Pasta all Vodka- Rockstar Status!

18 Tuesday Jan 2011

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This recipe will make you look like a rock star in the kitchen. This is one of those recipe that I pull out when I want to blow someones socks off. My friend Kim laughs when I say “I swear it’s easy” when it comes to a recipe, but I SWEAR IT’S EASY!!! I wish I could give credit where credit is due but all I can tell you is our old friend Alan Daly gave me this recipe and I love it. This is a great dish to try out on your in-laws, a new love, and old love or maybe just for your friends. Enjoy!

-Pasta alla Vodka-
3 T. olive oil
4 garlic cloves, thickly sliced
1 onion, chopped (this is not in the recipe but I like it)
1/2 c. chopped bacon, go for the meaty parts (I use Clifford Farms)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 T. chopped fresh rosemary
1 1/2 T. chopped fresh sage
1/2 c. vodka
1 1/2 c. tomato sauce
1 1/2 c. veggie stock
1 lbs pasta
Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese

1. Heat the oil in a large saute pan set on medium heat until sizzling, about 2 minutes.
2. Saute garlic, onion, bacon or prosciutto, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, rosemary and sage for 2-3 minutes, until the bacon is beginning to brown.
3. Turn off heat, stir in vodka, turn heat back on and scrape up any brown bits that have accumulated on the bottom of the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the tomato sauce and chicken stock, stirring well.
5. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low and cook, uncovered for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Cook pasta according to the directions, once the pasta is finished pour the finished sauce over the pasta and cook, stirring over medium heat for 3 minutes.
7. Sprinkle cheese over the pasta and mix well.

Broccoli in the Tabbouleh? Crazy!

23 Monday Aug 2010

Posted by cosmohippiechef in appetizer, pasta, vegan

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broccoli, vegan

This week at the Farmer’s Market one of my favorite farmers, Tom (pictured below in the Farmer’s Market pics) said that this might be the last week he would have broccoli. Well broccoli really wasn’t on my list this week but I couldn’t pass up fresh broccoli or Tom, knowing full well he probably had a special bag of broccoli just for me. So lucky for me I was going to make Tabbouleh for this weeks lunches. I did this trick a few weeks back when I made this dish for my two girlfriends Sadie and Alisa after they had just had their babies, it’s a fresh dish that can be made ahead and know one would ever know there was broccoli in it, sneaky I know. But if you eat out of my kitchen you should know I’m always hiding extras in the food.
I take the broccoli, cut away the stems, take the florets and put them into the food processor and pulse it down until it’s about the size of the Bulgar wheat. I don’t cook the broccoli, I kind of like different textures in my food and thought it was a great way to add something raw to the Tabbouleh, as well as hide vegetables in my husbands lunch.
So when you get to the part in the recipe when the Bulgar has had time to soak up the water, lemon and olive oil, add the chopped broccoli along with the fresh herbs and mix. I hope this trick works at your house. Enjoy!

P.S. The original Tabbouleh dish was posted 07/01/09.

Wild Mushroom Ravioli with Spinach Arugula Salad

21 Monday Jun 2010

Posted by cosmohippiechef in pasta, salad

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pasta, salad

Sunday night, part of me wants to get take out and part of me wants to make something in my own kitchen. Lucky for mine and Billy’s taste buds we made something amazing in our own kitchen. I had so many fresh ingredients from the Farmer’s Market I whipped this little gem of a dinner together. I have to give credit where credit is due so this salad recipe came from one of my client’s ,Charlie. Every time she comes for a haircut all we do is talk about food, so thanks Charlie for the great idea and we’ll be making that salad again this week.

-Wild Mushroom Ravioli- serves 2-3

1 package fresh Wild Mushroom Ravioli (I think Cucina Fresca, I find it at Whole Foods or Liberty Heights Fresh Market)

1 1/4 c. baby shitake mushrooms, chopped (FM)

2 T butter or olive oil

2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped (FM)

2 spring onions, chopped (FM) also called green onions or scallions

1 heaping T. fresh chopped parsley

1 heaping T. fresh basil (FM)

zest of one lemon, juice of half lemon

1. Cook the ravioli according to the directions.

2. While the ravioli is cooking start by placing a medium saute pan over medium heat. Place the butter or olive oil in the pan to warm when ready add the mushrooms, garlic and onion and begin to saute. Add a little salt and pepper to taste.

3. When the ravioli is done drain and set to the side.

4. Saute the mushrooms, onion and garlic just until the mushrooms brown. When done turn off heat add to the pan the ravioli, parsley, basil, zest and juice f lemon. Toss lightly and serve promptly. Enjoy!

-Spinach Arugula Salad- serves 2

Juice of one lemon

1 fresh garlic clove, minced (FM)

1 T. olive oil

1/4 of a medium purple onion, chopped

1 fennel head, sliced very thin (if your new to fennel maybe only use half and I grated mine on the grater)

2-3 c. fresh spinach (FM) just eye ball the amounts (FM)

2 c. fresh arugula (FM)

handful cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1/4 c. grated Romano cheese, you could use Parmesan as well

1. Start with a large bowl, in the bottom of the bowl add the lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and the cheese. Whisk all together.

2. Add the two lettuces, onion and fennel to the bowl and toss well. Divide between two bowls and top with the cherry tomatoes. Enjoy!

FM- Farmer’s Market

Spring Pasta

25 Sunday Apr 2010

Posted by cosmohippiechef in pasta

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pasta, seasonal, vegetables

Hola, my friends I am sorry that it has been a minute since my last post :(. Anyways I wanted to share this great recipe that I’ve made twice since I last posted. I was trying to get Billy to play hokey with me from work on Earth Day (April 22) , which didn’t work so well considering my sweet husband has a hard time saying no. So I got him a little here and there through out the day, while we were eating our raw oatmeal, and drinking our fair trade coffee we happened to catch the Rachael Ray Show. I had a hunch that she would probably make a vegetarian dish considering it was Earth Day, and I was right. She made this awesome Spring Pasta dish, Billy liked it so much he asked me to write it on the ‘list’ (this would be the new list we started so I could keep track of his favorite recipes since he can never remember). This dish is full of fresh bright flavors, it’s like a spring party in your mouth.

So here’s the deal I’m going to leave the link instead of typing the whole recipe out, it may be easier to print it from her website, trust me you’ll want to keep this one. Enjoy! Lemon Chive Spaghetti w/Farmers Market Veggies

Mac and Cheese (with hidden veggies)

04 Sunday Apr 2010

Posted by cosmohippiechef in pasta

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broccoli, cheese, pasta, pumpkin, vegetables

I have been meaning to get this on the blog for some time, this recipe is family friendly meaning everyone can appreciate this dish. I don’t have kids just a husband who is a kid at heart and he loves this recipe so much that he laps up the remaining sauce with his finger and licks it off.

I was telling my TBC (Tall Bitches Club) ladies that if you have leftover of the pureed carrots and yams that go in this dish they would make great snack for your little ones. No matter what this dish is a hit it’s fast, creative and good for you. Enjoy!

P.S. This recipe was inspired by Jessica Seinfeld’s cookbook Deceptively Delicious, if you have kids or a spouse who won’t eat there veggies this cookbook is very helpful and very creative.

-Mac and Cheese- Serves 4-6

3 c. Macaroni (I use whole wheat pasta)

2 T. butter (I use Earth Balance Butter)

2 T. flour (I use whole wheat flour or soy flour, it’s just whatever you have)

1 c. milk (I use soy milk)

1/2 c. carrot puree*

1/2 c. sweet potato/yam puree*

1 c. shredded cheddar (I like Beehive Cheese, they are local and make great cheese)

2 c. broccoli

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. onion salt

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

1/4 tsp. paprika

1. In a large pot of salted boiling water cook macaroni according to directions. During the last two minutes throw in the broccoli with the pasta. Cook last remaining few minutes together and then drain both into a colander and set aside.

2. In a large saute pan melt the butter over medium heat, when melted and slightly bubbling add flour and whisk into a smooth paste. Cook for one minute to remove the raw flour paste, add milk a little at a time and whisk well to avoid lumps. Whisk all together until it begins to thicken, add all the spices and whisk together once more.

3. Turn heat to low after sauce has thickened, add carrot puree* and sweet potato/yam puree*, and cheese. Turn off heat and stir all together, toss the pasta and broccoli into thickened cheese sauce and stir one last time. Serve immediately.

*Pureed veggies is easy, I do these separately though. Either use a steamer basket or place the veggies in a pot with a little water and a tight fitting lid and cook over medium heat until knife tender. (That means that when you insert your knife into the veggie it slides right off) When tender puree the cooked veggies in a food processor, you may need to use a little of the cooking liquid to puree the veggies just until smooth.

I served this dish with Roasted Brussel Sprouts. All you do is wash, cut into halves or quarters depending on the size. Place the prepared brussel sprouts on a cookie sheet lined with tin foil, toss with olive oil and salt and pepper. Put into a preheated (400 degree) oven for 10 -20 minutes. After the first 10 minutes I toss the sprouts a little and determine how much longer.When they come out of the oven I season with fresh lemon juice, lemon zest and maybe just a little more olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy

Keeping it REAL and Simple- Homemade Marinara Sauce

09 Monday Nov 2009

Posted by cosmohippiechef in DIY, pasta

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pasta, seasonal, tomatoes, vegan, vegetables

So the last time I checked in was weeks ago, and I mentioned that I was in a food funk. Nothing was inspiring me nor was I even wanting to eat, my taste buds were on hiatus. Part of this was due to the Farmer’s Market coming to a close as well as the weather here in Salt Lake won’t make up it’s mind if it wants to be cold or warm. I’m certainly not complaining about the sunshine it’s just that it is throwing my wants and cravings for a bit of a loop! So I took action and I completely cleaned the kitchen and fridge from top to bottom in hopes that cleaning out my creative space would make room for the energy to flow. Is it working? Who knows only time will tell, but there’s always in the meantime. As for the meantime, I vowed to keep it simple, and get real about this present moment. All of us go through stagnic times, it’s like riding a wave – it goes up and it goes down. No worries just go with the flow, do what you can, andthe rest will catch up.

Here’s a simple Marinara Sauce I refer to often (Everyday Italian, Giada De Laurentiis) it’s sweet an delicious and very versatile.

– Marinara Sauce-

1/4 c. olive oil, or enough to cover the bottom of the pot

2 small onions or 1 large, chopped

2-4 cloves garlic, chopped

4-6 stalks celery, chopped (I like the leafy stalks)

2-4 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 jars (I use my canned tomatoes) or cans (32oz)

2 fresh bay leaves

salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large pot over medium heat, add onions and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.

2. Add the carrots and celery and season with salt and pepper, saute until soft, another 10 minutes.

3. Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmer until sauce thickens about an hour. Let cool and I like to puree mine in the blender, taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.

Recipes PLEASE!- Roasted Vegetable Orzo w/Basil Parmesan Vinaigrette

20 Sunday Sep 2009

Posted by cosmohippiechef in dressing, pasta

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pasta, salad, seasonal, tomatoes

I know, I know it’s been forever since I’ve posted some new recipes and I apologize. I think I’ve probably mentioned a few thousand times how busy this summer has been for me, but lucky for me it’s Sunday morning and I’m sitting in bed blogging while my sweet husband makes me breakfast in bed. This is his way of giving me some time to just watch my favorite cooking shows or catch up on the blogging. We are having our famous hot cereal with fresh orange/grapefruit/carrot juice, I can’t wait!
On with the recipes: This first one is actually a dish I took to a local Public Pot Luck Picnic that was held in order to raise awareness for Congress to improve the Child Nutrition Act, which supports the need for better food in our schools. This dish is healthy, light, refreshing and very addictive if I do say so myself. It works great as a side dish for a get together and this time of year you can pick up most of the ingredients at the farmers market.

-Roasted Vegetable Orzo with a Basil Lemon Parmesan Vinaigrette-

1 package orzo pasta ( I was lucky enough to find whole wheat orzo, yeah! ) cook according to directions, drain and let cool
6 medium size bell peppers ( I like to use yellow, red and orange peppers for the sweetness and color ) cut into bite size pieces
1 large or 2 medium purple onions, cut into bite size pieces
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 large heirloom tomatoes
olive oil
salt and pepper
*optional* 1 package baby portabello mushrooms, chopped

1. Cook pasta according to directions and set aside to cool, if your in a pinch you can rinse the cooked pasta under cold water to help the cooling time.
2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees, on a large cookie or two if you need it toss together the peppers, onion, garlic and mushrooms if using with olive oil and salt and pepper.
3. Place the cookie sheets in the oven and roast for 30- 40 minutes, just until the edges are charred a little. I rotate the cookie sheets half way through the cooking time.
4. When the veggies are cooked to perfection take them out and let them cool a bit, when they have cooled toss the pasta and cooked vegetables all together in a large bowl and toss with the vinaigrette. And when this is all tossed together I cut the heirloom tomatoes in wedges and top the orzo with these beauties.

-Lemon Basil Parmesan Vinaigrette-

2/3 c. olive oil
2/3 c. fresh lemon juice, also the zest of those lemons
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/3 c. chopped fresh basil
1/3 c. fresh grated Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced

1. Mix olive oil, lemon juice, zest, salt, pepper, garlic and basil in a container with a lid. Place the lid on container and shake. Add the cheese just before tossing over the pasta and vegetables.

*Vinaigrette can be made ahead. Pasta and vegetables can be made a day ahead, toss all together at the last minute. Also add tomatoes very last. ENJOY!

Lunch for the week… Tabbouleh

02 Thursday Jul 2009

Posted by cosmohippiechef in appetizer, pasta, Snack

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pasta, seasonal, tomatoes

I am so glad I found some time to catch you up with this wonderful light and refreshing dish. Every week I crave something different and it seems to me that this weeks recipes are about simple fresh flavors. Also I was wanting meals that make us feel refreshed like my ‘green drink’. I had a crazy month and my husband just got back from a boys weekend in Vegas! That’s right Vegas need I say more?! This has made a great lunch for us, you could make it for a side dish with chicken or fish or take to to a party with some pita.
I got this recipe from one of my favorite cooking show ladies, The Barefoot Contessa. She makes this all in a big bowl, refrigerates it and then stuffs pitas with the mixture and adds a slice of feta. I on the other hand layer the ingredients in our lunch containers starting with the feta, then the tabbouleh, I add brocco sprouts (not in the recipe), then the cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes. It a fresh party in your mouth, Enjoy!

-Tabbouleh-

1 c. bulgar wheat (I get it the bulk section)
1 1/4 c. boiling water
1/4 c. lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/4 c. olive oil
kosher salt
1/2- 1 c. scallions, white and green parts (1 bunch), I used the ones in my garden!
1/2 c. chopped mint (fresh)
1/2 c. flat leaf parsley, chopped (fresh)
1 cucumber, seeded and medium diced, I use 6 little ones for our lunches.
1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 t. freshly ground pepper
3/4 lb. feta cheese (I got mine from the farmers market)
pita (if making sandwiches)

1. Place the bulgar in a large bowl, pour in the the boiling water, and add the lemon juice, olive oil and 1/2 t. salt. Stir, then allow to stand at room temperature about an hour.
2. Add scallions, mint, parsley, cucumber, tomatoes, 2 t. salt and the pepper, mix well. Season to taste and serve, or cover and refrigerate. The flavor will improve went the tabbouleh sits for a few hours.
3. If making lunches refer to above blog, if making for side dish add feta and serve. If making sandwichesstuff the tabbouleh and feta into the pita breads. Enjoy