Food | vmac+cheese

Recipe: Puttanesca Pasta Salad

Posted on April 3, 2012 by vmacandcheese

This pasta dish probably looks eerily similar to the Tricolore Pasta that I posted a few weeks ago. That’s because in fundamentals, it is. The process — making a thick ‘sauce’ that’s loosened by the hot pasta — is exactly the same. I can’t recommend this technique to you enough if you need a pasta dish in a hurry. With just a few ingredients, a sauce really can make itself!

I made this last week when I was yet again in need of a quick, healthy lunch that could last a few days. Whole Foods had these gorgeous spicy mixed olives on their olive bar, so I thought I’d get some and make a ‘Puttanesca’ inspired dish. A typically southern Italian dish, the classic Puttanesca features spaghetti tossed with olives, tomatoes, capers, anchovies, garlic, and chili peppers. This dish covers all those, but omits the capers (I was out of them) and the anchovies (I actually like them, just not in a pasta salad!). I also tossed in some green parsley for color and flavor, and some sweet orange bell pepper to counter the saltiness. The result is a pasta dish that you can eat warm or cold. Make it ahead and bring it to a garden party this summer — it’d be perfect! Get the recipe and another photo after the jump. (more…)

Filed under: Food, Italian, Pasta/Grains, Recipes, Salads | Tagged: Food, pasta, picnic, potluck, puttanesca, Recipes, salad | 17 Comments »

Recipe: Rainy Day Beef Stew

Posted on March 27, 2012 by vmacandcheese

That St. Patrick’s Day party we had? Yeeeeah…we have a lot of beer left over. Specifically, Guinness. Hosting that party felt like those holiday commercials from the 90s, when everyone shows up on your doorstep with green bean casserole or Stove Top stuffing or whatever. Replace the stuffing with cold Guinness, and you have our party. It was hilarious, but now with a fridge full of stout, I’m working on ways to get rid of it that don’t necessarily include drinking it.

This last weekend the weather was pretty miserable, so on Saturday morning I told Joe that in celebration of Mad Men‘s return Sunday night, I’d make us a “traditional” Sunday meal of beef stew. It was the perfect excuse to cook from our beer stock, and also use up some leftover vegetables we had hanging around.

I basically followed this recipe with a few simple modifications. I increased the amount of Guinness and red wine (which if you ask me, just made things richer!), and instead of Russets, used orange sweet potatoes. I also threw in a bunch of chopped celery (I can’t stand eating it raw, so this was a good use of leftover stalks from the party), and two bunches of greens — chard and lacinto kale, specifically. The greenery made an otherwise, rich, hearty stew feel a tiny bit lighter, or at the very least, definitely healthier. At the end of cooking, I also mixed in a little bit of cornstarch slurry , to thicken the stew. Totally cheating, yes. If you didn’t want to use cornstarch (I must admit I don’t totally love the texture), you could dust the stew meat in seasoned flour before browning it to get a similar effect. I just wasn’t thinking ahead.

So, did it make a dent in our beer stock? Well, not really. I used a grand total of one Guinness for the recipe. Looks like I might have to make a batch of Erika’s Guinness brownies!

Filed under: Food, Recipes, Soups | 9 Comments »

Recipe: Blue Cheese + Parmesan Gougères

Posted on March 15, 2012 by vmacandcheese

Have lots of leftover little cheese nubbins? Make gougères. Not only are these bite sized savory pastries the perfect snack, they’re also easy to make and a great dumping ground for whatever you have languishing in your fridge.

For me, that meant a sad hunk of blue cheese and the remnants of a tub of grated parmesan. That’s about all that was in my fridge, so with just a few other staples I always have on hand (flour, some butter, and two eggs), I was able to bake up a batch of these babies in no time. And really, I mean no time.

Confession: I made these this morning and am posting about them now. That’s how fast these are.

Use whatever cheese, herbs, or spices you want to make the gougères your own. Get creative! The sky’s the limit here. Another fun fact: if you can nail the technique for making this pastry dough, called pâte à choux, you can also make eclairs, gnocchi à la Parisienne, profiteroles…the list goes on. One dough, endless recipes. Kind of amazing, huh?

Get the recipe and more photos, after the jump! (more…)

Filed under: Appetizers, Cheese!, Food, French, Little bites, Recipes | Tagged: appetizers, Food, gougeres, Recipes | 15 Comments »

Recipe: Tricolore Pasta

Posted on March 8, 2012 by vmacandcheese

Oddly enough, one of my biggest challenges in working from home is that I forget to eat. I can’t even believe that’s true (me, the human vacuum), but hours will go by and I’m so involved in what I’m doing, that I look up, and it’s 2:30pm. Beyond becoming very good at ignoring my grumbling stomach, I’m also finding that I don’t want to spend a ton of time cooking up anything elaborate, despite having the kitchen literally across the hall from me. I need quick, easy, nutritious. And if I do cook, I better have leftovers the next day!

Yesterday at around 1:30, the hunger pains were strong enough that I gave in and dragged myself away from the desk. A quick rummage through the fridge, and I threw together a warm pasta salad that had me re-thinking the not wanting to cook for lunch mentality. In the time it takes you to boil the water, you’ll be able to chop up the veggies, and while the pasta cooks, you can check in on emails and Twitter.

Mix it all together. And you’re done. Lunch in about 15 minutes. And, I have leftovers!

Tricolore Pasta
2-3 big servings
I named this very simple recipe ‘Tricolore” not after the typical tri-colored noodles, but the pretty mix of vegetables. You can substitute in whatever leafy greens or tomatoes you want.

1 10-oz box conchiglie (shell) pasta (I used this whole grain variety. Most boxed pastas are 1 lb, so use a little less if that’s the case for you!)
1/2 bunch lacinto kale, rinsed and chopped crosswise into thin ribbons
1/2 pint sungold (yellow) cherry tomatoes, rinsed and halved
1 red bell pepper, medium diced
2 oz goat cheese
juice of 1 lemon
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
–kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. While the water comes to a boil, prep all the veggies and put them in a large bowl. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Once the pasta is ready, carefully ladle a half a cup or so of the pasta water into another little bowl. Quickly drain the pasta in a colander, but do not shake it. You want to retain some of the pasta water that’s gathered in the shells. Pour the hot pasta over the veggies. Crumble in the goat cheese, and pour in the lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. The heat of the pasta will melt the goat cheese and give you a loose sauce. If you want the sauce thinner, add some of the residual pasta water. Serve warm and enjoy!

Filed under: Feel Good Food, Food, Pasta/Grains, Recipes, Veggies | Tagged: cooking, Food, healthy recipes, kale, pasta, Recipes, whole grain | 23 Comments »

Roasted Tomato and Chicken Stew with White Beans

Posted on February 7, 2012 by vmacandcheese

It’s no secret that I love soup. What’s not to like about it? Easy to make, you can use scraps from your kitchen, they’re usually healthy, and make great leftovers. Win, win, win, WIN in my opinion.

Two weekends ago it was cold here in SF, and I was craving an Italian-style soup, but one without any pasta (I’ve been continuing to lay off the refined carbs). This Minestrone inspired soup, thick with shredded chicken, lots of vegetables, and a light garnish of salty parmesan cheese did the trick. To amp up the flavors, I roasted some fresh tomatoes and garlic — each tossed in olive oil and balsamic vinegar — and beyond the extra richness it added to the soup, the smell alone made this step worth it. While they were roasting, Joe kept drifting in and out of the kitchen, until he finally came in and asked, “Why does it smell so GOOD in here?”

Need I say more?

Get the recipe (and more food pics!), after the jump!

(more…)

Filed under: Food, Italian, Recipes, Soups | Tagged: Italian, minestrone, Recipes, soup, tomatoes | 16 Comments »