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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
Write a review
Save Recipe
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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

 

 

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Baked Ziti

Baked Ziti
Baked Ziti

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baked Ziti

In it’s simplest form baked ziti is a great dish.  It can be expanded to include all sorts of meats and cheeses making this, the dish you can customize on your own and make a family tradition.

This recipe for baked ziti goes back many years to when I worked in a bowling alley.  The rather crusty old cook use to make big pans of ziti for the end of season catering parties for the different leagues.  It was my first introduction to ziti and I loved it.  Years later when I began to cook I tried to replicate it but could never quite get it right.  I tried all sorts of recipes adding meatballs, sausage, ricotta, layering it with cheese like a lasagna but none of them came close until one day by mistake I spilled a cup of Parmesan into the sauce.  That’s all it took,it was the very cheesy sauce added to the cooked pasta and mixed,letting those flavors soak into the pasta that was the key.  It was really that simple.

Ingredients for Baked Ziti

  1. 1 lb. Ziti
  2. 3-4 cups (approximate) of your favorite tomato sauce
  3. 1-2 cups Parmesan cheese
  4. 12 oz. (approximate) shredded Mozzarella cheese
  5. 1/4 cup salt (approximate for boiling pasta)
  6. salt and pepper to taste

Directions for Baked Ziti

 In a stock pot large enough to cook the ziti add sufficient salt to create a very salty water solution.  Cook the pasta to an ‘AL Dente” state.

Drain the ziti, place into a large bowl add 1-2 cups of the sauce and the Parmesan and stir to combine.  Continue to add sauce until the pasta is coated but not very wet.  Taste, add salt and pepper and more cheese if necessary. Add about 1/2 the mozzarella and stir to combine.  Pour into a 9 X 13 inch pan and level.

Ladle more sauce over the top to cover the pasta and prevent it drying up while baking, and then spread the remaining mozzarella over the top.

Cover with foil.  Bake at 375º for about 45 minutes until hot.  remove foil for the last 5 minutes to allow the cheese to melt and brown lightly.

When cooked remove from the oven and let rest for about 5 minutes.  Serve with a salad and extra sauce on side for those who like it wetter.

You can spice it up by adding thinly sliced grilled italian sausages or sliced meatballs to the ziti.

Here are a few items to help make this recipe:
Pyrex Basics 3 Quart Glass Oblong Baking Dish, Clear 9 x 13 inch
OXO Good Grips Box Grater
Extra Wide Spatula Turner, Heat-Resistant Nylon Pancake Grill Spatula Turner, Stainless Steel Neck, Cool-Touch Handle

 

The official Taste Tester
The official Taste Tester

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think it would be 100 % better with sausage or meatballs but it still was quite tasty! 5 paws but next time a litlle meat wouldn’t kill you!

 

IMG

 

 

 

 

Baked Ziti
Serves 6
Write a review
Save Recipe
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Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
1 hr 15 min
Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
1 hr 15 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 lb. Ziti
  2. 3-4 cups (approximate) of your favorite tomato sauce
  3. 1-2 cups Parmesan cheese
  4. 12 oz. (approximate) shredded Mozzarella cheese
  5. 1/4 cup salt (approximate for boiling pasta)
  6. salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. In a stock pot large enough to cook the ziti add sufficient salt to create a very salty water solution. Cook the pasta to an 'AL Dente" state.
  2. Drain the ziti, place into a large bowl add 1-2 cups of the sauce and the Parmesan and stir to combine. Continue to add sauce until the pasta is coated but not very wet. Taste, add salt and pepper and more cheese if necessary. Add about 1/2 the mozzarella and stir to combine. Pour into a 9 X 13 inch pan and level.
  3. Ladle more sauce over the top to cover the pasta and prevent drying up while baking, and then spread the remaining mozzarella over the top.
  4. Cover with foil. Bake at 375º for about 45 minutes until hot. remove foil for the last 5 minutes to allow the cheese to melt and brown lightly.
  5. When cooked remove from the oven and let rest for about 5 minutes. Serve with a salad and extra sauce on side for those who like it wetter.
  6. You can spice it up by adding thinly sliced grilled italian sausages or sliced meatballs to the ziti.
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

Posted on

Macaroni and Beef

Macaroni and Beef
Macaroni and Beef

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Macaroni and Beef

I think macaroni and beef is more American than apple pie.  Generations have been raised on the simple and inexpensive concept of ground beef and elbow macaroni.  It’s healthy and filling and on a per serving basis relatively cheap.

There are no rules, feel free to experiment with different spices and herbs to find your own personalized recipe.  The same goes for the cooking method. mix the cheese in and do it all in one pot or layer the macaroni in a baking dish cover with cheese and bake, or do both it’s up to you.  Here’s my version I like to do a one pot meal (doing it all in one pot makes clean up easy),but if you like bake it.

Ingredients for Macaroni and Beef

  1. 1 1/2 -2 pounds of lean ground beef
  2. 1 pound grated cheddar cheese ÷ 2
  3. 1 pound elbow macaroni cooked al dente
  4. 2 -14 oz cans diced tomatoes
  5. 1 cup ketchup
  6. 1 medium onion diced
  7. 1 clove garlic minced
  8. 1 tsp allspice
  9. 2 tsp crushed rosemary
  10. 1 tsp cumin
  11. 1 tsp sage
  12. 2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
  13. Salt and pepper to taste
  14. 2 -3 Tbs canola oil

Directions for Macaroni and Beef

In a large pot cook the elbow macaroni.  Once cooked empty, into a colander and set aside.

Add the canola oil to the pot, let it get hot the add  the ground beef,onions, garlic , allspice,rosemary, cumin, and sage and brown the beef .  When the beef has browned add the canned tomatoes,ketchup,and Worcestershire sauce.  Check seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper.  Put the cooked macaroni in and stir to combine.  Now add half the cheese and mix completely.

You can now serve with a sprinkle of the remaining cheese on top of each portion or put into a 9 X 13 baking pan layer the cheese on top and bake for 30 minutes at 350° or until the mixture is hot and the cheese is melted.

 

Here are a few items to help make this recipe:
Spectrum Wall-Mountable Black Scroll Spice Rack
Belgique 12 Qt. Stainless Steel Stock pot
Anchor Hocking Glass Bake ‘N Take 9 Inch x 13 Inch Dish With Snap On Cover

 

 

The Official Taste Tester
The Official Taste Tester

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Despite my extraordinary good looks, I’m not a “Spice Girl”, 3 paws for the chop meat.

 

Capture 3a

 

 

 

 

 

 

Macaroni and Beef
Serves 6
A great tasting, inexpensive yet filling dinner.
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
45 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
1 hr 15 min
Prep Time
45 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
1 hr 15 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 1/2 -2 pounds of lean ground beef
  2. 1 pound grated cheddar cheese ÷ 2
  3. 1 pound elbow macaroni cooked al dente
  4. 2 -14 oz cans diced tomatoes
  5. 1 cup ketchup
  6. 1 medium onion diced
  7. 1 clove garlic minced
  8. 1 tsp allspice
  9. 1 tsp crushed rosemary
  10. 1 tsp cumin
  11. 1 tsp sage
  12. 2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
  13. Salt and pepper to taste
  14. 2 -3 Tbs canola oil
Instructions
  1. In a large pot cook the elbow macaroni. Once cooked empty into colander and set aside.
  2. Add the canola oil to the pot, let it get hot the add the ground beef,onions, garlic , allspice,rosemary, cumin, and sage and brown the beef . When the beef has browned add the canned tomatoes,ketchup,and Worcestershire sauce. Check seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper. Put the cooked macaroni in and stir to combine. Now add half the cheese and mix completely.
  3. You can now serve with a sprinkle of the remaining cheese on top of each portion or put into a 9 X 13 baking pan layer the cheese on top and bake for 30 minutes at 350° or until the mixture is hot and the cheese is melted.
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 2013 all rights reserved