Spaghetti alla Carbonara

I've tried a few different carbonara recipes and the others turn out kind of dry. This one is very saucy and rich. If you like bacon, cheese, and pasta, you have to make this at home!

Prep Time: 10 min    Cook Time: 25 min    Total: 35 min

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Ingredients

• Salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 cup pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 pound spaghetti
• 8 large eggs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/2 cup grated pecorino
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 scallions, cut on a severe bias
• 
  
• Directions
• Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil over medium heat.
  Add about 2 tablespoons olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta a medium heat and cook until it starts to color and become crisp. Turn off the heat and reserve.
  Drop the pasta into the salted boiling water and cook it 1 minute less than it says on the package, usually about 6 to 7 minutes. Bite the pasta to check the consistency.
  While the pasta is cooking, crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl. Add the grated cheeses and season with salt. Whisk vigorously until it becomes a homogenous. Season generously with black pepper.
  When the pasta is just about done, return the pan with the pancetta to medium heat. Remove the pasta from the cooking water. Toss or stir the pasta into the pancetta to coat the pasta with the remaining fat in the skillet. Immediately vigorously stir the egg mixture into the pasta. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly until the egg mixture looks like a cream sauce.
  Serve immediately garnished with sliced scallions.
  
  
  My Modifications
  Okay, I'm a cook on a budget. I cannot afford to be paying $5+ on less than a half a pound of pancetta. Pancetta is just Italian bacon that's fancier than American bacon. I use regular bacon and chop it up before cooking it. It's important to put the chopped up bacon in the pan with the olive oil before the pan has heated up. By slowly bringing the bacon up to temperature, it will allow more fat to be rendered out of the bacon and you need this fat to toss the pasta in. I also use a full pound of freshly grated parmesan instead of 1/2 a pound mixed with 1/2 pound of pecorino ramano because again, it's expensive. When mixing the egg mixture into the pasta, it's very easy for the eggs to scramble. I usually have my boyfriend stir the pasta as I pour in the egg mixture, so if you could get someone to help you with this step, you'll have an easier time with it. 

Avocado Pesto Linguine with Grilled Chicken

After making this recipe I'm a little obsessed with making avocado based sauces. The term "pesto" should really be used loosely when talking about this recipe because it's not really a pesto at all but it's so delicious! For the chicken I simply grilled it with some olive oil, salt and pepper on my grill pan. The sauce on the chicken is a concoction I made from leftover stuff in the fridge. Jarred roasted red peppers, mascarpone, olive oil, salt and pepper that I pulsed in the food processor. I got the original avocado pesto recipe from FoodNetwork.


Prep Time: 8 min   Cook Time: 9 min   Total Time: 17 min


Avocado Pesto


Ingredients

• 1 pound linguine pasta
• 2 medium avocados, halved, peeled, and seeded (about 12 ounces total)
• 3 cups baby arugula leaves (3 ounces)
• 1 packed cup fresh basil leaves
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 2 large limes)
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup grated Parmesan (4 ounces)
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted (see Cook's Note)
• 
  

Directions

Cook's Note: To toast the almonds, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for 6 to 8 minutes until lightly toasted. Cool completely before using.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water. Place in a serving bowl.

Using a spoon, scoop out the flesh from the avocados and place in a food processor. Add the arugula, basil, lime juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth.

Pour the pesto over the pasta and toss together. Add the cheese and almonds and toss together until coated, adding the pasta water, as needed, to loosen the sauce.

My Modifications

I first made this recipe exactly how the recipe does it but then I remade it and I have to say, my version is better! I used 1 avocado, a handful of baby spinach, half a juiced lemon, about 1/4 cup of mascarpone (italian cream cheese), 5 fresh basil leaves, 2 cloves of garlic, a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. I still added the parmesan at the end and a little bit of the pasta water. I omitted the nuts but I think it would still be good with a little crunch. I used tube pasta instead of linguine. It turned out really good and I think avocado based sauces are the best!

Grilled Pizza

The pizza I had in Italy was by far the most delicious pizza I've ever had in my life. Italian pizza is very different than the kind of pizza we have in America. The crust is very very thin and they keep the toppings very simple. There isn't any pepperoni, they usually just have a variation of salami, mozzarella, sauce, basil, olives and anchovies as toppings. The pizza is usually cooked in a wood fire oven and the closest thing most of us have to that is a BBQ. I found this recipe for thin crust grilled pizza and it's the closest to Italian pizza that I've been able to make. I got it from FoodNetwork and only used the crust part of the recipe and used my own toppings.

Prep Time: 25 min   Cook Time: 10 min   Total Time: 35 min

Grilled Pizza

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup warm tap water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

In a small bowl add the warm (this activates the yeast. If the water is too hot the yeast will die and if the water is too cold the yeast will not activate) tap water add the dry yeast and the sugar and stir to combine. Let sit for 15 minutes. The top of the water will bubble and it will smell very yeasty, this is what you want.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and the salt. Make a well in the center of the flour and add the olive oil and the yeast/water mixture. Using a fork gradually stir the flour into the yeast/water mix. Once most of the flour has combined, turn the dough out to a smooth clean work surface and use your hands to knead the dough to a smooth consistency.

Return the dough to the mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place for at least 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and preheat grill to medium-high heat.

My Modifications

This recipe uses an indoor grill but my outdoor BBQ worked great. You can make the crust thicker if you want, just turn the heat down a little and let the crust cook longer. I brushed both sides with olive oil and cooked the crust on the first side for about 5 minutes. Then I flipped it and added a thin layer of store bought pizza sauce, thinly sliced mozzarella from a ball of fresh mozzarella, some salami and freshly grated parmesan. I cooked it for another 5 minutes with the lid shut so the cheese could melt. It's really important to check on it a lot because it can burn easily. I prefer the pizza to have a little bit of char on the edges, but that's just my personal preference. The ball of fresh mozzarella is SO MUCH better than the shredded stuff and melts beautifully. Another great grilled pizza recipe I've used is Alton Brown's, it just takes longer. For his pizza sauce, he simply puts sliced tomatoes and mushes them up once they've gotten soft, it's really really good! 

My Favorite Brownies

This is by far my favorite brownie recipe I've ever come across. It's super easy and the ingredients are things that you'd find in most people's pantries. I got it from AllRecipes.


Servings: 16


Prep Time: 25 min   Cook Time: 35 min   Total Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
•  
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8 inch square pan.
2. In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overcook.
4. To Make Frosting: Combine 3 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons cocoa, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 cup confectioners' sugar. Frost brownies while they are still warm.

My Modifications

I didn't have honey so I used agave nectar, it's very similar to honey. I added a dollop of natural peanut butter and stirred the mixture until the peanut butter melted into the batter. It gave the brownies just a hint of peanut butter flavor and since I think chocolate and peanut butter make the most delicious combination ever, I thought it turned out great! You can add nuts or candies to this as well.

Fettuccini with Red Pepper-Feta Sauce and Asparagus

This is probably my favorite pasta sauce I've ever made. It turned out so good! I usually just toss asparagus in olive oil and grill it but I found a recipe to make asparagus a little more interesting. I got the pasta recipe from FoodNetwork and the asparagus recipe from AllRecipes.


Fettucini with Red Pepper-Feta Sauce
Servings: 6
Prep Time: 12 min   Cook Time: 25 min   Total Time: 37 min

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 to 3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 1 (16-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock or vegetable stock
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese or a 6-ounce block
• 1 pound whole-wheat fettuccine
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion and garlic until soft, about 10 minutes. Add roasted peppers and saute until heated through. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Place mixture in the bowl of a food processor with stock and all but 2 tablespoons of the feta. Process until combined and smooth, about 30 seconds. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water. Toss pasta with sauce, adding pasta water by the tablespoon, if needed. Sauce should cling nicely to pasta. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Divide among pasta bowls. Sprinkle with parsley and remaining feta cheese.

Nutritional Information

1 Serving

Calories: 430

Fat: 15.97g

Carbohydrates: 53.38g

Protein: 18.67g

My Modifications

I used chicken broth, but vegetable broth would work well and I cut the recipe in half. I think it's really important to use whole wheat pasta for this dish because otherwise you're not getting much protein, unless you serve it with meat of course. Jars of roasted red peppers are expensive and one way to get around buying it is taking a red pepper, putting it under the broiler in your oven for a couple of minutes (checking on it frequently to make sure it doesn't burn) then put the pepper(s) in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the peppers sit for awhile until they are cool enough to handle. Letting it sit in the covered bowl steams the peppers and allows you to easily take off the skin. Once you take off the skins, it's the same exact thing as the jarred peppers, only several dollars cheaper.

Asparagus with Parmesan Crust

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10 min   Cook Time: 15 min   Total Time: 25 min

Ingredients

• 1 pound thin asparagus spears
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 ounce shaved Parmesan cheese
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, or to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Place asparagus on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, and toss to coat. Arrange asparagus spears in a single layer. Spread Parmesan cheese over asparagus, and season with freshly ground black pepper. Bake 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until cheese is melted and asparagus is tender but crisp. Serve immediately on warm plates, sprinkling with balsamic vinegar to taste.

Nutritional Information

1 Serving

Calories - 93

Fat - 5.6g

Carbohydrates - 7g

Protein - 5.3g

My Modifications

I cut it in half but other than that, didn't change the recipe at all. I love this recipe! You could wrap the asparagus in foil and throw it on the barbecue.

Guacamole, Fresh Lime Margaritas, and Vegetarian Enchiladas

For Cinco de Mayo I made guacamole, margaritas, and vegetarian enchiladas. The guacamole and margaritas are my own recipe and the vegetarian enchiladas I got from AllRecipes. I know buying the bottle of pre-made margarita mix is tempting, but making them with fresh limes is SO delicious and you cut out a lot of the sugar!


Fresh Lime Margaritas
2 Servings
Prep Time: 5 min


Ingredients
3 - 2 oz. shots tequila (I use silver)
1 generous splash Orange Liquor
3 Limes
2 tablespoons Agave Nectar
Ice
Coarse Salt (optional)


Directions
Put the ice in a drink mixer and add tequila, orange liquor, lime juice from the limes, and agave nectar. Shake until mixed well. Take two plates, put some tequila on one and salt one the other. Dip the rim of your glass in the tequila and then the salt. Poor margarita in the glass and enjoy!


Modifications
You can always add more or less agave nectar in the margaritas, depending on how sweet you like them. I really like agave nectar, it's like honey only thinner and not as sweet. But, you can substitute it with honey or simple syrup.




Guacamole
1 small bowl full
Prep Time: 15 min


Ingredients
2 Ripe Avocados
1 Lime
1 Garlic Clove
1 Jalepeno
1/2 Medium Yellow Onion
1 Small Handful of Fresh Cilantro
Salt and Pepper


Directions
Cut up the avocados by halving them, taking out the seeds (reserve one*), and cutting the flesh horizontally and vertically and taking a spoon and spooning it out into a food processor or a medium bowl. Dice the onion, garlic, jalepeno and cilantro put it in the bowl with the avocados, juice the lime on top of the ingredients in the bowl. Pulse in the food processor until the mixture is smooth. Taste and add salt and pepper to your liking.


Modifications
You definitely do not need a food processor to make guacamole, I just find it to be a lot easier. If you don't have one or prefer chunky guacamole, just be sure to dice the onion and jalepeno really small. My recipe makes a decently spicy guacamole so if you don't like that, take out the ribs and seeds of the jalepeno or omit it altogether. Sometimes I like to dice up a roma tomato and throw it in too, after the guacamole has been mixed with the food processor.


My favorite chips to dip in the guac are Garden of Eatin' Blue Corn Tortilla Chips.


*A little tip I learned from someone awhile ago, put one of the avocado seeds in the guacamole, it keeps it from going brown as fast. I thought this person was crazy but it totally works!

Vegetarian Enchiladas
8 Servings
Prep Time: 40 min   Cook Time: 30 min   Total Time: 1 hr 10 min


Ingredients

• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chilies
• 1/4 cup picante sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 8 (6 inch) flour tortillas, warmed
• 1 cup salsa
• 1 cup reduced fat shredded Cheddar cheese
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 
  
• Directions
• 1. In a large nonstick skillet, saute the green pepper, onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add the beans, tomatoes, picante sauce, chili powder, cumin and red pepper flakes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until heated through and mixture thickens. Add rice; cook 5 minutes longer or until heated through.
• 1. Spoon a rounded 1/2 cup down the center of each tortilla. Fold sides over filling and roll up. Place in a 13x9x2 in. baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon salsa over each tortilla. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese and cilantro. Bake 2-3 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Nutritional Information

1 Serving

Calories - 307

Total Fat - 6.38g

Carbohydrates - 49.71g

Protein - 12.94g

My Modifications

I cut the recipe in half to make 4 enchiladas rather than 8. I used regular cheddar cheese since that's all I had. I topped it with olives, non-fat sour cream and some of my guacamole. Some green onions on top would go well too. I don't use minute rice, so if you use regular brown rice, it takes about 45 minutes to cook, this recipe doesn't figure in that time. If you want it to be more healthy, you can use whole wheat tortillas instead of regular flour tortillas, I did that the first time I made these and it turned out well. I also added some corn to the bean/rice/tomato mixture and that was yummy as well!