what's for dinner tonight: penne arrabbiata

A pasta dish was requested from some Magic players a few weekends ago, so I thought I'd make a yummy tomato pasted pasta.

Ingredients:

1 lbs of penne rigate

1 32 oz. can of crushed tomatoes

2 tbsp. of crushed chili flakes

6 cloves of garlic, minced

1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup of fresh basil, chopped

4 tbsp. of olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

In a deep skillet, heat the olive oil on medium-high heat. Add the chili flakes and garlic when the oil is hot. Saute for a minute.

Add the tomato paste, and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes, covered.

Meanwhile, chop up the fresh basil.

Cook the penne until al dente. Add olive oil and salt into the boiling water to season the pasta.

Mix the sauce together again after the sauce is complete.

Turn the heat off and add the mozzarella. 

Mix, mix, mix!!

Add in the basil and the drained penne. Mix well.

Serve on a plate with shredded Parmesan.

Nom, nom, nom...

what's for dinner tonight: lasagna soup

I accidentally made too many lasagna noodles one night and had the horrible experience of trying to dry them up, so I could use them again. I finally figured out a way to re-use them tonight!



Ingredients:
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 can of diced tomatoes
2 tbsp. of tomato paste
4 tbsp. of olive oil
1 tbsp. of chili flakes
5 lasagna noodles
1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup of cooking wine
6 cups of vegetable broth
4 bay leaves
1/3 cup of cottage cheese
1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Mozzarella cheese

Mince the garlic and chop up your onion.

Break the lasagna noodles into large chunks.

In a large skillet, on medium-high heat, saute the garlic, onion, and chili flakes in olive oil. 

Add the cooking wine, and let the onion, garlic and chili flakes absorb the wine.

When most of the wine has been soaked up, add the tomato paste. Stir until it looks like a rusty brown color.

Add the vegetable broth, bay leaves, and diced tomatoes into the skillet.

Turn the heat on high until it starts to boil.

Add the whipping cream, and lower the heat. Let the soup simmer for 30 minutes, uncovered.

Meanwhile, mix together the cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, and some salt and pepper.

About 20 minutes into the simmering process, add in the noodles.

Cook until al dente, should take the remaining 10 minutes to cook.

Ladle into a bowl, add a big dollop of the cheese mixture. Top it off with some mozzarella and basil.

what's for dinner tonight: kimchi fried rice (kimchi bokkeumbap)

With my remaining jar of kimchi, stored in the back of the fridge for weeks, and some old steamed rice, I was determined to try a Korean classic.

Ingredients:

2 cups of white rice, cooked

1 cup of kimchi, chopped

1/2 a small onion, chopped

1/4 cup of corn

1/4 cup of peas

4 tbsp. of olive oil

1 tbsp. of sesame oil

3 tbsp. of soy sauce

Salt to taste

Fried egg, to add to the top of the rice

Chopped green onion, for garnish

Take out about 1 cup of kimchi from the jar.

Chop the kimchi, and reserve the juices..

Chop up the onion and green onion.

In a wok, heat the olive oil on high, and add the onion. Stir fry until it starts to yellow, about 1 minute.

Add the kimchi and stir fry for about 1 minute.

Add the rice, peas, corn, and green onion. Mix well. Add in the sesame oil and season with soy sauce and salt if needed.

Serve with a fried egg on top. A giant squirt of Sriracha sauce will really make the dish.

Enjoy! Nom, nom, nom...

what's for dinner tonight: roasted bell pepper pesto and vodka pasta

I told you I liked noodles. I could probably make an entire menu of just pasta dishes! This recipe was extremely simple, and it took about 15 minutes to make total-- including prep time. That actually ended up working wonderfully for me, I was out of the house for 12 hours today! I'm definitely sleepy now after eating this warm dish...

Ingredients:

1 lbs of pasta, I used rotini

1 small yellow onion, chopped

3 large cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup of vodka 

1 jar of roasted red bell peppers

1 tbsp. of dried basil

3 tbsp. of olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Grated Parmesan cheese

Start by cooking your noodles until al dente. Season the water with salt and olive oil before adding the noodles into a boiling pot of water. By the time you finish your sauce, the noodles will be done too.

In a blender or food processor, liquefy the roasted red bell pepper. Add the basil as well.

After, in a deep skillet, warm up the olive oil on medium high heat. Saute the onion and garlic when the oil is hot.

Pour in your vodka and allow the alcohol to simmer into the garlic and onion.

Once most of the vodka has evaporated, add in the bell pepper and basil sauce.

Mix together...

Add in your heavy whipping cream.

Mix again!

By now, the noodles should be done. Drain the noodles.

Add the noodles into your sauce.

Mix, mix, mix!

Serve with some grated Parmesan.

Enjoy! Nom, nom, nom...

what's for dinner tonight: shrimp and chive wontons

I remembered a dim-sum dish I used to eat as a young child on Sunday mornings: shrimp and chive dumplings. I've always loved chives, I grew up growing chives in the backyard of my home. They have an aroma that just makes my mouth water. I decided to make some shrimp and chive wontons to reminisce those days I spent in Bolings. They turned out so tasty!!! 

Ingredients:

20 large shrimp, peeled and deveined

3 1/2 cups of chives, chopped

1 package of wontons

2 inch piece of ginger, minced

Salt

White pepper

Garlic powder

1 egg

Garlic chili sauce

Black vinegar

Sesame oil

Soy sauce

Defrost 20 large shrimp in room temperature water..

De-vein and peel the shrimp.

Slice the back of the shrimp and pat down both sides with a knife. Fold the shrimp back up. This will allow for easier mincing.

Mince the shrimp. Put this in a large mixing bowl.

Chop up some chives, make sure they're sliced thinly and evenly.

Chop up the chives. Make sure they're thin slices.

Combine the chives in the mixing bowl, along with the minced ginger, salt, white pepper, and garlic powder.

Mix together well.

Beat one egg, this will become the sealer for the wontons.

Take a wonton skin, and put about one tablespoon of filling in the middle. The cats were caught in this photo, they smelled the fish!!

Take a brush, and brush the beaten egg onto two consecutive sides of the wonton. Fold in half, diagonally.

This recipe made about 60 wontons. In a large pot, in boiling water, cook the wontons until they float, or about 4 minutes. 

Meanwhile, mix together the sesame oil, garlic chili sauce, vinegar, and soy sauce. This will be your dipping sauce.

Enjoy! Nom, nom, nom...