Roasting adds depth to Fettuccine with Cauliflower, Andouille Sausage and Olives

Roasting cauliflower mellows its flavor and adds a bit of color to this hearty, delicious pasta. Roasted andouille sausage, olives and shallots also star. Recipe below.

It’s still not warm yet. And, although the weather folks are threatening above-average temperatures in the nearish future, I am sorry, but now it’s still just cold. When I went out this morning, I was wearing my little down jacket—little, and just a jacket, but still down. Continue reading “Roasting adds depth to Fettuccine with Cauliflower, Andouille Sausage and Olives” →

Skip risotto’s obsessive stirring: Risotto-style Orzo with Porcini Mushrooms

Orzo—rice-shaped pasta—stands in for rice in this earthy, less fussy version of risotto, flavored with dried porcini mushrooms, saffron, leeks, garlic and lemon juice. Recipe below.

For years, we bought rice in 25-pound sacks at an Asian market, and we went through those sacks at an alarming rate. Until finally, we didn’t. The change wasn’t abrupt, but it was there. The giant sacks of rice were lasting longer, then ultimately becoming impractical, taking up too much room in our cramped pantry. Continue reading “Skip risotto’s obsessive stirring: Risotto-style Orzo with Porcini Mushrooms” →

Using flavored pasta to add depth: Mushroom Pasta with Duck

Mushroom pasta, porcini mushrooms, leftover duck and duck stock combine to create an earthy, peasanty meal. Recipe below.

Weeks ago I promised you a recipe using the carcass of the roasted duck and leftover duck meat. I hope you put that duck in the freezer, because this week, in the lull between Thanksgiving and the next round of holiday frenzy, I got a bright idea. Continue reading “Using flavored pasta to add depth: Mushroom Pasta with Duck” →

Cooking the basics: Homemade Marinara Sauce

Marinara sauce, a classic Italian red sauce with garlic, onions, herbs and not much more, is easy and weeknight quick to make. Recipe—and variations—below.

This post is about breaking old habits and overcoming fears. In our kitchen, both for the blog and for everyday cooking, we try to work with real ingredients as much as possible, not overly processed foods. (We do count certain canned and frozen goods as ingredients—beans, tomatoes and spinach, for instance.) But for some reason, I’ve resisted making my own marinara sauce. Continue reading “Cooking the basics: Homemade Marinara Sauce” →

Taming but not extinguishing a powerful flavor: Linguine with Eggplant and Lamb

Linguine is topped with a hearty sauce of eggplant, ground lamb, crushed tomatoes, garlic, oregano and half and half. Recipe below.

In the 1939 film Tarzan Finds a Son, when Jane and Tarzan discover a baby in a plane crash, Jane insists that they must name him. The ever practical Tarzan says, “Him strong like elephant. We call him Elephant.” Jane, probably hoping for something more like Colin or Nigel, ultimately has to settle for Boy. Here in the United States, I think the eggplant must have suffered a similarly unimaginative fate: “It shaped like egg. We call it eggplant.” Continue reading “Taming but not extinguishing a powerful flavor: Linguine with Eggplant and Lamb” →

Cooking from the garden: Linguine with Tomatoes, Ricotta and Basil

Tomatoes and basil from the garden (or the farmers market) combine with ricotta cheese and linguine for a quick, creamy vegetarian dinner. Recipe below.

It’s August, and that can only mean one thing. Food websites and blogs everywhere are telling you how to use up all the tomatoes that are filling your garden, CSA box or farmers market. Sounds good to me. Here’s a quick, simple pasta dish that will also help you use up some of your excess fresh basil. Continue reading “Cooking from the garden: Linguine with Tomatoes, Ricotta and Basil” →

Earthy and simple: Saffron Pasta with Roasted Mushrooms, Caramelized Onions and Bell Pepper

Mushrooms roasted a day ahead team up with caramelized onions, a green bell pepper roasted directly over a stove burner and saffron pasta for a delicious weeknight quick meal. Recipe below.

The calendar says it’s summer. But until just the other day, the thermometer said it was October. The winter that wouldn’t end has come to a grudging close—the ice on the Great Lakes finally vanished, just a few days ago.

What this has meant for us in the Midwest is enduring autumnal weather—cool nights and, in the daytime, half-hearted jabs toward hot. To be honest, I love it. I hate when the temperature soars! But this perpetual sweater weather definitely has its down side. My tomato plants (which have not been in the ground very long) are looking, frankly, puzzled. The basil is not much bigger than when I put it in the ground. And of course the ongoing cool is not great for the farmers and the crops. Continue reading “Earthy and simple: Saffron Pasta with Roasted Mushrooms, Caramelized Onions and Bell Pepper” →

Pasta shapes: Playing with your food, Italian style

Getting playful with dinner can be as simple as trying some new pasta shapes.

Growing up, I knew three kinds of pasta (and nobody I knew called it pasta): spaghetti, elbow macaroni and shells. The Italians, though, are quite inventive when it comes to their defining national food. Besides their numerous long pastas—spaghetti, capellini, fettuccine and linguine, to name a few—they have created a vast assortment of shaped pastas, both playful and practical. Here are a handful to explore. Continue reading “Pasta shapes: Playing with your food, Italian style” →

Butterflies and a taste of spring: Farfalle with Peas, Bacon and Sage Butter

Farfalle—butterflies in Italian—is tossed with peas, bacon, butter, sage, lemon juice and zest and Parmesan. Recipe below.

Circumstances converge, synapses fire. And sometimes, recipes happen. Recently, we were at the International Home + Housewares Show here in Chicago. We try to go every year, looking for new kitchen tools and trends. (In the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing various finds from this year’s show.)

There are always big, exciting discoveries and great conversations at the show. But there are also little asides, quiet incidental moments that we almost miss. One happened at Eataly’s booth. The giant purveyor of all things food and Italian opened a Chicago outpost this winter, as Marion reported here. At their Housewares Show booth, they were showcasing some of their wares and brewing up cups of amazing espresso. As Marion chatted with the barista, I picked up a recipe card. It was for squash-filled ravioli in a sage butter sauce. I ignored the ravioli and stowed the simple sauce (sage leaves browned in butter and mixed with reserved pasta water) away in my head for a future pasta dish idea. Continue reading “Butterflies and a taste of spring: Farfalle with Peas, Bacon and Sage Butter” →

Spaghetti with Artichoke Hearts, Sausage and Olives, with a side of New York City

Pantry and freezer staples—jarred marinated artichoke hearts, green olives, Italian sausage, tomato paste and pasta—create a weeknight-quick, rustic Italian meal. Recipe below.

New York is a feast every time we’re there. On arrival, it puts our senses on high alert and keeps them there, in a good way, until we leave. There is always something to see, hear, do… always.

Our recent four-day visit was no exception. As always, we arrived with an overly ambitious list of things to do. As always, some went undone, often replaced by new things we learned about on the fly. And as always, the longest part of the list was devoted to art. Continue reading “Spaghetti with Artichoke Hearts, Sausage and Olives, with a side of New York City” →