Tag: Crushed Red Pepper

Rigatoni Sausage Arrabbiata

If you follow my posts somewhat regularly, you know that pasta is a very important part of my life. In fact, it gets its own day each week. Every Sunday is pasta night in my house!

I tend to make big batches of Meatballs in Tomato Sauce so we always have some on hand in the freezer, but there are many a Sunday where I open my freezer only to realize I am completely sauce-less. So this recipe for Rigatoni Sausage Arrabbiata is perfect for the nights I want to whip up a quick pasta dinner in no time without sacrificing flavor!

I started making this recipe when I came across Wilmington-based Rockford Catering‘s Tomato Sauce, made by owner and Chef John Wigton. John grew up in Northern Delaware and received his Culinary Arts Degree from Delaware Technical Community College. He has worked in the hospitality business for 20+ years and established Rockford Catering in 2017. And his sauce is legit!

The chunky tomato sauce is flavored with onions, garlic, and basil, and is really great on its own heated up over pasta.

Rockford Catering also (obviously) provides catering services, like this tasty Valentine’s Day menu currently available. Even better, they deliver! The tomato sauce can be delivered (at no additional cost) anywhere within the state of Delaware and within a 45-minute radius of Wilmington or Rehoboth Beach. Order online here.

Rockford Catering’s sauce is vegetarian (they also sell a vegan version), so I decided to add in some hot Italian sausage from my local butcher to enhance the flavor. The result is this super easy Rigatoni Sausage Arrabbiata recipe!

Ingredients:

  • 1 (16 oz) box rigatoni
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 lb hot Italian sausage, removed from its casing (I love that Primal Supply sells it already out of the casing!)
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or more to taste
  • 1 (32oz) jar tomato sauce, like Rockford Catering’s Tomato Sauce
  • fresh basil, for garnish

Continue reading Rigatoni Sausage Arrabbiata

Speck and Anchovy Pasta with Garlic Breadcrumbs

Note: I was sent a sample of Speck Alto Adige PGI in order to write this post. All opinions are mine alone. #sponsored

During the winter, I cannot get enough comfort food recipes. To me, Italian food is the ultimate comfort food — usually quite simple to make, with a few high quality ingredients that make the meal good enough to share with company. 

I wanted to highlight an ingredient that you may not have heard about before: Speck Alto Adige PGI. From the Alto Adige region of Italy, Speck Alto Adige PGI is ham that has been air cured and lightly smoked. It can be used in recipes that call for bacon or prosciutto, and add a nice smoky, herby flavor to the dish. When buying, look for the PGI certification. The PGI certification of Speck Alto Adige means “protected geographical indication” and ensures that you are buying an authentic product made in its area of origin under strict guidelines. 

To highlight the uncommon but delicious flavor of Speck Alto Adige PGI, I decided to make a speck and anchovy pasta topped with garlic breadcrumbs.

This recipe for Speck and Anchovy Pasta with Garlic Breadcrumbs is based off an Epicurious recipe and delivers great flavor without a lot of effort. It just so happens to mostly use ingredients that I tend to have around my house, so that was a nice perk too!

Ingredients:

  • 8 garlic cloves, divided
  • 2 cups of day old bread, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • the zest of 1 lemon
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 half cup olive oil, divided
  • 4 oz cubed speck
  • 1 tablespoon anchovy paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • the juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 (16 oz) box linguine
  • 2 oz freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
  • 1/2 cup chopped parsley
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Continue reading Speck and Anchovy Pasta with Garlic Breadcrumbs

Red Lentil and Butternut Squash Soup

It’s most certainly soup season!

My husband says he doesn’t like soup, but he honestly just doesn’t like thin broth soups, like traditional chicken noodle soup. So I’m always in search of soup recipes that are thicker based — not necessarily from cream. Pureed vegetable soups have become a favorite in my house!

This recipe from Saveur for Red Lentil and Butternut Squash Soup mentions that it originates from Palestine, but I haven’t been able to find a similar butternut squash and red lentil soup to confirm that. No matter where this recipe originally comes from, the result is a perfect colder weather soup- creamy, filling, with a little bit of heat!

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 medium carrots,  chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1 medium white onion, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red chile flakes
  • 1 pound peeled, seeded, and chopped butternut squash
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 6 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock to make vegetarian/vegan)
  • 1 cup red lentils
  • Paprika, for garnish
  • Lemon wedges, for serving

Continue reading Red Lentil and Butternut Squash Soup

Linguine and Clams

I’m sure this happens to everyone: you go out and buy ingredients for a specific recipe, but then are left with “extras” from that recipe. Normally, it’s not a big deal and you can just incorporate it easily into another recipe. But when I went to make Sheet Pan Paella recently, my supermarket was only selling 50 packs of clams. That’s a lot of clams!

To use them up, I decided to make Linguine and Clams, but used what I had on hand to make it work. So, technically, I made spaghetti and clams. And it tasted just as good. 🙂

I love the relative simplicity of this dish. It also reminds me of my grandpa; linguine and clams were his favorite. So I was surprised that I hadn’t posted a recipe for Linguine and Clams on my blog yet. Time to fix that!

I adapted this version of Linguine and Clams from Bon Appetit.

Ingredients:

  • 1 heaping tablespoon salt
  • 12 garlic cloves, divided
  • 4 oz day old bread, cut into smaller pieces (I used half of a sandwich roll)
  • 2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup olive oil
  • the zest of one lemon
  • 2 teaspoons anchovy paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 2 dozen clams, scrubbed
  • 1 (16 oz) box linguine (or spaghetti)
  • 1/2 cup chopped parsley (I randomly had curly parsley on hand. Flat works too)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Continue reading Linguine and Clams

Chunky Beef and Vegetable Chili

Note: I was sent a box of various Bob’s Red Mill products to make the below recipe. Opinions are mine alone.

This past weekend, a friend and I got together to stock our freezers. The fall is a super busy time of year for most, so we wanted to have a variety of meals ready to make some nights (and mornings) easier. We settled on eleven (11!) recipes, organized a shopping list split between the two of us, and set up prep work (chopping veggies for the most part) for the night before. The next morning, we met at my place and got to cooking!

Chili is a go-to freezer recipe. Not only does it freeze well, but it works great on its own, with cornbread, over polenta, as a “dip” with corn chips, with eggs for breakfast, etc. This recipe originally began as a vegetarian chili, but we had more ground beef leftover, so in it went!

I am a firm believer that dried beans make for a tastier dish than canned beans. There is some prep work needed, but it is very much worth it. I used Bob’s Red Mill Red Kidney Beans and Cannellini Beans for this recipe.

source: bobsredmill.com

We made a LOT of this chili, somewhere around 20 servings, so I’ve scaled it down for this post to make it more appropriate. Feel free to double if needed.

Note: I will share and link all of our recipes below. It was quite a successful cooking day!

Ingredients (makes 8-10 servings):

  • 12 oz dried Bob’s Red Mill Red Kidney Beans (~1/2 bag)
  • 12 oz dried Bob’s Red Mill Cannellini Beans (1/2 bag)
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (in bite sized pieces)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large red bell peppers
  • 4tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 (28 oz) can no-salt-added tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • cilantro, chopped, for garnish

Continue reading Chunky Beef and Vegetable Chili

Chimichurri Roasted Chicken with Potatoes and Onions

My husband and I just moved into a new home, so I wanted to make one of my first meals here extra homey!

This recipe for Chimichurri Roasted Chicken is perfect for a Sunday night and is hearty to feed 6 people.

The original recipe used cilantro in the chimichurri, but I didn’t have any on hand, so I used parsley instead.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, divided
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 2 bone-in chicken breasts
  • 3 bone-in chicken thighs
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1.5 pounds baby red potatoes
  • 2 small red onions, cut into wedges

Continue reading Chimichurri Roasted Chicken with Potatoes and Onions

Pasta Alla Norma

Created with De Cecco

Pasta night at my house is a very important night. Every Sunday, we have a pasta dish, but like to switch up what exactly the dish is. It’s always fun to experiment with new ingredients, with pasta always being the constant.

So it is pretty important for me to use premium pasta, like De Cecco Authentic Italian Dry Pasta. Since 1886, De Cecco has made its pasta in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. The 130-year-old company still uses its original family recipe and high-quality ingredients to create a variety of pasta types.

De Cecco pasta is made with only the best coarse durum semolina, whereas flour is used in most other ordinary pasta brands. This translates into De Cecco being a firmer pasta that doesn’t get mushy or fall apart, even if you overcook it by a minute or two.

This week, I had a hankering for eggplant, so I decided to make Pasta Alla Norma. Pasta Alla Norma is a pasta dish with fried eggplant slices tossed in a chunky tomato sauce. The dish is topped with grated ricotta salata and basil.

Note: Ricotta Salata in America doesn’t pack as much punch as its Italian counterpart. If you can find it, go for an Aged Ricotta Salata. If not, use a bit of grated pecorino Romano along with your Ricotta Salata.

Ingredients:

  • 4 medium sized eggplants (look for ones that feel heavy for their size)
  • ½ cup olive oil, plus more if needed
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 (28 oz) can of San Marzano whole tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
  • 1 (16 oz) box De Cecco spaghetti
  • ¼ cup thinly sliced basil
  • ¼ cup grated ricotta salata
  • ¼ cup grated pecorino Romano
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Continue reading Pasta Alla Norma

One Pot Cheesy Pasta Bake

There are some nights where I just don’t want to cook, mainly because I don’t want to clean up after I cook — so many dishes!

On such nights, I reach for a one-pot meal. This Cheesy Pasta Bake from this month’s Cooking Light is all made in one pot and has dinner on the table in 30 minutes. I doubled the recipe so that it would work for a normal sized box of pasta (16 oz), so now I have lunch for the week too!

 

Ingredients (serves 8):

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 12 ounces 90% lean ground beef
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 1/2 cups unsalted chicken stock
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 (14.5 oz can) unsalted crushed tomatoes
  • 16 ounces uncooked penne pasta
  • 1 (28 oz) can tomato puree
  • 10 ounces fresh baby spinach
  • 8 ounces preshredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)

Continue reading One Pot Cheesy Pasta Bake

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork with Bourbon Peach Barbecue Sauce

Summer months are just meant for barbecue. And not just barbecued foods on the grill; your slow cooker can make some mean pulled pork for you as well! This recipe for Pulled Pork with Bourbon Peach Barbecue Sauce is perfect for a crowd and is great on a kaiser bun with some coleslaw!

I found this recipe in my Cooking Light magazine, made it over the weekend, and enjoyed it during the week for a quick meal to assemble. I also froze half of the pork to bring to the beach for my extended family to enjoy and it held up great! I changed the recipe a bit because I ended up with a 5.5 pound pork shoulder so I altered the amounts to compensate for that.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 (5 1/2-pound) bone-in pork shoulder roast (Boston butt), trimmed
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup unsalted chicken stock
  • 2/3 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2/3 cup molasses
  • 1/4 cup lower-sodium soy sauce (or coconut aminos to make gluten free)
  • 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
  • 1 8 oz jar peach preserves
  • 2 cups vertically sliced onion
  • 8 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup bourbon
  • 3 tablespoons cold water
  • 1 tablespoons cornstarch

Continue reading Slow Cooker Pulled Pork with Bourbon Peach Barbecue Sauce

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

We (hopefully) just had our last snow of the season. This has been one crazy winter! I figured I should make just one more “comfort food” perfect for a cold winter day. This recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore from Cooking Light uses a slow cooker to make tender chicken thighs in a slightly spicy chunky tomato broth. (Cacciatore, or “hunter”, in Italian usually refers to a dish made with tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, and wine.)

You only have to cook the chicken in the slow cooker for 4 hours, so this recipe isn’t exactly good for a weeknight if you work during the day. It would make a great Saturday meal; prepare everything in the early afternoon to have dinner ready that night.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 2 pounds)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 cup dry red wine
  • 1/2 cup tomato puree
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons capers
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can unsalted petite diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Continue reading Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

Peach-Glazed Salmon with Raspberries

February is Heart Health Month, which brings awareness to heart disease, the leading cause of death for men and women, and how to prevent it. A simple way to keep your heart healthy is to maintain a healthy diet, filled with fruits and vegetables (It is recommended that you eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily), as well as choosing foods low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol and high in fiber.

This recipe for Peach-Glazed Salmon with Raspberries is packed with heart-healthy benefits:

  • Salmon’s omega-3 fatty acids help to reduce blood pressure and blood clots. Having two servings of salmon a week can reduce your risk of having a fatal heart attach by up to one-third! (You can read more about it here).
  • Raspberries have 4 grams of fiber per half cup, with 25% of your daily recommended amount of vitamin C and manganese. (More info here.)

 

Driscoll’s sent me a few coupons so that I could add some yummy raspberries to recipes throughout February.  Their raspberries are certified by the American Heart Association and have received the trusted Heart-Check Mark as a heart-healthy food.

Not only is this recipe a great way to keep your heart healthy, it can also be made in under 20 minutes!

 

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup peach spread (such as Polaner All Fruit)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 cup fresh raspberries
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Cooking spray

Continue reading Peach-Glazed Salmon with Raspberries

Seafood Arrabbiata

My boyfriend and I have been trying to eat less meat and increase our seafood, shellfish, and vegetarian dinner options. In general, vegetarian and fish dinner options are also a great choice for a weeknight dinner because they take very little time to prepare.

 

This recipe for Seafood Arrabbiata from Cooking Light incorporates a few different types of shellfish into a spicy tomato broth that is served over pasta.

“Arrabbiata” means “angry” in Italian alluding to the spiciness of the dish. You can alter the spices to your liking. I’d suggest adding very little crushed red pepper, and then having a shaker of red pepper when serving so each person can customize their level of heat.

Ingredients (serves 4):

  • 1 (16oz box) uncooked linguine
  • 2 tablespoons chili olive oil, divided  (I used Nudo Olive Oil with Sicilian Chillies), (can substitute regular olive oil)
  • 8 ounces sea scallops
  • 8 ounces peeled and deveined medium shrimp
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (or 1/2 teaspoon if using regular olive oil)
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon anchovy paste, optional
  • 1 (28oz) can diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup tomato puree
  • 1/2 cup clam juice
  • 24 littleneck clams
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish

Continue reading Seafood Arrabbiata

Exit mobile version