Not So Guilty Pleasures

Oh, so good. I got hooked on Mad Men several weeks ago after catching a repeat on AMC and promptly queued all the DVDs in Netflix. Needless to say I've been waiting for tonight and nerdily marked it on my calendar so I wouldn't forget!

Dinner was simple to use up some mushrooms and asparagus that were in a use-it-or-lose-it state with some whole wheat rotini. I made sure to have dinner ready early enough to allow my stomach to make room for dessert along all the fashion eye candy on Mad Men as well as time to clean up. This is a great easy weeknight meal that could just as well accommodate some chicken or shrimp if you felt inclined.


I just cooked up some sliced shitake 'shrooms in a bit of butter and lemon juice until they were slightly browned and added the asparagus for the last couple of minutes, along with a bit of vegetable broth and a dash of the pasta water to create slightly saucier dish. Normally I'd top it with some Parmesan but for the first time ever (what WAS I thinking?) I am out! No worries - the cheese drawer is always stocked and I added a couple chunks of feta for creaminess.

After cleaning up and painting my nails I sat down to indulge in my non-guilty pleasures. I'd seen a recipe in the latest SELF magazine for a blueberry-basil granita and knew I had to have it. Between this and the banana "soft-serve" that's been all the bloggy rage this summer who needs ice cream? This involved about two more steps than the soft-serve, which is to say that it took 3 minutes instead of 1. Really. Just add blueberries, a bit of basil, a couple tablespoons of honey, a little bit of water, and a pinch of salt to a food processor and blend. Once smooth, pour into an airtight container and freeze for a couple of hours.


Nevermind the lovely container - this was sooooooooo tasty. The clean flavors of basil and the sweetness of the blueberries made it feel considerably more decadent than it truly is. Plenty of other flavor combinations are a-brewing in my mind already.

Waste Not, Want More Pasta

The Beanpole is working from home this week and it's taking some adjustments to making "man-sized" meals again. I started to prepare the Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms Caprese, took one look, and realized that the poor guy would just not be satisfied with one little mushroom cap. We're heading to the in-laws' for Christmas early next week and kept the grocery shopping to a minimum and instead planned on making a couple bigger, heartier dishes that would yield plenty of leftovers and no waste so choices were limited. I threw on a pot of pasta, grabbed acouple items that would pair well with the mushrooms and was rather surprised at how tasty the dish turned out. True, it's difficult to ruin pasta but this surprisingly flavorful dish is perfect for rushed evenings!


Waste Not, Want More Pasta
1/2 lb penne pasta
1 14oz can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano, drained
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup milk
fresh parmesan for grating
1-2 slices proscuitto, chopped

Cook pasta according to package directions. Stir in tomatoes and spinach, let warm. Add cheese, stirring to combine. Pour in milk, stir, and cook 2-3 minutes. Serve warm with topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and proscuitto.

Butternut Squash Ravioli and Apple Not-so-Crisp

Last night The Beanpole and I got home just in time to scramble cleaning the apartment and start dinner for some friends. They were running a bit late so we had plenty of time to wash and dry the dishes and maintain the pretense of organization. Anxious to use a portion of the 2 pecks of apples we'd picked up at the orchard I started on the first apple crisp recipe I found so it would be ready when we finished dinner. I used a butternut squash ravioli recipe found on recipezaar.com accompanied by roasted asparagus (which I could eat every single day, by the way) and more Sam Adams Oktoberfest. I love the Oktoberfest beers - not too dark and heavy but a perfect transition from the lighter tastes of summer. The apple crisp turned out to be mush, probably because I went rogue with the recipe. Then again, when topped with vanilla ice cream, it all worked out!


Butternut Squash Ravioli
Filling
1/2-3/4 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped (I halved, and roasted at 450 for 45 min)
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3 teaspoon ginger
1/2 cup finely grated gruyere or ricotta (I used low-fat ricotta)
salt and pepper to taste
Dough
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 1/2 cups unbleached flour, pre-sifted (Use fork to fluff flour, and lightly spoon into measuring cup)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
water
Directions
Steam (or roast) squash until easily pierced with a fork.
Mash squash, and add spices, cheese and salt and pepper.
Cool, and prepare dough.
For dough: Mix flour and salt together.
In a separate bowl, mix the cilantro, eggs, and 1/4 cup water.
In a food processor, pulse cilantro mixture until the cilantro is fine.
Add flour mixture gradually until well mixed.
Add water if necessary to obtain a stiff dough.
Knead dough by hand, and leave rest in a covered bowl for 20 minutes.
Knead again, and roll dough into a thin sheet, approximately 1/8 inch. (even thinner would be best)
Cut out an even number of circles in the dough.
Drop a spoonful of filling in the center of each circle, moisten edges with water, and cover with a separate circle.
Pinch edges together, and leave ravioli dry for about 2 hours, and refrigerate until needed.
Cook ravioli in salted boiling water for 15 minutes, drain, rinse, and serve with preferred sauce. (I used a brown butter and sage sauce)