Spinach Pesto with Cremini Mushrooms

Our first Food for Todd creation turned out pretty well! I used cashews here, but next time I think I'll experiment with pistachios. 

Finals time is closing in for law students - only 2 weeks now! I'm striving for a productive evening over here, and if you're studying, too, here's some inspiration:

“Forget about likes and dislikes. They are of no consequence. Just do what must be done. This may not be happiness but it is greatness.” - George Bernard Shaw 

Spinach Pesto with Cremini Mushrooms

By Food for Todd

Find

- 1 bunch spinach, stems removed

- About 3/4 cup roasted cashews (or walnuts or pistachios)

- 4-5 (or 6?) cloves garlic

- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

- 2 boxes cremini (button) mushrooms, roughly chopped

- 1 bag farfalle pasta

- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese 

- salt and pepper to taste

- lemon juice

Do

In food processor, add spinach, cashews/walnuts/pistacios, garlic and process until smooth. Then, slowly add the 1/4 EVOO.

Cook your pasta. BAM!

While pasta is cooking, cook mushrooms in a large skillet over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes.

Drain pasta then add to mushrooms and toss. Add pesto on top. Add your cheese on top of that and mix. Add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.

G-Ma's Famous Mac and Cheese - This Time, With Beer

Todd snapped a pic of me on my way to my first class of 2L year!  Good morning, Evidence!  

(Do you see my yoga mat poking out?  I've got my schedule set so I can go 1-2x during the week to break up my day.)

And when I got home, Todd was pulling his grandma's famous mac and cheese out of the oven!  I'm such a lucky girl!  

We've made some slight modifications to the original recipe - we subbed flour for cornstarch and added ham, and beer (!).

Enjoy this everyone, and give your grandma a hug!

G-Ma's Famous Mac and Cheese, with Beer 

Serves 4, probably should serve 8
From Grandma McMullen


Ingredients
1 box of cooked elbow pasta

2 T butter
2 T flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/8 tsp pepper
2 full cups of milk, may just a splash more
1/2 can of beer (we used Epicenter, which tastes like Kiltlifter)
2 cups (or more!) sharp (extra sharp?) cheddar cheese
Pre-cooked ham cubes (enough)
Italian bread crumbs

In a small, heavy saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over low heat.
Blend 2 tablespoons of flour into the melted butter.
Add dry mustard powder, salt and pepper.
Cook over medium-low heat, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes.
Slowly add the the beer, followed by the milk, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and add the cheese.  Stir into cooked macaroni, then mix in ham cubes.  Pour into a casserole dish.  Sprinkle with bread crumbs.  Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.

Rotini Pasta with Sausage and Greens

Three portions tonight!  

I got to work at 8am and skipped out right around 4pm - just in time to make it to mat pilates at 4:30.  Scooted home after that and before I knew it was time for Gayl to come over and work on the by laws for Vernacular Revolution.  I wasn't quite finished with dinner, but Gayl hadn't eaten yet it either so it worked out ... and we even managed to get some work done :)

Ms. Simply Recipes topped this pasta with some parm, which I totally support.  Unfortunately, Todd and I ate all our parmesan cheese last week.  Darn.  Kale has a strong taste, and if you're not used to it, I would definitely recommend using the parmesan.  I also seasoned my portion with salt, pepper, and red pepper ;)

Rotini Pasta  with Sausage and Greens

Slightly adapted from Simply Recipes, serves 4-6

Ingredients
1lb. rotini pasta
1 lb. hot Italian pork sausage
1 bunch kale, chopped (center stem removed & discarded)
1 bunch green onions (including white parts)

6 garlic cloves, diced
1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes (or add more to your portion to taste)
1 1/2 cups chicken stock

Directions
1.Cook pasta as directed. 

2. While pasta is being prepared, cook kale in chicken stock for about 12 minutes.  Set green aside, or if pasta is done, just dump greens on top of pasta (including extra juices).

2. While greens are cooking, sauté Italian sausage until brown - about 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove sausage from pan. Add green onions to pan, sauté until soft. Add garlic and cook for a minute more.

3. When pasta is done, drain and return to pan. Toss together with the greens, sausage, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. Add chile pepper flakes to taste.

Creamy Pesto Fettuccine with Asparagus, Peas, and Edamame

Happy New Year, friends!  

Todd and I had a great Christmas break visiting family in Michigan.  Eating highlights included: lamb burgers and beer at the Arbor Brewing Company in Ann Arbor, shrimp mold, and cookies...we ate a million of them.  Seriously, a million.  oh and homemade sweet pickles.  I cleaned out my mother-in-law's jar...twice.  

And here are a few pics from a photo booth our friends set up for a new year's party!  yay!  

And, while all of this has admittedly little to do with creamy pesto fettucine, I've still got to tell you about it.  It's a total staple around here.  The pesto makes this dish feel so indulgent that I use fat free Greek yogurt.  I love edamame, so I usually double up on those.  Egg noodles give the dish a lighter feel but regular semolina pasta works great also.  Don't forget to taste for seasonings!  

PS: Asparagus is totes not in season right now, so it can be kinda spendy at the moment....

Creamy Pesto Fettucine with Asparagus, Peas, and Edamame

Serves 4

(Adapted from Pink of Perfection)

1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1-inch segments
1 cup unshelled edamame beans — I used frozen
1/2 cup frozen or fresh peas
1/2 cup pesto
2 heaping tablespoons Greek yogurt
1 pound egg fettucine
chopped fresh chives to sprinkle on top

Bring a large pot of water to boil for the pasta, and cook until al dente.  Meanwhile, shell the edamame, if necessary. Heat 1/4 cup water in a medium-sized skillet until boiling. Dump in asparagus, and steam for three minutes. Lower heat and stir in edamame and peas, stirring until heated through and then drain. In a small bowl, stir together Greek yogurt and pesto. Return pasta to its cooking pot, and toss with pesto mixture and steamed vegetables. Sprinkle with chives and enjoy while dreamily staring into your lover's eyes.

Pumpkin and Sausage Pasta

Here--have some pumpkin!  

Todd made this guy.  

This recipe is so Rachel Ray...it's just soooo like her to do this.  The meat is easily omitted, since we ate the sausage in the process of cooking.  You can also forgo the cream because the pumpkin does pretty much the same thing.  If you want some more punkin', you might try this thing here.  

If you're into Rachel Ray recipes, may I recommend this guy here?

Pumpkin and Sausage Pasta

(adapted from Rachel Ray)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon

1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage

4 cloves garlic, cracked and chopped

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 bay leaf, fresh or dried

4 to 6 sprigs sage leaves, cut into chiffonade, about 2 tablespoons

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup chicken stock, canned or paper container

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup (3 turns around the pan) heavy cream (or omit, like I did)

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, ground or freshly grated

Coarse salt and black pepper

1 pound penne rigate, cooked to al dente

Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and brown the sausage in it. Transfer sausage to paper towel lined plate. Drain fat from skillet and return pan to the stove. Add the remaining tablespoon oil, and then the garlic and onion. Saute 3 to 5 minutes until the onions are tender.

Add bay leaf, sage, and wine to the pan. Reduce wine by half, about 2 minutes. Add stock and pumpkin and stir to combine, stirring sauce until it comes to a bubble. Return sausage to pan, reduce heat, and stir in cream. Season the sauce with the cinnamon and nutmeg, and salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer mixture 5 to 10 minutes to thicken sauce.

Return drained pasta to the pot you cooked it in. Remove the bay leaf from sauce and pour the sausage pumpkin sauce over pasta. Combine sauce and pasta and toss over low heat for 1 minute. Garnish the pasta with lots of shaved cheese and sage leaves.