In A Nutshell

This is somewhat modified from a Food & Wine recipe. You won't believe how delicious this is---like a really awesome mac n' cheese! 1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into 1" florets extra virgin olive oil Preheat the oven to 425º. On a rimmed baking sheet spread the cauliflower in one layer and drizzle with EVOO; sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Roast for about 25 minutes or so until nicely browned. 2 T butter 2 T EVOO 1 small onion, finely diced 2 cloves of garlic, minced or 1 t garlic powder 1/2 cup white wine 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan (6 oz.) 8 oz. stracchino (crescenza) cheese (I can only find this at Target) 1 lb orecchiete or shells 1/4 cup bread crumbs (or more if you like) Get a large pot of salted water going and preheat the oven to 450º. In a large skillet, melt the butter in the EVOO and sauté the onion and garlic, if using, until softened and lightly browned. Add the wine and boil until m...

Keep the defibrillator nearby... Adapted from Rachel Ray magazine. 2 T butter 1 t onion powder 1/2 t garlic powder 1 cup dry white wine 3 cups heavy cream 1- 8 oz. container cheddar cheese spread (yeah... that stuff in a tub!) 8 oz. cream cheese 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp yellow cheddar 1 lb shells or elbow macaroni 1 cup panko plus 1 T butter chopped parsley for garnish if desired (I did not desire the extra work...) In a large saucepan, heat the butter along with the two powders; add the wine, bring to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes until some of the liquid evaporates. Add the broth and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the cream and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes; add all the cheeses and cook over low heat, whisking until smooth. While you are doing this cook the pasta following the instructions for al dente. At this point, I will tell you that the cheese sauce will be very thin-- add the pasta; if you are like me, you want to get this done a little ...

This delicious and easy pasta recipe comes from Fine Cooking magazine. The only trick is to work quickly when tossing the pasta with the eggs so that they don't cook. 1 lb dried or fresh spaghetti 1/2 lb diced pancetta or chopped bacon 2 T extra-virgin olive oil 3 eggs, room temp. 4 oz. finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano freshly ground black pepper Cook pasta al dente in well-salted water; reserve 1 cup of the water. While pasta water is boiling, cook the pancetta in the olive oil (or if using bacon, omit the olive oil) in a deep 12" skillet (not cast iron). Cook until crisp. If you are using bacon, remove most of the fat. In a bowl, whisk the eggs, Parmigiano and black pepper; slowly whisk in 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water. Immediately after draining the spaghetti, add it to the skillet with the pancetta and quickly pour in the egg mixture, briskly tossing it with tongs until the pasta is well-coated- don't dilly dally here. Add more of the reserved pasta ...

(with a couple of teeny tiny little anchovies)... I would not describe myself as an anchovy fan, frankly they gross me out a little. But... I think they really add a depth of flavor to foods; in this pasta, you would never guess that there are a couple of little anchovies in there.  If you want to do a vegetarian version, leave out the anchovies but bump up the garlic to intensify the flavor. Not the greatest picture but the pasta was absolutely delicious (surprisingly so given the few ingredients). Adapted from Bon Appetit. 2 T butter 2 T extra-virgin olive oil 4 large garlic cloves, sliced hearty pinch of crushed red pepper (optional yet recommended) 2 anchovies 2 lbs garden tomatoes 8 oz. spaghetti mixed chopped herbs of your choice (I used chives and parsley) While the spaghetti is cooking, heat the butter, EVOO, anchovies, CRP and garlic. Cook over medium high heat until the anchovies have broken down (the house will smell delicious at this point!); add the tomat...

This is a fresh spring pasta that can easily be made vegetarian by leaving out the pancetta. It comes from Bon Appetit magazine. 12 oz. fettuccine 4 oz. pancetta, chopped 1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1" pieces 2 cups green peas (I used frozen and let them thaw) 1 bunch green onions, chopped 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1/2 cup grated parmesan plus more for serving 1/3 cup heavy cream 3 T EVOO 3 T lemon juice 1 T grated lemon zest chopped parsley crushed red pepper Cook pasta according to package directions, saving 1/2 cup pasta water. While the pasta is cooking, cook pancetta in a large skillet until crisp. Remove with slotted spoon onto a paper-towel lined bowl to drain. Add the olive oil, garlic and a pinch of crushed red pepper to the skillet and saute the asparagus in that mixture for about 5 minutes; add about 1/4 cup water to the pan over high heat and cover to allow the asparagus to steam for a couple of minutes. Add the peas and green onions when the water ha...

This recipe came to me through my friend Mary and it is a beloved stand-by in our house.  I always have tomato paste on hand and the meatballs are very easy to make. You can also purchase meatballs to save time. I usually double it and freeze a batch to have on some lazy winter day. For the meatballs : 2 lb ground turkey or ground sirloin (I prefer turkey) 1 egg 1/2 cup bread crumbs 1/2 grated parmesan cheese 1 t garlic salt 2 T chopped parsley Mix all ingredients gently and form into 2" balls. Bake at 375º for about 10-12 minutes. They don't need to be cooked completely through as they will continue to cook in the sauce. This makes a lot of meatballs; I usually either use half and freeze the rest or double the sauce recipe and use all the meatballs. It depends if you like lots and lots of meatballs or prefer a less meaty sauce. For the sauce : 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 onion, chopped 6 cloves of garlic, minced pinch of crushed red pepper 3 t salt 4...

Another adaptation from Rachel Ray; the pesto is absolutely delicious and would make a vibrant topping for grilled chicken or fish or you could tweak it a bit to turn it into a marinade or dressing. The original recipe called for one pound of pasta but I think the flavors of the pesto and zucchini would shine more with a little less pasta. You can leave the chicken out if you want a vegetarian dish. For the Pesto : 1 small bunch cilantro 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley 1/4 cup pine nuts 1/2 cup parmesan or romano cheese 1/2 t salt freshly ground pepper 1 lemon, zested and juiced 3 cloves of garlic, chopped 5 T extra-virgin olive oil In a food processor, pulse everything but the olive oil until chopped fine. Add the EVOO and pulse until combined. For the Pasta : 12 oz. egg tagliatelle or pappardelle 2 zucchini, julienned (you can do this with a mandoline or by hand- or just sliced thin) 4 green onions, chopped (white and green parts) 3 cloves of garlic, chopped ...

This is adapted from Food and Wine magazine; it is the ultimate in comfort food and very easy to make.  I especially love that it all gets cooked up in one pot.  This is best made right before eating when it's almost kind of soupy. 3 cloves of garlic, chopped 1 small white onion, chopped 12 oz. chicken chorizo, sliced thin (I bought Amy's at Whole Foods) 2 T extra-virgin olive oil Fry the onion in the olive oil until lightly browned, then add the garlic and chorizo and sautée until chorizo is browned (about 5 minutes or so).  Remove the mixture to a bowl. Add the following to the pot: 2 T EVOO (heat this up first in the pot) 12 oz. fideo noodles (these are thin, broken-up pieces of angel hair or spaghetti pasta, available in the Hispanic section of the grocery store) Sautée the noodles over medium high heat, stirring constantly for a few minutes until they are browned. Return the onion, chorizo mixture to the pot and add: 1/2 cup dry white wine.  C...