PESTO AND PASTA

Here’s a pasta recipe where the only cooking involved is boiling. You’ll have to adjust the amount of ingredients depending on how many persons you intend to feed. I only cooked a small batch tonight.

I made the pesto from scratch in less than 10 minutes while boiling the pasta. Preparation was fast and easy. I’ve made pesto and pasta. Plain pesto and pasta with no meat nor fish. I’ve been trying another no-meat-nor-fish version by throwing in some barely cooked asparagus but that’s something for another day.

YOU NEED…….

Makes 4 Servings
500 g of Pasta (any pasta of your preference)
1/2 cup of My homemade Pesto
grated Parmesan cheese

HOW TO…….

—Cook the pasta according to package directions.

—Make the pesto if you’re in the mood for home made. Otherwise, just measure the amount you need. Reserve about two tablespoonfuls of pesto and pour the rest over the pasta.

—Then, add to the pesto and toss with the pasta. Toss gently.

—Transfer to a serving bowl or platter, garnish with grated cheese and drizzle the reserved pesto. That’s it:)

OUR BRUNCH

Breakfast foods have always been a favorite with my family, so it is natural that when we get together a brunch is the ideal meal.

Coming back to our brunch, I just cooked pasta (spiral) with peeled tomatoes (whole in can), minced meat, chopped carrots, chopped onion, minced garlic and a little bit of tomatoe paste. Then french loaf sandwich with mayonnaise (from the Philippines), ham and pickles. Breakfast and lunch in one 😀

Since it’s summer vacation for the kids also, they use to get up late everyday, like most kids apparently do the same thing. My 2 kids certainly worked hard during the school year on their tests, homework and reports and really gave it their all. Allowing them to stay up later than usual to watch some extra television,or play video gives him or her a real break from their school responsibilities and allows them the summer vacation to rejuvenate and go back to school with a real vacation behind them. This is definitely a Pro. Specially to 17 and 18 years of age.

July and August may mean hot and sticky weather although the last two weekends have been raining and cloudy sky, but it also means that everyone clears out for vacations and the city is quiet. Well, it’s time to post a little bit about how I take advantage of this quiet month in the city…lunch and dinner out, a few brunches, a lot of walking around, a few trips to Flea Market on weekends…highlights to come.

PASTA TRICOLORE IN ARABIATA SAUCE

ARRABBIATA SAUCE is another kind of sauce which is usually good for every kind of pasta. With different herbs and chili pepper in it makes it so fine with olive oil.

YOU NEED…….

* 500 g Pasta Tricolore
* 500 g Tomatoe Sauce
* 3 tbsps. chopped Parsely
* 1 glass Arrabiata Sauce
* half a can Corn Kernels, drained
* 2 tbsps. Sugar
* Salt and pepper
* 3 tbsps. Butter
* some Civapcici

HOW TO…….

HEARTY PASTA WITH BELL PEPPER AND MINCED BEEF

If you have pasta in your pantry and one or two vegetables lurking in your crisper, there’s no reason not to make a filling and healthy dinner. This is one of my ‘go-to’ recipes when I’m short on time, energy or creativity. Using this basic blueprint, you can pretty much make any pasta dish you want, including such classics as Pasta with Mushrooms, Pasta with Broccoli, and Pasta with Beans and Greens. But this one is Pasta with green bell peppers and mix with minced beef. I added a tomatoe paste and a little bit of tomatoe sauce and in the end grated cheese.

* First, saute one onion in olive oil, then add minced beef and tomatoe paste, about 2 tbsp. If minced beef is done add bell peppers, then season with salt, pepper, and some herbs de province. For simplicity’s sake, I usually make this dish with only one or two different colors of bell peppers. Then more onions and fresh tomatoes. But my 2 kids asked me to add some minced beef. So I did!

* Less bell peppers and onions added minced beef instead. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Toss the sauce with the cooked pasta and add ¼-½ cup cheese. Parmesan is traditional, but soft cheeses like goat cheese, feta and gorgonzola also work well. Toss over low heat until the cheese melts and the pasta absorbs some of the liquid. Remove from the heat and garnish with fresh herbs, toasted pine nuts or walnuts, red pepper flakes, capers or whatever you like.

YOU NEED…….

* 250 g Pasta (elbow, spaghetti, etc…)
* 150 g minced Beef
* 3 tbsps. Olive oil
* 1 Onion, chopped
* 3 Green Bell Peppers
* 2 tbsps. Herbs de Province
* 2 tbsps. Tomatoe Paste
* half a liter tomatoe Sauce ( depends upon your preference)
* grated cheese of your preference
* Salt & Pepper to taste
* and for garnishing of your choice! (optional)

Herbs de Province is a mixture of herbs from South France which consist of:
3 tbsp. Thyme
3 tbsp. Basil leaves
3 tbsp. Lavender blossom
2 tbsp. Savory
3 tbsp. Rosmary
also oregano and laurel.

FARFALLE WITH HAM AND GREEN BELL PEPPERS

Farfalle is a type of pasta. Commonly known as “bow-tie pasta,” the name is derived from the Italian word farfalla (butterfly). The “e” at the end of the word is the Italian feminine plural ending, making the meaning of the word “butterflies.”It originated in Lombardia and Emilia-Romagna in Northern Italy.

I made a simple pasta dish, farfalle (bow-tie pasta) with ham and green bell peppers and parmesan cheese. Everything was done in less than 30 minutes. Now, about the farfalle, I season it with Italian herbs, salt and fresh ground pepper. This is a meal for four.

YOU NEED…….

Yield: 4 Servings
* 250 g Farfalle
* 150 g Ham
* 2 pcs. green bell peppers
* 1 onion
* 1 cup fo heavy cream
* some fresh ground pepper
* some salt
* 1 tbsp. Italian herbs, frozen or fresh one
* some water for farfalle
* 2 tbsps. olive oil, for farfalle
* 2 tbsps. butter
* 2 tbsps. parmesan cheese

HOW TO…….

—Cook farfalle in boiling water with salt and olive oil.
Heat a pan melt some butter and saute onion, green bell peppers and ham. Season with italian herbs, fresh ground pepper and some salt.

—Pour in a cup of heavy cream, stir to blend and cover for about 5 to 8 minutes. Once it’s boil, turn off the heat.

—Pour in the sauce into farfalle and toss lightly add also right away the 2 tbsps. parmesan cheese. Keep warm. Guten appetit!

PASTA (PENNE) WITH GROUND MEAT

Of course you can use your favorite bottled pasta sauce of your choice to make this recipe, but it is really the sauce that makes this. To save some time and to allow the flavors to blend I strongly suggest to prepare the sauce 1-2 days in advance and refrigerate, actually the ground meat I used here is only leftover from yesterday and to get rid of it I decided to add tomatoe sauce for a new dish. Which is very significant now a days. Do not over cook the pasta…….my family LOVE this!

YOU NEED…….

Makes 4-6 Servings
* Ground meat
* 500 g Penne pasta
* some Margarine
* 500 g Tomatoe sauce

HOW TO…….

—Cook penne pasta according to package directions.

—Heat a casserple, melt about 3 tbsps. margarine and add ground meat, just to heat through.

—Add tomatoe sauce and simmer for about 8 minutes, then pour or add penne pasta and toss slightly for about 3 minutes to blend all together. Serve with emmentaler or parmesan cheese on top.

PASTA CON SALAMI

This is a great dish for your kids as it’s easy to make and looks fantastic. The wild boar salami tastes great, and as well as cooking with it serve with salad as side dish. The idea came into my mind when I saw lots of left over salami inside the fridge. Thinking to get rid of it and not to dispose again. Since the kids loves pasta in everyway of cooking than rice. This was their lunch coming back home from school. When you’re deciding what to make for lunch and checking off prerequisites in your head-Is it fast? Is it healthy? Will the kids eat it?-pasta is a surprisingly good pick. Plus, noodles are full of fiber and folic acid. You’ll want to offer a variety of sauces and toppings too. Even kids who love their mac with cheese will usually try healthier options. So to the same old pasta dishes, say, “Ciao, baby” 😛

YOU NEED…….

* 250 g Pasta (I used elbow pasta)
* 2 pcs. eggs
* half a Liter milk
* 1 Onion
* some Butter or Vegetable oil
* 250 g Salami
* 1 tbsps. (flat) some mix Herbs (Thyme, Basil leaves, Lavender blossom, Savory, Rosmary and also oregano)
* Salt and pepper to taste
* grated Cheese

HOW TO…….

**Heat the oil or butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion. Season with salt, black pepper, and different herbs of your preference. Stir until onion is translucent. Mix in salami, and continue cooking until heated through. While you cook pasta in a pot of salted boiling water, according to packet directions, until al dente.

**Beat 2 eggs and pour half a Liter milk and mix. Then pour the mixture in it. Add diffferent herbs and Parmesan cheese or any grated cheese of your preference, and gently toss with pasta to combine for about 5 minutes.

PASTA with PEELED TOMATOES-CARROTS and GROUND MEAT!

By this time, Saturday again, no work rest day for me but not for my hubby. His on duty, so I’m with the kids alone for lunch. Since next week is semestral break, one week no school…they gonna be up late today. And for sure if I will cook earlier for lunch is not good. So this was our breakfast, lunch and early dinner today. All in one or 3 in one! :pump-;):
Just pasta with vegetables, sounds healthy ha but I added ground pork and beef in little ammount also. You can pretty much make any pasta dish you want, including such classics as Pasta with Mushrooms, Pasta with Broccoli, and Pasta with Beans and Greens. Here I use peeled tomatoes in can and carrots with mix ground pork and beef. I always have pasta in my pantry, of different kinds. By this time I did not blanch the carrots.

YOU NEED…….

* 400 g any pasta of your preference
* peeled tomatoes in can
* 2 pcs. large carrots, peeled and chippoed finely
* 1 onion, chopped finely
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* some chopped parsley
* 150 g mix ground pork and beef
* 2 tbsps. tomatoe paste
* 1/2 beef broth cube
* 1/2 cup of white wine
* 3 tbsps. olive oil
* salt and pepper

HOW TO…….

— Cook pasta according to package directions.

— Heat a pan, add olive oil and saute onion, garlic, carrots and ground meat until meat is not red anymore.

— Then add tomatoe paste, salt and pepper and peeled tomatoes, smashed them while stirring and pour in white wine, and broth cube. Cover and bring to boil, once it boils lower the heat and continue cooking for about 10 minutes.

—Add chopped parsley and toss slightly with the pasta. Serve with cheese on top. I used parmesan as usual!

PASTA WITH BELL PEPPER-TOMATOES SAUCE

Simply I added bell peppers to tomatoe sauce with onions, salt, and italian herbs. Top with grated cheese. I used Fusilli (spiral pasta) by this time. This was our lunch during our Pilgrimage in Dietrich Slovakia.

YOU NEED…….

* 500 g Fusilli (spiral pasta)
* 2pcs. Green Bell peppers
* 1 Onion
* 3 cloves Garlic, peeled and chopped
* some chopped Parsley
* 100 g Tomatoe sauce in can or tetra pack
* some salt
* some Italian herbs
* 1 tbsp. Sugar
* some Butter

HOW TO…….

* Cooked fussilli according to package instruction.
* Heat a wok or pan. Melt butter and saute onion, garlic and bell peppers.
* Add tomatoe sauce seasoned with salt and sugar.
* Pour sauce on top of pasta with chopped parsley.

ROAST PORK SAUCE-PASTA

Maggi Gourmet Sauce for Roast Pork
Enjoy the improved taste and the improved consistency of the new Maggi Gourmet sauces. The sauces are ideal to harmonize your favourite dishes with natural taste of fine spices and herbs. Preparing of the meal is now easier and quicker: in no time at all sauces are ready to serve without any additional milk.

This was our lunch the day before christmas with pasta and pork block. I added broccoli and carrots sliced. Which makes the whole stuff healthier and tatier. Should be serve with any salad pf your preference. We had cabbage salad as side dish.

YOU NEED…….

* 1 or 2 Pouch of Maggi Roast Pork Sauce Gourmet
* 250 g Pasta, (I used elbow)
* 400 g Pork meat
* 1 head Broccoli
* 3 pcs. Carrots, peeled and sliced
* some Vegetable oil
* Salt and Pepper to taste

HOW TO…….

** Cook pasta according to package instruction. Blanch broccoli and carrots.

** Heat a pan, add 3 tbsps. vegetable oil, stir in pork meat until done.

** In 3/8 Liter hot water, mix 1 pouch of Maggi pork roast sauce gourmet. While cooking stir constantly with whisk. If you wish to have more sauce, then you need 2 pouch of Maggi. With lower heat cook for about 2 minutes uncover and stirring constantly.

**Just mix all together and that’s it, serve with salad of your peference…ENJOY :pump-v_v:

PUMPKIN SAUCE PENNE PASTA

This gorgeous pasta in pumpkin sauce is one of my 10 best pasta recipes. Very seasonal, beautiful colors and a great taste that combines browned onions and parmesan with a touch of nutmeg. A winner!
This recipe takes about 30 minutes to complete. You can definitely eat any leftovers the next day.

Penne are short tubular pasta cut at an angle. You can also use macheroni or any short, tubular, dry pasta. Don’t let the shop take advantage of you and buy only pasta trafilata al bronzo (it will say it on the box) and made from semolina flour. If the pasta is smooth and shiny, that’s not it.

YOU NEED…….

For 4 portions as a main course!
* 500g penne, I used penne tricolore
* 400g fresh pumpkin
* 1 large white onion
* 120g grated parmesan cheese
* half a cup heavy cream
* 1 tsp. nutmeg powder
* black or white pepper
* salt to taste

HOW TO…….

—Peel pumpkin and onions. Remove soft flesh and seeds from pumpkin. Cut into small cubes or you can sliced thinly also. So with the onion.

—Cook penne pasta according to package directions and drain, set aside.

—In the heaviest saucepan you have heat a drops of olive oil or butter and add the onion. Sauté over medium-high heat until soft but not brown, about 5 minutes.

—Add the chopped pumpkin and mix. Grate some nutmeg and add black or white pepper ( here I used powdered nutmeg). And salt at all at this stage, then add half a cup heavy cream and cover.

—Lower temperature to medium-low and cookfor 20 minutes or as long as it takes to get a soft, mushy consistence for both the onions and the pumpkin, turning regularly. The pumpkin and onion will finally admit to the obvious – they are both full of water. After 20 minutes most of it will have evaporated and they will be reduced by half and nicely browned. This process concentrates the sweet flavor of both these vegetables and adds a caramelized flavor from the browning.

—Then add penne and parmesan cheese. Mix all together.

—Serve hot!

PENNE WITH SPINACH & CHERRY TOMATOES

PENNE a type of pasta. And a generic term for foods made from an unleavened dough of flour and water or eggs and water, and sometimes a combination of egg and flour. Pastas include noodles in various lengths, widths and shapes, and varieties that are filled with other ingredients like ravioli and tortellini. The word pasta is also used to refer to dishes in which pasta products are a primary ingredient. It is usually served with sauce or seasonings.

There are approximately 3500 different shapes of pasta. Examples include spaghetti (thin rods), maccheroni (tubes or cylinders), fusilli (swirls), and lasagne (sheets). Two other noodles, gnocchi and spätzle, are sometimes considered pasta. They are both traditional in parts of Italy.

Pasta is categorized in two basic styles: dried and fresh. Dried pasta made without eggs can be stored for up to two years under ideal conditions, while fresh pasta will keep for a couple of days in the refrigerator. In preparation for consumption, pasta is generally boiled.

YOU NEED…….

Makes 4-6 Servings

* 250 g Penne pasta
* 200 g Baby Spinach
* 100g Cherry Tomatoes, halved
* 1 can White beans (small can)
* some Parmesan cheese
* 3 cloves Garlic, chopped finely
* some fresh Basil leaves, chopped
* 1/2 cup chicken broth
* 3 tbsps. Olive oil
* Salt and Pepper

HOW TO…….

—Cook penne according to package direction.

—Heat a big pan or casserole, pour olive oil and saute garlic and cherry tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper then pour 1/2 a cup fo chicken broth and add white beans. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

—Add baby spinach and cover again until baby spinach is done.

—Combine the mixture with penne and toss slightly for about 5 minutes. Serve with chopped basil leaves on top and parmesan or emmentaler cheese.

PENNE PASTA IN TOMATOE SAUCE

PASTA Pasta is generally served with some type of sauce, here I used tomatoe sauce, the sauce and the type of pasta are usually matched based on consistency, ease of eating etc, much in the same way round buns are used for hamburgers and long buns are used for hotdogs in the US. Common pasta sauces in Northern Italy include pesto and ragù alla bolognese, which usually adds meat to the sauce. In Central Italy, there are simple sauces such as tomato sauce, amatriciana and carbonara. Southern Italian sauces include spicy tomato, garlic, and olive oil, with the pasta often paired with fresh vegetables or seafood. Varieties include puttanesca, pasta alla norma tomatoes, eggplant and fresh or baked cheese, pasta con le sarde (fresh sardines, pine nuts, fennel and olive oil), spaghetti aglio, olio e peperoncino literally with garlic, olive oil and hot chili peppers.

YOU NEED…….

* 150 g Penne Pasta
* 500 g Tomatoe Sauce
* 1 tsp. Rosemary powder
* 1 tsp. Basil Leaves, dried
* 1 tbsp. brown Sugar
* 1 Onion, cut into cubes
* 4 cloves Garlic, sliced
* 3 tbsps. Butter
* 2 tsps. Mammita broth powder or any broth cube

HOW TO…….

—Cook penne pasta according to package direction.

—Heat a casserole or pan, put some butter and saute onion and garlic. Add rosemary powder and basil leaves.

—Pour the tomatoe sauce, season with mammita broth powder or any broth cube and brown sugar. Simmer for about 5 minutes.

—Add the penne and toss slightly for about 8 minutes over low heat. Serve with parmesan cheese on top.

TENDERLOIN IN PEPPER SAUCE WITH PASTA AND BROCCOLI

Let’s try one of European delicacies, the tenderloin provides the most tender cut of meat for roasts and steaks. My adaptation from EUROPEAN cuisine. Try this it’s easy!

YOU NEED…….

* 400 g pork loin
* 1 head broccoli about 500 g
* 500 g Pasta of your choice, I use Fusilli Pasta!
* 2 packs of Maggi pepper sauce
* some milk
* some vegetable oil
* 500 ml water
* salt and pepper

HOW TO…….

1.) Season meat with salt and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a pan, then add the meat until both side are brown, but not crispy!
Cook broccoli in boiling salt-water for about 5 minutes.

2.) In 500 ml cold water, dissolve the 2 packs of Maggi pepper sauce, bring into boil over medium heat until the sauce is not cloudy anymore. Add some milk to make it fine. Then add the meat simmer for 10 minutes.

3.) Serve hot with broccoli and pasta (Fusilli).

PORK SCALOPE AND PASTA

Another way of preparing pork scalope with pasta from me :pump-:)
For others something new, something different…..for me it’s just a part of my experiment in my kitchen…wink!

YOU NEED…….

* 5 pcs. Pork scalope
* 200 g Pasta (I used elbow)
* 1 onion
* some chopped Chive
* 1 cup of Sour cream
* 3 tbsps. Worcestershire Sauce
* 3 tbsps. Olive oil
* salt and pepper

HOW TO…….

CHICKEN MACARONI SALAD

Onother request by LAFFTIE88QUEEN channel and cardbordbox channel!
My friends from youtube. I don’t know if they’re still existing, because we don’t have any contact at all recently.

YOU NEED…….

* 250 g Elbow or Salad Macaroni
* 1/2 kg of Chicken Breast
* about 2 cups of Mayonnaise
* a cup of Cheese cubes
* a cup of drained crushed Pineapple
* 1 tbsp. of Sweet Pickle relish
* 1/2 cup of boiled and chopped Carrot
* salt and powdere White Pepper
* White Sugar
* some Parmesan Cheese for garnishing (optional9
* slices of hard boiled Eggs for garnishing (optional)

HOW TO…….

* Cook pasta (Elbow) according to package direction. Boil chicken breast for about 30 minutes until tender. So with carrot.

* In a mixing bowl, mix all together; macaroni or elbow, chicken breast (chopped or cut into cubes), drained crushed pineapple, pickel relish, chopped carrot, and cheese cubes.

* Add about 2 cups of mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Toss until well blend.

* Chill and to serve garnish with slice egg and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.