Pasta

Using My Noodle(s)

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I felt like doing Italian tonight. I made a chicken pasta with a tomato mushroom pasta sauce, a three color salad made of mozzerella, tomato and basil, and some corn. I was inspired by a recipe, but couldn’t find proper ingredients so turned it into my own thang. For the sauce I used:

  • 1lb can of diced Tomato with juice
  • Pint Of Baby Portabello Shrooms
  • 2 boneless chopped Chicken Bewbs
  • 2 Tbsp Italian Flat Leaf Parsley
  • 1 grated Carrot
  • 1 chopped Serrano pepper
  • 1 tbsp of Vietnamese Garlic Chili Sauce
  • 1 tbsp of Garlic
  • Salt and pepper to taste

I browned the chicken in one pan, and I placed the entire can of tomatoes and their juice, added the serrano, carrot, garlic, sauce, mushrooms and parsley and seasoned it with salt and pepper. After I finished browning the chicken I placed it in the sauce and let it simmer for about an hour with the frequent stir. You can actually eat it after half an hour, but waiting longer does make it more tender. It hit the spot! Plus I have more for later.

Weekend Food Diary: Vegetarian-ish Edition

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I’ve been having a nice weekend. I started it off after work on Saturday by making myself a creamy primavera lunch. I made a white sauce and added some Italian herbs and mascarpone cheese with some salt and pepper. Then I used all kinds of vegetables that most people I know would find vile and ungodly. I used asparagus, broccoli, zucchini, green beans, green onion and snow peas with a spinach salad on the side with homemade raspberry vinaigrette. I’m going to have to make more of the vinegar sometime in the not too distant future as I’m nearing the last of it; though it has lasted me almost a couple years!

I took all the leftover vegetables I had, added some carrot and red bell pepper and made a brown jasmine fried rice with egg for breakfast, and again for lunch with added cashews on top. It’s really good, but next time I’ll just keep it in mind for use as a light lunch item best paired with salad or a light soup.

Then today rolls around and I STILL have an assload of vegetables to get rid of, so I make a green breakfast curry over white jasmine rice. I think I have enough to last me the week or so. Lotsa leftover pasta too, should be good for an after work lunch tomorrow. :v:

Touched by noodly appendage

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After a busy work day I set aside special plans to make my own variant of dinner tonight. I originally planned to buy some smoked salmon for a salmon pasta dish, but there was none to be found. I also bought a potato rosemary loaf of bread that I made my own garlic butter mix for (unsalted butter, Italian herbs, garlic powder and a small pinch of sea salt).

I didn’t realize that I was nearly out of parmesan cheese, and had to resort to making a three cheese sauce instead consisting of the leftover parmesan, plus generous portions of danish bleu and smoked provolone cheeses.

It tasted good, though feedback afterwards suggested that I add something more to the sauce in the future… I might try using wine for additional tang next time. 😛

With the addition of a bunch of carbs I felt like a nice salad would be a good balance. This is a spring mix with a homemade raspberry vinaigrette using my own homemade raspberry vinegar! There are also grape tomatoes, danish bleu cheese, and mixed nuts crushed with a mortar and pestle for additional flavor and crunch.

Using my noodle

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It’s been awhile since I’ve shared any culinary wisdom. Tonight I took leftover roasted ham and turned it into a dish that I made by scratch with no help from a book.

One of my favorite sauces to make is a white sauce. I added Parmesan and smoked Gouda, and also a few splashes of Marsala with Italian spices as well as the ham. Tasted like a nice creamy Alfredo by the time it was thickened and ready for noodles.

Folded in the noodles. They’re wheat noodles, while the rest of the food may be fatty the wheat will help counterbalance it. 😛

That and the corn, can’t eat pasta alone… But eating this was really excellent. I’ll have to remember to try adding different boozes to cream sauces in the future to see how well they turn out. Will probably stay away from Creme De Menthe and Midori though…