Peach and Tomato Pasta

Ok, before you freak out at the weird combination...just trust me. Trust me. I have to tell you I thought it was weird too, but I am always willing to take a gamble and try out new flavor combinations. That and the fact that I still have a zillion peaches from the case I ordered a week ago...

But really, trust me. The acidity of the tomatoes cuts the sweetness of the peaches. The sweetness of the peaches cuts the acidity of the tomatoes. It is seriously a match made in heaven. And something that should only be enjoyed in summer...because peaches are a summer fruit, and you shouldn't be eating peaches that have been trucked to you from another country during the dead of your local winter...

Peach and Tomato Pasta

• 1 pkg of spaghetti (16 oz)
• 4 cloves of garlic, pressed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 7 peaches, pitted and chopped
• 4 oz sliced olives
• 2 tbsp dried basil (or a handful of fresh if you have it--I didn't)
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Prepare spaghetti according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
2. In a large skillet, cook garlic in olive oil over medium heat until golden and fragrant. Add tomatoes and cook an additional 3-4 minutes. Add peaches and cook until soft. Stir in remaining ingredients.
3. Add mixture to cook spaghetti along with pasta water. Toss to combine.Serve warm or room temp. Yum!

Day 60 - Asparagus Pepper Pasta Revisited

Sunday was another one of those days. We were all lazing around the house, and we discovered kinda late that the Awards Ceremony we were attending was refreshments only, not dinner like I thought. I was being lazy and I didn't want to go to the store, which leads me to that platitude "necessity is the mother of invention". The Asparagus Pepper Pasta was a hit earlier in the week and I still had asparagus and peppers left, so I revisited the recipe (with a few changes--again, that seems to be how I cook).

Asparagus Pepper Pasta Revisited

• 1 lb asparagues spears
• 1 orange bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 3 large mushrooms, chopped
• 1 largish medium zucchini, cut in quarters
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lb penne pasta

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Cut asparagus into 1-inch pieces.
2. Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until transparent. Add asparagus, mushrooms, zucchini, and bell pepper and saute until asparagus is crisp-tender and mushrooms have released their juices. Add salt and pepper.
3. Serve over penne pasta. 

Sorry! No pics--I had to get ready for the awards ceremony and time was tight around dinner time. 

Day 58 - Asparagus Pepper Pasta

Thursday was kind of a "its almost the end of the week and we are out of money until tomorrow so shopping is limited to the fridge, pantry, and freezer" day. But I'd purchased asparagus and a 3-pack of colored bell peppers earlier in the week, so it wasn't too much of a stretch to put this dinner together.

Asparagus Pepper Pasta

• 1 lb asparagus spears
• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
• 1 head of broccoli, cut into small florets
• 6 (yes 6!) cloves of garlic, pressed
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb penne pasta

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Cut asparagus into 1-inch pieces.
2. Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until slightly golden. Add asparagus, broccoli, and bell pepper and saute until asparagus is crisp-tender. Add salt and pepper.
3. Serve over penne pasta.

This is so, so easy! And quick. Oh, and yummy!

Day 33 - Italian Chickpea Pasta

I have so much food from last week because all the recipes I made were huge (I am so used to doubling recipes!). I didn't really make a plan for this week's dinners--I've just been using what's in the fridge. Today Steven requested pasta. Well, actually spaghetti, but I'm out of spaghetti noodles. I've always made my own pasta sauce, but in the past it has had ground meat in it. This time I threw a bunch of whatever was in the fridge and came out with this--which was really tasty.


Italian Chickpea Pasta

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 small shallots, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 lb sliced or chopped assorted mushrooms
• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 (15 oz) cans Italian diced tomatoes
• 2 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1 cup garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
• most of a 10 oz bag of spinach
• 1 (16 oz) pkg penne pasta

1. Cook pasta according to directions on package.
2. Heat olive oil in medium pot over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic; cook until translucent. 
3. Add mushrooms and cook until they release their juices.
4. Add all tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and chickpeas. Cook until heated through. Add spinach; cook until wilted. Serve over penne pasta.

Yum!

Day 25 - Mac n Cheese n Cauliflower

This recipe came about as kind of an amalgamation of what I had and what sounded good and this recipe from Rachael Ray. The taste was pretty good, but I think the sauce got to hot on mine when I was making it, because it started to separate.

Mac N Cheese N Cauliflower

• 1 lb penne pasta
• 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp flour
• salt and pepper to taste
  
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 lb Gouda cheese, grated

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Add cauliflower florets during the last 3 minutes of cooking.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the olive oil and the butter. Add the onions and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the flour, salt, and pepper and cook for about 2 more minutes. Add the milk and vegetable stock and cook until sauce starts to thicken.
3. Stir in Gouda cheese, until melted and creamy. Add drained pasta and cauliflower. Yum!

Apparently I didn't take pictures of this dinner. Sorry about that!