Rigatoni with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Rigatoni with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Rigatoni with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rigatoni with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Roasted Red Peppers don’t last too long around here as I love to use them in all sorts of recipes.  For this one I decided to make a sauce for pasta.  A sauce like this needs a hearty pasta like rigatoni.

Ingredients for Rigatoni with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

  1. 5-6 Roasted red peppers, skinned and seeded
  2. 4 cloves of garlic minced
  3. 1 medium onion diced
  4. salt and pepper
  5. 1 tsp hot pepper flakes
  6. 1 Tbs butter
  7. 1Tbs Olive oil
  8. 1-3 cups chicken stock
  9. 1 pound pasta (your choice of shape)

Directions for Rigatoni with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Roasting Peppers

To roast peppers I like to use my grill set on high.  I place the peppers on the grill and close the cover, turning the peppers as the sides closet to the fire blacken.  Once the peppers are completely blackened remove them to a double lined paper bag, close the bag and allow to steam and come to handling temperature.  Once they are cool enough carefully remove the skins and seeds.*

If you don’t have a grill place them on a sheet pan and place under your broiler turning as they blacken.  Again once blackened place in a paper bag.

Or you can place on a sheet pan and roast in oven on high, turning again as they blacken and then allow to steam in the paper bag.

By placing the peppers in the paper bag allows them to steam and loosen the skins making it easier to remove the skins.  But whatever you do DO NOT RINSE THEM UNDER RUNNING WATER!  You’ll rinse off most of the taste.

Red Pepper Sauce

Take the butter and Olive oil and bring up to medium high heat.  Add the onion , garlic and sauté until onions are softened. Once softened remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.  You can at this point use any number of techniques.  A one pot method with an immersion blender or in a food processor will work just fine.

Add the sautéd onion and garlic,  the roasted peppers and about one cup of stock together.  Blend and if it looks too thick add more stock until you have a  sauce with a consistency that you want.  Put into a sauce pot add the pepper flakes and bring up to heat.

In a pot with well salted water cook the pasta.  Once cooked, drain well and put back in the pot over medium heat.  Add  ½ cup of the sauce and stir to combine allowing the pasta to soak up the sauce.

Serve with additional sauce over the pasta and Parmesan on the side and a sprinkling of parsley for garnish.

If you want you can add a little extra flavor to your sauce.  Try a little chiffonade of fresh basil or some dried oregano .

*If you don’t have large paper bags available find any large tupperware with tight fitting lid, and place a layer of paper towels on the bottom and seal tight and allow the peppers to come to handling temperature, but whatever you do don’t use plastic bags as they will melt on to the peppers and render them useless.

Here are a few items to help make this recipe:
Certified International Garden of Olives 5-Piece Pasta Sets
Sur La Table Stovetop Pepper/Tortilla Roaster
Rubbermaid 7J76 Easy Find Lid Rectangle 24-Cup Food Storage Container

 

 

The official Taste Tester
The official Taste Tester

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think that I have oft waxed eloquently on vegetables, Nuff said?

 

Rigatoni with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Serves 4
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Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
40 min
Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
40 min
Ingredients
  1. 5-6 Roasted red peppers, skinned and seeded
  2. 4 cloves of garlic minced
  3. 1 medium onion diced
  4. salt and pepper
  5. 1 tsp hot pepper flakes
  6. 1 Tbs butter
  7. 1Tbs Olive oil
  8. 1-3 cups chicken stock
  9. 1 pound pasta (your choice of shape)
Instructions
  1. Directions for Rigatoni with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
  2. Roasting Peppers
  3. To roast peppers I like to use my grill set on high. I place the peppers on the grill and close the cover, turning the peppers as the sides closet to the fire blacken. Once the peppers are completely blackened remove them to a double lined paper bag, close the bag and allow to steam and come to handling temperature. Carefully remove the skins and seeds.
  4. If you don't have a grill place them on a sheet pan and place under your broiler turning as they blacken. Again once blackened place in a paper bag.
  5. Or you can place on a sheet pan and roast in oven on high, turning again as they blacken and then allow to steam in the paper bag.
  6. By placing the peppers in the paper bag allows them to steam and loosen the skins making it easier to remove the skins.
  7. Red Pepper Sauce
  8. Take the butter and Olive oil and bring up to medium high heat. Add the onion , garlic and saute until onions are softened. You can at this point use any number techiniques. A one pot method with an immersion blender or in a food processor will work just fine.
  9. Add the sauted onion and garlic, the pepper flakes, the roasted peppers and about one cup of stock together. Blend and if it looks too thick add more stock until you have a sauce with a consistancy that you want. Put into a sauce pot and bring up to heat.
  10. In a pot with well salted water cook the pasta. Once cooked drain well and put back in pot over medium heat. Add ½ cup of the sauce and stir to combine allowing the pasta to soak up the sauce.
  11. Serve with additional sauce over the pasta and Parmesan on the side and a sprinkling of parlsey for garnish.
Notes
  1. For extra flavor add a little basil or oregano to the sauce
Rants Raves and Recipes https://www.rantsravesandrecipes.com/

  If you enjoy our site and are thinking of purchasing anything from Amazon, please use the link to Amazon from our site.  It doesn’t cost you anything and we profit from the ads and purchases .  

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Cauliflower and Pasta

Cauliflower and Pasta
Cauliflower and Pasta

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cauliflower and Pasta

Because of my usual exuberance while shopping at the green grocers I end up with more vegetables that I can eat in the time they will stay fresh.  So I did end up roasting a number of red peppers while I was at the grill making grilled eggplant Parmesan, and I still had a large head of cauliflower to use.

So a meatless meal was in order.  I also like any meal I can make into a one pot project.  If you don’t have a good steamer pot, you can boil the cauliflower and still do this in one pot.  The pasta also is your choice, any shape will work for this I used Bow-Ties.  For a great color contrast in the meal use a whole grain pasta.

Ingredients for Cauliflower and Pasta

  1. 1 large head cauliflower cut into florets
  2. 1 larger shallot finely diced
  3. 2-3 garlic cloves minced
  4. salt and pepper
  5. Pepper flakes (optional)
  6. Pasta ( your choice)
  7. ¼ cup Olive oil approximate
  8. 1 cup pasta water
  9. Parmesan cheese (grated)
  10. Parsley finely chopped

Directions for Cauliflower and Pasta.

Perfect Cauliflower Every Time

Cut the cauliflower into florets and place in the steamer basket.  Place over pot with highly salted water and cover with lid.  Turn heat on high and bring the water up to a boil.  Once a boil is reached allow to cook for about 3 minutes, then remove from heat keep covered and let sit for around 10 minutes.  Cauliflower is done when a knife pierces the  florets easily.

Once the cauliflower is cooked remove the steamer basket or if boiling scoop cauliflower out of the water.  Leave the water in the pot and add enough new water to allow the cooking of the pasta.

Bring water up to boil, add the pasta and cook.  Just before draining the pasta reserve about  a cup of the pasta water.

Take the cauliflower and cut into small bite size pieces

Take the empty pot and return to the burner on medium high heat and allow all the remaining liquid to steam off.  Now add the Olive oil allow to heat up then add the shallots and garlic , cauliflower, and pepper flakes and begin to brown. Once the cauliflower begins to brown, add in the pasta and stir to coat all with the oil.  If it looks too dry add some of the pasta water and if it’s still dry add a little more oil.  Once all is heated serve with a drizzle of Olive oil and a sprinkling of Parmesan and chopped parsley.

 

 

Here are a few items to help make this recipe:
Certified Interntional Primavera 5-Piece Pasta Sets
Cuisinart 77-412 Chef’s Classic Stainless 4-Piece 12-Quart Pasta/Steamer Set

 

The Official Taste Tester
The Official Taste Tester

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This fascinaton with all things vegetable is quite discouraging.  A little chicken would have gone along way; but alas it was not to be.

 

Cauliflower and Pasta
Serves 4
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Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
30 min
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
30 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 large head cauliflower cut into florets
  2. 1 larger shallot finely diced
  3. 2-3 garlic cloves minced
  4. salt and pepper
  5. Pepper flakes (optional)
  6. Pasta ( your choice)
  7. ¼ cup Olive oil approximate
  8. 1 cup pasta water
  9. Parmesan cheese (grated)
  10. Parsley finely chopped
Instructions
  1. Cut the cauliflower into florets and place in the steamer basket.  Place over pot with highly salted water and cover with lid.  Turn heat on high and bring the water up to a boil.  Once a boil is reached allow to cook for about 3 minutes, then remove from heat keep covered and let sit for around 10 minutes.  Cauliflower is done when a knife pierces the  florets easily.
  2. Once the cauliflower is cooked remove the steamer basket or if boiling scoop cauliflower out of the water.  Leave the water in the pot and add enough new water to allow the cooking of the pasta.
  3. Bring water up to boil add the pasta and cook.  Just before draining the pasta reserve about  a cup of the pasta water.
  4. Take the empty pot and return to the burner on medium high heat and allow all the remaining liquid to steam off.  Now add the Olive oil allow to heat up then add the shallots and garlic and cauliflower, pepper flakes and begin to brown. Once the cauliflower begins to brown add in the pasta and stir to coat all with the oil.  If it looks too dry add some of the pasta water and if it's still dry add a little more oil.  Once all is heated serve with a sprinkling of Parmesan and chopped parsley.
Rants Raves and Recipes https://www.rantsravesandrecipes.com/

  If you enjoy our site and are thinking of purchasing anything from Amazon, please use the link to Amazon from our site.  It doesn’t cost you anything and we profit from the ads and purchases .  

 Please help us keep our blog going by letting your friends know we’re here and by checking out the links on our front page.

  copyright © rantsravesandrecipes 2014 all rights reserved

 

 

Christmas Tree Cookies

Christmas Tree Cookies
Christmas Tree Cookies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Tree Cookies

I still am in the learning stages of decorating cookies.  It’s a rather tricky process of gaining expertise in the icing and their use.  I circumvented a big chunk of the decorating in this recipe by coloring the dough instead of applying a green icing over the entire cookie.

 

 

Ingredients for Christmas Tree Cookies

  1. 3 ¾ cups all purpose flour
  2. 1 tsp baking powder
  3. ½ tsp salt
  4. 1 cup softened butter
  5. 1 ½ Cups granulated sugar
  6. 2 whole eggs
  7. 1 Tbs vanilla
  8. 1+ tsp dark green food coloring

Directions for Christmas Tree Cookies

Preheat oven to 400º

In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In the bowl of a mixer cream the butter and sugar .  With the mixer on low add the eggs one at a time and combine thoroughly  .

Add the vanilla and the food coloring mix well.  With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until a dough forms. If it looks too light green add a little more coloring.

Divide the dough in thirds and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours to overnight.

On a well floured surface roll the dough out to about a ¼ inch thickness and using a Christmas tree cutter cut out the shapes and place on a lightly greased sheet pan or one with a silpat.  You can decorate with sprinkles at this point or wait until cookies are cool to ice or do both.

Bake for 8 – 10 minutes until the edges begin to lightly brown.  Remove from the oven and carefully place on a cooling rack to cool completely

Once cooled decorate as you wish.  For the ones in the picture I used Royal Icing.

Royal Icing

 

I have also discovered I do not have the patience or artistic talent to create great looking cookies.  If your looking for a good blog about cookie decorating try http://bakeat350.blogspot.com or http://sweetopia.net/  two  very great looking cookie sites.

There are a number of different recipes for Royal Icing, which is an icing that will harden rather quickly and is great for decorating.  For ease in making I use the meringue powder, or when I can find it pasteurized egg whites.

 

Christmas Tree Cookie
Christmas Tree Cookie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are a few items to help make this recipe:
Wilton Meringue Powder, 8 oz Can
24 Pcs Icing Piping Nozzles Pastry Tips Cotton Bag Cake Decoration Kit Icing Crafts
DayMark 115435 12″ Hand-E-Grip Disposable Pastry Bag with Dispenser (Roll of 100)

 

 

The Official Taste Tester & Santa Lookout
The Official Taste Tester & Santa Lookout

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I just love this time of year.  So many old familar smells and all those cookies, there is a big sock on the chimney that has some very interesting scents coming from it, I wish I could read a calendar so I’d know how many days to Christmas.

 

 

Christmas Tree Cookies
Yields 24
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Prep Time
3 hr
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
4 hr
Prep Time
3 hr
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
4 hr
Ingredients
  1. Ingredients for Christmas Tree Cookies
  2. 3 ¾ cups all purpose flour
  3. 1 tsp baking powder
  4. ½ tsp salt
  5. 1 cup softened butter
  6. 1 ½ Cups granulated sugar
  7. 2 whole eggs
  8. 1 Tbs vanilla
  9. 1+ tsp dark green food coloring
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400º
  2. In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  3. In the bowl of a mixer cream the butter and sugar until fluffy and a pale yellow. With the mixer on low add the eggs one at a time and combine thoroughly .
  4. Add the vanilla and the food coloring mix well. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until a dough forms. If it looks too light green add a little more coloring.
  5. Divide the dough in thirds and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours to overnight.
  6. On a well floured surface roll the dough out to about a ¼ inch thickness and using a Christmas tree cutter cut out the shapes and place on a lightly greased sheet pan or one with a silpat. You can decorate with sprinkles at this point or wait until cookies are cool to ice or do both.
  7. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes until the edges begin to lightly brown. Remove from the oven and carefully place on a cooling rack to cool completely
  8. Once cooled decorate as you wish. For the ones in the picture I used Royal Icing.
Rants Raves and Recipes https://www.rantsravesandrecipes.com/

 

  If you enjoy our site and are thinking of purchasing anything from Amazon, please use the link to Amazon from our site.  It doesn’t cost you anything and we profit from the ads and purchases .  

 Please help us keep our blog going by letting your friends know we’re here and by checking out the links on our front page.

  copyright © rantsravesandrecipes 2014 all rights reserved