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Tag Archives: parsley

Bouillabaisse

30 Tuesday Dec 2014

Posted by BakedNorthwest in Entertaining, Holidays, Main Dish, Seafood, Soups

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bouillabaisse, cioppino, clam juice, clams, crab, garlic, halibut, king crab, parsley, red bell pepper, salmon, seafood stew, shrimp, tomatoes, wine

Bouillabaisse

Here is what I know about Bouillabaisse: I don’t remember a Christmas Eve dinner where we ate something else. Sure, I know in my tyrant child days I wouldn’t touch the stuff, and I honestly probably ate dinner rolls and chocolate…but luckily I don’t remember those days all too well. I seriously can’t remember anything else we ever made for the day, and it’s time the recipe lives on.

Another thing: It’s always called Bouillabaisse, not Cioppino, not “Seafood Stew.” All are about the same thing, and my mom just chooses to call it the most fun and hardest to spell name of all.

Bouillabaisse

Typically, people throw scallops into their Bouillabaisse, but we have never been big on them in our family so we always leave them out and add more of the “good stuff.” Shrimp, Crab, Clams, and either halibut or salmon are usually our picks. You can treat this recipe as more of a guide than anything. We tweak our recipe a little bit each year – especially the time my dad dumped an ENTIRE jar of red pepper flakes into the soup…The lid wasn’t on tight enough…and some of our guests ended up eating Kraft Mac N Cheese. Shit happens…Especially on Christmas Eve. Continue reading →

Smoked Salmon Spread

25 Thursday Sep 2014

Posted by BakedNorthwest in Appetizers, Bloggerific, Breads, Breakfast, Easy, Entertaining, Seafood

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bagels, capers, crackers, cream cheese, dill, hot sauce, lemon, parsley, red onion, salmon, smoked salmon

Smoked Salmon SpreadA family friend gave us some AWESOME smoked salmon, and I’m pretty sure when most people think of smoked salmon, their brain immediately goes to…bagels…cream cheese…and Heaven.

The only thing about smoked salmon is you can never have enough. Have you ever been to party where there is just extra smoked salmon laying around? No. It’s always the first thing to go because it’s so. damn. good. When I saw Shutterbean’s post on this smoked salmon spread, I pretty much wanted to cry because I too have been late to the smoked salmon plate before. And then it was just…obvious…Smoked Salmon spread is so easy to make, and it solves the problem of all the salmon disappearing before the bagels and crackers do! And it’s super adaptable and easy, you can easily adjust to your taste!

Recipe
Smoked Salmon Spread
adapted from Shutterbean
makes about 1 1/2 cups, serves 6-8

Ingredients

  • 1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese, at room temperature
  • about 4 oz smoked salmon, roughly chopped and divided
  • 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1-2 tsp of capers (a little bit of juice from the jar is fine, I opted to do this instead of adding milk or greek yogurt to thin it out slightly).
  • dash of hot pepper sauce (such as tabasco or sriracha)
  • 1 tbsp. fresh or dried dill (you may want to scale it back to 1 tsp, we really like dill over here)
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste

PRO TIP: Instead of cream cheese, try Neufchâtel cheese! It’s always right by the cream cheese at the store and often contains less fat and calories than regular cream cheese. And whoa – tastes almost the same.

Optional add-ins:

  • fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish, or you can mix a little in!
  • 1 tbsp milk or greek yogurt – if your cream cheese is too thick you may want to thin it out with another dairy product.
  • a few tbsp. red onion, mix it in or serve it on the side for the onion-o-phobes
  • want some kick? Add a dash of horseradish
  • Lemon slices always make a pretty garnish…

Directions

Combine the cream cheese, at least 2 oz of the salmon, lemon juice, capers, hot sauce, pepper, and dill to a small food processor and process until smooth. Want more salmon in there? Then add the rest. It’s a nice touch to keep a little bit of salmon set aside to garnish the dip, but you don’t need much.

Serve with crackers for a nice pre-dinner appetizer, or serve at brunch (who are we kidding, eat this whenever you want), with bagels, tomatoes, red onion and fresh slices of lemon.

Make Ahead: Dip can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in an air-tight container in the fridge.

Orange-Braised Carrots and Parsnips

09 Monday Dec 2013

Posted by BakedNorthwest in Easy, Entertaining, Healthy, Holidays, Meatless Monday, Side Dish, Thanksgiving, Vegetarian

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carrots, orange, parsley, parsnips, shallots thyme

Orange Braised Carrots and Parsnips

I was looking for a great Thanksgiving side dish recipe for quite some time, and this ended up being the chosen one! Orange and carrots sounded like a winning combination and the addition of the parsnips mixed things up a bit.

Orange Braised Carrots and Parsnips

I think this is pretty much a foolproof recipe as long as you make sure to check the dish about an hour after being in the oven. The first time I made this I thought the parsnips and carrots were a little soft (but still delicious), so when I actually made it on Thanksgiving I made sure to keep an eye on it and cook a little less longer, checking for firmness of the veggies.

Orange Braised Carrots and Parsnips

I also had never cooked with parsnips before and enjoyed them – they almost reminded me of a potato instead of a carrot-like vegetable!

Orange Braised Carrots and Parsnips

The best part about this dish is that it can be served hot, warm, or at room temperature. It takes awhile to cook, but the pressure is totally off when you know you can make it early in the day and it still will taste good at room temperature!

Recipe
Orange Braised Carrots and Parsnips
adapted from Ina Garten’s Foolproof
serves 6

Ingredients

  • 1 pound carrots, with greens attached
  • 1 pound parsnips
  • 1/3 cup small diced shallots (about 1 large shallot)
  • 2 tsp orange zest
  • 1 1/4 cups orange juice (about 3 oranges)
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 6 sprigs fresh thyme, tied with kitchen string
  • pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp miced fresh parsley, for serving

Directions

Place a rack in the upper level of the oven and preheat to 450F.

Trim and scrub or peel the carrots and parsnips. If the parsnips are thick, slice them in half or quarters lengthwise so they are about the same width as the carrots.

Place the carrots and parsnips in a baking dish that is large enough for them to lie flat. Add the shallots, orange zest, orange juice, olive oil, thyme, red pepper flakes, about a tsp of salt and pepper and toss to combine.

Place the baking dish on a rack in the upper level of the oven and heat until the liquid becomes hot and slightly bubbly, about 15-20 minutes. Remove the baking dish from the oven and set the temperature to 275F. Move the rack to the center of the oven. Cover the baking dish with foil and cook for another 60 – 90 minutes, or until the carrots and parsnips are tender. Discard the thyme bundle. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of orange juice and the parsley and season to taste. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

NOTE: I didn’t have a dutch oven large enough to lie the vegetables flat, so I went the route of doing everything in the oven. Ina first cooks the vegetable and orange mixture on the stove and brings to a boil over medium-high heat, then transfers them to the 275F oven. She also adds 1/2 cup of orange juice at the end, where I just added it all to the mixture before cooking. I think this is a “foolproof” dish either way!

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

06 Friday Dec 2013

Posted by BakedNorthwest in Appetizers, Entertaining, Events, Holidays

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bread crumbs, garlic, green onions, mascarpone, mushrooms, parmesan, parsley, sausage, scallions

Stuffed MushroomsThere are so many stuffed mushroom recipes out there it was hard to pick one for our Thanksgiving appetizers! I thought this recipe from Ina Garten was the closest to the other stuffed mushroom recipes I have tried that I enjoyed so much. Getting a good picture of your food on Thanksgiving Day, well, that’s a different story…

Recipe
Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
adapted from Ina Garten
makes 25 mushrooms

Ingredients
25 extra-large white mushrooms
5 tablespoons good olive oil, divided
2 1/2 tablespoons Marsala wine, medium sherry, or white wine
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
6 scallions, white and green parts, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2/3 cup panko or bread crumbs
5 – 6 ounces mascarpone cheese
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Remove the stems from the mushrooms and chop them finely. Set aside. Place the mushroom caps in a shallow bowl and toss with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and Marsala (or sherry or wine). Set aside.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage, crumbling it with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook the sausage for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until it’s completely browned. Add the chopped mushroom stems and cook for 3 more minutes. Stir in the scallions and garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the panko crumbs, stirring to combine evenly with all the other ingredients. Finally, swirl in the mascarpone and continue cooking until the mascarpone has melted and made the sausage mixture creamy. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan, parsley, and season with salt and pepper, to taste, Cool slightly.

Fill each mushroom generously with the sausage mixture. If you are finding not very much stuffing is fitting into your mushroom, you may want to take a melon baller or similar kitchen tool to hollow out the mushrooms more. Arrange the mushrooms in a baking dish large enough to hold all the mushrooms in a snug single layer. Add another dusting of parmesan cheese on top, if you wish. Bake for about 50 minutes, until the stuffing is browned and crusty.

NOTE: You may have some leftover stuffing, I know I did! You can save the stuffing and make an instantly delicious egg scramble the next morning. Bonus!

Strawberry, Pecan and Prosciutto Quinoa Salad

01 Wednesday May 2013

Posted by BakedNorthwest in Bloggerific, Easy, Entertaining, Main Dish, Salad, Side Dish

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apple cider vinegar, arugula, feta, lemon, parsley, pecan, prosciutto, Quinoa, red onion, salad, southern living, strawberry

Strawberry Pecan Quinoa Salad

Dare I say this is one of the BEST Quinoa recipes I have ever discovered?!? It’s such a fun combination of flavors and ingredients that totally compliment each other. I can’t wait to make this for a summer party!

Strawberry Pecan Quinoa Salad

I was so excited to dive into this, that I didn’t end up with any well styled photos. I was just too hungry and it all just tasted too good.

Note: this recipe tastes best the day it is made. Strawberries just aren’t quite the same after they have sat in the fridge overnight. It’s still great the next day, but if you are making it for an event or party serve it the same day.

Recipe
Strawberry, Pecan & Prosciutto Quinoa Salad
adapted from Southern Living
Makes 4 servings (more as a side dish for a party)

Ingredients 
For the Dressing:
  • 1/3 cup diced red onion
  • 3 Tbsp grapeseed oil
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 tsp lemon zest
  • A pinch of salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Salad:
  • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
  • 2 cups water
  • 4 oz. prosciutto
  • 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup pecans, toasted
  • 1 cup arugula
  • 1 cup quartered strawberries
  • 1 cup crumbled fat free feta cheese
Bring 2 cups water and 1 cup quinoa to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until quinoa is easily fluffed with a fork. Let cool.
Stir/Whisk together 1/3 cups diced red onion, 1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, 3 tbsp grapeseed oil, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 2 tsp lemon zest, 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Saute 1 (4oz) package (or 3 oz, or 6 oz…whatever works!) of prosciutto in 1 tbsp hot olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until slightly crisp; drain well, and crumble prosciutto to bite-sized pieces.
Toss together onion/dressing mixture, prosciutto, quinoa, toasted pecans halves, strawberries, feta cheese, and arugula. Serve immediately, or the day it is made.

Baked Eggs Marinara

03 Thursday May 2012

Posted by BakedNorthwest in Easy, Eggs, Healthy, Main Dish, Weeknight Meals

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Tags

cheese, eggs, marinara, parsley, turkey pepperoni

I am pretty proud of myself for not doing much at all.

Baked Eggs Marinara…The new 15 minute dinner go-to.

But let me tell you why.

Half the time when I decide to “just throw something together” it ends up totally bombing. ie: pasta sauces with stuff I just have “laying around,” homemade empanadas with store-bought pie crust (such a disappointment…) and a slew of other things.

Tonight that DID NOT happen!

This week I have been doing an experiment that involves consuming everything in my fridge before going to the store again. Why you ask? Because, I cannot tell you how many of my friends have said to me, “Oh, I never have anything in my fridge. I only buy what I need!” or “I just feel like I am wasting money if I don’t eat everything in my house before going to the store again.” or “I just am never hungry!”

What? How do I have so many friends who apparently do this? That is not me…I am the complete opposite. If the apocalypse happened today and I was safe inside my house, I would totally be fine for years! Maybe…That is a good thing, right?

Anyways, I decided to go along with this experiment since I am broke. And today, awesomeness ensued. I heavily adapted this easy recipe for Eggs Baked in Roasted Tomato Sauce. But instead, came up with this:

So good and SO EASY!

It turned out incredibly satisfying and awesome. I know, to most of you this isn’t going to be some insane invention, but I just started appreciating eggs in the last few years, and this was a revelation for me. Plus I made something only with things I had laying around, and it didn’t suck!

Baked Eggs Marinara for Broke-Ass Bitches
serves 1 broke-ass bitch
Ingredients

  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup jarred marinara sauce
  • handful of shredded cheddar cheese, or anything other cheese you have available
  • 8 slices Hormel Turkey Pepperoni
  • salt/pepper
  • fresh chopped parsley, if available
  • toasted bread for dipping

Preheat oven to 400F. Fill 1 ramekin or ovenproof bowl with marinara sauce. Add pepperoni slices over the top of marinara. crack 2 eggs into bowl and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the cheese over the eggs and bake for about 15 minutes, or until eggs are set to your likeness. Once out of the oven, sprinkle with some chopped parsley or other herbs if you like. Serve hot with crusty bread for dipping.

NOTE: I went back to make this recipe in the oven in our new house and it took about 25 minutes for the eggs to fully cook. So please note that all oven times vary, sizes of ramekins vary, etc.

PS: Thanks for the sweet ramekins Mom.

Chimichurri Sauce

30 Monday Apr 2012

Posted by BakedNorthwest in Chicken, Easy, Grilling, Healthy, Pork, Sauces, Uncategorized

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chimichurri, cilantro, garlic, jalepenos, oregano, parsley

This recipe comes from my BFF Kevin – it’s a good thing I told him about this blog, or he may have never given me the recipe! I guess I should say the recipe originally comes from his mother…but he passed it on, and just said, “It’s really, really good.”

I looked over the ingredients and was sold.

So Easy, so delish…I was dipping Wheat Thins in it to “test it” as soon as it was blended, and it tastes awesome immediately! Although letting it sit to let the flavors marinate together is probably the best idea…if you can wait that long.

I served it with basic grilled chicken and pineapple cilantro quinoa. Just so you know, I like cilantro. And lots of it. I may have had garlic breath for days after eating this, but it was worth it!

Chimichurri Sauce

Recipe

  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 4-5 jalapeños (fresh) whole
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon ancho chili powder (I only had standard chili powder, still worked!)
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 – 3/4 cup cilantro
  • 1/2 – 3/4 cup italian parsley
  • 1/3 – 1/2 cup olive oil

Put all in food processor and puree to desired consistency.

Add 2-3 bay leaves. Let sit for an hour.

Keeps well for up to a week, in a sealed container, in the fridge.

Use to dress chicken, pork, beef or fish.

Maple Glazed Carrots.

09 Monday Apr 2012

Posted by BakedNorthwest in Easy, Entertaining, Holidays, LuLu's Classics, Side Dish, Thanksgiving, Uncategorized

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brown sugar, butter, carrots, Easter, glaze, maple, parsley

Part of me feels like you can’t bring out the Easter Bunny in you unless you have some carrots, so I served these at the Easter brunch I threw yesterday. Glazed in maple and brown sugar, you can’t really go wrong.

They were super easy to throw together ahead of time, I would just make sure you keep them as warm as possible before serving.

They look like boring ole' carrots...but there's a deceptively delicious glaze on these babies!

My mom either made this exact same recipe or one similar to it many years ago at Thanksgiving, and it was one of the first times I thought that maybe vegetables weren’t all that bad…This is a gateway veggie recipe.

Just an FYI, I halved this recipe and still had plenty as a side dish for 8 people at my Easter brunch. 

Recipe

Maple Glazed Carrots

from Epicurious.com

Ingredients

  • 4 1/2 cups water
  • 4 pounds carrots, peeled, cut on sharp diagonal into 1/4-inch-thick ovals (about 11 cups)
  • 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
  • 6 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 3 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

preparation

Combine 4 1/2 cups water, carrots, 4 tablespoons butter, sugar, and coarse salt in heavy large pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until carrots are just tender when pierced with knife, about 10 minutes. Drain. (Can be prepared 3 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

Melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add maple syrup and brown sugar and stir until sugar dissolves. Add carrots and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer carrots to large bowl. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Gnocchi Night

11 Sunday Mar 2012

Posted by BakedNorthwest in Main Dish, Pasta

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

alfredo, butter, eggs, from scratch, garlic, gnocchi, heavy cream, homemade, milk, parmesan, parsley, pepper, ricotta, salt

The perfect winter apartment picnic - homemade gnocchi, salad, fresh bread w/ olive oil & balsamic...WINE

My friend Erin and I have a shared loved for gnocchi – I am pretty sure we could talk about it for hours. We decided to have a gnocchi night awhile back. First, we were just going to do basic, store bought gnocchi (and tons of wine), but suddenly the plan changed to do homemade gnocchi. I was terrified.

But really, there wasn’t much to be terrified of.  We chose a more simple, ricotta-based gnocchi. The little guys actually turned out really well…here’s the rundown:

To start: mix ricotta, egg, and olive oil.

Add parmesan and flour, mix until you can form dough into a ball.

cut the ball of dough like your are slicing a loaf of bread. roll out each slice into a "rope" like pictured above.

This is why I was nervous. I can cook and everything…but when it comes to being crafty, decorating, or trying to make something look pretty, I almost always screw it up.

Once the ropes are formed, cut the individual gnocchi and use a fork to create imprints that will help hold the sauce.

I have to admit, I had a moment of panic where I thought these might be the ugliest gnocchi ever, but I actually think they all turned out kind of cute…maybe?

place the finished gnocchi on a sheet pan lined with wax paper. put it in the freezer for a few minutes to firm them up.

I also need to point out that Erin is amazing and helped out with our Pasta Primavera, and I am a horrible friend and didn’t give her credit where credit was well deserved! This whole gnocchi night happened Thanks to her as well. Love you, girl.

The gnocchi only take a few minutes to cook in boiling water - once they float to the top they are done.

Since we were going all out and making our gnocchi from scratch, we stuck with a really easy and basic alfredo sauce recipe. And because we love anything with heavy cream, butter, and cheese components.

Ready to dive in - the finished ricotta gnocchi in a basic alfredo sauce.

Next time we will make the gnocchi pieces smaller, as we think they will cook a little better and easier that way. Maybe a vodka sauce instead of alfredo. Really, this gnocchi would taste great with just about any sauce.

In the end, homemade gnocchi wasn’t that hard and tasted great! Erin and I were very proud of ourselves, who knows what we will tackle on our next cooking night!

Recipe

Ricotta Gnocchi

from Food52

Serves 4

  • 1 pound fresh whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 cups flour, sifted, plus extra for rolling dough
  1. Add egg to ricotta cheese and oil and mix thoroughly.
  2. Add grated parmesan cheese to mixture and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Add sifted flour a little at a time and continue to mix thoroughly until dough comes together.
  4. Dump onto generously floured surface and work with hands to bring together into a smooth ball. Add more flour as necessary until dough is smooth and no longer sticks to your hands.
  5. Cut off slices of dough like cutting a loaf of bread and roll into ropes thumb size thick by spreading hands and fingers and rolling from center out to each edge of the rope.
  6. Line one rope parallel to another and cut 2 at a time into 1-inch pieces. Roll each piece off the back of a fork to make imprints that will help hold the sauce.
  7. Transfer gnocchi pieces to a lightly floured or non-stick baking sheet so they don’t stick together and put in the freezer while making the rest of batch. If you plan to save any gnocchi for future use, allow them to freeze entirely on the baking sheet before storing in a ziplock bag to prevent sticking together.
  8. When ready to prepare, bring a large stockpot of generously salted water to a boil.
  9. Add gnocchi to boiling water and gently stir once with a wooden spoon to create movement and prevent gnocchi from sticking to the bottom. As gnocchi rise to the top {a sign they are done cooking} scoop them out with a mesh strainer or a bamboo wire skimmer and immediately place in serving bowl shaking off excess water.
  10. Scoop some sauce on top of each layer of gnocchi as they are placed in the bowl to eliminate the need to stir them with sauce in the end and risk damaging or smashing the pasta. Generously grate parmesan over the top and serve.


    Alfredo Sauce

    from All Recipes

    Serves 4

    Ingredients
    • 1/4 cup butter
    • 1 cup heavy cream
    • 1 clove garlic, crushed
    • 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
    • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

    Directions

    1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Add cream and simmer for 5 minutes, then add garlic and cheese and whisk quickly, heating through. Stir in parsley and serve.

Pasta Primavera.

26 Sunday Feb 2012

Posted by BakedNorthwest in Healthy, LuLu's Classics, Main Dish, Pasta

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

asparagus, blanch, broccoli, butter, cream, dinner, memories, mushrooms, new york times, parmesan, parsley, pasta primavera, peas, pine nuts, red pepper flakes, salt, spaghetti, spring, summer, tomatoes, vegetables, zucchini

My mom (the famous LuLu) had been planning on visiting for a girl’s weekend for about a month. At the very inception of these plans, my aunt said, “Let’s make pasta primavera.” I had heard of it, but couldn’t remember ever having it. The “retro” recipe is long and laborious, but so worth it. Now that I know our personal family history of it, I can’t wait to make it again.

Classic Pasta Primavera

As the days drew closer to my mom’s visit, I started asking more about the dish. She said, “Grammy started making it around the time we were in college. It was something we would eat in the spring or summer.” She then told me I could find the recipe in a New York Times article if I googled it. I didn’t realize Pasta Primavera was such a huge deal back in the day.  No surprise though, that Grammy was on the cutting edge of what to cook, long before Food Network, Pinterest, or blogs. It made me smile.

almost ready to eat...

Don't forget the parmesan cheese!

So, mid-afternoon on a Saturday after pedicures, the three of us girls started making the dish. We found parts of the New York Times Recipe to be a bit unclear, but hey, Ina can’t write every recipe out there.

Blanching the cooked broccoli

We blanched a lot of vegetables, all separately.

More blanched veggies. After the initial rinse, we started adding them all to bowls with ice cubes to keep them cold.

Fresh Cubed Tomatoes

cooked mushrooms with parsley, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper.

After blanching, the veggies go back on the stove.

Though delicious and worth every step, this is not a recipe you want to make if you don’t have many pots or pans, or don’t feel like doing a ton of dishes later. Wait, scratch that. Go out and buy more pots and pans, and make someone who loves you do the dishes. Problem solved!

See, tons of pots and pans. But how good does this all look?

We made a double recipe, so we had a little trouble fitting all the veggies into one pan.

The final touch before serving - toasted pine nuts. drooling.

When we finally sat down to eat, I was so happy. Surrounded by some of the people I love the most, with a plate of pasta you can feel good about eating. Pasta Primavera was more than a trendy dish made decades ago, but clearly brought back fond memories of Grammy for my mom and aunt. They said it tasted just like they remembered it. They wondered how she did it all by herself, never complaining or asking for help. It may have took the three of us to make it, but Grammy would have been proud.

The last few bites...

Recipe

Pasta Primavera

  • 1 bunch broccoli
  • 2 small zucchini, unpeeled
  • 4 asparagus spears
  • 1 1/2 cups green beans
  • Salt
  • 1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas
  • 3/4 cup fresh or frozen pea pods
  • 1 tablespoon peanut, vegetable or corn oil
  • 2 cups thinly sliced mushrooms
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon minced hot red or green chili, or 1/2 teaspoon dried red-pepper flakes
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 3 cups 1-inch tomato cubes
  • 6 basil leaves, chopped
  • 1 pound spaghetti
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream, approximately
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
  • 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts.

1. Trim broccoli and break into florets. Trim off ends of the zucchini. Cut into quarters, then cut into 1-inch or slightly longer lengths (about 1 1/2 cups). Cut each asparagus into 2-inch pieces. Trim beans and cut into 1-inch pieces.

2. Cook each of the green vegetables separately in boiling salted water to cover until crisp but tender. Drain well, then run under cold water to chill, and drain again thoroughly. Combine the cooked vegetables in a bowl.

3. Cook the peas and pods; about 1 minute if fresh; 30 seconds if frozen. Drain, chill with cold water and drain again. Combine with the vegetables.

4. In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil and add the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook about 2 minutes, shaking the skillet and stirring. Add the chili and parsley. Stir, add the mixture to the vegetables.

5. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a saucepan and add half the garlic. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cook about 4 minutes. Add the basil.

6. In a separate pan, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet and add the remaining garlic and the vegetable mixture. Cook, stirring gently, until heated through.

7. Cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water until almost (but not quite) tender, retaining a slight resilience in the center. Drain well.

8. In a pot large enough to hold the spaghetti and vegetables, add the butter and melt over medium-low heat. Then add the chicken broth and half a cup each of cream and cheese, stirring constantly. Cook gently until smooth. Add the spaghetti and toss quickly to blend. Add half the vegetables and pour in the liquid from the tomatoes, tossing over very low heat.

9. Add the remaining vegetables. If the sauce seems dry, add 3 to 4 tablespoons more cream. Add the pine nuts and give the mixture a final tossing.

10. Serve equal portions of the spaghetti mixture in hot soup or spaghetti bowls. Spoon equal amounts of the tomatoes over each serving. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 as a main course; 6 to 8 as an appetizer.

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