make the whole thing next time!

3. As a lover of sweet chili sauce- you do not have to go to the Asian market to find it. They have two brands in the Asian section of Smiths. Just so you know. (P.S. If you've never had sweet chili sauce, try it with sour cream and dip potato wedges in it. I ate this all the time in Australia- they even had sour cream and sweet chili potato chips in the store there, America needs to get with the program and get some of those. yum!)

Follow the link (the word "here") for the recipe.

Potato Leek Soup

This is a recipe that my mom makes. Andrew had it the summer we lived out there and has loved it ever since. I guess I was craving it today and it tasted so good. Plus, it was a good meal for meatless monday. I was going to post another recipe I made last week or the week before. But, it didn't settle well with me and the left overs made me nausiated. Needless to say, I'm not posting that one. I found some yummy rosemary olive oil bread on the reduced price rack at Smith's today that was really good with it. I just toasted it and put a little butter on it. I dipped and just ate. I also ate a little too much... my tummy was kind of in a little pain afterwards. But it was so worth it!

Potato Leek Soup

1 1/2 cups minced leeks

1/4 cup minced onion

1 large garlic clove, minced

3 Tbs. minced carrot

4 Tbl. butter

4 cups chicken stock

1 1/2 cups diced potatoes

1/2 cup heavy cream

salt and pepper

Sautee leeks, onions, carrot and garlic in butter. Add chicken stock and potatoes to large pot, along with sauteed vegetables. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer until potatoes are cooked. Put the soup into blender to puree, doing a little at a time. Return to pot; add cream. Reheat without boiling. Add seasonings. If too thick, thin with a little half and half or milk.

Day 2: Turkey Burgers, Roasted Broccoli, Roasted Smashed Potatoes

Today I made turkey burgers. They were tasty! I really liked them. The potatoes were not worth the time. I would have rather had red potato oven fries. And they would have been so much easier.

Turkey Burgers

Ingredients

1	turkey thigh , about 2 pounds, skinned and boned (or 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless thighs) cut into 1-inch chunks; arranged on sheet pan; frozen until semifirm, about 30 minutes
1/2	teaspoon table salt
1/2	teaspoon ground black pepper
2	teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2	teaspoons Dijon mustard
1	tablespoon vegetable oil or canola oil

Instructions

Mix together. I pan-fried them. They would be awesome grilled. I used ground turkey and added a scoop of ricotta cheese (that's would the directions suggested). Definitely a keeper.


Roasted Smashed Potatoes

This recipe is designed to work with potatoes 1½ to 2 inches in diameter; do not use potatoes any larger. It is important to thoroughly cook the potatoes so that they will smash easily. Remove the potatoes from the baking sheet as soon as they are done browning—they will toughen if left too long. A potato masher can also be used to “smash” the potatoes.

Ingredients

2	pounds small Red Bliss potatoes (about 18), scrubbed (see note)
6	tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1	teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
	Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Adjust oven racks to top and bottom positions and heat oven to 500 degrees. Arrange potatoes on rimmed baking sheet, pour ¾ cup water into baking sheet, and wrap tightly with aluminum foil. Cook on bottom rack until paring knife or skewer slips in and out of potatoes easily (poke through foil to test), 25 to 30 minutes. Remove foil and cool 10 minutes. If any water remains on baking sheet, blot dry with paper towel.

2. Drizzle 3 tablespoons oil over potatoes and roll to coat. Space potatoes evenly on baking sheet and place second baking sheet on top; press down firmly on baking sheet, flattening potatoes until 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle with thyme leaves and season generously with salt and pepper; drizzle evenly with remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Roast potatoes on top rack 15 minutes. Transfer potatoes to bottom rack and continue to roast until well browned, 20 to 30 minutes longer. Serve immediately.

Check them the last time earlier. They got a little burned. Like I said, I wasn't super impressed.

Roasted broccoli is super easy. Cut, drizzle with olive oil, season with kosher salt and pepper. Roast in a 425 degree oven for about 15 minutes. You will never eat broccoli any other way. Ever.