Recipe

D4One: Some Days & Single Pan Pasta

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Some days I feel like I just need to cook.

It helps me distress, and let go for a few moments, where
the only thing that matters is throwing my heart into my cooking and putting it
on a plate.

I cook what feels good, what tastes delicious, and it all
comes from my very own finger tips.

Half the time I feel like the only place I know what in the
hell is going on in my life is when I ‘m in the kitchen, because well I know what
I have in my cupboards, and what I can make with them, outside of the kitchen I
have no idea what exactly I have to offer, or what to do with it, or what I want
for that matter.

I always had a plan, I knew where I wanted to be, and I thought
it was all doable, and of course things don’t always turn out the way you plan,
unless of course you are one of THOSE
people. Instead I am in a totally different place, and my goals, well I don’t
know if I have any because I can’t make up my mind, and a solid half of the
things that I think I may want are kind of out of my control, so what in the
hell am I to do?

For now tomatoes, green beans, corn, and about a million
other delicious vegetables are in season so I’m going to continue to cook. That
I can handle.

At least now my garden is going good. After a slow start I seem
to have more green beans and tomatoes than I can eat; it even looks like we
will be getting some kohlrabi soon.

I made this particular recipe on a whim one night last year,
and have repeated it several times since. I have found that it’s always better
with fresh garden tomatoes, as opposed to the mid winter store bought ones.

One Pan Tomato Pasta

1 tbsp oil

1 tbsp

1 small onion, chopped

3-5 cloves of garlic (I LOVE GARLIC)

1-2 sprigs of fresh thyme

1-2 cups fresh cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

½ cup of dry white wine

1 cup pasta

1 cup water

Salt & Pepper to paste

Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese for garnish

In a thick bottom pan heat oil, butter, and onion for 2-3
minutes, or until the onion begins to turn translucent. Add garlic, thyme, and
tomatoes, and continue to cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The
mixture should begin to become very aromatic. Deglaze with white wine, and
allow it to simmer until it has reduced by half. Stir in pasta so that it is
well coated, and immediately add 1 cup of water. Continue to cook until the
pasta is aldente, and liquid has again reduced, stirring occasionally. You may
also want to use the back of your spoon to crush a few of the tomatoes to
release their juices. Finally add salt and pepper to taste and serve warm,
topped with parmesan cheese.

Summer Days & Chimichurri Pasta

By Jessica

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There are so many reasons to love summer.

Fall is fast approaching and I’m already nostalgic about
those chill summer nights.

This recipe is one of my favorite summer dishes; it’s easy,
bright, fresh and great either warm or cold. It pairs well with so many other
dishes, that it’s a standard side on our table this time of year.

Chimichurri Pasta

1 cup parsley

¼ cup cilantro

4 cloves of garlic

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup red wine vinegar

½ tsp cumin

½ tsp paprika

Salt & pepper to taste

1 box pasta of choice

1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half

¼ cup red onion, chopped

½ a red or yellow pepper chopped (Optional)

½ tbsp parmesan cheese (optional)

Place all ingredients from parsley to salt and pepper in a blender
and blend until smooth. Prepare pasta cording to instructions. Drain the pasta,
and place in a large bowl along with tomatoes, onions and peppers. Pour the
sauce over the top and toss. Serve chilled or warm with a little parmesan if
desired.

What are some of your favorite things about summer?

Shrimp & Parsley Ravioli with Red Pepper Scampi Sauce

By Jessica

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There is something innately sexy to me about homemade ravioli;
the same thing goes for sea food. So in my mind the combination of these two
should pretty much be heaven.

Admittedly I may very well be the only one out there who
feels this way, but what can I say, aside from begging you to try it for
yourself. I know it looks like a lot of work making the dough and getting the
consistency right, rolling it out without holes, making the filling, and then
combining the two in some semblance of actual ravioli, but it is so very very
worth it.

The thing about this dish is that it’s unexpectedly fresh, but with a complex note. You can actually taste each of the ingredients in the filling, as well as the wonderful light flavor of the sauce. It does require quite a few steps, and even more clean up, it is a little difficult, I know, but it again is so very worth it. Perhaps it’s the kind of thing you would save for a special night, or a usually lazy Sunday. I’m just suggesting, because I think everyone should make homemade pasta at least once in their lives.

Shrimp and Parsley Ravioli

1 lb precooked shrimp, peeled & divined and cut into
small chunks

½ cup parsley

½ lemon juiced

2 oz grated parmesan cheese

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 lb pasta rolled out into sheets (3-4” width by 1 foot)

Combine all the filling ingredients (shrimp through olive
oil) in a food processor, and pulse until it reaches desired consistency. I
like mine a little chunky, but some may like a smoother mixture. Place
4 dollops of the shrimp mixture about the size of a half dollar in the middle
of a pasta sheet evenly spaced. Using your finger dip it into a small bowl of water
and trace the outside of the dollop. Place another sheet on top and press it
down around the dollop, using water to cement the dough together. Slice the
dough to create separate ravioli. Continue to do this for until the pasta is
gone. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and drop in the ravioli, they should
only take a few minutes to cook, rising to the top as they finish. Strain the
ravioli and set aside.

Red Pepper Scampi Sauce

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

½ a small onion, chopped

½ a red bell pepper, chopped

2 or 3 cloves of garlic minced

½ tsp red pepper flakes

½ cup of white wine

Fresh grated parmesan for garnish

2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Melt the butter and olive oil over medium high heat and sauté
onion for 1-2 minutes. Once the onion begins to soften add the garlic, and
pepper and sauté for an additional 2-3 minutes, allowing the pan to become aromatic.
Add the red pepper flakes and wine. Continue to cook at a light simmer until
the wine has reduced to about half. Remove from heat and add pasta tossing to
coat. If you like a more liquidy sauce add about ¼ a cup of reserved pasta
water. Serve warm, garnished with parmesan and parsley to taste

Basic Pasta Recipe

2 cups flour
(plus more for the work surface)

3 eggs

1-4 tbsp cold
water

1 tsp salt

In
a medium bowl add flour and eggs. Mix well using an electric mixer. The dough
should begin to form a ball. If the dough is too dry it will remain crumbly, so
add a few tablespoons of water until the ball forms. Use a pasta machine,
roller, or rolling pin to roll out the dough into 3 inch wide, foot long
sheets.

Creamy Pesto Salad Dressing

By Jessica

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I know that you know I made homemade Caesar dressing recently for my Chicken Caesar Burger, which I ended up eating the entire rest of the week. But what you didn’t know is that I’ve been kind of obsessing about creamy dressings since. Having always been a vinaigrette person this was a whole new ball park for me, but I was able to come up with a few really great recipes that I think I will be using in the future.

…

Back Country Creamy Orzo and Ginger Roasted Carrots

By Jessica

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This is one of my favorite meals from this trip. It was
delicious and so much like eating at home.

One of the main goals of backpacking food is that it is
filling; you can easily loose 1000 calories in a day of hiking, and believe me
sandwiches get old fast. I like cooking orzo a lot because it is lightweight,
cooks quickly and can be altered to any flavor or taste based on what you add.

This recipe is probably the most basic recipe that I have
made with it. I personally prefer to lug around things like onions and garlic
for the sake of health and flavor, but if you are going for more lightweight
then you don’t really need them, the bouillon adds a lot of flavor in itself.

Back Country Creamy Orzo

2-3 gloves of garlic, peeled & chopped
1 onion (or shallot)peeled, and chopped
2 bouillon cubes, crushed
1 cup orzo
2 tbsp parmesan cheese

Combine all ingredients in a pan and cover with water. Place
over hot coals and allow the mixture to simmer, stirring regularly, as well as
scraping the bottom to stop the pasta from sticking. Cook until the pasta is
aldente. You may need to add more water for this, how much water you need
depends on hot your fire is, however you only want enough liquid in the pan
when the pasta is done to keep it creamy. Stir in parmesan cheese and serve
warm.

Another thing that I don’t mind lugging into the woods is
fruits and veggies; it feels so good to refuel with good healthy, and natural
foods. Not all of them travel very well however, so the options can be limited.
Most root vegetables, and harder fruits (think apples, pears etc.) are good
options. For this particular meal I got a little fancy. I saw this recipe in my
Irish Pub Cook Book *** and knew I had to make it while we were camping, I mean
we usually bring a little whiskey anyway ha!

Ginger Roasted Carrots

2 cups baby carrots

1 tbsp extra virgin
olive oil

1 inch cube of fresh ginger,
cut into matchsticks

1 tbsp honey whiskey

Pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients
in a large piece of tin foil, tossing to ensure the carrots are completely
coated. Create a packet with the foil and place over hot coals for 20 to 30
minutes, turning regularly. Once the carrots are tender remove from heat and
serve.

Recipe

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