Bowtie Neapolitan

Sounds impressive and complicated, doesn't it? It isn't. It's super simple. 

RECIPE: Bowtie Neapolitan

Ingredients:

Pasta

Oil

Onion

Tomato

Basil

Garlic 

Basil

Chives (optional)

Salt & Pepper

Method:

> boil water in a pot and cook noodles as recommended on the package

> chop and fry one onion in the oil over fairly high heat; you will make the sauce and shred the cheese in the time it takes the pasta to cook

> chop and add two tomatoes

> chop and add garlic, basil, and chives

> finish with salt and pepper 

> chop or shred some fresh or aged mozzarella (or ANY other cheese)

> drain the pasta

> toss the pasta in the sauce 

> add the cheese either to the pot and toss or leave it separate to self-serve at the table

This one takes 10 minutes, start to finish (if you start with a pot of water that is already hot from the tap). 

It's a great side to any dinner or lunch and is great served hot or cold. If serving cold, do not toss the cheese in while the pasta and sauce are hot. 

Eat Somethin' Good

Today's entry is essentially a guest post by my friend Phil.  To see his original posting, go here.

Grub's up

Spring is in the air... And on my table!

It was warm and beautiful yesterday, and also at times today. So lovely in fact, that the only logical option for dinner was pasta salad.

RECIPE: Tuna Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
500 g package of small pasta noodles
500 g frozen peas
1 bell pepper, diced
other veggies, diced (tomato, cucumber, celery, onions, cilantro, green beans, corn, etc.)
spinach, lettuce, or greens of some kind

2 cans tuna, drained
1/2 cup mayonnaise or sour cream
1/2 cup sweet chilli sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tsp ground)
1/2 tsp ground pepper

Community Lunch Lasagne

When it comes to food and cooking for others, running out is NEVER an option. If there is a fault in this category, it is that we tend to over-do it. So, when we volunteered to help out with food for the Community Lunch after church this last week, we aimed high...

... top of this mountain of twenty loaves of garlic bread, high.

Home Made Pasta

A little while ago, I popped some chopped beef into the freezer with some garlic, olive oil, and some Italian herbs. I forget what exactly I put in with the meat, but to find out, check here. Now the time has come to cook the beef!

I sautéed the beef with the herbs, added some chopped onion, and dressed it at the end with some halved cherry tomatoes. Now for the noodles...

Chicken Soup for the Soul and Stomach

I love the smell of a pot of chicken broth bubbling away on the stove.  There is something so homey, warm, comforting about it.  It is a great way to use up the left-over meat, bones, and skin from a roasted chicken. Also, it is surprisingly little work.

CHICKEN SOUP

Ingredients:

Chicken bones, joints, skin, etc.

3-6 bay leaves 

10 pepper corns (or 1/2 tsp ground pepper)

1 onion, cut in half

garlic (1 or more cloves)

water to cover the contents of the pot

Method:

Cover and simmer over medium-low until it comes to a gentle boil. Allow to simmer for one to five hours before serving. Alternately, you can use pre-made chicken broth and simmer with the bay leaves, pepper, onion, and garlic for 20 minutes.

To Serve:

Pre-boil noodles until they are "al-dente" or still a bit firm. While the noodles are cooking, chop up a few fresh vegetables. Arrange the chopped veggies, cooked noodles, and leftover meat in each bowl.  Ladle strained broth over the contents of each bowl and serve.

Note: 

Store extra noodles and broth in separate containers in the fridge. If stored together, the noodles will continue to absorb broth and will become mushy.

Do you make chicken soup? What do you do to "personalize" it?