Pumpkin Dinner: Pasta with Mushrooms and Pumpkin-Gorgonzola Sauce

Since this spring a friend of mine has a vegetable garden where she grows loads of different vegetables. Her crop of pumpkins was amazing, she had so many pumpkins that she gifted me two of them. I pureed both the pumpkins and while I was looking at my bookmarked pumpkin recipes, I received an email from Phyl of Of Cabbages & King Cakes with a question if I wanted to participate in a Pumpkin Dinner Round Up. Of course this sounded like fun! I ended up making Pasta with Mushrooms and Pumpkin-Gorgonzola Sauce and Pumpkin-Butterscotch Cookies. The cookies will be posted later, today I’m sharing the recipe for the Pasta with Mushrooms and Pumpkin-Gorgonzola Sauce.

I wasn’t able to find evaporated milk, so I used sour cream. The flavor of the pumpkin and gorgonzola was very subtle, next time I will probably use a bit more gorgonzola.

Pasta with Mushrooms and Pumpkin-Gorgonzola Sauce

adapted from Cooking Light
serves 6 

1 lb. uncooked pasta, small shapes work best
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced mushrooms, any variety
1 large onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground sage or fresh sage, chopped
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk (I used a cup of sour cream)
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 tablespoons cold water
1/2 cup (2 oz.) crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
1/2 cup pumpkin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon grated whole nutmeg

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.  Keep warm.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add mushrooms, onion and garlic; cover and cook 3 minutes.  Uncover, cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.  Combine sage and milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to a simmer.  Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.  Add cornstarch mixture and cheese to milk mixture; stirring with a whisk.  Cook 2 minutes or until thick and smooth, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat; stir in pumpkin, salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Add pasta to skillet.  Pour sauce over pasta and mushroom mixture, toss well to combine.

Asparagus Soup

Asparagus Season is here again and I’m glad it is! I love asparagus, both the white and green variety. Unlike the green Asparagus the white version needs to be peeled. I bought some Asparagus at a farm and was offered some odd ends and bits of Asparagus for making soup, ofcourse I accepted! I peeled the regular Asparagus before boiling them to make them as they are traditionally served here in the Netherlands: with boiled eggs and ham (and sometimes a butter sauce) and saved the uncooked peels for the Asparagus soup.

So when I got my wisdom tooth pulled I decided on making Asparagus Soup since I probably wouldn’t be able to eat solids for a while. This was the first time I made my own Asparagus Soup and I was surprised how easy it was, I will definitely make it again!

Asparagus Soup (3 servings)
40 grams butter
40 grams flour
1 liter aspergebroth (made by boiling the asparagus peels)
pieces boiled asparagus
1/2 stock cube (beef of vegetable)
1 egg yolk
1 dl milk of 1/2 dl creamnutmeg (to taste)

Boil asparagus peels, sieve out the peels. Save the Asparagus broth and discard the peels

Make a roux out of the butter, flour and asparagus soup: melt the butter and add all the flour before the butter colors. Stir with a wooden spoon until you have a paste. Keep stiring and ‘cook’  the flour for a couple of minutes. Slowly add the broth, bit by bit. After each addition, keep stirring to avoid lumps. Once the fluids are absorbed into a smooth mixture and the mixture starts too boil, add some more and keep stirring. After adding all the broth,  add the stock cube and bring to a boil. Then turn off the heat.

In a small bowl beat together the egg yolk with the milk (or cream) and nutmeg, while whisking add a  soup ladle of soup to the egg mixture (this has to happen at least 5 minutes after turning the heat off under the soup!!). While stirring add the egg/soup mixture back into the soup, add  pieces of Asparagus and reheat.

Enjoy!!!

CEiMB – Ellie’s Choice: Whole Grain Spaghetti with Roasted Tomato and Almond Pesto

This weeks recipe for Craving Ellie in My Belly caused quite a stir as it was chosen by Ellie Krieger herself. I was so excited to make this, as it was right up my ally: who can go wrong with pasta, garlic and tomatoes?

We were given an option of roasting our own tomatoes or using a can of roasted tomatoes for the sauce. Since I couldn’t find canned roasted tomatoes I opted for making my own, also added some garlic cloves to the roasting dish mixed them in with the pesto. This dish is so easy to put together and the small bite I tasted was wonderful! Unfortunately I wasn’t able to enjoy a whole plate as my last wisdom tooth was extracted today and I now have a gaping hole in the back of my mouth with 3 stitches.  I froze it all and am sure that I’ll enjoy the spaghetti later this week! I loved the taste and the smell and think I might even be able to convince E. to give this a try!

Go here to check out what my fellow Ellie-istas thought of Ellie’s choice!
Up next week: Muesli Parfaits picked by Sarah of Sarah’s Kitchen Adventures.

Whole Grain Spaghetti with Roasted Tomato and Almond Pesto

Olive oil cooking spray
1 1/3 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cored, seeded and quartered (about 6 medium) or 1 15 ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes, drained
1/3 cup blanched sliced almonds
1 medium clove of garlic
1/3 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1 pound Whole Grain Spaghetti (note: I like Barilla)

If using fresh tomtatoes, Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking tray with cooking spray. Place the tomatoes on the tray and roast in the oven for 30 minutes, until they are soft and slightly charred. When the tomatoes are nearly done, bring a large pot of water to a boil.

In a medium dry skillet, toast the almonds over a medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until they are golden and fragrant, 3-4 minutes.

Transfer the nuts to a food processor, add the garlic and process until they are finely ground. Add the roasted or canned tomatoes, basil, vinegar and pepper flakes to the processor. As the processor is running, drizzle in the olive oil in a steady stream. Add the parmesan cheese and ¼ teaspoon salt and pulse to combine.

Add the pasta to the water and cook according to the directions on the package. Drain and return the pasta to the pasta pot or to a serving bowl. Add the sauce and toss to combine. Season with additional salt to taste. Serve garnished with whole basil leaves.

Makes 6 servings
Serving size: 1 ¼ cups

Prep time: 12 minutes
Cooking time: 36 minutes

CEiMB – Tortellini-Spinach Soup – One Sentence Post

This week it was Bri’s turn to pick the recipe for Craving Ellie in My Belly and she did a great job:

this soups tastes deliciously spicy (I used chili flakes instead of red pepper flakes) and is perfect for the wintery weather we’ve been having here as it’s been snowing and we’ve been having temperatures around -8 degrees Celsius during the day. I may have overfilled the soup just a bit as I had a bit more veggies at hand than the recipe indicated.

The recipe can be found here at Bri’s blog Yoshimi Vs. Motherhood, don’t forget to check out what my fellow Ellie-istas think of the Tortellini-Spinach Soup!

CEiMB – Mushroom, Onion and NO Basil Pizza

Last weeks Craving Ellie in My Belly is brought to you by Joanne of Apple Crumbles: she picked Muschroom, Onion and Basil Pizza that can be found here on Joanne’s blog or on page 176 of The Food You Crave.

I must apologize for posting this pizza so late: I actually made it before my parents went on their trip to The States, about two weeks ago but didn’t get around to posting it due to a vicious attack by the flu and some study sessions for upcoming exams, but here it is! I used storebought dough and used the leftover from my pick (recipe for sauce posted here). I forgot to add the basil and added a bit more cheese that needed using up. We loved this and will be making it again!

Go check out what my fellow Ellie-istas thought of the pizza here!

CEiMB – Spaghetti Frittata with Salad Presto – My pick!!!

This weeks it’s my turn to pick the recipe for Craving Ellie in My Belly and I chose Spaghetti Frittata with Salad Presto. It seemed like the perfect recipe to use up leftover pasta and marinara sauce, for the marinara sauce I used the recipe from The Food You Crave (page 153, see below).

Now, let me start by saying that I got to learn to read recipes better before picking them: in this recipe the eggs are partially cooked in a pan and then put under a broiler. I don’t have a broiler or an oven-safe pan!!!!!! So I decided to bake the frittata in my oven: : I prepared the veggies and spaghetti as written in the recipe, I then put the veggies and spaghetti in a 9×13″ ovendish, added the beaten eggs and topped it with grated Parmesan. I then baked it for 45 minutes in a preheated oven at 350 degrees.

I really liked this when I ate it hot for dinner, paired with the Salad Presto and some store-bought Garlic Bread. But I also loved it the next day at work, when I had a cold piece for lunch served with some Mustard Soup. My mom really liked it too! Go here to check out what my fellow Ellie-istas thought of the Spaghetti Frittata with Salad Presto!!

Spaghetti Frittata

So Easy – Ellie Krieger, page 100

5 large eggs

5 large egg whites

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, sliced thinly into half moons (I used a red onion)

5 cups baby spinach leaves

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed), reconstituted in boiling water for 10 minutes, chopped

1 large clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cups cooked whole-wheat spaghetti (4 ounces dry spaghetti) tossed with 1/2 cup marinara sauce (I included the recipe I used below)

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

 

1 recipe Salad Presto (recipe follows)

In a medium bowl, separate 5 of the egg whites, discarding the yolks. Add the remaining 5 whole eggs to the bowl with the whites and whisk to combine. Set aside.

Heat the oil in large oven-proof, nonstick skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onionis softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the spinach, sun-dried tomatoes,garlic, salt and pepper and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 1 minute. Add the pasta to the pan and stir to combine. Pour the eggs evenly over the pasta and vegetables. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until eggs are set on the edges but not in the middle. (Or prepare the veggies and spaghetti as written in the recipe, then put the veggies and spaghetti in a 9×13″ ovendish, add the beaten eggs and top it with grated Parmesan. Bake for 45 minutes in a preheated oven at 350 degrees)

Preheat the broiler. Sprinkle the top of the frittata with cheese and place under the broiler. Cooke until the top is set and golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Be careful not to overcook or the eggs will become tough. Cut into 6 wedges and serve.

Salad Presto

So Easy – Ellie Krieger, page 101

1 5-ounce bag mixed greens (5 cups lightly packed)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

pinch of dried basil

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Put the greens in a medium salad bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil and vinegar. Drizzle the dressing over the greens and sprinkle dried basil on top. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Easy Tomato Sauce

The Food You Crave – Ellie Krieger, page 153

• 1 tablespoons olive oil
  1 medium onion, finely chopped
  2 cloves garlic, minced
  2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes, drained, tomatoes chopped
  3 tablespoons tomato paste
  1 teaspoon dried oregano
  1 bay leaf
  Salt and pepper

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add thegarlic and cook for 2 minutes longer. Add the remaining ingredients and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

 

CEiMB – Tomato-Tortilla Soup – One Sentence Post

Thanks to Mary of Popsicles and Sandy Feed for picking Tomato-Tortilla Soup for Craving Elly in My Belly (page 76 of The Food You Crave): this one was very tasty and super easy to make, definitely a recipe I’ll make more often!

My Tapas Birthday Party: Marinated Mushrooms

This recipe for Marinated Mushroom from Real Simple is real simple, just like the name of the website suggests. They are pretty straightforward and easy to prepare, you can make this when you have a little time to spare and then pop them into the fridge until you’re ready to serve them: feel free to make them a day ahead! That’s exactly what I did and they were amazing!!

The day after my Tapas Birthday Party I had some Marinated Mushrooms leftover, just like some Pollo al Ajillo and Salsa de Tomate from the Aldbondigas (both recipes will be posted later), so I warmed up all three of them in a pan and served them over some pasta: lovely garlicy pasta dish!!

Marinated Mushrooms

 

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves. smashed
• 1 1/2 pounds halved button mushrooms
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• Kosher salt

Directions

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook garlic, stirring, until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, 2 to 4 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice, parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let marinate at least 30 minutes.

 

My Tapas Birthday Party: Gazpacho Shots

 

 

While browsing the Internet for a Gazpacho recipe fot my Tapas Birthday Party I came across this site where they had the great idea to serve gazpacho in shotglasses made out of carved cucumber. These look so cool and are handy too as you can simply eat the ‘glasses’ when you finish your gazpacho!

 

 

Both the gazpacho and the glasses can be prepared in advance and chilled before serving. This is a great refreshment during summer. I made some minor adjustments: instead of 300 ml bottled water I used 200 ml tap-water and 100 ml vodka. I also added a few splashes of Tabasco to up the spiciness of the Gazpacho.

Gazpacho Shots
makes 1 liter

4 Vine tomatoes
1 Small cucumber peeled
4 Large cucumbers
1 Garlic clove
1 Small onion
1 Small red bell pepper
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
300ml bottled water

 

To make the gazpacho

Roughly chop the tomatoes, pepper, onion, garlic and 1 small cucumber.
In a blender or food processor, blend the ingredients together to form a thick paste.
Pour in the olive oil, wine vinegar and season to your desired taste with salt and pepper.
Blend for a second time, adding water little by little until you achieve the desired consistency.
Reserve in a glass pitcher or pourer.

To make the shots

Take the four large cucumbers and slice off each end, cut the cucumber into 6cm long segments.
Using a peeler peel away strips of the cucumber skin creating a vertical stripe pattern.
Use a small paring knife carefully cut around the seeds in the centre of the cucumber then, gently scoop out the seeds with a spoon.
Fill each cucumber piece with gazpacho and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

My Tapas Birthday Party: Tortilla Espanola – No TWD

Nope, that’s not a Tarte Noire you’re seeing in these pictures…. No TWD today: I’m truly sorry, but somehow Torte Noire didn’t do it for me this weekend…. Might give it a try next week though! For the Torte Noire go check out Tuesdays with Dorie or Dharmagirl over at bliss: towards a delicious life.

Instead of the Tarte Noire, let me introduce you to the Tortilla Espanola! A wonderful easy to make tapas as it is actually baked in the oven, so after prepping and popping it into the oven you can actually make another tapas without having to keep an eye on the pan to make sure the tortilla doesn’t burn!!

These tasted wonderful fresh out of the oven and can also be frozen, although they do can get a bit soggy…. But these were still a hit at my Tapas Party, even if they were a tiny bit soggy! I made a tiny adaptation by adding some paprika powder to the recipe and using a yellow pepper instead of a green one, other than that I made it as written on Pennies on a Platter.

Oven-Baked Tortilla Española

Serves: 16 as part of a tapas meal, or 6 as a lunch or bunch main course

4 large red-skinned potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes, diced

4 Tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 scallions, white and green parts finely chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
5 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Spanish Rocal cheese
3 Tbsp snipped fresh chives (or about 1 tsp dried chives if you can’t find the fresh)
1/8 tsp paprika powder
Kosher salt and fresh black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 375˚F. Place diced potatoes in a sauce pan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook for 5-7 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Drain and set aside to slightly cool.

Spray a casserole dish (approximately 7×10 inch) with cooking spray; set aside.

Place the 4 Tbsp olive oil, garlic, scallions and bell peppers in a skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring, for 5-6 minutes, or until the onions are softened but not browned. Let cool a bit, then stir in the cooked potato. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sour cream, cheese and chives together. Stir in the vegetable-potato mixture, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pour the mixture into the baking dish and smooth the top. Bake for 40 minutes, or until golden brown, puffed, and set in the center. Remove from the oven and let cool and set. Run a spatula around the edge, then invert onto a cutting board, browned-side up. If the surface looks a little runny, place it under the broiler to dry out. (I didn’t need to do this.)
Let cool completely. Neaten the edges, if necessary, then cut into one-inch squares. Serve on a platter with wooden toothpicks.