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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Parmesan Quinoa & Pine Nut Muffins for #MuffinMonday

Nov 12, 2012 by

Welcome to another edition of #MuffinMonday! Today we are sharing a cheesy savoury muffin to get your week started in the best way possible.  No cranberries and mixed fruit in my muffins just yet. Sit tight. 🙂

I’m not sure how I let it happen, but Christmas seemed close but not that close. I mean Halloween was just here…and now stores are playing Christmas music. I guess retailers have to keep up. I don’t. By now, your mood should be changing as you get into the seasonal spirit of tinsel and ornaments. I dread putting up the tree just as how I dread taking it down. But I have kids and therefore it must be done. Kids really do make you become awesome parents.

My selection for today’s #MuffinMonday is Parmesan, Quinoa and Pine Nut Muffins. I added some Quinoa Flour in the batter to increase the nutritional value of my muffins. I loved the cheesy aroma from these muffins as they baked. I also loved the toasted pine nuts scattered over top of each muffin.

 

Parmesan Quinoa & Pine Nut Muffins

 

 

Parmesan Quinoa & Pine Nut Muffins for #MuffinMonday
 
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A savory, cheesy muffin for Monday mornings. Perfect with a cup of coffee or tea.
Author:
Recipe type: Muffin
Ingredients
  • 1½ Cups All Purpose Flour
  • ½ Cup Quinoa Flour
  • 1 Tbsp Baking Powder
  • ⅛ Tsp Salt
  • ¾ Cup Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
  • ½ Cup Pine Nuts
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 1 Cup Buttermilk
  • 6 Tbsp Butter, softened
  • Topping: 4 Tsp grated parmesan cheese, ¼ cup pine nuts
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400F
  2. Line a muffin pan with 12 muffin liners
  3. For the topping, combine parmesan and pine nuts and set aside
  4. In a large bowl, combine flour, quinoa flour, baking powder and salt with a whisk
  5. Stir in the parmesan and pine nuts
  6. In a medium bowl, lightly beat the eggs and then beat in the buttermilk and oil
  7. In the large bowl with the flour, make a well in the centre and pour in the liquid mixture
  8. Stir gently until just combined. Be sure not to over mix
  9. Spoon the batter into prepared muffin pan. Sprinkle topping over the batter
  10. Bake for about 20 minutes until well risen and golden brown
  11. Allow muffins to cool for about 5 minutes.
Notes
This recipe yields 12 muffins

The pine nuts were not very well behaved! They kept falling off as you took a bite, much to the annoyance of my hubby 🙂 He enjoyed these muffins but wished there was MORE CHEESE. That seems to the answer to everything these days. More cheese. Duly noted.

 

Parmesan Quinoa & Pine Nut Muffins

 

Quite a tasty muffin. I enjoyed them. But now I have to figure out how to make it even more cheesy.

 

Parmesan Quinoa & Pine Nut Muffins

 

Happy Monday!!!

 

Muffin Monday is an initiative by Baker Street. A culinary journey of sharing a wickedly delicious muffin recipe every week. Drop in a quick line to join her on her journey to make the world smile and beat glum Monday mornings week after week. 

Link to the Muffin Monday page: http://bakerstreet.tv/muffin-monday/

Link to Muffin 101: http://bakerstreet.tv/muffin-monday/muffin-101/

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Grilled Polenta Cakes for #SundaySupper

Sep 30, 2012 by

Here we are again, another #SundaySupper. Can you believe that September is over already? Where does the time go!? Soon enough, we’ll be Thanksgiving, Trick-Or-Treat-ing, Tree decorating then Mistletoe-ing 🙂 I really do enjoy the fall season ~ the beautiful colours, the food, and the change in fashion. There’s just so much to appreciate.

Back in May, I shared a recipe by Cristina Ferrare for #SundaySupper. The recipe was called Fall Off The Bone Chicken and my family enjoyed every bite. The theme for that Sunday, was to prepare a recipe from Cristina’s cookbook called Big Bowl Of Love. I really enjoy her recipes and there were a few that I wanted to try. This recipe fits very well with todays #SundaySupper theme which is “Meals with five ingredients or less”. Our fabulous host is Amber of Mama’s Blissful Bites! We will be sharing recipes all day, but please do join us during our #SundaySupper Twitter chat at 7pm EST. Join the fun and share your favourite recipes and get meal ideas and inspiration while you’re at it! Whether you’re on a budget, want to use up some pantry items, or just need to whip up something quickly~ you’ll have a wonderful list of ideas to consider from our lineup this week!

 

Grilled Polenta Cakes

 

5.0 from 2 reviews
Grilled Polenta Cakes
 
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Polenta, Tomato Sauce & Spinach!
Author:
Recipe type: Starter, Appetizer, Snack
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 1 tube polenta, removed from casing, cut into ½-inch slices, and patted dry with paper towels
  • Approximately ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • Cooking spray
  • 1 cup Garlic & Herb Tomato Sauce (Or a tomato sauce of your choice)
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 cup baby spinach (a generous handful)
Instructions
  1. Brush both sides of the polenta cakes with the olive oil, and set aside.
  2. On a hot griddle pan, place the polenta slices in one layer on the pan
  3. Grill for 10-12 minutes on each side or until both sides are golden and have grill marks
  4. Remove the slices from the grill and let cool on a baking rack
  5. In a small saucepan, add tomato sauce and bring to a gentle boil
  6. Add the spinach and stir until combined and warmed through
  7. Just before you are ready to serve, preheat the oven to 350°F
  8. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray
  9. Arrange the grilled polenta cakes on the baking sheet
  10. Place a heaping tablespoon of the tomato sauce with spinach on each slice, then add a pinch of parmesan cheese on top
  11. Bake for about 15 minutes
  12. Garnish with fresh parsley, salt & pepper to taste
  13. Serve and enjoy
Notes
Adapted from - Page(s): 55-55, Cristina Ferrare's Big Bowl of Love (Delight Family and Friends with More than 150 Simple, Fabulous Recipes) by Cristina Ferrare

 

This recipe is really simple and easy – my favourite kind. I was interested in this recipe because I have always made polenta from scratch. This would be the first time that I would be buying ready-made polenta. It certainly was easier! I won’t make this a habit but at least I’ll be able to compare and know the difference. All I really needed was polenta, tomato sauce, spinach and parmesan cheese. I think this makes a great appetizer, side dish or a very tasty snack!

 

Grilled Polenta Cakes

 

 

Grilled Polenta Cakes – Grilled Polenta, Tomato Sauce with Spinach & Parmesan Cheese

 

Here’s the lineup for todays #SundaySupper:

Breakfast, Starters, Butters and Jams:

Main Dishes:

Desserts:

Beverages:

 

 

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Quinoa Pasta with Roasted Zucchini and Cheese

Mar 26, 2012 by

Last nights dinner was so very interesting to me. I knew I had to roast some zucchini that was begging to be eaten. I also wanted to try the Quinoa Pasta that I bought a few days ago. I had never seen it before and I wanted give it a try so I could see how it tasted and how the texture compared to regular pasta. And there’s the cheese. I’ve always had a thing for cheese. It’s not something that I will give up easily, so bear with me as you see cheese all over this recipe. I kept it subtle. Promise 🙂 …Although I purposely avoided measuring how much cheese I used…

It was tasty, meatless and certainly something I intend to have again. My hubby thought it was quite nice. I don’t think I could convince him to have this without some meat though. He is far from a part-time vegetarian, like what I’m on the path to becoming. Baby steps. As I read more about it and find recipes that suit my palate, I’m truly considering reducing my meat consumption.

Here’s the finished result…another freestyle recipe 🙂

 

Quinoa Fusilli Pasta & Roasted Zucchini with Parmesan Flakes

 

As for the Quinoa Pasta, I realized that it takes a little longer to cook than regular pasta. The package suggested 13-15 minutes – spot on. Anything before that, it’s still rather firm. Also, you have to eat it right away. I decided to toss it in a cheese mixture in order to make it moist on the outside. I don’t do dry pasta very well. A cream sauce or olive oil is pretty much mandatory. The texture of quinoa pasta is just fine and I would not have noticed the difference at all. I will buy it again, if I come across it. Its Quinoa. I can’t go wrong. Right?

 

Quinoa Pasta - Gluten Free, Corn Free

 

5.0 from 3 reviews
Quinoa Pasta with Roasted Zucchini and Cheese
 
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An easy meal perfect for any day of the week. Quinoa, Zucchini and Cheese.
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 2 Medium Zucchini
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Olive Oil for bushing the Zucchini
  • Few Tbsp grated or shredded Parmesan Cheese
  • 8 oz Quinoa Pasta (or whatever pasta you prefer)
  • 1 Scallion, sliced thinly
  • 2 Tbsp Cream Cheese (I used reduced fat)
  • 2 Tbsp Chicken Broth
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425F
  2. In a medium pot, bring about 4 cups of salted water to a boil
  3. Add quinoa pasta and cook according to package directions
  4. Cut ends off zucchini then slice each into 6 wedges
  5. Grease a rimmed baking tray with olive oil
  6. Place zucchini, skin side down on the greased baking tray
  7. Brush with olive oil then sprinkle with salt, pepper and parmesan
  8. Roast for 20 minutes, until the zucchini is golden brown
  9. In a medium pot, add cream cheese, chicken broth and parmesan
  10. On medium heat, still until melted and combined
  11. When pasta is ready, drain and add to cream cheese mixture
  12. Toss to lightly coat
  13. Add salt and pepper to taste
  14. Cut zucchini into chunks and stir in or serve on the side
  15. Garnish with Scallion and parmesan flakes
Notes
I used Quinoa Pasta but you can use any pasta for this recipe

 

I got my son to eat the zucchini. I had to basically emphasize that it had cheese on it. Not that there was too much, but he needs encouragement to eat “new” veggies. He has lettuce, green beans and broccoli under his belt. He needs to conquer zucchini so I can move on to another vegetable. Goodness rules in my house!

 

Zucchini

 

 

Zucchini, Sliced, oiled, sprinkled with salt, pepper and parmesan cheese

 

Roasted zucchini, fresh out the oven. So fragrant. Even the crispy parmesan stuck to the tray looked good to me.

 

Zucchini, roasted for 20 minutes

 

 

Roasted Zucchini with Parmesan Cheese

 

Zucchini never tasted so good.

 

Dinner is served - Quinoa Pasta & Parmesan Roasted Zucchini

 

What a way to start the week. Happy Monday friends!

~Lyn

 

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Sacchettini & Spinach

Aug 1, 2011 by

Chicken and Bacon Sacchettini with Spinach

Oh how I wish I could say that I made this from scratch. However, I`m prone to pick up frozen pasta occasionally. There are so many to choose from and the varieties are so visually appealing. On a recent trip to the supermarket, I picked up a packet of Chicken and Bacon Sacchettini. These little pasta are beautiful and they taste great too. I simply followed the cooking instructions on the packet and served it over a bed of steamed spinach. The final touch was just a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Now that`s what I call an easy mid-week meal! Sensible portions with well planned sides, wont break the scale.

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