Pasta with Roasted baby Brussels

Ingredients

8 oz fresh, dry pasta
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large shallot, minced
1-2 tbs olive oil, divided
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4-1/3 cup vegetable stock
1 tsp lemon pepper (optional)
1 pinch red pepper flakes
6-8 grape tomatoes, halved
Asiago and Parmesan cheese
2 cups halved, baby Brussels

How to make Pasta with Roasted Baby Brussels

I happen to keep frozen baby Brussels from Trader Joe's in my freezer at all times, so I use those.  They work perfectly for when I'm craving that little bitter vegetable but they aren't in season.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  On a baking sheet, toss Brussels with oil, salt, and pepper.  Roast for about 10 minutes or until crispy.

In a medium pot, bring some salted water with a pinch of red pepper flakes to a boil.  Add pasta and cook  slightly less time than the package directions.  If you are using fresh pasta, it will only take a few minutes to cook, so plan accordingly.  Reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add garlic and shallot and cook about 3 minutes.  Slowly pour in the white wine and add the vegetable stock.  Reduce heat to medium low and cover.  Add the pasta, tomatoes, roasted Brussels, and a bit of the pasta water.  Stir and adjust the liquid to ensure that it is not too soupy but that there is enough sauce .

Serve topped with cheese.  Enjoy!

Mint and Pea Soup with Crispy Shallots Recipe

 

Ingredients

Crispy Shallots:

1 large Shallot
1/2 tbs vegetable oil

Soup:

1 small white onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 carrot
2 celery stalks
1 tbs vegetable oil
3 cups vegetable stock
about 3 cups water
1 1/2 lbs frozen peas
2/3 cups unpacked fresh mint
1/3 block light cream cheese
1 pinch cayenne pepper
Fresh cracked pepper
Salt
Parmesan cheese for serving

How to make Mint and Pea Soup with Crispy Shallots

This might sound like an odd combination, but it's classic and delicious!  If served warm, the mint flavor will be less intense.  For a more intense mint flavor, serve chilled.

For the crispy shallots:
In a pan (I used the dutch oven I was going to use for the soup), heat oil over medium to medium-high heat.  Chop and separate the sections of the shallots.  Fry in the oil for about 3-4 minutes or until brown but not burnt.  Be careful because this transition can happen quickly.  Set aside and lightly salt.

For the soup:
In the same dutch oven (make sure there are no bits of shallot left), add a bit more oil to set heat to medium.  Add the chopped onions, carrots, garlic, celery, cayenne, and some salt and pepper.  Saute for about 7 minutes.  Then, add the stock and peas.  Add enough water to ensure that all of the ingredients are covered.

Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for about 10 minutes or until all vegetables are very tender.  Do not worry about over cooking the vegetables because they are going to be pureed.  When vegetables are very soft, add the cream cheese and heat through until dissolved.

Add the mint and stir for about 1 minute.

Then, in a blender or with an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth.  If desire, pass through a sieve for an extra smooth soup.

Garnish with the crispy shallots, fresh cracked pepper, Parmesan cheese, and a mint sprig.  Enjoy!

Lemon and Leek pasta Recipe

 

Ingredients

1 large lemon
3 tbs olive oil
1 leek (white parts)
1/2 yellow onion
1 shallot
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup white wine
2 tbs flat leaf parsley
8 oz whole wheat pasta
1 ear of grilled corn
1 diced roma tomato
1 tsp red pepper flakes
garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

How to make Lemon and Leek pasta

This is a refreshing pasta that can be served hot or cold.

Cook pasta according to package directions in heavily salted water until almost al dente.

Meanwhile, in a saute pan, heat oil over medium heat.  Add onions, shallot, and leek and saute for about 6-8 minutes.  Then add the garlic and saute for 2 more minutes.  Slowly add in about 1/2 cup of the pasta water and the wine.  Then add the corn (removed from the ear), parsley, tomatoes, and seasonings.  Add the pasta and toss.  Right before serving, add the juice from the lemon. 

Garnish each plate with lemon zest, and lemon wedge, and parsley.

Veggie Frittata

Ingredients

1 1/2 tbs vegetable oil
1 shallot
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 green bell pepper (diced)
1/2 large diced tomato
4 large beaten eggs
1 cup chopped spinach
1-3 tsp garlic salt
1/2-1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup shredded Italian blend cheese

How to make Veggie Frittata

This recipe is great because you can take anything that you might have in the fridge and throw it into a frittata.  I used things that I needed to get rid of soon, but you can put in anything you like.

In a cast iron skillet, heat the oil and add the diced shallot, garlic, and bell pepper.  Cook over medium heat until softened and very fragrant.  Then, add the spinach and tomato and simmer for about another minute or two until the spinach is mostly wilted.

In another bowl, whisk eggs, salt, red pepper, and pepper.  Then, just before adding to the other ingredients, add 1/2 of the cheese to the eggs and stir.

Add this to the skillet and cook over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes.  As it is cooking, scrape the sides and bottom of the pan to move the egg around.  When the eggs are mostly cooked but still a bit loose, cover with remaining  cheese and put into a 400 degree oven. 

Set the oven to high broil and leave the eggs in for about 2 minutes until cheese is slightly brown.

Remove from the oven and let stand for about 5 minutes more to let the eggs set.

Cut into wedges and enjoy!