Pasta Rags with Chicken, Bacon and Leeks

When Chris walked in the door tonight he said whatever I was cooking smelled good outside. Okay I don't like to brag but holy cow this was good.

This meal came together the other day when a friend at work gave me some leeks from her CSA. Thank you Wendy! I love leeks. I usually make Chicken with Leeks and Bacon. I did not have alot of chicken so I decided to add pasta to the meal.

I  cooking up some chopped bacon. I removed the bacon from the pan and wiped it out. Then I sauteed some leeks in olive oil and a knob of butter. I cut the chicken breasts into cubes and dredged the cubes in flour and thyme and added them to the saute pan. After the chicken began to brown I added some white wine and covered the pan until it was cooked through.

Meanwhile I am making the pasta. I use the recipe from Tide and Thyme. The pasta was perfect! I made only 1/2 into "rags" and cut the other half into fettuccine noodles and popped them in the freezer.

I boiled the pasta rags and when they were just al dente I added them to the pan with the leeks and chicken. I added a little butter to give it a nice glaze (did you get that Heidi?).  The bacon was sprinkled on top. A little cheese and crushed red pepper and that was dinner!

The pasta machine was my mother's. When I was putting it away I noticed the price tag! 

 My mom was an excellent shopper.

So what did we have for dinner a year ago?
Grilled Pork Chops

So what did we have for dinner 2 years ago?

Another sign of Fall - Chicken Pot Pie

So what did we have for dinner 3 years ago?

Autumn Minestrone Soup

Cheeseburger Strudel

Cheeseburger Strudel

This was quite a delicious dinner. Flaky strudel, caramelized onions, ground beef, cheddar cheese and that special topping - mayo, mustard and relish. It was like a diner hamburger at home. I found this at the Athens Food site.


Ingredients
Cooking oil spray

1 pound ground beef

1/4 cup onion, chopped

1/4 cup relish

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1 tablespoon yellow mustard 

1/4 cup mayonnaise

Salt and pepper to taste

20 sheets Athens Fillo Dough (9”x14”), thawed

1/2 cup butter, melted


Method
In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, breaking up the beef into crumbles as it cooks.

Drain the meat and transfer to a bowl. In a medium bowl, combine the beef, onions, relish, cheese, mustard and mayonnaise, mixing well. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Prepare four fillo rolls according to directions for Rolls or Strudels. Brush each roll with butter and place seam side down on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in preheated 375ºF oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven to wire rack to cool slightly before serving.

A Fresh Fig Cake and A Tomato Tart

Yes I am starting with dessert. This morning I was checked the sites I follow and I found a post for Italian Fig and Cheese Filled Galette. I was so excited. I was going to make this. But no almond paste, I was sure I had some. And no mascarpone cheese! Drats. Well I bookmarked the recipe. Check it out if you have a second. It really looks good!

Now granted I could have run out to the store but something about the grocery store on a Sunday. Yeah not what I want to get involved in. And then I remembered a recipe I saw for an Olive Oil Cake with Fresh Figs!

Fresh Fig Cake. I made it in no time. It came out perfect. It is not too sweet so it is perfect for a scoop of ice cream!

For dinner we had a Tomato Tart. I found this recipe on the Proud Italian blog. I added some thyme to the crust I made. Nice.

And of course I had to make a salad, aka my lunch for tomorrow! And yes those are figs you see in the salad!


So what did we have for dinner a year ago?
Penne with Sausage, Zucchini and Tomato

So what did we have for dinner 2 years ago?

Taco Pacifico

So what did we have for dinner 3 years ago?

Potato, Leek and Feta Tart

Bon Appétit Saturday Night

Today I was able to catch up on some magazines on the coffee table. I found two recipes that were perfect for dinner, meaning I had all the ingredients in the house already!

The first was Crunchy Oil Cured Tomatoes. I have been wanting to make this for awhile, it's not like I did not have the tomatoes. I even had Italian bread from last night to use for the breadcrumbs.

Braised Chicken with Capers and Parsley was the main dish. The recipe called for bone-in chicken. I had a bone-in Chicken breast and some boneless breast meat and thighs. Chris likes the white meat and I like the dark meat. I prepared the boneless chicken just as the recipe directed. This was so good. The sauce had a nice bite to it. Both the tomatoes and the chicken will probably be made again!

So what did we have for dinner a year ago?
Grilled Chicken and Zucchini

So what did we have for dinner 2 years ago?
Eggplant Stacks with Prosciutto and Cheeses

So what did we have for dinner 3 years ago?

I Found a New Chicken Pot Pie Recipe!

Sausage, Zucchini and Pasta

This was a quick meal to put together. I sauteed sausage in olive oil until sausage was browned. I added sliced zucchini, yellow squash, onions and cook until the squash was caramelized. I seasoned it with salt and pepper. I had some left over grilled onions, peppers, tomatoes and zucchini from last night. Into the sauce they went. I added some butter and then some white wine. From the pasta pan I added about 1/4 cup of water. Added the pasta to the saute pan to finish cooking. Wow. A perfect meal for the end of a crazy week.

It may have been a crazy week but at least I have the handsomest kitty!

So what did we have for dinner a year ago?
Green Beans with Sauce and Eggs

So what did we have for dinner 2 years ago?
Polpette Di Pane (Bread Balls in Tomato Sauce

So what did we have for dinner 3 years ago?

Potato, Leek and Feta Tart with Salad

Chicken Sausage, Peppers, Onions and Tomatoes

Tonight Chris grilled Chicken and Apple Sausages, red onion, red pepper, zucchini, white eggplant and tomatoes (the last three ingredients were from my Dad's garden). The tomatoes were delicious. Very meaty and sweet. We had brown rice as a side dish.


So what did we have for dinner a year ago?
Lavash Pizza

So what did we have for dinner 2 years ago?

Burgers, Bulgur Salad, Grilled Corn and a Plum Tart

So what did we have for dinner 3 years ago?

Dinner At My Sister's House

Wanted - Fresh Fig Recipes! And Warm Farro with Lentils, Caramelized Onions, and Feta

Warm Farro with French Lentils, Caramelized Onions, and Feta. I found this recipe by doing a google search for Farro recipes. It brought me to Orangette. Talk about a good blog to hang out reading on a Sunday afternoon!

I think this was a hit. We both went back for seconds. But honestly anything with caramelized onions is always a hit.

Hey I am looking for fig recipes. Anyone out there have a fig newton recipe made with fresh figs?


So what did we have for dinner a year ago?
Sausage and Pepper Sandwiches

So what did we have for dinner 2 years ago?

Another Amazing Meal at My Sister's House 

So what did we have for dinner 3 years ago?

County Style Ribs, Cous Cous and The 4 Egg Cake

Grilled Spiced Chicken, Tomato and Mozzarella, Spinach Salad and Grilled Smashed Potatoes

 

As I was fixing the Tomato and Mozzarella I realized I have not made this all summer. It's not like I have not had a bowl of amazing tomatoes on my kitchen counter all summer long. The tomatoes we have gotten from my Dad's garden have truly been the best tasting in quite some time.

Yes the salad had figs in it. I found a recipe for Fresh Fig & Walnut Salad W/ Lemon Lime Vinaigrette on A Bachelor and His Grill. I made the walnuts, really good! And the dressing, amazing! I put the figs and walnuts on a spinach salad. This was so good.

Now we come the chicken. This one was from RealSimple.com. Chris loves oregano so we were on the right track. It was moist and the paprika gave it a nice bit of spice.

The potaoes were another recipe that I found at the beginning of the summer. It is from Bon Appetit, Grilled Smashed Potatoes. Love them. Wish I made them sooner.

So what did we have for dinner a year ago?
Baked Flounder with Tomato and Basil

So what did we have for dinner 2 years ago?

Homemade Fettuccini with Pancetta and Zucchini

So what did we have for dinner 3 years ago?

No Post   : (

Bacon & Onion Tart and Fresh Figs with Goat Cheese & Peppered Honey

So I have these figs and felt like figs and goat cheese. I found this recipe on epicurious.com.  Fresh Figs with Goat Cheese & Peppered Honey. It took no effort to make this. Peppered Honey! Nice flavor and the goat cheese, always a good choice. Chris seemed to enjoy the one that he ate.

Ingredients -
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 fresh figs
1/4 cup soft fresh goat cheese

Method -
Combine honey and pepper in small pitcher; stir to blend. Starting at stem end, cut each fig into quarters, stopping 1/2 inch from bottom to leave base intact. Gently press figs open. Spoon 1 teaspoon cheese into center of each. Arrange figs on platter; drizzle with peppered honey.

The Bacon and Onion Tart is from saveur.com. This thought just popped into my head - What the hell did I serve for dinner before there were all these sites to find recipes? I remember,  I use to cut out recipes from magazines and take out cookbooks from the library... Ah memories.

So back to dinner. Yes we have had bacon two night in a row. Don't worry there is Farro on the horizon. This was like a big popover with bacon and onion. I thought it was bland. Would I make this again... maybe but as individual popover size. Now that sounds good!

The recipe called for 6 slices of bacon, I used 3!

Ingredients -
6 oz. slab bacon, cut into 1/4″ matchsticks
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced lengthwise Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. dry mustard
1 1/4 cups milk
3 eggs, lightly beaten

Method -
Heat bacon in a 12″ skillet over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until fat renders and bacon is crisp, about 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain; pour bacon fat into a 9″ × 11″ baking dish and set aside. Return skillet to medium-high heat, and add butter; add onions, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring, until lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Heat oven to 425°. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, mustard, and pepper; add milk and eggs, and stir until smooth. Let batter rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place baking dish with bacon fat in oven and let heat for 10 minutes. Remove baking dish from oven, pour in batter, and sprinkle with rendered bacon and caramelized onions; return to oven and bake until puffed and golden brown, about 30 minutes.


So what did we have for dinner a year ago?
Hurricane Cooking - Day 6. Is our porch light on?

So what did we have for dinner 2 years ago?

Chicken Sausage, Zucchini, Onions and Polenta!

So what did we have for dinner 3 years ago?

Of course Frittatta

Stuffed Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Breast and Some Figs...

Lets start at the beginning of the day. I went to my Dad's to do a couple of things and ended up picking OMG a lot of figs. So I brought the figs home and made a fig jam. I found this recipe at Nourish Your Roots. I also picked some raspberries at my Dad's so they were added to the mix. I only used 2 1/2 tablespoons of honey. The result was very nice.  It tastes like more fig than raspberry and it is not too sweet.

Now let's talk about dinner.

I do not know how I found the blog A Bachelor and His Grill. All I know is I am glad I did. This was an amazing dinner. It was a restaurant quality dish.  It came out so tender. The stuffing was delicious. The bacon on the outside of the breast was well it was grilled bacon! Seriously what a meal!

The side dish was from Bon Appetit. Zucchini with Potatoes and Thyme. Yeah 3 of my favorite things in one dish. How can I go wrong!

And dessert! Well last year I made Figs in Syrup or Fichi Sciroppati. And yeah I still have some in the fridge. I put some on Vanilla Ice Cream for dessert. If you have figs make this recipe. You will not be sorry you did!


So what did we have for dinner a year ago?
Hurricane Cooking - Day 5. Chicken Cutlet Sandwiches.

So what did we have for dinner 2 years ago?

Sliders with Cannellini Bean and Spinach Salad 

So what did we have for dinner 3 years ago?

Green Beans and Sauce