Tagged: Pasta

Recipes

Lemon Pasta a São Jorge Cheese

Lemon Pasta a Sao Jorge Cheese

I love anything with lemon and one of my favorite cheeses is São Jorge making this dish one of my all time favorite’s. “Queijo São Jorge” is made with raw cow milk on the Azorean island of São Jorge where the lush pastures for grazing allows for a vast production of cow milk. An easy main or side dish for any occasion. If you can’t find Sao Jorge Cheese try Spanish Manchego cheese as a substitute.

Ingredients:

1 pound pappardelle pasta

1/2 cup Sao Jorge cheese (grated)

2 lemons (zested and juiced)

1/2 stick of butter (melted)

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt

4 tablespoons fresh parsley (finely minced)

Preparation:

Cook pasta in salted water, and drain. Place back into pan on low heat. Mix the lemon zest and juice with the butter and add to pasta. Mix gently. When ready to serve add parsley.


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Creamy Sausage and Spinach Pasta Bake

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This pasta bake is great for an easy everyday meal and perfect to bring for a pot luck party. Prepare it ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to cook and serve.

Ingredients:

2 pounds uncooked Italian sausage

1 (16 ounce) package favorite pasta (any your prefer)

1 pound fresh mushrooms (optional)

1 small onion (chopped)

2 cloves garlic (chopped)

1 pound fresh baby spinach

2 tablespoons sun dried tomatoes

1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese or (any your prefer)

Cream Sauce:

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

4 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 and 1/2 cups milk

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

 

Preparation:

Prepare sausages:

Cook sausages by boiling in 1 cup of water until the water evaporates. Flip the sausages as they cook. When water evaporates remove sausages and cut into slices.

Add the chopped onions and garlic to the same pan and cook for about 3 minutes until translucent. Add the mushrooms and cook for a few minutes. Add the sausages back into the pan, cover and cook until the sausages are fully cooked. Fold the spinach into the sausages and set aside.

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Prepare sauce:

Melt butter in a small pan and add the flour. Stir until it blends with the butter. Add milk, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until thickened. Add 1/4 Parmesan or peccorino cheese. Stir well until cheese melts and set aside.

Cook pasta per package directions and drain.

Add the pasta to the pan with sausages followed by the cream sauce. Mix well to incorporate flavors.

Pour into a slightly greased deep baking dish. Top with the cheese.

Cook at 350 for about 30 minutes covered with foil, then remove foil and cook for a few minutes longer to get slightly golden color.

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Sausage pasta bake

Photo Gallery / Recipes / soup

Sopa de FeijãoVerde da Horta – Garden Green Bean Soup

sopa de feijao verdeThe cool weather is here. Let the soup cooking start. This soup is a bowl of healthy eating. Just serve with some crusty bread and dinner is served!

Ingredients:

2 pounds garden green beans (cut into 1 inch pieces)

2 large carrots (chopped)

1 large carrot (sliced)

1 large onion (minced)

1 clove garlic (minced)

1 large chopped tomato (seeded and skinned)

2 cups elbow macaroni (uncooked)

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

4 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 bay leaf

2 large sprigs parsley (chopped)

1/4 cup olive oil

Portuguese green beans

Greenbeans

Preparation:

Saute onions, garlic and bay leaf in olive oil for few minutes. Add the tomato and chopped carrots and cook for about 3 minutes stirring often.

Add the all of the remaining ingredients except pasta sliced carrots and parsley. Bring to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the macaroni and sliced carrots and cook on medium for about  15 – 20 minutes until pasta is cooked.

Taste the soup for saltiness and add more if desired. Take soup off heat and let it sit to thicken. Add more broth if you like your soup thinner. Garnish with parsley and a little drizzle of olive oil.

fish / Holiday Recipes / Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Recipes / shrimp

30 Minute Shrimp Scampi Linguini a Piri Piri

I love Shrimp and I love pasta that’s why I make this recipe very often. I had a few drops of piri piri for kick but this is  optional to your taste buds.

This savory recipe cooks in 30 minutes so it’s a perfect weekday meal. However, it’s decadent enough to serve for special occasions. Enjoy!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 pound of medium shrimp (devained with shells on or off)

1 pound of Linguini pasta

6 cloves of garlic (finely minced)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

Crushed black pepper

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

1/2 cup of vinho verde or white wine

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Piri piri or (hot sauce) to taste

Chopped parsley

Lemon wedges for garnish

Preparation:

Prepare the linguini per package directions, drain and add a drop of olive oil. Stir and keep warm for adding to the shrimp.

In a large deep skillet, cook the garlic with the olive oil and butter for a few minutes until translucent but not browned.

Turn heat to high and add the shrimp, and cook for about 2 minutes turning them over to cook on all sides.

Add the salt, paprika and wine, and cook for about 3 – 5 minutes to reduce liquid.

Turn heat to low and add the pasta. Stir to incorporate. Add the piri piri,  parsley and lemon wedges before serving.

Note: If you find the sauce has reduced to much add more butter.

 

 

 

 

 

Photo Gallery / Recipes / soup

30 MinuteTortellini Minestrone Soup

When I owned ran my deli/coffee shop I made soups every day so I had to come up with new soups for a change to the menu. This Tortellini Minestrone Soup was one of my favorites to make because it was so simple, yet full of flavor. If you’re looking for a quick fix dinner on a cold day, you’ll just love how easy this is to make. It pairs perfectly with a grilled cheese sandwich or even a big slice of crusty bread! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/2 pound of fresh or frozen tortellini

1 28 -32 oz. can red kidney beans

1 16 oz can of chick peas

1 can chopped tomatoes

1 bay leaf

2 large carrots (sliced to 1/4 inch)

1 large celery stalk (diced)

1 medium onion (diced)

2 cloves garlic (diced)

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups chicken broth

4 cups of water

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon or more fresh chopped basil

1/2 teaspoon oregano

Parsley for garnish

Red pepper flakes for garnish

Preparation:

Saute the onion, garlic, celery, carrot, and bay leaf in the olive oil for about 5 minutes on medium heat. Add the broth, water, tomatoes and seasonings.

Let come to a boil and cook for 5 minutes longer. Add the beans, chick peas and tortellini. Let come to a boil, stir cover and let cook for about 15-20 minutes until tortellini is tender. Taste and add more seasoning if desired. Turn off heat until ready to serve. Add the parsley, red pepper flakes and more olive oil as garnish.

Main Dish / Photo Gallery

Ziti and Sausage Bake

Dinner was never so easy! Your family will love this Ziti Sausage Bake so much that you’ll be making all year long. I used a combination of sweet and hot sausage, or Portuguese Chourica sausage for a variety of flavor in every bite. You can also make this dish ahead of time and pop it in the oven just 30 minutes before serving.

Sausage ingredients:

2 pounds combination of sweet and hot Italian sausage

1 large onion (sliced thinly)

1 medium red bell pepper (sliced thinly)

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup red wine

Bake ingredients:

1 pound package of Ziti

1 and 1/2 cups of ricotta cheese

1 and 1/2 cups of shredded mozarella or your favorite cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

2  teaspoons dry oregano

1 32 oz can of crushed tomatoes with garlic and Italian seasonings

1 t0 2 cups of marinara or your favorite pasta sauce ( depending on how much sauce you like)

Prepare Sausage:

Place the sausages in a large skillet and add the water and wine. Bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes on medium heat turning them over and piercing with a fork to cook evenly. After 10 minutes, remove any excess liquid from the pan. Slice the sausages and add the onions and red bell pepper to the same pan. Cook for about 5 – 10 minutes until the sausages are cooked and the onions are golden stirring once in a while. Add the crushed tomatoes and sauce, cover and let simmer on low for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile cook pasta and set aside until ready to assemble.

Assemble Bake:

Place half the pasta in a large deep dish baking pan. Mix the Ricotta cheese with 1 tablespoon of basil and spread over pasta.

Spread 1/2 of the sausage mixture over pasta and top with 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese.

Pour the remaining pasta evenly over the sausage. Top with the remaining sausage and the rest of shredded cheese. Sprinkle with the basil, oregano and Parmesan cheese.

Bake slightly covered with foil for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees until the bake is hot and golden on top. Uncover during the last few minutes if you want a slightly crispy top.

Serve with crusty bread and a salad. Enjoy!

Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Recipes / Side Dish

Zucchini Vegetable Lasagna

 

This will be the last Zucchini recipe for this summer! I promise!

The lasagna is perfect for your meatless days. My family loved it and said it was even better the next day!


Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

6 to 8 Zucchini (sliced to 1/4 inch lengthwise)

1 package of frozen broccoli, cauliflower and carrots (or your favorite combination)

1 package of lasagna

3 cups of low fat ricotta cheese

2 cup of shredded Mozzarella cheese

5 cups of whole milk

1/3 cup of butter

1/3 cup of flour

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon paprika

Dash of Nutmeg

 

 

Instructions:

Season the Zucchini with salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika and set aside in for the moisture to drain. Cook the vegetables in 1 cup of water for about 5 minutes or until tender. Drain them and let them cool.

Saute the Zucchini for about 3 minutes on each side or until they get slightly cooked but not mushy. Set aside.

Cook the lasagna to package directions and set aside to cool.

In a non stick pan, melt butter and add the flour to form a roux. Slowly add the milk, a dash of salt, pepper and the nutmeg, taste for seasoning, and stir continuously until it thickens for about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Mix the Ricotta cheese with 1 cup of the Mozzarella in a bowl and set aside.

Begin layering the lasagna by coating the lasagna pan with cooking spray or butter. Start with the pasta, then a layer of the cheese, vegetables and top with Zucchini. Spread 1/3 of the cream sauce evenly over the Zucchini and repeat the layering. You’ll end up with about 3 or 4 layers ending with the pasta.

Spread with the remaining cheese. I added a few very thin slices of Zucchini on top but this is optional.

Cover with foil and cook at 375 for about 1 hour. Remove from oven and let it sit for about 15 minutes to set.

It’s even better the next day so don’t worry if you have leftovers. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Side Dish

SUMMER TIME SHRIMP & PASTA SALAD

This shrimp and pasta recipe is one dish meal or a perfect dish for your next cook out! The savory shrimp goes perfectly with the sweet tomatoes and tender pasta. Kick thisvrecipe up by using my Spicy blend with some crushed red pepper! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 to pounds of peeled deveined shrimp

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 tbsp TASTE PORTUGAL SEASONING

Pasta Ingredients:

1/2 package of your favorite pasta (approximately 8 oz.)

2 small ripe tomatoes chopped

1/4 cup of finely chopped onion

1 stalk of finely chopped celery

1 tablespoon of mayonnaise

2 tablespoons of finely chopped parsley

1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Toss the shrimp in seasoning in a small bowl and mix well. Let the shrimp sit for about 5 minutes to absorb the flavors.

In a small skillet heat the olive oil on high heat and add the shrimp.  Cook for about 3 minutes until the shrimp becomes pink. Remove from heat and set aside

Cook pasta as per package directions and rinse with cold water.

Place pasta in a large serving bowl and add the tomatoes, celery, onion, and parsley and stir.

Add the shrimp to the pasta. Add the mayonnaise, and lemon,  stir taste and add more seasoning if desired.

Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Enjoy!

Appetizers / Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Side Dish

Pasta & Ham Salad Primavera

 

What can you do with all that left over ham? Make Pasta & Ham Salad Primavera. Cut up the ham into 1/4 inch strips and freeze in food safe freezer bags. The ham will be ready for adding to your summer recipes.

Ingredients:

1 16 oz package bow tie pasta (or any you prefer)

1 cup or more cooked ham (cut into 1/4 inch long strips)

2 cups frozen petite peas

1/2 cooked roasted red pepper (finely diced)

1 slice red onion (finely minced)

2 ounces cheddar cheese (chopped into small pieces) (optional)

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

1/2 teaspoon of Italian seasoning mix

Fresh crushed black pepper

1 squirt lemon juice

Instructions:

Cook the pasta as per package directions. Turn off heat, 5 minutes before the pasta is cooked add the ham, peas, and peppers and let simmer for a few minutes. The peas are very tender so they’ll cook with the heat from the pasta.


Drain the pasta in colander and place in a large bowl.

 Add the remaining ingredients and toss gently.

Taste and add more pepper or seasoning if desired. Place in the refrigerator to cool. Serve and enjoy!

Main Dish / Photo Gallery

Linguini & Vinho Verde Clam Sauce – Ameijoas à Bulhão Pato

Vinho verde clam sauce

This recipe is inspired by the classic Ameijoas à Bulhão Pato (recipe below). Raimundo António de Bulhão Pato was a nineteenth century writer, poet and politician. He was also a gourmet cook with signature dishes he created such as clams, hare, partridge and grouper. Ameijoas à Bulhão Pato is one of the most popular appetizers today.

My Linguini dish is very easy and uses basic pantry ingredients. I used canned whole baby clams but you can substitute with chopped clams or fresh clams in the shell if you prefer.

I also used Vinho Verde because it pairs perfectly with fish and seafood. I cook with it whenever a recipe calls for using white wine.

If you like a more cream based sauce simply add a little cream and more butter to the sauce and little it thicken before adding the pasta. Enjoy!

Linguini & Vinho Verde Wine Sauce

Serves 2

Ingredients:

8 oz (1/2 package of Linguini)

1 10 ounce can of cooked baby clams or chopped clams

2 cloves of garlic (thinly sliced)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 cup of Vinho Verde (or any dry white wine)

1/4 cup of clam juice or chicken broth (optional)

Fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Black pepper

Salt

Parsley or cilantro  (finely minced)

Instructions:

Drain the clams into a bowl and save the clam juice.

Cook the pasta in salted water and the reserved clam juice until al dente.

In a medium skillet add the olive oil, butter and garlic. Cook on medium heat until the garlic is translucent. Add the drained clams, Vinho Verde and clam juice.

Cook for about 5 minutes on low heat until the wine reduces a little. Taste and add crushed black pepper and more salt if desired.

 


Drain the pasta and add it to the clam sauce. Stir well. Add the parsley or cilantro and top with grated Parmesan cheese. Mix gently and cook for a minute or two for the sauce to incorporate into the pasta.

Top with more fresh grated cheese when serving. Enjoy!

 

 

Clams a Bulhão Pato Recipe:

Serves: 1

 

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon diced garlic
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons dry white wine
15 little neck clams, cleaned

 

 

Instructions:

Lemon segments (to supreme the lemons, cut lengthwise, remove the peel, pith, and membranes and use only the soft flesh)

In a pan, add the olive oil and garlic over high heat and cook until the garlic becomes fragrant. Add clams, white wine, half the cilantro, and cover. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Uncover the pan and make sure that all clams are open, discarding any that aren’t. Top with remaining cilantro and lemon segments. Serve immediately.