The Cookbook Smasher

Herbed Pasta Salad

2011-08-24T14:49:25Z

I love pasta salad, and I especially love pasta salad that has bold delicious flavors. This pasta salad certainly has bold delicious flavors.

I’m not sure why it’s a common sentiment that a little bit of dried herb goes a long way, but I think that’s the furthest from the truth. I think if you use just a little bit of the dried herbs, your food won’t have much flavor, and we’re all about flavor! Don’t be scared off by the amount of dried herbs…trust me, it’s delicious!

A friend of mine made a similar pasta salad for an event we went to, and while she didn’t have a recipe, she told me what she put it, and this is my version. This is a great one to bring for a potluck or picnic too.

Ingredients:

14.5 oz or 16 oz pasta of choice
1/2 c. olive oil
1/3 c. rice wine vinegar
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
4 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. dried parsley
salt and pepper, to taste
4 oz. crumbled feta
1 lb of grape tomatoes, halved.

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat; then add salt and pasta, and cook until al dente; then drain.
Meanwhile in a large bowl combine olive oil through feta and stir to combine. Mix so that some of the feta actually breaks down in the dressing (emulsifes) and the dressing becomes a bit “creamy;” then add the tomatoes; then add the pasta. Toss to combine and taste. Correct seasoning to taste.

Herbed Pasta Salad:

Thai Chicken Salad

2011-03-21T05:19:33Z

This salad is really tasty and so easy to make, especially if you use a rotisserie chicken. It’s a perfect summer dish. The original recipe called for warm dressing, but since I’m not a fan of wilted lettuce, I let the dressing cool after cooking before adding it to the salad.

The dressing would also be really good over rice noodles too.
Recipe adapted from the April 2011 issue of Cooking Light.

Ingredients:

6 c. mixed lettuce
2 c. shredded boneless rotisserie chicken breast
2. c. fresh bean sprouts
1 c. shredded carrots
2/3 c. light coconut milk
1 TBSP brown sugar
2 TBSP creamy peanut butter
1 TBSP fresh lime juice
2 TBSP soy sauce
1/8 tsp. (or to taste) ground red pepper
2 TBSP peanuts, coarsely chopped
Lime wedges

Directions:

Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl.
Combine coconut milk and next 5 ingredients (through red pepper) in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, and let cool.
Pour cooled coconut milk mixture over lettuce mixture. Sprinkle with peanuts; serve with lime wedges.

Thai Chicken Salad:

“Best” Ever Spaghetti Sauce

2011-01-02T02:13:12Z

It seems we’ve been kind of in a funk lately. Not much new cooking going on, but that all changed tonight! -s got an awesome new cookbook for Christmas called The Kansas City Barbeque Society Cookbook, and when I browsed through the book a number of recipes popped out at me. So tonight -s made the Best Spaghetti Sauce Ever recipe (p. 97), and it didn’t fall short of its name.

It was fabulous. -s made a few changes, which are noted in the recipe. We’ve never made a sauce with 2 whole cans of tomato paste, but the tomato paste plus the simmering for hours had delicious results!

Recipe adapted from the Best Spaghetti Sauce Ever Recipe.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. Italian sausage, bulk or links, casing removed (-s didn’t remove the casing)
1 small yellow onion
3 TBSP pressed garlic
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes, with juice
2 6 oz. cans tomato paste
2 15 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 c. water
1 TBSP minced fresh basil
2 tsp. dried parsley
1 TBSP packed brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. hot red pepper flakes (omitted)
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Directions:

In a large pot over medium high heat, brown the sausage with the onion and garlic.
Add the tomatoes with their juices, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Mix well. Add the basil, parsley, brown sugar, salt, red pepper (omitted), and black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for at least 1 hour. We simmered for 3 hours.
Serve over spaghetti.

Best Spaghetti Sauce Ever:

The Bidens’ Pasta Caprese

2011-07-15T01:35:52Z

I saw this pasta salad in the September 2010 issue of Food Network Magazine, and I knew I had to try it. I’ve now made this quite a few times, and I’ve adapted the recipe to our liking.

It is delicious, and I love the addition of the lemon zest. It’s a great summer pasta salad, which would be perfect for a picnic or potluck. We’ll definitely be making this one again.

Ingredients:

1/3 c. olive oil
1/2 c. fresh lemon juice
2-3 shallots, minced
3 garlic cloves, pressed through a garlic presser
salt and pepper, to taste
1 TBSP sugar
2 lbs. grape tomatoes, halved
1 lb. pasta of your choice (I used radiatore)
12 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 c. basil, chopped
1/4 c. mint, chopped
zest of 3 lemons

Directions:

Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, shallots and garlic in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add sugar. Add the tomatoes and gently toss. Marinate at room temperature, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of slated water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Drain in a colander and run under cold water to stop the cooking.
Add the pasta and mozzarella to the tomato mixture and toss. Stri in the basil, mint, and lemon zest, and season with salt and pepper.
Refrigerate, tossing occasionally until serving.

The Bidens’ Pasta Caprese:

Sangria

2010-08-31T01:37:38Z

I had a cocktail party this weekend, and boy was it fun. I made this interesting Sangria that went over really well. Recipe adapted from Bethenny Frankel.

Ingredients:

2-3 peaches, pitted and sliced
2 plums, pitted and sliced
1 c. green grapes, cut in half
2 bottles Prosecco (an Italian sparkling wine–I used a pink variety)
8 oz. Fresca
8 oz. club soda

Directions:

Mix together and chill for at least 1 hour.
Pour into glass and ladle fruit into glass.

Sangria:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

2010-06-02T14:15:24Z

These cupcakes are so decadently delicious! The recipe comes from Taste of Home Cake Mix Treats, and if you love chocolate and peanut butter you’ll love these cupcakes!!!!

Ingredients:

1 package chocolate cake mix
1 1/4 c. water
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/3 c. canola oil
3 eggs
24 miniature peanut butter cups

Frosting:

12 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/3 c. heavy whipping cream
2/3 c. peanut butter
Additional peanut butter cups, chopped

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine cake mix, water, peanut butter, oil, and eggs; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, or until smooth.
Fill paper lined muffin cups half full. Place peanut butter cup in the center of each cupcake. Cover each with 1 TBSP batter.
Bake at 350 for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
Place chocolate in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Stir in peanut butter. Cool, stirring occasionally, to room temperature or until ganache reaches a spreading consistency, about 10 minutes.
Spread over cupcakes; immediately sprinkle with additional peanut butter cups. Let stand until set.

****Don’t use reduced fat or generic brands of peanut butter.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes:

Grilled Polenta with Spicy Steak

2010-05-17T01:38:39Z

This dish is fantastic! Definitely tastes like something you would get at a restaurant. The best part…it’s quick and easy. Certainly company worthy.

Recipe is adapted from a recipe in the June 2010 issue of Cooking Light.

Ingredients:

3 tsp. olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp. ground chipotle chile powder (1 dried chipotle, ground)
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 lb. flank steak or flat-iron steak
1 (18oz) tube of polenta, cut into 8 to 10 slices
1 avocado, sliced
1/4 c. crumbled queso fresco
2 c. pico de gallo (simply mix grape tomatoes, chopped jalapeno, chopped cilantro, garlic, salt and lime juice together)
Limes, quartered

Directions:

Combine 2 tsp. olive oil, salt, cumin chile powder, and pepper; rub evenly over steak.
Heat grill; grill steak until done.
Brush polenta with 1 tsp. olive oil. Sprinkle with salt. Place a piece of foil on the grill and add the polenta; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned.
Arrange sliced polenta on a plate; add steak, top with pico, queso fresco, and avocado; then squirt with lime.

Grilled Polenta with Spicy Steak:

Pasta Arabiata with Sausage

2010-05-04T01:12:47Z

This sauce recipe is awesome! It tastes like something you would get in a restaurant. The original recipe calls for cooking the sauce for 4 minutes, but I like the flavors when the sauce is simmered for a longer period of time…it’s richer and bolder. But if time is short, you can certainly cook the sauce for a short time and it still will be delicious.

I added zucchini to the sauce and it was delicious. It was a great way to get more veggies, and it gave the sauce great body and flavor.
The other thing I like about this recipe is how the cook the sausage. It’s broiled, which is brilliant, because it’s a very low fat no fuss way to prepare sausage.

Adapted from a recipe in the April 2010 issue of Cooking Light.
Ingredients:

1 package of sweet Italian turkey sausage links
1 box of spaghetti
2 small to medium size zucchini
2 28 oz. cans of whole tomatoes, undrained
4 TBSP olive oil
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
10 garlic cloves, pressed through a garlic press or minced
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. torn fresh basil
Parmesan or Pecorino Romano Cheese

Directions:

Place zucchini in a food processor; process until roughly chopped. Add tomatoes to the zucchini and process until almost smooth.
Heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add crushed red pepper and pressed garlic; saute for 1 minute. Stir in zucchini and tomato mixture, sugar, and salt; cook 4 minutes. If you can cook the sauce longer you won’t regret it. It gets thick and rich…I let mine simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Meanwhile preheat broiler. Arrange sausage on a baking sheet. Spray with cooking spray. Broil sausage for 5 minutes on each side or until done. Remove and slice in 1/4 inch thick slices.
Cook pasta according to directions.
Place pasta in a large bowl; toss with sauce and sausage; add basil and peccorino.

Pasta Arabiata with Sausage:

Tex-Mex Chowder

2010-04-20T00:59:37Z

This chowder is quite tasty. It’s vegetarian, which is nice. Most chowder recipes have bacon or ham hock in it for flavor, so it was nice to find a recipe without those ingredients. This chowder had lots of flavor too.

This recipe comes from The New Vegetarian Grill cookbook.

Ingredients:

1 lb. potatoes, peeled and diced
2 c. water or more to cover potatoes
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
3 TBSP olive oil
6 ears of corn, husks and silks removed
1 red pepper, halved
1 green pepper, halved
2 green chiles (2 poblanos or 1 poblano and 1 jalapeno or 1 poblano and 1 anaheim)
2 c. whole milk
1 TBSP cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper to test

Directions:

Prepare grill
Combine potatoes and water in a medium size saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil until the potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside; do not drain.
Combine garlic, cumin, and oil in a small bowl. Brush the mixture on the corn, bell peppers, and chiles.
Grill the corn, bell peppers, and chiles, turning occasionally, until tender and grill marked about 10 minutes.
Scrape the corn from the cobs and add to the pot with potatoes. Remove the outer skins from all peppers and dice, then add to potatoes. Stir in the milk and cilantro. Simmer over medium heat until the flavors have blended, at least 15 minutes; do not allow the soup to boil.
Use an immersion blender and puree. Season with salt and add more cilantro if desired. Simmer gently for 5 minutes.

Tex-Mex Chowder:

Grandma’s Sweet and Sour Meatballs

2011-10-18T22:26:43Z

Oh man do these meatballs remind me of dinners at Grandma Clark’s! Good memories!! I call these meatballs sweet and sour, because that’s what it reminds me of. I’ve adapted the sauce recipe a bit more to my liking as I like a sauce with bold flavors.

You can serve these meatballs over rice or egg noodles.

Ingredients:

2 lb. lean ground meat
2 eggs
1 c. Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 envelope of dry onion soup
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. dried celery flakes
1 c. vinegar
1 c. water
1/2 c. sugar (use juice of 20 oz pineapple tidbits can)
1 c. ketchup
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1 c. raisins or craisins (or omit and add an additional 1/2 c. sugar)
1 20 oz can pineapple tidbits from above (can omit if desire)
Hot rice or egg noodles

Directions:

Meat: Mix meat through celery flakes together.
Sauce: Combine vinegar through raisins and pineapple in a large pot.
Roll meat mixture into walnut sized meatballs and place them in the pot. Cover and simmer for 1 hour in the sauce.
Serve over rice or egg noodles.

Grandma’s Sweet and Sour Meatballs: