Tag: Creamy

Rigatoni Alla Vodka

My husband absolutely loves Pasta in Vodka Sauce. I don’t make it terribly often, but it is a really simple and delicious dish to make at home, so I figured it was time to share my recipe for Rigatoni Alla Vodka!

“Traditional” vodka sauce includes tomatoes, herbs, and vodka, although every one I’ve ever come across also has a cream element to it as well.

The history of this sauce doesn’t go terribly far back — it was invented in the 70’s either in New York or Italy, depending on who you ask.

This version adds a bit of smokiness from pancetta and some heat from red pepper flakes to the luxurious tomato vodka cream sauce to make a truly wonderful pasta dish!

Ingredients:

  • salt
  • 1 (16 oz) box rigatoni
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 oz diced pancetta
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 cup vodka (I used Stateside Vodka)
  • 1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
  • black pepper
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
  • fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)

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Creamy Pappardelle with Smoked Salmon and Caviar

I’m guessing that I’m not the only one that has been having fewer dinners out at restaurants, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been making fun meals at home!

 

This recipe for Creamy Pappardelle with Smoked Salmon and Caviar is fancy enough for an at home date night, but is also so simple to make and comes together in just 20 minutes!

After receiving an affiliate box from Sitka Salmon Shares, I enjoyed their seafood so much that I signed up for a Premium Seafood Subscription Box. One of the boxes had smoked salmon in it, so I went to their recipes page to try and find a different way to use it.

I came across this recipe for Pasta with Smoked Salmon and Caviar and new I had to make it!

Ingredients (serves 2):

  • salt
  • 8 oz pappardelle pasta
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 leek, white and light green parts, halved lengthwise and sliced thin
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • black pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/2 tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped
  • 1/2 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped, plus more for garnish
  • 6 oz smoked salmon, broken into large flakes
  • 2 oz salmon roe

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Creamy Chicken Paprikash Over Buttered Egg Noodles

Comfort food can take on many forms, but generally, comfort food seems to always have a bit of nostalgia attached to it. Foods from my childhood have become some of my favorite adult comfort foods, like Creamy Chicken Paprikash Over Buttered Egg Noodles. Chicken Paprikash is a Hungarian dish of chicken, cooked in a creamy paprika-flavored sauce. My mom used to make this Creamy Chicken Paprikash for us on cold winter nights, and always spooned it over egg noodles to make the most of the yummy sauce.

Now that it’s February, I think it’s the perfect time to share this childhood favorite recipe! Cold winter months are the perfect time to enjoy old comfort food favorites or to try new ones, like my take on Creamy Chicken Paprikash.

Ingredients:

  • 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 tablespoons paprika, sweet or hot (I’d suggest using a combo, maybe 1/2 of each for a subtle spice)
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 (12 oz) bag Egg Noodles
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Continue reading Creamy Chicken Paprikash Over Buttered Egg Noodles

Creamy Snap Peas with Feta

Some nights, you just want to sauté or grill up a protein and have a quick go-to side to make a nice meal without much effort.

So it’s always nice to have a few awesome sides in the rotation, like this recipe for Creamy Snap Peas with Feta.

This recipe for Creamy Snap Peas with Feta would be perfect with a Greek-inspired protein — salmon, chicken, or even lamb.

Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces trimmed fresh sugar snap peas
  • 1/4 cup plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
  • the zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 ounce crumbled feta cheese
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
  • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
  • 1 ounce crumbled feta cheese

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Creamy Avocado Soup

My husband and I have had some fairly heavy (but delicious) food recently. So this weekend, I was in search of something a bit lighter for lunch that would still fill us up, like this creamy avocado soup.

This chilled Creamy Avocado Soup recipe from Cooking Light fit the bill! The soup is bulked up a bit with silken tofu, romaine lettuce, and peas to go along with the avocados.

In fact, it has half of your daily fiber and 9 grams of protein in one serving. And yet, it feels so light!

Ingredients:

  • 1 (12-oz.) pkg. silken tofu, drained
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
  • 1 cup frozen green peas
  • 3 ripe avocados, peeled and chopped
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
  • 1/4 cup chopped tomato
  • 1/4 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
  • 2 tablespoons chopped scallions

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Dijon Herb Crusted Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce

I am not shy about my love of Cooking Light magazine. Their recipes are what got me started on my cooking journey. Not only are their recipes on the healthier side, but most are also great for weeknight meals. This recipe for Dijon Herb Crusted Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce is no different.

Seafood in general is a great weeknight option because it tends to take less time to cook. If you haven’t noticed, I’m a big fan of seafood, particularly salmon; I have almost 40 recipes for salmon alone on this blog!

So when I spotted a new salmon recipe in my most recent Cooking Light, well, I had to make it.

Ingredients:

  • 2 (6-oz.) salmon fillets
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon  black pepper
  • 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons 2% reduced-fat milk
  • 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

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Chicken Agrodolce with Creamy Polenta

Happy New Year! Our unseasonably warm weather seems to have left with 2015, and colder temperatures are here to stay for a while. This recipe for Chicken Agrodolce with Creamy Polenta from Cooking Light’s December 2015 issue is great for cold nights — it’s comforting without being too heavy.

Agrodolce means “sweet and sour” in Italian. In this recipe, the golden raisins provide the sweetness while the red wine vinegar adds a touch of sour flavor to the sauce. The chicken thighs are simmered in the sauce and served with a creamy polenta to soak up the flavors.

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups 1% low-fat milk
  • 2 1/3 cups unsalted chicken stock, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 2/3 cup cornmeal
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 4 (6-ounce) bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
  • 1/4 cup golden raisins
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 ounce pitted green olives, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

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Creamy Mashed Potatoes

 This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #HolidayWithChobani #CollectiveBias

I come from an Irish family, so mashed potatoes are a very important part of every large family meal. If it was socially acceptable, I’d fill my plate just with mashed potatoes and gravy at holiday meals.

Mashed potatoes are quite a staple in my life, so I now find myself to be a bit of a mashed potato connoisseur. I like mine super creamy, but don’t necessarily want them loaded with butter to achieve that creaminess.

I personally like to add in Chobani® Non-fat Plain Greek Yogurt. Not only does it deliver the creaminess I am looking for, but it is high in protein (44% of your daily value to be exact) and is low in fat. The yogurt contains no artificial flavors or sweeteners and is only made with natural ingredients that are not genetically modified.

Chobani® Non-fat Plain Greek Yogurt is a simple and tasty substitute for any recipes that use sour cream, mayonnaise, or oil, making it a super versatile product. I almost always have a quart in my fridge for smoothies, baking, and creamy dressings.

This recipe is definitely a favorite of mine. It uses minimal ingredients and is really simple to make! You can also snazz it up however you’d like! I picked up all of my ingredients at Walmart; you can find Chobani with the other yogurts in the Dairy section.

 

Ingredients: makes 4 servings. multiply as needed

Main Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs potatoes
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup Chobani® Non-fat Plain Greek Yogurt
  • 1/3 cup milk (I used 1%)

Additional Ingredients:

  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Horseradish cheddar cheese, for garnish
  • 1/4 cup chives, finely chopped, for garnish

Continue reading Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Mushroom and Sausage Ragu with Creamy Polenta

With the weather starting to cool off a bit, I had a hankering for something a little more hearty that I could still prepare on a weeknight. This recipe from Cooking Light incorporates mushrooms and turkey sausage into a tomato sauce to make a filling but lighter meal. The polenta is kicked up a notch with the addition of some cream cheese to add some decadence to the whole dish. I kept this recipe mostly in tact and just messed with some of the amounts for the ingredients. To see the original recipe, click here. Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 8 ounces hot turkey Italian sausage
  • 3/4 cup chopped onion
  • 20 oz sliced baby bella mushrooms
  • 2 large (or 4 small) garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon coconut aminos (or soy sauce if not gluten-free)
  • 2 1/2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 3 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
  • 1 tablespoon butter

Continue reading Mushroom and Sausage Ragu with Creamy Polenta

Stuffed Chicken and Herb Gravy with Creamy Polenta

I am seriously starting to think that Cooking Light has a way to read my thoughts. It’s like they know exactly what ingredient I want to work with next, or a particular product I might be craving, like this recipe for Stuffed Chicken and Herb Gravy. And I don’t mind that one bit.

The latest issue has a recipe for Stuffed Chicken and Herb Gravy with Creamy Polenta that upon seeing in the magazine, I immediately put on my boots, coat, hat, scarf, gloves, etc. etc. and headed for the supermarket, despite the slippery and freezing walk I had ahead of me (it’s a whopping 5 blocks away, but I still managed to almost fall a good 3 times). And I have to tell you, it was worth it.

(I posted this photo to Instagram before I left for the supermarket. hehe)

Chicken breasts stuffed with prosciutto and provolone, over creamy polenta, topped with an herb gravy… What’s not to like? The recipe suggested making it with bacon green beans, but we had some Brussels sprouts in the freezer that I wanted to use so I substituted them in instead.

Ingredients:

CHICKEN AND GRAVY:

  • 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  • 2 very thin prosciutto slices (about 1/2 ounce), halved
  • 4 (2/3-ounce) slices reduced-fat provolone cheese
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons minced shallots
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted chicken stock, divided
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon

POLENTA

  • 2 cups 1% low-fat milk
  • 1/3 cup unsalted chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup uncooked polenta (I just used yellow corn meal)
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • BACON BRUSSELS SPROUTS
  • 12 ounces frozen Brussels sprouts
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 2 bacon slices, chopped
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Continue reading Stuffed Chicken and Herb Gravy with Creamy Polenta

Creamy Corn Risotto

I tend to make a lot of mistakes when cooking. I won’t read the directions entirely through or will completely forget to pick up an ingredient and then at the last minute need to improvise. This time around, I actually read through the directions beforehand and had everything I needed, except I waited to long to use the Lobster and it had already gone bad. What an expensive mistake! So this recipe was originally a Lobster Corn Risotto, sigh. Anyways, it was still delicious and worth sharing!

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups water
  • 2 cups chopped onion
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 2 (8-ounce) bottles clam juice
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 1/4 cups Arborio rice
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels
  • 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1/3 cup chopped green onions
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Continue reading Creamy Corn Risotto

Chilled Creamy Cucumber Soup

Cucumbers are everywhere right now, and as much as I love just eating them raw, I thought it might be a nice change to try to use them cooked. Cucumber soup, chilled, sounds oh so refreshing doesn’t it? I found this recipe for Chilled Creamy Cucumber Soup from Eating Well.  It uses an avocado and some plain yogurt, making a really creamy delicious soup. Plus, it only takes 35 minutes to make (it is additional time to chill).
Ingredients:
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 4 cups peeled, seeded and thinly sliced cucumbers, divided
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth, or reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
  • 1/2 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt

Begin by prepping all your ingredients. Mince the garlic, dice the onion, peel, seed, and slice the cucumber, and dice your avocado. (I added a squeeze of lemon juice over the avocado to keep it from browning).
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add your onion and garlic to the pot, stirring occasionally. Cook for 4 minutes.
Add the lemon juice and cook for another minute. Add the cucumber, broth, salt, pepper, and cayenne (optional) and bring to a simmer.
Reduce heat and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the cucumbers are soft.

Add thesoupto a blender (be careful), removing the center of the top of the blender. Add the avocado and parsley.

Place a paper towel over the open hole before blending.  Blend on low until smooth. (I just do all of this in the pot using an immersion blender, I find it less hazardous hehe).

If you want to eat the soup hot, pour into a serving bowl and stir in the yogurt. Top with cucumber slices and garnish with parsley. If chilling the soup, refrigerate for at least one hour, then stir in the yogurt and garnish before serving.

The soup is smooth, a little tangy from the Greek yogurt, and ends with a slight hint of spice. I like mixing in the parsley and chopped cucumbers into the soup to give it some texture.

I love what I call “after work recipes.” I can make this when I get home and can eat before 8 pm. For an even more refreshing soup, try substituting mint or dill for the parsley.

Creamy Fresh Tomato Soup

Naturally, the day after I made my Grilled Tomato Orzo Salad in a Tomato Bowl pretending it was summer, the weather decided to do a 180 and veer into rainy cold sadness. Sigh. So what better way to use some of my Lipman Tomatoes than to make Creamy Tomato Soup? I found this recipe on Food Network and I had most of the ingredients already, win! I changed the recipe slightly for my tastes.
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
1 carrot, unpeeled and chopped
3 cloves minced garlic
12 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup packed chopped fresh basil leaves, plus julienned basil leaves, for garnish
3 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
Croutons, for garnish

Heat a large pot or a Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the olive oil. Chop the onion and carrot.
Saute for 10 minutes.
While waiting for the onion and carrot to soften, mince the garlic and set it aside. Roughly chop the tomatoes. Chop the basil.
Add the garlic to the pot and cook for 1 minute.
Add the tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste, basil, chicken stock, salt and pepper to the pot.
Stir well and bring to a boil.
Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
If you have an immersion blender, at this stage, use to puree the soup. If you don’t, remove half the mixture and add it to a blender. Blend until smooth; be sure to keep the center of the top off of the blender and cover with a paper towel. Repeat with remaining mixture. Return to the pot over medium-low heat.
The soup is honestly good to go at this point. Feel free to just stop here.
To make a creamy soup, add the cream to the soup and mix.
Serve with basil and croutons.

Oh my goodness. Not only is this super easy, but it is absolutely delicious.

Because the soup is made with so many fresh tomatoes, it’s important to use tomatoes at their peak.

This is a wonderfully thick soup so it’s a meal in itself, but rainy, cold days always make me want a favorite childhood staple:

Note: The original recipe used a food mill but I don’t have one. And I was not willing to peel the tomatoes so I blended them, and it worked out great. The soup ended up completely creamy.

Creamy Spring Pasta

I was talking to my mom on the phone earlier this week and she mentioned she was making a creamy pasta with peas (her favorite) for dinner. Naturally, I had some taste bud jealousy and decided that I needed to have that as well this week. Cooking Light’s most recent issue had this Creamy Spring Pasta which sounded fantastic so I was able to!
Ingredients:
3 quarts water
2 ounces French bread baguette, torn into pieces
1 tablespoon butter
3 garlic cloves, minced and divided
1 batch of asparagus, cut diagonally into two inch pieces
1 cup frozen peas and carrots mixture
6 ounces fresh spinach fettuccine
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/3 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
3 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated (about 1/4 cup packed)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the torn bread to a food processor (I just used my Magic Bullet) and process until it becomes coarse crumbs.
Melt the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add one minced garlic clove to the pan and cook for 1 minute.  Add the breadcrumbs and cook for 3 minutes, sitting frequently. Remove from pan and set aside. Wipe the pan down so that you can use it again.
Your pot should now be boiling. Add the asparagus and peas and carrots to the boiling water and cook for 3 minutes.
Use a slotted spoon to remove from the water (you need the water to cook the pasta). Add the vegetables to a colander and rinse with cold water.
Add the olive oil to the saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic cloves and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. While the onion and garlic are cooking, add the flour to a small bowl and gradually whisk in the chicken broth. Add this to the saute pan. Also stir in the milk, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook for 1 minute.
Add the pasta to the boiling water. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Drain and reserve.
Remove the milk mixture from heat. Add the Parmesan cheese, cream cheese, salt and pepper, stirring until the cheeses melt.
Add the pasta and reserved vegetables and toss to coat.
Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and tarragon and serve.
Doesn’t it just look like spring?
The sauce does a really great impression of a cream sauce. I honestly don’t think I’d be able to tell the difference between this sauce and one made with heavy cream.
I wish I had added some of the tarragon to the sauce as well to get more of that flavor, but it was still nice as little bites of tarragon flavor.
Asparagus this time of year is just perfect. It was still crisp and bright so it stood out through the cream sauce.
And the toasted bread crumbs were awesome. An extra crunch to top off the dish!

Reuben with Homemade Sauerkraut

What do you do with left over Corned Beef and Cabbage? Make Reubens of course!
Because we still had some of the Creamy Horseradish Dijon sauce from the Corned Beef and Cabbage, I substituted that for thousand island dressing. Past that, this recipe is pretty traditional.
I still had half a cabbage left so I decided to make my own sauerkraut using a “fast” method so I could enjoy a Reuben with Homemade Sauerkraut today instead of waiting days for the sauerkraut to be ready.
Ingredients:
Sauerkraut:
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 a small onion, chopped
  • 1/2 a head of cabbage, roughly chopped
  • 1/3 cup cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup apple juice
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds

Reuben:

  • 2 tablespoons butter, divided
  • Left over corned beef, thinly sliced
  • Sauerkraut (recipe above)
  • Rye bread
  • Swiss cheese
  • Creamy Horseradish Dijion (recipe here), or thousand island dressing

Continue reading Reuben with Homemade Sauerkraut

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