Freezer-Bound Pesto

My mother has a real passion for gardening and as a result, she has some magnificent flower and vegetable gardens.  She has always been incredibly generous sharing from her gardens, and now that we live a mere fifteen minutes away, she is constantly gifting us with fresh, seasonal vegetables. 

After my mom's basil started growing like crazy, she recently gifted me with bunches and bunches of basil!

I knew that we wouldn't be able to eat them fast enough so I decided to make some easy pesto to freeze for future use.

I threw the rinsed basil in the food processor with the stems on.  I didn't really take measurements of the ingredients but just added olive oil, garlic cloves, Parmesan cheese, shelled walnuts, salt and pepper to taste.

I pureed until I was left with a beautiful, vibrant pesto.

I split the pesto into two plastic containers.

I drizzled some extra olive oil on top of the pesto.  I also put some plastic wrap on top of the pesto to help seal it from the air.

The pesto went straight to our freezer and will be ready for use long after the summer is over.  For me, it is a great way to keep these great summer flavors alive all year long.

Tell me, what do you do to preserve your favorite summer ingredients for the rest of the year?

Blogger-Inspired Pasta with Sardines

Last month, my friend Bianca wrote about a Spicy Anchovy Pasta dish she made in her kitchen.  I really liked the idea of anchovies with pasta and her dish recently inspired my own quick pasta dish with sardines.  After a long day of work and a committee meeting in the evening, I wanted to make a quick dinner on Wednesday night that would be still be healthy and delicious.  I remembered Bianca's dish and decided to make my own version.

Bret had an equally long and busy day but he wanted to help with dinner.  Over text messages on the T, I asked him to get a pot of salted water boiling and to put together a simple side salad with romaine, grape tomatoes and cucumbers.

When I got home, I got to work and gathered my ingredients.  I didn't take exact measurements so the below is an estimate of measurements used:

Please forgive the flash photography. 
I was too tired to set up proper lighting.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Tin of boneless sardines canned in olive oil
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
• 5 large cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup grape tomatoes
• No yolk egg noodles (you can really use any pasta)
• Parmesan cheese (to taste)

I warmed up the Dutch oven on the stove with the olive oil.  I slowly added the capers, sardines with the olive oil, tomatoes and garlic to the pan at five minute intervals.  I lowered the heat and put a cover on the Dutch oven.  I mixed these ingredients from time to time but let them really break down in the pan and let the flavors come together.  When the capers and tomatoes began to burst open, I then seasoned the sauce with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes for more flavor.

When the pasta was almost done cooking, I drained the pasta but reserved a cup of the pasta water.  I added the water to the sardine mixture and let the sauce cook on high uncovered to thicken up.  I then added the pasta to the sauce and gave everything a mix.

The pasta was served with a generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

This pasta dish was so warm and comforting.  The capers and tomatoes added a nice acidity to contrast with the sardines.  Bret mentioned that a squeeze of lemon juice would have been a welcome addition to the dish to add even more acidity and I couldn't disagree. 

I normally take step by step photo instructions of my meals but I was just too exhausted.  But I guess that is why I liked this dinner so much - it was so simple and easy to make!

Do you cook dinner after a long day or do you order out?  If you cook, what do you like to make that is quick and easy?

Sweet Summer Ziti with Spicy Sriracha Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip

Last night, I was feeling incredibly stressed out.  Work has been so overwhelming for me in so many different ways and I was looking forward to coming home and cooking a simple but tasty meal for dinner.  Even at the end of the worst days, I find that cooking dinner can help me clear my head and relax.  While I can never quiet my mind during yoga, there is something so therapeutic and calming about preparing ingredients and tasting flavors to make a dish.

Since it was still fairly warm out, I decided to make a very simple summer pasta dish for dinner.  I put a pot of water on the stove to boil along with a few dashes of salt. While my pasta water started to heat up, I prepped my ingredients by mincing a few large cloves of garlic along with chopping up half a large white onion.  I slowly sauteed the garlic and onion in a pan on medium heat with extra virgin olive oil, fresh cracked black pepper and sea salt, and crushed red pepper flakes.

By this time, the water began to boil and I  dropped the ziti into the pot.

As the pasta began to cook, I added some pre-cooked sliced sweet chicken sausage to the pan with the softened onion and garlic.

I then added some still frozen peas and a small carton of delicious organic grape tomatoes.

When the pasta was done cooking, I drained it and added the ziti to the pan with the vegetable and chicken sasuage mix.  I also added a bit of the pasta water, a drizzle of olive oil and a bit more red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste.  I tossed the pasta, vegetables and chicken sausage together and then covered the pan while keeping the heat on low.

I wanted to make a quick side vegetable dish to go along with the pasta.  Usually I would make a side salad but I was in the mood for something different.  Since I had a bag of baby carrots in the refrigerator, I decided to make a veggie dipping sauce for it.  I had plain lowfat 2% Chobani Greek yogurt on hand and I decided to make this the base of my dip.

I also included some finely chopped white onion, a few minced garlic cloves, and lemon juice to the dip.

To add some spice, I started out by adding red pepper flakes and cumin, along with some salt and pepper to taste.

I threw all of these ingredients in the food processor and pulse it smooth.  When I tasted it, something was misisng so I added a bit of Sriracha sauce and a bit more lemon juice.

By putting together these simple ingredients, the end result was a spicy and tangy dipping sauce that went along perfectly with a side of baby carrots.

The carrots and dipping sauce were a great cold and crunchy side to my warm summer ziti dish. 

I loved that the chicken sausage, grape tomatoes and peas added sweetness to the pasta which contrasted well with the salty grated Parmesan cheese that I topped the pasta with at the last minute.  I love making summer pasta dishes without the heavy red sauces because the pasta seems so much lighter, fresh and vibrant.  With last night's heat wave, this was a perfect summer ziti dish.

What do you like to make on a warm summer evening? 

Sauteed Beet Greens Tossed with Whole Wheat Spaghetti

On Tuesday night, I headed home after the tandoori demonstration to prepare dinner for B and I.  I had noticed earlier in the day that the beet greens on our beets were starting to look a little less than fresh.  Since I knew that they would probably wilt in a few days, I needed to use them immediately by using the beet greens as an ingredient for dinner that night.

I've actually never cooked beet greens before but I did some research and discovered that one of the easiest ways to prepare beet greens is to sautee them like chard or kale.  I figured that a simple way to use sauteed greens is to toss it with spaghetti, which I had readily available at home.  But I did need a few more ingredients so I stopped at DeLuca's Market on the way home and picked up some beautifully ripe cherry tomatoes and chicken andouille sausage to add to the pasta dish.

When I got home, I put a pot of water with some generous shakes of salt on the stove.  While the water began to heat up to a boil, I prepared the rest of the ingredients.  I roughly chopped up four or five small cloves of garlic along with a small yellow onion.  B washed and dried the cherry tomatoes and the beet greens.  I halved the tomatoes, roughly chopped the beet greens, and sliced two of the pre-cooked chicken andouille sausages. 

When the water began to boil, I added a handful of whole wheat spaghetti to the pot.  While the pasta began to cook, I heated up a wok with a generous pour of extra virgin olive oil that had been soaking with dried habanero peppers.  I like to use this spicy extra virgin olive oil when I toss it with pasta dishes.  When the wok was sizzling, I first added the garlic and onions.  I also added a bit of salt and fresh cracked black pepper for seasoning.  Once the garlic and onions began to sweat, I added the cherry tomatoes and then slowly added the beet greens by the handful and finally the chicken sausage.  As a last touch and perhaps an afterthought, I seasoned the wok by adding red pepper flakes and dried thyme.  I put a lid on the wok and let the sauce simmer to let all of the good seasoning soak into the olive oil based sauce.

When the pasta was cooked to a perfect al dente, I added the spaghetti to the wok and tossed the pasta with the vegetables and sausage.  I also added some grated Parmesan cheese to the hot pan and gave it another toss.  Although I didn't get any photos along the way in making this quick dinner, I did snap a quick picture of the pasta before serving.

Overall the dish was really bright and colorful.  The entire dish had a nice mellow heat to it.  The sauteed cherry tomato juice combined with the sauteed onions, garlic and extra virgin olive oil made a light and pleasant sauce for the pasta.  The beet greens had a spinach-like texture although a bit more bitter in taste.  But this was a nice flavor in contrast to the sweet tomatoes and the sharp Parmesan cheese.  My only regret is that I didn't choose a more herb-flavored chicken sausage, which would have been just as lean but probably a better flavor complement to the pasta than the andouille sausage.

I am loathe to throw out fresh ingredients and I'm glad I decided to give beet greens a try.  I'll definitely be cooking them more often as beets have become a regular ingredient in my kitchen.  If you have any suggestions on cooking with beet greens, please send them my way!  I'd love to hear them.