"ATW80DS" - Pasta in a Pot

I don't normally repost recipes without trying them first, but this one looks really good...

Blow your MIND" Tomato Basil Pasta! - No Straining, just Stirring. (I've gotten many requests to repost this, so here you go!)

Pasta, Tomatoes, Veggie Broth, Olive Oil, and Seasonings (details below)

Throw it all in the pot, INCLUDING the uncooked Pasta, and cook! - Bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. The starch leaches out of the pasta and makes a rich, warm sauce for the noodles. The other ingredients cook right along with the pasta

Ingredients
12 ounces pasta (I used Linguine)
1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes with liquid ( I used zesty red pepper flavor)
1 large sweet onion, cut in julienne strips
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
2 large sprigs basil, chopped
4 1/2 cups vegetable broth (regular broth and NOT low sodium)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Parmesan cheese for garnish

Directions
Place pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, in a large stock pot. Pour in vegetable broth. Sprinkle on top the pepper flakes and oregano. Drizzle top with oil.

Cover pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer and keep covered and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes or so. Cook until almost all liquid has evaporated – I left about an inch of liquid in the bottom of the pot – but you can reduce as desired .

Season to taste with salt and pepper , stirring pasta several times to distribute the liquid in the bottom of the pot. Serve garnished with Parmesan cheese.

Simply The Best You...Healthy and Happy

"ATW80DS" - Tomato & Broccoli Tapenade

Okay... So one big thing I am learning is that Toss-Together Tuesday's are not a good thing. An unplanned meal can lead to sooooo much bad snacking and junk food cravings. I eat so much high calorie stuff on Tuesdays, corn dogs smothered in guacamole with tortilla chips and cheese, followed by orange jell-o with cool whip and candy bars. That was not counting: breakfast (toast, cheddar cheese and an orange), lunch (yogurt, pork chop, Mt. Dew and Bruschetta with Tomato & Broccoli Tapenade), or snacks (peanuts, candy corn, a  full king sized Whatchamacallit Candy Bar,  and 4 mini white powered donuts). And may I point out that none of the above items are actually that bad for you, it's just the way I put them together in a meal or meals. I was so BAD today!!!!

      But the one thing that I did want to share about the afternoon was the new  

recipe that I made today. It is a Mediterranean style of Tapenade and it was so tasty and easy to make.

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh broccoli, finely chopped
• 2-4 small white button mushrooms, chopped
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon finely chopped red pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 ounces crumbled feta cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 narrow Italian or French loaf of bread
• 1 head garlic, cut in 1/2 crosswise

Directions

1.   Place chopped tomatoes, basil & mushrooms in a large saute pan. Stir in the 2 tablespoons olive oil, (save the other 2 for bruschetta), red pepper, garlic, basil, black pepper, and balsamic vinegar and mix well, warm up on low for 2 minutes. Cover and chill for at least four hours before serving.
2.   To make the bruschetta base: Slice the loaf of bread, on the bias, into 1/2-inch slices, (about 12-15 per loaf). Rub each slice   with fresh garlic clove and then brush with olive oil. Place bread in oven on sheet pan, bake on 350 until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes on each side. Serve warm with chilled Tapenade.
3.    To serve: Fold feta into Tapenade, Place bread slices on serving dish, spoon 2 tablespoons of Tapenade onto each slice of bread and serve.

Nutritional Information 

Serving size is 2 pieces... 
Amount Per Serving:   Calories: 114 / Total Fat: 11.1g / Cholesterol: 8mg / Sodium 110mg / Protein 2.0g

"ATW80DS" - Roman Salad

They say that "when in Rome, do what the Romans do!" Well this Chef is craving a Roman-style Greek Salad and This one turned out so good I just had to share.... Makes 8 -1/2 cup servings.

Ingredients:
1 large cucumber (peeled & sliced into thin rings)
1 large Tomato (cut into chunks)
1/2 large Green Pepper (cut into chunks)
1/2 large yellow onion (sliced into thin rings & separated)
1/2 can small black olives (leave whole)
1/2 large Pomegranate (peeled & seeded)
1/4 cup feta cheese (crumbled)
1/8 cup grated lemon peel
1 full recipe of Greek Vinaigrette Dressing (recipe below)

Directions:
prepare all vegetables as directed and toss gently. Add Pomegranate, Feta Cheese and Lemon Peel. Toss gently again. Pour dressing over the top, let stand 15mins and serve. It is better served fresh, veggies seem to wilt if left to stand to long.

Greek Vinaigrette Dressing:
2/3 cup of extra virgin Olive Oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
salt & pepper to taste

Mix together and pour over Fresh Vegetables. Great for Marinating and Grilling!

NOTE:To make it a full meal add grilled chicken chunks and fresh button mushrooms and serve on a bed of fresh baby spinach.

"ATW80DS" - Italian Frittata

Good Morning Italy... we are so exited to know that we almost made our way around the world. We are going to be spending some time here in Italy to explore some of the different regions that we might have missed during our "Tour of Italy" challenges last year.

So today we thought we would start off with a great Italian brunch item.They define Frittata as an egg-based Italian dish similar to an omelette or crustless quiche, enriched with additional ingredients such as meats, cheeses, vegetables or pasta. The word frittata is derived from Italian and roughly translates to "egg-cake". You can put anything you want into them to get what ever flavors you are craving and they are delicious served warm or cold.


1-2 teaspoons olive oil
1 large handful of chopped fresh spinach,
1 cup sliced white button mushrooms
1 - 2 roma Tomatoes sliced thin
6 large eggs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (divided)
1/2 cup mild cheddar grated
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 large handful of leftover spaghetti
A few dashes of salt


Beat the eggs in a small bowl with half of the cheese, the fresh parsley, and salt and red pepper.
Add olive oil to an 8-inch non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Add mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes or until golden brown; add the spaghetti and cook 1 more minute. Add spinach and tomatoes, Pour the egg mixture into the skillet. With a fork, gently move the egg mixture from side to side allowing the egg to seep to the bottom of the pan. Do this for 5-7 minutes, until the eggs start to solidify and a crust begins to form around the edges. Give the pan handle a jiggle, and when the eggs appear nearly set, evenly sprinkle the second half of the cheese over the top of the frittata.

Remove the pan from the stove top and place under the broiler for 4-5 minutes, or until the top begins to puff up and turn golden brown. Keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn. Let cool for a couple of minutes before slicing. Serve hot or at room temperature.

"ATW80DS" - Bit-O-Irish Cheesecake (from Kraft)

Several years ago I came acrossed this recipe from Kraft for this yummy cheesecake and we started making it to go along with our Memorial Day BBQ Brisket.

What You Need

1-1/2 cups  finely chopped PLANTERS Pecans

2 Tbsp.  sugar

3 Tbsp.  butter or margarine, melted

4 pkg.  (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1 cup  sugar

3 Tbsp.  flour

1 cup  BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream

1/4 cup  Irish cream liqueur

4 eggs

To Make It

HEAT oven to 325°F.
MIX nuts, 2 Tbsp. sugar and butter; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Bake 10 min.
BEAT cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and flour in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add sour cream and liqueur; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.
BAKE 1 hour 5 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate 4 hours.

"ATW80DS" - Irish Corned Beef Brisket

Every September barbecue fans from all over the world flock to Lisdoonvarna, Ireland for the World Cup Barbecue Championship. Here in America, especially the South Boston Irish Community, we celebrate it at St. Patrick's day in March.
Our family like to kick off our summer grilling with with a great brisket as part of our Memorial day Feast. It makes great leftovers for sandwiches and hash. The recipe that we like to use is the famous Maguire's Barbecue Sauce, that was written down in the 17th century and lost in a family bible, only to be found again recently. This tomato based sauce is mild in flavor with a Worcestershire taste and can still be found being used in lots of homes today. Not only does Ireland know all about real barbecue but they buy gas and charcoal grills at a rate that has attracted the business of manufacturers all over the world. Virtually any grill or smoker you can buy in the United States can be bought on the Emerald Isle. With one of the fastest growing economies in Europe the Irish are hitting the patio and they are grilling.... 

Grilled Corned-Beef Brisket

This recipe is a great make ahead meal item. You can marinade it overnight and have it ready for dinner the next day. Prep Time: 10 minutes and Cook Time: 12 minutes

Ingredients:

* 1 beef brisket or flank steak, about 2 pounds
* 1/2 cup applesauce, unsweetened
* 1/4 cup tomato sauce
* 1/3 cup soy sauce
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/2 cup chopped onion
* 2 bay leaves
* 1 tablespoon pickling spices
* 1/2 cup maple-flavored or pancake syrup
* 1/4 cup yellow mustard
* 2 tablespoons of Irish whiskey, beer or cider vinegar
* 1/2 teaspoon whole black pepper corns

Preparation:
Place brisket or flank steak in a resealable plastic bag. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over steak. Seal bag and refrigerate overnight. Preheat grill for medium-high heat. Remove steaks from bag making sure to reserve marinade. Place marinade in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, reduce heat and allow to simmer for 6-8 minutes. Place flank steaks on a lightly oiled grill grate and cook for 6 minutes per side. Remove from heat, drizzle with sauce, and serve.

"ATW80DS" - French Bagettes

Making your own bread can be a great way to cut down on your food costs as well as your gluten and carbs.

Ingredients:

6 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

1 tablespoon cornmeal

1 egg white

1 tablespoon water

Directions:

1.	In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, yeast and salt. Stir in 2 cups warm water, and beat until well blended using a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.
2.	On a lightly floured surface, knead in enough flour to make a stiff dough that is smooth and elastic. Knead for about 8 to 10 minutes total. Shape into a ball. Place dough in a greased bowl, and turn once. Cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled.
3.	Punch dough down, and divide in half. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover, and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll each half into large rectangle. Roll up, starting from a long side. Moisten edge with water and seal. Taper ends.
4.	Grease a large baking sheet. Sprinkle with cornmeal. Place loaves, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly beat the egg white with 1 tablespoon of water, and brush on. Cover with a damp cloth. Let rise until nearly doubled, 35 to 40 minutes.
5.	With a very sharp knife, make 3 or 4 diagonal cuts about 1/4 inch deep across top of each loaf. Bake in a preheated 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) oven for 20 minutes. Brush again with egg white mixture. Bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until bread tests done. If necessary, cover loosely with foil to prevent over browning. Remove from baking sheet, and cool on a wire rack.  If anyone would like to join us in our Challenge "Around the World in 80 Days"... Monday, we will be in Italy.