Mushroom and Bacon Pasta

Jan 29, 2013 by

You have no idea how excited I get when I find a good recipe. I mean a really good recipe. One that I wouldn’t mind having in weekly rotation. A recipe that is surprisingly pleasant to the palate. A recipe that is easy to make and works well when you really don’t know what on earth you are going to make for dinner tonight. I’ve had a few nights like that recently.

My friends, as simple as this recipe is, I think its lovely. I even managed to get my son to eat it. He questioned the mushrooms for a moment (I didn’t put a lot in his plate) but he finished his serving quite happily. I LIVE for moments like that!! I can’t wait for my daughter to follow suit and actually enjoy food. My husband enjoyed it immensely and  I will say, it is hard to impress him if there is no meat on his plate!

 

Mushroom & Bacon Pasta_1

 

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Mushroom & Bacon Pasta

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 4

Ingredients

  • 12oz Rigatoni
  • 4 Slices Bacon
  • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 8oz Porcini Mushrooms
  • 1 Onion, chopped
  • 1 Tsp Dried Thyme
  • 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
  • 3/4 Cup Chicken Broth
  • 3 Tbsp Mascarpone
  • 3 Tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped
  • 6 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese
  • Salt and Pepper

Instructions

  1. Prepare pasta according to package instructions
  2. In a large hot skillet, add bacon and cook until crispy. Remove from skillet and place on a paper towel to absorb oil. Chop bacon into bits
  3. In the same skillet, add olive oil
  4. Add onion, thyme and garlic. Saute for about 3 minutes on medium high heat.
  5. Add mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes
  6. Add broth and bring to a gentle boil. Add mascarpone and stir to combine
  7. Drain pasta and add to skillet
  8. Toss until combined and coated in the creamy sauce
  9. Transfer to serving plates and sprinkle generously with parmesan

Notes

Adapted from Prevention.com

https://lovelypantry.com/2013/01/mushroom-bacon-pasta/

 

I guess I cheated and added bacon to this dish. Bacon is the magical ingredient that seems to give (almost) any dish the upper hand. I had a vision and I ran with it. I adapted a Mushroom Pasta recipe and decided to add bacon because I thought it would pair nicely with the mushrooms. I also substituted white wine for chicken broth.

 

Mushrooms in skillet with chicken broth and mascarpone

Mushrooms in skillet with chicken broth and mascarpone

 

I’ll be honest, mushrooms are not my favourite food. But in a recipe like this? I will have it and I will enjoy it. I love a good pasta dish. This certainly satisfied any carb cravings I had. I also loved how the mascarpone just melted into the broth and gave it such a creamy sauce-like texture…without the cream! Brilliant!

 

Mushroom and Bacon Pasta

Mushroom and Bacon Pasta

 

I’m always looking for easy meals that can nourish and satisfy. I believe this is definitely one of them.

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Top 12 Recipes of 2012 – What a great year!

Dec 31, 2012 by

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, spent with family and friends. I took the week off to do my last-minute running around, making sorrel, baking cakes, doing some light housework, spent a day out of town… the family was quite busy. I even surprised myself when I realized that I had not physically been on the computer for 3 whole days. This type of scenario does not happen often. But it was all for a good cause, seeing as it was the most wonderful time of the year.

Well, it’s the end of 2012 and as I reflect, I know very well that I have much to be thankful for. I’m satisfied with my accomplishments in blogging and I’m ready for what 2013 has to offer. Bring it on! There’s so much more to be done! I feel like making some changes at The Lovely Pantry. I’m still tossing some ideas around in my head so I’m not 100% sure what I’ll be doing. Growth is a wonderful thing.

I don’t do resolutions anymore. If I really want to accomplish something, I will just do it. It’s just a matter of timing and priority. There are a few recipes that I plan to conquer in the new year. I’m creating a list of things I want to learn, both in and outside of the kitchen. As a life long learner, I don’t feel comfortable if I’m not growing in some way or the other. Looking at my posts throughout 2012, I see lots of growth. I see improvement in my photography and in the types of recipes that I’ve challenged myself with.

 

Lets take a look at what had people’s attention. Here are the top 12 posts for 2012 at The Lovely Pantry!

 

 

Top Recipes 2012 - The Lovely Pantry

Top Recipes 2012 – The Lovely Pantry

 

 

The top 3 posts:

Cristina Ferrare’s Fall Off The Bone Chicken Thighs

This is my most popular post to date!

Fall Off The Bone Chicken Thighs, Recipe by Cristina Ferrare

Fall Off The Bone Chicken Thighs, Recipe by Cristina Ferrare

 

Hoisin Salmon with Quinoa & Zucchini

Everyone seemed to enjoy my very easy freestyle salmon. It went nuts on Pinterest!

Hoisin Salmon with Quinoa & Zucchini

Hoisin Salmon with Quinoa & Zucchini

 

Whole Wheat French Toast

I guess it must be true when folks say “simple is best”. This post has always been popular, ever since it was published in February 2012.

Whole Wheat French Toast

Whole Wheat French Toast

 

The remaining posts are in no particular order.

 

Polenta, Parmesan, Mozzarella and Tomato

Polenta, Mozzarella, Tomato

Polenta, Mozzarella, Tomato

 

Roasted Pumpkin & Coconut Soup

Roasted Pumpkin & Coconut Soup

Roasted Pumpkin & Coconut Soup

 

Bavarian Apple Torte

Bavarian Apple Torte

Bavarian Apple Torte

 

Jamaican Cornmeal Pudding

Cornmeal Pudding with Rum, Raisins and French Vanilla Ice Cream

Cornmeal Pudding with Rum, Raisins and French Vanilla Ice Cream

 

Black Bean Soup With Hot Roast Pepper Sauce

Black Bean Soup with Hot Roast Pepper Cream

Black Bean Soup with Hot Roast Pepper Cream

 

Grilled Polenta Cakes

Grilled Polenta Cakes

Grilled Polenta Cakes

 

Jamaican Sorrel

Jamaican Sorrel

Jamaican Sorrel

 

 Banana Coconut Coffee Cake with Macadamia Nut Streusel

Banana Coconut Coffee Cake With Macadamia Nut Streusel

Banana Coconut Coffee Cake With Macadamia Nut Streusel

 

Jamaican Christmas Pudding

Jamaican Christmas Pudding with Hot Wine Sauce

Jamaican Christmas Pudding with Hot Wine Sauce

 

I want to say a very special thanks to the #SundaySupper family. It feels good to be a part of such an incredible group of people who share a common cause – to get families together to enjoy a home cooked meal on a Sunday. It could be on any day of the week, as long as it is possible. Sharing ideas for meals for your family is what I enjoy doing, and I spend a lot of time sharing on Twitter and Pinterest. Congratulations Isabel, for your amazing success! I can’t wait to see what 2013 has in store for #SundaySupper!

 I really love my little blog. I’m quite fond of the wonderful people and communities I’ve joined along this journey.

I want to thank each and every one of you who read/comment on my posts.It means so much to me.

To the friends that have made recipe suggestions and offered advice with regards to technique/instructions, I thank you!

For those that have suggested The Lovely Pantry to friends/family who are looking for meal ideas, have an interest in Jamaican cuisine, or who are just wanting to know how to use a certain ingredient… I appreciate you!

Consider joining me on Facebook and Twitter to keep up whats new on TLP, or just stop by to say hello.

 Have a blessed and wonderful New Year!

Happy 2013

~Lyn

 

 

 

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Roasted Pumpkin & Coconut Soup for #SundaySupper

Oct 7, 2012 by

Its Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada and my family and I are having a great time celebrating family, birthdays and friendships. We have so much to be thankful for!

Earlier this week while I was preparing for the weekend meals, I picked up some pumpkin…without knowing what I was going to make with it. I came across this recipe and I was sold! I don’t make soup very often but I surprised myself with this one. It was simple, awesome and perfect for #SundaySupper. This weeks #SundaySupper theme is All Things Orange, showcasing some wonderful Autumn recipes from some of our fabulous food bloggers. Look out for a wonderful selection of recipes using ingredients like pumpkin, sweet potatoes and butternut squash, to name a few. I’m so excited to see all the wonderful creations! This is my first season actually cooking with pumpkin so I know I’m going to be inspired. This is truly my favourite season!

This weeks host is Pam from The Meltaways! As always, please be sure you join us on Twitter throughout the day for #SundaySupper. We’ll be meeting up at 7:00 pm EST for our weekly #SundaySupper live chat where we’ll talk about our favourite recipes featuring our favourite fall colour. All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, or you can follow us through TweetChat. We’d also love to feature your recipes on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board and share them with all of our followers, too.

I hope my Mother is reading this post. She will be pleasantly surprised to know that I actually cut up and roasted pumpkin. *gasp* Ok so I didn’t do all the work. I bought a piece of pumpkin weighing about a kilogram. I removed the skin, chopped it into cubes, then roasted it. Originally, I was going to use the canned pumpkin puree but I really wanted to cook with the real thing. It may have taken me a few minutes longer to prepare, but I believe it was worth it. The flavour says it all!

 

Roasted Pumpkin & Coconut Soup

 

5.0 from 1 reviews
Roasted Pumpkin & Coconut Soup for #SundaySupper
 
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A healthy soup that's comforting, filling and dairy free. A perfect starter or main.
Author:
Recipe type: Soup, Starter, Main
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 Tbsp Coconut Oil
  • 1 Medium Onion, diced
  • ½ Tsp Cinnamon
  • ½ Tsp chilli powder
  • ½ Tsp cumin
  • ½ Tsp nutmeg
  • ½ Tsp thyme
  • 3 Cups Low Sodium chicken Broth (or vegetable broth)
  • 3 Cups Pumpkin Puree (I chose to roast 1Kg/2LB of pumpkin)
  • 1 Cup coconut milk
  • Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. In a rimmed baking sheet, add diced pumpkin and sprinkle with olive oil
  2. Roast for 40 minutes in a 375F oven
  3. In a medium saucepan, heat oil on medium high heat
  4. Add onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes
  5. Add spices and cook for about a minute, stirring until combined
  6. Add broth and pumpkin, combine using an immersion blender until a smooth consistency is achieved (about a minute)
  7. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for about 10-15 minutes
  8. Stir in coconut milk and season with salt and pepper
  9. Remove from heat. Serve with warm, buttered crusty bread
Notes
Recipe adapted from The Best Of Clean Eating 2, Page 93

 

I picked up this piece of pumpkin at the Asian supermarket. It happened to be labelled “Jamaican Pumpkin” so that I would pick it up. I prefer buying pumpkin pre-cut anyway. Less chance of me wasting it. This portion was just right for what I needed it for.

Jamaican Pumpkin

 

I liked the simplicity of this recipe. I loved the use of coconut oil as well as coconut milk. This soup is just bursting with goodness. I really missed the presence of chicken or even yellow yams and dumplings in my soup. Perhaps that addition will be made after my next visit to the Asian supermarket.

 

Roasted Pumpkin & Coconut Soup

 

This could be the perfect appetizer for an Autumn dinner, and a great choice for entertaining.

 

Roasted Pumpkin & Coconut Soup

 

A warm crusty bread, like Ciabatta is a lovely compliment to this soup.

 

Roasted Pumpkin & Coconut Soup with Ciabatta Bread

 

 

Here’s the lineup for this weeks #SundaySupper:

 

Sunrise  (Breakfast and Brunch)

 

High Noon (Soups, Salads and Sandwiches)

 

Sunset (Dinner and Main Dishes)

 

By The Bonfire (Sweets, Snacks and Sips)

 

 

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Rice and Crunchy Baked Chicken with Vegetables, Guest Post by Sandra of Sandra’s Easy Cooking

Aug 10, 2012 by

Today I have a very special guest post by Sandra of Sandra’s Easy Cooking. Sandra was one of the first food bloggers that I came across shortly after joining Foodbuzz a year ago. Ever since, I have been enjoying Sandra’s recipes, stories and photographs. Sandra is one of the nicest foodies that I have come across and I’m so glad I met her. Please check out her blog and see the healthy meals that she creates. She’s a woman with my own heart! We eat to live and take great care in what we put into our bodies! A few of my favourites from Sandra are: Caribbean Chicken Curry With Rice, Dinner Frittata, and Thai Green Chicken Curry, as well as Banana and Apple Nut Muffins! Guys, if you don’t know of Sandra, please go to her blog and get to know her! 

Sandra, thank you for taking time from your busy schedule in order to contribute to The Lovely Pantry! I understand the limited time we mothers have when we have little ones, so please know how much I appreciate you!

Enjoy today’s post by Sandra: Rice & Crunchy Chicken with Vegetables.

***

My name is Sandra from Sandra’s Easy Cooking. I am honored and grateful that Lyn asked me to guest post here on her beautiful blog while she is on vacation. I enjoy spending time here looking at her amazing pictures as my mouth is watering every time I visit.

I have great meal for you all today. It is nutritious and delicious like my eldest son would say.

My blog is full of balanced meals and I try to keep it that way in hope that my readers can have and find an idea what to make for their next meal. I tend to try always something new and experiment with other cuisines so this particular recipe have a lot of Asian influences. Since I am cooking at least twice a week Asian based meals, I wanted to share this recipe with Lyn’s readers too. 

Now let me show you how I made this delicious and pretty easy dish.

 

Rice and Crunchy Chicken with Vegetables. Photography by Sandra of Sandra’s Easy Cooking

 

 

5.0 from 5 reviews
Rice and Crunchy Chicken with Vegetables, Guest Post by Sandra of Sandra's Easy Cooking
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Main
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 tsp. Oil
  • 1 head of Broccoli, cut the florets
  • 1 head of Gai Choy {bok choy or savoy cabbage if neither is available}
  • 1 red Bell Pepper
  • 2 large Carrots
  • 2 Garlic cloves
  • 1 tbs. Soy Sauce
  • Pinch of Salt
  • Marinate:
  • 1 tbs. Soy Sauce
  • 1 tbs. Honey
  • 2 Garlic cloves
  • ¼ tbs sea salt
  • ¼ cup Chicken or Vegetable Stock
  • Sprinkle of Crushed Red pepper
  • For chicken you will need:
  • 4 Chicken fillets
  • 2 eggs, beat
  • 1 cup of flour
  • 2 cups of Bread Crumbs
  • Pinch of Salt and Pepper
  • Rice:
  • 3 cups of short grain Rice
  • 4 cups of water
  • Pinch of salt
Instructions
  1. Chicken
  2. Mix the ingredients for the marinate and add chicken fillets; it can marinate for few hours or over night in a bag or airtight container {refrigerate}. Mix the eggs, and in other 2 bowls add in each all-purpose flour and Bread crumbs. Season the bread crumbs with pinch of salt and pepper. Preheat the oven on 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Dip the chicken starting first with flour, than egg, flour, egg and finally bread crumbs. Chicken fill be completely coded. On a baking sheet line parchment paper and place the chicken on it. Bake for 20-25 minutes; if the fillets are thicker allow it to bake for up to 35 minutes.
  3. Rice:
  4. Put the rice in a large bowl and wash it with cold water. Repeat washing until the water becomes almost clear; drain. Place the rice in the pot and double the amount of water. Cover the pot with a lid and bring to a boil on high heat. Turn the heat down to low and cook about 20 minutes, or until the water is almost gone. Stop the heat and let it steam for about 15 minutes before opening the lid. Fluff the rice with rice spatula
  5. Vegetables:
  6. Boil the salted water and drop the gai choy. Let it cook for 2 minutes in a boiling water; drain and set aside.
  7. Put a Wok or large skillet and heat over medium high temperature, add oil and vegetables. Stir fry for few minutes and sprinkle with crushed red peppers and pinch of sea salt. Pour Chicken or Vegetables stock to enhance the flavor; Continue to stir fry until the vegetables are tender yet crisp {2-3 minutes}. In a last few seconds add splash of Soy sauce, stir and serve.

 

Vegetables. Photography by Sandra of Sandra’s Easy Cooking

 

Rice and Crunchy Chicken with Vegetables. Photography by Sandra of Sandra’s Easy Cooking

 

Rice and Vegetables. Photography by Sandra of Sandra’s Easy Cooking

 

I made two versions, one for meat lovers and the other for vegetarians. So use your imagination and add your twist on this dish.

 

Serve it HOT and Enjoy!

 

Thank you Lyn for inviting me today to be your guest, and thank you all for reading!

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Tarragon Chicken #SundaySupper

May 6, 2012 by

I’m very happy to be able to participate in this weeks #SundaySupper! Todays theme is “May Flowers, Veggies and Herbs.” I didn’t  hesitate to prepare this as a wonderful spring dish. I think I may have tweeted my joy when I saw that Tarragon was available again ~ a true indication that spring has arrived! For those that are not familiar with Tarragon, it is an herb that is quite popular in French cuisine and pairs very well with chicken and fish. It is very aromatic and reminds me of liquorice! When I made this dish almost 2 years ago for the first time, I enjoyed it immensely. I decided to serve the chicken with Fennel (a vegetable with a very similar aroma to Tarragon) as well as Zucchini and Jasmine Rice.

 

Tarragon Chicken with Pan Seared Fennel and Zucchini, Jasmine Rice

 

 

5.0 from 2 reviews
Tarragon Chicken
 
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A French dish, perfect for a comforting family dinner
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 4 Tbsp olive oil
  • 8 Drumsticks, Skinless (any part of the chicken is good)
  • Salt and pepper
  • ½ cup chicken stock
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • ½ Cup Half & Half
  • ½ cup fresh tarragon and a few extra for garnish
Instructions
  1. Season chicken with salt and pepper
  2. In a large dutch oven, warm oil and butter over a medium-high heat
  3. Brown chicken in batches and set aside
  4. Add all the chicken pieces back to the pot
  5. Add broth, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes
  6. Take the chicken from the pot and set aside.
  7. Add shallot to the pot and soften, about 5 minutes
  8. Add wine, allow to reduce about 7 minutes
  9. Add half and half, stir to combine
  10. Add chopped Tarragon, stir and cover for about 5 minutes
  11. Add chicken back to the pot, cover and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes
  12. Serve and garnish with fresh Tarragon
Notes
Served with pan seared Fennel, pan seared Zucchini Slices and aromatic Jasmine Rice Recipe adapted from Laura Calder's version: http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipes/Herbs/recipe.html?dishid=9128

 

Such a lovely herb. I love the scent and flavour!

 

Fresh Tarragon

 

Brown the chicken pieces in batches. If you used chicken pieces with the skin on, you may want to skim some of the fat left over in the pot. Not too much – since that’s where the base flavour is.

 

Chicken in Olive Oil and Butter

 

After you’ve browned all pieces of chicken, and cooked them down in the broth, set them aside while you build the Tarragon sauce.

 

Chicken, resting

 

Soften the shallots in the broth.

 

Softening the Shallot

 

Add the fresh Tarragon into the Broth and cream mixture. Simmer.

 

Fresh Tarragon in wine and cream sauce

 

The sauce should have a rich, thick consistency. Taste at this point, to see if you need salt and/or pepper. Add the chicken back to the pot to incorporate the flavour.

 

Tarragon Chicken Sauce

 

The sauce is terrific. The texture is great and the flavour is awesome.

 

Creamy Tarragon Chicken Sauce

 

Dinner is served!

 

Tarragon Chicken, Jasmine Rice, Fennel and Zucchini

 

 

Here are some wonderful spring inspired meal ideas for #SundaySupper using Herbs and Vegetables. These recipes will  inspire you to spend more time Around the Family Table!

Cocktails and Wine Pairings: 

Appetizers:

Entrees:

Side Dishes:

Dessert:

 

Happy Sunday! Enjoy quality time with your loved ones this evening.

~Lyn

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