Rigatoni with Mini Turkey Meatballs

I am welcoming Friday with open arms. And what better way than with arms full of cheesy pasta goodness? And I can't decide what's cuter; the mini meatballs, mini mozzarella, or the mini rigatoni? But there's nothing "mini" about the flavors of this dish. Creamy tomato sauce, al dente pasta, flavorful meatballs, and fresh crisp basil. That's just what the weekend ordered.

Rigatoni with Mini Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 lb. lean ground turkey
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp. finely minced onion
• 1 tbsp. minced parsley
• 1 tbsp. plain yogurt
• 1 tbsp. freshly grated parmesan
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups marinara sauce (I used my homemade)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup mini mozzarella balls
• fresh basil leaves for garnish

Preheat broiler to high. Place a sheet of tin foil on a large baking sheet and spray with non-stick cooking spray. 

In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the bread crumbs and milk and allow if the bread crumbs to soak up some of the milk mixture; about 3 minutes. Then add in the turkey, egg, onion, parsley, yogurt, parmesan, salt & pepper. Mix well.

Using a small cookie scoop, form as many small meatballs as you can, placing them about 1/2-inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Broil for 3-4 minutes, careful not to burn, until just cooked (they will finish cooking in the sauce).

Cook the pasta according to the package directions and save 1/3 cup of the pasta cooking water. 

In a large pot, or deep-sided skillet, heat the tomato sauce over medium heat. Once simmering, add in the cream and the meatballs. Add in the reserved pasta water and continue to simmer until thickened slightly. Allow to cook for 3 minutes before adding in the mozzarella balls. Stir once again. Garish with basil leaves and serve hot.

Thai Inspired Turkey Stir Fry

Thursday is usually about the time of the week where I'm feeling about as productive as possible, and I don't care what my bank account or the scale reads. All I want is to order take out and veg. But then I do think about said bank account and scale (damn scales), and I convert my local pad thai dreams into DIY homemade take-out. Ground beef, sautéed vegetables, fresh basil. What's there not to love? So go ahead, get "take-out" tonight!

Thai Inspired Turkey Stir Fry

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
• 1 1/2 tbsp. high heat oil (such as peanut or avocado)
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
• 1 small orange bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
• 1 small onion, finely sliced
• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 cup jasmine rice, cooked

Sauce:

• 2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 tbsp. Sriracha
• 1 1/2 tbsp. soy sauce (or soy sauce alternative such as coconut aminos)
• 1 tbsp. honey or agave nectar

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients and set aside. 

Heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat for a minute before you add in 1 tbsp. of oil. Once the oil is hot, add in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove the garlic before it burns. Lower the heat slightly (medium-high) and add in the peppers and onion. 

Cook for 4-5 minutes until softened and starting to brown, remove from the hot pan and set aside. Add in the remaining oil and add the ground turkey to the hot oiled pan. Break the turkey up with a spoon as it cooks, you want there to be no pink remaining and the turkey to be slightly browned. 

At this point, add the peppers and onions back in as well as 1 cup of the chopped basil, stir to combine, then add in the sauce that you prepared earlier. Cook for 1 more minute to incorporate the sauce. Serve hot over jasmine rice, and garnish with lots of fresh basil.

Paleo Sweet Potato Waffles

Is t weird that I have breakfast for dinner like once a week? And by breakfast, I mean I make a savory dish and throw an egg on top of it and call it a day. A little look into my life, as a creature of habit, I have the same thing for breakfast every single day. A hard-boiled eg and coffee. But I have been trying to mix it up as of late, and even had oatmeal with blueberries and cinnamon this week (I basically don't recognize myself). But I have to have at least an egg a day. So if it isn't what starts my day, it's what I end my day with. Eggs for dinner. That's my new habit. And coming from a girl who refused to eat eggs in any way, shape, or form as a kid, that's saying a lot. 

These sweet potato waffles are delicious on their own, but adding a sunny-side up egg (or a fried would be just as yummy!), you add some creaminess and added protein to the dish. Plus you can never go wrong with guac and hot sauce. Because guac is life, obvi. Feel free to make the paleo version, or use whatever flour and/or seasonings you prefer if you are not following the paleo lifestyle. 

Paleo Sweet Potato Waffles

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups shredded sweet potato
• 2 tbsp. coconut flour (can use all-purpose of whole wheat for non-paleo)
• 2 eggs, whisked
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. onion powder
• 1/8 tsp. cumin
• 1/4 tsp. chili powder
• pinch of salt and pepper
• 1 batch homemade guacamole
• 4 eggs
• hot sauce (optional)

Preheat a waffle maker while you prepare the "batter".

In a medium bowl, mix together the sweet potato, almond flour, eggs, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. 

Fill the waffle maker with the mixture and press down firmly, and cook until crispy and browned. Repeat 3 more times for a total of 4 waffles. Place in the oven to keep warm.

Fry up your eggs any way you like them, I prefer sunny side up, and serve atop hot waffles and a side of guacamole and hot sauce. 

Lasagna Bolognese with Spinach Ricotta

Wife brag moment. Every time that my Andrew and I travel somewhere, when he says he's going to go to the airport restroom or grab a bottle of water before the flight, he ends up coming back with food magazines for yours truly. Actually, as I type this, I think he's actually buying them for himself, because whatever I make, he gets to imbibe on. Sneaky man....I think I'll still keep him. One of his recent purchases was a compilation of "best of" recipes, and this lasagna recipe is based on one of their "best ofs". Who doesn't love lasagna? A compilation of bolognese and creamy ricotta cheese, what's not to love? 

Lasagna Bolognese with Spinach Ricotta

Bolognese:

• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 3 oz. chopped bacon
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 celery rib, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 lb. ground beef (80/20)
• 1 1/2 cup dry white wine (or vegetable broth)
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/4 cup organic tomato paste
• 1 1/2 tsp. thyme leaves

Spinach Ricotta:

• 2 15-oz. containers ricotta cheese
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 4 organic eggs
• 16 oz. frozen spinach leaves, thawed and chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste
• lasagna noodles
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese for topping

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add in the bacon, onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for 10-12 minutes until softened and fragrant, stirring occasionally. 

Add in the ground beef and cook, breaking the meat up with a sturdy spoon, until no pink remains, about 6-10 minutes. Pour in the wine (or broth if using), milk, tomato paste, and thyme. Stir until combined, bring to a simmer and cook until most of the liquid has been cooked down, about an hour.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the ricotta, milk, and eggs. Mix in the spinach, parmesan, salt, and pepper. Reserve 1 1/2 cups in a separate bowl for the top layer.

If using dried noodles, cook until al dente and just pliable. If using no-bake sheets, just soak in warm water for 3-5 minutes until slightly softened. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Pour a little more than 1 cup of the bolognese sauce on the bottom of the pan and spread out evenly. Lay down 2 sheets or 3 lasagna strip noodles on top. Spread 1/2 of the main spinach mixture, then 1 cup bolognese sauce, and top with 1 tbsp. shredded parmesan cheese. Repeat with  another layer of lasagna noodles, spinach, bolognese, parmesan. Top with the remaining bolognese sauce, 1 tbsp. parmesan, and the last noodles.

Spread the reserved 1 1/2 cups spinach ricotta mixture on top and then sprinkle 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese. Cover loosely with foil sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and bake until warmed through, 45 minutes-1 hour. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes if you want those crispy edges.

Allow it to cool for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Recipe originated from Epicurious

Cacio e Pepe

What if I told you that with only 3 ingredients you could have a a traditional Roman dish on the table? Cacio e Pepe, literally translates to "cheese and pepper". Add some pasta noodles and the hot cooking water and you've got a sinful pasta dish in under 15 minutes. The entire time that we were in Italy on our honeymoon, I was determined to find the best Cacio e Pepe, ordering it anytime I found it on a menu. After kissing a few frogs and finding a winner so to speak, I knew that I had to be able to recreate it back home. The next best thing to flying back to Italy to order it...though I am still trying to pressure my husband to go back!

I found that the secret to depth of flavor in this dish is to toast your whole peppercorns before grinding them. Also, the very best quality Pecorino Romano or Parmesano Reggiano that you can find. When you only have a couple of ingredients, quality is key because you can taste each one very distinctly. So now is the time to splurge!

Cacio e Pepe

Ingredients :

• 1 lb. Spaghetti noodles
• 1 1/2 cups freshly grated pecorino or parmesan cheese 
• 4 tbsp. Whole black peppercorns 

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the noodles according to the package directions. 

Meanwhile, toast the peppercorns in a saute pan just until fragrant, careful not burn them. Remove from the heat and grind them in a spice grinder. 

Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water and drain the noodles, but do not shake off the excess water. Place the noodles into a mixing bowl and toss with 1/2 cup of the water and 1 cup of the cheese. Add more water as needed if the noodles appear too dry.

Plate into shallow bowls and top with the ground black pepper and top with the remaining cheese. Serve immediately. 

Spring Garden Angel Hair Pasta

Let's get real for a second. We all know that the Easter ham is a staple. Just like corned beef on St. Patrick's day, hot dogs on 4th of July, or, you know, wine after a rough day. Except in my house. It's not a secret that I myself am a outspoken ham hater (I just can't with the texture), and my family has well-adapted over the years and has come to serve anything but ham for me(spoiled much?). You will usually see tri-tip or brisket being served, but this year things are changing. Don't tell my husband (a ham-lover), but ham will be served in addition to red meat this Easter Sunday (blasphemy if you ask me) as a guft by my mother...sorry for all of the parenthesis today. But in case you are a ham-hater like me, or just looking to switch things up for your Easter weekend, may I suggest to you this fresh, garden angel hair pasta. All of the flavors work so perfectly together, and are only embellished by a glass of crispy white wine. 

Spring Garden Angel Hair Pasta

Ingredients:

• 1 small zucchini squash, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped asparagus
• 1/3 cup peas
• 1/3 cup korn kernels
• 1 orange or yellow tomato, finely diced
• angel hair pasta
• 4 oz. soft goat cheese, crumbled
• 1 tsp. freshly grated lemon zest
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. freshly sliced basil leaves
• salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add in the noodles and begin to cook, about 3 minutes. Add in the zucchini, asparagus, peas, corn, and pasta noodles. Continue to cook until the pasta noodles are soft. 

Meanwhile add the tomato, lemon zest, 1/2 of the crumbled goat cheese, 1 tbsp. olive oil. and basil in a large bowl.

Drain the pasta and vegetables, reserving 1/2 cup of liquid. Add the drained pasta to the bowl with the tomatoes. Toss to combine and allow the goat cheese to melt. Add in the remaining olive oil and goat cheese, then serve hot. 

Short Rib Fettuccine Bolognese for 2

When I first met my husband, he had to moved from the east coast out to Phoenix for work, and being the newcomer to Arizona that he was, he would find his favorite meals from different places and just rotate them throughout each week. Sundays were usually pad thai, a rough day after work called for the "big-ass burger", and when he was craving comfort food in the form of Italian food, he always ordered his beloved pasta bolognese. Now I don't expect this to ever take the place of his favorite take-out spot, BUT I did try and re-create our own version made with slow-cooked short rib. And I have to say, it is pretty damn divine if you ask me. I think that the key ingredient was using freshly made fettuccine noodles, instead of the dried, but I;m not about to get all Ina Garten on you and tell you that you must spend your entire afternoon making homemade pasta noodles. Dried will be just fine if you prefer. Any way you serve it, it's going to be delicious. It's freakin' pasta!

 Short Rib Fettuccine Bolognese

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. boneless beef short ribs
• 2 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped carrot
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup wine
• 1 1/2 cups broth
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• parsley or chives for garnish
• fettuccine noodles

In a large pot, cook the chopped bacon until browned and crispy, about 5-7 minutes. Strain out the bacon and set aside, but leave the bacon grease in the hot pot.

Sear the short ribs in the bacon grease until browned on all sides, then place into a crockpot. Add the onions, carrots, and garlic to the bacon grease and saute until softened, about 8 minutes.

Add in the wine and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Then add in the vinegar, broth, and tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Pour the mixture over the ribs in the crockpot and add in the cooked bacon. Cook in the crockpot on low for 8-10 hours until fork tender and shreds easily.

Once the meat is done, add in the cream and parmesan cheese and stir to incorporate. Cook the fettuccine according to the boxed ingredients or use fresh-made if your market offers it (preferred). Serve the bolognese over the cooked pasta and garnish with parsley and or chives. 

Thai Shrimp Ramen for 2

I'm keeping this 'Recipes for 2' train cruisin', and today I am sharing with you my spiced-up version of ramen. On a recent Costco run, we discovered these organic millet and brown rice ramen noodles and decided that we just had to try them out. I have been loving using red curry paste in recipes lately, so this time was no different. Today's ramen recipe is pad thai-coconut curry soup hybrid love child. Peanut butter and coconut milk make for a creamy base and the curry and paprika give it a real kick. Top it off with some chopped peanuts for a bit of a crunch and you are in business my friends! Perfect for date night in with your honey. 

Thai Shrimp Ramen

Ingredients:

• 2 packages ramen (discard or keep seasoning packets for another use)
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced
• 1/2 medium onion, halved then thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp. thai red curry paste
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 can coconut milk
• 2 cups broth
• 2 tsp. sesame oil
• 2 tbsp. coconut aminos (or soy sauce)
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/2 lb. raw wild caught shrimp, peeled and deveined, chopped in half or thirds if extra large
• chopped peanuts for garnish
• chopped cilantro for garnish

In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add in the garlic, bell pepper, and onions. Saute until softened about 5 minutes. Add in the curry paste, paprika, and ginger. Stir to coat the veggies. In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter and half of the broth until well incorporated.

Increase heat to high and add in the coconut milk, broth mixture, remaining broth, sesame oil, coconut aminos, and lime juice. Bring the soup to a boil and then add in the ramen noodles. Cook for about 6 minutes before adding in the shrimp. 

Cook for another 2 minutes until the noodles are soft and the shrimp is cooked through. Serve hot and garnish with chopped peanuts and cilantro.

Roasted Butternut Squash Penne Pasta

If this is what 2016 will be feeding me, then count me in! For my first recipe of the year, I wanted to bring you all of my favorite things. Roasted squash, pasta, goat cheese, and bacon. I mean, c'mon can it get any better than that? With so many important meetings with wedding vendors, dress fittings, and our friends and family coming in to town to celebrate our wedding with us next month, it is important for us to stay well fed yet healthily, while not missing out on flavor or those ever-so-delicious carbs. 

 Roasted Butternut Squash Penne Pasta

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. penne pasta
• 1 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 1/2 red onion, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tbsp. freshly chopped sage
• 2 tbsp. freshly chopped rosemary
• 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss butternut squash and onion with olive oil, salt, and pepper and place onto a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven then add the sage and rosemary, toss to mix and place back into oven. Roast for 15 minutes more.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to boxed directions, and drain, saving 1/2 cup pasta water. Add pasta noodles back into pot with reserved water. Add in the roasted veggies, crumbled goat cheese, and crumbled bacon. Toss and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot. 

Beef Ramen Yakisoba

Real talk, I love ramen. Even though my college days of being forced to eat ramen because I spent my paycheck on new jeans and can't afford anything else are way behind me, I still get the craving for a bowl of chicken-flavored ramen. But I also crave jazzing it up a bit, and getting a little more adult in the kitchen. Enter Beef Ramen Yakisoba. For this recipe we actually just want the ramen noodles and not the flavor packet, so feel free to buy whatever flavor you want, but the packet will have to find use somewhere else. With just a few simple ingredients, you can have a flavor-packed meal on the table in under 30 minutes, and you'd be surprised just how good ramen can be!

Beef Ramen Yakisoba

Ingredients:

• 3 packages ramen noodles, discard the seasoning packets
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
• 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 green onions, sliced

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook ramen noodles until softened. 

Meanwhile, in a large non-stick skillet, cook the beef, breaking it up with a spoon until no pink remains. Drain on a paper towel and set aside. In the same pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and cook the bell peppers and onion until softened, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook another 1-2 minutes.

Add beef back to pan with veggies and add soy sauce. Drain cooked ramen noodles and add to the skillet. Toss to coat the noodles in the soy sauce and mix well.

Serve in bowls, garnish with sliced green onions. 

How to Turn Pre-Packaged Pasta from Blah to BAM!

You know those days where you just reallyyyyyy (yes, all of those y's were necessary to prove my point) don't want to make dinner? But at the same time, you don't want to end up in the drive thru at In-n-Out ordering animal style fries and a vanilla shake? That's where frozen pre-packaged pasta comes to the rescue! Today I show you a couple of easy steps to take that pre-packaged pasta from your freezer, and turn it into the easiest gourmet-looking (and tasting) meal ever! Head on over to idieh design blog to see how. 

Sweet Potato Noodles with Corn, Black Beans & Chipotle Crema

I have a new obsession. My spiralizer. I will admit that I almost accepted defeat with it the first couple of times I tried to use it (cucumber bits EVERYWHERE), but once I got the hang of it I fell in looooooove. There's no way that vegetable noodles will ever be able to replace classic pasta noodles in my mind, but I love the flexibility and the numerous options that my spiralizer gives me. Especially since I plan on looking svelte in my wedding dres,s and pasta and cheese don't really go hand in hand with that plan. I got this recipe from the Inspiralized website, which features more recipe ideas than I could ever imagine, making eating your veggies ridiculously easy, and delicious to boot!

Sweet Potato Noodles with Corn, Black Beans, and Chipotle Crema
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled
• 2 ears of corn, shucked
• 2 tbsp. olive oil, separated
• 3/4 tsp. paprika
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 avocado
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo
• 1-2 tbsp. mayo or sour cream
• 2 limes, 1 juiced, 1 cut into quarters
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 small jalapeno, sliced
• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your grill over medium-high heat. Drizzle with 1 tbsp. olive oil and grill on all sides, until slightly charred. Remove from the grill, cut the kernels from the cobb and toss the cooked kernels with the black beans, paprika, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Set aside. 

Meanwhile, run the sweet potatoes, 1 at a time, through your vegetable spiralizer. Heat the remaining tbsp. of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add in the sweet potato noodles and toss with the garlic and oil, cooking the noodles for 8-10 minutes, until softened.

To make the chipotle crema, blend the avocado, chipotle, mayo/sour cream, and 1 juiced lime in a food processor until smooth.

To plate, add the noodles to 4 shallow bowls or plates. Top with the  black bean/corn mixture, then drizzle the chipotle crema over the top. Garnish with fresh cilantro and sliced jalapenos. Serve with lime quarters.

This recipe post was not sponsored, all opinions are my own. 

BBQ Chicken Mac & Cheese

You guys. Can we just talk about how it was 84 degrees in Phoenix this week? I know that there is still plenty of Arizona summer left to be had, but it was a nice change of pace to not see triple digits, and get to see some rain and cooler temperatures for a day or two. The second the weather drops I start craving all the things pumpkin, and fall, and cozy. Sometimes we even crank down the air in the house so we can wear blankets and sweatshirts on the couch (we're really normal, I promise). Today's BBQ chicken version of mac and cheese just screams comfort, with all the smokiness from the BBQ  sauce, and the creamy sauce. Plus, I have to let you in on a little secret. I am not one for leftovers. Like, I don't even own a microwave. I like my food best when it's freshly prepared. But, we had a little bit of this leftover, and I ate it. Cold. Out of the fridge. And I loved it. I don't even know myself anymore.

BBQ Chicken Mac & Cheese

Ingredients:

• 12 oz. pasta noodles, cooked according to box directions
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1 cup broth
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
• 2 cups shredded chicken 
• 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
• 2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped

In a a medium pot, bring the broth to a simmer, then add in the cream cheese. Whisk until the cream cheese melts into the broth and becomes smooth. Season with the onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Continue to whisk and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.

Add in the chicken and BBQ sauce to the sauce. Add the cooked noodles to the BBQ chicken cheese sauce and toss until the noodles are covered. Serve in bowls and top with fresh cilantro.