Pasta with Lentils and Arugula

Going through a vegetarian phase? Just wanting to add new flavors that are a sure family favorite? This recipe is just what you need. Hearty and delicious, Everyday Food's Pasta with Lentils and Arugula has the necessary "dish appeal" to satisfy your family and guests. My favorite part of this dish is the slow cooked onions. They provide a rich, smokey flavor that will have everyone coming back for more and not asking, "Where's the beef?"

Tips for ingredient list:

Instead of using fresh tomatoes, I use a can of diced tomatoes.

If you don't have arugula at your grocery store, fresh spinach is an excellent substitute.

You can use a variety of short pastas, but the orecchiette will be the heartiest.

I usually prep all the ingredients and complete steps 1-3 up to three days ahead. Just before dinner I complete steps 4-5.

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/pasta-with-lentils-and-arugula

Everyday Food, March 2005 p. 134

When feeding a crowd, garlic bread is the perfect pairing.

Guten Appetit!

Egg & toast cups

Egg & toast cups

This is my idea of a perfect, easy, guest-worthy breakfast!  It looks a little fancy & it tastes a lot delicious.  Plus, you probably have all the ingredients in your fridge anyway!  I've made it three times so far.  It is my new favorite egg breakfast dish.

This Everyday Food recipe (Sep. 2010, p. 83) calls for bacon, but I find it easier to use a piece of thin-sliced smoked deli ham.  I'm sure any deli meat would do.  As you can see in the following photo, I opted for no meat. This is a great recipe to have kids help with.  My 5 year old loved rolling out the bread & tearing it into circles.

bacon, egg and toast cups
Everyday Food Sep, 2010 p.82-3
Serves 6

You need:
3 T. unsalted butter, melted (I used Brummel & Brown spread melted for the tops & Pam non-stick spray for the bottoms)

6 slices sandwich bread
6 slices bacon (I prefer deli ham as you get one less pan dirty - Amen!)
6 eggs

coarse salt & pepper
*I also add a little shredded cheese

What to do:

Pre-heat oven to 375.

Lightly butter 6 muffin cups (or spray with Pam).  Flatten bread with a rolling pin & cut into round pieces - I used my butter tub lid as a template.  Press the 2 halves into the muffin tin, overlapping slightly.  I used a small cup to smoosh the bread into the cup.  Use any extra bread to patch the gaps.  Brush the bread with the melted butter - especially the top edges.

In a large skillet, cook bacon over med. until almost crisp.  Lay one bacon slice in each bread cup (or deli meat!).  I like to throw in a little shredded cheese at this point.  Then crack an egg over each.  Season with salt & pepper.  Pop into the oven & bake until whites are just set - 20 to 25 minutes.  Run a small knife around cups to loosen toasts.  Serve immediately.  If you're being polite, serve with silverware.  My five year old thought it was great fun to just pick it up!

*You could also use crumbled sausage, sauteed spinach, basil & Parmesan cheese in the cups.  I've thought about using tortillas & topping with salsa & avocado.  He-llo!  I'll post them if I make them!  Also, I serve these with some bright seasonal fruit & especially with avocado if I have any.  Avocado makes everything better.  My sister told me so.

Guten Appetit!

one-pot chicken with sausage and potatoes

Tonight I tried this recipe from the September 2010 issue of Everyday Food.  People, it was ridiculously good!  It includes chicken, sweet Italian sausage, onion, potato, celery & oregano.  It was hearty & saucy & would be perfect on a chilly, fall night.  It was pretty quick to make, although I would chop & prep all the ingredients before I started next time - just for a smoother process.  There wasn't enough liquid at the end for a separate gravy, but that was fine.  My husband & I loved it & while I did have to bribe my small children with mini-marshmallows after sitting at the dinner table for a long while without eating, they did finish their plates!  They especially loved the sausage.  I can't wait to eat the leftovers for lunch tomorrow!

one-pot chicken with sausage and potatoes
Everyday Food, Sep. 2010, p. 14
Serves 4

Ingredients: 
2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 lb. sweet Italian sausage (casings removed & broken into small pieces)
2 chicken breasts, skin removed, halved
coarse salt & ground pepper
1 yellow onion, diced
1 lb. new potatoes, halved
3 stalks celery, cut into 1 1/2" pieces, plus leaves for garnish
2 T. red-wine vinegar
1 T. fresh oregano leaves

What to do:
1) In a large heavy pot, heat oil over med-high.  Add sausage & cook, stirring occasionally until brown - about 4 minutes.  Transfer sausage to a dish.  Season chicken on both sides with salt & pepper & add to pan.  Cook until golden brown on both sides - about 10 minutes.  Transfer chicken to dish with sausage.
2) Add onions, potatoes & celery & season with s&p.  Stir until onion is soft - 3-5 min.  Return meat to pot & add 1 c. water.  Bring to a boil, then cover & reduce heat to low.  Simmer until potatoes are tender & chicken is cooked through - about 20 min.
3) Remove lid & increase heat to high; boil until liquid is reduced to 1/2c - 5 min.  I've simplified this next step:  Add vinegar & oregano & stir to combine.  Transfer to a pretty serving dish & top with celery leaves.  Yum!  Try to eat only one portion.

And so it begins....

My best friend & I call ourselves the Freakish Food Cult.  Why freakish?  Because we LOVE food.  Eating it, discussing it, making it....perhaps to a freakish degree.  We are two ordinary mothers, wives & women.  We have no culinary training other than what we've learned from our families, cookbooks & from each other.  We are learning to cook. We enjoy cooking new and fabulous meals & we love sharing our successes, tips & favorite recipes with whomever will listen.  We are huge fans of Everyday Food Magazine & have gotten several friends to subscribe - without any sort of commission mind you!  We also cook from family recipes (which include Lebanese & Filipino foods), cookbooks, magazines, on-line sites & recipes passed on from friends.

This blog serves to document our efforts, highlight our highest rated recipes & serve as inspiration for the culinarily uninspired.  The recipes we love the most are easy, quick & yield delicious results.  We are two busy moms for Heaven's sake!  We don't have time to slave away in the kitchen!  We hope you enjoy our posts & give one of our favorite recipes a try.

Guten Appetit!