Pasta Carbonara

This is another recipe (like Wednesday's risotto) that I can't believe I haven't posted to the blog yet.  This is easily my favorite pasta dish to make at home.  It's quick, it's easy, it's made out of common pantry ingredients AND it has bacon in it.  What's not to love?

Pasta Carbonara is always a fallback option for us since we always have bacon in the freezer.  It just takes twenty minutes or so under cold water and it's defrosted and ready to go.  It's definitely a comfort food option for us as well.  The creamy sauce made when the egg is gently warmed and combines with the cheese is so deliciously salty from the parmesan and the smokiness from the bacon, there's no horrible day that this pasta won't improve.  Do make sure you temper the egg and cheese sauce slowly and carefully.  I've done it too fast before and you end up with a sauce made of scrambled egg bits and that's not good.  I've been making it from this base recipe for over five years now, maybe even longer.  I changed up the recipe a bit, always adding in onions and have added in either spinach or mushrooms in the past as well.  I hope that you find that this recipe becomes a staple in your kitchen as well.

Pasta Carbonara

serves 4, adapted from Rachael Ray/The Food Network

Ingredients:
Salt
1 pound pasta, I usually use spaghetti
1/3 pound bacon, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus more, for topping
black pepper

Directions:

• Place a large pot of water on the stove to boil. When water is boiling, add salt and pasta and cook to al dente.  When pasta is done don't forget to save 1/2 cup pasta water.
• While pasta cooks, heat large skillet over medium heat. Saute bacon until brown and crispy, 3 to 5 minutes. 
• Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  
• Add garlic and crushed pepper flake, saute 2 minutes. 
• Add wine to the pan and reduce liquid by half, 2 minutes.
• Beat together egg yolks, cheese, and while whisking vigorously, stir in a ladle of the boiling pasta water.
• Drain pasta -- don't forget to reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water (I usually forget this, hence my repeated reminders!).  Add pasta to pan with bacon mixture.  Toss pasta with bacon mixture, then add egg mixture and toss 1 minute, then remove from heat. Continue to toss, and adding reserved pasta water as necessary to loosen sauce, until sauce is coating the pasta. Add pepper to taste and salt, if necessary.  
• Serve with extra cheese, for topping.

Spanish Shrimp with Sunset Orzo

Shrimp is showing up more and more in our weekly menu plan.  I've talked about my new-ness to seafood before, but shrimp has broken through and made themselves a staple in our house.  There's always a bag in the freezer and since they are quick to defrost, they make for great weeknight meals.  I will eat them, but I'm not comfortable enough with them yet to peel and devein them.  I don't like seeing their legs, that still makes me feel weird, so I leave that up to Zach.  ;-)


This meal was a great weeknight meal -- fast and flavorful.  It also made good leftovers for lunches the next day.  I left out the peas since I don't like them, but I did double up on the red pepper, using one large one instead of a small.  I think it would be great with some frozen diced carrots thrown in in place of the peas as well, or frozen corn too.  Both would work well with the 'color scheme' of the dish too, matching the 'sunset' theme.  I loved the use of chorizo in the dish, it gave a nice warm and spicy flavor to each bite.  


I made a few other changes as well, either with the aim of cutting fat/calories or in simplifying the steps/decreasing the dishes needed.  I love Rachael Ray's recipes but man does she use a lot of pots, pans and dishes!  I guess it's because she doesn't have to wash them up herself, and although neither do I (Zach is the main dishwasher in our house), I still cut out steps when I can.  I decreased the chorizo from 1/3 pound to 1/4 pound and also cut out the oil altogether.  I didn't find that that a fatty sausage like chorizo needs oil to brown, as soon as it gets warmed up and cooking it starts rendering fat into the pan, so why start with oil if you don't need to?  I also changed the steeping method for the saffron and chicken broth (why get another pot dirty when the microwave works just as well) and the cooking method for the shrimp (again, why get out another skillet, just throw them in with the veggies!).  I have a feeling this meal will be one more reason for shrimp to keep popping up on our weekly menus!

Spanish Shrimp with Spanish Orzo
serves 4
adapted from EveryDay with Rachael Ray, April 2009

Ingredients:
Salt
8 ounces orzo pasta
2 pinches saffron threads
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 pound Spanish chorizo, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Directions:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the orzo and cook until just al dente. Drain and cover.
• While the water comes to a boil, steep the saffron in the chicken broth.  Pour the chicken broth into a glass measuring up and add the saffron.  Heat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes and let steep until needed.  
• Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook until browned, about 2 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic and turmeric and cook for 5 minutes. 
• Add the shrimp to the vegetable/chorizo mixture and cook until pink and firm, 2 to 3 minutes. 
• Pour the saffron broth over the shrimp, chorizo and vegetables. Add the paprika and cooked orzo and toss for 2 minutes. 
• Serve in bowls, topping with the parsley and lemon juice. 

Cheesy Couscous with Roasted Brussel Sprouts

I found this recipe while cutting out recipes from my ever-growing collection of magazines. I know I've discussed my obsession with Cook's Illustrated magazines before, but I also subscribe to 6 other food magazines! Every month when the new ones roll in, I take the last month's edition and go through it tearing out pages/recipes that I want to save. I cut the recipes out and then file them by type of recipe to await their time to be made. This recipe didn't even make it into the file, it jumped right from 'cut-out' pile to this week's menu.

This recipe is from EveryDay with Rachael Ray, which is the first food magazine I ever subscribed to.  I've been a subscriber since it started, over 6 years ago.  I used to love her 30 Minute Meals on Food Network, and have three or four of her cookbooks, so getting her magazine when it started was a natural extension   I've enjoyed it over the years, and made many, many recipes from it with great results.  My favorite burger recipe is hers, as is our favorite mac and cheese and it's the first place I turn when looking for quick and easy weeknight dinners.  But, after awhile I found the recipes to be getting repetitive and not fresh or new.  I toyed with the idea of stopping the subscription, and have considered just letting it run out the past few years; but, I always end up finding some great deal online to get it at 5 dollars a year, which I just can't pass up.  


I do like the magazine, since it has her signature 30 minute recipes, plus lots of longer ones as well.  Also, while I loved her show at the beginning, as it went on I found her more and more annoying with abbreviations (EVOO!) and non-adult talk (Yum-O!).  At the same time, she was getting more and more popular, and I tend to lose interest in things as soon as everyone else gets turned on to them, perhaps it's my inner hipster.  So, the benefit of the magazine is that you get her recipes without the annoying phrases and voice!  Yay!


This recipe jumped out at me mostly because of the use of Israeli or pearl couscous.  We recently found a giant bag at Costco and, of course, purchased on the spot.  We love couscous, both the traditional smaller size and the larger Israeli version.  This recipe was perfect for a weeknight -- quick and easy -- and really, really good.  It will definitely be finding a frequent spot on our weekly menus, served up as a main dish like this, and a simplified version as a side dish as well.  I made some changed -- used roasted brussel sprouts, since we had those on hand, instead of broccoli.  I switched in olive oil instead of the butter, since I thought it would hold up better to the high heat of roasting the veggies.  I also decreased the bacon (yes!  I actually decreased the amount of bacon in a recipe!), cheese and overall amount of butter/oil to help with the overall calorie content.  I think it is immensely customizable to your tastes, which is how I feel about most of Rachael's recipes, and one of the reasons I keep taking advantage of the great deals to continue to be a subscriber!

Cheesy Couscous with Roasted Brussel Sprouts
adapted from EveryDay with Rachael Ray, January 2012
4 servings, 30 minutes


Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound brussel sprouts
Salt and pepper
6 strips bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/3 cups Israeli (or pearl) couscous
1 cup frozen corn
4 scallions, chopped
2 cups chicken stock
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups (about 4 oz.) grated gouda
1 tablespoon butter


Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Trim brussel sprouts and  halve or quarter, depending on size.  Place sprouts on a sheet pan, and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Spread on a single layer and place in the oven to roast.  Stir after 10-15 minutes.  
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp, about 10 minutes; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Keep using the skillet, discarding all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat.
• In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the couscous until just al dente, 5 to 6 minutes; drain.
• Add the corn and scallions to the reserved skillet and cook over medium-high heat until warmed through, about 2 minutes.  Add the couscous and chicken stock and simmer until the liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the butter, cheese and reserved bacon. Serve with the roasted sprouts.

Grilled Sausage Panzanella

This is a great recipe for the end of summer.  It's a fantastic way to get out and use your grill a few more times before the cold weather hits.  We had this one week in early summer and then have quickly repeated it almost every week since.  It's a great, fast weeknight meal and tastes fabulous.  Grilling the bread as well as the sausage really emphasizes smoky, charred flavors in the dish.  And it's so versatile.  We always have a few packages of sausage in the freezer, usually a flavored chicken sausage.  Trader Joe's has a great selection of varieties and our favorite grocery store in the world, Wegmans, has also recently launched a line in their own brand name as well.  We've done this with pesto sausage, sun-dried tomato sausages, Italian (both sweet and hot), smoked chardonnay and apple, andouille, spinach and feta, the list can go on and on.  I bet kielbasa would be particularly good as well -- which gives me another excuse to put this dish on the menu for the upcoming week (like I needed one!).

Grilled Sausage Panzanella

adapted (and infinitely customizable) from EveryDay with Rachael Ray, June/July 2010

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 plum tomatoes, finely chopped (I've also used cherry/grape tomatoes that are halved and chopped heirloom tomatoes.)

1/4 large onion (or 1/2 medium), thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, finely chopped 

Salt and pepper 

Four thick slices bread (Use your preferred variety, I find Italian or sourdough work well.)

4 sausage links (about 1 pound), any variety 

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 

15 fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese 

Directions:

• In a large bowl mix together the tomatoes, onion and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Let stand 15 minutes.  Preheat your grill to medium.
• Once grill is hot and ready, grill bread slices, about 2 minutes in each side.  You want them to get toasty brown and have some charring around the edges.  
• After removing the bread, grill the sausages.  If your sausages are precooked then you are just heating them up, so about 5-7 minutes total.  If you are using raw sausages you will need to grill until cooked completely, so about 10-12 minutes total.  Turn sausages often for even cooking/heating and nice grill marks.  
• Add olive oil and red wine vinegar to the tomato mixture.  Cut bread into 1/2 -3/4 inch cubes.  Cut the sausages into similar sized slices.  Add the bread, sausage, basil and half the parmesan to the tomato mixture.  Toss until combined.  Divide into bowls and serve with the additional parmesan for sprinkling on top. 

Smoky Tomato Soup with Couscous

I found this recipe as I was looking for a new soup to try.  It's January after all, and what better way to warm up at the end of a long, cold day than a delicious, hot soup?  Also, I wanted to participate in a blogging event over at Branny Boils Over.  She's holding a Charity Souper Bowl to raise money to donate to the ASPCA.  I made this Smoky Tomato Soup with Couscous, but before I tell you about the recipe, I'll first dedicate my post to my special animal - Jala.  My family got Jala, a miniature dachshund puppy back in the spring of my freshman year of high school.  She's about to turn 16 and is still my little puppy.  She's slowed down in her old age, but she's still a great friend and dog.  Here she is in her typical winter day outfit - a cute sweater!  Since she's so skinny and has barely any fat (6.5 pounds!), the cold weather leaves her shivering all day unless she wears a sweater.  If only Jala could have some delicious soup to warm her up! 

Okay, now on to the soup.  As soon as I saw this recipe had chipotle peppers in it, I knew it would be a hit in our house.  Both Zach and I love the smoky flavor and spiciness they give a dish.  I found this in the January/February 2011 issue of EveryDay with Rachael Ray and thought it would go very nicely with a loaf of our favorite bread.  I did change it a bit, mostly in the preparation method.  After the onions, tomatoes and broth had cooked I chose to use my immersion blender to make a smooth soup.  I really liked the flavors and consistency I got by adding that step.  I also added the topping of Cojita cheese, mostly because we had some leftover in the fridge, but I really loved the salty bite it gave the soup.  The finished soup really reminded me of a grown-up version of spaghettios!  Since the Israeli couscous cooks in the soup liquid, it gets a little pink tint to it that reminded me of spaghettios (seen better in the first picture) but the chipotle and cilantro sour cream make it grown-up.  It was delicious and made for a quick and easy weeknight meal.  

Smoky Tomato Soup with Couscous
Adapted from: EveryDay with Rachael Ray, Jan/Feb 2011
Makes 4 servings

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 large onion, finely chopped
1 canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, chopped
4 cups chicken broth
28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
3/4 cup Israeli couscous
4 ounces ham, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
Salt and pepper 

4 ounces Cojita cheese

Directions:

• Using a food processor, pulse the sour cream and 1/4 cup cilantro until smooth; refrigerate. 
• In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and chipotle chile and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. 
• Add the chicken broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Insert an immersion blender in the soup and blend soup until desired consistency. 
• Add the couscous and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Stir in the ham; season with salt and pepper to taste. 
  
• To serve, top the soup with the cilantro sour cream, cojita cheese and remaining 1/4 cup cilantro.

Green Chili Sliders with Tangy Tomatillo-Lime Sauce

These were super delicious!  The tomatillo-lime sauce is very addicting!  The combination of cilantro, lime and just a bit of heat from the jalapeno keeps you coming back for more.  The burgers were fantastic too!  I adapted the recipe and made them turkey burgers instead of using ground beef and I think it worked just fine.  I also omitted the cheese, since I felt the sauce would add enough flavor, and it did!  I really loved the poblanos in the burgers, they were just the right pepper, especially after being roasted.  They were sweet yet spicy and perfect.  I was going to do full size burgers, but decided to go with sliders as the recipe was written. We will definitely make these again, another great burger recipe from Rachael Ray. 

Green Chile Sliders with Tangy Tomatillo-Lime Sauce

from EveryDay with Rachael Ray, November 2008

4 Servings

Ingredients:

2 large poblano chiles

4 tomatillos, husks removed and coarsely chopped

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

1/2 white onion, coarsely chopped

1/3 cup cilantro

1 lime

2 tablespoons honey

Salt

11/2 pounds ground turkey

11/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon canola oil

8 slider rolls

Directions:

• Preheat the broiler. Place the poblanos on a baking sheet and broil, turning, until blackened. Transfer to a bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Let stand until cool enough to handle. Peel off the skins and remove the seeds; discard. Chop into 1/2-inch pieces.
• Using a food processor, mix the tomatillos, jalapeno, onion, cilantro, zest of the lime, juice of the lime and honey until smooth; season with salt.
• In a large bowl, season the turkey with the cumin, salt and pepper; combine. Mix in the poblanos. Form into 8 3-inch patties.
• In a cast-iron skillet, heat the oil over high heat. Cook the patties, turning once, about 5 minutes for medium-rare.  Dot the roll tops with the tomatillo sauce and assemble the sliders. Serve with the extra sauce.

Buttery Tilapia with Smashed Potatoes

I found this recipe while going through my file of recipes clipped from magazines and newspapers.  I've been a subscriber to EveryDay with Rachael Ray just about since it started.  I love the easy, weeknight meals.  This is one I've had for awhile.  I never really cooked too much with fish before we got married.  Well, except for the occasional fish sticks during lent, and even that was more 're-heating' not cooking.  It always scared me a bit, just because I hadn't really done it before.  Zach is pretty comfortable cooking with fish, so I've definitely learned from him.  

This recipe was quick and easy.  I chose it to use the new red potatoes we got in our CSA box this week, and they were delicious.  The scallion and sun-dried tomato butter that tops the fish was excellent.  We even used some on top of the cauliflower we had with this meal.  It'd also be great as a finishing butter on top of a steak fresh off the grill.  The original recipe calls for halibut, but tilapia is a very similar fish and is what we already had on hand.  The only other change we made was to add a splash of chicken stock and a few tablespoons of parmesan to the potatoes, since after smashing and tasting them, they were a bit on the dry side and needed just a little "something extra" flavor-wise. 

Buttery Tilapia with Smashed Potatoes

adapted from EveryDay with Rachael Ray, May 2008

4 Servings

Prep 15 min

Cook 20 min

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons softened

1 sun-dried tomato, finely chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped scallion

1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic

Salt and pepper

1 pound small new potatoes

Four 6- to 8-ounce tilapia fillets

2 tablespoons flour

2-3 tablespoons chicken stock

2-3 tablespoons parmesan cheese

Directions:

• In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, sun-dried tomato, scallion and garlic; season with salt and pepper.
• In a large saucepan, add the potatoes and enough salted water to cover. Cover and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, then smash the potatoes with 1 tablespoon butter, chicken stock and parmesan cheese; season with salt and pepper.
• Season the fish with salt and pepper, then coat lightly with the flour. In a large nonstick skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the fish and cook, turning once, until golden and firm to the touch, 7 to 8 minutes total.
• Transfer the fish to serving plates and top with the tomato-scallion butter. Serve with the smashed potatoes.

Turkey Taco Burgers with Guacamole

This was a super yummy recipe!  It's one I found on Rachael Ray's website.  I know lots of people don't like her show/personality/over-used phrases/scratchy voice, and I myself tend to avoid her in any manner except print (I love her EveryDay magazine!).  But, say what you will about her, she knows how to concoct a good burger!  I like to try different flavor combinations in burgers, especially turkey/chicken burgers since they can get rather bland without some sort of add-in.  So, if I am looking for a new burger idea I usually go to Rachael first.  This was a winner, it had really great flavor and the guacamole was super easy.  I did not not make the salsa from the recipe as I figured one topping was enough, but I added in some tomatoes, cilantro and onion to the guacamole.  We served with a side of refried pinto beans and some baked whole wheat tortillas for dipping with the remaing guacamole. 

Turkey Taco Burgers with Guacamole

adapted from RachaelRay.com

1 pound ground turkey breast

1 small red onion, 1/2 grated, 1/2 minced

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 cup taco or chili sauce

Salt and pepper

3 ripe avocados, flesh removed from skin, pit removed and discarded

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1 lime

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced

3 plum tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped

1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped

4 Kaiser rolls

Your choice of tortilla chips

Directions:

• Place the ground turkey in a mixing bowl, then add the grated red onion, shredded cheddar, ground cumin, ground coriander, chili powder, taco or chili sauce, salt and some pepper. Mix to combine, divide into 4 patties.
• Grill burgers on each side for 6-7 minutes, or until cooked through.
• While the burgers are cooking, put together the guacamole.  Place the avocados in the bottom of a mixing bowl. Add the minced garlic, the juice of the lime and the minced jalapeño. Mash together, taste and add more salt and pepper, to taste.  Stir in the tomatoes, remaining minced onion and cilantro.  
• Toast the rolls until golden brown. Place the burgers on the bottom of the toasted rolls, then top with a spoonful of guacamole. Arrange the tops of the toasted rolls. Serve the burgers alongside some tortilla chips and the remaining guacamole.

Goulash Burgers

I found this recipe in my file of recipes I've cut out of magazines and newspapers.  We had some ground turkey and were in the mood for burgers so off I went to search my files!  This one stood out to me because of the smoked paprika.  It was delicious!  A great way to add lots of flavor to a dish.  I modified the recipe a bit, leaving out the dill (we don't like it) and some of the toppings.  So, it's not necessarily a goulash burger anymore, but it was very good!  I also scaled down the amount of sauce.  It originally called for a whole cup of sour cream.  Even using half a cup we had a ton leftover that we used as a dip for cucumbers, but I find that in general Rachael Ray recipes tend to make large amounts of food, this was no exception. 

Goulash Burgers

Adapted from: EveryDay with Rachael Ray, November 2006

4 Servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

•    1½ pounds ground chicken
•    3 scallions, finely chopped
•    Flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (a generous handful)
•    2 teaspoons smoked sweet paprika (2/3 palmful)
•    Salt and freshly ground pepper
•    2 jarred roasted red peppers, patted dry
•    1/2 cup sour cream 
•    1 small shallot, finely chopped
•    4 individual brioche or eggy rolls, split

Directions:

   1. Place the ground chicken in a bowl with the scallions, parsley and paprika; season with salt and pepper. Combine the mixture with a fork and form into four 1-inch-thick patties.

   2. Grill burgers, 6 minutes on each side.

   3. Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Place the red peppers, sour cream and shallot in a food processor. Process until smooth, about 20 seconds. Transfer to a small dish.

   4. Spread the rolls with the red pepper sauce. Assemble burgers.

Marinated Flank Steak & Noodle Bowl

I found the starting point of this recipe in EveryDay with Rachel Ray.  The marinated flank steak was one of the reader submitted 5 ingredient recipes.  We had some flank steak in the freezer, waiting to get used and a giant bottle of teriyaki sauce that Zach had leftover from making beef jerky.  I wanted to turn it into a quick and easy meal though.  We marinated the meat that morning and let it sit in the fridge all day soaking up yummy flavors.  Then, I cooked a package of ramen noodles, minus the seasonings, and drained them.  I LOVE ramen noodles.  If I was still single I'd eat them at least once a week.  I love them not as a soup, but boiled up and then tossed with butter and hot sauce.  I even love them dry, just crack into pieces and eat like crackers, except messier.  I think they are great.  So, they were my first choice in the base for my teriyaki steak noodle bowl.  We also just cooked up a frozen bag of broccoli and carrots and mixed that in too.  It turned out pretty delicious!

Marinated Flank Steak & Noodle Bowl
adapted from EveryDay with Rachel Ray
Serves 4

Ingredients:

½ cup bottled teriyaki sauce 

1/4 cup soy sauce 

4 cloves garlic, chopped 

1 pound flank steak 

1/4 cup spicy brown mustard 

2 packages Ramen Noodles, seasoning discarded

1 package frozen broccoli and carrot mix (or any other veggies you desire)

2 scallions, sliced

Soy sauce

Directions:

• In a bowl, combine the teriyaki sauce, soy sauce and garlic. 
• Make 1/4-inch-deep cuts about 1/2 inch apart on both sides of the steak, cutting diagonally across the grain. Rub both sides with the mustard and place the steak in a large plastic bag, then pour in the marinade. Refrigerate for up to 3 hours, turning occasionally. 
• Preheat the broiler and line a shallow pan with foil. Also set a pot of water on to boil for the ramen noodles and prepare veggies as directed on package.
• Broil steak for 6 minutes on each side for medium-rare, basting once on each side with remaining marinade. Let rest before slicing across the grain.
• Cook the ramen noodles for 3 minutes, draining away water.  Toss noodles with a splash or tow of soy sauce, then top with sliced steak and veggies.

Taco Pasta Toss

As soon as I saw this in my latest issue of EveryDay with Rachael Ray, I knew we'd be making it soon!  We really love tacos, and we really love pasta, so combining tacos and pasta sounded like a win-win situation.  I do like Rachael Ray's recipes, but I always find that they make a TON of food.  I cut down the pasta in this dish to half a box, 8 ounces instead of a full pound and still had enough to make 6 servings.  We enjoyed it for dinner and for lunches for a few days.  I also added sour cream to mine, since I had used a ground chipotle chili powder, which was rather spicy.  I used ground turkey instead of beef, and also only one teaspoon of oil in a non-stick pan to cut down on calories.

Taco Pasta Toss

slightly adapted from EveryDay with Rachael Ray, March 2010

Ingredients

• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 pound whole grain penne 
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil 
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large jalapeño chile—halved, seeded if desired and thinly sliced crosswise
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons chili powder 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• One 12-ounce bottle beer or 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups shredded cheddar, monterey jack or any Mexican semisoft cheese
• 2 small plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1/4 head iceberg letuce or 1/2 small heart romaine lettuce, chopped 

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and return to the pot.
2. While the pasta is working, in a large skillet, heat the EVOO, 1 turn of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add three-quarters of the onion, the jalapeño, garlic, chili powder, coriander and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onion is softened, 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute, then stir in the beer.
3. Add the sauce to the pasta and toss. Spoon into a serving dish, top with the cheese and tent with foil to melt the cheese, about 1 minute. Top with the remaining onion, the tomatoes and lettuce— just like tacos!

Paprika Pork with Egg Noodles

I've had this recipe in my pile of 'pork recipes to try' for quite awhile now.  What moved it on up to the top of the pile was a trip to the local Home Goods store.  They had tins of spanish smoked paprika for $2.99 so we picked one up, excited to try the spice.  We've seen it alot recently on one of our favorite cooking shows, Jose Andres' Made in Spain.  Anything with a smoky flavor is appealing to me and this spice did not disappoint.  This dish was yummy and a good weeknight meal.  We did not have any swiss chard, but half a bag of baby spinach leftover from another dish, so I used that.  Also, I used whole wheat noodles.  This recipe was almost immediately determined to be a "keeper" and went right into my binder of recipes.

Paprika Pork with Egg Noodles

EveryDay with Rachael Ray

Serves 4

Prep 10 minutes

Ingredients:

    * Salt

    * 1/2 pound wide egg noodles

    * 1 bunch Swiss chard, stems discarded and leaves chopped  (I used spinach.)

    * 3 tablespoons butter

    * Pepper

    * Pinch nutmeg

    * 4 boneless pork loin chops (6 ounces each), butterflied and pounded 1/4 inch thick

    * 1/3 cup flour

    * 2 large eggs

    * 1 cup bread crumbs

    * 1 teaspoon hot smoked paprika

    * 1/4 cup vegetable oil

    * 1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges

Directions:

   1.  Preheat the oven to 300°. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the noodles and cook until al dente. Stir in the chard and cook for 1 minute to wilt. Drain the noodles and chard in a colander and return them to the pot. Add the butter and toss well. Season with salt, pepper and the nutmeg.

   2.  While the pasta is working, season the pork cutlets with salt and pepper. Place the flour on a plate. In a shallow dish, beat the eggs. On a plate, combine the bread crumbs and paprika. Coat the cutlets with the flour, shaking off any excess; dip in the eggs and coat with the seasoned bread crumbs.

   3.  In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium heat until rippling. Add 2 cutlets and cook until golden, about 4 minutes on each side. Keep warm in the oven. Repeat with the remaining cutlets and oil.

   4.  Serve some Swiss chard and noodles alongside each pork cutlet, with a lemon wedge for squeezing over the pork.

Mac and Chee -- Baked Macaroni and Gouda

This is by far our favorite mac and chee recipe. I picked up 'mac and chee' from my sister. She says that the macaroni gets abbreviated to mac so the cheese should get abbreviated too. I can't argue with her logic. This came from a Rachel Ray magazine. It was one of those recipes that I read and that day went to the store to buy the ingredients to make it that night. So good! We like to use fun shaped pastas instead of macaroni, and whole wheat when possible. This particular version we left out the italian sausage, but it's excellent with it as well. We've also done bacon instead of the sausage and it's phenomenal! Also, we always use smoked gouda and it's awesome. I dream about this mac and chee -- mmmmmmmmmmmm!

Baked Macaroni and Gouda

from EveryDay with Rachael Ray

8 Servings

Prep 40 min

Cook 1 hr

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound macaroni

1-1/2 pounds uncooked sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

1-1/2 cups caramelized onions

1 quart whole milk

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

6 tablespoons flour

3/4 pound aged Gouda cheese, grated (about 4 cups)

Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente, about 11 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring and breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a large bowl and wipe the saucepan clean.

Add the pasta and 1 cup caramelized onions to the sausage and stir to combine. In a medium saucepan or a microwave oven, heat the milk until steaming.

Return the large saucepan to the stove, add the butter and melt over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 3 minutes. Whisk in the hot milk, 1/4 cup at a time, and continue whisking until the sauce is smooth and thick and comes to a simmer. Add 2-1/2 cups cheese, remove from the heat and whisk until the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes; season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the cheese sauce to the pasta mixture and stir to combine.

Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and add the pasta mixture in an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup caramelized onions and 1-1/2 cups cheese on top. Bake until golden and bubbling, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Caramelized Onions

These are the caramelized onions used in the Baked Macaroni and Gouda recipe. Once you get these made though, you will realize they can go in just about anything -- pasta dishes, pizza topping, on burgers, in eggs, on a sandwich, the possibilities are endless!

Caramelized Onions

from EveryDay with Rachael Ray

Prep 10 min

Cook 30 min

INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)

2-1/2 pounds onions, thinly sliced

Salt and pepper

2 teaspoons sugar

DIRECTIONS:

In a large skillet, melt the butter in the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper, and cook, stirring constantly, until the onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the sugar and cook, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan frequently, until the onions are golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Bacon Bit and Smoked Gouda Burgers with Steakhouse Onions

This is not the greatest picture, but it is a fabulous recipe! I found it first in one of Rachael Ray's cookbooks, but then found it in an issue of her magazine as well. Even though I had made it from the cookbook, I typically use the magazine cut-out since it's smaller and now filed in my recipe collection. Smoked Gouda, caramelized onions, bacon, what isn't there to love?? These three ingredients are also the base of our favorite mac and cheese recipe, also from an issue of EveryDay with Rachael Ray.

Bacon Bit and Smoked Gouda Burgers with Steakhouse Onions

EveryDay with Rachael Ray, April-May 2006

Ingredients:

6 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 yellow onions, 1/4 finely chopped and 1 3/4 thinly sliced
1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 tablespoon grill seasoning
4 crusty rolls
4 slices smoked Gouda cheese
1/4 cup steak sauce


Directions:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add the bacon and a drizzle of olive oil and cook until the bacon is crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate and drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the skillet.
• Return the skillet to medium-low heat and sweat the finely chopped onion in the bacon fat for 2 to 3 minutes. Combine the onion with the reserved bacon in a small bowl and let cool.
• In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. When the olive oil is hot, add the thinly sliced onions and cover them with a lid that fits inside the skillet. Cook until browned, 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• While the onions are cooking, place the sirloin in a large bowl and top with the Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and grill seasoning. Stir in the cooled chopped onions and bacon until evenly combined. Divide the meat into 4 even sections and form 4 large patties.
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the burgers and cook for 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare and 6 minutes on each side for medium-well.
• Toast the split rolls. Place the patties on the bun bottoms and top with the smoked Gouda. Stir the steak sauce into the smothered onions. Top the burgers with the onions and set the bun tops in place. Transfer to plates and serve.
  

In the cookbook version of the recipe, it also includes a quick spinach salad. I used the salad dressing recipe and used the other salad fixings we wanted. It's basically 1/4 cup of steak sauce whisked with 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar and then a tablespoon or two of olive oil. Quick and easy!