Creamy Parmesan Portobello Pasta

Every year around August-October, Olive Garden has their "Never Ending Pasta Bowl." You choose any kind of pasta with any kind of sauce and you can "refill" as many times as you like, choosing different pastas and sauces, if you so desire. I am all too familiar with this as I worked as a server there, what seems like eons past. Actually, it wasn't too long ago.

One of my favorite creations they serve up during this time is a creamy portobello sauce. I have attempted to recreate it at home and I must say —YUM!! Is it exactly like their sauce? I'm not sure, but it is quite delicious!

This is a vegetarian dish, yet it's oh so "meaty" with these plump mushrooms paired beautifully with the rich sauce.

I start by removing the gills and breaking off the stem. You can cut up the stems and use those with the rest of the cut mushrooms.

All sliced and ready to be sautéed. You can also grill or roast the mushrooms if you prefer.

Adding minced garlic to the mushrooms just before sautéing. My garlic press is looking a bit rugged. No wonder—I use it all the time!

I had just added the grated fresh parmesan cheese. Looking creamy and mouthwatering.

You can choose whatever pasta you like (just like Olive Garden). I used vermicelli this time. Whole wheat pasta is my preference with this sauce but my family likes linguini or fettucini, which also works very well in this recipe. This is not a "light" dish, but so worth it for a splurge!

Creamy Parmesan Portobello Pasta

• 4-5 large portobello mushroom caps (I ended up using 5)
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 2 gloves garlic, minced (divided)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2/3 cup half and half
• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 3 ounces grated fresh parmesan cheese (extra for serving)
• 1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese
• fresh ground pepper
• 12-16 ounce pasta

Directions

Remove gills and break off stems from the mushrooms. Rinse mushrooms. Slice the mushrooms and stems about 1/2 inch thick. Heat Olive Oil in skillet on medium. Add mushrooms and 1 clove garlic. Sauté until tender. Slowly stir in cream, half and half, remaining garlic, butter, cheeses and pepper. Heat just to a light boil and turn heat down to simmer 5 - 10 minutes stirring, until sauce thickens.

Meanwhile cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta. Serve. Sprinkle more parmesan cheese on top.

Yield: 4 servings

Pumpkin Macaroni and Cheese

One might begin to wonder if I'm getting carried away with pumpkin recipes. Yes, I guess I am, and I'm enjoying every minute of it. I was really wanting to make some homemade mac and cheese and in particular, I wanted to try it with pumpkin. I found this particular recipe over at Healthy Food for Living, it looked so creamy and delicious! I was excited to try it and it did not disappoint.

You begin the sauce by heating the pumpkin and milk.

Next comes the combination of cheeses. I used sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack and cream cheese.

You can choose just about any kind of pasta, I went with the mini-penne.

After you add the sauce to the pasta it's really creamy. If you like it that way—go ahead and enjoy! Or…

…you may decide to add a bit of cheese to the top and bake it in the oven. Here's where you have to be careful. Over-baked mac and cheese gets very dry. I put it in the oven for about 5 minutes.

This dish is great as a vegetarian main dish or served as a side. I like to serve it up with pork tenderloin or ham.

Pumpkin Macaroni and Cheese

Adapted from Healthy Food for a Living

Ingredients

8 oz uncooked macaroni or other pasta, (I used mini-penne)

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 cup milk

2 oz (about 4 Tbsp) 1/3-less-fat neufchatel cream cheese

1 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese (can use reduced fat cheese)

1/2 cup freshly grated gruyere cheese (can sub in any good melting cheese, such as monterey jack)

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1/8 – 1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper, or more depending on heat preference

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, whisk together and heat pumpkin puree and milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat until hot.

Reduce stove heat to low. Whisk in cheeses until fully melted.

Stir in nutmeg and cayenne. Season with salt and pepper.

Stir drained pasta into the pumpkin-cheese sauce and mix until thoroughly combined.

You can eat and enjoy after mixing pasta with the sauce or you can put it all in a casserole dish, sprinkle with more cheese and put it in the oven at 375, for about 5 minutes or until cheese has melted.

Serve with an extra dusting of nutmeg, if desired.

Pumpkin and Mushroom Pasta with Gorgonzola

My daughter-in-law posted on Facebook a few weeks ago, several fall dishes that she had already prepared and enjoyed. She was way ahead of me, as I was just easing into the season, still not wanting to let go of summer.

I was telling my new daughter this past weekend that compared to me, when I first got married, she is leaps and bounds ahead with her cooking and desire to eat good foods. In fact, I have not yet told her this, but just hours before her beloved (my son) was born, I had served Hamburger Helper to my husband...I wasn't hungry that night–hmmmm, I wonder why? I am very happy to report that my Hamburger Helper days are long since gone, as I have discovered the joy of real (and healthy) food.

So, my daughter-in-law found this recipe over at Closet Cooking and it came highly recommended. The flavor combinations are different but they just work together beautifully. We enjoyed this very much.

I started by slicing the mushrooms.

Caramelizing the onions and mushrooms. Such wonderful aromas!

Looking more like a sauce with the addition of spices, pumpkin, gorgonzola, and cream.

The finished product. You should have seen me agonize at the grocery store about what kind of pasta to use. I finally opted for the mini-bow tie. It was a good choice but I think any pasta would do just fine! I did alter the recipe slightly, I found the sauce to be thick with just a 1/4 cup of cream. So, I added another 1/3 cup of half and half to the sauce. Also, if you want a more intense flavor with the sauce, I would suggest not using as much pasta.

This was so tasty and delicious!

Pumpkin and Mushroom Pasta with Gorgonzola

Adapted slightly from Closet Cooking

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 onion (sliced)
• 8 ounces mushrooms (sliced)
• 1 clove garlic (chopped)
• 1 tablespoon sage (chopped)
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 pound pasta
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup half & half
• 1/2 cup gorgonzola (crumbled)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 handful sage leaves

Directions

Heat the oil in a pan.

Add the onions and mushrooms and slowly cook them until they are nice and caramelized, about an 20 minutes. Start cooking the pasta. Add the garlic, sage, red chili pepper flakes and nutmeg and saute until fragrant, about a minute. Add the pumpkin puree, cream, gorgonzola, salt and pepper and simmer to reduce for a few minutes. Melt the butter in a pan. Add the sage leaves and fry until Crispy. Toss the pasta in the sauce and serve garnished with the crispy butter fried sage.

Yield: 4 servings

Zucchini-Onion Frittata

Our family was recently invited by a dear friend to a cookout, for her husband who was celebrating a milestone birthday. We were asked to bring a side dish. So, as usual, I agonized over what to bring. Do you do that? We are still getting a few zucchinis and plenty of tomatoes and fresh basil from our garden, so finally, I landed on this dish!

I started by slicing up the stars of this dish–zucchini and onion.

Although the original recipe uses only parmesan cheese, I grated up some mozzarella, because I'm a huge fan and I think it goes great with eggs!

Next up, whisk up the eggs, milk, salt and pepper.

As they sauté, the zucchini and onions make the kitchen smell oh so good!

Rather than keep the veggies in a skillet—for travel convenience—I transferred to this casserole dish, and sprinkled on some of the cheese.

I popped it in the oven for about 15 minutes—then broiled it slightly.

Top with the rest of the cheese, fresh chopped basil, and chopped onions.

This is a great, healthy, summery, side dish that is easy to prepare and oh so flavorful!

Zucchini-Onion Frittata

Adapted from Southern Living

Ingredients

1 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced

1/2 medium onion, sliced

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese, divided

8 large eggs

1/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Garnish: chopped seeded plum tomatoes

Directions

Melt butter with oil in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat; add zucchini and onion, and sauté 12 to 14 minutes or until onion is tender. Remove from heat. If desired transfer to a casserole dish. Top with half of the cheeses.

Whisk together eggs and next 3 ingredients at least 1 minute or until well blended. Pour over vegetable mixture.

Bake at 350° for 13 to 15 minutes or until set; increase oven temperature to broil, and broil 5 1/2 inches from heat 1 to 2 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. If using a casseroled dish, watch carefully while broiling, you may also wish to skip the broiling. Sprinkle evenly with remaining chesses and basil. Garnish with tomatoes if desired.

Yield: 8 servings

Zucchini Pancakes

Are you getting lots of zucchini from your garden or perhaps the farmer's market? Looking for a different way to prepare it? We enjoyed these zucchini pancakes as a great side dish to just about any entrée. I love the fresh colorful foods of summer!

These beauties came straight from our garden. We are presently also getting some squash, green beans, peppers and a variety of tomatoes.

These savory pancakes are easy to throw together. Starting with just 1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini.

Next comes the egg, fresh parmesan cheese, flour, and a pinch of this and that and they're ready for the griddle.

It helps to have a nice big griddle, but if you don't have one, no worries, just use a frying pan.

Fresh zucchini + simple ingredients = a wonderfully tasty side dish. Cooked to golden brown perfection–yum!

This post has been linked to Eat at Home.

Zucchini Pancakes

Adapted from Taste of Home

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups shredded zucchini

2 tablespoons four

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Dash pepper

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon canola oil

Directions

In a sieve or colander, drain the zucchini, squeezing to remove

excess liquid. Pat dry; set aside. In a small bowl, combine the

baking mix, cheese and pepper. Stir in egg until blended. Add the

zucchini; toss to coat.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat; drop 1/4 cupfuls of

batter into skillet; press lightly to flatten. Fry for 2 minutes on

each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Yield: 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 pancake equals 88 calories, 6 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 56 mg cholesterol, 134 mg sodium, 4 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 4 g protein.

Artichoke Risotto and a Wedding

I hinted in a previous post that we have an up-coming wedding, and we are in the final stretch now. In less than 2 weeks our oldest son will marry and we couldn't be more thrilled.

Last year my son was finishing up medical school, deciding where he would spend his residency, when a friend from church told him, "Hey, you have got to meet my cousin." A blind date was arranged and I think it's fair to say, they had a wonderful time. Only one problem, she was a few states away with one more year of grad school and he was now bound for another state, even further away, to begin his residency. Needless to say, they were engaged last summer and spent this year apart, sneaking in visits whenever and wherever possible. They set a date as soon as they could after she graduated. We spent this last weekend attending her graduation in Chicago and now after a very long wait the wedding is just around the corner.

My future-daughter-in-law is wonderful! The kind of girl every mom longs for her son to bring home. She is sweet, kind, and caring. Spontaneous and adventuresome, she has a great sense of humor that brings out her dazzling smile! We do a lot of laughing in our family and she joins right in with it. She will make a wonderful wife and an incredible (Lord willing), mother. Our son brought home the total package! My husband and I feel very blessed indeed! And, I don't want to leave out, after raising four boys, we will finally have a daughter! - JOY!

My future-daughter-in-law is also a vegetarian. I have learned much from her and am learning more as I incorporate more meatless dishes throughout my week. So, in honor of her and their upcoming wedding, today's post is a great meatless entrée. Artichoke and Red Pepper Risotto.

To prepare this dish, you start by browning a couple jars of marinated artichoke hearts.

Browning the shallots and Arborio rice makes for a fragrant kitchen.

Then, the customary method of cooking risotto, adding the broth in increments.

Adding the liquid in stages allows the rice to cook slowly and release the starches, creating a creamy texture.

Artichoke and Red Pepper Risotto

Ingredients

• 5-6 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth, divided
• 2 jars (7.5 oz each) quartered marinated artichoke hearts, drained
• 3 shallots
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked Arborio rice
• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine (such as Chardonnay) or substitute more chicken broth
• 1 small red pepper
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 ounces Parmesan Cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup)
• Snipped fresh chives (opt).

Directions

Heat broth in saucepan or in microwave. Meanwhile, place artichokes in skillet; sauté over medium-high heat 4-5 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from skillet; reserve 1/2 cup of the artichokes. Set aside remaining artichokes.

Meanwhile, finely chop shallots. Add oil, shallots and rice to skillet; cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until shallots are tender and rice is shiny and translucent. Add wine; cook 1-2 minutes or until wine is completely evaporated, stirring constantly. Add 1 cup of the broth to skillet; cover and cook 2-3 minutes or until broth is absorbed, stirring occasionally. Repeat with remaining broth in 1-cup increments, cooking 2-3 minutes after each addition or until broth is absorbed (13-15 minutes total cook time). Remove skillet from heat.

Meanwhile, slice bell pepper into 1-in. pieces. Stir remaining artichokes, bell pepper, peas, cream cheese and Parmesan cheese into rice. Top with reserved artichokes and garnish with snipped fresh chives, if desired.

Yield: 6 servings; Calories - 380 per serving

Roasted Cauliflower, Chickpeas, and Olives

Oh, the lowly side dish! The vegetable dish added to our dinner menus can take such a back-seat to the exalted main dish. Even though vegetables are usually not the star, they can be such a sensational component of our dinner menus. This particular dish can be a wonderful, unique, addition to any lunch as well, thanks to the chickpeas that contribute a great source of protein.

Roasting is one of my favorite ways to prepare vegetables. It deepens and intensifies the flavors, making them irresistible. The lowly cauliflower in this dish becomes a rising star with the additional flavors of roasted garlic, red pepper, chickpeas and my personal favorite, green olives.

We enjoyed this dish for lunch. I'm anxious to also try it as a complement to a main dish.

Roasted Cauliflower, Chickpeas, and Olives

Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients:

• 5 1/2 cups cauliflower florets (about 1 pound)
• 24 green Spanish olives, pitted and halved
• 4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450°.

Combine first 4 ingredients in a small roasting pan. Drizzle with oil; sprinkle with pepper and salt. Toss well to coat. Bake at 450° for 22 minutes or until cauliflower is browned and crisp-tender, stirring after 10 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 2/3 cup)

Calories 176 ; Fat 10.1g (sat 1g,mono 6.4g,poly 2.4g); Cholesterol 0.0mg; Calcium 42mg; Carbohydrate 17.6g; Sodium 585mg; Protein 4.2g; Fiber 4.2g; Iron 1.2mg

Zesty Ravioli Skillet

Who doesn't struggle to get a good meal on the table every night of the week? It is such a challenge and we all need quick, easy prep meals in our "repertoire" to be efficient. For a weeknight dinner I love it when the meal has 4 basic elements—fast, inexpensive, tasty and yes, healthy. Okay, I'll be honest, I'm feeling good if I can pull off one of those. On some evenings I'm just happy to get dinner on the table!

This ravioli dish comes together in about 20 minutes, it is around $2.00 a serving. It's very tasty, and although "healthy" can be a relative term, it certainly "makes the grade" around the Packed Table. And, if you are one who is vegetarian, or likes to throw meatless dishes into the mix, then we have another added option.

This dish is a winner all the way around. Don't be afraid to add the jalapeño pepper. With the seeds removed and the pepper cooked it diminishes the fiery kick, yet intensifies the flavor.

Zesty Ravioli Skillet

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
• 4 cups loosely packed fresh baby spinach leaves
• 6 0unces grated or sliced provolone cheese
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 2 cans diced tomatoes with onions, undrained
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 pkg (24 ounce) small frozen cheese ravioli
• Halved grape tomatoes (optional)

Directions:

Wash spinach and drain. Set aside.

Add oil to 12 in. skillet; heat over medium-high heat 1-3 minutes or until shimmering. Finely chop jalapeño. Add jalapeño to skillet; cook and stir 1 minute or until crisp-tender. Press garlic into skillet, cook and stir 15-20 seconds or until fragrant.

Add tomatoes, salt and black pepper to skillet; cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until simmering. Add ravioli; stir to coat. Cook, uncovered, 4-5 minutes or until tender. Stir cream into skillet. Cook, uncovered, 1-2 minutes or until simmering. Sprinkle spinach over ravioli; cook, covered, 1 minute or until spinach start to wilt.

Remove skillet from heat. Top with cheese; cover skillet and let stand 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted. Garnish with grape tomatoes, if desired.

Yield - 8 servings

Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Pizza

This post has been linked to Eat at Home.

As I mentioned in my last post, Friday night is usually pizza night at our house. There is just something celebratory about pizza and Fridays so they seem to be a perfect pair. This recipe caught my eye years ago, not sure why it took me so long to try it. I always try to incorporate one or two vegetarian meals through the week. This pizza fit the bill perfectly.

The tangy rich flavor of the goat cheese, with the intense sweet flavor of the onions are a wonderful combination.

Add to that the robust flavor of the sun-dried tomatoes and you've get quite a pizza. My hubby and kids (meat eaters), never even mentioned that there was no meat!

Here's how it looked right before I threw it in the oven. This was a winner for my family. Perhaps you'll want to add it to your Friday night menu.

Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Pizza

Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 cups thinly sliced onion, separated into rings (about 1 onion)

1/2 pizza dough recipe, (see note below)

1/2 - 1 cup marinara sauce; (see note below)

1/4 cup chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves

2/3 cup (3 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (opt.)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450°.

Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; cover and cook for 3 minutes. Uncover and cook for 11 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently.

Press out the pizza dough on baking sheet. Spread sauce mixture over pizza crust. Sprinkle with sun-dried tomatoes. Top with onion and cheese. Bake at 450° for 10-15 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Sprinkle with basil. Cut into 6 wedges.

Note: For the sake of convenience, you may substitute 1 (1 pound) Italian pizza crust such as Boboli. You may also substitute the marinara sauce for bottled pizza sauce, such as Contadina.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)