Garlic Bread Carbonara

Another carbonara recipe to add to my collection. Ashley mentioned this Garlic Bread Carbonara awhile back and I was immediately intrigued. When she finally posted the recipe I couldn't wait to make it.

We all enjoyed this - hey, it's carbonara, what's not to like - but I realized that carbonara without fresh vegetables mixed in can be rather heavy. Just another reminder that my tastes have changed as we've modified the way we eat. I was glad I paired this with a light salad to cut some of that richness.

Garlic Bread Carbonara
From Cheesecurd in Paradise and Nigella Lawson

1 pound spaghetti
8 slices bacon, chopped
1 large onion, sliced
1/4 cup dry white wine or vermouth
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup heavy cream
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly ground nutmeg

Breadcrumbs:
1/2 stick butter, melted
1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs (about 2 slices of bread)
1 tablespoon garlic powder

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions.

In another large pan that will fit the pasta later, cook the bacon until crispy but not crunchy. Add the onions and cook until softened and starting to caramelize, about 15 minutes. Pour over the white wine or vermouth and let it bubble away so that, after a few minutes, you have a small amount of salty winey syrup left. Take the pan off the heat.

In a bowl, beat together the eggs, Parmesan, cream, and pepper.

When the pasta is done, remove approximately 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining. Put the pan with the bacon back on the heat and add the drained pasta, tossing well to coat with the syrupy sauce. Take the pan off the heat again and add the eggs and cheese mixture, swiftly tossing everything to mix. Thin with pasta water, if needed. Grind over some more pepper and grate over the nutmeg to serve.

Toss breadcrumbs with melted butter and garlic powder. Spread evenly on a lined baking sheet. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until crispy.

Plate pasta and top with crispy garlic bred crumbs.

Cuban Street Tacos

For our Mexican feast last month T made these Cuban Street Tacos. She prepped and cooked it before we got there, so the only thing we had to do was pull the pork and broil it.


Photo credit: T. Casey

This had such great flavor. And I loved the crispy bits so don't skip that step! I definitely ate way too many of these (we all did).


Photo credit: T. Casey

Cuban Street Tacos
As seen on Sweet Peas Kitchen, adapted from What's Cookin' Chicago, originally adapted from Cook's Illustrated, June 2008

1 (4-pound) boneless pork butt, cut into 2-inch chunks
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 tablespoon oil
1 cup water
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 bay leaves
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 to 2 jalapeños, minced
1 onion, peeled and halved
juice of 1 lime
1 medium orange, halved and juice, rinds reserved
8 corn tortillas
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese
2 limes, cut into wedges

Rub the pieces of pork shoulder all over with salt. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add pork and sear pieces on all sides. Once all the pork is seared and lightly browned, remove from the pot and place in a large bowl. Pour in water and chicken stock, scraping the bottom of the pan with a flat-edged spatula to release all the tasty brown bits. Add pepper, cumin, chili powder, oregano, bay leaves, garlic, jalapenos, onion, lime juice, orange juice and orange rinds and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Add pork pieces and cover the pot and place it in the preheated oven. Bake for 1 hour, take a peek and give the pot a stir to turn the meat. Put the lid back on and let it continue to bake in the oven for another hour.

After 2 hours of baking time, remove the pot from oven. Remove the bay leaves, onion and orange rinds from the pot and discard. Remove the pork and place in a large bowl; set aside. Place the pot on the stove top and let the remaining liquid come to a boil over high heat. Let it boil until it thickens up and is reduced to about 1 cup, about 10 -15 minutes.

Lower racks to near the bottom of the oven and turn oven to broil. In the bowl, pull each piece of pork in half using two forks. Pour the reduced liquid over the pork and add salt and pepper to taste; stir to combine. Place the coated pieces of pork on a wire cooling rack set on a baking sheet. Broil the meat for 5 to 8 minutes on each side until well browned. Serve immediately in warm tortillas. Garnish with red onion slices, cilantro, Monterey Jack cheese, and lime wedges.

Linguine with Crispy Chicken, Roasted Tomatoes, and Caramelized Onion Cream Sauce

When Cassie first posted a photo of this Linguine with Crispy Chicken, Roasted Tomatoes, and Caramelized Onion Cream Sauce on Facebook I was hooked. And then she posted the recipe on her blog and I knew I had to make it. It's got everything I love in one dish - pasta, crispy chicken, tomatoes and caramelized onions. Yum!!

I was able to prep some of the components during the day, which made it easier to throw together at the end of the day. Baby Girl is an excellent eater (and very polite - she always tells me she loves my cooking) but she doesn't usually proclaim anything as her favorite. After her first bite of this dish she told me she loved it and it was her favorite meal. After every bite she told me I had to make this again and again and again.

We all enjoyed this and it reheated well, which is pretty impressive for a cream-based pasta dish. Everything comes together so well. I particularly liked the apple juice in the onions - it added just a hint of sweetness. I was worried this would be heavy but it was actually pretty light. I can't wait to honor Baby Girl's request and make this again.

Linguine with Crispy Chicken, Roasted Tomatoes, and Caramelized Onion Cream Sauce
As seen on Cassie Craves

8 ounces linguine, cooked according to package directions
Parmesan cheese

For the roasted tomatoes:
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

For the chicken:
1 large chicken breast, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 egg, beaten
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper
Vegetable oil for frying

For the sauce:
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup apple juice
1 cup heavy cream (I used 1/2 and 1/2)
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Arrange tomatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet; drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Cook for 20 minutes or until browned and bursting.

Meanwhile, add the beaten egg to a large bowl. Mix together the panko, Italian breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt and pepper in a separate bowl. Heat vegetable oil in a medium saucepan (enough to shallow-fry the chicken). Dip the chicken pieces in the egg, then in the breadcrumb mixture. Fry in batches until golden and crispy; remove to a paper-towel-lined plate.

Melt the butter and olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until onions are fragrant and caramelized. Add the garlic; cook and stir for 30 seconds. Raise heat to medium-high and stir in the apple juice, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to pick up any browned bits. Let the apple juice reduce slightly, then stir in the cream. Reduce heat back to medium-low and heat gently until thickened; taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.

Gently stir together the reserved tomatoes, crispy chicken, and pasta. Add the sauce and toss gently to combine. Serve with parmesan cheese.

Salsa Fresca

This is the other salsa recipe I made for the Mexican-themed dinner we had with friends last month. I've been making this one for ages but never thought to take a picture to share with you guys.

Photo credit - T. Casey

Obviously this one is very different from the grilled salsa. This one is much lighter and chunkier. They're both delicious, just different. I think it was great to have both versions at the dinner. We had no problem inhaling both salsas and the guacamole.

Photo credit - T. Casey

Salsa Fresca
As seen in the Williams-Sonoma Mexican cookbook

1 lb. ripe tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/3 cup finely chopped white onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno chiles, finely chopped (ribs and seeds removed if you want it less spicy)
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
Sea salt to taste

In a bowl, toss together the tomatoes, onion, cilantro, chiles, and lime juice. Sprinkle with salt and toss again. Cover and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the flavors to mingle, then serve with your favorite chips.

Makes 2 cups.

Orange Margaritas

We needed margaritas to go with our Mexican-themed dinner. Since I had a bunch of navel oranges leftover from a previous recipe, I decided to make Orange Margaritas.

Photo credit - T. Casey

I ended up with 24oz of fresh-squeezed orange juice so I quadrupled the original recipe. It was a little heavy on the tequila and we couldn't really taste the orange juice so I've decreased the tequila below. These were delicious and really easy to make - the hardest part was squeezing all the citrus by hand. I definitely got an arm workout.

Orange Margarita
As seen on Confections of a Foodie Bride
Yields: 4 servings

6 oz homemade margarita mix*
6 oz fresh squeezed orange juice
4 oz silver tequila
4 oz orange liqueur
Sugar, for rimming glasses (optional)

Combine all the ingredients in a pitcher or carafe, stirring well.

Run one of the juiced limes or orange halves around the outside edge of the glasses and then dip in sugar. You can also dip the glass in water and then the sugar.

Fill glasses with ice and pour the margarita over the top.

*Homemade Margarita Mix
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

Heat the water and sugar in a small sauce pan over medium heat, stirring often, until the sugar is completely dissolved and the water is clear. Let cool. Pour into a pitcher with the lime juice.

Leftovers will keep 7-10 days in a jar in the fridge.

Meatball Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

One Sunday SP made spaghetti and meatballs for dinner. The meatball recipe he used yielded quite a bit of leftovers so I froze probably 5 or 6 meatballs for another time. While meal planning one week I decided I wanted to do something different with the meatballs and these meatball grilled cheese sandwiches were born.

I'm partial to good old American cheese but use whatever type of cheese you like. This is really more of a method than a recipe. Use your favorite meatball recipe or even buy some frozen if that's easier. I've added sauteed spinach to these as well and really enjoyed it (plus it makes me feel better to have something healthy thrown in there).

Meatball Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Makes 4 sandwiches

5-6 meatballs
Butter, for the bread
8 slices bread
Cheese (I like American, use whatever you like)
Extra marinara sauce for dipping

Slice the meatballs into thin discs so they'll lay flat on the bread.

Butter one side of each piece of bread. Flip the bread over so the butter side is down and lay two slices of cheese on each piece of bread. Top four of the slices with some of the sliced meatballs. Add a little extra sauce and then top each with one of the bread and cheese slices, butter side up.

Place the sandwiches on a griddle or large non-stick pan set over medium-low heat. Cook low and slow, allowing the bread to brown evenly and the cheese to start melting before flipping over to cook on the other side. Remove from the heat once both sides of the bread are golden brown and the cheese has melted. Allow to rest for a few minutes before cutting and serving with extra sauce for dipping.

Pizza alla Vodka

During the cooler months I make homemade pizza every Friday. I've had my eye on Josie's Pizza alla Vodka for awhile and finally got around to making it recently.

Man, was this good. I probably could have made the vodka sauce a bit spicier, but I was worried it would be too spicy for Baby Girl. The sauce recipe yields a ton so I froze individual portions for future pizzas. We've already had another pizza with the sauce, subbing olives for the tomatoes since Baby Girl is obsessed with black olives. I can't wait to make this with fresh basil once I get my garden going (if this eternal winter ever ends).

Pizza alla Vodka
As seen on Pink Parsley

1 heaping cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
pinch of sugar
kosher salt
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 small onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup vodka
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 lb. pizza dough
olive oil, for brushing
2 links spicy Italian sausage
1 cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Place a baking stone on the bottom rack.

Toss the tomatoes with olive oil, salt, and sugar. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet or in a glass baking dish. Roast the tomatoes, stirring every 5 minutes, for 15-20 minutes total. Remove the tomatoes from the oven. If you're like me, allow the tomatoes to cool slightly, then remove the skins. Move the baking stone to the top rack.

In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, 5-6 minutes. Stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes, and tomato paste, and cook until fragrant, stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, bring to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the vodka and cook an additional 5-8 minutes, remove from heat, and stir in the cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and set aside.

Remove the sausage from its casings and cook in a skillet over medium-high heat until browned and cooked through, 5-6 minutes. Drain off fat and set aside.

Sprinkle a large square of parchment paper with flour and roll into a 14-inch round. Brush the edges with olive oil. Spread 1/2 - 3/4 cup of the vodka sauce over the dough. Don't use too much sauce or the pizza will be soggy in the middle. Sprinkle with the mozzarella, followed by the spicy sausage, roasted tomatoes and Parmesan cheese.

Transfer the pizza to the preheated baking stone, and cook 10 minutes, rotating the pizza 180 degrees after 5 minutes. Allow to cool 10 minutes then sprinkle with the basil, slice, and serve. Pass the extra vodka sauce at the table for dipping.