Pasta Recipe – Urban Simplicty

Baked Macaroni with Caramelized Cauliflower and Two Cheeses (yum!)

Okay. So this is really delicious. How delicious is it, you may ask? Well if you notice in the servings I wrote that it makes either four small or two large portions. When I first put it in the oven I looked at it and thought it would easily serve four, but when it cameContinue reading “Baked Macaroni with Caramelized Cauliflower and Two Cheeses (yum!)”

Baked Macaroni with Caramelized Cauliflower and Two Cheeses (yum!)

Spicy, Baked, and Cheesy (Yum!)

So here is another recipe that is super easy to make but bursting with flavor. It’s really just a sort of Mediterranean-style macaroni-and-cheese. The key flavor techniques are browning the vegetables (making a sort of sofrito), reducing the chicken broth for concentrated flavor, and allowing the pasta to finish cooking in the sauce so itContinue reading “Spicy, Baked, and Cheesy (Yum!)”

Spicy, Baked, and Cheesy (Yum!)

Pasta d’oro con fagioli

This is an easy and delicious variation on the classic pasta dish, pasta e fagioli (pasta with beans), which is often meatless but when it does contain meat it is usually pork. In this particular recipe I used smoked turkey which offers some of the smokiness of bacon or other pork products. I also addedContinue reading “Pasta d’oro con fagioli”

This is way more fun than cutting a lawn…

It has been more than ten years since I tore up my teeny front lawn and planted a teeny vegetable garden which yields big results. And over the years it–the garden–has spread to other areas around the house; the side and rear, mainly. But this year–because of various reasons–I have only planted the front yardContinue reading “This is way more fun than cutting a lawn…”

Farfalline with Asparagus, Tomatoes, Chicken Broth, Saffron, Garlic Confit, and Fontinella

This is a continuation of a previous post regarding garlic confit…here’s an example of a recipe in which I used it. I made this for staff lunch at work yesterday. At first glance this may look complicated but it is really very simple…and really delicious. Other than the chicken broth this recipe is meatless butContinue reading “Farfalline with Asparagus, Tomatoes, Chicken Broth, Saffron, Garlic Confit, and Fontinella”

Verdure aglio e olio (due ricette)

Okay. By now–if you’ve been to this blog before–you know that I like things cooked with olive oil and garlic. A lot. I could eat it in variation nearly every day…and I almost do. I posted a similar recipe about a month ago but this combo was too good not to share…whole wheat penne withContinue reading “Verdure aglio e olio (due ricette)”

A Really Simple (but Superbly Delicious) Homemade Chicken Soup Recipe with Homemade Whole Wheat Noodles

What is it about chicken soup? Even when I go through one of my “very-little-meat” phases I still welcome and crave this simple food. It’s a sort of cultural phenomenon…every culture and nationality has their own version of this humble dish. One of my favorite names for this recipe is “Jewish Penicillin,” making reference toContinue reading “A Really Simple (but Superbly Delicious) Homemade Chicken Soup Recipe with Homemade Whole Wheat Noodles”

Pasta Fra Diavolo

Pasta with seafood…yum! It is one of my favorites. And Fra Diavolo is likely my all-time version of seafood pasta. It’s name–Fra Diavolo–translates from Italian to “Brother Devil,” and the dish has a somewhat interesting history (to read about it go to this post). This recipe can be made with nearly any seafood and anyContinue reading “Pasta Fra Diavolo”

Warm Weather and a Recipe…

Okay, so as I type these words it is 4:00pm in the afternoon, December 3rd, and it is a balmy 55f/12c…and I am typing in Buffalo, NY, where we are known for our often harsh winters. I’m sure we’re going to get a taste of it soon enough (though last year it hardly snowed atContinue reading “Warm Weather and a Recipe…”

Simple Pasta Recipe = Comfort Food

I had mentioned in recent posts on how I am in a particularly stressful period right now at work. Crazy busy. Just one lunch and dinner after another. Today, at one point, I think I was making five different recipes simultaneously while I was also directing my staff. I’m not mentioning this to be aContinue reading “Simple Pasta Recipe = Comfort Food”

Penne Bolognese (senza latte o panna)

Pasta with meat sauce. Mmm…I love it; easy to make and really delicious. But first I have to say that while I am most definitely not a vegetarian I do not eat a great deal of meat (for a variety of reasons). Sometimes I go days, even a week or so with out eating meatContinue reading “Penne Bolognese (senza latte o panna)”

Macaroni and Four Cheeses

This is a variation of the classic American dish, Macaroni-and-Cheese. The variation from the classic recipe in this one is that I used four cheeses…cheddar, Parmesan, Fontinella, and Gorgonzola. It is–if I do say so myself–mouthwatering delicious. And while this may not be the heart-healthiest meal you can eat it is easy to make, versatile,Continue reading “Macaroni and Four Cheeses”

This Year’s Garden Issue, and a quick tomato recipe

Every year it seems there is a new “issue” in the garden. Such is life, right? I can’t imaging how difficult it must be for farmers who rely on their crops for their livelihood, or those who rely on the food they grow to sustain them entirely. A few years ago I had an armyContinue reading “This Year’s Garden Issue, and a quick tomato recipe”

"Tis the Season…

Beautiful isn’t it? The first tomato of the season. Within two weeks I’ll have a bushel of them. And the season seems especially early this year. Like much of the nation, Western New York State has been sweltering this summer and the garden plants are loving it. We–WNY–have a relatively short growing season, but IContinue reading “"Tis the Season…”

I Ate My Front Yard for Dinner…at least some of it

As many of you know from reading this blog, about 10 years ago I tore op my teeny front lawn to plant vegetables and have never looked back. It gets the best sun and I realized that I would much rather grow and pick vegetables than I would grow and cut grass. I eventually startedContinue reading “I Ate My Front Yard for Dinner…at least some of it”

Pasta (e Pesce) Fra Diavolo

If you’ve been to this blog before you know that I enjoy cooking and eating pasta, and just because it’s hot outside doesn’t mean I’m not hindered. Tonight for dinner I made one of my favorites…Pasta Fra Diavolo. I cooked it in my outdoor kitchen in my backyard to alleviate heating my teeny indoor kitchen.Continue reading “Pasta (e Pesce) Fra Diavolo”

Twenty Minute Pasta with Beans and Greens Recipe

This recipe–as I say about all the recipes that I post on this blog–is really easy to make, nutritious, and super delicious. And it only takes twenty minutes (or less) to prepare, granting you have your beans cooked and have good knife skills (in other words, if you can chop things fast). The only meatContinue reading “Twenty Minute Pasta with Beans and Greens Recipe”

Spaghetti (grano intero) con Broccoli, Aglio e Olio

If you’ve followed any of the recipes on this blog you know that two of my favorite ingredients are olive oil and garlic. I made this for staff lunch today…whole wheat spaghetti with broccoli, garlic, olive oil, and hot peppers. For pictures and recipes on how to cook nearly anything aglio e olio scroll throughContinue reading “Spaghetti (grano intero) con Broccoli, Aglio e Olio”