Gnocchi Gratin

We invited a friend over to play with my seven-year-old last week after school. She's the kind of friend every parent dreams of for their kid - sweet, well-mannered, genuine and mature. Man, is she ever mature. 

The first time she came to our house, we were discussing a classmate who wasn't always behaving in the kindest of ways. She shared with me all the offenses that had hurt her feelings but then went on to explain that she was trying not to be too upset about it. She told me that we don't always know everything that is going on behind-the-scenes that might explain a person's behavior. She concluded with a humbling "So it really isn't my place to judge." 

In that moment, I did my very best to keep my mom-cool, though inwardly, of course, I was freaking out over the wisdom pouring from this seven year old seated in front of me. "There is hope for the world!", my thoughts shrieked. I grabbed my phone and sent off a text her mom saying "I don't know what you are doing with this kid but whatever it is, it's amazing. Well done." 

I wish I could recall all the flooringly-mature comments I've overhead come out of this girl. I'll just siffuce it to say that I'm doing everything in my power to foster this friendship between my eldest and her. We (meaning the kids AND I) can certainly use mature little non-judgmental tidbits of wisdom in our lives more regularly. It doesn't harm matters either that this kid makes great company. I love how she will sit with me at the kitchen table, enjoying her after school snack and spilling all the details and latest happenings at school. I can get more information from her in the span of two minutes than I can from my all of my kids combined over the course of 2 months. Gleaning information from them is about as successful as milking a grasshopper. Pretty much impossible. But this kid, she just opens up.

She's a youngest child so I think she's just like that - used to hanging around with people older than her. Even after the rest of the kids have excused themselves to play, she'll sometimes hang back with me and chat. She's told me before how she thinks I'm really nice and she likes coming over. Go right ahead and butter me up! I'll take it, girl. I've never met a 7 year old soul quite like her and I truly adore her. My kids of course love her too. She is a peacemaker, she's complimentary, and she's a great example. We always welcome her in our home.   

She was on her usual best behavior when she came over here last week, except this time, she had a chance to charm my husband's socks off too. Graham arrived home from work earlier than usual and I was busy in the kitchen preparing dinner. The kids were playing well in the other room and so he seized the opportunity to unwind on the couch, guitar in hand. As he sat there plucking out some tunes, apparently our guest was listening. About 10 minutes into his playing, she approached him from the next room over. 

"I didn't know you played guitar! It sounds beautiful and I'm really enjoying it."

WHAT KID SAYS THIS SORT OF THING? Needless to say, the comment caught him completely off guard.

For those of you who know my husband, you know he is a quiet guy. He speaks somewhat rarely and only when he feels he has something important to say. We always joke that he was born with a set limit of words that he can use each day, and once he reaches that number, he quite literally can speak no more. Given that he is a medical provider who sees and talks to patients all day long, it is no surprise that on most days, by the time he arrives home from work, he has well surpassed his daily word limit. I've learned to compensate and do my do diligence by taking the "evening shift" and filling the silence by doing most of the talking. ;)

So in this moment, this moment where Graham was face to face with a seven year old complimenting him on his guitar playing skills, I think he was literally, totally speechless. Not just in an I'm-out-of-words-for-the-day sort of way but in a wow-this-has-never-really-happened-before sort of way. It was certainly a first. (I must confess his mad musical expertise goes pretty much unnoticed in our house. We are spoiled and I'm sure my kids think it's entirely normal for a dad to pop on any old musical instrument and whip out each and every song request on the spot...) 

But this kid, our guest, recognized talent and then took the time to approach him and tell him he was doing a good job. How humbling. Although I haven't officially asked him, I'm pretty sure he would say this friend is welcome over at our place any time. Even grown men need to be buttered up on occasion. ;)

I'd been keeping myself busy in the kitchen, all the while taking in the scene playing out before me. We hadn't set a firm end time to our play date so I invited our guest to stay for dinner. The kids were having a blast and I knew they would be thrilled to get to eat together too. I was making gnocchi, or, more accurately, preparing the creamy sauce in which to nestle store-bought gnocchi, the end result being a delicious Gnocchi Gratin. 

I told our guest what was on the menu and she eagerly exclaimed "I think I've had that before! My godmother is from Italy and I think she served it to me once and it was delicious!"

"Oh gosh," I thought. "This kid has an Italian godmother. Maybe inviting her to stay was a mistake. Certainly this will be where the compliments come to a screeching halt." 

I was sure she had had the REAL thing, authentic Italian gnocchi, and that my version would pale in comparison. You can imagine my relief when she asked first for seconds and then later thirds of the dish. Not surprisingly, she outlasted all of the other kids (who also had multiple helpings) at the table. 

"I don't mean to be impolite and eat so much," she told me. "It's just that it is SO good."

Eat away, my friend. My cooking ego and I both welcome you at our table anytime. As if we didn't already love this girl enough in our family, her cooking compliments officially SEALED THE DEAL. 

As for the recipe itself, it has been a family favorite of ours for years now, the ultimate cold-weather comfort food. I never did order any gnocchi when I was in Italy (a royal shame!) so I'm really not sure how exactly it compares to what one might find "When in Rome..." but, in the opinion of a seven-year-old with and Italian godmother, you can be assured that this is where it's at!

When explaining the dish to others, I often liken it to homemade macaroni and cheese though I'm not entirely sure that's the best description. It's as comforting as macaroni, definitely, but in a more fulfilling, more sophisticated way. It's a dish that is homey enough for the every day but feels fancy enough to serve to guests as well.

To prepare the sauce, start by cooking up a few slices of chopped bacon until they are browned and crispy. Remove the bacon and use the drippings as the beginnings of your sauce. Supplement it with a little butter, then flour and seasonings and whisk until toasty. Next comes milk and chicken broth, boiled until creamy and smooth. The sauce is finished with cheese, bacon and chives - yum, yum and yum! Pour over the cooked gnocchi, sprinkle with parmesan and bake until browned. It's certainly comfort food to the N-th degree. 

Gnocchi Gratin

2 pounds packaged gnocchi

4 slices bacon, chopped

1 tablespoon butter

1/3 cup all-purpose flour 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 cups milk

3/4 cup chicken broth

1 1/4 cups grated Gruyère cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

1/3 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400°.

Cook gnocchi according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and return to large stockpot.

In medium saucepan over medium heat, cook bacon until browned and crisp. Remove bacon pieces with and slotted spoon and set aside, reserving bacon drippings in saucepan. Add butter to drippings and melt. Sprinkle butter, salt and pepper over drippings and cook, stirring constantly with a whisk for one minute to brown. Add milk and broth slowly, whisking to eliminate lumps. Bring mixture to a boil and then turn down to a low-bubbling simmer until thick, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Gruyere cheese. bacon and chives. Pour sauce over gnocchi and stir gently so as not to damage gnocchi.  

Prepare a baking dish (2 quart Le Creuset or a basic glass 9 x 13 inch pan will do) with cooking spray. Transfer gnocchi and sauce to prepared baking dish and sprinkle with parmesan.* Bake in 400° oven for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve immediately with a glass of chilled chardonnay. 

Serves 6-8

* Recipe can be made ahead up until this point and refrigerated and then baked just prior to serving.

Pasta Bolognese

My constituents asked me to make Pasta Bolognese this week. It is one of our very, VERY favorites and has been for years. It always feels like somewhat of a special occasion when it's the meal on deck. I can send my husband a picture of the sauce simmering on stove and it has the same effect as if I would have texted him the words "I love you."

This week, I went to my blog to look up the recipe to make sure I had all the ingredients I needed to throw it together and was horrified to realize I HAVE NEVER POSTED IT ON MY BLOG. How could this be? This, one of our top pastas! I'm so sorry to have held out on you.

I think it's fair to claim that, at this point, we are Bolognese connoisseurs. I made this dish for the first time pre-kids, when our addiction was just in it's beginnings. My husband and I went though a phase where we ordered Pasta Bolognese every time it was on the menu. You may think I'm kidding but we were mildly obsessed. We loved my version but somehow got the crazy idea in our heads that it was our mission to find the absolute BEST version out there. Over the course of 5 years, I'll bet we ordered the dish at restaurants upwards of 30 times. Each time we'd raise our glasses in cheers and take a bite. And then we would agree that the pasta was good but it wasn't quite a knock out. Nothing in the restaurant world quite suited our fancy but it took years before my husband finally spoke these long sought after words:

"Honey, I think your version is the best."

Hallelujah! If that's the only time he ever says that, I can die happy.

I really can't take too much credit myself. Most of it goes to the former Gourmet Magazine and their ingenuity. I have played with their version some, easing the chopping process, altering the meat mixture, and at times adding more vegetables when I'm channeling my inner dietitian.

This recipe is an excellent make-ahead option for nights when dinner needs to happen in a hurry. Take yesterday, for instance. It was the last day in March and us sun-starved Pacific Northwest folk looked at our weather apps in disbelief as temperatures were supposed to push mid-70s. I knew it would be in my best interest to spend the afternoon out in the sunshine, thawing off winter. But my fans had been begging for pasta Bolognese which can take nearly 2 hours in total with its 1 1/4 hours of simmer time. It dawned on me that I could do both. I just needed to start early.

I started at lunch time, first sautéing the veggies and then adding the milk. The recipe follows a stepwise pattern where you add one liquid at a time and then wait until it evaporates to add the next. My older two were at school and the youngest was miraculously napping and so I decided to indulge myself with some sunshine ahead of schedule and ducked out onto my front porch with a book. Between chapters, I popped back indoors to give the sauce and stir and add the next ingredient. By the time preschool pick up rolled around, the sauce was finished and I threw it in the fridge until dinnertime when it would be ready to go with a quick reheat.

This recipe is another great one to bring to others. I'm in that phase of life where babies are dropping like hotcakes and my peers are in need of great dishes to deliver to the new parents. This is probably one of the top 5 questions I get asked: "What is your favorite recipe to bring to others?"

If you decide to make this one, let me be the first to caution you - if you make a double batch (so you can have some for dinner too!) USE TWO SEPARATE POTS. I tried making a double batch in one big kettle before and it didn't turn out well. There were too many ingredient and too little cooking surface area for it to work properly. The liquid ingredients also took FOREVER to evaporate. So, just make it easy on yourself and cook your double batch in two pots side by side. Enjoy!

Pasta Bolognese
(adapted from Gourmet Cookbook)

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic
1 onion
4 carrots
4 celery ribs
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1 cup milk
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup dry white wine
28 ounce can whole tomatoes including juice
1 ½ - 2 pounds dried rigatoni
Shaved parmesan cheese

Dividing into two batches as needed, pulse garlic, onion, carrots and celery in a food processor until finely chopped. Set food processor aside. In large saucepan or dutch oven, heat oil and butter over moderately high heat until foam subsides. Add chopped garlic, onion, carrots, and celery, and saute until just beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Toss in beef and pork and cook, stirring and breaking meat apart, for about 4 minutes, or until meat is no longer pink. Add milk and salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until most of the milk is evaporated, about 10 minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is evaporated, about 10 minutes.

Coarsely chop canned tomatoes and their juices in the set aside food processor (no need to clean it!) Stir tomatoes into the sauce and cook at a bare simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 1 hour and 15 minutes (sauce will be thickened). Season sauce with additional with salt and pepper to taste. Sauce may be made ahead and chilled for 2 days or frozen for 1 month.

When ready to serve, bring 7 quarts of water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente (about 11-12 minutes) and drain in a colander. Toss pasta with sauce (reheated if necessary) and sprinkle with shaved parmesan.

Serves 6-8 (fewer if you are Croziers - we LOVE pasta!)

Chicken Marbella

 

I guess I partially owe my son Jack the credit for this family-favorite chicken recipe. It joined our family about the same time that he did. Just a few short weeks after, actually, during those heavenly post-delivery days when we stumbled about bleary-eyed (ok so that part wasn't heavenly) while those around us took care of dinner (HEAVEN!!) I've said it before and I'll say it again: I LOVE RECEIVING MEALS. Sometimes I consider adding members to our family simply to get another round of meals going. Food is my love language - both the giving and receiving of it and a yummy warm meal speaks measures to me.

 

The real credit for this one goes to my friend Katie who introduced us to Chicken Marbella in the form of a meal delivery for the very first time. She and I met at our church's Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) group and I always looked up to her. We had an awesome table of ladies that year and we all spent a lot of time laughing but I felt especially drawn to Katie. She was vulnerable and shared the challenges of life and mothering in a way that really drew me in. I'm sure she will laugh when she reads this because I'm sure she, like the rest of us, will say she wasn't feeling her very best in the early throes of motherhood. But her honesty and transparency was something I greatly admired and I wanted to be just like her.

 

I was still struggling immensely with insecurity in friendships at this point in my life and had become quite the expert at keeping others at an arm's length. I never felt good enough or cool enough or stylish enough to be friends with awesome people like Katie. (Katie, I can hear you laughing). So you can imagine my delight when, at the end of that MOPS year, Katie invited me to her 30th birthday party. At HER HOUSE! And let me tell you, her list of invitees was straight up cool kids - no question about it. I wasn't sure why I was on that list but you'd better believe I went, feeling totally unworthy and shaking in my boots. But heck yes, I showed up. I had been invited in and it felt amazing.

 

I looked up to Katie for a lot of practical reasons too. She had two older boys, each just a few months senior to my girls. She had knowledge and experience and I felt a lot of "yeah me toos" when we talked together. And then she welcomed a third baby, a girl, into her family. She was my first friend to have three kids. And she survived. It gave me hope that I could have three children and survive somehow too.

 

We couldn't have lived farther than each other - at the time, Katie lived all the way in Ballard and I was nearly an hour's drive away in my condo in Kirkland. Seeing each other did not happen without some intentional effort but we made it happen on occasion even after MOPS came to an end. When Jack joined our family in the Fall, Katie immediately signed up to bring us a meal and her delivery touched me more than most, partly due to the distance I knew she had to drive to make it happen. And then, not only did she arrive with dinner, but she also brought me lunch to eat right then and there AND two huge tubs of boy clothes for Jack to wear as he grew.

 

Katie, I don't know if I ever sent you a thank you note. Forgive me. I remember very little of those days and weeks following Jack's birth. But I DO remember your meal and I DO remember your visit. So...better late than never, THANK YOU for your delivery that day. It touched me in more ways that you can imagine. :)

 

When I told my husband what I was writing about today, he exclaimed "That's my favorite chicken recipe!" and it's probably the favorite of everyone else in this house as well. It always smells so amazing and the finished product is company-worthy. My picture doesn't do it justice - there are tons of colorful prunes and olives in there (I increased their amounts because I like it that way). Don't let the prunes scare you if you aren't typically a big fan. They really do make the dish - so tender and sweet next to the savory briny punch of the olives. In addition to being a great option for bringing to others, this meal is an excellent make-ahead option. Prepare the chicken in the marinate and leave it overnight to absorb all the flavors. An hour before you are ready to eat, pop it in the oven and it's as easy as that. 

 

Chicken Marbella

(adapted from simplyrecipes.com, thanks to my friend Katie)

 

5 pounds of skin-on chicken thighs and drums

8 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tablespoons dried oregano

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup pitted prunes

16 large pitted Spanish olives, halved

1/4 cup capers plus 2 Tablespoons caper juice

3 bay leaves

Kosher salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 cup white wine

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 Tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped

 

In a large bowl or gallon-sized zip-lock bag, combine garlic, oregano, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers and juice, and bay leaves. Add chicken and salt and pepper to taste and let marinate in the refrigerator several hours or overnight.

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Pour chicken and marinade into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish along with white wine. Sprinkle with brown sugar.

 

Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting occasionally with juices from pan until chicken is cooked through (165 degrees F). Remove from oven and serve.

 

Serves 6



Spicy Sausage, Cheese and Fresh Basil Lasagna

Want to know the best way to NOT start a food blog? Probably to finally take the plunge and start said food blog and then rarely post on it. In case anyone is wondering, we've been on a wild ride over here at our house! You can read more about it on my personal blog here but essentially we bought a place built in the 90s, we disklike the 90s....you can imagine where this is going. Before we knew what we were doing (seriously!) we found ourselves in the middle of a major remodel that involved altering every single room in our house. That was winter. Then came spring and my focus shifted to exciting this like my new yard and starting a garden. Spring also included a much-needed week away with just my hubby to BREATHE after taking on something as major as buying a home and gutting a good chunk of it with three kids 5 and under.

And so there you have it. I apologize for my absence and I hope to be more present here. I've been wanting to tell you all about this lasagna for a while now. It's one of my favorites! I don't know about you but I often find hosts apologize and say things like "we're just having lasagna" when they have us over to dinner. But I LOVE LASAGNA and I'm like putty in your hands when I'm served it alongside garlic bread and a good salad. Maybe part of the reason I love it when YOU serve it to ME is because I didn't have to make it. My only hang up with lasagna is the process of getting from not having lasagna to having lasagna. It can be quite tedious but like most delicious Italian dishes, they are a labor of love.

I probably only make it myself once or twice a year. And every time I do, I find myself thinking Why didn't I just make two so I could put one in the freezer for later and only do this process once a year? So, address that little issue by doubling up and making two. I'm a genius, I know. Buuuuuuut, even though it's a process, it's so rewarding when you take that first bite. I love this recipe because it includes a good kick from the Spicy Italian Sausage. And the fresh basil thrown in with the ricotta gives it almost a pesto-like flavor so you get the best of both worlds: a marriage between red and white sauces. The sauce here is homemade but I've "cheated" at times and just purchased store bought pasta sauce to save time. I give you permission to do the same as you see fit. Dig in and enjoy and expect this one to become a regular part of your repertoire.

Spicy Sausage, Cheese and Fresh Basil Lasagna
(adapted slightly from Bon Appetit Magazine)

Sauce:

2 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 pound spicy Italian sausages, casings removed (I use Isernio's)

1 cup chopped onion

3 large garlic cloves, chopped

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes with added puree

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with green pepper and onion (do not drain)

Filling:

1 1/2 cups (packed) fresh basil leaves

1 (15 oz) container plus 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

1 1/2 cups (packed) grated mozzarella cheese (about 6 ounces)

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Assembly:

12 no-boil lasagna noodles from one 8-ounce package

3 cups (packed) grated mozzarella cheese (about 12 ounces)

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)

Sauce:

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add sausages, onion, garlic, oregano and crushed red pepper and sauté until sausage is cooked through, mashing sausage into small pieces with back of fork, about 10 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes with juices. Bring sauce to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 5 minutes to blend flavors. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill until cold, then cover and keep chilled.) If you are using a pre-made sauce, simply brown sausage (casings removed) in a non stick skillet over medium high heat, breaking up meat using the back of a fork as above for about 10 minutes. Then add 1 jar of pre-made red pasta sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 5 minutes.

Filling:

Using on/off turns, chop fresh basil leaves finely in processor. Add ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Using on/off turns, process filling until just blended and texture is still chunky.

Assembly:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread 1 1/4 cups sauce in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange 3 noodles on sauce. Drop 1 1/2 cups filling over noodles, then spread evenly to cover. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layering of sauce, noodles, filling and cheeses 2 more times. Top with remaining 3 noodles. Spoon remaining sauce atop noodles. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Spray large piece of foil with nonstick olive oil spray. Cover lasagna with foil, sprayed side down.

Bake lasagna 40 minutes. Carefully uncover. Increase oven temperature to 400°F. Bake until noodles are tender, sauce bubbles thickly and edges of lasagna are golden and puffed, about 20 minutes. Transfer to work surface; let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Serves 8

No-Boil "Mac" n' Cheese

I don't make lunch. Like ever. We are leftover-eating-lunch people to the max and so when my daughter entering Kindergarten and needed to pack a lunch every freaking day, I was sent spiraling. What made matters worse was when I found out the lunch room DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A MICROWAVE!! How are the to students reheat their Sweet Corn Pancakes and Kung Pao Chicken leftovers?!!  Unfortunately I didn't realize that the school was microwave-less until my eldest came home with an untouched Tupperware of meaty chili. Apparently beef that has turned gelatinous overnight and cold beans where not her cup of tea. It was at this point when she asked if I could please send her with "something else." Whoops. Total mom fail on the lunch-packing front.

 

But I digress. I tell you all this not because the recipe I am about to share with you is a great option for packing away in kids' lunches. Actually, it's not (unless of course you have a microwave and then it's great!!!!) Kids do love it but I tell you this because I wanted the world to know, HEY! I actually made lunch the other day! Lunch is hands down my least favorite meal of the day but every once in a while I will get inspired and whip something up.

 

This recipe is a keeper because of these two words: NO BOIL. I dunno. I will make gnocchi from scratch. Heck, sometimes I even make pasta from scratch. Call me lazy, but when I am making a sauce from scratch for a pasta bake, there is something about the extra step of also boiling the pasta that just pushes me over the edge. They invented those no-boil lasagna noodles for people like me who would otherwise deprive their families of the Italian delicacy. So, when I saw this recipe that would result in homemade macaroni and cheese without ever boiling water, I was sold!

 

I've never really been a huge fan of homemade mac n' cheese, mostly because nothing ever measured up to the bright orange Kraft variety, the control group to which every kid compares. And if I'm honest, this recipe really doesn't compare. But maybe that's a good thing? I've adapted the recipe to make it healthier by reducing the amount of butter it calls for, substituting whole wheat pasta, and throwing in some spinach for good measure. It's really, really yummy and, not surprisingly, the kids are huge fans. I recommend using Beecher's cheddar cheese (the best!) and really any old small whole wheat pasta will do if you can't find macaroni (I used fusilli in the picture). This recipe is perfect for play dates or last minute lunch guests or simply for regular Mondays when you are suddenly overcome with a desire to actually make lunch.

 

No-Boil "Mac" n' Cheese

(adapted from Bon Appetit Magazine)

 

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 

1/4 cup all-purpose flour 
3 cups low-fat milk 
3 cups water
3 cups fresh spinach
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt plus more
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more 
1 pound whole wheat elbow macaroni, or some other small whole wheat pasta
2 cups grated white cheddar cheese, divided 
2 garlic cloves, chopped 
1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) 
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley 

Preheat oven to 400°. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour; cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Whisk in milk and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, whisking often, until a very thin, glossy sauce forms, about 10 minutes. Stir in spinach, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Remove sauce from heat.

Toss pasta and 1 1/2 cups cheese in a 13x9x2-inch or other shallow 3-quart baking dish. Pour sauce over (pasta should be submerged; do not stir) and cover with foil. Bake until pasta is almost tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt remaining 2 Tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, panko, and parsley and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove foil from dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese, then panko mixture. Bake until pasta is tender, edges are bubbling, and top is golden brown, about 10 minutes longer. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

 

Serves 8

Kung Pao Chicken Tacos

Asian tacos? Who knew? The idea of putting stir fry in a taco shell sounded sort of weird to me at first but I'm all about fusion cuisine so when saw this recipe as I flipped through my cooking magazine, I decided to go for it. I don't care for the aftermath on the kitchen floor after I serve rice to the kids so maybe this was my ticket to eating Asian flavors AND a cleaner kitchen? YES! The recipe was delicious and the whole family loved it. I've served this for dinner three times already since we moved in with my in-laws, and the tacos have quickly become my father-in-law's favorite.

 

Coating the chicken pieces in cornstarch creates a crispy-tender yet healthier "crust" reminiscent of the fried version you would find at a Chinese restaurant. The recipe comes together pretty quickly, as long as you remember to toss the chicken in a bag with soy sauce earlier in the day (it's totally fine marinating for longer than 30 minutes, even overnight if you want). I love how this recipe incorporates raw celery and bell pepper with the cooked chicken for added color contrast and crunch.  I like to use Trader's Joe's Corn and Wheat "Tortillas de me Abuela" as I find the addition of wheat to the corn results in a softer tortilla that doesn't leave your mouth feeling like it's stuffed with cotton balls. I usually double the recipe so that we can have leftovers and we like our food spicy so Graham and I scoop extra sambal oelek or Sriracha sauce onto our tacos for added heat. 

 

This recipe reheats wonderfully if you are looking for something you can make ahead and then serve later. I have brought it to friends who have just had babies on numerous occasions and I almost always get asked for the recipe. Just pack up the cooked chicken tossed with the vegetables and sauce into a gallon ziplock. Deliver with the peanuts, limes and tortillas on the side. If you're looking for something new and different, give this recipe a try!

 

Kung Pao Chicken Tacos

(adapted from Cooking Light Magazine)

 

6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces

3 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce, divided

1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, divided

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons canola oil, divided

1 1/2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon dark sesame oil

2 teaspoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon sambal oelek (ground fresh chile paste)

1 large garlic clove, minced

3/4 cup diagonally sliced celery (about 2 stalks)

1/2 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/3 cup sliced green onions

8  (6-inch) corn and wheat tortillas
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped dry-roasted peanuts

4 lime wedges

Place chicken in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce to bag; seal. Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Place 1/4 cup cornstarch in a shallow dish. Sprinkle the chicken evenly with salt. Add chicken to cornstarch in dish, and toss chicken to thoroughly coat. Shake off excess cornstarch.
 

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon canola oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add half of coated chicken; sauté for 6 minutes or until done, turning to brown. Remove chicken from pan using a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Repeat the procedure with remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil and coated chicken.
 

Combine remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, honey, and next 3 ingredients (through sambal oelek) in a microwave-safe bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Microwave at HIGH for 1 1/2 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring twice. Stir in garlic. Combine soy sauce mixture, chicken, celery, bell pepper and green onion; toss to coat chicken and vegetables.
 

Warm tortillas in the microwave or under the broiler. Place 2 tortillas on each of 4 plates; divide chicken mixture evenly among tortillas. Top each taco with chopped peanuts; serve with lime wedges and hot sauce, if desired.

 

Serves 4

The Farmer's Plate

We have a new system for selecting recipes to try. These days, we are getting most of our ideas from magazines. One or both of us will tear out a page that looks desirable and then eventually, maybe, we make it. My husband was the one to select this recipe and at first I was skeptical. It wasn't something I would have historically been drawn to except for the fact that I adore roasted cauliflower and recently discovered burrata cheese at State Bird Provisions on our California getaway last year. For whatever reason, I decided to indulge him and picked up all the ingredients for these recipes for our "company meal" this weekend. I try to have at least one company-worthy meal on the menu each week just in case. I know that sentence makes me sound either a) super popular b) a little snobby or c) much more organized than I truly am. It may sound good in theory to always plan a meal for company but usually we end up changing our minds or still needing to make a trip to the grocery store. But still it's nice to have a few things on hand for special dishes.

Anyhow, on Friday night, since we were not having a baby as planned, we invited over our good friends for a meal. We served The Farmer's Plate as our appetizer and I think it was by far the best dish of the night! I made a few changes to the recipe which I highlighted below. Neither of us are huge fans of tahini and so for the Chickpea Puree, rather than buying a whole tub for $3, using a tablespoon and then tossing the rest, I just skipped it and added a little lemon juice instead. My husband was the mastermind behind the Muhammara (which was so totally amazing, by the way, and would make an awesome romesco-type pasta sauce or sandwich spread). No one seemed to know what piquillo peppers were when I was shopping so I just used regular old jarred roasted red peppers and I don't think the recipe suffered. We served the dips with crusty bread slices, roasted cauliflower, red onions and carrots and the burrata. Though I was thrilled to find the burrata cheese at my local Trader Joe's, I must confess that regular fresh mozzarella probably would have been just as good, not to mention cheaper. YUM! We will definitely be making this appetizer again!

 

The Farmer's Plate

(adapted from Food and Wine Magazine)

Chickpea Puree:

2 cups canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 tablespoon tahini (I omitted)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 garlic clove, crushed

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Muhammara:

2/3 cup walnuts

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Half of a 1/4-inch-thick slice of whole wheat bread

3/4 cup drained piquillo peppers (we used jarred red peppers)

1/2 teaspoon pomegranate molasses (optional-we used regular molasses)

1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Freshly ground black pepper

6 ounces burrata cheese or buffalo mozzarella, cut into 6 equal pieces, for serving

Grilled peasant bread and roasted vegetables such as carrots, fennel and red onions,

for serving

To make the Chickpea Puree: In a food processor, pulse the chickpeas, tahini (if using), lemon juice, garlic, cayenne and cumin until finely chopped. With the machine on, drizzle in the oil and puree until smooth. Transfer to a bowl; season with salt and pepper. Wipe out the processor.

To make the Muhammara: Preheat the oven to 375°. Toast the walnuts in a pie plate for 5 to 7 minutes, until lightly golden and fragrant. Let cool completely, then transfer the walnuts to the food processor.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, toast the ground cumin over moderately low heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Scrape the cumin into the processor. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in the skillet. Add the bread and cook until golden and crisp on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Tear the bread into small pieces and add it to the processor. Add the piquillos, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and the cayenne pepper. With the machine on, drizzle in the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of

water and puree until smooth. Season with salt and black pepper. Transfer to a bowl.

Serve the chickpea puree and the muhammara along with burrata, grilled

bread and roasted vegetables.

To make ahead: The chickpea puree and muhammara can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Let both return to room temperature before serving.