Good company....

You know you're in good company when you have a ten-minute conversation about why cauliflower hasn't been successful on Top Chef. I feel good when someone enters the rooms and says, "I'm sorry. I just can't overhear a discussion about cauliflower without jumping in."

For the record, I don't like cauliflower, yet. I am trying.

A non-recipe: Pasta with Chickpeas

Sometimes the biggest deterrent I have from posting is the fact that I can't remember what I put in a particular dish. I tend to just start flinging things on top of one another and don't know how much of what I've actually used. Sometimes things are just too simple to post. For instance, yesterday I got a phone call requesting my "recipe" for fruit salad. Well, I cut up some fruit and I put it in a dish. I hardly feel as though that qualifies as post-worthy. I could make something up about making a syrup and mixing in herbs but it would be a lie. Dinner each night is just a guessing game. Sure, I have a menu planned but how it will be executed is a guessing game until it hits the plate.
So here is how it really is....

Chick Pea Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes

• a can of chick peas, kind of drained
  
• some broth
• some cloves of roasted garlic (I think it was between 3 and 6 cloves)
  
• some salt and pepper
• some grated Parmesan
• some flax meal cause it's healthy
  
• Some noodles
• Some roasted grape tomatoes
• Some parsley cause I decided (after it hit the plate) it needed some green

Start a pot of water to boil and add salt. When it boils, add your noodles and cook them.
Throw half the can of chickpeas in the food processor with some broth, garlic, pepper, flax and parm. Whirl it around till it's creamy. Taste for salt and adjust.
Drain pasta reserving about 1/3 cup. Mix in puree. Add more broth if it's too thick. Toss with remaining chick peas, tomatoes and parsley. That's how it's done.

I don't know if I mentioned it but I love Pumpkin

My, my, wasn't I pleasantly surprised to find THIS in my mailbox this morning. Yes, feed the obsession. It's good.

Stealing and Pizza: A German Tradition!

I am pretty much a giant control freak. I don't share well in the kitchen and when I have an idea I like it to be done my way. That being said, I don't think that other people have entirely bad ideas. On the contrary, sometimes other people have ideas that I would love to claim. I can't do that, though. I have to give credit where credit is due.
First, head over to Smitten Kitchen and make some pretzels for somebody you love. I used a bottle of beer in place of twelve ounces of the water. I am now , ahem, "required" to make pretzels at least every 2 weeks. I believe the statement went something like this, "I hereby declare that pretzels must be made every two weeks." Hereby....silly husband.
Second, make your way to The Pioneer Woman and make a whole heap of salad. Noodles and tons of veggies all mixed up? If only I could find a way to get chocolate in there. Be warned, this makes a TON of salad so have some friends over. I laced my salad with thinly sliced London broil and called it dinner.
The final idea I stole recently is actually from Kurt. Yes, the husband has a food obsession too. He came up with this idea months ago but it just hadn't happened yet. Last week I took pity on him and gave the guy some man-food. Before you turn up your nose consider what goes on a bratwurst. This is just a different form.

"German" Sausage Pizza (for the husband)
makes 2 small pizzas

• One recipe pretzel dough
• 1 egg beaten, with a little water
• Pretzel salt
  
• 1/2 pound smoked sausage cut into slices, then quartered*
• 1 cup sauerkraut, drained
• 1/2 cup Jarlsberg or other swiss cheese, grated
• 3-4 oz. grainy mustard (er, I love mustard)
  
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder
• 1/3 cup milk

Prepare pretzel dough recipe through rising. Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan whisk together mustard, cornstarch and milk. Bring to a simmer over medium heat until thickened, set aside.
Preheat oven to 450.
Once risen, divide dough in half. On a well floured surface roll out the dough to about 1/2-3/4 inch thick (it will shrink back a little, that's ok). Brush edges of the dough with egg wash and sprinkle lightly with pretzel salt. Place onto a well oiled baking sheet and repeat with your second round of dough. Bake for about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and layer on mustard sauce, sauerkraut, cheese, then sausage. Continue to bake for about 15 minutes. Slice and eat.
*I didn't cut them that small and we decided that smaller pieces would make for a better distribution of flavour.

Frugal Fridays: Pasta Carbonara

Some days you just need some pasta. Over the last few years pasta has gotten a bad reputation. Well, I'm in love with this "bad boy" of the food world. There are so many new varieties with extra benefits that I just can't find a valid reason to avoid it. If loving pasta is wrong I don't wanna be right.
It can be mixed with nearly anything. It can be part of an appetizer, salad, main course or dessert. It's easy to make for one or fifteen. Let's not forget that fabulous post-carb high (that as part of a well-balanced meal won't leave you crashing later). Simply put: What's not to love? You can make your own or buy it dried. More and more fresh varieties are popping up everyday and since you can mix it with nearly anything it's a fantastic way to sneak a little extra nutrition in on your kids (or whoever it is you need to trick). Depending on which sauce you use it's also a great way to plump up those darn skinny friends.

Frugal Tip: Stock up on dried pasta when you find it on sale. It's a great way to stretch your buck, feed a crowd, cut down on meat (read: expensive) usage and up you veggie intake*. Personally, I get Organic Whole Wheat Pasta at Sunflower market for just $1 a pound.

Pasta Carbonara (adapted from Tyler Florence)
Feeds 6-8 (read:makes a ton!)

• 1 pound dried, whole wheat lingiune or other long noodle
• 8 slices bacon, cut into pieces
• 1 onion chopped
• 4 eggs
• 6 tablespoons of cream (I used half an half and just used a little less)
• 1/3 cup grates parmesan
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• Red pepper flakes
• parsley to garnish.

Start a large pot of water to boil and salt generously.In a large saute pan cook bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove bacon and set aside. Add onion and saute in bacon drippings until very soft, about 8 minutes. Somewhere in there add the pasta to the water and cook to al dente.
In a large bowl whisk together eggs, cream, onion and bacon. Drain pasta, reserving about a 1/4 cup of water. Place hot pasta and water into bowl and toss to coat with egg mixture. Cover the bowl with a plate or pot lid and let it sit for five minutes. Shhhh. It's cooking the eggs.
Toss with parsely, cracked pepper, salt, red pepper flakes and cheese. That's it, you're done. Go eat!

* Yes, I realize this particular recipe isn't veggie packed. We'll get there another day.