Easy Peasy Cheesy Pasta

 

 This recipe was inspired by a short video I recently saw as I was randomly scrolling through my feed. (you do that too, right?) Anyway, I thought, ooo that looks yummy and easy.. lets try it.. but then I thought, wait.. why is he cooking it like that????? I immediately knew of a few things I would do differently, so I decided to test my ideas. (Yes, I could go into what he did, and what I changed, but that's not important here.) The important thing is that I was right! Well, at least for the way I like to cook. 

 So this is my version of Pasta and Peas or rather Pasta e Piselli, which is basically a traditonal Italian peasant sort of comfort food. I'm sure there are many versions of it, but this is where I landed. 

 It comes together SO quickly, you can have dinner ready in less than a half hour, and you won't break the bank in the process. And I'm not even kidding when I tell you I loved it so much I literally ate the entire thing. Now THAT'S the kind of recipe I like! I know you will too! Enjoy!

 

 

 

olive oil

1 onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups vegetable broth, chicken broth, or just water

1 cup ditalini pasta

1 12oz bag frozen peas

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cracked black pepper

 

 

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the minced onion and saute until it begins to soften. Add the minced garlic and continue to saute for another minute. Add the broth and increase heat to bring it up to a boil. Add the pasta. Let it cook, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is tender. Add the peas, cheese, and pepper. Stir and saute until the peas are heated through, and the cheese melts into any remaining broth. Add more broth or water if it needs a little more liquid. Serve immediately, 

 

 

Tips:

  Ok, ok, I'll tell you what I did differently. The chef in the video added the peas to the broth before adding the pasta. I thought "wait.., by the time the pasta is cooked, the peas are gonna be overdone!" So I cooked it the other way around, He also blended some of the peas and then added them back in to make a thicker sauce, but I wanted to keep it light. I guess there's no right or wrong way to do it, but this worked for me. 

  This recipe doesn't need any added salt because the Parmesan cheese is quite salty. Speaking of which, adding a whole cup of grated cheese is quite a lot, so you can cut back on it a little, if you like. Then again, I called it Easy Peasy CHEESY for a reason! 

 This dish stands on its own as a delicious meatless main dish, but I think it would be equally delicious served next to a fillet of baked or grilled chicken or fish.  

 

 

 

Orzo with Asparagus and Peas

 

  Very often, when I'm reading recipes and watching cooking videos, I'll hear the phrase "simplest is best", and that is definitely the case with this recipe. It starts with just a few basic ingredients, but when you put them together, they really sing. 

 I wanted to do a light spring side dish for a recent lunch I was hosting for a few of my dearest friends, and I thought maybe orzo would be a good start. Then I remembered seeing asparagus and peas being paired together in other recipes. Perfect. Awesome.  ok, what else does it need? I thought of adding sliced leeks to the party, just to add a light savory onion note, but decided to go with scallions instead. So far so good.. From there I just added some chopped parsley to keep it fresh and then dressed it with a light not-so-sweet balsamic vinaigrette. It turned out great! Full disclosure, if I'm being honest, the vinaigrette needed a little trial and error until I found just the right balance of sweet and sour. I didn't want it to overpower everything and I must say I was very pleased with where it landed! Definitely keep this one in your recipe rotation. It's as perfect for a roast dinner side dish as it is for a light lunch or summer cook out. 

So, I guess it's true! Sometimes simple really is best!

 

 

1 bunch fresh asparagus

1 cup frozen peas 

1 lb orzo

1/4 cup sliced scallion greens

chopped parsley

salt and pepper

Balsamic vinaigrette (recipe to follow)

 

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a big handful of salt. Slice off the woody ends from the asparagus spears. Cut into bite size lengths. Add to the boiling water along with the peas. (no need to defrost). Bring back to a boil, and time it for about 4 minutes. In the meantime, fill a large bowl with water. Add a few scoops of ice and another handful salt. Using a spider strainer or slotted spoon, remove the asparagus and peas from the boiling pot, and place directly into the salted ice water. This will stop the cooking and set the beautiful green color. 

 In the same pot of boiling water, add the orzo. Cook according to package directions until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain well. Add the orzo to a mixing bowl along with your drained veggies. Add sliced scallions, (just the green ends), and some parsley. Pour about half the vinaigrette over all, not too much, just to see how much it needs. Then go back and add more if needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature.

For the vinaigrette: 

1 heaping tbs mustard
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp sugar or honey
1 tsp kosher salt
lots of freshly cracked black pepper
3/4 cup oil

In medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients except the oil. SLOWLY add the oil in a steady thin stream while vigorously whisking constantly. (you can also use a mixer with a wire whisk attachment). 

 

 

Tips:

-When I say to add a handful of salt to your boiling water, I mean a literal HANDFUL of salt. Adding just a little sprinkle from your salt shaker is not gonna cut it. The same with your ice water. Also don't add the salt to the pot until the water is boiling. If you do it sooner, the salt might damage the bottom of your pot!

 -If you don't want to make your own vinaigrette, just use your favorite dressing. I usually don't mention brand names, but one of my favorite things is a packet of regular Good Seasons Italian dressing, mixed according to package directions, only using balsamic vinegar instead of regular. Don't like balsamic vinegar? Use any kind you like!

-The amounts are just guidelines. Do you want more peas or more asparagus? Go for it! 

-You can also swap out the pasta for a different cut. Elbow macaroni or ditalini would be perfect. Wanna add some other herbs? Sure! How 'bout some fresh basil?

-And as much as I love the green on green color aesthetic, it would also be great to add some freshly sliced vine ripened tomatoes. YUM.

 

Peas and Pancetta

  So, since Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching, I was looking for some interesting and different ideas for holiday side dishes, and I happened upon Ina Garten's recipe for Peas and Pancetta. First off, if you're not familiar with pancetta, it's like bacon, but it's just cured, not smoked. Anyway, the recipe sounded great, so I decided to try it. To be quite honest, I thought it was ok, but I immediately knew I'd want to change a few things. Full disclosure, I wound up changing literally everything in the recipe except for the peas and pancetta. Only just small changes, but changes nonetheless. 

 In addition to the two main ingredients, the original recipe called for olive oil, shallots, and fresh mint. Frankly, I don't see what the shallots brought to the party that would be different from just using a regular onion. And if I'm being genuinely truthful, shallots always feel a little pretentious to me. Does anyone really keep a supply of shallots in one's pantry? And conversely, does anyone NOT keep a bag of onions handy? You see my point. I also wondered why we were using olive oil when butter would have been so much better. I mean, you usually put a pat of butter on your regular steamed peas, am I right?? And the biggest deal breaker, I think, was the addition of the fresh mint. Maybe it was originally included to add a freshness to the dish, but it was absolutely not working for me. (Sorry, Miss Ina!) So I chose fresh thyme leaves and parsley as a substitute. For me, thyme makes everything taste and smell like Thanksgiving, and fresh parsley gives everything a fresh hit. So I gave it a try with all of my tweaks, and I must say, I enjoyed it MUCH better! 

  So, here it is. I can't exactly take credit for this recipe, because it wasn't really my idea to start with, but I will happily take credit for the updates. And who knows? Maybe you'll read this and think, Nope, the original sounds much better! and to that I say, Go for it! Cooking is subjective, right? You make it that way YOU like it! That's what makes it fun! That's what I did! 

You should too! 

Enjoy!

2 or 3 tbs butter

4 oz diced pancetta

1 red onion (or onion of your choice), finely diced

1 24oz bag frozen peas

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves removed from the stem

Salt and pepper 

Fresh parsley

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the pancetta, and stir to render some of the fat for a few minutes, then add the finely diced onion. Stir and cook until the onions soften and the pancetta starts to brown, a good 10 minutes. Add the frozen peas, (no need to thaw!) and the fresh thyme leaves. Cover the pan and let it cook for a few minutes, stirring every so often, until everything is heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with an addition pat of butter and a sprinkle of fresh parsley.

Tips:

One of the best things about this recipe is that it comes together in only a few minutes. The peas stay plump and bright green and sweet and delish! The only down side is that it's not really a good make-ahead sort of dish. I tried making it in advance, figuring I'd just heat it up for serving, and the peas weren't as bright green, and they weren't as plump and fresh. So if you're making it for a holiday meal, stir it up right before you sit down to the table so it's nice and hot when you serve it. 

 One other thing.. be sure you don't over cook the peas. They can go from bright green and lovely to grey and shriveled in a snap. You really only want to cook them until they're just heated through and no longer frozen. If you can't find pancetta, just use regular bacon!

 

 

Ham and Pea Pasta Salad

Here's a recipe I saw Miss Lori making on Whippoorwill Holler, (one of my favorite youtube channels.) Of course, I kind of tweaked the amounts here and there, and I may or may not have added a little extra seasoning, but it's basically the same as it was written. It's really the perfect recipe for a big BBQ because you can make it the day before, and it feeds about a million people. Tweak it however you like, add more/less or omit any of the ingredients as you prefer, and season it to taste. Easy peasy. Literally! 

Thanx again, Miss Lori!

1 lb box elbow macaroni, cooked
3 hard boiled eggs, diced
2 green onions, minced
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 large rib celery, finely diced
2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1 cup diced ham, or more if desired
1 can water chestnuts, chopped
1 cup mayo, or more as needed
Salt and pepper to taste
Sprinkle of fresh dill
1 packet Good Seasons Italian dressing mix
Crumbled bacon on top, if desired

After you prep all the ingredients, just place everything in a big mixing bowl and give it a good toss. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Top with bacon just before serving, if desired.

 

 

 

 Tips:
If you make it the day before, just store it covered in the fridge, and then give it another stir before you serve it, adding a little more mayo, if needed.
No, you do not have to cook the frozen peas. Just thaw them. Since they're flash steamed before they're frozen, they're ready to eat!
For a little extra zing, add one or two tbs of brown mustard. You wont really taste it, but it will make everything taste brighter!

 

 

Peas and Pasta Salad

 

 I was recently making a giant VAT of BBQ sauce, you know, just to have on hand for all of my favorite summer BBQ dishes, and I was trying to think of side dishes to go with them. In my world, that usually means potato salad, cole slaw, or macaroni salad. MMM macaroni salad… now there’s something I haven’t had for a while… maybe lets try to find a new variation? Want to?
 So I did some searching, and here’s where I landed! It’s a Food Network recipe from Sunny Anderson, and I figured, why not?
 So.. here’s the thing.. full disclosure.. I made the recipe exactly as written.. and I already decided to change a few things. Usually I would save all the tips and variations for after the recipe, but I think this one needs to be said first.
 Well, first, as I was making it, even before tasting it, I wanted more color.. so I added some red bell pepper.. chopped down to a fine confetti. Looks great! OK now to taste it…
whoa… it’s very sweet. Like, VERY sweet. I mean, it does make sense, sweet side salads are a very Southern thing, so that tracks. But it was just a little too sweet for me. The Miracle Whip is very sweet, the peas are sweet, and she even adds sugar. Then I went and added the red bell pepper, which is also sweet.
 My brother Denny was here while I was making it, and we decided that the bacon, onion, and cheddar cheese go a long way to balancing that sweetness, as well as a good hit of salt and pepper.
 So there we have it! A new macaroni salad recipe to try! How sweet do YOU like it? Give it a try and let me know!



1 pound cavatappi pasta
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 (15-ounce) jar salad dressing (recommended: Miracle Whip)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
10 ounces frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
6 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled


Cook the pasta in salted boiling water as directed on box for al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and place the cooked pasta in a large bowl filled with ice water to stop the pasta from over cooking. Stir until the pasta is cool, then drain in a colander shaking to release as much water as possible.
To make the dressing: In a large bowl mix the red onion, salad dressing, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and sugar. Taste and then season with a pinch of salt and grind or two of pepper. Add the pasta and completely coat with the dressing. Add in the peas, cheese, and bacon. Cook's Note: If making ahead, cover and refrigerate the salad until ready to serve, then add the bacon right before serving.



Tips:
As I said, it was just a little too sweet for me. I think I’d prefer to get the natural sweetness from the veggies, rather than adding sugar and Miracle Whip. So I would just use regular mayonnaise, (and by that I mean Hellman’s) and then just omit the sugar completely. Also, I liked it better after it had a chance to sit for a while, so, if you can make it a little ahead of time, do it!

New Year's Cabbage and Peas

 Have you ever heard of the tradition of eating black eyed peas on New year's Eve? It's actually a pretty huge tradition in Southern USA, and it has come to mean many things, but mainly health and prosperity. It’s very often served with collard greens, since collards are green like money, and the peas would serve as a stand in for coins. If you serve it with corn bread, it’s meant to represent gold, and if they’re stewed with tomatoes, it’s meant to represent health and wealth.
 Being from the Northeast USA, I was never familiar with these traditions. I happened upon them just because I love delicious food! So when I saw Miss Lori on Whippoorwill Holler (one of my favorite youtube channels) making this, I immediately added it to my to-do list. Actually, I think I made it that very day! It turned out to be so delicious and so flavorful, I couldn’t stop eating it! Not even kidding. It’s true that she uses cabbage instead of the collard greens, but either way works for me! And I think the cabbage was my favorite part of the whole dish. And it was so easy! You just brown some ground beef, and while that’s happening you just throw everything else into a large slow cooker. That’s literally it! Nothing difficult or fancy, but OH SO GOOD!
 Will making this dish for the new year bring you health and prosperity? Who knows? Anything’s possible! But one thing is for certain, it will definitely give you a warm full belly. This is absolutely now one of my favorite dishes of all time. Do give it a try!
And have a safe and happy new year!
 

 

1 lb ground beef
1 head cabbage, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 whole garlic bulb, minced
32 oz. chicken stock
1 c. water
16 oz. frozen black eyed peas
1 tbs chili powder
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tbs oregano
I small can of tomato paste
1 32 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 can rotel tomatoes and chilis
Salt and pepper to taste

Brown ground beef in a skillet until no longer pink, drain excess fat.
Place browned beef and all remaining ingredients in your large slow cooker.
Cook it on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.

 

 

 Tips:

Be sure to taste it and adjust the seasonings as you like. I found that it needed just a little extra salt when all was said and done. Maybe you might want some extra cumin, or maybe you'd like a little extra garlic. Or maybe you'd like to leave the cumin out altogether. Season it the way you like it!

Joey's Fusilli Col Buco with Ham and Peas

  I was recently looking for fun and different ways of using up some leftover ham, and I saw a recipe for pasta with ham and peas. This was exactly they type of thing I was looking for, and honestly, my first thought was "oooo I bet that would hit the spot!"
 Of course, I didn't exactly follow the recipe, and I sort of made it my own, adding some onions and white wine, etc. The result was very possibly one of the best pasta dishes I've ever made. Like, EVER. I'm not even kidding! After having a big pasta bowl of it, I immediately texted my brother with a picture, saying "want some?" He texted me back later that night saying that it was SOOOO good!
 I'm not sure if it was the wine, or the cream, or the grated cheese.. but it definitely all came together perfectly. And one of the things that I really love about it is that the flavor of the peas really comes through. It was just the perfect sweetness to go with the saltiness of the ham and the Parmesan cheese. And it was ready in as little time as it took to boil the pasta. Perfect!
I might need to add this to my weeknight dinner repertoire. You should too!



1 lb fusilli
4 tbs butter
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups diced ham
4 tbs flour
2 cups milk
1 cup cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more
Splash or two of white wine
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley

  In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook fusilli according to package directions until al dente.
Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions. Saute until they soften, but don't let them go so far as to brown. Add diced ham and garlic and continue to saute for a few more minutes. Add flour. Stir for 2-3 minutes until everything is well coated. Add milk, cream, and grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Continue to stir and simmer over medium low heat until the sauce thickens. Stir in a splash or two of white wine and then add frozen peas. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. Drain cooked pasta and toss with sauce. Top with fresh parsley and more Parmesan cheese.




Tips:
If the sauce becomes too thick, the wine will thin it out a little. If it's REALLY thick, add a splash of water until it's the right consistency.
Be sure you aggressively salt the pasta water. Like, two big HANDFULS of salt should do it. You want the water to taste salty like the ocean.
Use whatever pasta you have on hand! I just happened to like the long spirals, so that's what I chose!
Don't like ham, use chunk of boneless chicken instead! You could even use shrimp! oh YUM!

Slow Cooker Beef and Noodles

  Well, once again, I'm turning to my trusty slow cooker for a delicious time saving meal. What can I say? I love slow cookers! Actually, I think "obsessed" is probably a better word. How obsessed? Well, frankly, I don't have just one slow cooker or even two. I have a collection of EIGHT slow cookers, all in different sizes, and I use all of them!! I've literally made an entire Turkey Dinner using only slow cookers, including the turkey! How fun is that??? But wait, we're getting off topic.. let's get back to the beef and noodles, shall we?
 This dish is so easy and delicious, it's an absolute must in your cooking repertoire. You just throw everything in the slow cooker and turn it on. It doesn't get much easier than that! And then at the end you just add some boiled noodles and frozen peas. So it's kind of like a beef stew with noodles sort of a vibe. It's definitely a no brainer for a Sunday dinner when you have errands to run all day. And now that we're back to school in full swing and we have a million schedules to manage, coming home from work to a slow cooker dinner is a midweek life saver. And even the cooking novice can handle it, no problem! It's very simple, but sometimes, that's what hits the spot.
 Oh, one other thing. This is another one of those recipe I saw about a million years ago, and then tucked away in my archive, but I have no idea where I found it. Maybe it was one of those food videos you see bouncing around the interwebs. Who knows? Anyway, I hope you try it!




1 1/2 to 2 pounds beef stew cubes, well-trimmed
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 cup sliced white onion
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 10.75-ounce cans cream of mushroom soup
1 (12oz) package egg noodles (cooked according to package directions on the stovetop)
2 cups frozen peas
Salt to taste



 Add the beef to a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Sprinkle the pepper, oregano, onions, and mushrooms on top. Spread the cream of mushroom soup over all. Cover and cook on high for 5 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time. Toward the end of the cooking time, cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain. Add the cooked noodles on top of the meat and sauce in the slow cooker. Add the peas. Stir until everything is combined, and let it continue to cook just a few more minutes until the peas are done. Add salt to taste and serve with warm crusty bread.




Tips:
So, when I made it, I used fresh oregano instead of dried. I think fresh thyme would be a lovely addition as well. Also I didn't even pay attention to the amounts. I used a little more than 2 lbs of beef, I used 2 big onions, (why? because I like a lot of onions!) I used a 10 oz pkg of cremini mushrooms, and a 10 oz box of frozen peas. Oh, and since I knew I was adding more than the original recipe, I added an extra can of condensed soup. Turns out this was a good idea!

Joey's Creamy Fettuccine with Zucchini and Peas

  OK, so, I have a confession to make. I don't eat pasta very often. Like, maybe only a few times a year. There. I said it. I know. I know. That's blasphemy in some households, right? I mean, of course, I do LOVE it, but very often I find it to be a little bit heavy. So, unless I'm doing a big spaghetti dinner, or maybe doing fresh pasta for friends, I kind of have to be in the mood for it. That's not a crime, is it? Actually, one of my favorite ways to have pasta is with a bunch of fresh vegetables. Since I live in The Garden State, I absolutely can't wait for the warmer months of the year and all of the fabulous produce that comes with them. THAT'S when I'll definitely be in the mood for a nice dish of pasta and some of Jersey's freshest veggies to go with it.
 For this one, I decided to go with zucchini. I saw it at a local farm stand, and it was so brilliantly green that I was inspired to keep with that theme and add peas and fresh herbs. The result was an amazing pasta dish, perfect in its simplicity, kind of similar to an alfredo, but a little bit lighter.
 So if you're a "pasta every week" kind of household (or even more), you should definitely add this one to the rotation. It was quick and easy and it was just the thing to hit the spot! Hope you like it!


1 lb fettuccine
1 stick butter
1 medium onion
4 or 5 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 large (or 2 small-ish) zucchini, cut into large dice
Salt and crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1 10oz box of frozen peas
5 or 6 large leaves of fresh basil
Fresh parsley


   Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a handful of salt. Boil fettuccine according to package directions to reach desired doneness. While your waiting for the water to boil, make the sauce.
  In a large pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add diced onions. Saute until they soften a bit. Add chopped garlic and continue to saute. Add diced zucchini, season with salt and crushed red pepper flakes, and continue to saute, stirring frequently. When the zucchini are tender, add chicken broth, cream, and grated cheese. Stir all until well combined. Reduce heat to simmer. Let the sauce reduce a bit until the pasta is done. At the last minute, add the frozen peas and fresh basil. Give it a good stir. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. Add drained pasta and toss all together. Let it sit for a few minutes before serving. Top with chopped fresh parsley and a bit more cheese.


Tips:
The sauce is meant to be kind of thin so that the pasta will really drink it in.
Be sure to taste it and adjust the seasoning. It will need a bit more salt than you think it will. If you don't like crushed red pepper flakes, then just use black pepper.
For an extra punch of flavor, add a splash of white wine to the sauce!