Farmstand Ravioli with Zucchini
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(Disclaimer: I am working in partnership with the KRAFT brand and I am receiving compensation for my participation in this campaign. All thoughts/opinions are 100% my own)
I love this time of year when my local farm stands are open on road sides around my little water-tower town. Little pop up markets here and there. I stop in as much as possible. A) I love supporting my local farmers when I can B) I know where the food comes from and that’s is going to be fresh and freshly picked. Plus ehem have you seen farmers lately? Not to mention they’re incredibly knowledgeable. Go ahead ask them about their food. They love it.
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Drunken Pasta with Pancetta
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I know you’ve all heard of drunken pasta. Typically, it’s pasta that has been boiled in red wine. In theory it’s a good idea right, wine, pasta. Yes please. Well it’s yes until the plate arrives in front of you (at least for me). We eat with our eyes first, and red wine turns the pasta in this deathly looking greyish purple hue that’s completely unappetizing. Unless you use WHITE wine. Ding ding ding. Do you hear the bell going off in your head?
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Grilled Shrimp and Avocado Pasta
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You might not think that avocados and pasta go together but surprise they do! Once you’ve twirled your fork around these creamy fettucine noodles that have been slathered in avocado awesome-sauce you’ll be a believer. Avocados are something I can’t ever seem to get enough of. I’m pretty obsessed with them but not nearly as much as my friend GABY. She’s absolutely avo-obsessed (in the best way possible!). In fact, she’s just published her first cookbook called “Absolutely Avocados”.
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Jalapeno Popper Pasta
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There are so many things to love about pasta. I could literally go on for days about it, but mmmmmm better not. Instead I’m going to tell you one reason I love it (delicious is obvious). Versatility. If you tell me you get bored with pasta I won’t believe you. There are too many shapes, sizes, and sauces for that. Like this spicy jalapeno popper pasta. I took an appetizer we love, hello jalapeno poppers, you all know and love them and turned it into a pasta dish. Those hot little beauties are pretty hard to stop popping. This pasta, no different.
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Cheesy Broccoli and Bacon Bake
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Surprise it’s still COLD. Good thing “Ada” my KitchenAid Range is such a workhorse. She’s been getting a massive workout EVERY.SINGLE.DAY. Especially the oven portion. Besides massive amount of chocolate chip cookies there have been a plethora of pasta bakes. I’m a fan of the pasta bake, aka casserole or cheesy carb-y goodness. You pick. What’s not to love about melted cheese and warm pasta? If you’re not a fan, I’m not sure we could be friends. Okay well maybe if you brought me wine and let me eat your bowl of pasta, that might work. Maybe. Chocolate would be good also. Just a thought.
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Couscous with Mushrooms and Herbs
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I’m not sure what took me so long to jump on the couscous train. I suppose better late than never eh? Regardless I’m glad I finally did. It is pretty incredible. Little balls of pasta-liciousness bursting with flavor. Almost like savory boba balls (you know the ones in bubble tea or at the fro-yo shop) without the liquid burst. Okay not at all like boba balls I just also happen to like those. A lot. Like I have a 7 pound jar in my Amazon cart right now. I don’t kid about food. Ever. What else do I love? Mushrooms. Mushrooms plus Israeli couscous = happy happy happy.
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Bucatini with Parsley and Bread Crumbs
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I love big fat sloppy bucatini pasta. They do make twirling challenging (you know how much I love a good twirl), and a little slurping is necessary but I’m okay with that. I understand in some cultures that slurping noodles is not considered impolite at all, instead it’s considered to be quite the compliment. So slurp on. Maybe not going as far as “Lady and the Tramp” style, we’re looking for a happy medium here. Right? Right.
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Weeknight Meat Sauce with Rigatoni
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Last month I received an email from America’s Test Kitchen. They shared with me they have a BOOK coming out that’s all about pressure cooking. I almost deleted the email because to be completely honest pressure cookers SCARE me. Seriously scare me. For some reason I truly believed if I used one I was going to have an explosion in my kitchen. True story. But somehow curiosity got hold of me.
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Lasagna Macaroni and Cheese
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Just saying the word lasagna makes me happy. I’m sure I’m not the only one. What’s not to love right? Well other than how long it takes to make. It’s one of the few dishes that I make that does requires the bulk of a day. I’m not going to lie, I don’t make a lot of dishes that require that much commitment – you know I’m impatient. Now that I’m thinking about it I can only think of a few off the top of my head that I’m willing to spend that much time on. So if I am you can bet a jar of Nutella that it’s got to be eyes rolling back into your head good. Period.
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Spicy Rosemary Spaghetti
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I’m not sure about you but in my little 2 stoplight town there aren’t many shopping options. Sad but true. Now before you say “bless her heart” we do have a grocery store, it’s just not the biggest in the world. Besides our one grocery store we do have a Dollar General. Which has recently gotten a Red Box and I for one could not be happier, but back to Dollah Dollah store as I affectionately call it. When I need something fast and easy I head there. It’s small and I know where everything is at. I can get in and out quickly. Besides being convenient, they carry A LOT of products. Variety is the spice of life after all.
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Pumpkin Macaroni and Cheese
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Why no that’s not Velveeta. It’s pumpkin macaroni and cheese. But go ahead and let the kids think that if you need to. I do tell mine, just after they’ve inhaled their first portion and ask for seconds. I’m a big fan of all things pumpkin and think they should be too. Next to boots, Italian Hot Chocolate and scarves it’s my favorite part of fall.
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Slow Cooker Chicken Tetrazzini
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Do you like one pot wonders? Cooking things low and slow? Setting it and forgetting it? Then this is the dish for you! ‘Tis the season to break out the slow cooker (or crock pot if you prefer) throw in your ingredients, put the lid on and do more pressing things like spending the afternoon playing random players on Words For Friends or Scramble For Friends. Totally up to you.
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5 Must Try Pasta Recipes
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Did you know that October is National Pasta Month? A WHOLE month dedicated to one of my most favorite foods on the planet? I can so get behind that and since you’re here I’m pretty sure you can too. With over 600 types of pastas (I’m on a mission to make my way through each and every one) pasta is the perfect foundation for creating endless easy to prepare delicious meals that fit not only your lifestyle but your pocket book too. Talk about win win. I’m sharing 5 of my must try pasta recipes with you today plus a special invitation to party. You know I like a good party right?
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Squash Sage and Walnut Pasta Sauce
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I am fortunate to still have squash coming out of my ears garden. I have sauteed, roasted and baked it into everything I could think of this summer with the exception of turning it into a sauce. I’m not sure why I waited so long. It was ridiculously good. Sweet, savory and seriously saucy. This would also be a fantastic way to use leftover squash. I plan on trying this with other variations of squash too. Roasted butternut (or sweet dumpling) squash sauce anyone?
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Vegetable Carbonara
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Spaghetti alla Carbonara is my favorite dish EVER. Ever ever ever. If you come to my house chances are good I will make you this dish. I have not until this point ever even considered adding to it. But I was feeling froggy this weekend and something got hold of me and I did. I wasn’t sure if I would even like it. I mean it’s NOT a traditional Carbonara. Guess what? I did. I really really liked it (dang it now we”ll have the spice girls in our heads. You can thank the Olympics for that). Different and delightful. Not to mention a great way to incorporate the cherry tomatoes we all have coming out of our ears right now.
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Simple Summer Garden Pasta
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What I love about having a summer garden is that it really helps me decide “what’s for dinner” or lunch as the case may be. What’s coming out of the garden is what gets cooked. It’s not only good but good for us. Some days though it does require a little extra culinary creativity. If you have squash and zucchini in your garden you understand that. My tip for keeping those babies in check: harvesting and cooking squash blossoms are a wonderful way to curb the crop.
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Lobster Spaghetti
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I have a thing for lobstah. I’m completely jealous of those who live in New England who have access to these lovely crustaceans on a whim. Not to mention on the cheap. Further down the East Coast where I live they’re definitely NOT cheap but somethings are worth splurging for and in my opinion lobster is one of them. I like them just dipped in butter, on a ROLL with even more butter, and most definitely hiding in a bed bed of spicy pasta.
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Pioneer Woman’s Pasta With Tomato Cream Sauce
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You all know by now that I have a weakness for pasta. I prefer weakness to obsession, it just sounds so much better doesn’t it. Okay who am I kidding, I am obsessed. Good pasta is a thing of beauty, and if it’s something bad then I don’t want to be right. This pasta with tomato cream sauce is beauty in a bowl and I couldn’t be happier to share it with you today.
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Ravioli with Creamy Pesto and Tomato Sauce
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{Roasted Chicken & Mozzarella Ravioli paired with Creamy Pesto & Tomato Sauce}
Pasta is a weakness of mine. Okay, good food in general is a weakness of mine but especially pasta. I adore making it by hand but sometimes, sadly, I don’t have the time to make it by hand.
On those occasions I like to have a few packages of high quality, pre-made pastas in my freezer. They’re a lifesaver, okay maybe just a dinner saver, but you’ll certainly be glad they’re in there when you’re scrambling to get dinner on the table.
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How to Make Spinach Pasta
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Pasta makes me happy. Homemade pasta makes me even happier. There’s something about the process of combining 3 simple ingredients that once mixed together form this crazy carb deliciousness that is so incredible to me. That process of making pasta is therapeutic for me, and cheap therapy at that ; ) Last month we announced we’ll have a monthly homemade pasta installment this year. We showed you HOW TO MAKE RAVIOLI in January and now we’re bumping up the color and flavor factor and moving onto how to make spinach pasta!
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