For more years than I’d like to admit, I had one (and only) dish that I made for friends who came over for dinner:  Pasta and Peas.  It’s such a SIMPLE and easy dinner that it’s a little embarrassing when people ask me for the recipe.  But let me tell you, this recipe is delicious and will probably become one of your family’s favorite dinners as soon as you make it for them.

It’s not only easy to make, you almost always have the ingredients on hand.  All you need is pasta, olive oil, garlic, sun dried tomatoes, crushed red peppers, frozen peas and Locatelli (or your favorite Parmesan or Romano cheese).

It’s as easy as this:

BOIL:  a pot of water—Add a little olive oil and salt

SAUTE:  the garlic until lightly brown (add crushed red peppers if you like it spicy) in a few tablespoons of olive oil

ADD:  the sundried tomatoes and defrosted peas to the garlic and olive oil

TOSS:  the pasta into the oil mixture and add some freshly shaved Locatelli cheese on top.

You can serve this as the main meal by adding some protein.  Grilled shrimp or chicken are always delicious.

The best part of this dish is that you can substitute your favorite ingredients and turn it into something new.  Try whole wheat pasta, a touch of pesto, grilled or sautéed shrimp (or chicken), hot or sweet Italian sausage, or whatever you love. If you’re in the mood for Mediterranean pasta, skip the Locatelli and peas and add feta cheese, kalamata olives, and grilled shrimp. Sprinkle it with some freshly chopped mint right before serving.

I LOVE vegetables and I’ve tried nearly all of them in this dish:  broccoli, carrots, long hot peppers, asparagus, red or yellow peppers, and leeks.  Trust me; you can’t go wrong with this recipe.  And don’t forget to add fresh basil or other herbs if you happen to have them.

Use your imagination and ENJOY!  And please share your favorite super-easy recipe(s) with us since we could all use some new ideas.

Happy Cooking!

Molly

*This blog is dedicated to Jon for putting up with many nights of pasta and peas…and eventually learning to love it!!

The day before the hurricane dumped loads of water on us, my good friend Lynnie started protecting her garden like a lion watches over her cubs.  She hesitantly picked a bunch of tomatoes out of her garden—even though they were green—so they wouldn’t get ruined by the storm.  Lynnie called me up to see what I’d do with them and the only thing I could think of was to fry them.  But how many fried green tomatoes can you possibly eat?

So I did a little research and found this amazing recipe in the September (2011) issue of Bon Appétit Magazine.  Chef Andrew Little (of Sheppard Mansion in Hanover, PA) says he simply lets a blender do all the work!

Green Tomato Gazpacho

2 ¼ lb. green (unripe red) tomatoes

1 English hothouse cucumber, trimmed & coarsely chopped

1 shallot, chopped

½ jalapeno, seeded & chopped

1 tsp. fresh cilantro, minced

½ garlic clove, minced

1 Tbsp. honey

1 ½ inch thick slice white country bread, cut into pieces  

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ cup fresh lime juice

1 ½ Tbsp. finely grated lime zest

1 Tbsp. fresh basil, minced

Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper

½ cup ¼ inch cubes peeled, seeded watermelon or cantaloupe

1 Tbsp. thinly sliced fresh mint leaves

Place first 6 ingredients into a blender and puree until smooth.  With machine running, gradually add honey, then bread, then oil.  Puree until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in juice, lime zest and basil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cover and chill until cold.  Before serving, garnish soup with the melon and mint.

So whip some up and enjoy!  Don’t ever waste a tomato—even if it’s green!

Stay Healthy & Smile,

Molly

One of the easiest ways to lose and/or maintain your ideal body weight is to eat a variety of healthy foods.  When eating the foods you love, it never feels like you’re depriving yourself while keeping your waistline in check.

Choosing a healthy lunch can sometimes be difficult.  If you’re picking up a sandwich from a local deli, they’re usually stacked high with three times the amount of meat and cheese that you need.  And, they’re expensive.  It’s just hard to find healthy lunches with “good for your body” portion sizes.

So why not make a big pot of soup that will last you the entire week?  Just because it’s almost summer doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy hot soup.  In fact, eating this soup for lunch everyday will help you get ready for the skimpier clothes that hot summer days bring. I love this soup all year long because it’s not only delicious; it keeps me satisfied for hours.  My friend Randy Stephen gave me this recipe and I’ve had a lot of fun substituting various types of veggies, beans and hot sauces to mix it up.

The Daily Soup

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 3 carrots, peeled and diced
• 3 ribs of celery, diced
• 1 large sweet onion, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1-23 oz can of diced tomatoes
• 1-15 oz can of kidney beans
• 48 oz chicken stock
• Water as needed (about 2-4 cups)
• Juice and zest of 2 limes
• 1 cup wild or brown rice
• 1 package frozen corn
• 1 head of kale, chopped

Sauté onions, carrots, celery, pepper and garlic until soft.  Add tomatoes, beans, stock, water, hot sauce, lime zest, lime juice, rice corn and kale.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until the rice and kale are cooked through.

Please let us know what modifications you make to this hearty, perfect-for-lunch soup.  We’d love to hear your ideas!

Soup is Good Food,

Molly