Category Archives: Pasta

Mediterranean Pasta

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I’ll never forget the first time I had this pasta.

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It was the end of the summer of 2011. I had just returned home from working in Florida for the summer. I was at my parents house, and Greg was there, too. My mom had told me that she just made a new pasta recipe and she could not wait for me to try it.

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We sat outside for this meal and I remember sitting there, huge plate of pasta in front of me.

I will never forget that first bite. I’m like that. I forget a lot of things (like important things). But I never forget the first bite of something completely decadent.

I don’t remember exactly how much I ate that night, but I know that it was a lot. That pasta was like the best new thing for me.

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My mom and I have each made this pasta many times since that night in summer of 2011. This version, the one I am sharing with you today, is my favorite way to do it. It is a staple dinner, although admittedly, one that I haven’t made for awhile. It was so nice to have this pasta again. 

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The first time I ate this Mediterranean pasta, it had shrimp in it. It is amazing that way. If you have a desire to put shrimp in it, do it. You’ll be happy. But rest assured, it is just as good without. For a quick yet delicious weeknight dinner, I prefer it without. It comes together more quickly. 

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The roasted tomatoes in this pasta are mind-blowing. Use any tomatoes that you have. We often times use cherry tomatoes, but when I made it for this post, I had a couple of different varieties from Three Springs. The flavor + texture that roasted tomatoes lend to pasta is truly perfect. Add in some feta cheese and you’ll never want another pasta again. Promise.

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I load my Mediterranean pasta with spinach for health and bulk. I love me some pasta loaded with greens. And olives, a Mediterranean staple, are fantastic in this. 

You’ll see in the recipe that I gave ranges for the amount of feta and olives you add. Use more or less depending on your own specific taste. The combination of flavors is what is important, the amounts are up to you. 🙂

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This is a simple, healthy and filling meal. I hope that you get to try this pasta and that your first bite is just as memorable as mine. 🙂

Mediterranean Pasta
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Ingredients
  1. 1 package noodles (I prefer a thick noodle, like fettuccine)
  2. 2 cups tomatoes
  3. Olive oil
  4. 2 garlic cloves, minced
  5. Salt and pepper
  6. 1/2 - 3/4 cup kalamata olives, chopped
  7. About 5 handfuls baby spinach
  8. 1/2 - 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400*.
  2. Cut tomatoes into small chunks, all about equal in size.
  3. Place tomatoes on a parchment-lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  4. Roast in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until soft and slightly caramelized.
  5. While tomatoes are roasting, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook noodles according to package directions.
  6. When tomatoes and noodles are done cooking, add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to the empty pasta cooking pot.
  7. Add the minced garlic and cook for several minutes.
  8. Add in the spinach, roughly tearing the leaves as you add them to the pot.
  9. Stir the spinach and garlic.
  10. Add the cooked noodles, roasted tomatoes, chopped olives and crumbled feta.
  11. Stir together well.
  12. Enjoy!
Notes
  1. The amounts of olives, spinach and feta are up to you. If you love olives, add more, if not, add less. Same with feta and spinach. Use amounts that make you happy!
The Dreaming Foodie https://www.thedreamingfoodie.com/

One Pot Fajita Pasta

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Do you like fajitas?

peppers

 

spices

Do you like pasta?

noodles

So…how about fajita pasta?

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Are you on board?

Am I crazy?

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I know. This is different. Maybe crossing a couple of culinary lines. 

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But I was thinking one day. I love the flavor of fajitas. I love the veggies involved. Peppers, onions and tomatoes with a smoky, slightly spicy flavor. I love them. And, I love noodles. Lately, I’ve been obsessed with spaghetti noodles. 

So, I thought, why not bring the amazingness of fajita flavor to some noodles. It’ll make those noodles happy. 

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Here’s what I told a maybe slightly skeptical Greg: a noodle is really just a vehicle for flavor. Yes, it may be that we’re used to that flavor being tomato sauce and cheese or white sauce and veggies, but why can’t we put any flavor on those noodles! 

So, that’s just what I did. And! Even better, I went with this new one pot method.

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I first saw the idea on Pinterest. I love the idea. Then Pami, of A Crust Eaten, made the pasta, and I was inspired. I decided then that I wanted to make it, too. 

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I think her version with tomato, garlic and basil sounds sooo good. I would like to try that soon. You should definitely check it out, too.

But, I just thought this fajita idea would work. I just wanted to taste fajitas on noodles. 

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For anyone reading this who doesn’t know about the one pot pasta method it is this: Place all pasta ingredients (noodles, water, veggies, seasoning) into a pot, bring to a boil, cover and turn down heat, wait 15 minutes, and you have a complete pasta dish! Everything cooks together, making a yummy, creamy sauce from the starch that’s released from the noodles. How much better can that get?

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One pot pasta is big. The flavor possibilities are endless. I’m loving this fajita version. But I want to make more! 

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I will say, this version won’t be for everyone. It is a bit spicy. The spice in my recipe comes from the cumin and the poblano pepper. If you want to try this, but don’t want the spice, leave out some or all of the cumin. If you do leave it out, I would try using one of those fajita spice packets instead, or whatever seasoning you usually use for fajitas. You could also leave out the poblano pepper and use all sweet peppers. 

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So, what do you guys think? I hope that you try this. I’ve eaten it three days in a row and can’t get enough. Share your thoughts! 

 

One Pot Fajita Pasta
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Ingredients
  1. 1 package spaghetti noodles
  2. 1 green bell pepper
  3. 1 poblano pepper
  4. 1-2 red bell peppers
  5. 1 medium onion
  6. 1 15-ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
  7. 1/2 - 1 tablespoon cumin
  8. 1 teaspoon black pepper
  9. 1 teaspoon onion powder
  10. 1 teaspoon salt
  11. Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
  12. 4 1/2 cups water
Instructions
  1. Thinly slice the peppers and onion.
  2. Place all ingredients into a large pot over high heat.
  3. Bring to a boil.
  4. Once boiling, give it a stir, turn down heat and cover.
  5. Simmer, stirring frequently, for about 12-15 minutes, or until noodles are cooked through and water is absorbed.
  6. Taste, and season more accordingly.
  7. Enjoy!
Notes
  1. If you don't want this to be overly spicy, leave out the poblano pepper and use less or no cumin.
  2. If you don't use cumin, maybe try one of the fajita seasoning packets instead!
  3. After the pasta is done, it may need more seasoning according to your taste. Add until you get it where you like it. It's easier to add seasoning than to take it away!
The Dreaming Foodie https://www.thedreamingfoodie.com/

Cacio e Pepe with Roasted Butternut Squash

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I’m not trying to get all fancy on you.

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Trust me. I’m not an expert on cacio e pepe. I didn’t even know what that meant probably a year ago.

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But I’ve been reading about it. It’s a classic recipe from Rome. Cacio e pepe translates to cheese and pepper. And it really is that simple. Pasta with cheese and pepper. Simplicity at its finest. 

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I have never been to Italy, but from what I read and see, authentic Italian food is truly simplicity at its finest. Few, simple ingredients that go very very well together. 

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And that’s what appeals to me about cacio e pepe. Cheese is wonderful and so is pepper. This dish brings out the best of both of those flavors.

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So, I don’t know if I’m doing something wrong by adding something to this simple, classic pasta dish. I added roasted butternut squash. I thought it sounded good. And it is, it works. I will say though, I am sorry if I am offending any authentic Italian cooks by doing this. This is just my take on it :). 

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Let’s talk about the butternut squash. I got this one from the garden of Greg’s mom and stepdad. Can’t get better than that. His stepdad, Greg, told me that he was looking for a recipe for butternut squash on my blog. I do have this butternut squash bread pudding recipe, but he was right when he said that that recipe is a bit more complicated. He wanted something simple, and that made me want something more simple, too. Enter: this pasta. 

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The most difficult part of this dish was cutting the butternut squash. Does anyone out there have a trick to cutting one? If you do, please let me know!

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Once it is cut, all you need to do it roast it. While your squash is roasting, you can prepare the pasta. Roast the squash, cook the noodles, add some cheese, pepper and a few other things, toss with the squash and you’re done. 

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Roasted butternut squash on its own is really good as a side dish or a snack, but in this pasta it is awesome. It turns into a meal.

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The key to this pasta is the reserved cooking water. After your noodles are done cooking, make sure you reserve a bowl full of the water. Adding it back into the pasta creates a super creamy sauce without adding any cream. Other than the cheese, pepper and butternut squash, I also added some white wine and a pinch of nutmeg. You can’t go wrong with adding wine to pasta, I think, and I love how nutmeg tastes with butternut squash.

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So, you guys, I do hope that you get to try this pasta. It is such a delicious dish, and an easy one to make any day of the week! 

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Cacio e Pepe with Roasted Butternut Squash
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Ingredients
  1. 1 large butternut squash, or 3-4 cups diced butternut squash
  2. Olive oil
  3. 1 package spaghetti noodles
  4. 1/2 cup white wine + a little more
  5. 1 garlic clove, minced
  6. 2 tablespoons butter
  7. 1/2 - 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
  8. 1/2 - 1 tablespoon black pepper
  9. Salt
  10. Nutmeg
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400*.
  2. Start by cutting the butternut squash. Alternatively, you could buy the pre-cut butternut squash. You are looking for a 1/4 inch dice.
  3. Place the butternut squash in a bowl, drizzle it with olive oil and season with a little salt and pepper.
  4. Roast in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until soft and slightly browned.
  5. While the butternut squash is roasting, bring a large pot of water to a boil.
  6. Add the spaghetti noodles, 1/2 cup white wine and minced garlic clove to the water.
  7. Boil according to package instructions.
  8. This is important: make sure to reserve a bowl full of pasta cooking water when you drain the noodles. I placed my strainer on top of a bowl.
  9. When the noodles and squash are done, place 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the same pot you cooked the noodles in.
  10. Add about 1/2 tablespoon of black pepper and stir.
  11. Remove the pot from the heat and add the noodles, cheese, 1 cup cooking water, another splash of wine (if desired), a pinch of salt and nutmeg.
  12. Toss everything together.
  13. Taste, and add more pepper, cheese, salt, wine, nutmeg, or cooking water, until you reach a taste and texture you are happy with.
  14. Enjoy!
The Dreaming Foodie https://www.thedreamingfoodie.com/

Kale + Mint + Cashew Pesto

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You know how people have secret recipes? Or a secret ingredient in a special recipe?

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Well I think I just made my first secret ingredient recipe.

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And I’m going to share it with you!

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It won’t really be a secret. But if I were ever to have a secret recipe, this would have been it.

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The very secret ingredient in this pesto? It’s mint!

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I don’t think I’ll ever want pesto another way.

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Making this was two things: random and kind of scary.

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Let’s start with random. I’ve never really made pesto before because I don’t have a food processor and I didn’t think my blender could handle it. But I’ve wanted to make it for so long, so I just crossed my fingers that my blender would work and went for it!

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This pesto happened because I had a bunch of random ingredients to use that I thought would make a good pesto. Cashews I bought to have as a snack that never happened. Mint I bought to use in something else but forgot what it was that I was going to make. Kale that I wanted to use for a salad but I thought tasted weird in that particular salad. A half of a lemon left over from making this dressing. This might be good, I thought.

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I wasn’t sure. Like I said above, I was a little scared. Sure, a little scared that my blender wouldn’t pull through and make a smooth pesto. But, even more scared about serving Greg pesto with mint in it. He doesn’t like minty things. Things like mint ice cream or mint chocolate anything or mint tea. He says something like “the only thing mint belongs in is gum.”

So, putting mint in his pesto? I wasn’t so sure.

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It was sort of like when I was afraid to give him a quesadilla with cream cheese, knowing he doesn’t like cream cheese. That turned out well, and I hoped that this did too.

pesto

I used this pesto for Greg and I very simply. I made our favorite noodles (spinach spaghetti noodles) and tossed together the noodles, pesto and some reserved cooking water. I topped the noodles with a sprinkle of Romano cheese. It was divine. Simple and delicious. A ton of flavor from the pesto.

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And, Greg liked it. After he said he liked it, I told him there was mint in it. 🙂

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The mint adds a hint of freshness to this pesto. It doesn’t stand out too much, but when you taste the pesto, it’s like there is something in it that is so refreshing, and of course that is the mint.

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I hope that you enjoy this pesto. 🙂

Ingredients
4 cups raw kale, any variety (I used Tuscan kale)
2 small handfuls fresh mint (I used two stalks of fresh mint)
1/2 cup cashews
1 garlic clove
3/4 cup olive oil
Juice from 1/2 of a lemon
1/4 cup Romano cheese
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

To make the kale softer and easier to process or blend, blanch the kale first. Do this by preparing a bowl of very cold water. Then bring a pot of water to a boil. Once the pot of water is boiling, place the kale in it. Keep the kale in the water for about 1 minute, no longer. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the kale to the bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process. Then place the kale into a colander and squeeze it to remove any excess liquid. Transfer the kale to paper towels to dry off a bit.

Once the kale is dry, place all ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.

Serve over pasta, with bread, vegetable or in quiche.

Enjoy!

Summertime Pasta Salad

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Another cool salad for these hot summer days.

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And this pasta is so, so good. And, I just realized, it’s not actually summer yet. This is still summertime pasta salad. 🙂

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My mom has always made a pasta salad that I like. She uses Italian dressing and salad supreme. I have always enjoyed it. It kind of reminds me of more “traditional” pasta salad compared to this one.

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This idea came from Greg’s mom. Last summer she made some amazing pasta salad with this Gazebo Room Greek dressing on it. I loved it. So did Greg. We made it several times on our own that summer.

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I have made this pasta salad  three times in the last two weeks. It is that good.

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I don’t know what it is about the dressing. It just has the perfect taste. It’s flavorful but not overly Greek-y. Sometimes Greek dressing can be very strong, but this one is just enough.

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And for noodles, any noodle can work in this! Use what you love. We have made it with these spinach linguine noodles, with spiral noodles and, this time, with whole wheat chiocciole noodles (which I also used in this pasta). It has been good with every single noodle we’ve tried.

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Same with veggies. Add what you like. Add a lot or add a little. In this one I used cauliflower, broccoli, tomatoes and corn. Also good in this is cucumber and black beans. You have got to try  those too (I just didn’t have them).

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Also, cheese. Try cheese. I didn’t have it on hand, so I left it out this time. It’s just as good without, but cheese is never a bad decision. I would suggest mozzarella, any kind of cubed cheddar or feta. But try any that you like!

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It’s delicious, simple and completely customizable. Pick your favorite noodle, pick your favorite veggies and pick your favorite cheese. Use this Greek dressing. If your store doesn’t have this brand, I would just try another one. I just know that I love using this one for this noodle salad.

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Boil noodles, mix in veggies, pour on dressing, stir well and enjoy! Delicious food can be that simple.

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Ingredients
1 pound of noodles (I used chiocciole noodles)
1 bottle of Gazebo Room Greek salad dressing and marinade 
2 cups of cauliflower, chopped small
2 cups of broccoli, chopped small
1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, quartered
1 can of corn, drained and rinsed
Other ideas: chopped cucumber, black beans, cheese, or any veggie that you love (I would love to hear what you would use!)

Chop all of your veggies. I chop the veggies very small for this pasta salad. Use cauliflower, broccoli, tomato, corn, cucumber or any other veggie that you love. Also chop or prepare the cheese, if using.

Bring a pot of water to boil. Cook noodles according to directions on package. Rinse the pasta with cold water when it’s done cooking so that it won’t be sticky in the salad.

Add the noodles and the chopped veggies (and the cheese, if using) to a very large bowl. Start with once cup of the dressing and give everything a very good stir. If it seems like it needs more, add more dressing until you are satisfied with the taste and “wetness” of the salad. A lot of times pasta salad will dry out as it sits in the refrigerator so it is nice to have some dressing left over to add when you are ready to serve it.

Serve cold and enjoy!

Notes:
-This makes excellent leftovers. Like I said above, if it seems like it needs more dressing after a day or two, add more right before serving. The amount of dressing you use will vary depending on the type of noodle you use, the amount of veggies and how long you have it as leftovers.