Girls Night IN with pasta and Greek Salad

Girls Night In. Now that is my kind of evening! Jessica and I have been spending a lot of time together in recent weeks, getting back to the way we used to hang out and cook, read through cookbooks, drink a bottle of wine, watch a movie and just relax. Since we've been thrift shopping we both have some cool new cookbooks to flip through and that means lots of recipes to try. We pick a weekend night, buy a bottle or two of wine, and pick a movie. We cook, we laugh, we sit on the deck and enjoy the cool evening breeze and just catch up. 

Friday night we went to see a new movie that's out- Paris Can Wait. It's a cute story of a woman, played by Diane Lane, and friend, played by Arnaud Viard, traveling across France to get to Paris. She is in a hurry, but the friend, her husband's business partner, is a Frenchman and wants to share the beauty of his homeland with his new friend. The places they stop are fascinating, as she learns about the ancient history of France, and along the way they stop to eat. And eat. And have wine. Beautiful wines, beautiful foods. She is not only learning about France, but also about herself along the way. It's great movie, Jessica and I both loved it and swore we would go there one of these days. Since we had enjoyed this moving so much she asked if I had ever seen Midnight in Paris. I had not, so she said hey, let's make some dinner, open a bottle of wine and watch the movie! So just like the old days, we had a girls night in planned.

I offered to cook, and I was craving spaghetti and meat sauce. A quick trip to the grocery store, a side trip to Starbucks for a beverage, and we headed back to my house for our evening. First on the agenda- let that beautiful bottle of wine breathe while I cut up the vegetables for salad. I've also been craving The Chef's Greek salad for a while so I got that going while Jessica got the meat started for the sauce. Once the salad was chilling in the fridge and the meat sauce was simmering, we poured a glass of wine and headed for the deck. The sounds of the city made a nice backdrop to our conversation on my tiny deck packed with pots of herbs and peppers growing. We played music- all kinds of music, some rock, some Amy Winehouse, some Lady Gaga, some Latin, some 70s.....and worked our way through that bottle of wine.

After dinner we watched the movie and the evening wound down with a slice of apple pie and cinnamon swirl ice cream. That, my friends, is my idea of a perfect Girls Night.

The Baker's Greek Salad

1 English cucumber

4 Roma tomatoes

2 medium bell peppers

1 red onion

1 cup Kalamata olives

8 oz chunk Feta cheese*

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

salt and pepper

Cut the cucumber into quarters lengthwise, then crosswise into 1/4 inch chunks. Place in large salad bowl.

Cut the Roma tomatoes into quarters lengthwise, then similar sized chunks. Cut the bell peppers and red onion into chunks. Halve the olives. Add to the bowl.

Cut the Feta cheese into bite sized chunks. Add to vegetables in the bowl. Drizzles the olive oil over, then the vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and toss gently to coat everything but not so rough that the cheese breaks up. Serve. Salad also holds well in the fridge.

* I used HyVee brand Tomato and Basil Feta. It was so delicious in this recipe I highly suggest you find a tomato and basil Feta for your salad. If HyVee is not in your area, I'm sure other brands are available. 

The Greek salad was the perfect side dish to our homemade meat sauce and spaghetti. We paired it with a Tempranillo and Malbec blend that was the perfect dry red for pasta. Innovac!on is an Argentinian wine from the Santa Rosa vineyard in Mendoza. 70% Tempranillo and 30% Malbec, the hand-picked grapes are handles in small batches. The grapes are sustainably farmed with irrigation provided by pure mountain spring water in he vineyard that is wildlife friendly and conservation-minded.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Nothing Special but Delicious- Tuna Noodle Casserole

Sometimes when we cook at home, we go way out, and other times we just make something "not special." We aren't too proud to throw a frozen pizza in the oven, or even hit a drive thru someplace and get something fried and not healthy. We might make a fabulous meal with seared scallops and meticulously prepared risotto, but we are just as likely to slap a couple grilled cheese together. It's not surprising that on this Monday evening after a long day at work, neither one of us wanted to cook. Sadly, it's a necessary evil and I drew the short straw.

Recently I made a batch of my Mom's famous shrimp salad. The Chef gobbled it all right up and said it was something I needed to make all the time. Duly noted. My next trip to the store I stocked up on pasta and salad ingredients. I happened to stop in a smaller store and unbelievably they didn't have the baby shrimp I needed, so I grabbed some tuna. Mom used to make it with tuna once in a while so I figured I'd just tuck it in the cabinet until I made the salad again. 

Fast forward to Monday evening and our choices were a whole chicken that would need to be butchered before cooking, and cans of tuna. We weren't feeling a cold salad for dinner so...... why not whip up a tuna and noodle casserole and dinner is done? That's exactly what I did. I had a bag of frozen mixed vegetables in the freezer, plenty of cheese and some fun pasta shapes so dinner was in the oven in a snap. Here is how I made it.

The Baker's Tuna Noodle Casserole

2 cans tuna in water, drained and broken into chunks

1 lb package pasta such as farfalle or shells

1 can evaporated milk

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

2 teaspoons onion powder

salt and pepper

fresh chives or scallions

panko bread crumbs

3 tablespoons butter

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the pasta and cook per package directions until just al dente. Do not overcook- the pasta is going to be baked. 

Place the frozen vegetables in a large colander. Drain the pasta right over the vegetables. Let stand to completely drain pasta.

Meanwhile, in the same pot, add the evaporated milk and one can of water. Bring to boil, then remove from heat and stir in the cheese until melted. Season with salt and pepper and add fresh chives or scallions (a couple tablespoons is fine) and the onion powder. Return the pasta and vegetables to the pot. Add the tuna and gently stir to coat the pasta.

Pour into well buttered 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle the top generously with panko bread crumbs. Melt the butter and drizzle over. Pop in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly and golden brown on top. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

Wasn't that easy? No canned cream of something soup needed to get a rich and creamy sauce. The panko make a butery crunchy top crust and those vegetables. LOVE those vegetables. Who doesn't love lima beans?!?!

Summer Shrimp Salad, Just Like Mom Used to Make

Well, Memorial Day is now in the rear view mirror and the unofficial kickoff to summer has begun. While I'm not looking forward to the heavy humid August air that hangs over Iowa like a wet blanket, I certainly will take the breezy 70s and 80s of June! It's the perfect time of year for dining al fresco. Living back in the city, I am blessed to be surrounded by hundreds of choices for some lovely patio dining. The suburban restaurants, of course, have patios. They have lots of room for building that in when the restaurant is built. Now even the downtown restaurants are setting up patios. Sidewalk patios, or little nooks carved out of alleys and access ways are popping up like mushrooms allover downtown Des Moines.

When I was a little girl, Mom and Dad bought a house. I remember them looking at several houses that I really thought we should live in. Lots of cute two story homes in neighborhoods on the south side of the city. They decided we should live in Thornton Place and found a lovely ranch house, nothing too fancy, just the right amount of room for our family of four. I think the selling feature for my dad was probably the porch. Around the back of the house, just steps out of the kitchen was a screened in back porch easily the size of the living room. Dad loved this porch, and quickly set about decorating it and finding the right furniture. A couch for relaxing, a telephone and television to bring a little of the inside outside and a dining table and chairs filled the back porch and basically became another room of the house. Most nights we had our dinner out there during the summer months. Even if it was a rainy day, if it wasn't a crazy thunderstorm with wind, we could still enjoy the fresh outdoor air. 

Dinners in the summer at our house also meant some of Mom's traditional dinners. One thing she made that we all loved was a big pot of green beans, baby potatoes and ham. She had a German name for it, but I couldn't even begin to spell it, but just for fun, I'll try. Bohnen Gamese. Whatever that means! Because Dad always had a decent garden going, it wasn't uncommon for use to have an all-veggie dinner of sliced tomatoes from the garden, sprinkled with the tiniest bit of sugar, sliced cucumbers with vinegar and oil and a massive pot of hot sweet corn. How I loved those dinners. By far, though, my favorite summer dinner my mom made was her pasta salad with baby shrimp. I have no idea where she learned to make it, but it hands down is my favorite summer salad. She always, and I mean always, used the medium shell pasta. No farfalle, no penne or campanelle. Shells, always. Pasta, a can of baby shrimp (always the canned shrimp too, Mom preferred this over fresh), some chopped vegetables, usually whatever she had in the fridge, always celery and onions, and you might find diced cucumber in the bowl. Diced radishes sometimes. Black olives, always. The simplest of dressings- mayonnaise, not the salad dressing junk, a squeeze of plain yellow mustard and a splash of pickle juice, a little salt and pepper, and that's it. 

Mom's Salad recipe doesn't change much when I make it. I might add a shredded carrot if I have one, or some diced cucumber if I don't have any celery. If my celery has nice leaves, I go ahead and chop those up and throw them in too. Sometimes I swap a can of tuna for the shrimp, because, yes Mom did that too quite a bit. The only "upgrade" I have made to Mom's family favorite is to skip the salt and pepper and use Sinful Food's Signature Seasoning. Best decision ever. It literally has everything in there you could possibly want to season your dish, and then some. Even The Chef remarked how good the salad is with the seasoning.

You can get your Sinful Food Signature Seasoning by clicking HERE.

Mom's Summer Shrimp Salad 

1 pound medium shell shaped pasta

1 can baby shrimp

1/2 cup sliced black olives

2 ribs celery

2 scallions

1/4 cup diced dill pickle

1 cup mayonnaise, plus more

2 tablespoons yellow mustard

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

splash of pickle juice

Signature Seasoning 

Bring a large pot of salted water to a full rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook until just tender, drain and rinse with cold water. Add to a big bowl. 

Drain the baby shrimp and add to pasta in the bowl. Drain and add the olives. Finely dice the celery ribs and add to bowl. Slice scallions, and in the bowl they go along with the diced pickles. Sprinkle the fresh dill over and Signature Seasoning, toss, then add mayonnaise and mustard, mixing well. Taste and add additional Signature Seasoning to taste. 

Cover and chill overnight. Stir before serving, adding additional mayo if needed. 

I'm telling you, when I was a kid this was a big time favorite at our house for summer dinners in the screens in porch. The backyard was so shady and cool, the screens kept the bugs out but it still felt like we were eating outdoors. I loved that old porch, and wish I had one where I live right now. Good memories....... 

Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a "sponsored post." As a Brand Ambassador, the company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift or something of value. Regardless,  I only recommend products or services I believe are of good quality and safe. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Garlic Shrimp with Fusilli

Mother Nature, you are not my friend anymore! What in the actual heck is going on with you? We've had almost no snow all winter, days and weeks in the 60s and 70s and now you're snowing on me again. So depressing and frustrating. The sneak peaks of spring weather really make me want to get outside and plant things. Fresh herbs, big pots of tomato and pepper plants, a few flowers here and there, edible of course, for spicing up salads. The only good thing about these cold and snowy days is I am forced to bundle up in the house and cook something. Soul warming dishes like pastas usually end up on the table on days like this and today we're making a quick pasta dish that features lots of shrimp and garlic, herbs and sauced with olive oil and butter instead of heavy red sauce. It's quick enough for a weeknight even.

For my protein I chose shrimp. Hey, I love shrimp. Even as a little kid I was more than likely going to order "fimps" when out to dinner with my parents. Shrimp is a seafood that's readily available and not terribly pricey. Make sure you use uncooked shrimp and not the pre-cooked, which will result in pasta with rubber garlic nuggets. Not what you're looking for at all. For most dishes I buy the size 41-50 shrimp. If you're not sure what this means, just ask at the fish counter or check the package if frozen. The number refers to the number of shrimp make up a pound. I find this size to be the best in recipes- they are bite size but not teeny like salad shrimp. Be sure to peel off the shells and legs and remove the black vein completely. You do not want to eat that. Always pat them dry with paper towels so they cook without steaming.

This recipe features Sinful Food garlic olive oil and Signature Seasoning. I have really fallen in love with these products and can't imagine cooking without them. The Signature Seasoning never gets put on my spice shelf- it sits right on my work area because I use it that often. Seriously guys, there is nothing this stuff doesn't taste great on. Nothing. The olive oil is beyond amazing with all that fresh garlic flavor and aroma. It's delicious in the simplest croutons to the most complicated French recipe. 

I also had been saving the imported fusilli I picked up at Graziano's when Mary and Angi and I went shopping there a few weeks ago. You can read all about that adventure by clicking HERE. 

The quality of this brand of pasta is just incredible. The pasta shape stays fully intact after cooking, it doesn't become too mushy too quickly, and it has a very fresh texture- almost as if it was freshly made and not a dried pasta. Believe me, I had to pry this out of The Chef's hands a number of times just trying to keep it for the right recipe. This was definitely the right recipe. Quite a few of my foodie and chef friends also recommended this brand and shared stories about the high quality and how much they love using this. Graziano's is absolutely the right place to get great imported Italian foods in Des Moines. I really need to get back over there and restock my pasta hoard.

Pan Grilled Garlic Shrimp with Fusilli

12 ounces uncooked shrimp

8 cloves garlic

3-4 tablespoons Sinful Food garlic olive oil

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

Sinful Food Signature Seasoning

1 lb fusilli pasta

Start a large pot of salted water to boil.

Remove shells (and tails, I prefer) from the shrimp and devein. Pat shrimp dry with paper towels and place on plate. Season generously with the Signature Seasoning.

Place the garlic on a chopping board and very finely mince. Set aside. Chop the herbs and set aside.

When the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving one cup of the cooking water. Keep warm.

Heat a large heavy skillet (cast iron is great) over high heat until very hot. Add a couple tablespoons of garlic olive oil. Add the shrimp, in a single layer. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the shrimp are beginning to brown. Flip and cook on the other side another minute or two. Remove from skillet and keep warm. Add remaining olive oil to skillet, then add garlic. Reduce heat and cook, stirring constantly, for one minute. Add the crushed red pepper and thyme. Cook for a minute or two until garlic is tender but not brown. Add the stick of butter and half a cup of the pasta water. 

Bring to boil and cook until butter is melted and sauce is emulsified. Add the shrimp and parsley back into the sauce. 

Add the pasta, tossing to coat, adding additional pasta water if needed. Serve immediately.

You can get dinner on the table in under 30 minutes with a fast recipe like this. The pasta takes the longest to cook. Just grab some crusty bread to serve with, and a fresh salad. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a "sponsored post." As a Brand Ambassador, the company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift or something of value. Regardless,  I only recommend products or services I believe are of good quality and safe. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Easy Weeknight Gnocchi Skillet Dinner for Two

Someone recently asked me what my favorite cuisine would be. That was a tough question. I love so many different foods from so many different cultures, and I'm always trying new things and falling in love with new ethnic foods. To try and narrow it down to just one was difficult. Of course I love American foods, what's not to love about burgers and fried chicken and comfort foods? I'm part German so of course traditional German foods are part of my childhood and have a spot in my heart. French food is a part time obsession of mine, and so is Chinese/Asian food. Yes, I had considerable difficulty pinning just one down, but in the end, I went with........Italian. 

Italian cuisine is a lot more varied than many people realize. Sure, marinara sauce is a big part, but different regions of Italy feature many different foods and preparations. The Lombardy region is the "meaty" region- lots of beef and pork, along with rice and polenta. Gorgonzola and taleggio cheese hail from this region. You might find rich stuffed pastas, like squash filled ravioli and rich risotto. Calabria showcases a lot of Spanish influences in dishes. You will find seafood very prominent here and Calabrese pizza with sopressata. Campania is the pasta region, and relies heavily on vegetables in their dishes. Spaghetti alla puttanesca was created in this region, and has become a favorite around our house. Coastal Marche is another region where seafood features prominently in their dishes. Puglia brings olive oil to the world, and Tuscany uses many different types of legumes in dishes and you can find white truffle in many foods. 

With a name like Riccio, of course The Chef also loves Italian foods and given the choice, he would live on pasta. We prepare a lot of Italian dishes at home. Red sauce is pretty much a staple, and it's so versatile, why not make lots? Tossed with pasta, ladled over roasted meats and spread on dough and baked into pizzas, it's not very often that red sauce goes to waste here. Even Louie the Bulldog is a fan of pasta and pizza days. Louie gets his own serving of pasta and always gets a few bites of pizza. For myself, I prefer meaty marinara sauce dishes with beef, sausage, meatballs, or even just mushrooms, and The Chef's favorite sauce is filled with clams and seafood like shrimp or mussels. 

Sometimes we get a craving for pasta but maybe don't feel like making, or don't have time to make a pot of red sauce so we look for other ways to get our pasta fix. The Chef makes a mean creamy Gorgonzola sauce....... and it's prefect on top of a juicy filet. We also really like making our own homemade pasta. Pasta dough is a snap with a stand mixer, and a pasta machine makes rolling it perfectly thin so easy you'll want to make it again and again. 

Of course, special equipment is not required to make gnocchi- delicious little dumplings of dough. Usually made with cooked potato and flour, gnocchi can be made with all kinds of things- herbs, ricotta cheese, fruits or vegetables, to give the little dumplings a color and flavor to liven up any dish. They are super easy to make from scratch but most grocery stores also carry ready to cook gnocchi in the pasta section, vacuum packed with no refrigeration needed, and are awesome to have on hand for quick dinners. Whip up some sauce, boil some water- the gnocchi cook in about three minutes, drain, toss and voila- dinner in minutes. They are great as an entree or side. Today we are going to use the gnocchi in a super quick entree that's perfect for busy weeknights when the last thing you want to do is stand over a hot stove for a couple hours. Brown some sausage, add broccoli rabe and garlic, a handful of Parmesan, toss with cooked gnocchi- done!

For the Italian sausage, I used locally produced Graziano's traditional Italian sausage. I used mild- use as hot as you like. If you buy links, just remove the casing and crumble the sausage into the skillet. The broccoli rabe is perfect in this dish but it's not always available. If you can't find it, just buy a couple stalks of broccoli and cut into broccolini-like pieces. It will be just as delicious. 

The olive oil in my dish is Sinful Food garlic olive oil. It makes a big difference in the flavor of the dish to use a high quality infused oil. Get your Sinful Food oils by clicking HERE.

Gnocchi and Sausage Skillet

1 package store bought gnocchi, one pound

1 Italian sausage link, about 1/2 to 3/4 lb.

olive oil

small bunch broccoli rabe or broccolini, cut into bite sized pieces

4-6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/3 cup butter, softened

pinch of crushed red pepper, optional

salt and pepper

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to full rolling boil. Add gnocchi and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside, reserving 1/4 cup pasta water.

Remove the casing from the sausage and crumble into a large skillet with the olive oil. Cook until sausage is browned and cooked through. Add the broccoli rabe to the skillet and cook, stirring often for about three minutes until wilted. Add the garlic, and cook for another minute. 

Remove from heat and stir in the softened butter and the pasta water. Add the gnocchi, crushed red pepper and Parmesan. Toss to coat the gnocchi. Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle additional Parmesan over if desired. Serve immediately.

This pasta dish is so comforting and delicious and comes together so quickly you will want to keep this in your rotation. Just throw some garlic bread in the oven and whip up a salad if you like. It's even good enough for guests.

Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a "sponsored post." As a Brand Ambassador, the company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift or something of value. Regardless,  I only recommend products or services I believe are of good quality and safe. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Planned Leftovers- Monica's Marinara

There are two chefs in his house, and therefore, two very different ideas on how to cook various dishes. The Chef is more of a wing-it kind of cook, whereas I am more of a detail oriented cook, especially when it comes to traditional recipes like marinara. I want my sauce to be reliable and as I remember. I'm not someone who wants a pot full of surprise sauce every time I make it. After my trip to the local Italian market in town yesterday I had loads of great ideas for dinner for the next few days, I just needed a big pot of red sauce to pull it all together. So while The Chef napped after his morning at work, I whipped up a nice pot of marinara using some of the items from the Italian market and some of the amazing Sinful Food gourmet olive oils. 

I start my sauce with minced fresh onion and minced fresh garlic. I absolutely cannot imagine sauce without them. Dried or powdered simply will not do in a sauce I am going to simmer for a few hours. I grab a small yellow onion and mince up into tiny pieces. A handful of fresh garlic cloves- 8 or 9 or so- also get a super fine mince. Using my big stockpot I add a good swirl of Sinful Food Basil Olive oil- and right here is where we are going to stop and talk about the oil. This was the first time I've used or tasted the basil oil. I've tried lots of different flavored oils over the years but honestly, Sinful Food has created a miracle here. The second the cork is out of the bottle the aroma of fresh basil surrounds you. Seriously. It has the fragrance of a bunch of freshly picked basil. Green and leafy and so beautiful. A little taste of the oil and I'd swear I was nibbling on a leaf. This stuff, guys, hands down the BEST flavored olive oil I have ever ever tried.

I heat the oil in the pot briefly and that fresh basil aroma just wafts around the kitchen. I added the onions and gave them a little stir for a minute or two to soften before adding the garlic. I'm ready to grab a fork at this point! In goes a good 3 tablespoons Garziano's Italian seasoning and a decent dose of crushed red pepper, stirred around to bring out all the flavors, then in go the roasted tomatoes and tomato paste. Enough water to reconstitute the tomato paste goes in the pot next and I let the sauce simmer for a couple hours. You can use red wine for up to one third of the quantity of water if you like. I didn't have any on hand so I skipped that. Here is the recipe for the sauce-

Monica's Marinara

1 small yellow onion
8 cloves fresh garlic
Sinful Food basil olive oil
3-4 tablespoons Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
Sinful Food Signature Seasoning
freshly ground black pepper
2 cups oven roasted tomatoes or crushed tomatoes(canned or fresh)
3  6 oz cans tomato paste

Finely mince the onion and garlic. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in large pot. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, over medium heat until onion is softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for about one minute. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper, Signature Seasoning and black pepper to taste. Stir over medium heat for a minute or two until the herbs and spices are fragrant. Add the tomatoes, and tomato paste. Gradually stir in water- general rule is 3 cans water for each can tomato paste. Stir well and raise the heat to bring to a soft boil, the reduce heat and simmer, with a cover ajar, two to three hours to meld the flavors and thicken the sauce.

So now we have a pot of sauce, and a fridge full of Italian groceries. For a household of two, this much sauce will make several meals for us so I will be dividing it up. For tonight we are having baked cavatelli with mini meatballs. The basil oil is going to make another appearance in this dish. I cook one pound of cavatelli pasta in boiling salted water just until al dente. Drained well, it gets tossed with a tablespoon of basil oil and enough sauce to cover. The meatballs get tossed in too and the whole thing goes into a buttered baking dish or individual dishes. A blanket of Provolone cheese goes on top and a drizzle of basil oil. The casserole goes in a 400 degree oven for 20-30 minutes until hot and bubbly and covered in melty browned cheese.

For the next meal, I portion out enough sauce for The Chef and I to have fusilli with sauce, a salad and maybe some garlic bread. I can only imagine how delicious this basil oil will be in salad dressing or drizzled over a fresh Caprese salad. This can go in the freezer so we can have it a week or so later. His half of the sauce will get a can of baby clams for his favorite- pasta vongole, while mine will either have a handful of mushrooms added or just as is for a great vegetarian dinner. I don't do clams. Yucky.

The last portion of sauce will be used for tomorrow's dinner- Italian sausage sandwiches on tomato focaccia. I'll patty up some Graziano's Italian sausage, cook until done then slather with heated marinara sauce, cover with Provolone and serve on grilled focaccia that's been brushed with Sinful Food basil olive oil and toasted. So good, so simple.

Get YOUR Sinful Food oils and seasoning by clicking HERE.

Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a "sponsored post." As a Brand Ambassador, the company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift or something of value. Regardless,  I only recommend products or services I believe are of good quality and safe. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Foodie Field Trip- Graziano Brothers

Have I ever said how much I HATE shopping? The mall is so depressing to me. I never go there. The worst part of the holiday season- shopping. Back to school time- shopping. Mindlessly shuffling through the giant tomb of consumerism just sucks the soul out of me. 

Unless it's foodie shopping. Ohhhhhh ya. Then I am alllll about hitting the store. Not just the everyday grocery store. Foodie shopping. Gourmet groceries. Unusual produce and ingredients. Ethnic foods. Kitchen equipment. Spices and herbs. Oils and vinegars. Wines. Cookware. Knives. All the knives. Now you're talking to my heart, folks. My foodie friend Mary was in town for the weekend. We met for sushi on Friday evening and decided we better hit Graziano's in the morning so she can restock cooking supplies for her Missouri home, and I can stock up on a few things too. A few things- ha! Who are we kidding here?

So Friday night over dinner at Sakari Sushi Lounge and sake bombs Mary, our friend Angi and I munched on fabulous sushi rolls and discussed the upcoming Chocolate Affair in Hannibal. Angi and I are planning a road trip for the event- yay!! Girlie Foodie Field Trip!- and the discussion turned to Graziano's. For those of you who aren't familiar, Graziano Brothers is a landmark food store in Des Moines. Founded in 1912 by Louis and Frank Graziano, two brothers who had emigrated to Iowa from San Morello, Italy, and made their way to Des Moines. Louis opened the grocery store while Frank remained employed by the railroad company until the store was well on its feet. The grocery store sits just south of downtown Des Moines in an area that was once known as Little Italy and has supplied Des Moines with authentic Italian groceries, pastas, breads, homemade sausage, meatballs, imported deli meats and cheeses, bulk spices and herbs and some of the best olives on the planet for over 100 years.

The quaint store facade is suited perfectly for the old time feel of the store. Not a huge store, they have a small collection of shopping carts at the door. You'd think you wouldn't need one here, but if you know me...... ya, you do. The first items in the door are the bulk spices on the right, olive oils on the left. This is where Mary and I began our stock-up shopping. Graziano's house blended Italian seasoning is the best thing I have ever tasted. Herbs, garlic and bits of crushed red pepper are the perfect seasoning for any Italian dishes from pasta to pizza sauce. I grab the usual size bag for our house, it's priced at $3.25. I kid you not, there is a good 3 cups of seasoning in this bag, easily enough to last us a year or more. At home I transfer it to an airtight container to keep it fresh. I also grabbed a bag of crushed red pepper, again easily a year's supply, for $3.45. You just cannot get a better deal anywhere.

We love mushrooms at our house and in the same section of the store you will find beautiful dried mushrooms, like porcini, portobella, and woodear. I grabbed some porcini and woodear because, well, you just might need them, and at $2.75 and $1.15 respectively, I just can't say no. I also snuck a nice bag of sun dried tomatoes, soft and raisiny, not dried and crispy into my shopping cart. I am often searching the supermarket for sun dried tomatoes and most of the time find just the oil packed kind. That's not usually what I want for cooking and baking. Sun dried tomatoes that are packed by themselves like this are excellent in breadmaking.

Continuing down the aisle, Angi had lots of questions. Recommendations for a pasta sauce? Type of olive? Recipe ideas? For a first timer in the store she was suitably impressed by the variety and selection, especially when we got to the meat and cheese counter. Italian sausage was bought by all, and Angi grabbed some of the extra hot sausage. Mary tried a couple different imported salamis and cheeses that were new to her, Angi got several of the hot pepper cheeses and I went with the traditional famous Italian sausage and provolone cheese- sliced to order every time. It's hard to beat the Iowa classic Italian sausage sandwich especially with the best sausage hands down.

The pasta aisle was like an amusement park for food lovers. Every shape, every size. Every pasta you can possibly imagine in sizes from one pound packages to giant bags I'd guess to be 5 pounds or more. I grabbed some fusilli and some cavatelli as my mind had trouble focusing on just on or two types. I am not kidding when I say it's so easy for any self respecting foodie to go absolutely freakin bonkers in here. In the same aisle I was just as tempted by several different kinds of arborio rice and risotto mixes and seasonings. Bags of wandas tempted me, but I resisted. Italian cookies and candies also beckoned to me, but I was strong. After all, I did have a giant tub of Graziano's olives in the cart- a whole quart container for $4.75.

South Union bread is sold here, and the aroma of that freshly baked bread was so welcoming. Italian rolls, breads, focaccia, loaves, so so many options. I did not get out of that aisle without a focaccia in my cart. I can't wait to eat it.

At the front of the store there are several large frozen and refrigerated cases containing fresh mozzarella, Italian sodas and beverages, more sausages like salami and others, marinated peppers and......more olives. Different types of olives. Yes, again I fell victim to the lure of olives. This time I grabbed some castelvetrano olives. If you ever get a chance to try these you simply must. In the frozen case you can find prepacked Graziano's Italian sausage in one pound hunks, pasta sauces from some of the local Italian spots, and housemade meatballs- even miniature meatballs. I grabbed a pound- they will be awesome with the cavatelli! Here again, pasta is king with probably 20 or more varieties of handmade ravioli, lasagna, cavatelli, pastas, manicotti, and the whole reason for coming here in the first place- cannoli. Oh. Em. Gee. Creamy ricotta cheese, just the right amount of sweet, chopped pistachios, bits of bittersweet chocolate and that crunchy cannoli shell. You bet I got one!

Also at the front of the store is this amazing piece of history- this beautiful and old old old butcher block. How I'd love to sit around that table with an espresso or macchiato and talk about the old days with the many people who have labored over that surface, kneading bread, rolling pasta, cutting wandas, chopping, singing, feeding their family and sharing the love. It had to be a prominent part of someones home kitchen at one time. The top is worn with years of use- Mary and I wondered about the many generations of cooks who stood beside this table and thought about all the meals prepared by hand. Kind of gives me the shivers to think about all that table has seen over the decades.

I'm happy to say Mary and I got Angi off to a good start with some Italian marinara sauce, delicious olives, some giardinera she picked out, and her sausage and cheeses. I'm pretty sure she will be back. I KNOW Mary and I will! Now........ off to go cook something............

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

No Recipe Cooking- Shrimp Pesto Pasta

Some nights I just need a quick dinner idea. Today was one of those days. Nothing fancy here, I don't even need to worry about a written recipe. This is about as easy to throw together as a grilled cheese sandwich. If you keep a jar of ready made pesto in the cabinet, some shrimp in the freezer and a box of pasta around, you can have a pretty nice dinner for two in no time.

Start with pasta- whatever you have on hand works just as well. I had a big package of spaghetti so spaghetti it is!

Thaw your shrimp, if frozen, and clean them. Make sure you are using nice BIG shrimp instead of the littler salad size shrimp. Be sure to get that nasty vein out of there- you DON'T want to eat that!! Rinse them and pat dry with paper towels. Place in a bowl and add 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/4 cup pesto and 2 cloves garlic. I use a microplane grater to grate the garlic. Season well with salt and pepper. Let marinate for half an hour or so.

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook the pasta til al dente, then drain (reserve some of the water) and toss with 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup pesto. Add a splash of the pasta water of you need. Cover and keep warm.

You want a heavy skillet or a grill pan to cook the shrimp. I used a cast iron skillet and it worked great. Heat the skillet til screeching hot, then add a tablespoon of oil. Add half the shrimp, without crowding, and cook 1-3 minutes per side. The heat of the skillet will sear the shrimp nicely. You want a beautiful golden brown crust, but don't over cook the shrimp. They cook very quickly.

To serve, pile a nice mound of pasta in a shallow bowl, and top with several shrimp. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese if you like. Serve with Insanely Easy Breadsticks- use a can of refrigerated breadstick dough, spread with garlic butter with fresh minced parsley stirred in. Twist, place on baking sheet, and bake as directed on package.

This dish would have been even better if I would have had some fresh asparagus or mushrooms to toss in the pasta- use whatever you have on hand to dress it up as much as you like.

Beginners' Cheesemaking II- Fresh Ricotta

Few things in life are as good as fresh pasta. The real thing. Fresh homemade ravioli filled with creamy ricotta cheese is probably my favorite. When I was much younger I made this all the time- it filled my kids' bellies and impressed my friends. Funny thing, back in those days I lived in a little country village in rural Suffolk County and finding ricotta cheese was next to impossible. This is where my stockpile of cookbooks came in handy. One of those books had great recipes for cooking with kids, I think I told you about that book before, including making easy cheeses. 

Fast forward more than twenty years and guess what is one of the new culinary trends? You got it- cheesemaking. Now you can get all crazy and involved and learn how to make your own aged cheddar and cheeses like that, or even get some friends together and pull some mozzarella but I'm keeping it super simple for this installment of Beginners' Cheesemaking. We are going to make a batch of fresh ricotta cheese, so easy, so super creamy and rich, and fresh! But that's not all. Since fresh ricotta is so simple, I would be pretty lazy if I didn't use that delicious cheese in a recipe, so after we make our cheese, we will be making my super easy, super fast, and fantastically delicious Cheatin' Cheese Ravioli.

Large scale cheese producers rely on exact temperatures and cultures and bacteria and all sorts of scientific research to get milk to form cheese. In the home kitchen with many soft cheeses it's simply a matter of heating the milk, introducing an acid that separates the curd from the whey, and straining. That's truly as technical as we're going to get. Heat the milk, add some lemon juice, and voila- fresh ricotta. Ready to get started?

To make the cheese, you will need-

2 quarts whole milk*

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

*If you're really lucky you will have some raw milk, but if not just be sure not to buy ultra pasteurized milk. It doesn't separate very easily.

Prepare a sieve by lining with several layers of cheesecloth and placing in a CLEAN kitchen sink.

Combine the milk, cream and salt in a heavy stockpot. Slowly bring to a full boil over medium heat, stirring often to prevent scorching. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the lemon juice. Continue heating for a minute or two, just until the curd separates and the mixture looks a little like watery cottage cheese. Carefully pour into lined sieve and allow to drain for an hour. Unmold the ricotta into a clean bowl, cover and store in the fridge. Be sure to use within a couple days as this cheese has zero preservatives.

We don't have to worry about it being around too long because we are going to use it right away. I learned this trick from a cooking class at a local kitchen store years ago and have been using it ever since. It's easiest "cheat" you'll ever find. Before you make the ravioli think about what kind of sauce you'd like to serve with it. I love a good old fashioned marinara sauce with my cheese ravioli, not too chunky with vegetables and no meat. Yes, I do use dried herbs in this sauce- fresh herbs just don't hold up, but by all means, if you prefer that, use them. You can also use Italian seasoning instead of the separate herbs- just use what you have and what you like, just be sure to adjust amounts accordingly. My sauce is so easy to make and just like my mom's, I hope you'll like it.

Monica's Cheatin' Cheese Ravioli

1 quart tomato sauce

2 tablespoons finely minced onion

4 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons dried basil

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram

pinch of crushed red pepper

salt and pepper

olive oil

1-2 packages small wonton wrappers

1 recipe ricotta cheese

3/4 cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, plus more

2 tablespoons minced parsley
4 scallions, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced

eggs

In a stockpot heat a drizzle of olive oil. Add the onion, cook and stir until onion is softened. Add the garlic, and cook for a minute or two. Don't let the garlic brown. Add the herbs and tomato sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low and cover, simmer for at least an hour.

Measure the ricotta cheese into a bowl. Add the mozzarella and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan. Add one egg for every cup of cheese in the bowl. Add a big pinch of salt and a little bit of black pepper and stir in the parsley, scallions and garlic. I like to saute the scallions and garlic in a tiny amount of olive oil just to soften, but this step is optional.

In a small bowl beat one more egg with a tablespoon of water. Using the wonton wrappers, brush the egg wash all around the edge of one wrapper. Place about 1 tablespoon filling on the wrapper and spread out, leaving at least 1/2 in uncovered. Top with a second wonton wrapper, or fold the wrapper over to make a triangle and press edges to seal. Set aside on parchment lined pan until all are filled.

** Want to get super fancy? Save some large leaves from fresh flat leaf parsley and carefully place a leaf on top of the cheese before adding the second wonton skin. After cooking you will be able to see the parsley through the delicate dough. Looks impressive on the plate.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add a few ravioli at a time, watch carefully to prevent sticking, stirring gently. Cook until the ravioli rise to the top, it doesn't take more than a couple minutes to cook through. Drain and place on serving plate. Spoon the sauce over and sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese.

The "pasta" is so tender and delicate but so delicious- it really is an amazingly fast way to have fresh pasta on the table in a flash. If you like to make your own pasta dough just adjust the cooking time accordingly.