Sauteed Beet Greens with Farfalle Pasta

A nice bunch of beets sporting a lovely head of beet greens, along with some lacinato kale and chard came home with the CSA basket.

A handful of colorful mini peppers and some shallots were huddled together in the crisper, feeling ignored. Little did they know that they were being saved for some good stuff.

Chop up some garlic, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes. Also chop up the greens. 

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan and sauté the chopped veggies, adding balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, and Braggs liquid Aminos to taste, cover and cook till done, but not mushy.

Meanwhile, cook some farfalle al dente, drain and keep handy. Per cup of sautéed veggies, I prefer no more than half a cup of cooked farfalle to be mixed in.

When greens are done, toss in the cooked farfalle pasta and stir well. Garnish with toasted pine nuts and serve warm. I like it chilled, preferably the next day, when flavors have melded and is a fantastic summer pasta salad.

Pumpkin Seed Chard Pesto with Carmen Pepper and Alma Paprika

Growing up with a variety of chutneys made with fresh seasonal ingredients, where most chutneys had coconut and herbal notes, I took a great interest in Pesto when I first encountered it at a friend's place ages ago.

Since then, I've tried quite a few pesto and chutney variations that have turned out anything from out-of-this-world to eww-get-it-away-from-me.

There are but a few staple indigenous ingredients in each region that lend themselves to umpteen combinations -- some good, some not-so -- subject to individual taste preference. So, mixing it up a bit seems natural and unavoidable for variety.

Anyway, getting back to this recipe, which came about because I had an unexpected set of ingredients handy,  begging to be used, the Pumpkin Seed  Beet and Chard Greens Pesto got a boost from home garden Alma Paprika and Carmen Pepper.

The Alma paprika are plump tomato-esque ones rather than the traditional corno di toro type elongated chili variety. The tiny plant was weighed down with two of these and I was waiting patiently for them to ripen to a brilliant red. Seeing as how the plant was falling down, I decided to harvest one of them while still yellow and sporting a healthy blush.

The Carmen pepper was getting big and strong and long, so I was sure I can wait till it turns sweet and juicy red. But, before I got around to taking a picture of it on the plant, the pepper fell off the plant. 

A bunch of chard and beet greens, Alma paprika, green Carmen pepper were ready to be made into something interesting. I thought of the protein-packed Indian staple of Dal, or maybe, South Indian Masiyal, perhaps even Chard-and-Peppers gratin or Creamy soup.

And then I noticed this unassuming jar of pumpkin seeds. It is lightly toasted and salted but unhulled retaining the highly valuable insoluble fiber. 

The mood called for a simple pesto using Chard and Beet greens, Pumpkin seeds, fresh garlic, Alma paprika, and Carmen pepper. 

I didn't quite measure the condiments, just eyeballed some apple cider vinegar and lemon juice, and olive oil, plus grated Parmesan for this pesto. The pumpkin seeds brought in the coarse texture I like in pesto.

Stirred in with rotini pasta and tossed with sauteed onions and bell peppers, this was quite the simple yet satisfying meal.

Lumaconi with Roasted Beets, Sweet Potatoes, Kale and Chard

Large snail shell lumaconi is wonderful to stuff with favorite filling and serve warm or at room temperature. Sometimes, leftovers become the filling. This time, some pesto with Greek yogurt and sauteed chopped spinach came together to make the filling. Served with roasted sweet potatoes and beets, this was a sumptuous meal one weeknight.

Now that it is cold and rainy, the last of the kale and chard from the garden were waiting to be used up. Am told they'll manage winter fine and keep yielding, but they seem quite sparse now.

Saute some kale, chard, garlic in olive oil with a pinch of salt, then add a splash of lemon juice and set aside. Roast the sweet potatoes and beets. Meanwhile cook the lumaconi to preferred doneness, drain, coat lightly in favorite vinaigrette.

Simply toss the roasted beets, sweet potatoes, sauteed kale and chard, with lumaconi and serve warm.

Galletti Tricolori and Romanesco Broccoli in Creamy Pesto Sauce

Romanesco Broccoli, or Roman Cauliflower, or Broccoflower as it is popularly known, has a peppery, mildly bitter flavor with crispy, crunchy florets that are packed with nutrients. I like it best when steamed with salt, rather than raw.

We got a large head of it at the Farmer's market and had some of it steamed for lunch and the rest of it was asking to be paired with the Galletti pasta in some creamy cheese sauce.

Galletti or Creste de Gallo, is a cock's comb-shaped pasta, "rooster pasta" as kids call it at home. Any pasta would be fine, of course, but, I save the special shapes like Gigli, Orechietti, Galletti for pairing with special vegetables.

I don't measure exactly for sauces - just some fat-free milk, some Smart Balance™ Omega butter, good melting cheeses like a combination of Colby Jack and Medium to Sharp Cheddar (Fontina, Gruyere, Muenster - but they are on the expensive side so I reserve them for fondue on special occasions), heated together gently until rich and velvety (adding just a bit of corn starch to thicken if needed)

Cook the pasta per package directions - about 8 minutes for al dente. Make the cheese sauce, adding some pesto to it, if handy. Steam the Romanesco Broccoli. Then, combine the three and serve warm topped with freshy grated Pecorino Romano or Parmeggiano cheese.

Tricolor Gigli Salad with Roasted Squash, Bell Peppers and Purple beans

The colorful gigli (campanella or riccioli) pasta with a burst of fresh vegetables and a light dressing makes this a delicious pasta salad, especially when prepared ahead and served cold on a warm summer evening.

We had some vegetables from the home garden  - purple bush beans, green beans, onions, tomatoes. Use any favorite vegetable combination for the pasta salad.

Pan roast the squash and onions; mildly saute the carrots, bell peppers, green and purple bush beans; or leave them raw, no need to saute... I prefer almost 2:1 ratio of vegetables:pasta in my pasta salad.

The dressing is rather quick and easy if pesto is handy. I had some home-made Mint and Fennel Pesto as mint and fennel are overgrown in the garden. Or, any favorite store-bought pesto can be used.

Ingredients
2 cups cooked tricolor gigli pasta
1 medium summer squash, cut into chunks
1 medium Walla Walla sweet onions, sliced
1 red and 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced or chopped
1 or 2 carrot, cut into discs
as many purple and green beans as preferred
½ cup cooked Mayo Coba beans (optional)
2 Tbsp capers
2 Tbsp sun-dried tomatoes
1 to 2 Tbsp oil for pan roasting

Dressing:
3 to 4 Tbsp Mint-and-Fennel pesto
2 Tbsp beaten non-fat yogurt (or sour cream)
1 tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp ground smoked paprika
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp Pomegranate red wine vinegar
1 tsp Samabl Oelek (or any hot sauce or chili paste)
salt to taste

garnish: fresh herbs - I used rosemary, oregano and fennel from my garden

Preparation

1. Cook the gigli pasta per package instructions to al dente. Drain, rinse and keep handy.
2. Pan roast the vegetables (or use them raw if preferred), allow to cool
3. Combine the dressing ingredients, all but pesto, and beat to a smooth thick consistency; taste and adjust flavors
4. Toss the vegetables and pasta together at room temperature, add pesto and just enough of the dressing to lightly coat the salad, reserve some dressing in the fridge if preferred to serve on the side
5. Chill the pasta salad in the fridge for an hour or up to a day 
6. Garnish and serve cold

Home-made Pasta with vegetarian"meatball" sauce

Dry packaged pasta of all shapes and varieties is fairly inexpensive and readily available and I use them a lot. However, ever since we received a simple pasta maker as a present last year, we have started making home-made pasta on and off. I admit, it is a labor of love, something I reserve for a lazy Sunday afternoon when we are winding down the weekend, preparing for another hectic week ahead.

Now that my daughter is a willing sous chef (at times), we've made this a sort of once a month weekend ritual - to make home-made pasta. I get the dough ready right after lunch and let it rest in the fridge. After tea/snack time, we make the fresh pasta, with my daughter turning the handle as I pass the sheet through the slot to get it thinner and thinner and then finally pass it through the fine angel-hair slot and allow the strands to dry for 10-15 minutes and cook it for a short 2-6 minutes (depending on the size/shape of the pasta) and enjoy it for dinner with a sauce or two.



Pasta dough is usually made with fine durum wheat, semolina flour. However spelt flour and a combination of all-purpose and semolina flours seem to work well. Pasta dough can be made with eggs or without. I prefer the dough without the eggs.

Home-made Pasta Dough, without eggs
½ cup fine durum semolina flour
3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 Tbsp Olive oil
1 tsp salt
3/4 to 1 cup water, as needed

Knead the dough well, adding a little water at a time to keep the dough dry but still comes together to roll into a ball. Knead some more till cut surface shows pores. Cover in a plastic wrap and leave in the fridge for an hour or so.

Then, follow the instructions for using the pasta-maker and shape the pasta as desired; allow to dry and cook briefly till al dente.


Broccoli Cream Sauce


Ingredients
2 cups broccoli florets, steamed
1 small boiled potato, if handy (optional)
½ cup cream or half-and-half
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup grated Mozzarella cheese
¼ cup grated Colby Jack cheese
finely minced garlic
ground or dried oregano to taste
ground or dried sage to taste or any other favorite herbs
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Preparation
Heat the cream in a sauce pan with the garlic; mush part of the steamed broccoli and the potato if using, add it to the saucepan; when close to boil, stir in the cheeses, adjust spices to taste; off heat toss in the remaining steamed broccoli florets.


Vegetarian "Meatball" Sauce


Ingredients
1½ to 2 cups TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein)
1 to 3 slices of favorite bread, as needed
1½ to 2 cups boiling water, as needed
¼ to ½ cup all purpose flour
1 Tbsp finely minced garlic
salt, paprika, chili powder to taste
oil for deep frying
1 can diced tomatoes, or favorite canned pasta sauce to be used as-is

Preparation

1. Place the TVP in a heat-safe bowl, add hot water - first just enough to immerse it, and when it is all absorbed and TVP still feels dry and hard, add a bit more - just enough to soften the TVP without making it watery; cover and let it stand for a few minutes till TVP still holds shape but is no longer hard
2. Heat the ready-made pasta sauce or the diced tomatoes in a sauce pan, on medium low, with the garlic and spices
3. Squeeze out the water from TVP, knead in one bread slice and ¼ cup all purpose flour first; if the dough is still wet and hard to form into balls keep adding more bread slices and a little of the flour at a time till the dough is just right to shape into small balls for deep frying
4. Deep fry in oil, drain and add to the boiling pasta sauce, allow to simmer together for a few minutes; turn off heat, garnish with fresh herbs if handy

Orzo in Creamy Kabocha Squash Sauce

The fresh harvest, the nippy weather, the pageantry of trees... it must be Autumn!

This Orzo in Creamy Kabocha Squash Sauce captures the mood of Autumn for me, for Autumn is not Autumn unless I indulge in the gourds and squashes and pumpkins.

Orzo is pasta, shaped like rice, only slightly bigger. Kabocha squash soup is a favorite fall meal at home. I wanted to add some body, pump it up a bit for the kids. This almost feels like pumpkin risotto in texture, very creamy, thick and wholesome.

Cook orzo per package directions. I take the short cut - I usually start it in the rice cooker in the morning, before I leave for work. So, when I get home, I just need to make the sauce and finish the dish.

Now, after a bit of trial and error, I have managed to cook macaroni, rotini, penne even spaghetti in rice cooker, al dente, with proper amount of water. This way, I am not waiting for pasta to get cooked in the tight weeknights when all I have energy for is to throw together something simple yet sumptuous for the kids.

Kabocha, a Japanese winter squash is chockful of nutrients - beta carotene, with iron, vitamin C, potassium - rich in fiber, low in fat... all the good stuff.

Ingredients
3-4 cups of peeled, diced kabocha squash
1 small yellow onion, diced
4-6 garlic cloves, crushed
salt to taste
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
2-3 cups water or vegetable stock
1 cup evaporated milk or half-and-half

Spices for flavoring:
1 Tbsp dry basil
1 Tbsp dry marjoram
1 tsp dry oregano
1 tsp dry sage
1 tsp dry thyme
1 tsp turmeric powder

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a pan, add the onions, garlic, spices and sauté a bit; then add the kabocha squash, water/stock, cover and allow to simmer
2. When squash is cooked through, either mash with potato-masher or purée in a food processor, return to pan, add the cooked orzo and allow to simmer together
3. Stir in the evaporated milk, heavy cream or half-and-half, off heat
4. Garnish with chopped spring onions, fresh basil if handy and Serve warm

Spaghetti & Sauce

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Tomato and Roasted Red Bell Pepper Sauce seemed too long and descriptive a title, so I settled for the blasé Spaghetti & Sauce

Not all meals need to be exotic and exciting, right? Take the good old spaghetti and sauce, or mac-and-cheese, or even just rice-and-sambar, they can be jazzed up no doubt with our creativity as the limit... or they can be presented without much ado, as-is, hearty and rustic. Ah, yes, "rustic", a term guaranteed to perk up D's interest. (not!)

Anyway, the other day, we had this whole-wheat spaghetti with some peas and green beans, some herbs, tossed with a tomato-roasted-bell-pepper sauce - just the regular array of ingredients handy in my kitchen on an average day. It was tasty and hearty is all I can say.

And since I managed to make it on a weekend daytime rather than a weeknight meal, the picture seems to have turned out half-way decent considering it was a gloomy day and I don't have any special props/lighting for my photos than the good old Ball of Fire in the sky... so, mustering up the courage, this goes out to CLICK: Noodles November 2007 event created by Jai and Bee of Jugalbandhi

Ingredients

Sauce: 1 small jar roasted red bell peppers packed in water (or roast the peppers over open flame or under the broiler) 1 can diced tomatoes 4-6 cloves of garlic, minced 1 medium onion, diced finely (optional) 1 Tbsp chopped fresh (or dried) rosemary 1 Tbsp dried marjoram 1 Tbsp dried oregano leaves ¼ cup chopped fresh basil 2 Tbsp cayenne pepper powder 1 Tbsp paprika salt to taste (or any of your favorite herbs and seasoning)

Noodles: Whole wheat spaghetti, or fettucini or penne or any favorite pasta 1 cup frozen peas 1 cup chopped green beans (any other vegetables handy) salt to taste water as needed 1 tbsp olive oil

Preparation

1. Sauce: Blend the roasted peppers and tomatoes, bring to boil in a pan, toss in the other sauce ingredients including the herbs and seasonings to taste; optionally, I like to set aside a little of the diced canned tomatoes as I like the chunky texture it adds to the sauce
2. Noodles: boil the noodles in plenty of salted boiling water till al dente, throwing in the veggies if using
3. toss the noodles with sauce to desired sogginess, serve warm with favorite bread

Simple Manicotti

For the last decade or so since I read it, Manicotti has always reminded me of this little strip of Calvin & Hobbes

Picture Courtesy: http://www.s-anand.net/calvinandhobbes.html#19951116
S Anand has a very interesting collection, and no, I don't know him from Adam and he is not paying me to plug it :0

Anyway, since Ana is not quite the Calvin, and since D was in the mood for it, I made a small batch for dinner some time back.

The recipe is really simple, just like for any pasta recipe I try to do on a weeknight: simply cook the manicotti pasta per package directions, stuff the manicotti tubes with your favorite stuffing (usually ricotta+herbs), top with sauce, bake for about 25 minutes.

Ingredients

6-8 tubes manicotti, dry
favorite tomato/pasta sauce

stuffing:
part-skim ricotta cheese
fresh grated part-skim mozzarella
fresh grated parmesan
dried herbs - basil, rosemary, marjoram, oregano leaves
salt to taste

Preparation

1. Pasta: cook the pasta per package directions, drain, keep handy
2. heat the oven to 350°F, keep a baking dish handy
3. Stuffing: combine required amounts of the cheeses and herbs, with a pinch of salt - I prefer more ricotta and parmesan, a little less of mozzarella, but, the proportions can be varied to your taste; can even add cooked spinach, keeping it as dry as possible
4. Sauce: can use store-bought sauce or make your own
5. Assembly: stuff the manicotti tubes with the cheese mixture; layer some sauce in the baking dish, arrange the manicotti over the sauce in a single layer, top with more sauce
6. Bake: in 350°F oven for about 25-30 minutes till cheese and sauce are bubbly

Tortellini with fresh herbs

This year, just like last year, we have some perennials and some nice annuals in our garden, as usual. The strawberries and raspberries are yielding moderately (they are only one year old), the currants are alright, the veggies are just starting to flower, and the herbs are doing fine.

The fresh herbs are a treat - just to be able to walk into the garden and pick some fresh mint leaves, cilantro, basil, oregano, chives, rosemary, even lavender is such a blessing. I marvel at Mother Nature and never want to take all of this for granted.

Fresh herbs always inspire me to make a simple pasta. And, to dedicate a special post for WHB: Weekend Herb Blogging started by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen fame, hosted this week by Susan from Food Blogga (her lobster post is quite informative and funny, lots of pictures and video too).

This pasta recipe here is very simple. Some tortellini, andouille (mock) chicken sausage, tofurkey kielbasa, kalamata olives, sun dried tomatoes, spring onions and fresh herbs is all that is needed. Of course, feel free to substitute real meat instead of soy-based mock-meats that I usually prefer ;-)

Preparation: Cook pasta per package directions. Chop up the fresh herbs, spring onions, sausages and anything else you'd like to toss in the dish. Heat some olive oil in a pan, add the sausage chunks and sauté a bit. Then throw in the herbs and the rest of the ingredients, adjust salt to taste, maybe a few turns of the pepper mill for some bite and there you have it.

The fresh herbs I used for this dish are pictured at the top - rosemary, oregano, chives and basil - picked fresh from the garden. They really bring out this dish, nothing fancy is needed. And, I used a whopping 2 cups of loosely packed chopped herbs for 2 cups of dry pasta.

mac and cheese

Mac and Cheese has never been my favorite until I tried the ATK's (America's Test Kitchen) version, with my own little modifications.

I had Mac and Cheese for the first time in my life only around my late teens, my mom never made it, and I didn't really care for it.

This is a nice & easy mid-week dinner as Baby and D love it. And, I like it as this is not out of a box with powdered processed cheese, and it does not have much cheese either. Besides, it takes about 15 minutes to put together (roughly the time it takes pasta to cook).

Ingredients: flour, oil, butter, herbs, salt, milk, low fat cheddar (use the freshly grated chunk of cheddar, the pre-grated ones from the store have additives to keep them from sticking)

Boil your favorite pasta, (i use macaroni or small shells), in salted water and drain, keep handy.

Make a simple roux of sorts with 1 Tbsp oil, 1 Tbsp butter, 2 Tbsp flour: simply melt the butter a bit, add the oil and the flour and sauté till the flour loses the raw smell

Make the cheese sauce with the roux started above: add 1 cup freshly grated low fat cheddar, 1 cup milk, some salt and spices/herbs (I like fresh rosemary or chives from my garden, but, this is optional), bring it to a gentle simmer till cheese melts and the sauce thickens.

Add the cooked pasta a little at a time till the mac-and-cheese acquires the desired thickness. I like the cheese sauce flowing & silky, not runny, and not lumped tight either... picky, picky, I know ;-)

If preferred, pour the pasta-in-cheese-sauce made above into an over-proof dish, top with breadcrumbs and bake in a 350°F oven for about 8-10 minutes.

Serve warm.

penne with fennel and chives

Fennel seeds were an integral part of my mom's cooking when I was growing up. We had toasted fennel seeds mixed with little "rice" candy after a sumptuous and spicy meal to act a a digestive aid and a breath freshener. Even these days, I chew a spoonful of lightly toasted fennel seeds after meals, and have gotten D hooked on it as well.

And Fennel is my post for Kalyn's Weekend Herb Blogging hosted this week by Astrid from Paulchen's Food Blog.

Fennel in my garden

Fennel has a very subtle, distinct aroma and flavor - close to licorice and aniseed - that goes well in Indian cuisine. Common Fennel (Foeniculum Vulgare) plant resembles Dill - with spiky-thin yet soft and feathery leaves. Almost all parts of the perennial fennel plant are edible - including the leaves, the stalks, the seeds.

It is easy to grow in kitchen/herb garden where there is plenty of sun and once established they are quite sturdy; and being perennial, they come back each year to cast their magical spell :-)

Fennel leaves can be used in bouquet garnis, in salads, minced and infused in aromatic cooking oils, chopped up stirred into salad dressings and vinaigrettes, or even made into herbal tea. I have used weak tea made with dry fennel seeds or fresh fennel leaves as a digestive tonic for my baby anytime it feels like she might be having a tummy issue like gas or indigestion.

The simple pasta recipe here uses fresh fennel leaves and chive flowers as seasoning.

Ingredients:
whole wheat penne pasta, cooked per package directions, rinsed and drained
spring onions, sliced into 2-inch pieces
steamed broccoli florets
pepperoncini, sliced (optional)
1 Tbsp olive oil
¼ cup finely chopped fennel leaves
1 garlic clove finely minced
2 Tbsp finely chopped chives
3-4 chive fresh flowers, if handy
1 Tbsp sweet paprika
salt to taste
optional: toasted pine nuts for garnish

Preparation

Heat the olive oil in a pan, add the fennel leaves, garlic and chives, sauté till aromatic; add the rest of the ingredients, stir well, adjust flavors to taste.

Serve cool or at room temperature garnished with fennel leaves and chive flowers.

simple pasta salad

Summers without cool pasta salad has become unthinkable. It is my favorite picnic and potluck food during the hot summer months. It can be prepared ahead of time, and in fact tastes better that way, and I can throw in fresh vegetables and herbs from my garden - anything goes really, based on personal taste... it feels like the perfect food!

Although it is not officially summer yet this year, I have already made pasta salad quite a few times in the last couple of months. I prefer the tricolor rotini usually, but, whole-wheat penne or farfalle or even ditalini are good too. The dressing varies a lot depending on my mood and the ingredients handy, but, usually I keep it simple.

Procedure is fairly straightforward: cook the pasta al dente; throw in some fresh vegetables (steam them lightly if preferred), add some fresh herbs and seasonings, dress with any favorite vinaigrette, toss well and allow to rest in the fridge overnight.

Ingredients
rotini
broccoli
cauliflower
steamed green peas
carrots
kalamata olives
pepperoncini
sundried tomatoes
pickled capers

3-4 garlic cloves finely minced

toasted walnuts (optional)
toasted pine nuts (optional)

fresh herbs (from my garden, in season):
fennel leaves
basil leaves
oregano leaves
chives and chive flowers

vinaigrette:
olive oil (or canola oil, if preferred)
balsamic vinegar
any favorite hot sauce (like Tabasco™ or Franks Red Hot™)
paprika powder

Preparation

cook the pasta per package directions till al dente; drain, rinse in cold water, set aside

chop the vegetables to bite-size pieces; slit the olives if preferred, coarsely chop the sundried tomatoes; i use small capers so i leave them whole

finely chop the fresh herbs, and sauté the garlic and herbs till they bloom; set aside

combine the vinaigrette ingredients and stir well; i am leaving out the exact amounts as it can be varied to your taste;

combine the pasta, sautéed herbs, chopped vegetables in a large bowl, drizzle in the vinaigrette a little at a time and toss well; add wnough vinaigrette to coat all the ingredients so that they are not dry.

Cover and refrigerate overnight (or up to 12 hrs). Garnish with toasted walnuts and/or pine nuts. Serve cold with some rustic artisan olive bread.

rotini with squash, rosemary and chives

There's rosemary, that's for remembrance.
-- Shakespeare's Hamlet to Ophelia

I came across Green Blog Project at Ahaar today and wanted to write about two little perennials we have in our garden: Rosemary & Chives.

This pasta recipe came about as a result of trying to find Various Ways To Use Up Squash From Last Year, that we grew in our garden.


Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is a perennial evergreen shrub, having pine-needle like leaves, and a strong aroma, which is an effective memory stimulant.

Some medicinal uses, sourced from garden guides:

• Rosemary helps to relax muscles, including the smooth muscles of the digestive tract and uterus - and can be used to soothe digestive upsets and relieve menstrual cramps. When used in large amounts it can have the opposite effect, causing irritation of the intestines and cramps.
• A tea made form the leaves is also taken as a tonic for calming nerves and used as an antiseptic: use one teaspoon of crushed dried leaves in a cup of boiling water and steep for ten minutes.
• Use an infusion as a rinse to lighten blond hair, and to condition and tone all hair. Try mixing an infusion half and half with shampoo to strengthen hair.
• An infusion can also be used as an invigorating toner and astringent. Rosemary added to a bath strengthens and refreshes, especially when used following an illness.

Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) belong to the onions, leeks, garlic family. Chives are hardy, draught tolerant, perennials, eight to twenty inches tall, and they grow in clumps from underground bulbs.

Ingredients
2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 Tbsp finely chopped chives
2 cups cooked rotini pasta (or, any other favorite pasta)
salt to taste
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4-6 cloves of garlic crushed
¼ cup grated cheddar
¼ cup grated mozarella
¼ cup grated parmesan
steamed broccoli florets, squash, peppers, yellow tomato (or red)- as much veggies as preferred

Preparation

heat oil in a pan, sauté the garlic and the cooked vegetables; add the chopped herbs (reserving some for garnish), adjust salt to taste; off heat, stir in the cheese

transfer to a casserole or baking dish and bake in a 350°F oven for about 10-12 minutes

Garnish with fresh chopped rosemary & chives, serve warm.

pasta shells with broccoli

Pasta is one of the simplest, easiest and heartiest at my table. Unfortunately, my tummy can't handle a lot of it, so, I make it sparingly.

Usually, I just throw some veggies and flavoring; sometimes it is tomato or marinara sauce, sometimes white sauce with spices like rosemary, oregano and such.

This recipe has pasta shells, garlic, broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes, pepperoncini, pine nuts and some mushrooms. The sauce is like a white sauce, starting with a roux of sorts, and has mustard for flavoring.



Ingredients
3 cups cooked pasta shells(or farfalle, or penne), al-dente*
1 cup broccoli florets, blanched
1 cup sliced button mushroom, sauteed
1 cup chopped pepperoncini
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
4 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted
4 garlic cloves, sliced thin
salt to taste
olive oil as needed
* 1-2 cups cooked pasta should be plenty depending on the variety of pasta used;
for the sauce:
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk, preferably warm or at room temperature
3 Tbsp dijon mustard
1 Tbsp Jack Daniels Horse-radish mustard (optional)
1/2 cup of pasta water reserved, or just warm water
a few sprigs of parsley

Preparation

1. heat a large shallow pan gradually, add the flour and dry toast till it turns pale brown, lower the heat a little if needed so as not to burn the flour; then add the garlic, mustard and the warm whole milk a little at a time, stirring constantly; allow to simmer and reduce a bit; add a little water, as needed, if the sauce gets too thick
2. add the broccoli, 'shrooms, sun dried tomatoes and pepperoncini to the pan with the sauce and toss gently; adjust salt to taste; add the pasta a little at a time so there is enough sauce to coat it all; stir in parsley and some olive oil to give it some clean flavor, wetness and shine
3. garnish with toasted pine nuts;serve warm with garlic bread or other starters