Category Archives: Pasta

Orzo with Spinach and Parmesan

September 15, 2020

Easy cheesy pasta dishes are always welcome here. This orzo has garlic + spinach + Parmesan and a pinch of red pepper flakes if, like me, you can’t resist adding some kick. Serve with some browned chicken sausage or meatballs (or even stir them in!) for extra protein. This go-to mixed green salad would be perfect on the side.

Orzo with Spinach and Parmesan

INGREDIENTS

16 oz. (1 lb.) orzo pasta
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 cup of milk (I used whole milk)
1 1/2 packed cups baby spinach (I used the same amount of frozen chopped spinach, measured before being thawed)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese + extra for serving
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
pinch crushed red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)

DIRECTIONS 

  1. Cook orzo according to directions on the box. Before draining, reserve some of the pasta water to add at the end, then drain and set aside.
  2. In a large pot over medium high heat, cook garlic in butter and olive oil until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  3. Sprinkle flour into the pot then gently whisk in the milk. Let mixture thicken, about 1-2 minutes then add in the spinach and Parmesan cheese.
  4. Add the orzo pasta to the pot, stir to coat and incorporate. Add some of the reserved pasta water, if needed, to thin the sauce and make it more creamy. Season with salt and pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes, to taste.
  5. Serve hot and top with extra Parmesan cheese, if desired.

(Adapted from Table for Two)

 

Stovetop Mac and Cheese

June 24, 2020

I made my kids boxed mac and cheese last night (while Dustin and I had bahn mi and vermicelli bowls from a Vietnamese food truck visiting the neighborhood) so I’m not one to judge. The fact that my kids (and husband!) like the boxed variety of mac and cheese sooo much made me want to try my own stovetop version. Homemade is more work, and more money, but it does taste great. There’s A LOT of cheese going into this dish. (I recommend you take the time to shred it yourself. If you buy it pre-shredded it doesn’t melt as smoothly.) So this isn’t healthy or low-calorie by any means. But it’s comfort in a dish.

Stovetop Mac and Cheese

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. flour
2 cups water
4 cups milk
1 lb. uncooked pasta (I used macaroni)
~1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. ground mustard
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 cups (16 oz.) freshly-shredded sharp cheddar cheese (I used a combo of Beecher’s original and sharp Cheddar)
1/2 cup freshly-shredded Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

  1. Melt butter in a large stockpot over medium-high heat.  Add flour, and stir until combined.  Cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.  Then pour in 1 cup of the water, and stir (or whisk) until the mixture is completely smooth and begins to thicken.  Gradually pour in the remaining water and milk, stirring until evenly combined.
  2. Stir in the pasta, salt, garlic powder, and mustard until combined.  Then continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the mixture just reaches a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low to maintain the low simmer.  Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for about 9-10 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente. 
  3. Remove from heat, and stir in the cheeses until melted. Taste, and season with additional salt and black pepper as needed.

Adapted from Gimme Some Oven

Creamy Tuscan Tortellini Soup

May 27, 2020

We loved the last one so much I made another tortellini soup! This one has a creamy tomato base, Italian sausage (or you can use shredded chicken), white beans, carrots, spinach, and of course, lots of Parmesan cheese on top. Adding tortellini seems to be the only way I can get one of my kid to eat soup. You could substitute any pasta but the cheese-filled tortellini gives it an extra boost of flavor. Other suggestions: up the veggies by adding mushrooms or zucchini, etc. Skip the meat and use veggie broth to make it vegetarian. Ravioli instead of tortellini would be awesome. Stir in cream instead of the milk/flour combo. That would be decadent. Use fresh herbs instead of dried. This is such a great base recipes the options are really endless…!

Creamy Tuscan Tortellini Soup

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1 cup diced carrots (about 3 medium carrots, peeled)
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
4 cups chicken broth (I use low-sodium)
28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
10 oz. cheese tortellini
1 1/2 cups milk (I use whole milk)
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 (15-oz.) can Great Northern or Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
8 oz. Italian chicken sausage- mild or spicy (OR pork/turkey sausage OR 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken)
2-3 cups lightly packed, coarsely chopped fresh spinach (I used 1 cup frozen chopped spinach, measured before it was thawed)
freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onions and carrots. Cover the pot and cook/sweat the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds. If you’re using sausage, you want to add it now and cook it until browned. (If you’re using chicken breast you’ll add it later.)
  2. Add the broth, crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer and add the tortellini. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the tortellini are mostly tender (they’ll continue to cook for a few minutes in the next step).
  3. Whisk or blend the flour and milk together until smooth and add it to the soup, stirring constantly. Add the beans, chicken (if using shredded chicken) and spinach. Bring the soup to a low simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and all the ingredients are heated through and the tortellini are tender. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  4. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top, if desired.

Adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Pesto Cavatappi

May 5, 2020

I have another restaurant-inspired recipe to share with you today. It’s been a while since we lived somewhere with a Noodles and Company. When we left Chicago six years ago we moved to Colorado Springs for two years. Clara was a toddler and that’s where Gwen was born just before we left. When I was pregnant with Gwen and not able to cook, let alone eat much of anything, Dustin and Clara would go out for dinner together while I stayed home on the couch watching endless episodes of British television (Poldark, Downtown Abbey, and The Paradise which I LOVED!). Dustin is a pasta lover and so they often ended up at Noodles and Co. and this dish, pesto cavatappi, became their go-to order. I figured it couldn’t be too hard to make at home and this recipe is spot on!

Cavatappi is a fancy curly noodle that can be hard to find. No fear though, this recipe will work great with a pound of pretty much any other pasta- rigatoni, farfalle, or penne would be good substitutions. We usually buy our pesto at Costco (they have large jars, I freeze what’s leftover and thaw as needed). If you have lots of fresh basil on hand you can even make your own. The noodles get tossed with sautéed mushrooms and tomatoes (we don’t love mushy tomatoes so we wait and add them at the end), garlic, pesto, a bit of broth and cream, and lots of Parmesan cheese. It’s pretty and so delicious!

Pesto Cavatappi

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. Cavatappi (or another similar pasta)
1 cup basil pesto (We love Costco’s pesto)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1-2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
8 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 cup heavy cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan + extra for serving
fresh basil, for serving (optional)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a generous pinch of salt, followed by the pasta. Cook just until al dente, according to package directions, then drain the pasta and set aside.
  2. While the pasta cooks, make the sauce. Warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the sliced tomatoes (we wait and add our tomatoes at the end) and mushrooms. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the tomatoes are softened and the mushrooms begin to release liquid. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more, just until fragrant.
  3. Pour in the broth and simmer for another 2-3 minutes, until slightly reduced. Stir in the cream and simmer for 1 minute more. Reduce heat to low and stir in the pesto and Parmesan. Taste and add more salt and pepper, to taste.
  4. Stir in the pasta and toss to mix well. Serve with additional cheese and fresh basil, if desired.

Adapted from Nourish and Fete

Chicken Tortellini Soup

April 17, 2020

Chicken noodle soup is good but replace the noodles with cheese-stuffed tortellini and chicken soup is suddenly much more exciting! I have one child who doesn’t eat soup (it’s a texture thing I’ve realized), but even she enjoys this one if I drain off most of the broth. It has a touch of creaminess but isn’t too indulgent and packed with good for you things like carrots and garlic and celery (and spinach if you choose to add some like I do). I also stir in a handful of freshly grated Parmesan, and serve extra for sprinkling on top.

Chicken Tortellini Soup

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
1 small sweet onion, diced
2 large carrots, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped (I used 1/2 tsp. celery salt instead)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
dash red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2-3 cups cooked shredded chicken
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 8-10 oz. package of your favorite tortellini
~1/2 cup frozen spinach (optional, 1-2 cups chopped if you used fresh)
1 cup whole milk or half and half
1 1/2 Tbsp. flour
freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Heat a large pot over medium heat and add the olive oil and butter. Once the butter melts, add in the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, oregano, red pepper, salt and pepper. Stir and cook until the veggies soften, about 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the shredded chicken and cook for a minute or two. Add in the chicken stock and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer. Add in the tortellini and spinach (if using) and cook it for 5 minutes.
  2. While the tortellini is cooking, fill a shaker cup with the milk. Add the flour to the milk and shake the cup for at least 30 seconds. After 5 minutes, stream in the milk slurry while stirring. Bring the soup back to a simmer and let it simmer for 10 or 15 minutes as it thickens.
  3. Taste it and season more with salt and pepper to taste, if necessary. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan and serve.

Serves 4.

Adapted from How Sweet Eats