Three Cheese Stuffed Shells

This is comfort food at its best.  It is warm, creamy, and completely satisfying.  I don't think you could ever find a living soul that didn't fall in love with this simple recipe.  It is easy enough for a weeknight, but also special enough to serve at a dinner party.  It fills your house with the beautiful scents of Italy, making every tummy aching for dinner time.  My family loves these stuffed shells.  Like really loves them.  They are seriously delicious!  

This recipe doubles and triples easy, so make an extra tray to throw in your freezer for dinner another night. Or even better, to take to a friend that has just had a baby or is recovering from surgery.  Everyone will thank you.  

Three Cheese Stuffed Shells

For the Cheese Filling
1 1/2 cups ricotta or cottage cheese
1 1/4 cups grated Parmesan, Asiago, or fotinella cheese
1 generous cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 medium onion, finely chopped
6 scallions, finely chopped
1/4 cup tightly packed fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped
1/4 cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves, finely chopped (optional)
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Stir together everything but the egg in a large bowl. Taste and adjust the seasonings, then add the egg. Combine well and set aside.

For the Pasta Shells
8 oz, Jumbo Pasta Shell Noodles, cooked al dente and cooled enough to handle
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Cook pasta shells for about half of the cooking time, to very al dente, being careful not to overcook.  Rinse in cold water and set aside.  Spread 1/3 of the spaghetti sauce on the bottom of a baking dish.

Fill each shells with 2 Tablespoons of cheese filling and place on top of the sauced dish.  Repeat filling the shells until all of the mixture is gone.  Top shells with the rest of the sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until hot and cheese is melty.

Serve with nice crusty bread and a crisp salad.

*cheese filling adapted from The Joy of Cooking

Udon Noodle Salad with a Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette

3's a Charm!  Today I am making my third guest appearance on the television show New Day Cleveland!  I don't think I could ever get tired of this much fun!  This morning they asked me to share a recipe that is great for getting back into the school mode.  Right away I thought of my Udon Peanut Noodles.  It is something simple to prepare with all of the new schedules us as parents are trying to juggle, but also great for the learning minds!  This recipe is on a very regular rotation in our home.  I could probably eat this on a weekly basis, no joke!  We LOVE it!

This is a chilled pasta dish, easily working perfect packed in the lunch boxes giving a nice change up to the sandwich they normally might carry.  The sauce is made with peanut butter, which kids seem to get a kick out of!  But the recipe is also chock full of vegetables and lean protein that makes us more then happy to serve it to them!  It is a meal I can feel good about giving and also enjoy eating myself!

There is a slight spice but nothing that my own children feel is too hot.  But please feel free to adjust to your families preferences!

There is a similar recipe I have already shared with you, but this one I did some tweaking and love it even better.  I made the sauce lighter, more vibrant and better for a cold dish. I hope you all love it as much as we do!

Udon Noodle Salad with a Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette

For the Noodles:
1 Package Thick Udon Noodles, cooked according to package directions, then chilled (spaghetti or linguine would also work just fine)
The meat from one prepared rotisserie chicken, chopped
2 Cups carrots, julienned (I bought the bag in the produce aisle all prepped for me already)
2 Cups english cucumber, julienned
2 Cups cabbage, shredded (again, I used the coleslaw bag in the produce department)
4 green onions sliced, white and green parts
2 Cups Sugar Snap Peas
2 Cups bean sprouts
2 Tbsp Sesame Seeds, toasted
3/4 Cup shelled peanuts, chopped

Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette
Makes 1 cup

1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup canola oil
4 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, grated (or 1 tsp. dry ground)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Add all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Using a hand blender (or stand up blender), mix everything until smooth, about 30 seconds.

You may also use a hand whisk to make the vinaigrette, although the blender makes quicker work of it! If you do not own a blender, microwave peanut butter for 15 seconds, softening to make mixing easier. Add to remaining vinaigrette ingredients. Whisk everything until fully incorporated and beginning to froth. Set aside.

In a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, cook the udon noodles for about 5-7 minutes or until tender. Drain and rinse the noodles under cold running water. Set aside.

Using a DRY large frying pan, heat the sesame seeds on Medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally. Remove from pan when they begin to turn a light brown and become fragrant (about 3-5 minutes). Do not allow to burn!

Combine the cooked noodles, chicken, cucumber, sprouts, carrot, green onions, sugar snap peas, peanuts and toasted sesame seeds, reserving some of the veggies and sesame seeds and peanuts for garnish. Pour the Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette over the salad. Toss until well coated.

Serve chilled, garnished with the reserved veggies, peanuts and sesame seeds. Don't forget to have Sriracha on the side for those who like to add a little extra heat! Yum!

I will be back to share of my awesome experience and also to post a link of my clip for all of you that may have missed it!  See you soon!

Farfalle Pasta Salad with Sweet Peas and Dill

This pasta salad is the perfect accompaniment to any and every summer meal.  It is different from the pasta salads you see everywhere and has a huge addicting quality making people want to have more and more. This is my sister's recipe and I have absolutely fallen in love with it.  I always hope for leftovers because I can never get enough!  Even though we tend to have it for family parties as a side dish, this would make a wonderful light dinner as is or with some grilled chicken or tuna tossed in.  Seriously, so, so, so good!  You will LOVE it, trust me.


Farfalle Pasta Salad with Sweet Peas and Dill

1 (16-oz) box Farfalle Pasta (any thick noodle would work well, but these bow ties look so pretty!)
1 cup sweet peas
1-1.5 cups)  mayo
dijon mustard
lots of fresh dill, chopped
kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to directions on box.  Allow to cool.  Combine the peas with the pasta and add enough mayo to coat, but not so much to make it to be super saucy.  This isn't a sloppy, saucy, mayo-rich salad, just enough for great flavor and to evenly coat.  Add a good squeeze of dijon, about 2 tablespoons or so and stir. Add a ton of chopped dill, and season to taste with salt and a bit of ground black pepper and stir to throughly combine. Allow to chill before serving.

This recipe is featured on This and That and  http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com Linky Party

Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Chives

This recipe is wonderfully satisfying, creamy and so delicious.  When the chicken was finished cooking, I did it on high for exactly 3 hours, the chicken was moist and juicy.  But the sauce was very thin at this point, so I removed the chicken and as much of the veggies as I could scoop out and added my rue.  The sauce was thickened perfectly fine at this point, so if you don't want to take this next step that will be OK.  But I could see the potential for a velvety smooth sauce.  So I decided to try out my brand new (!!) Immersion blender and I was 100% right. The consistency of the sauce after blending was so lovely I highly recommend taking the time for this extra step.

Everyone gobbled it up and Jackson asked for seconds (happy Mommy moment!).  And there is only one bowl leftover for today!  I served this over some warm noodles but rice and even potatoes would be delicious too. We all agreed this recipe will be frequenting our tables a lot!

Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Chives
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts/thighs or a combination of the two
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 cup baby carrots
1/4 cup butter, melted (1/2 stick)
1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, cut into cubes and softened
2 Tablespoons fresh chives, chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried) plus extra chives for garnish
12-ounce can Evaporated Milk
2 Tablespoons Italian Seasoning (I love Heinen's Two Brothers Seasoning, but McCormick Tuscan Seasoning is nice too)
1/4 cup beef stock
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced and sauteed (optional) Or you can add them 1 hour prior to completion to cook that way

for the rue
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 Tablespoons water

Place chopped onions and carrots into 3-4 quart slow cooker. Cut chicken breasts into wide strips and place on top of the vegetables in slow cooker. In a medium bowl, combine melted butter, softened cream cheese, evaporated milk, Italian Seasoning, chives, stock, and pepper and stir until blended. Pour over chicken in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours (or High for 3-4).  You can add the mushrooms 1 hour before it is finished to the Slow Cooker, but I prefer them sauteed and added once everything is done.  It does make one extra pan the later way, so you choose.

Once finished cooking, remove chicken and vegetables to a plate and set aside. In a small bowl combine 2 Tablespoon of Cornstarch to 2 Tablespoons of cold water and blend until smooth. Stir into the sauce in the crock pot, replace lid and cook for 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens. At this point you can leave the sauce as is and add chicken back in and serve. But I used my immersion blender (regular blender would work too) to blend for a few seconds to get the sauce super velvety smooth.

Add the chicken back into the thickened sauce and stir.  Serve over noodles or rice.  Garnish with reserved chives and enjoy with you family!

Israeli Couscous with Tomatoes and Artichokes

This is a delicious as a side dish or light lunch.  Traditional couscous is something I am not all that crazy about.  I enjoy it in a tabbouleh, but other then that, no thanks.  Israeli couscous is NOTHING like the other kind.  It is perfect little round pearls of pasta.  It is tender, has a lovely texture- not at all grainy, much unlike how I tend to think of with regular couscous.  It has a great mouth-feel, slightly creamy, but not at all mushy. The lemon and artichokes in this recipe really brighten the dish adding just the right amount of acid to really make it pop.  

The first day I made this recipe I served it as a warm side dish alongside grilled chicken breasts.  It was satisfying and everyone enjoyed it.  Especially the baby!  He was a huge fan; it was too funny watching him gobble it up.  The next day I enjoyed this cold, right out of the fridge and I loved it even more!  After having an opportunity for the couscous to soak up all the lemon juice and herbs, the flavors were really enhanced.  This would make a great Take-Along recipe for any party being as it stands up to any temperature.  

Israeli Couscous with Tomatoes and Artichokes 
4 servings

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup Israeli (Pearl) Couscous
1 1/4 cup chicken stock
1 can quartered artichoke hearts
1 large tomato, chopped
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 cup fresh basil and oregano, chopped
1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon corse salt
Black pepper, to taste

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the couscous and stir until it turns a deep golden brown and smells toasted.

Add 1 1/2 cups of chicken stock and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until all the stock has been absorbed, 10 to 14 minutes. Pour into a large bowl and cool.

Meanwhile drain artichokes.  Divide the can in half.  One half of the can, slice the quartered artichokes in half. Chop the remaining artichokes.  Set aside.

Add one tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and add the onions.  Sauté until they begin to soften and turn translucent.  Remove from heat.

Stir the remaining olive oil into the couscous. Add the oregano and basil, garlic, onion, artichokes, tomatoes and the finely grated zest of one lemon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the juice of the lemon. Delicious eaten right away warm, or place in the refrigerator to chill before serving.  If chilled first, fluff with fork before serving.

Hot Udon Peanut Noodles

You know how it is when someone talks about a particular recipe and from that point on you can't stop thinking about it?  Well that happened to me yesterday.  My sister was talking to me about how she made peanut noodles the night before and after that I had such a taste for them!  I felt like taking a little spin on my usual recipe. So this was a variation I threw together last night mixing up a little Pad Thai and the Cold Udon Noodle Salad I generally turn to.  It was delicious, satisfying and made for wonderful leftover today at lunch.

Hot Udon Peanut Noodles

For the Thai Peanut Sauce:
1 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter
1/2 cup coconut milk
4 tablespoons warm water
5 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1-3 tablespoon hot chili sauce, like Sriracha
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped OR 1/8 teaspoon dry ground ginger
chili flakes to taste

In a bowl, whisk all of the ingredients until smooth and creamy.

For the Noodles:

1 10 oz package of Udon Noodles (spaghetti or linguine would also work just fine)
3 tablespoons high-heat cooking oil

1/2 English Cucumber, cut into thin matchsticks (about 1 cup)

1 cup carrots, cut into thin matchsticks

1/2 onion, diced

2 eggs, beaten

1 large chicken breast, cooked and cut into thin strips

1 cup bean sprouts

1/2 cup shelled peanuts, chopped

In a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, cook the udon noodles for about 5-7 minutes or until tender. Drain and rinse the noodles under cold running water. Set aside.

In a wok or large saute pan over high heat, add just one tablespoon of the oil. When the oil is very hot, add the beaten eggs and swirl gently while it sets. Use your spatula to scramble the eggs and then remove from the wok.

Wipe down wok with a paper towel, return to high heat add the remaining oil, chicken, noodles and Thai Peanut sauce into the wok and stir continuously. Add bean sprouts and onions into the wok, stir for 1 minute.  Cover and let simmer about 1-2 minutes. Check at the 1 minute mark and if the noodles are still a bit stiff, cover and cook another minute. Add the carrots, cucumber, and the eggs back into the wok and toss.

Dish out, sprinkle some peanuts on top and serve with a wedge of lime and additional Sriracha for those who like to add a little extra heat.

I linked up my recipe here

 

Greek Orzo with Feta

I have a new favorite orzo recipe, and this is it.  Bonnie made it for our girls Greek Night dinner this month.  It is refreshing and seriously addicting.  It tasted wonderful warm the day it was made and I thoroughly enjoyed it the following day cold out of the fridge.  It would make a great potluck and a surefire family favorite.   

Greek Orzo with Feta 
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano
1 (8 ounce) package crumbled feta cheese
1/2 pound dried orzo pasta
1 cup chopped fresh parsley

Stir together olive oil, lemon juice, olives, tomatoes, red pepper, red onion, garlic, oregano, and feta cheese in a large bowl. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and toss the tomato mixture. Sprinkle with chopped parsley to serve.

My Favorite Go-To Lunch: Quick and Easy Pasta (or Rice) for One- plus Homemade Montreal Steak Seasoning

This dish is my favorite quick and easy lunch.  If you happen to have some leftover pasta or rice, it comes together in seconds, and is easily adaptable depending on what else you may have in the fridge.  I make this for my family for dinner too, and they all love it.  But for some reason I generally enjoy this one solo.  I think because this recipe originated back in my college days when I was just beginning to really cook for myself. My roommate, Andrea and I would make various versions of this on an almost daily basis and somehow never tired of it.  I'm not sure if she still cooks it at home- but I sure do!  Honestly I really do need to make it more often for the family because it works great as a fast, weeknight meal.  It is fresh and light and just plain delicious.  

Quick and Easy Pasta (or Rice) for One

1 cup cooked pasta or rice (yay for leftovers!)
1 tomato, chopped (do not discard the seeds and juice, they help to sauce up the dish)
1 scallion, chopped
freshly grated parmesan or mozzarella cheese
garlic salt and fresh ground black pepper (I like to use the coarsely ground setting for this pasta), to taste
Montreal Steak Seasoning, McCormick's makes a good one or make your own (recipe follows)
a healthy drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients except tomatoes in a microwave safe bowl and toss.  Heat in the microwave for a minute and a half then add in the tomatoes, stir and heat an additional minute.  You can also heat this dish on the stove top over medium heat, but I generally use the microwave because it is nice and fast!  Once heated through, top with another light drizzle of olive oil and a good handful of extra parmesan cheese and enjoy!

This is the very basic recipe, which I love as is.  Give me a big bowl and I am a happy girl!  But depending on what I may have in the fridge, I will sometimes throw in other goodies.  Chicken or shrimp is yummy, roasted or grilled vegetables, shelled edamame, fresh herbs (don't bother chopping, we are just making this up quick, remember.  Just tear them up and throw them in, either before heating or after), Uncooked leafy spinach (just let it wilt in the heated pasta), sautéed mushrooms and onions....

Montreal Steak Seasoning
Makes 2/3 Cup

2 tablespoons cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon granulated onion
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon dill seeds

Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container.

Tortellini Soup

Here is your new favorite, Go-To weeknight dinner.  It comes together super fast, less then 20 minutes from start to finish!  But thanks to the rich, full flavor of the beef broth it tastes like it has been slow cooking all day long.  It is wonderful for the end of summer, utilizing the last of the sweet corn, zucchini and green beans of the season.  But the nice thing with soup, frozen veggies will work just as well in the winter months.  This soup truly is yummy, yummy, yummy!  

Tortellini Soup
3 cups beef stock (chicken or vegetable may be substituted, but the beef gives a nice rich flavor)
3 cups water
1 ear corn, kernals cut off and "corn milk" scrapped*
1 medium zucchini, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 package (9 ounces) refrigerated cheese tortellini
1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 tablespoon fresh basil, minced (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, minced (or 1 teaspoon dried)
salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

*Quick tip to Easily cut corn off the cobb- A bundt pan is the best bowl for this job!  It has a handy hole to hold the corn steady and then the bowl for all the kernels to fall into.  Gotta love dual purpose items!  Turn your bundt pan right side up, place the cleaned corn cob upright with the tip of corn resting in the hole of the pan.  Slowly slide the knife down the sides of the corn, cutting off a section at a time.  Once all the corn is removed, turn your knife around so the flat side is facing the cob.  Repeat the process, scraping down on the cob collecting all the sweet corn milk in the bowl.  This is special stuff, you definitely don't want to just throw it away! It is sweet, juicy and will give a great added flavor to the soup.

In a large stock pot over medium heat, add one tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and sauté onion and zucchini until tender and beginning to caramelize.  Add remaining ingredients and simmer until vegetables are tender. Add tortellini's and simmer 7-8 minutes or until they are fully cooked and floating to the top.  Serve with nice crusty butter bread.

Greek Pasta Salad with a Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette

I love a nice chilled pasta salad for a summer lunch and they are obviously the perfect side dish for any picnic or BBQ.  But I am not always all that crazy about those that are doused in mayo.  Talk about wasted calories! I would much rather have an extra glass of sangria then mayo-laden pasta salad.  This is a lovely alternative. Totally guilt free and absolutely bursting with flavor.  I used my sister's Roasted Tomato Salad Dressing and it went perfect with the feta and olives.  So yummy!  And actually I felt that the salad tasted even better the next day after all of the flavors got to hang out with each other a bit.  If I was making this for a party, I would definitely put it together the night before.

print this recipe

Greek Pasta Salad with a Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette 

For the vinaigrette:
Roasted Tomato Dressing
Container of cherry or grape tomatoes
Small red onion (I used 3 chopped green onions, since that is what I had on hand.  Any onion would work really)
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1 1/2-2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
Salt & freshly ground black Pepper

Preheat oven to 400.  Empty and entire container of tomatoes on a baking pan. Drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil, salt & pepper. Roast in the oven until they start to split, about 15 min. While roasting, mince a small red onion & put in large bowl. Take roasted tomatoes and juice from the pan and put in bowl with the onions. Mash the tomatoes with potato masher or fork. Stir in dijon mustard and balsamic vinegar. In a slow steady stream, stir in olive oil while stirring with a whisk or a fork.  Stir until well blended, add salt & pepper to taste.

For the pasta salad:
1/2 box cavatappi pasta, cooked according to directions on box (or another ridged pasta; penne, fusilli or gremili would be nice)
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 english cucumber, sliced into rings and then cut into fourths
1 can black olives, sliced into rings
1 block feta, crumbled
a bunch of fresh parsley, chopped

Cook pasta to al-dente, according to directions printed on the box.  Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.  Set aside to allow to cool down.  This is a good time to make up your vinaigrette.  Once your vinaigrette is made, combine all ingredients for the salad in a large bowl.  Pour dressing on top and mix well.  Chill for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to combine.

I have a hard time waiting to eat this yumminess, but I have to admit it tastes best chilled.

You could definitely add cooked chicken or shrimp to make this more of main course.  It would be delicious!

Fridays, Feasting With Friends- Featuring Bradley Gillette

"One of the delights of life is eating with friends, second to that is talking about eating. And, for an unsurpassed double whammy, there is talking about eating while you are eating with friends."

~Laurie Colwin 'Home Cooking'

Bradley Gillette

In keeping with my local Cleveland Bloggers trend as of late, todays guest for Fridays, Feasting with Friends is Bradley Gillette of the ever popular blogs Cleveland Food and Brews and Cleveland Food and Brews- Craft Beers.  Brad's blogs are so much fun!  Not only does he review and talk about all the wonderful food and restaurants in the Cleveland area, but the beers as well!  I always see sites about wine, but not so often about craftbeers.  Brad has made this a wonderful way to learn more about the drink, but also discover events and news surrounding the beer culture.  These events are always a blast, so I highly recommend paging through Brad's site and finding an Up-and-Coming one to attend.  It will definitely be a night to remember!

What is your favorite thing to cook?
I really enjoy cooking steaks on my outdoor grill. If I had my way I would always use charcoal because I think it gives it a better taste than a gas grill.

How about your least favorite thing to cook?
I guess I don’t like cooking things I don’t like to eat. I’m not a fan of rice, so I really don’t like cooking it.

What is your favorite local restaurant and what is one you are dying to try out?
Since starting my blog in September 2010 I have had the pleasure to eat at some of Cleveland’s finest restaurants. It would be very hard to narrow it down to just one so I’ll name a few. The Greenhouse Tavern, Lola, Lolita, AMP150 and Washington Place Bistro and Inn are just a few of the restaurants my fiancée and I have really enjoyed. There are many more reviews listed on my site of amazing Cleveland Restaurants. Two that I’m dying to try are Chinato and Flour.

Brad and Chef Jonathon Sawyer of The Greenhouse Tavern

Music and food go together so beautifully. You are hosting a dinner party, what would be on your playlist?
I’m Italian so Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin are two of my favorites for a dinner party.

What would you choose to be your last meal on earth?
My Mother’s homemade cavatelli and my Grandmothers homemade ravioli and macaroni! It doesn’t get any better than that!

What are you currently reading?
Between reading educational materials for work, my real job is a school teacher, and reading other fabulous Cleveland blogs I have plenty reading to keep me busy!

What is your favorite Kitchen Gadget?
I love my little magic bullet blender. It really makes doing small tasks quick and easy.

Do you have a signature go-to dish?
If I had to make a go to dish that is sure to please I would make my spicy mac and cheese!

What is your favorite thing about the Cleveland area?
I love that there are so many great things to do. Sporting events, Metroparks, and of course an amazing culinary scene!

Do you have a favorite meal from your childhood and do you cook it today?
I’ve try to recreate my grandmothers sauce but I have not quiet perfected it to taste like she does it! I’ll keep trying though.

Top 3 Movies of all time?
Wow this is a tough question. Field of Dreams, Rocky 1-4, National Lampoons Christmas Vacation

What was your happiest moment in life?
Wow…Seeing my niece be born and meeting my fiancée!

Brad and his beautiful fiancée Michaelene

Where do you do your grocery shopping?
Depends…Giant Eagle, Heinen’s, Whole Foods

What is your favorite guilty pleasure when it comes to food?
I love Doritos!

Can you tell me about what you are most proud of?
I’m most proud of the fact that I make a difference in the world every day by teaching the youth of America!

Do you have Culinary Resolutions that you would like to accomplish this year?
I plan on taking some cooking classes with my fiancée. I’d like to learn different techniques and how to combine flavors I might not have thought of using together.

One word that best describes you is: Honest

And now please share a favorite recipe:

I love the spicy mac and cheese recipe I use. I originally got it from Food Network’s Sunny Anderson. I did change it up a bit by altering some portions and adding some things like bacon, chorizo, or prosciutto. I recommend you make it her way at first and then experience with it to tweak it how you like it. Here is how I have it as of now. (This won 2nd place in our work Mac and Cheese Throwdown!)

Spicy Mac and Cheese
2 cups elbow pasta
16 ounces Cheddar cheese, 1/2 cubed, 1/2 shredded
16 ounces pepper jack cheese, cubed
¼- ½ lb Bacon, prosciutto, chorizo (really whatever pork or sausage you like and you can add more or less to taste.)
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 to 2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper depending on how much heat you like.
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
4 tablespoons sour cream
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup half-and-half
2-quart baking dish

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook Pasta to ALMOST al dente and crisp pork or sausage until cooked, be sure not to overcook!
In a large bowl, toss together cooked pasta with the cheese cubes and pan crisped pork/sausage, and pour into the baking dish. In a large bowl mix together the flour, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, dry mustard, nutmeg and sour cream, egg, heavy cream and half-and-half. Pour over the pasta and cover with shredded Cheddar. Bake uncovered until top is just golden brown, about 35-45 minutes.

Homemade Pasta Day with The Girls

One of my most favorite things in the whole wide world is when I get together with my mom and my sister for an all day cooking/baking adventure.  There is nothing like the bonding that happens with a couple of women in the kitchen. We laugh, we share stories, we bounce each other's babies on our hips while stirring steaming pots with the other hand. We receive beautiful wisdom and cooking techniques from Mom, while sometimes showing her a new little thing or two along the way.  I always leave feeling happy, usually dusted in flour, and completely filled up with joy (and a full belly!)   I have been taking pictures (of course) of our many adventures and am going to start showing you a little glimpse into our mother/daughter/sister/friend days.

Today is our all day Pasta Adventure!  My mom has been making homemade pasta since she was young, but hadn't done it in ages.  She came across her old pasta machine and invited Bonnie and I over for  our first experience.  Oh my goodness- so fun!  I hope you enjoy our day :)

Caramelized Onion, Pumpkin and Ricotta Tortellini's with a Walnut and Sage Brown Butter Sauce

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Caramelized Onion, Pumpkin and Ricotta Tortellini's with a Walnut and Sage Brown Butter Sauce
makes 50-60 tortellini's, one serving is 6-8 prepared.

Ingredients
1 package Won Ton Wrappers
small bowl of water

For the Filling
1 cup pumpkin- NOT PUMPKIN PIE FILLING!!!! (about 1/2 of a 15 oz. can)
1 cup ricotta
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
pinch nutmeg
1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence (this is a common blend of herbs from France, containing savory, rosemary, thyme, fennel seed, oregano, basil, and marjoram. If you don't have any Herbs de Provence or can't seem to find this in a store, any combination of these would still be nice.)

For the Sauce
4 Tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons chopped walnuts
a small bunch of fresh sage leaves, whole of roughly chopped
fresh ground black pepper

In a saute pan over medium heat, melt one teaspoon butter.  Once it begins to froth, turn down your heat, add the onions and saute for 15-20 minutes on low so they caramelize and turn into an almost jam-like consistancy.  Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the pumpkin, ricotta, garlic, salt, pepper, nutmeg and Herbs de Provence.  Once the onions are at the right consistancy, add them to pumpkin/ricotta mixture. Taste your mixture to make sure the seasoning is correct.  Adjust as needed.

On a cutting board, lay out 4-6 wonton wrappers and spoon just under a teaspoon filling into the center of each one.  Dip a finger into the small bowl of water and wet around all four sides of the wonton.  Fold in half, corner to corner making a triangle.  Making sure there are no air pockets, press down firmly to seal.  Bring both corners up to meet each other and seal with a bit of water, making a little purse-like bundle.

Set aside on a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet while you are working.

If freezing, put entire tray of tortellini into your freezer.  Once frozen, remove from freezer and divide into servings in ziplock bags for future dinners and refreeze.

To cook your tortellini's, fill a medium stock pot 3/4 full with water and bring to a boil.  Once you get a nice rolling boil, add a teaspoon salt and carefully add the tortellini's.  Cook for 2-3 minutes, or just until they float to the top.  If cooking from frozen, add 2-3 more minutes.  Remove with a slotted spoon.

For the sauce
In a DRY medium saute pan over medium heat, add your chopped walnuts and toast, tossing often, until they begin to lightly brown and give off a nice nutty fragrance.   Add your butter to the walnuts.  Once the butter is melted add the sage leaves.  Swirl the butter, watching it closely.  It will foam and then start to become a beautiful chestnut colored brown.  You will also smell the wonderful nuttiness the butter gives off when it browns.  This means it is ready.  Be careful no to overcook the sauce- it can turn from brown butter to burnt butter very fast.  Once finished cooking, remove from heat and add a couple grinds of black pepper.  Pour over the raviolis and serve.  The crispy sage leaves are completely edible- don't you dare pick them out!  They look so pretty and add such a wonderful flavor to the dish.  

This dinner exceeded all of my expectations.  The torellinin's were exactly what I had a taste for in my mind. The meal was elegant, rich, and very gourmet.  Yet it was so simple to prepare.  Scott was a little unsure of how he would care for pumpkin tortellini's, thinking they would be too sweet for his taste.  But they have a much more savory flavor, with just a touch of sweetness that balances out the richness of the butter and walnuts.  He said they were delicious and was very impressed with the results.  Jackson gobbled his up, no questions asked!  I thought for sure he would at least ask me what was inside the noodles, but no!  He ate every single last bite.  This recipe was a winner with my whole family.  I am so excited I have quite a few more servings in my freezer for a quick dinner- or a pretty little lunch for myself during the week.

Fridays, Feasting With Friends- Featuring Kristen Highland

"One of the delights of life is eating with friends, second to that is talking about eating. And, for an unsurpassed double whammy, there is talking about eating while you are eating with friends."

~Laurie Colwin 'Home Cooking'

Kristen Highland

Kristen and two of her beautiful, sleepy boys at her brother's wedding

Kristen and I have known each other as long as I can honestly remember.  Our mom's are the best of friends so many of my childhood memories include their family as an extension of my own. One silly memory that sticks out in my mind is when our families would all get together when we were kids.  We would spend hours and hours together; all laughing, playing, reminiscing and having a great time.  Toward the end of the day our parents would all of a sudden hurry us up. "Hurry hurry!  Get on your coats, hats, scarves, boots, bags- we need to go NOW.  So there we all are, all bundled up in our coats, hats, scarves, boots, etc.  waiting.  And waiting.  And waiting. You know how your scarf gets after breathing on it for too long as a kid.  Yeah, hot and gross.  But yet we were still waiting.  You see the parents would start laughing and talking again and forget about us.  So we would finally peel off the layers and go play since they were obviously not quite ready to leave yet.  An hour or so later we would hear "Hurry hurry!  Get on your coats, hats, scarves, boots, we need to go NOW."  So there we all are, all bundled up in our coats, hats, scarves, boots, etc.  waiting.  And waiting.  And waiting...... this happened every single time!  But you know what, now that I am an adult I can see how easy that happens with friends that you love so dear.  You never run out of things to talk about.  

Kristen comes from a wonderfully LARGE family.  She has 7 brothers and sisters, the youngest who is a freshmen in college.  Being around all of them is always such fun.  Kristen and her husband Jeff have three adorable boys that I wish I saw more of.  Such cuties!  And she has a talent that I am so jealous of- she is a wonderful baker and decorates the coolest cookies!  I need to get some tips from her, for that is one thing I have never ventured to do.  At least not outside sprinkling lots of sugar or jimmies on them....

For this weeks Fridays, Feasting with Friends I would like to introduce you to my childhood friend Kristen Highland.

What is your favorite thing to cook?
to cook- love to make roasted vegetables. no matter what you do, you can't screw it up! To bake-everything! But what I LOVE the most is to decorate cookies and cakes...it's my stress reliever (?) and creative outlet.

Beautiful cookies Kristen decorated for a wedding shower

How about your least favorite thing to cook?
I hate to cook meat! In the last 7 years of our marriage I have yet to figure out how to make it right...although, on a side note I can cook any pork chop you give me into the world's best hockey puck!

What is your favorite local restaurant and what is one you are dying to try out?
Jeff and I don't go out to eat very often, but when we do we try to go to places we haven't been to before. As I get older, I seem to be more willing to try different foods...which is a huge relief to Jeff!

Music and food go together so beautifully. You are hosting a dinner party, what would be on your playlist?
If we were to have a dinner party (which is highly unlikely because I don't do well under party pressure) sadly, the choice of music would probably be Kidz Bop or something equally attrocious so the kids have something to entertain themselves for a while, hopefully giving the adults time to talk and enjoy dinner.

What would you choose to be your last meal on earth?
My mom's lasagna! As many times as I have tried to make it myself it just doesn't taste as good.

What are you currently reading?
Right now I'm reading most of Nicholas Sparks' books, although I have to say I'm disappointed in them. But I have a stack of books waiting for me at the library by Jen Lancaster, so I'm hoping they're good.

What is your favorite Kitchen Gadget?
I couldn't do anything in the kitchen without my little paring knife. I use it for everything!

Do you have a signature go-to dish?
Give me noodles, meat, and vegetables and I can whip a casserole in no time. I love casseroles, especially when the weather starts getting cooler...that and like roasted vegetables you really can't screw it up!

What is your favorite thing about the Cleveland area?
I really don't venture up to Cleveland that often anymore, but the one thing I do miss is impromptu trips to the lake. I do, however, love to drive around and get lost (much to Jeff's dismay) in Medina and Wayne counties. There are so many farms and neat things to look at. (I think it's the secret dream of mine to have a farm that always draws me out there. Of course I'd have to hire someone to do the actual farming since I have two black thumbs and enough kids to clean up after let alone animals...but wouldn't it be cool though!)

Do you have a favorite meal from your childhood and do you cook it today?
For some reason I remember tuna casserole the most from my childhood. Why, I have no idea. I don't make it too often because I think I'm the only one in my house that would eat it. But with each of my pregnancies it was the one food that I craved. Weird.

Top 3 Movies of all time?
My favorite movies of all time - Beauty and the Beast, Tommy Boy, and Forrest Gump. I could probably recite the lines for each one of them!

What was your happiest moment in life?
There's no way to pick just one day - so I'll pick four: my wedding day, and each of the boys births!

her three wonderful boys, Blaise, Gavan and Jace

Where do you do your grocery shopping?
I shop where ever the sales are-we have to really stretch our budget with three growing boys and one big boy (and only 1 income). I have to say my new favorite place is Aldi's. I can get a whole cart full of groceries and spend half of what I normally would at the grocery stores in town. Unfortunately the closest one is 20 minutes away - so I usually have to psych myself out for a trip because it's just so much easier to go to the stores in town.

What is your favorite guilty pleasure when it comes to food?
CHOCOLATE!!! (and peanut butter with chocolate if the situation calls for desperate measures)

Can you tell me about what you are most proud of?
My family - all of them. I wouldn't be who I am today without my parents, Jeff, my boys, and all my siblings. My parents have blessed me with their love, wisdom, and guidance and I am doing my best to instill the same beliefs in my children.

Do you have Culinary Resolutions that you would like to accomplish this year?
Same resolution as always - learn how to cook meat without turning it into a deadly projectile weapon!

One word that best describes you is:

One word huh? Well I guess the one word that sums it up is ME! :)

Kristen, her husband Jeff and their son Jace

Here is my mom's recipe for lasagna:
Mrs. Westerburg's Lasagna
1 lb ground beef (more or less depending on how meaty you like it)
1 box lasagna noodles
1 package each mozarella and ricotta cheese
1 can spaghetti sauce
1 teaspoon each parsley, salt, and pepper
1 egg

Brown and drain ground beef, add spaghetti sauce. Cook noodles accordingly. In separate bowl mix the cheeses, parsley, salt, pepper, and egg. Layer in dish starting with sauce, noodles, sauce, cheese. Try to end with a layer of sauce and cheese mixture. Cook at 350 for 1/2 hour.

And tell anyone who is willing to make this that I will be happy to come over to try it to see if it's as good as mom's. ;)