Kale Ricotta Pasta with Peas and Lemon Butter

Bright and lemony light pasta with all the greens!

I used the ingredients from a couple of recipes to come up with this one. To be honest, while putting it together I wasn't sure I liked how it was going. But in the end it tasted great! Love the punchy lemon flavour!

Ingredients:

1 lb pasta 

1 tbsp butter

2 or 3 garlic cloves, sliced

1 lemon, zest and juice

1/2 - 1 cup ricotta

1/2 - 1 cup reserved pasta water

1 cup fresh or frozen peas (thaw frozen)

2 cups fresh kale, thinly chopped

1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped

2 tsps dry basil

2 tbsps parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta as directed and reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.

While the pasta cooks melt butter in a large pan. Add the garlic and heat until golden. Then add the lemon zest, juice, ricotta and pasta water (start with 1/2 a cup and decide the consistency you want). I used a potato masher to help incorporate the ricotta.

Now add the peas, kale, mint and basil and cook 2 minutes to wilt the greens. Add parmesan, salt and pepper. 

Stir the drained pasta into the sauce and toss to coat.

Serves 4

Tuscan Shrimp Spaghettini

Quick and delicious... you can have supper on the table in 15 minutes! 

While this recipe calls for sundried tomato and basil spaghettini it would work with any pasta you like... whole wheat, spinach or maybe even zucchini noodles. But I've gotta say these noodles were really tasty!

Ingredients:

1 - 375 g pkg sundried tomato and basil spaghettini 

1/3 cup olive oil, divided

1 - 400 g pkg peeled large shrimp

4 minced garlic cloves

1/2 tsp each salt and pepper

1 lemon, zested and juiced

2 tbsps torn lemon basil leaves

1 sundried tomato, slivered

I picked up this pasta and thought it might be good with an alfredo sauce, then I saw the recipe on the back of the package and had to try it. 

Cook the spaghettini according to package directions, drain well.

Then heat 2 tbsps oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Cook shrimp with garlic, sundried tomatoes, salt and pepper for about 3 minutes.

Toss the spaghettini with the remaining olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice and basil, plate and top with shrimp.

Serves 4

Adapted from: www.catelli.com 

Roasted Chickpea and Kale Salad

Kale makes a wonderful base for this hearty dinner salad. Use any dressing you like or try the Roasted Carrot and Ginger dressing below. The fruit and veggies you use may be different than pictured but with the base of kale and roasted chickpeas you can't go wrong.

My garden kale is growing like a weed and the radishes and strawberries are coming along nicely. Garden cucs coming soon!

 

Ingredients:

1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained

3/4 cup sliced/diced carrots

olive oil

salt and pepper

Roasted Carrot and Ginger Dressing:

1/2 cup roasted carrots

1/3 - 1/2 cup water

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tbsps apple cider vinegar

2 tsps minced ginger

1/4 tsp (herbed) salt

2 tsps honey

a bunch of kale leaves, de-stemmed and torn

1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp olive oil, salt

1 cup roasted chickpeas

sliced papaya

sliced radishes

strawberries

diced cucumber

diced red pepper

dried cranberries

sesame seeds

(you can add cooked chicken if you're not going vegetarian)

To begin, toss the carrots and chickpeas separately in some olive oil and place on a lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast at 400°F for 25 minutes.

To make the dressing blend the roasted carrots and 1/3-1/2 cup water in a blender, then add the rest of the dressing ingredients. Whirl until smooth then chill in the fridge. For this batch I used 1/3 cup of water. You can see it's a little thick.

Next wash, de-stem and tear the kale into a large bowl. Add lemon juice, olive oil and a pinch of salt and massage into the leaves until they turn soft and a little greener. You can refrigerate this a couple of hours.

Then just start adding veggies and fruit to your plate.

And top with your dressing.

Serves 3-4

Adapted from: loveandlemons.com

No Bake Cheesecake and Apple Pie Squares

Just "no bake" and "cheesecake" in the same sentence should sell you on this recipe!

Ingredients:

27 graham crackers

1 pkg Jello no bake cheesecake mix

19 oz can apple pie filling (most of it)

Glaze:

1/2 cup icing sugar

1/4 tsp vanilla

1 tbsp milk

cinnamon sugar (optional)

Place 9 graham crackers in the bottom of an 8 X 8" pan.

Make the cheesecake as directed on the package and pour or spoon over the crackers.

Add another layer of graham crackers, then top with apple pie filling. I used most of the 19 oz can but if you can pile it all on then go for it!

Put the final layer of crackers on top of the pie filling.

Mix the glaze ingredients together and drizzle on top.

Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the top if you like then place in the fridge. When the glaze is set, cover the pan with foil and refrigerate overnight.

Once everything has been in the fridge it sets into beautiful cheesecake squares with cake like graham layers and apple pie yumminess!

Makes 9 servings.

Corn and Red Potato Salad

Nothing fancy just a tasty spirit of summer salad!

Ingredients:

4 medium red potatoes (1 1/4 lbs)

1 1/4 cups kernel corn (you could use frozen and thawed)

1/4 cup chopped red onion

1/2 cup Miracle Whip (Caesar or Ranch salad dressing)

2 tbsps white vinegar (or pump it up with pickle juice!)

1/2 tsp celery seed

chopped dill (optional...some of us don't like it in our house so we used parsley)

Quarter the potatoes and boil until cooked but still firm. You don't want mushy potato salad. Drain and rinse under cold water. Mix the rest of the ingredients and toss with the potatoes.

Chill a few hours. That's all folks!

Serves 4-6

Flip Flop Cake

It's officially summer in four days. Have you got your flip flops out yet? 

This weekend we celebrated our oldest daughter's 29th birthday followed the day after by my Mom's 92nd birthday. Flip the numbers and you've got a flip flop birthday!

But these flip flop cakes are cute for any summer get together you're planning. 

Ingredients:

1 - 2 layer cake mix

Your favourite frosting, enough for a 2 layer cake

Ribbon candy, fruit-by-the-foot or licorice

Silk flowers

Graham crumbs for sand

Bake a 13 X 9" cake. When cooled place the cake in the freezer for a couple hours. Trace a flip flop on wax paper then use the template to cut out 2 flip flops from the chilled cake. 

Note: Because of Covid19 I took some batter out before baking and made 2 cupcakes for candle blowing purposes.

Once the cakes are cut out frost them lightly (crumb coat) then chill again. Frost and decorate with candy and flowers to look like flip flips then sprinkle "sand" around to complete the look!

Chocolate Ricotta No Bake Bars

With hot summer days around the corner who wants to heat up the house by putting the oven on to make dessert? Not me! These delicious no bake bars are your answer!

Ingredients:

30 plain social tea biscuits

15 chocolate covered social tea biscuits

Chocolate mousse layer:

1 cup ricotta

1/2 cup sugar

3 tbsps milk

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 cup Cool Whip topping

Pudding layer:

1 - 4 serving size instant vanilla pudding mix

2/3 milk

2 cups Cool Whip topping

Line an 8 X 8" pan with a layer of social tea biscuits.

To make the chocolate mousse layer fully combine the ricotta, milk and sugar. Add the cocoa powder and mix well. Fold in 1 cup Cool Whip. Pour over the layer of cookies.

Lay another layer of biscuits on top of the chocolate mousse.

Make the pudding layer. Pour the milk into a bowl then add the pudding mix and whip together. Fold in the 2 cups of Cool Whip and spread on top.

Now for the top of the dessert. I used these chocolate covered biscuits because they look good and well....you know, they're chocolate! But the chocolate does not soften like the biscuit will so they are still hard when serving for dessert.

An alternative would be to use a third layer of plain social tea biscuits and top them with some Cool Whip.

Once the top layer has been placed cover the pan with foil and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.

Then cut between biscuits to make 15 servings.

 

Homemade Pretzel Bread

This could possibly be the best bread I have ever made!

The recipe makes 2 small loaves or 8 rolls.

Ingredients:

Dough:

2 1/4 tsp rapid yeast

1 cup warm water (or whey) 105° - 110°F

3 tbsps brown sugar

2 tbsps milk

4 tbsps butter, melted

1 tsp salt

3 cups all purpose flour

Baking Soda Bath:

4 qts water

1/2 cup baking soda

Topping:

1-2 tbsps coarse salt

2 tbsps melted butter

Combine yeast, warm water (or whey) and brown sugar in a mixer bowl and let sit for 5 minutes or until foamy. I had whey left from making ricotta so I used that for more protein and nutrients. (I used a cheesemaking kit I got while in Covid19 lockdown and it's pretty neat! But the original recipe calls for water so no worries if you don't have whey!)

Melt 4 tbsps of butter in the microwave and mix in the milk. Add this to the mixer bowl with the yeast and combine. Mix the salt and flour together and dump into the bowl. Combine fully and knead (hand or mixer) 5 or so minutes until smooth but still tacky. Oil a large bowl, place the dough ball in and cover with a damp cloth. Place in a warm spot, like the oven with the oven light on. Rise 1 hour or until doubled.

Get the baking soda bath ready. Boil 4 qts of water in a large pot (like your spaghetti pot) then slowly and carefully add the baking soda. I stirred tablespoonfuls in 1 at a time so it didn't bubble up too quickly.

Turn the dough out onto the counter. I floured the surface but don't really think it was needed. Cut the dough in half and form into 2 loaves (or make 8 rolls).

Then straight into the baking soda bath... 60-90 seconds a side for loaves, 30 seconds a side for rolls. I made my slashes in the top before but was supposed to wait until after the baking soda bath. Oops! But it all worked out anyways.

Remove the dough from the bath with a large slotted spoon or spatula, drain and place on a parchment lined sheet. If you're doing it right now's the time to slash the loaves. I made one with a n "X" and the other with diagonal slashes. I liked the diagonals better. Although the "X" might have turned out better if I'd slashed the dough after the bath!! Anyways, give the loaves a nice sprinkling of coarse salt...

and bake at 400°F for 23-25 minutes for loaves, 18-20 minutes for rolls.

Remove from oven and immediately brush with melted butter.

Lift off the parchment paper and onto racks to cool completely.

Or if not cooled completely at least a few minutes before you can't help yourself!!

Original recipe from joyfoodsunshine.com 

Meatloaf on the BBQ

An easy and classic meal that works great on the barbecue when hot humid days like today are upon us. And this tangy glaze hits all the right notes!

Ingredients:

Meatloaf:

1 lb lean ground beef

4 tbsps sliced pepperoni, chopped

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tsps worcestershire sauce

1 egg

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

2 tbsps chopped onion

2 tbsps chopped red pepper

2 tbsps chopped greens (kale, spinach, arugula)

1 tsp oregano

salt and pepper to taste

1 onion, sliced

Glaze:

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tbsps brown sugar

1/4 tsp dry mustard

Line a baking sheet with foil and place slices of onion in the center without overlapping.

Combine the meatloaf ingredients and mix well.

You can even get in there with your hands and give it a good few squeezes!

Then form the meat into a loaf and sit on top of the sliced onions.

Mix the glaze ingredients and spread all over the meatloaf. Chill several hours for the flavours to meld. 

Heat the barbecue (or oven) to 350°F and cook on indirect heat for 1 - 1 1/2 hours or until the internal temperature is 160°F. 

Lets this "football" rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.