Comfort Food. Fettuccine Alfredo

Homemade pasta. The original Fettuccine sauce. Life does not get simpler than this. I have posted this recipe before but it should be on repeat. It is simple and delicious.

The Fettuccine Alfredo recipe is from an Epicurious.com post from 2003. It was the "true" Italian recipe. NO CREAM! Just butter, cheese, and pasta water.

Ingredients-
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
Dried egg fettuccine
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 cup) 

Method-
Melt butter in a large saute pan.
Cook fettuccine in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente.
Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain fettuccine in a colander.
Immediately toss the fettuccine with butter and salt in the sauté pan, then slowly add 3/4 cup cheese, tossing constantly and adding enough of the cooking water to keep pasta moist.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, then sprinkle with remaining cheese.

The pasta is the only recipe I use. It is from Tide and Thyme.

Fresh Pasta Yields about one and a half pounds of fresh pasta

Ingredients-

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surfaces
1 1/2cups semolina flour
pinch salt
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons water, plus more as needed

Method-

1½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surfaces

Combine the flours, and salt in a bowl or on a work surface, creating a well in the center.  

Crack the eggs into the well.  

Using a mixer or by hand, slowly mix, incorporating the flour into the egg mixture a little bit at a time.

Once you have a dry, shaggy dough, mix in the olive oil and water and knead by hand until the dough is fairly smooth and homogeneous.

Divide the dough into four portions and cover with a damp towel.  

Let rest for 20 minutes.  

At this point, proceed with thinning and cutting as desired, depending on equipment available.

To cook, cook noodles in a large pot of boiling water for 3-5 minutes or until al dente.  

Drain well and serve immediately.

Air Fryer Greek Chicken Souvlaki

With the heat and humidity raging we turned to the air fryer for dinner prep. I follow the blog Air Fyer Yum. The recipe for Greek Chicken Souvlaki was easy to prep for a weeknight meal. We had the Souvlaki with a cucumber salad and pita bread.

Air Fryer Greek Chicken Souvlaki (this recipe is more than enough for 2 people)

Ingredients-
1 lb Boneless skinless Chicken thighs or breasts
1/2 tablespoon Oregano
1 tablespoon Oil
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Paprika
1/4 teaspoon White pepper
1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
1 1/2 Tablespoons Lemon juice

Method-
Prepare chicken

Wash and pat the chicken dry with a clean paper towel.
Cut chicken into 2-inch bite-sized pieces.
Combine the chicken bites with the marinade till well coated. 

Set aside in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
While the chicken is marinating soak the bamboo skewers in water to keep it from burning during cooking.
When ready to bake, thread the chicken pieces on the skewers till all the meat has been threaded.

Air fry

Place chicken skewers in a parchment paper-lined air fryer basket. 

Mine takes 5 at a time.

Bake at 400°F for 15 mins flipping halfway through cooking time. 

Internal temperature should be at least 165°F.

Let it rest for 2 minutes then bake the next batch.

Serve with your favorite fixings.

Stuffed Italian Frying Peppers

I can't believe I don't remember where I stumbled upon this recipe, because it's quickly become a staple in my kitchen. There's something so comforting and familiar about it. The star of the show, though, is undoubtedly the beautiful Italian Frying Peppers I pick up from Cole's Farm Stand. The stuffing reminds me of a recipe my Mom would have made.

Stuffed Italian Frying Peppers 

There are no measurements in the recipe. The original recipe uses pepperoni but this time I cooked up some sweet Italian Sausage.

Ingredients

Frezelles

Water

Pepperoni 

Parsley

Olives (use whatever type of olive you like, just make sure they do not have pits!)

Parmesan Cheese

Salt

Pepper

Egg, beaten

Method-

Soak Frezelles in water.

Chop pepperoni, parsley, and olives.

Add Parmesan Cheese, salt, pepper, and a beaten egg.

Mix to combine.

Stuff the pepper halves.

Bake 350˚F for 35 to 45 minutes.

Osso Buco: A Slow Cooker Symphony

Saturdays are all about indulging in leisurely cooking, and today was no exception. With a busy day ahead, I knew the slow cooker was the perfect solution. Enter Osso Buco. I managed to snag two beautiful veal shanks at the market, and luckily, I had all the other ingredients on hand.

Prep time was a breeze, and then the magic of the slow cooker took over for a full eight hours. The result? Pure, unadulterated bliss. The meat was so tender it practically melted in your mouth, and the marrow was a rich, decadent treat. This is comfort food at its finest.

The recipe is from the Table For Two blog.

Ingredients-

1 teaspoon olive oil

4 pieces veal shank, each about 1 1/4 inches thick (about 2 pounds total)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/3 cup (53 g) chopped onion

1/3 cup (34 g) chopped celery

1/3 cup (43 g) chopped carrots

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 1/4 cups (303 g) canned crushed tomatoes

3/4cup (178 ml) beef broth

Fresh ground black pepper

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 large sprig fresh rosemary

Chopped fresh parsley, for topping

Method-

Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat. 

Season veal shanks with salt then sear all four sides until browned but not cooked through. 

Add to the slow cooker. 

COMMERCIAL BREAK!!!

I hope that if you are using Slow Cooker Liners when you use your slow cooker.

Trust me on this one...

END OF COMMERCIAL BREAK!!!

Then add to the skillet the onion, celery, carrots, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, beef broth, black pepper, thyme, and rosemary. 

Stir to deglaze the skillet.

Add the onion, celery, carrots, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, beef broth, black pepper, thyme, and rosemary to the slow cooker.

Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. 

Discard sprigs of thyme and rosemary. 

Sprinkle fresh parsley on top prior to serving, if desired.

Zucchini Soup: A Game-Changer

I've officially revoked my right to complain about an overabundance of zucchini. This soup is the culinary miracle I never knew I needed.

I stumbled upon this recipe in a classic, old-school magazine – you know, the kind that arrives in your mailbox and you actually hold in your hands. 

This zucchini soup is pure magic. It's incredibly easy to whip up, and the flavor? Let’s just say it’s a total knockout. I've tweaked the original recipe a bit. Trust me, your taste buds will thank you.

Ingredients-

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling

2 medium shallots, chopped

Kosher salt

1 c. low-sodium vegetable broth

1 lb. zucchini (about 2 medium), chopped

1/2 c. (or more) cold water

1/2 c. packed basil leaves, roughly chopped, plus small leaves for serving

1/2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Freshly ground black pepper

Method-
In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat 1 tbsp. oil. 

Cook shallots, and 1/4 tsp. salt, stirring often, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. 

Add broth and bring to a simmer. 

Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.

 
Transfer the shallot mixture to a blender. 

Add zucchini and cold water and process until smooth. 

Add basil, lemon zest, lemon juice, 1 tbsp. oil, and 3/4 tsp. salt. 

Continue to blend until very smooth. 

Add up to 1/4 c. more cold water to loosen consistency, if desired.

Serve soup at room temperature or chilled. 

Ladle soup into bowls.

Season with several grinds of black pepper.

Greek Cucumber Salad

Last cucumber from our harvest at my sister's while they were away.

We do not have cucumber salad very often. This recipe was in a newsletter from Food Talk.

We had burgers for dinner so this was a perfect side. The dressing was quite good. I made half the recipe and it was plenty for us.

Ingredients-

Cucumber  Salad

1 cucumber, sliced

1 bell pepper, diced

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup Kalamata olives, halved

1 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Salad Dressing

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

salt, and pepper to taste

Method-

In a large bowl, combine cucumber, diced green peppers, sliced red onion, and halved grape or cherry tomatoes.

Toss in the Kalamata olives. Crumble the feta cheese over the salad.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper.

Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss to combine. Allow the salad to sit for 15-30 minutes before serving to let the flavors meld together. 

Sprinkle extra feta on top, if desired.

Skilllet Chicken Bruschetta

Tonight, dinner was an absolute hit! I whipped up a skillet bruschetta chicken that earned serious praise. The chorus of "mmm's" was music to my ears!

This dish was a total game-changer. Ready in just 20 minutes, it's the perfect weeknight meal. And the best part? It clocks in at only 365 calories per serving, leaving plenty of room for a delicious dessert. Click here for more on that.

Ingredients-

1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, plus leaves for garnish (optional)

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

3/4 teaspoon ground pepper, divided

1/4 teaspoon salt, divided

2 (4-ounce) chicken cutlets

4 (1-ounce) slices part-skim low-moisture mozzarella cheese 

4 teaspoons balsamic glaze

Method-

Place tomatoes in a small bowl; add 1 tablespoon oil, shallot, basil, vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/8 teaspoon salt. 

Toss to combine; set aside.

Pat chicken dry using paper towels; sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/8 teaspoon salt.

Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over high heat. 

Add the chicken; cook, undisturbed, until golden brown on the bottom, about 3 minutes. 

Flip the cutlets and top each with a cheese slice. 

Cover the pan with a lid or baking sheet; cook until the cheese is melted and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 165°F, about 1 minute, 30 seconds.

BEHIND THE SCENES.
DINNER TIME AT OUR HOUSE.

YES, CATS RULE.

Creamy Sausage Pasta

Sometimes, the best recipes come from unexpected places! While scrolling through my usual online haunts, I stumbled upon a recipe that instantly caught my eye. It was from a blog called Crunchy Creamy Sweet. This recipe promised a quick, satisfying dish that could be whipped up in just 30 minutes – perfect for a weekend dinner!

Intrigued, I clicked through and found myself captivated by the simplicity and flavor combinations. I knew I had to give it a try.

Since it was just the two of us for dinner, I decided to halve the recipe. Amazingly, even with the reduced amount, the dish yielded just the right amount for two, with a small leftover portion for a satisfying lunch the next day.

This is the halved recipe that I made.

Ingredients-

6 oz penne pasta

1/2 lb Italian sausage mild or hot, ground or links

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 medium yellow onion

6 oz zucchini

1/4 white wine

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Method-

Finely chop onion and slice zucchini. Set aside.

If you are using sausage links, remove the casings.

Cook pasta according to the instructions on the package. 

Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, drain the pasta and set aside.

In a deep skillet or a Dutch oven, heat up oil over medium heat.

Add onion and saute for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often.

Add Zucchini and sautee.

Add sausage to the pan and cook until browned.

Mix cream and milk with cornstarch.

Add wine to the pan and deglaze the bottom, by scraping any cooked-on bits with a wooden spoon. 

Add milk and cream, season with salt and pepper, and simmer until thickened.

Season sauce with salt and pepper.

Add pasta to the sausage sauce. 

Add Parmesan cheese and stir until melted. 

Add pasta water if the sauce is too thick for your liking.

Garnish with chopped parlsey and serve.