pasta – In Good Taste

Easiest Ever Rigatoni Vodka

Maris Callahan — Fri, 30 Oct 2015 18:01:21 +0000

When you want a creamy and comforting dinner, pasta is always a go-to. It’s understandable that you’d get sick of the same standby marinara sauce or simple pesto sauce, since those are delicious but a bit of a bore. That’s when you should look to your freezer, or bar cart, or wherever it is you stash your booze, and look to vodka sauce to add flavor to your worknight dinner. Vodka sauce is an Italian sauce made from a smooth tomato sauce, vodka, typical Italian herbs and heavy cream, which gives the sauce a distinctive pink color. Adding vodka to the sauce is said to help bring out the other flavors in the sauce, but it’s up for debate whether the addition of vodka is actually needed. Whether or not you use it, you’ll find this dish simultaneously rich and creamy with a sharp, bright flavor from the tomatoes and crushed red pepper. Vodka sauce is perfect cold weather comfort food, because you can whip up in under a half an hour and as a result, serve it just as easily for a night on the couch as you can for a dinner party. Garnish the rigatoni with vodka sauce with extra parmesan cheese and basil, […]

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Baked Caprese Pasta

Maris Callahan — Mon, 05 Jan 2015 04:00:58 +0000

Some people start the New Year with resolutions and green smoothies and exercise. That’s all nice. We like green smoothies. Others start the new year with traditions like black eyed peas or hoppin’ John. We’re kicking off 2015 with carbs and cheese and baked caprese pasta.If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to cook more it might be difficult to muddle through the propaganda available in a lot of books and websites that vilify all prepackaged and prepared foods. We’re busy people and there is no reason to avoid certain convenience foods that are meant to make life easier, like roasted or rotisserie chickens, jarred sauce and boxed pasta. Cooking from scratch is great when you enjoy it and in most cases, tastes better, a perfect fit for special occasions. On a busy weeknight though, you can easily cook a delicious dinner by doctoring up some of your favorite staple ingredients, just purchase the highest quality that you can afford and read the labels so you know what you’re putting in your body. This recipe takes one of my favorite types of boxed pasta Fusilli, plus a simple marinara sauce with added chicken, mozzarella cheese and basil for a […]

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Skinny Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

Maris Callahan — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 06:13:57 +0000

I really liked chicken and broccoli Alfredo until I realized that the average serving has upwards of roughly one billion calories. Luckily, the classic Italian dish, which usually includes fettuccine or another type of rod shaped pasta tossed with butter and Parmesan cheese, but can be lightened with milk and olive oil instead. Whether you opt for the delicious fatty version of the pasta or the equally delicious less fatty version, chicken and broccoli Alfredo is quick and easy to make. U.S. versions of the dish usually include chicken or shrimp, which I like to add for a little extra protein and broccoli for obligatory greenery. Whatever your choice, with three simple steps and about 20 minutes in the kitchen, you can have a hearty dinner on the table in no time. Save Print Skinny Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo Author: Maris Callahan Recipe type: Cooking for One or Two, Worknight Dinners Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 30 mins Serves: 2-4 Ingredients 2 chicken breasts, seasoned with salt & pepper then cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces 2 cups cooked broccoli 12 ounces fettuccine, linguine or spaghetti (or any pasta shape) 1 tablespoons olive oil 4 cloves garlic, […]

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Six Perfect Pumpkin Recipes for Fall

Maris Callahan — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 07:26:14 +0000

It’s pumpkin season. Pumpkin recipes all over the Internet, pumpkins growing in fields at the farm, pumpkins on display at the grocery store and pumpkins as table decorations. You get the idea. I think you know where this is going, right? Some of my favorite recipes are pumpkin-packed and what better a time of year to use the canned pumpkin that I have been hoarding from my neighborhood grocery store? Yes, yes. Most of my recipes utilize canned vs. fresh pumpkin. You see, pumpkin carving is a messy sport. I am my own housekeeper. That’s all there is to it. So, without further ado, if you did what I did and ordered a case of canned pumpkin from Amazon before it was available in your local supermarket, you should make each and every one of these recipes, like I probably will. Spicy Pepitas If you do take the plunge and opt for fresh pumpkin this year, make the most of it and scoop the seeds for a salty and savory snack. A little spice goes a long way and these are great on their own or as an addition to salads or soups. Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie with Gingersnap Crust […]

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Worknight Dinners: Baked Penne with Spinach & Sausage

Maris Callahan — Sun, 03 May 2009 03:00:00 +0000

If you ever need to make dinner for someone you want to impress, without a) potentially screwing up said dinner cause the instructions are complicated or b) spending hours in the kitchen while your dinner guests drink wine, eat cheese and have fun without you, then you need look no further. When I found this recipe on for Baked Penne with Spinach & Sausage, I immediately knew that it would be right up my alley. A little bit of store-bought pesto goes a long way towards adding unique flavor to the tomato sauce and when baked with fresh, hand-grated mozzarella and parmesan cheese, you’ll forget that you’ve ever ordered pasta from a restaurant and probably never will again. It’s super easy to serve with a big fresh salad and will pair with just about any bottle of red, especially a California blend. The best part? It’s truly easy. A lot of Italian cooking involves chopping, slicing, dicing and stirring but with this dish, all you need to do is chop the onion, garlic and sausage, combine the sauce, throw it all together and pop it in the oven. You could even make this on the weekend, freeze it and pull it out […]

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