The Best Things About Fall

So happy it's fall and the yummy fall recipes it is time to make!  This post is sponsored by Bush's Best Beans through the Women's Blogger Network. 

With fall now officially underway, it has me nostalgic for all things autumn!  These are are few of my favorite things about fall.

1. Leaves Changing
 

There is something so wonderful and fun about the leaves changing to brilliant colors of red, oranges and yellows and when they begin to fall, well it's just fun to play in them.   Yes, in SoCal we don't have a real fall, but we can take a quick drive up to the mountains to enjoy the fall colors in their splendor.

2. Football

I love college football and fall means Football Season, with weekends filled with cheering for our team and when we are lucky even attending a game.

3. Fall Recipes
 Anything pumpkin, and warm hearty dishes are perfect for this time of year.  It is finally cool enough to turn on the oven and cook some good comfort food.

A new recipe I have come to love is Mac and Cheese Black Bean Chipotle Dish.

There is something so comforting and classic about Mac and Cheese, and I love this twist, adding some Bush's Black Beans which makes it the ultimate fall recipe.

Bush's Beans are a great pantry staple, are inexpensive and can be picked up on any trip to Walmart.
I love adding hearty things like Bush's Black Beans to Mac and Cheese as it makes it feel more like a grown up dish.  So, you get the childhood comfort with an adult twist. 

(See Below For Recipe)

4. Cute Fall Clothes

With cooler weather it means it is finally time to break out the pants, sweaters and cute boots!  I love when the seasons change and it feels like I suddenly have a whole new wardrobe.

These are just a few of my favorite things about fall, not to mention all of the fall birthdays (including my own), Halloween and Thanksgiving.  It really is just a great time of year!

What is your favorite thing about fall?


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Mac and Cheese Bush's Black Bean Chipotle Dish 

Serves: 4  
Prep/Cooking Time: 30 Minutes  

Ingredients:
 2 t. cornstarch
 1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
 2 eggs
 1/2 pound elbow macaroni
 1 can Bush's Black beans, drained and rinsed
 2 whole chipotle chilies packed in adobo, minced, plus 2 T. adobo sauce from can
 6 oz. American Cheese, grated or diced
 6 oz. Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated or diced
 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
 4 finely sliced scallions

Directions:
  1. Cook pasta in large pot in salted water according to directions.  Drain and reserve 1 cup of pasta water.

  2. While pasta is cooking, combine cornstarch, milk, and eggs in medium bowl and whisk together.
 
  3. Return drained pasta to pot, adding reserved water, Bush's Black Beans, chipotle chilies, evaporated milk mixture from step 2, and cheeses.

4. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until cheese is melted and sauce is creamy and smooth.  Stir in cilantro and scallions, saving some for garnish.

5. Transfer to serving bowl, garnish with cilantro and scallions and serve immediately.

Cooking With Kids: Skillet Penne with Beans

Summer usually means a few things- one: it will be hot; two- the kids will seem to have a never ending appetite and three-it is the perfect time for kids to learn to cook.

Since it is so hot, I love finding a good summer recipe that I can cook fully on the stove, no need to turn on the oven.  I also want a lighter dish with fresh ingredients.  The Skillet Penne with Beans is a perfect summer time dish.   Thank you to Bush's Beans for sponsoring this post and letting me share this perfect summer time recipe.

#MyBestWithBushBeans

This summer I have had each of my kids pick one recipe each week to make.  Ryder was my helper for the Skillet Penne with Beans.

I love that this dish has only a few ingredients, including Bush's beans which is a great staple to have on hand for last minute recipes.  I will often grab a few extras cans on my trips to Walmart, where they are readily available.

I love that when Ryder cooks, not only is he learning to cook but he is practicing reading while following the recipe.

It definitely takes a little longer to cook when kids help, but I really don't mind as I feel like a good mom and am totally engaged and present when we cook together.

The other great thing about having kids cook, is their willingness to try new recipes.  If I had made this on my own, the fact that it has cherry tomatoes and *gasp* green things, probably would have made my kids turn up their noses.

When they are involved cooking the recipe they seem to take ownership of it and are willing to try it without any complaints.

It definitely is a win-win.

What is one of your favorite summer recipes?

Skillet Penne with Beans

Serves: 4-6    Total Time: 20 mins
 Ingredients: 
   2 Cups Low sodium Chicken Broth
   2 Cups Water
   1/2 t. salt
   8 oz. Penne Pasta
   Pint of Cherry or Grape Tomatoes
   1 Can Bush Cannellini Beans
   1/2 cup pitted olives (optional)
   1/2 cup Fresh Basil Chopped
   1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
   2 T. Olive Oil
   2 T. Lemon Juice

Directions:
   1. In a Nonstick skillet over high heat add: chicken broth, water, salt, penne pasta.  Stir often and   cook for 15-18 minutes.

  2. While the Pasta cooks, halve the tomatoes.  Rinse the can of Bush's Cannellini Beans. Chop the olives.

3. Add the ingredients from step 2 when the pasta has cooked about 15 minutes.  Stir and let the ingredients cook for about 3-5 more minutes over low heat.

4. While those ingredients cook: chop 1/2 cup Fresh basil, grate 1/2 cup parmesan cheese.

5. Remove from heat and stir in basil, cheese, 2 T. olive oil and 2 T. fresh lemon juice.  Season with Salt and pepper to taste.

Cooking Club: Creamy Cauliflower Soup

Happy Cooking everyone! My in-laws made it safely here last night and my kids are in heaven playing with Mimi and Pappi. I will probably be around sporadically over the next week while they are here visiting. Definitely come back on Monday as I will have pictures of the insane cake I am going to make for Eric's birthday. And don't forget, Tuesday is the day for the monthly Status Quote meme that CA Girl and I do.

The first recipe this month was submitted by the lovely Miss Rachel. This could easily be made into a vegetarian recipe by substituting vegetable broth for chicken broth.

Creamy Cauliflower Soup
Chef Vaughn Montgomery

3 TBLS butter
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp onion salt
1 can chicken broth
1 3/4 cup half and half, or milk
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups fresh cauliflower, cut into tiny florets

In a 3-quart saucepan, melt butter. Saute onion until translucent; do not brown. Stir in flour, garlic and onion salts. Add broth and half and half. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened. Add cheese and cauliflower. Stir and cook 6-8 minutes until cheese is melted and cauliflower is tender.

Notes: This would taste great with bacon added. I dumped the cauliflower in before the soup totally thickened, that way it wouldn't take as long to get tender. Also, make sure you double or even triple this recipe for a family sized pot of soup.

Cooking Club: Mostaccioli with Fennel, Mint and Bread Crumbs

Happy Cooking! This next recipe was submitted by Raelynn. It comes from Mario Batali and is another vegetarian recipe! I haven't made it yet, but from reading over it, it sounds so easy and yummy too. The pictures are from Rachel and she has two awesome pictures so I am using them both. Seriously people you have to check out her food picture blog. You can always find the previous Cooking Club Recipes by clicking on the Cooking Club tab at the top of the toy.

Mostaccioli with Fennel, Mint and Bread Crumbs

by Mario Batali

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves

2 fennel bulbs, tops reserved (though for garnish, I'd say), cut into 1/4 inch strips (he says get the fatter "female" bulbs as opposed to the thinner male specimens)

1 1/2 cups toasted bread crumbs

1 TBSP red pepper flakes

8 ounces mostaccioli or Rigatoni (yeah, must say I'll be using the rigatoni)

1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves

Bring water and 2 TBSP salt to water for cooking pasta.

In saute pan, heat 6 TBSP olive oil until almost smoking. Add garlic and fennel, stir frequently until light golden brown and quite soft, about 10 minutes. Add 1 cup of the bread crumbs and pepper flakes and continue cooking for 4-5 minutes.

Cook pasta according to instructions, al dente and drain.

Add hot pasta to saute pan and add mint. Toss well to mix. Sprinkle with remaining bread crumbs and fennel tops. Drizzle with remaining olive oil.

Cooking Club: Sour Cream Enchiladas

Cooking Club Time! Well once again Rachel is the first to get her recipe in, good thing she is so on top of it so we have a recipe for the first Saturday. She chose her recipe from the Pioneer Woman. If you have never heard of the Pioneer Woman-well you are probably really really new to blogging; you should go read her love story-you will not be able to stop until you finish, it is that good! And it is now published into a book. I think I may just have to go get it. So enjoy this recipe and happy cooking!

Sour Cream Enchiladas

from thepioneerwoman.com

12 whole Corn Tortillas
Canola Oil, For Frying
1 can (20 Ounce) Enchilada Sauce
2 cups Sour Cream
3 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Grated
1 cup Sliced/chopped Green Onions
½ teaspoons Ground Cumin
¼ teaspoons Cayenne Pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix together sour cream, green onions 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar, cumin, and cayenne pepper.

Heat canola oil in a skillet over medium heat. Heat enchilada sauce in a separate skillet or saucepan.

Using tongs, fry tortillas one at a time, for only about five to ten seconds per side (don’t allow to crisp.) Remove from oil, then dunk tortilla in enchilada sauce. Lay tortilla on a plate, then spoon a good two or three tablespoons of the sour cream mixture in the middle. Roll tortilla, then place face down in a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Repeat with remaining tortillas and sour cream mixture.

(If there’s any sour cream mixture left over, use it as a dip for tortilla chips!)

Cover the dish with the remaining cheese, then bake for 15 to 20 minutes until bubbly.

Serve immediately. Place a dollop of sour cream on each serving, then sprinkle on sliced green onions.

My Notes: If desired, add shredded chicken to the sour cream mixture. I don't think you need this much enchilada sauce, I had a lot left over. And sorry that these aren't a healthy dinner, but they are GOOD!

Cooking Club: Curried Noodles with Vegetables

It's a New Year! Did you try any of the many wonderful recipes from last years Cooking Club? I hope so. I spoke with Eric's mom and sisters and we are going to continue the Cooking Club with just a few changes. This year we aren't going to bother with the points (which I am pretty sure Rachel and Raelynn ended up tying last year) but we are still supposed to have our recipes and reviews in by certain dates, otherwise well we might not follow through. Also this year, every recipe we submit has to be from a different source. So if I submit a recipe from Rachel Ray, then for the rest of the year I cannot submit another recipe from her. That will definitely increase the range of things we make and make us step out of our comfort zones a bit more.

So join along and cook up some great new food! If you do cook a recipe, just leave a comment under that recipe with what you thought of it and any changes you might have made and I will feature you when I review the recipes. I will be reviewing December's recipes next week, so there is still time for those. I know I never reviewed November's-December was just a crazy month.

This first vegetarian recipe was submitted by Rachel

Curried Noodles with Vegetables

From the Gourmet Cookbook

Serves: 8 as a side dish, 6 as a main course

½ pound very thin rice stick noodles (rice vermicelli)
¼ cup chicken stock
3 TBLS soy sauce
1 tsp salt
½ tsp sugar
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 TBLS vegetable oil
1 ½ TBLS minced garlic
1 TBLS minced peeled fresh ginger
1 ½ TBLS curry powder
2 medium red onions, thinly sliced
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into very thin strips
3 medium carrots, finely shredded
½ medium head Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
2 TBLS Chinese rice wine (I used extra chicken stock)
2 cups (about 6 ounces) bean sprouts, rinsed and dried

Soak noodles in boiling water to cover in a large bowl for 30 minutes. Drain.

Stir together chicken stock, soy sauce, salt, sugar, and pepper in a small bowl.

Add stock mixture, noodles, and bean sprouts and stir-fry until most of liquid is absorbed. Transfer to platter.

Heat oil in a wok or deep 12-inch skillet over high heat until it begins to smoke. Add garlic, ginger, and curry powder and stir-fry until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add onions and stir-fry until slightly wilted, about 1 minute. Add bell peppers, carrots, cabbage, and wine and stir-fry until vegetables are tender, 5-7 minutes.

Cooking Club: Cherry Pizza Tomato Margherita

Guess what I forgot to do? I forgot to review last months recipes! But don't worry I will remedy that this Wednesday; so you still have a few days to submit your reviews if you made any of the recipes.

This months first recipe was submitted by Rachel. I usually do her pick first as well she is usually the first to actually get her recipe in and she is the one who's beautiful amazing food pictures I use. This recipe is another vegetarian recipe.

Cherry Pizza Tomato Margherita
Bon Appétit | April 2010
by The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen

1 13.8-ounce tube refrigerated pizza dough
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 12-ounce bag cherry tomatoes, stemmed
1 garlic clove, pressed
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, coarsely crushed in plastic bag
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 4-ounce ball fresh mozzarella in water (ovoline), diced
4 ounces whole-milk mozzarella, diced
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves plus small leaves for garnish

Position rack in top third of oven and preheat to 425°F. Unroll dough on heavy large baking sheet; pull to about 12x8-inch rectangle, pinching any tears to seal. Fold over edge of dough to make border.

Heat large skillet over high heat 2 minutes. Add oil, then tomatoes; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until tomatoes are charred and beginning to break down, about 5 minutes. Transfer to large bowl. Mix in garlic, fennel, and crushed red pepper. Using back of fork, crush tomatoes in bowl, leaving large chunks intact. Season mixture with salt and pepper. Toss cheeses and chopped basil in medium bowl.

Sprinkle cheese mixture evenly over dough, right up to border. Spoon on tomato mixture in dollops, leaving some cheese uncovered. Bake pizza until crust is crisp and brown, 25 to 30 minutes.

Loosen pizza with metal spatula and slide onto board. Garnish with basil leaves.

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Happy Cooking!

And don't forget this Tuesday is the second round of the new monthly meme The Status Quote!



This is your chance to paste those funny/weird faceboook or Twitter status updates of you or your friends so we can all have a good laugh. And you can keep it anonymous, you don't have to tell who it was that said it unless you want to of course. So write up your post and link up here or over at CA Girl's blog.

Cooking Club: Southwestern Corn Chowder

Something about the weather changing seems to call for a good soup or in this case chowder. This recipe was submitted by Melidee this month and comes from Everyday Food. And check out the picture Rachel, took, hello awesome!!

Southwestern Corn Chowder

Everyday Food

(This serves TWO-so you will want to double-or triple as needed)

1 TBSP butter

1 scallion, white and green parts separated, thinly sliced

1 medium carrot, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp dried oregano

coarse salt and ground pepper

1 large baking potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

10 ounces frozen corn kernels

1 can, 14.5 ounces, reduced sodium chicken broth

1 cup milk

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add white part of scallion, carrot, chili powder, and oregano; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until scallion is soft, about 2 minutes. Add potato, corn, broth, and milk.

Bring to boil over medium high then reduce to a simmer. Cook until potato is easily pierced with the tip of a knife, 15-20 minutes. Top with the green part of scallion and season with salt and pepper. Serve with tortilla chips. Store any leftovers in airtight container up to one day.

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Oh and Rachel has now made my recipe from last week, the one I created--so just in case you didn't see it, here is a picture to tempt you. You want to go back and make it now huh? You can find the recipe here.

Cooking Club: Zucchini Tart

Good morning! Or afternoon or evening, whenever you may be reading this. Have you made your July recipes yet? I will be reviewing them this Tuesday, so you still have time. We have another vegetarian recipe for you. This recipe came from Rachel this month. And once again I am stealing her picture, and well her adaptations to the recipe. So enjoy!

Zucchini Tart
Adapted from the smittenkitchen.com recipe for zucchini and ricotta galette

1 puff pastry sheet, thawed (found in the freezer section)
2 zucchinis, thinly sliced
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup grated mozzarella cheese
2 TBLS + 2 tsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced

Allow puff pastry sheet to thaw on counter for 40 minutes. Mix together three cheeses. Mix together oil and garlic and add two teaspoons of the garlic oil mixture to the cheese mixture. Roll puff pastry sheet out on a large cookie sheet covered in parchment paper. Spread cheese filling over pastry and line the zucchini slices in a decorative pattern over the cheese. Fold up sides. Pour remaining two tablespoons of oil mixture over zucchini. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes, or until golden brown on sides.

For the kids: leave a section of the tart zucchini free. Without the zucchini it’s like a REALLY GOOD cheesy bread!

Cooking Club: Cesar Salad

Melidee loves vegetables and well anything healthy. When she comes to visit us she usually brings along celery and other such disgusting healthy things to snack on. Just teasing, celery is great (if you load it with peanut butter). I don't think any of us were surprised when she submitted this recipe for the Cooking Club this month. And it's vegetarian recipe! There is an option with chicken, so not vegetarian, which I did. And once again, the awesome picture is taken by Rachel.

Caesar Salad

Serves 6-8

Prep Time: 20 minutes plus time to make the croutons

Dressing

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup buttermilk

3 TBSP fresh lemon juice

6 anchovy fillets, rinsed and patted dry

2 tsp Worcestershire

2 tsp Dijon mustard

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

Parmesan cheese is a main ingredient in this salad, so be sure to use authentic Parmigiano-Reggiano and grate it yourself. Since this dressing is so flavorful, mild olive oil or even vegetable oil, rather than extra-virgin olive oil, works well. The classic preparation includes raw egg yolks, but because of health risks associated with using raw eggs, buttermilk is used. It adds a pleasant tang to the overall flavor and an almost identical egg-yolky richness. Pureeing the ingredients together in a blender or food processor is the best way to achieve the traditional thick, creamy texture. Blend all except the oil in a blender on high until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed...about 30 seconds. With the motor running, add the oil in a steady stream. Toss the salad ingredients with about 1/2 cup of the dressing. Serve...passing the extra dressing separately. Any leftover dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Salad

3 romaine lettuce hearts, torn into bite-sized pieces

2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated, one cup

1 recipe garlic croutons

Variation with Sauteed Chicken

Season 1/1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Heat 1 TBSP vegetable oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Carefully add the chicken and cook until lightly golden brown on the first side, about 5 minutes. Flip the chicken over, cover, and continue to cook until it is no longer pink in the center, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer to a plate and refrigerate until chilled...at least 30 minutes. Slice the chicken crosswise into 1/4 inch pieces and toss with 1/4 cup of the dressing. Arrange the chicken over the salad before serving.

Garlic Croutons

Makes 4 cups

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes...includes 20 minutes baking time

Good croutons follow these basic rules:

1. The bread must be cut into uniform pieces...1/2 inch cubes

2. The cubes must be tossed with olive oil that has been laced with garlic, spices, or herbs

3. The bread pieces must be baked at 350 degrees until golden.

3 TBSP olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 tsp salt

4 cups 1/2 inch bread cubes

Adjust the oven rack into the center position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk the oil, garlic, and salt together in a large bowl. Add the bread cubes and toss until thoroughly coated. Spread onto a baking sheet and bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature before serving.

Nearly any type of bread will make decent croutons. Avoid using distinctly flavored breads, such as pumpernickel, rye, and sourdough. These flavors may clash if you are using other spices or herbs.

Homemade croutons make all the difference between a good salad and a great salad!

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So please, join us! Enjoy these new recipes and leave a review if you do. I would love to feature you.

Cooking Club: Caribbean Black Beans

Okay, I have been a slacker and am yet to make any more of the Cooking Club recipes yet. I was ready to make this one but realized I did not have any fresh ginger, but it looks good! The following is a recipe that Raelynn submitted, and it's a vegetarian recipe that sounds so fast and easy.

Caribbean Black Beans
(from Moosewood Cookbook)

1 cup chopped onion

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 T garlic, minced or pressed

2 T olive oil

1 T grated fresh ginger root

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp ground allspice

2 cans rinsed/drained black beans

3/4 cup orange juice

salt and pepper to taste

{Photo from here}

Saute the onion, pepper and garlic in the oil for about 5 minutes, until veggies begin to soften. Add ginger, thyme, allspice and saute, stirring often to prevent sticking until the veggies are very soft. Stir in the beans and orange juice and cook on low heat about 15 minutes, until mixture thickens slightly. Stir to prevent scorching. Mash a few beans for varied consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve beans on rice or Golden Spanish Rice.

Cooking Club: Pasta with Goat Cheese and Roasted Asparagus

I haven't actually made this recipe yet, which Rachel submitted for April; but I figured I should get this one posted first as there are great prices on asparagus right now. Rachel has made it and said it was super easy and yummy. She said to definitely get soft goat cheese for the recipe to work best. And it is another vegetarian recipe!

Pasta with Goat Cheese and Roasted Asparagus

(from Martha Stewart Every Day Food)

2 bunches asparagus (two pounds total), tough ends removed

4 TBLS butter, cut into small pieces

12 ounces cavatappi or other short pasta

1 small log soft goat cheese (5 ounces), crumbled

2-3 TBLS fresh chives, for garnish

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for pasta. Place asparagus on a large rimmed baking sheet’ dot with 1 TBLS butter, and season with salt and pepper. Roast until tender, tossing occasionally, 10-15 minutes; cut into 2-inch lengths.

While asparagus is roasting, generously salt boiling water. Add pasta, and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Set aside 1½ cups pasta water; drain pasta and return to pot.

In a medium bowl, combine goat cheese, remaining 3 TBLS butter, and ½ cup pasta water. Season with salt and pepper, and whisk until smooth. Add goat cheese mixture and asparagus to pasta; toss to combine, adding more pasta water if necessary for sauce to coat pasta. Serve pasta garnished with chives.

Oh, and since I haven't made it yet, I borrowed the picture Rachel took from her blog.

Happy cooking! And get your reviews in for the March recipes, they will be reviewed soon!

Cooking Club: Penne w/ White Beans and Pancetta

This recipe was submitted by my mother-in-law Melidee. Easy, quick and for my vegetarian friends, leave out the pancetta and use vegetable broth and it will still be great and vegetarian! Though it practically is vegetarian, to quote my husband "there is meat in there?"
This was a recipe my kids liked too!

Penne With White Beans and Pancetta-
From America's Test Kitchen

1 TBSP olive oil
3 oz pancetta, chopped fine
1 onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 15 oz can cannellini beans, rinsed
3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
salt
1 lb. penne
2 1/2 oz. arugula (4 cups)
1 TBSP fresh lemon juice
Grated Parmesan cheese for serving

1. Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot for the penne.

2. Meanwhile, cook the oil and pancetta in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until the pancetta is lightly browned and crisp, about 5 minutes.

3. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Stir in the beans, broth and 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a simmer and cook until the beans are heated through, about 3 minutes. Using the back of a wooden spoon, mash some of the beans to thicken the sauce.

Invest in a good garlic press-makes life so much easier

4. When the water is boiling, stir in 1 TBSP salt and the penne. Cook, stirring often, until the penne is almost tender but still a little firm to the bite.

5. Reserve 1/2 cup of the past cooking water, drain the penne, and return it to the pot. Stir in the bean mixture, arugula, and lemon juice and toss to coat. Add the reserved pasta cooking water as needed to loosen the sauce before serving. Serve, passing the Parmesan separately.
If pancetta is not available, substitute bacon. While penne is the pasta of choice, any short, stubby pasta that catches the beans will work. Make sure to remove any thick stems from the arugula. The residual heat of the pasta and the sauce will wilt tender arugula leaves, but any thick stems will remain too crunchy.

To thicken the sauce and give it more substance, mash some of the white beans during the cooking process. The starchy insides of the beans enrich the sauce and help it adhere to the penne. (America's Test Kitchen)

Cookin Club: Chick Pea and Artichoke Heart Stew (Vegetarian)

I have a few friends that are Vegetarian's so hopefully you like this recipe. I actually have not made it yet, so unfortunately no pictures yet, sorry :( Raelynn, who submitted this recipe, made it and liked it and has some great tips at the end)

Chick Pea and Artichoke Heart Stew

from Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home (Moosewood is a famous vegetarian Restaurant)

Ingredient List:

4 cups water or veggie stock

2 medium onions, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

2 T Olive oil

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp sweet paprika

4 medium red or white potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 spring fresh rosemary or 1 tsp dried

5 sage leaves, minced or 1/2 tsp dried

1/2 cup pureed winter squash or sweet potatoes

Book notes: We have found that a 4.5 ounce jar of pureed baby food works very well in this recipe and is just the right size

3 cups drained cooked chick peas (2 15-ounce cans)

1 1/2 cups drained quartered artichoke hearts (14-ounce can)

salt and pepper to taste

Optional: lemon wedges and grated pecorino or Parmesan cheese when serving

Bring the water or stock to a simmer in a saucepan. While liquid heats, begin to saute the onions and garlic in the oil for about 8 minutes until soft. Stir in the turmeric and paprika and saute for a minute. Add the potatoes, rosemary, sage and simmering liquid. Cook for about 12 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Stir in pureed squash or sweet potatoes, then add the chick peas and artichoke hearts. Remove rosemary sprig, if necessary. Add salt and pepper to taste, and return to a simmer. Serve with lemon and cheese.

Raelynn's Notes/Review

-I used half water and half chicken stock (gasp, don't tell the true vegetarians).

-I just sliced the onions because 1) it's faster, and 2) makes them easier to pick out for a certain 5 year old

-I used 6 potatoes since the red ones I bought were on the small size

-I had no rosemary, so I substituted thyme.

-I used 2 2.5-ounce jars of baby food butternut squash (close enough), but I actually wish I had used sweet potatoes and I want to make this again and do so.

-Opening cans of chick peas and directly putting them into the stew at the end gives you some fairly hard chick peas, though edible. I would add them with the potatoes or cook them separately and simultaneously.

-And one last note: I cooked the potatoes at pretty much a boil, so my liquid reduced some. There was definitely substantial liquid left at the end, but it was not soup. Not sure what the recipe intends, since it doesn't say, but I liked it.

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As always you can find the other recipes but clicking the Cooking Club Tab at top,
and feel free to leave comment and leave your review
or email me at emmy (at) emmymom2 (dot) com