Farmer's Market linguine!

Sometimes when I come across a recipe on Pinterest or a cookbook I get inspired to shake up that particular recipe and make it my own. This happened to me earlier this week after making my meal plan and then taking a fabulous trip to Costco's produce department! 
Here in Illinois it has been very dreary and cold so far in April. I have been craving sunshine and warmth (especially after our spring break in Florida)! So I decided fresh veggies as a main dish may just brighten things up around here. I am a sucker for squash of all shapes and sizes so that was my focal point in this dish. You can use just about any veggies you want in this dish depending on what is in season or what looks good in your supermarket! 

Farmer's Market Linguine


Ingredients: 
1 rotisserie chicken (cut and shredded)
8 oz. linguine noodles
1 butternut squash
2 zucchini
2 yellow squash
12 oz. white mushrooms sliced
1 pint grape tomatoes halved
olive oil
salt
Wishbone's EVOO olive oil and herb dressing
1/2 cup feta cheese
freshly shredded Parmesan cheese (optional - add desired amount)
parsley (optional on top for presentation)

Directions:

1.  Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
2.  Chop up all of your veggies, toss them in olive oil and salt, then spread them out on a large baking sheet. Cook at 450 degrees for 18-22 minutes. Make sure the veggies are nice and tender. 
3. While the veggies are roasting in the oven, prepare your linguine noodles as directed on the package. 
4. Toss chicken and noodles together with the olive oil dressing. Add veggies when done. 
5. Add feta cheese to pasta and toss. 
6. Add freshly shredded Parmesan cheese and parsley to top of pasta for presentation and flavor! 
7. ENJOY!
   
   

   

   Read to devour!

   

   I love chopping veggies!

   

   Roasted fresh veggies is the best!

Pinocchio Pasta

Well it's official. We have 36 days to our trip to Walt Disney World! This trip was decided on really last minute (although I dream of Disney World trips as soon as one ends - so not really). To get the family in full fledged Disney-mode I am going to be implementing random Disney Family Dinner and a Movie nights. All of it will be themed according to the movie. There are some great ideas on Pinterest as well as in my Walt Disney World Cookbook that my mom bought on her last trip there in 1992 (which I have inherited). So put on your Mickey Mouse ears and come along with me to the Happiest Place in the World.... which will now be in my kitchen throughout the next month. I'm hoping to get to talk to a Disney chef while at Disney to pick up some tips and tricks. But we'll see. Stay tuned...

Last night we had a Pinocchio themed Dinner and a Movie night. Jack and Lucy haven't seen Pinocchio since it's been locked away in the Disney vault for many years. So for Valentine's Day we bought them the DVD so we could watch this classic for many years to come. I found a bowtie pasta recipe and since Pinocchio has a bowtie and is from Italy (land of pasta) I thought it was a winner of an idea for dinner. The recipe turned out delicious! This particular recipe is featured in cooking light and is very kid friendly with adult taste! 
Just a note: For a snack during the movie we had "Blue Fairy Juice" (aka Koolaid) and "Cleo the fish Crackers" (goldfish). 

RECIPE LINK

Mini Bow Ties with Bacon and Peas

Recipe by: Hannah Klinger, 

Cooking Light 

MAY 2016

Ingredients

8 ounces uncooked mini farfalle (bow tie pasta)

3 center-cut bacon slices, chopped

1/2 cup prechopped onion

2 medium carrots, peeled and diced

1 cup unsalted chicken stock

1 cup frozen green peas

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

5/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

3 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese

Preparation

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid; set aside.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon; cook 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon.

3. Add onion and carrot to drippings in pan; cook 5 minutes. Add stock; bring to a boil. Add peas; cook 2 minutes.

What a delicious final dish!

4. Remove pan from heat; stir in reserved 1/4 cup cooking liquid, bacon, thyme, salt, pepper, and cream cheese. Add pasta to pan; toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Light and Easy Pumpkin, Spinach, and Walnut pasta

This summer I have had an affair with one of my new favorite vegetables -- Butternut Squash! There is so much you can do with a squash, not to mention they are absolutely delicious! I like to saute cut up squash in a skillet with some olive oil, salt, and garlic. Then I will cook a chicken sausage and throw it into the mix. What a simple savory lunch! We usually roast squash of all sorts as a simple side dish however I found one recipe that has the squash as the star! 
Throughout the summer I have stayed away from one of my favorite foods.... pasta! I have been trying to follow the Paleo diet as much as possible but I decided this week I would make an exception and try this new pasta dish. It includes some of my favorite vegetables making it taste light and absolutely delicious!!!! It takes several steps but each step is quick and easy. We have decided this pasta dish is definitely a recipe to repeat - however next time I want to save myself the time of cutting and roasting the butternut squash so I will be trying the recipe with canned pumpkin instead! It won't have the chunks of squash in the mix but the flavor would definitely be incredible! Who doesn't love pumpkin right?! (If you don't we can't be around each other in the fall. There will be several pumpkin recipes posted in the next few months.)

Pumpkin, spinach, and walnut spaghetti

serves: 2

preparation time: 20 min

cooking time: 15 min

200 g spaghetti (use gluten-free if you are gluten-intolerant

3 tbsp / 45 ml olive oil

• 2-3 garlic cloves, finely diced
• 2 cups of cubed butternut squash / half a medium butternut squash
• about 100 g spinach
• ½-1 tsp chilli flakes (depending on level of heat and your preference)
• ½ lemon, zest and juice
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 30 g walnuts, finely chopped

Method

1. Coat cubed butternut squash in 1 tbsp of olive oil and season with salt. Bake in a hot oven (225º C / 435º F) for about 40-50 minutes, until butternut squash turns soft and gets lightly caramelised.
2. Heat up 2 tbsp of olive oil in a pan. Fry off garlic gently on a low-medium heat, stirring frequently so it doesn’t burn. Add chilli flakes and cook for another minute or two stirring frequently.
3. Cook spaghetti for a minute shorter than you would normally.
4. Mash half the butternut squash with a fork or potato masher (you can also use a food processor or blender for a smoother texture). Put both mashed and whole butternut squash chunks into the pan with chilli and garlic.
5. Add drained pasta and washed spinach into the pan. Incorporate them well into the pumpkin. Taste and season with pepper, a squeeze of lemon juice and additional salt and chilli if needed.
6. Serve immediately with chopped walnuts and lemon zest on top.

Original recipe at http://www.lazycatkitchen.com/pumpkin-spinach-and-walnut-spaghetti/