pasta – Page 2 – Strong Roots Nutrition

condiment, fall, favorites, main dish, pasta

November 4, 2013

My favorite tomato sauce

Most of the time, I love to cook. I love creating food, either new recipes or tried-and-true classics. I love anything that gets my hands (and counters) messy - kneading bread dough, hand-rolling sheets of pasta, cutting biscuits. I love the repetitive tasks like slicing cabbage into thin slivers for raw slaws, dicing onions, and shelling beans. To me, the best smell in the world is onions sautéing in butter and the pungent punch of garlic when it hits a hot pan. Put some Sinatra on in the background and the process is just a[...]

fall, main dish, meat, pasta, soup

October 25, 2013

Using a whole chicken: Chicken noodle soup with homemade egg noodles

Tastes of winter are creeping in left and right these days. This week, Denver got its first snow. This was no wimpy little dusting, but at least two inches of wet powder that coated the lawns outside our apartment. Mike discovered it first. I discovered it second when Mike threw a snowball at me as I sleepily emerged from our cozy bedroom. Fall weather has been in full swing for several weeks now, but the first snow takes it to another level. So soup season commences. Humans have been cooking food for many, many years - probably since the first campfire. C[...]

main dish, pasta, salad, vegetable

September 17, 2013

Ravioli salad with Tuscan kale

Homemade ravioli night is an event in my family. It's time-consuming, a labor of love, and well worth it. After our last ravioli fest a week ago, there were about 20 goat cheese, spinach, and Italian sausage -stuffed ravioli left, laid carefully on a sheet pan in our freezer. It's only right to use them quickly, and this simple recipe certainly does them justice. Ravioli salad with Tuscan kale Serves 2 4 large stalks Tuscan (also called lacinato or dinosaur) kale 1/4 cup pesto 15-20 ravioli (your choice of filling) Parmesan[...]

main dish, pasta

March 3, 2012

Goat cheese and spinach ravioli with garlic butter sauce

I've done it! Finally. I have attempted homemade ravioli several times before, but it has never turned out right. The pasta always turns out tough and a little gummy instead of soft and chewy like pasta is supposed to be, but I have found the secret. I made it 3 times before sharing it, just to be sure it was true and not a crazy fluke. Olive oil! Adding oil to the pasta dough makes it nice and tender, apparently. Goat cheese and spinach ravioli with garlic butter sauce Serves 4 Adapted from Former Chef For the[...]

main dish, pasta, vegetarian

January 10, 2012

Spicy baked orzo

Orzo looks like rice, but it's actually a very small pasta. It is particularly delicious in cold pasta salads, but today we're eating it hot. This dish makes a light main course or a satisfying side. To make it heartier, I'd recommend baking it with chicken or fish, or serving it atop crusty bread as a bruschetta. Spicy baked orzo Serves 2-4 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 large shallot 2 cloves garlic 1 tsp crushed red pepper (adjust more/less according to spiciness preference) 1 tsp dried oregano flakes Salt/pepper 1/4 cup white cooking wine 1 1/2 cups ca[...]