Pasta with Turkey Sausage

It is my boyfriend’s birthday so I decided to make a recipe that he has been begging me to make for over a month.  It is the cover recipe from Food Network Magazine, Pasta with Turkey Meatballs.  The only reason I have not already made it is because I can’t seem to find uncooked turkey sausages anywhere in town, all of them are already cooked so you can’t turn them into meatballs.  So instead I just sliced the Italian turkey sausages and cooked them for a few minutes before adding the garlic and red pepper flakes.  This turned out to be a hit.  My boyfriend loved the flavors of the dish (I like them too), and I loved how quickly this dinner came together (only about 20 minutes).  I was going to serve with a salad but totally forgot to put in together until I was half way through my bowl of pasta. 

Pasta with Turkey Sausage

Ingredients:

12 ounces orecchiette pasta
2 bunches broccolini, cut into bite-size pieces

1 package Italian turkey sausage, sliced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 large egg
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions:  

1.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs, adding the broccolini during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta and broccolini.  Whisk the egg with the reserved cooking water in a small bowl.

2.  Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausages and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, about 5 to 6 minutes.

3.  Add the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, the garlic, red pepper flakes and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring, 1 minute. Add the pasta, broccolini.  Add tempered egg to the skillet and stir until the sauce thickens slightly. Season with salt and pepper.

4.  Divide the pasta among bowls. Sprinkle with the cheese and drizzle with olive oil.

Julia Child Potatoes

This is the ultimate comfort food, and a favorite of everyone who I have made it for (my boyfriend ask me if every Monday we could have Julia Child Potatoes).  It is filled with potatoes, butter, onions, and sausages and then topped with cheese!  This recipe comes from Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking  (I highly recommend this cookbook for every kitchen, it has a ton of great recipes and tips from an amazing women).  I have modified mine by using evaporated skim milk in place of heavy cream, and chicken sausages in place of Polish sausage.  It is still a comfort food but is lightened up just a little bit. 

Tip: If Gratin has been in the oven for 45 minutes and top is not brown turn on the broiler for a couple of minutes to brown (careful the cheese will brown quickly under the broiler).     

Gratin de Pommes de Terre et Saucisson (Gratin of Potatoes, Onions and Sausages)

Ingredients:

2/3-cup onions, diced

2 Tbsp butter, plus more for dotting the top 

1 lb raw potatoes, thinly sliced

1 package Chicken Sausages, sliced (I used Aidells Chicken and Apple)

3 eggs

1½ cups evaporated skim milk

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper  

½-¾ cup Swiss cheese, grated

Instructions:

1.  Preheat oven to 375° degrees.  Cook onions slowly in butter until tender but

not browned, about 8 minutes.     

2.  Drop potatoes in boiling salted water and cook until barely done, 8-10 minutes.  Drain thoroughly.

3.  In a bowl beat eggs, mix in evaporated milk, salt and pepper. 

4.  Butter a baking dish.  Spread half potatoes in the bottom, then half the onions.  Over them lay sliced sausages, then the rest of the onions, and finally the remaining potatoes.  

5.  Pour egg mixture over the potatoes and shake dish to send liquid to the bottom. 

6.  Spread on the cheese.  Dot with butter.

7.  Bake for 30-40 minutes in upper third of oven until nicely browned.  

Cornflake-Crusted French Toast with Bananas

It is my boyfriend’s birthday this week so I decided to make him a special breakfast while we were up at the cabin.  We had been looking through Food Network Magazine a couple weeks ago and stumbled upon a whole section of different French toast recipes.  They all looked amazing but he decided he wanted Cornflake-Crusted French Toast with Bananas.  I used thick cut pieces of French Bread (from Albertson’s) so that I didn’t have to buy a whole loaf of bread just for French toast.  The Cornflake-Crusted French Toast was delicious!  I served it with turkey bacon. 

Cornflake-Crusted French Toast with Bananas 

Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 bananas, thinly sliced
2/3 cup maple syrup
3 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons sugar
3 cups cornflakes, crushed
4 slices Texas toast, halved on the diagonal

Instructions  

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Combine 1 tablespoon butter, the bananas and maple syrup in a small saucepan and bring to a bare simmer over medium heat; keep warm.

2. Whisk the eggs, milk and sugar in a shallow dish. Put the crushed cornflakes in another shallow dish. Soak the bread in the egg mixture, turning once, about 45 seconds. (Remove before the bread is soggy.) Let the excess egg mixture drip off, then dredge the bread in the cornflakes, pressing gently to help them adhere. Set aside on a plate.

3. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add half of the bread and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a baking sheet. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet and repeat with the remaining bread. Transfer to the oven and bake until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Top with the banana syrup.

Hot Pepper Noodles

I was flipping through Bon Appétit when I found this recipe and it sounded absolutely delicious (the ingredient note was for chili-garlic sauce which is a favorite in my house).  Like most stir-fries this dish came together super quick once the prep work was done, which only took about 10 minutes.  Our Thai Basil plant is not ready to be picked yet so we added some fresh mint leaves.  If you don’t want to eat raw onions let them cook for a few minutes before adding the noodles.  

Note: even though the name is “Hot Pepper Noodles” there was not very much spice to the dish.  There was a lot of flavor (especially the basil and mint) but there was no heat.     

Hot Pepper Noodles

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

1 tablespoon Asian chili-garlic sauce

1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce

½ teaspoon sugar

10 ounces dried wide rice noodles

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 8-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 3/4-inch pieces

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 small onion, cut into 1-inch pieces

½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 large egg, beaten to blend

½ cup fresh basil leaves, preferably Thai

Instructions

1.  Stir oyster sauce, chili-garlic sauce, soy sauce, and sugar in a small bowl to combine; set sauce aside.

2.  Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain, run under cold water to cool, and set aside.

3.  Heat oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat; add garlic and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about 1 minute. Add chicken and cook, tossing often, until cooked through, 3-4 minutes.

4. Add pepper, onion, tomatoes, and 2 tablespoons reserved sauce to pan and toss to combine. Add noodles, egg, and remaining 2 tablespoons sauce and toss to combine. Add basil leaves and cook, tossing constantly, until noodles and vegetables are completely coated with sauce and heated through, about 2 minutes more.

Chicken Etouffee

It has been a busy week in my house.  Five months after they were originally suppose to be put in our spiral staircase is finally being installed.  Because they have to drill through the concrete floors it has been super loud so I have not been spending time inside prepping or cooking.  We had a couple nights were we had leftover Lasagna and Moladas (recipes to come).  I finally cooked and made Chicken Etouffee.  It is a classic Cajun dish that is full of flavor.  This recipe from Cajun Quick by Jude Theriot is fairly simple and has a simple roux (no stirring for 15 minutes).   When you add the flour you must make sure to stir constantly for 4 minutes before adding the liquids.  When I read over the recipe I was shocked when I read that it said to use a whole stick of butter, so instead I used ½ a stick of butter and ¼ cup of Olive Oil.  I did not have chicken thighs so I just used chicken breasts cut into strips.  I made brown rice with the rest of the chicken stock from the box.     

Chicken Etouffee           

½ stick unsalted butter

¼ cup Olive Oil

2 medium onions, chopped

½ cup thinly sliced celery (3-4 stocks)

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1-2 pounds chicken breasts, sliced

1½ teaspoons Cajun Seasoning Mix

4 Tbsp all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp tomato paste

½ tsp Tabasco sauce

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup green onions, chopped

½ cup fresh parsley, minced 

Instructions:

1.  Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat until hot.  Melt the butter until it begins to smoke, then add olive oil.  Sauté onions, celery, garlic and bell pepper for about 5 minutes, stirring often.

2.  While the vegetables are sautéing, season the chicken with Cajun Seasonings Mix, salt and pepper. 

3.  Add chicken to the skillet.  Brown the chicken nicely, 3 to 4 minutes per side.  Remove from skillet and set aside. 

4.  Add the flour to the skillet, stir constantly for 4 minutes.  Stir in tomato paste, Tabasco sauce and Worcestershire sauce.  Add the chicken stock and stir until sauce begins to thicken.  Add cooked chicken, cover and cook for 12 minutes. 

5.  Remove cover, add green onions and parsley, and cook uncovered for 3 minutes.  Serve hot over rice.         

Sausage, Pepper and Onion Pizza

I was going through my recipes on Pepperplate and I stumbled upon Sausage, Pepper and Onion Pizza and it made me hungry so I knew I had to make it even though I don’t have an real oven.  I made multiple small pizzas so they would fit in the toaster oven (I did not use a second cookie sheet in the oven).  I made it with precooked chicken and apple sausage so I just sliced it and put it directly on the pizza (I did not cook it).   I like my onions a little softer than my peppers so I put them in the pan first and cooked for a couple of extra minutes.  I served with a salad and beer while we watched hockey.   

Sausage, Pepper and Onion Pizza

Ingredients:

1 pound refrigerated pizza dough

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 package chicken and apple sausage, sliced

1 onion, sliced

2 red bell peppers, sliced

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary

¾ cup ricotta cheese

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1.  Position a rack in the lower third of the oven, place an inverted baking sheet on top and preheat to 500 degrees. Using oiled hands, stretch the pizza dough to fit a parchment-lined baking sheet(s).

2. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and peppers and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and the rosemary.

3.  Scatter the sausage, onion and peppers across the pizza dough, leaving a 3/4-inch border. Dollop with the ricotta and sprinkle the parmesan on top; drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Set the baking sheet on the inverted baking sheet in the oven and bake until the crust is crisp and golden-brown, about 20 minutes.

Laurel’s Marinara Sauce

I had a bunch of basil leftover and needed to use it so I decided to make a big pot of my Marinara Sauce.  Tonight we are having it with Rotini, then adding a topping of ricotta cheese (mixed with some thyme and parmesan cheese).  I am going to save the rest of the sauce to make lasagna at the cabin this weekend.  I don’t really like Tomato Sauce straight of the jar so this recipe adds a ton of flavor to basic tomato sauce without too much work.  This recipe can be modified to meet any taste and you should use whatever you have in your fridge or cupboard. 

Laurel’s Marinara Sauce

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper flakes
6 garlic cloves, minced
½ Yellow Onion, diced
1 Bottle Tomato Sauce
2 cans diced Tomatoes
¼ cup Tomato Paste (or whatever you have left in the tube)
1 cup chicken stock (to rinse out the cans and bottle)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves

Instructions:
1. Heat the oil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat, add the red pepper flakes. Add the garlic and sauté until you just start to smell the garlic.   
2. Add the onion and sauté until onion are slightly softened, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add the tomato paste and stir.  Then add tomato sauce and diced tomatoes, rinse out the cans and bottle with chicken sauce.  Add basil, season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a simmer, stirring often.  Let simmer until ready to serve.   

Minnesota Meals

It has been a long time since I posted, I have been traveling and have not been using my kitchen (my mom did a couple of times but I didn’t help much so they didn’t make it onto the blog).  I went to Minnesota for a week to see my family and watch my college hockey team play in the Frozen Four.  While there I got to have some great meals with some of my very best friends.  Here are some of the food highlights:

Thursday March 21^st

Dinner at Restaurant Alma with Kat, Dan and my mom

This was a fabulous dinner, with great wine, amazing friends and delicious food.  It is a more high-end restaurant that serves seasonal, organic and local ingredients.  They have a very large wine list.  It is a set price for a Three Course Tasting meal.  I had the vegetarian option so I got 2 salads: The Bitter Greens and an Arugula Salad with marinated potatoes and mustard vinaigrette.  Then for my “main” course I had Potato Agnolotti with a mushroom ragu.  I am not big on mushrooms but I absolutely loved them in the sauce.  Then for dessert Dan and I each ordered a different option and shared.  We got the Meyer Lemon Curd Tart and the Triple Chocolate Moouse Cake, both were delicious but the Lemon Tart was the tables favorite.  The fabbri cherries on the chocolate cake were AMAZING. 

I would highly recommend Restaurant Alma if you are looking for a great place to go out for a special meal. 

Friday March 22^nd

Kat and I got morning coffee at Dunn Brothers (the original location is just blocks away from my house).  This was one of the places that Kat wanted to visit while she was in Minnesota and she was not disappointed in the coffee. 

For lunch we went to Shish.  This is a great little Mediterranean café.  The food came out quickly and was delicious.  The produce was very crisp and fresh and really hit the spot. 

Spent the afternoon and evening at the hockey arena cheering the Terriers on. 

Saturday March 23^rd

We wanted to watch the BU Men’s hockey team play so we had to find a sports bar to watch at (even in Minnesota it can be difficult to find a bar to put hockey on during March Madness).  We ended up at Joe Sensors and I was pleasantly surprised with the food (this was the feeling from the entire table).  The menu is pretty big with a lot of options, and not only classic sports bar food.  I had BBQ Chicken Burger topped with an onion ring. The Sweet Potato Fries with Maple Dipping Sauce are to die for! I love sweet potato fries and have had them at a lot of different restaurants but the maple dipping sauce is something special.  I wish I could have taken a bottle home.  My team did not win the game but it was a great casual meal with some of my hockey watching friends (and my mom). 

Sunday March 24^th

National Championship Day

My mom and I went out to breakfast with an old friend (both in age and how long we have known him).  After breakfast I was so nervous I didn’t eat much throughout the day.  Again my team didn’t end up winning the game but it was great to get to see my coach and teammates again.  After the game I got to go visit with them and have a couple of glasses of wine before they flew back to Boston.  Then I went and had “dinner” with my best friend Kat at her hotel bar.  Again I was pleasantly surprised by the food.  This time it was at Beacon PubHouse.  We shared a couple of different pub grub options that we all really good.  They had a special of mini chicken tacos with fresh salsa.  Then we had Crispy Chicken Wings and Thick Cut Truffle Fries.  The chicken fingers were so good I ordered a second batch! 

Monday March 25^th

My mom and I went to one of my childhood favorites Big Bowl.  I had their homemade ginger ale that is spicy and sweet and delicious.  Then we shared chicken satay as an appetizer.  My main course was my favorite Orange Chicken.  I love the Orange Chicken at Big Bowl because the chicken is crispy and they put orange rind in that adds just a touch of sweetness.    

Tuesday March 26^th

We had to take a break from eating out so we invited some friends over for lasagna.

Wednesday March 27^th

After working all day (and into the evening) to get a house sold with my mom and her business partner we decided to go Brasa for some comfort food.  The idea of the restaurant is that they have different sizes for all of the food that you share.  Even though it was only about 35 degrees outside we decided to start with a glass of sangria, which is one of my summer favorites.  We started by sharing some chips and guacamole (I guess it fits with the Sangria).  Then we shared 4 pieces of chicken, an order of Pulled Chicken, Candied Yams, and Crispy Yuca.  I also had a piece of corn bread.  Everything was delicious; I really liked the candied yams and the pulled chicken, which is simmered in light cream and peppered gravy.  After using my slow cooker so much this winter I am very tempted to try to make the pulled chicken in the slow cooker. 

My trip home was a ton of fun and I had some great food but I was glad to get back home to my “kitchen”.