Creamy Gruyere and Shrimp Pasta

Back to Cooking Light Pasta. Heyooo. This recipe is a definite keeper and is really good if you are entertaining. Definitely a crowd pleaser...or just make it and eat a lot of it...yeah, do that.

Adapted from Cooking Light Pasta

Ingredients

8 ounces uncooked Cavatelli (I used this) or orecchiette pasta
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese, divided
1 tablespoon butter
1 Cup of Baby spinach
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
Olive Oil

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 375°.
2) Cook pasta according to package directions, no salt. Drain well.
3) Combine the flour and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly with a whisk; bring to a boil.
4) Cook 1 minute or until slightly thick, stirring constantly with a whisk.
5) Remove from heat. Stir in 3/4 cup cheese, stirring until melted.
6) Heat butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
7) Add shrimp and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Stir in wine and pepper, and cook 1 minute or until shrimp is done.
8) Add pasta, shrimp mixture, and spinach to cheese mixture, tossing well to combine.
9) Spoon the pasta mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish lightly coated with oil; sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.
10) Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until cheese melts and begins to brown.
11) Share and Enjoy!

This wont last too long in your fridge or at the table. It is just that good. And despite the pasta and cheese, it is really not that bad for you! Yup. Cooking light does it again!

Made: 02/08/11
"Posted": 02/08/11
Posted: 06/03/11

Brunch Part IV: Spinach, Feta and Mushroom Quiche

This was the home run. I actually ended up making it again...twice...for my classmates because everyone loved it so much. No matter what your audience is this is just a winner. WINNING, duh. (you see what I did there!)

Adapted from Allrecipes

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
5 cups of fresh baby spinach (USE THIS!) or 1 10 oz package of frozen spinach (thawed)
1 pint of sliced mushrooms
1 3/4 cup of Feta cheese
1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (9 inch) unbaked deep dish pie crust
Salt and pepper to taste
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2) In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Saute garlic and onion in butter until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
3) Stir in spinach, mushrooms, feta and 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
4) Spoon mixture into pie crust.
5) Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper.
6) Pour into the pastry shell, allowing egg mixture to thoroughly combine with spinach mixture.
7) Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Sprinkle top with remaining Cheddar cheese, and bake an additional 35 to 40 minutes, until set in center.
8) Allow to stand 10 minutes before serving.
9) Share and Enjoy!!!

Just delicious. If I knew quiche were this easy to make, I would have been making quiche a LONG time ago. Just saying. Super delicious. Super Easy. Make this as soon as you get a chance...please. Do it for me, your friends and your family. They need this quiche in their lives. :-)

Made: 02/04/11
"Posted": 02/04/11
Posted: 06/03/11

Brunch Part III: Mixed Veggie Frittata

It is impossible to have a proper brunch without an egg dish...so I made one. Or maybe two...but more to that later. My frittatas in the past have gone over extremely well and this is definitely more of the same. I love frittatas because you can just throw whatever you want into them and cater them to yourself or your company.

Ingredients:

1 chopped onion
1 chopped red bell pepper
1 chopped green bell pepper
2 white potatoes
8 large eggs
1 1/2 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Directions

0) Get baking pan
1) Boil potatoes until slightly soft (about 15 minutes) and drain
2) Preheat oven to 350 degrees
3) Heat oil in large sauce pan over medium heat
4) Saute onions for about 4 minutes
5) Add green and red bell peppers to onions and saute for another 6-8 minutes
6) Meanwhile, beat eggs in large bowl with 3/4 cup of shredded cheese
7) Add potatoes to the onion and pepper mixture and then add eggs to the mixture and scramble for about 3-4 minutes until slightly cooked.
8) Turn of heat and transfer egg mixture into baking dish.
9) Top with rest of cheddar cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and there is a slight browned edge around the dish.
10) Share and Enjoy!

Add whatever you want to this beauty...it is sure to be delicious!

Made: 02/04/11
"Posted": 02/04/11
Posted: 06/02/11

Spaghetti with Shrimp and Portobellos

Back to pasta. Back to cooking light. Although I am a very conscientious vegetarian and I try to make sure I get enough protein by eating eggs and beans and what not, every once in a while I like to "treat" myself to a nice pescatarian meal. Therefore, we have a couple of those coming up.

Ingredients

1/2 package of Spaghetti (8 ounces)
2 Portobello mushroom cap
1 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup, vegetable broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 pound large shrimp
1/2 cup shredded Asiago cheese


Directions

1) Cook pasta according to package directions (minus the salt) and drain
2) Remove the brown gills from the underside of the Portobellos using a spoon and discard the gills.
3) Slice the Portobellos longwise into thin slivers
4) Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.
5) Add mushroom, onion, parsley, salt and garlic and saute the mushrooms until they release their moisture...they will squeak in the bottom of the pan!
6) Stir in broth, wine, and shrimp and bring to a boil.
7) Add pasta and cook 3 minutes or until shrimp are done.
8) Toss to combine and sprinkle with Asiago cheese.
9) Share and Enjoy!

I really like the Asiago punch and the flavors of this dish are really simple and clean and tasty. I used Spaghetti but I believe you could use Fetuccini or some other long noodle and have an equally delicious experience.

Made: 01/31/11
"Posted": 01/31/11
Posted: 06/02/11

Veggie Chili

Winter staple. We all have one. I literally make a huge pot of this stuff every winter and eat it for a week. And guess what? It gets better each day. I know, I know...you're thinking why in the poop would I make veggie chili? Well, it's delicious and sometimes...you don't have meat on hand? Well, that and it's just plain healthier and with all the beans I put in this bad boy, it is nice and thick and extremely filling. So if you are looking for a change of pace with a nice punch of spice, try this. Make this. Have Chili for dayssssss.

Ingredients


1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
1 small white potato
3/4 cup chopped carrots
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh mushrooms
1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes with liquid, chopped
1 (19 ounce) can dark red kidney beans with without the liquid
1 (19 ounce) can light red kidney beans without the liquid
1 (19 ounce) can Pinto Beans without the liquid
1 (11 ounce) can whole kernel corn, undrained
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon of Chili Red pepper flakes
Cheddar Cheese to top...(or sour cream, if you're into that)

Directions

1) Boil potato until tender and then drain
2) Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
3) Saute onions, carrots, and garlic until tender.
4) Stir in green pepper, red pepper, celery, and chili powder
5) Cook until vegetables are tender, about 6 minutes.
6) Stir in mushrooms, and cook 4 minutes.
7) Stir in tomatoes, kidney beans, potato and corn.
8) Season with cumin, red chili flakes, oregano, and basil.
9) Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to medium.
10) Cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
11) Top with CHEESE, PLEASE.
12) Share and Enjoy!

Made: 01/24/11
"Posted" 01/24/11
Posted: 06/02/11

Brown Rice Casserole

Oh Hey Heidi. Thanks for continual vegetarian deliciousness. I really do appreciate it.

Sincerely,
-Karri


I am not sure why I haven't made this since my original adventure because it was so delicious...and got better by the day. I believe that I will have to get on that soon. However, although this dish is vegetarian, you obviously don't need to be one to enjoy it but if you do insist, I think you brown up some ground beef or turkey and it would work well with the rest of the ingredients.

Adapted from 101 Cookbooks

Ingredients

1/2 pound of sliced and cleaned mushrooms ( I just used a pint)
1 large onion
3 gloves of garlic
3 cups of cooked brown rice
2 large eggs
1 cup of feta cheese
1 cup of black olives
2 cups of spinach
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup of parmesan cheese

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2) Boil and cook brown rice
3) Heat a medium saucepan with a dab of oil and oil a 9x13 or 9x9 (just depends on how much you make) baking pan.
4) Add mushrooms to the pain and saute with olive oil.
5) Add onions to the pan and cook for another 4-5 minutes until translucent
6) Add in garlic to the pan and stir for another minute or so.
7) Add Spinach and mix until they begin to wilt.
8) Turn of the heat and add brown rice to the pan and mix well.
9) In a separate bowl, mix together eggs, cheese and salt.
10) Combine the brown rice mix, black olives and the egg mixture, stir well and then spread evenly in your baking dish
11) Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and cover with foil and place in the oven for 30 minutes.
12) Remove foil and bake for another 20-30 minutes until a pretty golden brown on the outside border.
13) Top with remaining cheese and fresh herb of your choice
14) Share and ENJOY!

Yeah, I need to make this again. Warms my heart just thinking about it. Also, another cool thing about this dish is that you can make it and really cater it to your personal liking...add whatever you would like, it is sure to be delicious.

Made: 11/21/10
"Posted": 12/04/10
Posted: 06/01/11

Chickpea Spaghetti

one day back around the time of the new york city marathon, deb from smitten kitchen made this wonderful pasta filled with chickpeas, veggies and all around deliciousness. luckily for me, I had most of these items in my fridge and with some spinach on the brink of going bad, I decided to put my own little touch on this gem.

as an "athlete", i am always looking for ways to eat deliciously while being healthy all at the same time. this bad boy definitely falls into that category, so I highly recommend this quick and easy recipe to any person...whether an athlete or not. ;-)

Adapted From: Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients
15 ounces canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained or about 2 cups, freshly cooked chickpeas
1/2 cup vegetable stock (or chicken stock) stock
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Pinch chile flakes ( I use red pepper)
1 Cup of Grape Tomatoes (Halved)
2 Cups of Uncooked Spinach
Salt to taste
1 pound spaghetti (or angel hair pasta)
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese to taste

Directions

1) Cook Pasta and drain accordingly

2) Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan

3) Saute garlic and onions, until onions are translucent (4-5 minutes)

4) Add spinach to garlic and onions and cook until spinach begins to wilt. Then add tomatoes, veggie stock and chile pepper flakes and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

5) Remove mixture in saucepan from heat and add it to the spaghetti and mix well. Season with salt and pepper accordingly.

6) Top with fresh basil and parmesan cheese.

7) Share and ENJOY!

Notes: When you add the veggie(chicken) stock, you can simmer it up to 20 minutes, depending on how much you want the flavor to seep it. I thought it was delicious without all the additional time. Additionally, the original recipe also had pancetta in it, so if you are a meat-eater, there is your special protein! I would also consider using maybe arugula or swiss chard instead of spinach, just to mix up the flavor profile of the dish. Nevertheless, it was super delicious and very quick to make. I am sure that I will be making this again!

Made: 11/09/10
Posted: 01/30/11

Cauliflower Bean Salad

Sometimes thing just come together and they were better then you expected. This is precisely what happened with this dish. I was inspired by a dish that I saw on Deb's Smitten Kitchen and it just morphed it into my own tasty meal. This is a dish I really recommend trying and although it doesn't seem that it would be that filling, it most definitely is.

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoon of honey

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 medium head of cauliflower, trimmed, cut into small florets

1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained

A Bundle of Asparagus (Anywhere between 1/2-1 pound)

2 teaspoons chopped parsley (or herb of your choice)

1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

1) Preheat oven to 400°F.

2) Toss cauliflower florets and asparagus with 1/4 cup of olive oil and season well with salt and pepper.

3) Spread on a baking sheet and roast until edges are dark and caramelized, about 15-20 minutes, stirring once or twice.

4) While cauliflower and asparagus is browning beautifully, combine remaining olive oil, vinegar, and honey. Stir over medium heat just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Cool.

5) Whisk lemon juice, salt, and pepper in small bowl. Add to olive oil, vinegar and honey mixture.

6) Combine roasted, still warm cauliflower and asparagus. Add the cheese.

7) Season salad with salt and pepper to taste.

8) Share and Enjoy!

So yeahhhh, go make this. you wont regret it. I promise.

MADE: 11/06/10
Posted: 01/18/11

Ratatouille

Sadly, this is not a movie review of that adorable movie. However, do not fret. This is a recipe of my first attempt at this staple entree meal in any chef's cooking adventures or road to becoming a chef. Something like that. Obviously, I am no Top Chef but I like to have my own "Julie and Julia" food adventures in the kitchen as you may have noticed and so one night, I decided to try out this infamous dish.

There are so many Ratatouille recipes out there, so it was just finding which one was closest to the fresh veggies that I had on hand. I think that I will definitely be trying this dish again in various forms, but more on that later.

I adapted this recipe from Palachinka

Ingredients

2 zucchinis

1 Large Eggplant

1 Red bell pepper (I didn't have one on hand...weird i know, so i used 1 red and 1 yellow )

1 Yellow bell pepper

1 big Onion (red or white or yellow)

1 small tomato (but I used a pint of grape tomatoes and halved them)

1 clove garlic

1 Cup of crumbled Feta or Goat Cheese

olive oil

various dried herbs: rosemary, thyme, parsley, chives....etc (whatever you have on hand and fits your taste buds)

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Preheat your oven to 325

2) Slice zucchinis, eggplants, larger onion and peppers as thin as possible

3) Line them in a artistic fashion in either a OILED round, square or rectangular baking pan on an oiled round baking pan in the following order ( I think it looks pretty if you have a similar pattern) .

4) Continue your pattern until you have used the ingredients.

5) Pour oil on top of the veggies.

6) Halve the cherry tomatoes or thinly slice your regular tomatoes and de-seed them. Also mince your garlic clove. Add both the tomatoes and garlic to the pan.

7) Finally, top with various herbs, salt and black pepper and a dash of water. Sprinkle with herbs, salt and black pepper and pour very little water so the vegetables don’t burn inside the oven.

8) Bake in a preheated oven on 325°C for about 10-15 minutes.

9) Top with Feta or Goat Cheese ( I just like the added flavor)

10) Bake for another 15 minutes.

11) Share and Enjoy!

Made: 10/24
Posted: 01/12

Pasta with Mushrooms and Pumpkin Gorgonzola Sauce

Sometimes you make something that says that it is "cooking light" but really, it feels heavy BUT it also feels delicious, so then you just go with it. well, that is what this dish was for me.

When I first perused through my cooking light book, I came upon this recipe and immediately was sold. I love pumpkin, I love mushrooms and I LOVE cheese, so I may or may not have felt that this recipe was a god's gift to me. I had wanted to make this numerous times before but I ran into some issues with certain grocery stores not selling gorgonzola (really, who does that?) and other random dilemmas. However, the day finally came where I had all the ingredients to whip up this gem of deliciousness.

Ingredients

• 1 pound uncooked pennette (small penne)-- I am certain I just used regular penne...and I used about 3/4 of a standard box
  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 5 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps (about 3/4 pound whole mushrooms)-- I used white sliced because that is what I had :-)
  
• 4 cups vertically sliced onion
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage-- yeah, didn't use this
  
• 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cold water
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon grated whole nutmeg
• Fresh sage sprigs (optional)-- yeah, didn't use these...I know, I lack when it comes to fresh herbs but I am on a serious budget here!
  

Directions

1) Boil water and cook pasta but make sure to keep it warm.

2) Heat oil in a Dutch oven (or any largish pot/pan with a lid) over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, and garlic; cover and cook 3 minutes.

3) Uncover; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.

4) Combine milk, cornstarch and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and stir with a whisk.

5) Add cornstarch mixture and cheese to milk mixture, stirring with a whisk. Cook 2 minutes or until thick and smooth, stirring constantly.

6) Remove from heat; stir in pumpkin, salt, pepper, nutmeg and a tablespoon of brown sugar(my special ingredient).

7) Add pasta and pumpkin mixture to mushroom mixture; toss well to combine. Top with fresh herbs, if you like that sort of stuff.

8) Share and Enjoy!

I may or may not love this dish. It is a little time consuming but I had leftovers for almost the entire following week, so it was definitely worth it. I find that if you use canned pumpkin (as I do), there can be a strange after taste. This may just be me, so I added some brown sugar to add some more flavor but also to help mediate that weird taste.

Posted: 12/29/10
Made: 10/17/10

Sicilian Gnocchi with Eggplant

gnocchi. gnocchi. gnocchi.

there is just something about that word that can make a girls heart just crumble. the thought of those pillowy balls of pasta potato dressed in some delicious outfits...they really can be the life of the party.

although i am not at the homemade gnocchi place in my life yet (but soon!), i have found some super duper tasty things to do with gnocchi. I've think we've had fun with two gnocchi dishes before with the Fire Roasted Gnocchi the Lemon Gnocchi from a while back but for this dish, I thought I would take it "Sicilian Style".

I really had no idea what this meant but the blog that I adapted it from made it look delicious and super vegetarian, so I was all in.

Adapted from: Vegalicious

Ingredients

• 1 package gnocchi (shelf stable...can be found at most local grocery markets)
  
• 1 eggplant, cubed in small pieces
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 Cup of small cubed tofu
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can tomato chunks
• 2 handfuls raisins (yes, even I...the girl who doesn't like raisins...put raisins in the dish)
  
• Italian seasonings (oregano, basil, thyme)...whatever you have in your fridge/cupboard
  
• salt and pepper to taste
• Pinch of Cinnamon
  
• Pinch of Nutmeg
  

Directions

1. Boil the Gnocchi and boil until they float to the top.
   
2. Drain the Gnocchi from the water and set aside.
   
3. Meanwhile, saute the eggplant, onions and garlic in the oil until the eggplant begins to soften and the onion becomes glassy.
4. Add the ground tofu.
   
5. Add the chopped tomatoes, raisins and Italian seasonings.
6. Season to taste with salt and pepper and a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg
   
7. To serve, either add the gnocchi to the sauce, or serve the gnocchi with the sauce on top.
8. Share and Enjoy!!!
   

I really enjoyed this dish and it was really easy to make and really delicious. I love finding individuals who are dedicated to finding filling, healthy and tasty vegetarian meals...that are also well-balanced! it is a hard task but this definitely fits the bill and I would definitely make this again!

Actually Posted: 12/29/10
Made: 10/12/2010

DC Noodles

Stop 2 of Birthday Weekend in DC.

Apparently, I was trying to make up for all the time that I didn't spend in U Street during my time in DC...in one weekend. I met up with good buddy of Boof, Rach, for lunch at DC Noodles.

After hearing numerous good reviews from lots of buds, I decided to try out this place out. DC Noodles used to be formerly known as "Simply Home" and "", but nothing really changed in the U Street restaurant. Upon entering, the decor is very deco-modern with a cement floor, hardwood tables, and white deco seating. It features red walls and the bar is lined with those similar high white deco seats. The design scheme is very clean.

the menu is filled with every sort of noodle you could possibly imagine, so the biggest problem is making a decision. I ordered the Crispy and and Soft Tofu in the Spicy Broth which is served with soy and lime dressing, ground peanuts, bean sprouts, string beans, carrots, cilantro, spring onion and I ordered it with the thin rice noodles (but you can also have thick rice noodles). I was extremely happy with my choice as the flavor profile was spot on with a nice complexity and a lot of subtle seasonings coming through. Don't worry for all my meat lover buds, you can also choose to have chicken, pork, beef, seafood, shrimp & meatball, fish meatball & crab meatball, and vietnamese pork sausages...essentially, there is something for everyone.

there are various other dishes that I would love to try, so I am sure that when I get back to DC one of these days, I will find myself at DC noodles again. they also have a nice selection of appetizers, and various other non-soup/broth noodle dishes. the restaurant also features a full bar which is a nice touch with what appeared to be some very tasty mix drinks on the menu.

Overall, I really enjoyed my trip to DC Noodles. I know that best buddy of BOOF, Mo, really loves it because they use rice noodles which is obviously beneficial to Gluten-Free buds. I think everyone can find something that they will enjoy on this menu for a very reasonable price tag. If I still lived in DC, I could definitely see myself coming here more often.

Grade: B+

U Street Cafe

This was the first foodie stop on my Birthday weekend way back when I visited my former stomping grounds, Washington DC.

I met up with BOOF buds, Brookster and Clairebear and Clairebear's new hubby(!), Grantsky. We met for breakfast at the small comfortable, U Street Cafe, most aptly named. U Street Cafe is located in the fantastic hipster and historical U Street Neighborhood of DC and the cafe is well known for it's really great coffee selection as well as their ALL DAY breakfast menu. They automatically received a point in my book...breakfast is THE best meal.

Although the location is small, it definitely gives it a more intimate and friendly feel in a very busy part of town. It has nice open windows in the front of the cafe which provides a host of natural light which definitely allows the cafe to feel bigger than it actually is.

For breakfast, Clairebear and Grantsky ordered the "Omelet as you like it" which also came with two pieces of toast and homefries. They had a whole bunch of delicious things in that omelet and they really enjoyed it. They also said the homefries had a good seasoning to them as well.

Brookster ordered the Breakfast sandwich with egg and cheese on an everything bagel. She said that it was really tasty, but it was a standard breakfast sandwich so nothing too special.

I ordered the veggie quiche which came with a side of fresh fruit and I really enjoyed it. I could tell the veggies were very fresh and there wasn't an overwhelming amount of egg and cheese to the veggies. Very well done.

Overall, I really enjoyed my breakfast at U Street Cafe. I would definitely venture back there for a day of studying or just a quick cup of coffee to catch up with friends. It is a good quick, inexpensive and filling meal for those of us young professionals/students on a budget. They also serve lunch and have a variety of sandwiches, but why eat lunch when you can eat breakfast all day long!?!

Grade: B

There are so many things to do in U street...it is hard to list them all. However, I think DC's best kept secret is Meridian Hill Park, so take your coffee to go and go for a stroll at the park located nearby.

Skewers Restaurant

yes, we finally made it to the birthday dinner. BOOF buddy, Twin, and I share the same birthday (get the nickname, twin), so for our birthday weekend/my triumphant return to the district, we planned to have a large group of friends get together for dinner. Oh and ALSO, it was also the triumphant return of BOOF buddy, Dotus, and his birthday was a week prior, so we were celebrating him too! Boom Bam Thank Ya OCTOBER.

We had originally planned to go to Pizza Paradisio and then head to Biergarten Haus. Unfortunately, Pizza Paradisio doesn't take reservations (sad day because the pizza is delicious), and the Biergarten was all booked up. This left us scrambling for somewhere to go in the last minute. We had decided on La Moma but as you obviously can tell, I had already been there with Twin, so I honestly wanted to try something new and different. I got to opentable and tried to see what was out there, and I found this restaurant, Skewers, which was well rated AND could accompany a party of 20 that evening! woohooo.

Skewers is a Middle Eastern Restaurant and is partnered to the Mediterranean Restaurant, Cafe Luna. Cafe Luna is located on the basement/ground floor level of a Restored townhouse in Dupont, and Skewers is located on the upper level. Despite being under the same management and being located on top of each other, each restaurant has a very distinct feel, decor and identity. Skewers is filled with a lot of mosaic and middle eastern decor but all composed of very warm colors and dim but comfortable lighting.

Because we had such a large party, I was lazy and only reviewed my dish. However, I can say that everyone really enjoyed the whole experience and their food, most of all. However, as a table did order Hummus which was nice, fresh and extremely tasty. For my meal, I ordered the Shrimp Biryani and numerous members of the table also ordered Lamb and Beef Biryani. Biryani is a traditional Indian/Middle Eastern/Arab dish with spiced rice, sauteed vegetables and your choice of Kabob. I decided on Shrimp rather than the usual mixed vegetables and was really happy with my choice. Not only did they not skimp out on the amount of shrimp that they gave me (which usually happens in most restaurants), but the dish had a lot of great flavor and seasoning throughout.

There are numerous other dishes available at Skewers, and I think it is a great destination for a mid/large group celebration. There is also a Belly Dancing performance during dinner hours, which is fun but also kinda weird after it goes on for a few songs. Nevertheless, I had a really enjoyable time at Skewers and it was the perfect foodie and fun end to my DC return Birthday Weekend.

Grade: B+

Mushroom Lasagna

Best guy friend of BOOF, Finance P, was stopping in on his way back to good ol' fishkill so I promised him dinner. I decided to be ambitious and make this Mushroom Lasagna that I had seen posted on Smitten Kitchen the day before.

This was my first adventure in making lasagna, despite my mastery of casseroles, so I knew it was going to be an adventure...i only could hope it would turn out well.

Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

Salt
Olive oil
3/4 pound dried lasagna noodles
1 large clove garlic, minced
4 cups whole milk
3/4 cup (12 tablespoons or 1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg (I used less, because this seemed like a lot)
1 1/2 pounds cremini or portobello mushrooms (I just used sliced white)

1 cup freshly grated parmesan

1 cup of Shredded Mozzarella

1) Preheat your oven to 375°F.

2) Bring a large pot of water to boil with salt and a splash of oil, that will help keep your noodles from sticking together as they drain. Add the lasagna noodles and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

3) Making the sticky sauce: Bring the milk and garlic to simmer in a saucepan,

4) Melt 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons or 1 stick) butter in a large saucepan.

5) Add the flour and cook for one minute over low heat, stirring

constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon. Pour in the hot milk, a little at a time at first and stirring until combined. Once you’ve added half of it, you can add the second half all at once, along with 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt, the pepper, and nutmeg.

6) Cook over medium-low heat, stirring or whisking frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until thick. Set aside.

7) Prepare mushrooms: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter over medium in a large sauté pan. Cook half the mushrooms with a couple pinches of salt for about 5 minutes, or until they are tender and release some of their juices, tossing to make sure they cook evenly.

8) Assemble lasagna: Spread some of the sauce in the bottom of an 8 x 12 or 9 x 13 baking dish. Arrange a layer of noodles on top*, then more sauce (about 1/4 of what remains), 1/3 of the mushrooms and 1/4 cup grated parmesan and mozzarella. Repeat two more times then top with a final layer of noodles, your remaining sauce and last 1/4 cup of parmesan and mozzarella.

9) Bake for 45 minutes, or until top is browned and the sauce is bubbly. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

10) Share and Enjoy!

Well, this was really good but I definitely have a few things to work on for my next lasagna attempt. Make sure your lasagna cooks evenly...I had a slight problem with that. My sauce always was a little thicker then I believe it's supposed to be...so I might try to add some more milk the next time or I may have let it reduce too much. So don't do that. :-) Overall, if you like mushrooms (as both of us did), then you'll love this.

POSTED: 12/28/10

Made: 10/07/10

City Cafe

finally winter vacation. i've done so much cooking, baking, dining in the past few months but because studying trumped all of that, i've had no time to do some blogging. i hope that in the next few weeks, i will be able to catch myself up with all the food fun that i have been involved in. it's a bit ambitious...but then again, i'm an ambitious girl.

let's take a journey back in time to august when i first was visiting scranton. the day that i signed my lease for my beautiful apartment, dad and I ventured to find a quick bite for lunch. little did we know, this little "city cafe" would be such a beautiful gem.

i already have this sore spot for mediterranean eats, so when i glanced at the menu before deciding this would be the place that we would dine, i was already sold.

to start, dad ordered the pasta fagioli soup which he really enjoyed. yes, my dad will order soup in the summer. the flavor and seasoning was there and the pasta was fresh. what more can you ask for?

i ordered a spanikopita (spinach pie) which had spinach and lemon seasonings. the spanikopita itself was really good but it was colder than i would have liked. It could have used some warmth that would have knocked it out of the ball park.

for our meals, i ordered the falafel wrap. It was served in a pita w lettuce, tomato, and tahini sauce. the falafel was super tasty and had a great seasoning. i only wish that it had a little bit more crunch to its shell but nevertheless, i really enjoyed it. each platter was served with a small pasta salad which was also really tasty and definitely helped fill you up with out weighing you down.

my dad ordered the chicken wrap platter which was served in a pita w/Lettuce, tomato, onion and Tzatziki sauce. He really enjoyed it and commented on that the seasoning was spot because it allowed the sauce to shine without being overshadowed by the other seasonings.

Overall, we really enjoyed our lunch and meal at City Cafe. It is a perfect lunch spot and offers up quality and authentic Mediterranean cuisine for an extremely reasonable price tag.

Grade: B+

POSTED: December 27th
Visited: August: 19th

Fire Roasted Gnocchi

A while back, I had a dinner with good buddies of BOOF, Clairebear and Brookster. We were at Clairebear's place and she cooked this delicious meal featuring a Gnocchi recipe that I knew I had to recreate. Apparently, one of her good friends had been making it for her for the past few years, so she thought she would try and recreate it herself. Now, here I am trying to recreate her recreation! That is how these things work though...the beauty of passing recipes along. :-)

Unlike my previous Gnocchi recipe, this one was not simmered in a cream base but rather a spicy tomato marinate. Honestly, I like my gnocchi any way that it comes, but I really enjoyed the nice kick that this one gives.


Ingredients

1 16-ounce package of shelf-stable gnocchi
1 Medium yellow onion (Thinly sliced)
4 Garlic Cloves Minced
1/2 Cup of Water
6 Cups of Spinach (or Swiss Chard)
1 150ounce can of diced tomatoes (I used the tasty fire roasted ones from TJ's) :-)
1 15-ounce can of white beans, rinsed (i used garbanzo because that is what I had on hand)
1/2 cup of Shredded Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese
1/4 Cup finely shredded Parmesan Cheese
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil

Directions

1) Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.

2) Add Gnocchi and cook, stirring often, until plumped and starting to brown (5-7 minutes). Transfer to a bowl.

3) Add another 1 teaspoon of oil and onion and saute over medium heat (approx 2 minutes).

4) Stir in garlic and water and cover and cook until the onion is soft (4-6 minutes).

5) Add spinach and cook until it begins to wilt (1-2 minutes). Stir in the tomatoes, beans and peppers and bring to a simmer.

6) Stir in the Gnocchi and sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover and cook until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling (approx 2-3 minutes).

7) Enjoy and Share (and pass it on to your friends too!)


This recipe is super good and you should pass it on. Well, make it for you and your friends...and then pass it on. ;-)

My Version of a Moroccan Cous Cous...Kinda Sorta

So, you may remember my review of SOUK, and how I ordered the cous cous...which was good but not that great. I really like the idea of adding something sweet and chewy to the cous cous, but there version left me wanting something more. Although my version is still not as flavor packed as I would like, it is definitely a start to my creating the best possible imitation Cous Cous.

Ingredients

2 Cups of Uncooked Cous cous
1 Cup of Halved Cherry Tomatoes
1 Cup of Craisins
1 Cup of Feta
1/2 Cup of Chopped Walnuts
1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to Taste
1 Teaspoon of Cinnamon

Directions (Easy Peasy)

1) Cook Cous Cous according to package directions
2) Meanwhile, halve your tomatoes.
3) Once Cous Cous is finished cooking, transfer all additional above ingredients.
4) Mix well
5) Enjoy and Share!

I would have liked more of a kick and maybe something green in there, so perhaps on the next go around I might throw in some sugar snaps, snow peas or some other green pea like ingredient. I am also considering adding a more substantial protein because as it is now, I think it serves better as a side dish than a main meal, and my end goal is a main meal...maybe next time.

But, it definitely is a tasty side as is. And pretty too!

Pasta Primavera

Continuing the romp through "Cooking Light Pasta".

Unlike the previous pastas, it was not until that I flipped through the cooking light book that I had any desire to make any of those dishes. They were...different...not your typical pasta recipes. However, I saw this one dish and was like OMG, I love this pasta and I've had it in the seafood variety (and in my non-pescatarian days, the chicken variety), and I want to make it...now. Actually, because I made this dish so long ago now (yeah, I'm 1+ month behind...don't judge me), I saw the pictures and immediately put it on my list of recipes to re-create again soon. Gah, it was so delicious. Anyways...drum roll please....

Pasta Primavera! (Veggie Styleee)

This recipe is a bit time consuming with the chopping and sauteeing and simmering, but it is definitely worth it and you will have lunch for days. And when you re-heat it for your lunch, all of your peers will awkwardly lean over your shoulder because the aroma is just so delightful and it looks so delicious. True that. Be prepared to be the envied.

Ingredients

2 Cups of Uncooked Fusilli (Whole Wheat for meee)
2 Cups of Asparagus (Quarter them...but make sure you leave off the last 1/4...the stem)
1/2 Cup of Shelled Green peas (in my adaptation, I used about a cup of sugar snap peas...and they were PERFECT)
1 Small Yellow Bell Pepper
1 Small Red/Yellow Onion
2 Garlic Cloves
1 Cup of Cherry Tomatoes (Halved)
1/3 Whipping Cream (I just used milk)
2/3 Cup of Chicken Broth (I omitted it)
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Salt and Pepper
Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Fresh Basil

Directions
1) Cook Pasta according to directions with salted water but in the last couple of minutes while the pasta is cooking, add asparagus and sugar snap peas. Drain to Large bowl and set aside

2) Meanwhile, saute bell peppers, onions and garlic on a large skillet for about 5 minutes.

3) Add tomatoes to the pan and continue to saute for about a minute, and then stir in whipping cream (or milk).

4) Add in salt, pepper and red pepper flakes and cook for a couple more minutes while all of the flavors are marinating together.

5) Add the items from the large skillet to the pasta, asparagus and sugar snap peas.

6) Top with Parmesan and Basil

7) Enjoy and Share!

Like I said previously, I am making this dish again soon because it was so delicious. That's about it. Go make it.