Browned Butter + Sage = Perfection

As the new school year creeps upon me, I have noticed my schedule already changing with the preparations of my new classroom. When one gets busy, one must also get crafty with EASY meals. There are so many nights during the school year that I actually have to muster up the thought of getting back on my feet to prepare a gourmet meal. If any of this sounds familiar to you, let me tell you a little secret...I have discovered the EASIEST meal that actually tastes like it came straight from Emeril's kitchen.

Busy housewife, I'd like to introduce you to browned butter. Browned butter, meet this housewife. She is in dire need of your simplicity and tasteful delight. Enough with the meet 'n greet, let's get down to brown business. When you brown butter, it becomes nutty and extremely aromatic. Add a few sage leaves and lemon juice and you will be dancing all over the kitchen. Your taste buds will most likely explode and it may even make a grown man cry...okay, actually I could just cry...That is how amazing this pan sauce is. Toss it with your favorite pasta or drizzle it over some cheesy stuffed ravioli. Your whole family will feel fancy in no time.


Ingredients:

* Pasta of your choice
* 4 tablespoons butter
* 6 sage leaves
* 1/2 lemon, juiced
* 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano, mi favorito. ;)

Directions

While your pasta cooks, melt butter in a 12 to 14-inch saute pan and continue cooking until golden brown color appears in the thinnest liquid of the butter. Add sage leaves and remove from heat. Add lemon juice and set aside. Using tongs, gently transfer the pasta to the pan sauce...DO NOT DRAIN YOUR PASTA EVERRRRRRR!! (See note below) Sprinkle the cheese over the pasta before you toss...this will help it stick to the noodles. Spoon a small ladle of pasta water into the pan and toss to coat. Serve immediately!

Here is why I yelled at you...Pasta water is a precious commodity when cooking pasta with a homemade pan sauce. No matter what you are tossing into your pasta, a little pasta water will make the dish super creamy and will help thicken up the sauce, thanks to the starches that remain from the pasta. ENJOY!

Tortellini Soup and Parmesan Popovers

You might just popover when you eat this meal! However, I swear I will stop posting so much Italian, but just this last one. I don't know what came over me this last week, but never fret, my kitchen's passport is already on its way to Mexico in light of Cinco de Mayo. I have a few Mexican dishes coming your way so that you can get some ideas brewing for Thursday.

Back to the soup at hand...

If my soup placed an ad in the dating section of the paper it would read: S/W/F. I'm easy and must be paired up with someone rich. Contenders must love garlic!

I think you get the idea. Since the soup is so easy, I just had to add more to it so that my time in the kitchen lasted a bit longer. Does that make me crazy?

So then came the idea for Parmesan Popovers. They are so cute and "filthy rich"! The perfect pairing for a desperate housewife...I mean...the soup.

Tortellini Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 tbs olive oil
• 5 garlic cloves chopped
• 1/2 c chopped onion
• Dash of Italian seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 8oz can diced tomato
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 package of tortellini
• Handful of fresh spinach


Heat a large soup pot with olive oil. Add the garlic and onion until the onion is transparent. Add the Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to taste.

Add the can of tomatoes with their juice. Add chicken broth and bring the soup to a boil. Once the soup is boiling add the tortellini and reduce heat to a gentle boil. Once the tortellini puffs up and almost doubles in size, the pasta is done. Turn the heat to a low simmer and add the spinach. Once the spinach wilts, the soup is done.

Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan and fresh chopped basil.


Parmesan Popovers

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon herbs de Provence or Italian seasoning
• 4 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
• 1 cups whole milk
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan (about 5 ounces)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a Kitchen Aid mixer or blender, combine eggs, flour, salt, pepper, and herbs, milk, and cheese. Blend on medium speed.

Spray a mini-muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the batter into the muffin cups, filling each cup 3/4 full. Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.

They will literally pop out of the pan on their own. :)

Pesto Lasagna with a Bechamel Sauce

This lasagna is by far, the MOST decadent thing you will ever taste. The bechamel sauce makes it so rich and moist and the pesto adds the flavor kick. After about five minutes of moaning and groaning through the first bite, I just knew this was worth cooking for guests when they come into town. It's that special!! I made it lighter than the traditional versions and used canned pesto. I would make my own, but I cringe every time I see the cost of pine nuts, which is the best part of a pesto...

A word from the wise-ish about bechamel sauce...I would not call myself a pro at it yet but the first time I made the sauce was last week for a Mac and Cheese gone wrong, I was not patient enough and didn't toast my flour correctly. Needless to say, the whole meal was gross! So, I had to be careful this time and was determined not to ruin it. I am pretty sure I nailed it on the head this time, judging from the symphony in my mouth with each bite of this lasagna. Just stay near the sauce and stir constantly and taste as you go along. Once it loses it's floury taste, it's ready.

Bechamel:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk/ 2 1/2 cups skim milk (this keeps it flavorful but will cut back on the richness and the fat content.)
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Other Ingredients:
• 1 jar of pesto
• 1 cup of mozzarella or parmesan ( I used mozzarella because Trevor loves it so much)
• 1/4 cup of parmesan to sprinkle on top before and after cooking
• 1 box of no cook lasagna noodles. I found a box of sheet-like lasagna noodles. They are much easier to layer.


Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter a 13 by 9 by 4 baking dish and add a thin layer of the bechamel sauce. Cover with a layer of lasagna noodles, and then another thin layer of bechamel. Gently spread about 4 tablespoons pesto across the surface, and then top with about 2 tablespoons of your cheese choice. Repeat until you finish layering the lasagna. Top with a final layer of noodles and spread a final very thin layer bechamel, pesto, Parmesan cheese and a little butter to help the cheese crisp-up when cooked in the oven.

Cook the lasagna for about 30 minutes. Serve dressed with some Parmesan and a drop of extra-virgin olive oil.

Beshamel:
Melt the 1/2 cup butter in a pan over medium heat. Stir in the flour with a wooden spoon. This is an important moment, as you have to slowly toast the flour without burning it. This will help you lose the flowery taste! It takes about 10 min. It should look like a dark ivory color and bubbly.

Gradually ladle warmed milk into the pot with the butter-flour mixture, whisking constantly while bringing the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer for about 15 minutes. STIR CONSTANTLY. Season the sauce with freshly grated nutmeg, salt, and pepper.

This meal is WORTH the labor. I made it a little lighter than traditional versions but the decadence and elegance of this recipe with make everyone around you happy!

Porky Goes South

Just think...oven roasted pork tenderloin with a sauce that tastes like it just came out of a kitchen nestled in southern Italy. The flavors are robust and so decadent. Porky will be singin' a new tune!

Now, I am a huge believer in pork tenderloins. For one, they are so easy and so full of their own flavors. Basically, it's a meat that can speak for itself. They even come in various marinades for busy nights..no sauce necessary. I do love making a variety of sauces to drizzle over it for some pizazz but have grown weary of other members of the pork family. To be frank, I HATE pork chops. Mom used to try and make me eat them growing up, and I just never wanted it. Sorry mom...

In my own cooking adventures, to my mom's defense, I have decided that there is NO WAY to make it tender. I am now accepting advice from others out there who know how to make this cut tender. I have grilled it, baked it and "parmesan-ed" it in a pan, but to no avail.

Pork tenderloin, however, is a much fattier cut. Although, I do recommend trimming some of the fat off to stay as healthy as possible...it adds so much flavor. Today I paired it with orzo tossed in a roasted tomato vinaigrette. Both recipes are my rendition of Giada's original recipe.

Enjoy this one!

Pork
* 3 (1-pound) pork tenderloins, trimmed
* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sauce
* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 1/2 small onion, diced
* 1/2 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
* 1/2 medium yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
* 1/2 medium orange bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* Kosher salt for seasoning, plus 2 tablespoons
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 1 cup red wine, such as syrah or cabernet sauvignon
* 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
* 1 (15-ounce) can tomato puree
* 1 dried bay leaf


For the pork: Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Rub 1 tablespoon oil over the pork and season with salt and pepper. In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over high heat. Add the pork and brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer the pork to a 13-by-9-by-2-inch glass baking dish and roast for 25 to 30 minutes until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork registers 165 degrees F. Allow the pork to rest for 10 minutes.

For the sauce: In the same skillet used for the pork, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, peppers and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently for 8 to 10 minutes until softened. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes, scraping up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir in the paprika, tomatoes and bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 25 to 30 minutes until the sauce thickens. Remove the bay leaf and transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Season with 2 tablespoons salt and pepper, to taste.

Pasta Rustica

If I had it my way I would die in a pool of noodles. Since I am always on the hunt for new pasta night ideas, I thought I should share this one with you. This is my rendition of a Giada favorite. It is so comforting and rustic that it will please the entire family. I swear by this one. I served it in a cast iron pan for an extra touch of "countryside" service.

Rotini with Sausage and Sun-dried tomatoes

Ingredients
3/4 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, sliced, 2 tablespoons of oil reserved
1 pound Italian hot sausages, casings removed
1/2 cup chopped artichoke hearts
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
16 ounces rotini pasta
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan, plus additional for garnish
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
8 ounces water-packed fresh mozzarella, drained and cubed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions
Heat the oil reserved from the tomatoes in a heavy large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown, breaking up the meat into bite-size pieces with a fork, about 8 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a bowl. Add the artichokes and garlic to the same skillet, and saute over medium heat until the garlic is tender, about 2 minutes. Add the broth, wine, and sun-dried tomatoes. Boil over medium-high heat until the sauce reduces slightly, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta in boiling water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta (do not rinse). Add the pasta, sausage, 1/2 cup Parmesan, basil, and parsley to the artichoke mixture. Toss until the sauce is almost absorbed by the pasta. Stir in the mozzarella. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Then pour it into a cast iron pan. Cut some of the fresh mozzarella and sprinkle it over the top of the dish. Put it in the oven for a bit to melt the cheese.

It looks amazing when it comes out and then I sprinkle it with more basil.

The sauce at the bottom of the pan is so rich and decadent that you could even dip some crusty bread into it to top off your meal.

Easy Breezy Pasta

As busy as I am, I ALWAYS make time to serve my man dinner. At the beginning of our marriage, I fell back on what I called my "staple dinners"...I could always count on them and they were the easiest recipes ever. My most common one was pasta and sauce from a jar. HO HUM! My newest goal as a cooking wife was to STOP serving my husband the same meal every Thursday. I have been very adventurous but now more than ever. Since, we moved to Florida, I decided to fill my time up as much as possible with whatever I can. This is my attempt at making Med School more manageable to get through...Enough of my home life, let's talk about what I have begun doing. I want a larger box of tools to pull from. I NEED those easy recipes every now and then so I have found one in particular worth sharing. Aside from my obsession with all things Giada, I have picked up a few new recipes. This one is so easy but looks and tastes so gourmet!

Rigatoni with Almond Bread Crumbs

Ingredients

1 pound rigatoni pasta
3 cups purchased garlic-flavored croutons, (about 5 ounces)
1/4 cup slivered almonds (about 1 ounce), toasted
1 cup julienned roasted red bell peppers
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta into a large bowl.
Place the croutons and the almonds in a food processor. Pulse until it becomes the texture of bread crumbs. Add the crouton and almond mixture to the hot pasta. Add the peppers and the olive oil. Toss to combine and serve.


Now, I would have garnished it with my new basil plant, but it died over the break when I was out of town. Anyone have any advice for my pale-green thumb? How do you keep this fragile herb alive while out of town??? Thanks!