Angel Hair with Roasted Tomatoes, Tuna and Olives

A few months into our relationship, one night I made for Sage and I some kind of tuna noodle casserole for dinner. (In my defense, my cooking skills were very limited back then and my budget was tight.) He politely ate it, and then admitted he wasn't a fan of canned tuna when it was hot. I took that to note and never again put tuna from a can into any kind of cooked dish. Until now.

What would make me give it another go, some 9 years later? I came across a recipe where the tuna was tossed with hot pasta and other fresh, flavorful ingredients, instead of being baked, smothered in a sea of cream of something-or-other soup, and I just suspected it was worth trying. I did alter the recipe some, opting to roast grape tomatoes instead of using sun-dried, substituting regular black olives with kalamatas, angel hair for linguine and omitting the pine nuts.

The verdict? It was most certainly not the Tuna Noodle Casserole of early 2002. We both really enjoyed this quick and easy meal, loving how full of flavor it was. In this case, taking a chance payed off nicely.


Angel Hair with Roasted Tomatoes, Tuna and Olives
adapted from Southern Living, February 2010, serves 3

1 pint grape tomatoes
1 tbsp plus 2 tsp olive oil, divided
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
7.25 oz (1/2 of a box) of multi-grain angel hair, or other thin, long pasta
1 (5 oz.) can of chunk white tuna in water, drained, or 1 (6 oz) pouch of white tuna chunks
1/4 cup sliced kalamata olives, drained
1/2 cup crumbled fat-free or reduced-fat feta
3 tbsp thin sliced basil strips (chiffonade)

Preheat oven to 350. Toss tomatoes with 1 tbsp olive oil, a pinch or two of salt and a few grinds of fresh ground pepper on a baking sheet. Roast for 17 minutes shaking pan halfway through cook time. Add minced garlic, tossing well, and return to oven for 3 additional minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to pan.

Gently stir tuna, olives, roasted tomatoes with the pan juices, and remaining olive oil into pasta. Divide between serving plates and top with feta, basil and fresh ground pepper, to taste.

Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad

This past weekend, my mom and I hosted a co-ed barbecue, in lieu of a traditional baby shower, for my brother and his wife, who are expecting their second child in a few weeks. It was a great time, with lots of yummy food and great friends and family. Best of all, the weather was absolutely fabulous and perfect for a backyard BBQ. (I took full advantage of it by wearing a sundress and flip-flops.)

For one of the many sides we had, I made a pasta salad. Not only are they one of my favorite things to eat at get-togethers/barbeque's, they are also one of my favorite things to make for them. I love coming up with new versions. After some consideration, I decided I wanted to use greek salad components but keep it simple. Originally, I was planning on using farfalle, but then chose to make it with tortellini instead. This came out awesome and I received lots of compliments on this one!

for the dressing:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup good quality olive oil, plus extra, if needed
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp honey
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
several grinds of pepper

for the salad:
2 (1 lb.) packages frozen tri-colored tortellini
1/2 cup sliced kalamata olives
1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
6 oz. feta, crumbled

In a container with a tight fitting lid, combine all dressing ingredients. Shake well to blend.

Cook the tortellini until tender, according to package directions. Make sure not to overcook. Drain and give a quick rinse under water, but keep tortellini warm.

Place warm tortellini and olives in serving dish. Pour dressing over top and toss gently to coat. Cover and refrigerate for several hours (or over night.)

Before serving add tomatoes, cucumbers and feta. If needed (depending on length of time refrigerated) drizzle with some extra olive oil if dry. Toss gently to combine.

Pumpkin Black Bean Bake

I didn't bother wasting my time trying to get a great picture of this one. I knew it was a lost cause. Homey, casserole types of meals like this just aren't pretty- and photograph even worse. Of course the magazine that I found it in, managed to take an attractive picture, but then they don't have a hungry family waiting, hoping to get to eat while dinner is still warm.

I found this in Better Homes and Gardens this month, and was instantly sold just by the title alone- a pumpkin and black bean casserole? Sounded great to me! Then Sage just happen to mention how growing up in New England, he never once had cornbread, until he moved down here and that he loves it. It always amuses me when I discover something I don't know about him after all these years; I was unaware of his fondness for cornbread. Since this spin on Tamale Pie had such a topping, it really just cinched it for me that this was a must-make meal.

When we sat down to eat this, I could see Sage was having issues with the combination of ingredients- olives and cilantro with pumpkin? Yet with each bite, it grew on him, and halfway through he proclaimed it very good, despite being unusual. I really liked it too, but I wish the pumpkin had been more prominent. The original recipe had ground beef, and I debated on bulking up the veggies and beans, and having a meatless meal, but decided upon ground turkey. It worked well, but perhaps making it without meat would've made the pumpkin really stand out.

The recipe didn't have spices in the meat/pumpkin mixture, which was fine because the jalapeno-olive relish gave it additional flavor, but if you're not going to use it, I think spices are needed. The only other suggestion I would make it, is omitting the pumpkin puree in cornbread topping, as it's absolutely lost. In all though, this is a tasty comforting bake we enjoyed. I'm sure its not for everyone, but if you like the ingredients and casseroles, it's worth trying!

Pumpkin Black Bean Bake, adapted from Better Homes and Gardens
1.25 lb. lean ground turkey
2 cups of 1/2-inch pieces peeled pie pumpkin or winter squash
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 (15 oz.) can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1 (4 oz.) can mild green chiles
1/2 cup beef broth
1/4 cup reduced fat cream cheese, softened
1 (8.5 oz.) package of corn muffin mix (I used Jiffy)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup 1% milk
1/3 cup Pumpkin Puree (I'd omit next time)
Jalapeno-Olive Relish (optional- but highly recommended)

Preheat oven to 400. In a large skillet, cook turkey, pumpkin and onion until meat is cooked and onion is tender, breaking up turkey with spoon. Drain fat. Stir in black beans, corn and chiles. Heat through. Stir in broth and cream cheese until blended. Transfer to 3 qt. casserole dish.

In medium bowl, stir togethercorn muffin mix, egg, milk and pumpkin puree (if using) until just combined. Spoon over meat mixture.

Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into topping comes out clean. Let sit 5 minutes to help set. Serve with Jalapeno-Olive Relish (recipe follows.)

Jalapeno-Olive Relish
2 tbsp coarsely chopped green olives (originally called for 1/4 cup halved, but I wanted them in smaller pieces)
2 tbsp pickled jalapeno peppers (I subbed this from 1 to 2 fresh, for a more mild taste)
6 grape tomatoes, quarted
2 tbsp snipped fresh cilantro

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients.

Penne with Artichokes, Mushrooms and Olives

This recipe was created in an attempt to clean out the fridge and pantry. However, it was so good we decided it was worth sharing. I hadn't planned to put this one the blog, so my ingredients may be a little approximate and the directions might not be the most logical. I was just throwing something together. But it worked and was a really fast, delicious meal. In fact, the sauce and vegetables came together in less time than it took the pasta to cook.

I did make this vegetarian, but Sage had grilled chicken with his. I tried it with a few bites of the chicken, and it was just as good both ways. (Sage's words: Now this is what I'm talking about!) Normally I shy away from recipes that call for cream because I don't ever use or have it, but my mom brought over some perishables before going on vacation. She'd intended on making a pie for my grandma (who at 94 can eat whatever she wants in my opinion) but didn't get a chance, and I wound up with a pint of heavy cream. Not wanting to be wasteful won over my desire to keep things as healthy as I can. Sage and Beckett are both skinny so its not going to hurt them, and I'll just make sure to really suck my stomach in at the Labor Day pool party this weekend. But if you're opposed to the cream, I'm sure you could easily sub something less fattening or leave it out all together.

This made just the perfect amount for Sage and I for dinner (with a toddler sized portion as well.) So definitely double if you have a larger family or like leftovers.

1/3 of a 14.5 oz box of multi grain penne
1 tbsp olive oil
4 oz. fresh sliced button mushrooms
1 can (14 oz.) quartered artichoke hearts in water, drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 sun-dried tomato halves, chopped
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1/2 cup vegetable (or chicken) broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 (2.25 oz.) can sliced black olives, drained
3 tbsp heavy cream
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
shredded parmesan for serving

1. Cook pasta according to package dirrections. Drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, artichokes and garlic. Stirring frequently, cook for about two minutes. Add broth, wine, tomatoes, lemon juice, olives, salt and a generous amount of pepper. Continue cooking on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally as liquid reduces. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
3.Wisk in cream. Stir in cooked pasta and basil, mixing well. (I chose to cover and let set for about 10 minutes so pasta could absorb sauce. During this time Sage grilled up his chicken.)
4. Top with parmesan before serving.

Spanish-style Chicken with Saffron Rice (Arroz con Pollo)

Last night I made another special dinner for Sage. When we began dating, he was working nights as a bartender, so cooking himself dinner wasn't something he did often, but when he did, his favorite meal was saffron rice, chicken and peas. Guess what my very least favorite meal growing up was? (Well, other than other than ham.) So that means he's been able to eat it maybe three times in the past eight years!

But I thought perhaps a more authentic version I might like better, and even if I didn't, it was about him, not me. There are so many versions, because different countries prepare it differently. I choose a Spanish version. Why, I don't know. I just picked one. Maybe because the Spanish ones had tomatoes?? I will admit, I did like it. I found it a little bland, but I thought the olives really enhanced the overall flavor, but Sage pushed his aside, saying they were too salty. Of course, he really enjoyed this meal, but he also would've been just as happy with a package of Vigo yellow rice with peas only and chicken tossed on the George Foreman grill.

This recipe makes a lot. It calls for two cups of rice (which produces something like 6 cups of cooked rice!) I would've cut that back if I wasn't too lazy to try to figure out how to reduce the amount of liquids. Luckily I have a I hubby that likes leftovers. I cut back on the chicken, due to my personal preference, since I only ever take a small serving it for myself, but if you use the entire amount this would easily feed 4-6 people.

Spanish Style-Chicken with Saffron Rice, from Epicurious.com

1 (3 1/2- to 4-lb) chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces (I used 3 breasts, halved)
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil (I used 2 tbsps)
1 large onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I used 1/2 of a red and a whole green)
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons paprika (I used sweet paprika)
2 cups long-grain white rice (I used Jasmine long grain)
1 1/4 cups dry white wine
1 (14-oz) can diced tomatoes including juice
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
1 bay leaf (not California)
1 cup frozen peas (not thawed)
1/2 cup pimiento-stuffed green olives, coarsely chopped (mine were just sliced)

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet (at least 2 inches deep) over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown chicken on all sides, about 12 minutes total. Transfer chicken to a plate.
2. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from skillet (that's all that was in my pan) and add onion, bell pepper, and salt to taste. Cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 7 minutes. Add garlic, paprika, and rice, then cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine and boil, uncovered, 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with juice, chicken broth, saffron, and bay leaf. Nestle chicken in rice, adding any juices from plate.
3. Cook, covered, over low heat until chicken is cooked through, rice is tender, and most of liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. (It took much longer for my rice to become tender- more like 25 minutes, but it may have just been my rice.) Remove from heat and stir in peas, olives, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover skillet and let stand 10 minutes. Discard bay leaf.

This recipe claimed to take about half hour of hands-on time and an hour total. I tend to take my time in the kitchen (I have no problem spending an hour making dinner) but this dinner definitely took well over an hour and half. We went ahead and fed Beckett something else, and as I was cooking, Sage tells me to look and this is what I saw:

Corned Beef Pinwheels & Garden Veggie Pinwheels

On the message board I frequent, there is a girl who has a food blog, The Novice Chef, which has the most amazing photos of her dishes. Recently she made pinwheels and they looked so tasty, I was craving them.


So for Ali's get together, Sage and I made two types. The ones he prepared were a variation of a corned beef, pickle and cream cheese appetizer he often makes. I found a recipe for a meatless one on allrecipes that had a lot of reviews and a high rating. When I went to put them together, the recipe seemed rather familiar and I realized it was actually a very similar recipe to the one on The Novice Chef. So I actually borrowed a little from both, and added carrot and took out the green onions. I mixed the veggies right into the cream cheese to make it easier on myself- so they weren't the most attractive but they were yummy. My only complaint was that the ranch dressing mix made them a little bit salty. I still got compliments on them, and at the end of the night, both kinds were gone.

Somehow, I forgot to take pictures of the Garden Veggie ones and the ones of the Corned Beef Pinwheels were horribly out of focus. In fact, all of the pictures from that night were really bad. Instead of getting better, I think I'm becoming a worse food photographer... but I'm going to blame it on the wine.

Corned Beef Pinwheels (makes about 24 pinwheels)

2 large flour tortillas

about 1/3 cup lite cream cheese

1/3-1/2 lb. Corned Beef, sliced thin

kosher dill pickles (amount will depend on size of pickles)

1. Spread a thin layer of cream cheese on each tortilla. Layer with corned beef slices, slightly over lapping so entire tortilla is covered.

2. Slice pickles into match sticks. Stager sections of pickles across corned beef, with slight spacing between pickles.

3. Carefully roll tortilla up, seam side down. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for a few hours.

4. Prior to serving, trim ends, and slice chilled rolls into 1/2 inch slices.

Garden Veggie Pinwheels (adapted from allrecipes.com and The Novice Chef)

2 large flour tortillas

1 block (8 oz.) reduced fat cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup 2% shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 cup finely chopped carrot

1/4 cup finely chopped celery

2 tbsp black olives, diced

1/2 cup chopped red pepper

1 1/2 tbsp ranch dressing mix

1/4 tsp dried basil

1. Mix all ingredients other than tortillas until well blended. Spread 1/2 of mixture on each tortilla.

2. Carefully roll tortilla up, seam side down. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for a few hours.
3. Prior to serving, trim ends, and slice chilled rolls into 1/2 inch slices.