Showing posts with label pasta. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pasta. Show all posts
I picked up a magazine at the supermarket the other day that I could not resist. It was entitled Quick & Simple Cooking for Two. It was not cheap, but in glancing through it, I saw quite a few recipes that I would probably like to cook so I bought it.
I am a person who likes to use what I buy and point in fact, I've only had it for a couple of days and already I cooked one of the recipes I had flagged in it!
.JPG "Ravioli with Sausage & Brussels Sprouts")
Ravioli with Sausage & Brussels Sprouts. Not only did it look and sound delicious, but it also used things that I already had in my house!
It also looked very quick and simple to make, plus I figured that I could cut it down again to feed only one person, Moi! (I did so quite satisfactorily as you can see!)
.JPG "Ravioli with Sausage & Brussels Sprouts")
What I ended up with was a dinner that was quite generously sized for little old me, and which was filled with color and flavor. It also only took a few simple ingredients, always a bonus.
And I could have it on the table in about fifteen minutes time, tops! I could not go wrong!
.JPG "Ravioli with Sausage & Brussels Sprouts")
I did see a much more elaborate version of the recipe online here, but why fix what isn't broken? This version I tried was absolutely delicious and I didn't feel it could be improved upon.
I think, if you try it, you will agree! This recipe is perfect just as is!
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WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE RAVIOLI WITH SAUSAGE & BRUSSELS SPROUTS
Very few, simple ingredients! There is nothing elaborate or complicated here.
- 8 ounces (230g) cheese ravioli
- 1 TBS olive oil
- 4 ounces (115g) Italian sausage, casings removed and discarded
- 6 ounces (170g) Brussels sprouts, trimmed and thinly sliced
- fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup (60ml) chicken broth
- grated Parmesan or Romano cheese to serve
.JPG "Ravioli with Sausage & Brussels Sprouts")
I actually used Spinach and Cheese Ravioli for this, and it worked beautifully. I had been a tiny bit worried that the flavor of the spinach wouldn't work with the sprouts, but there was no conflict at all!
I used part of a package of fresh ravioli found in the chiller cabinet in the shop. The rest I packaged into smaller serving sized zip lock baggies and froze for a later date.
.JPG "Ravioli with Sausage & Brussels Sprouts")
I used PC "Free-From" Sweet Italian Sausage. They are quite plump and nicely flavored. There are five sausages in a package. I used one for making the single sized serving, so two of them would work very well for the full recipe feeding two people.
The Brussels Sprouts I bought the other day were the size of a golf ball! I have never seen such large ones, but they were nicely flavored and worked well in this recipe where I was only going to be shredding/slicing them thinly anyways!
.JPG "Ravioli with Sausage & Brussels Sprouts")
For chicken stock I used some of the stock that comes in a small container that you can reconstitute to make larger amounts. You could also use powdered bouillon or bouillon cubes, stock pots, etc.
I did not need to use a lot of seasoning for this, except for pepper. If your ingredients are good quality, this is often the case. I happen to love lots of pepper in things and since I was making this only for myself, I could use as much as I wanted to! One of the plusses of living on your own.
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HOW TO MAKE RAVIOLI WITH SAUSAGE & BRUSSELS SPROUTS
This was probably one of the quickest and simplest pasta dishes I have ever made!
Cook the ravioli as per the package directions, drain well and keep warm. (Generally speaking, most fresh pastas do not take long to cook at all.)
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While the ravioli is cooking heat the oil in a skillet. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until it is browned and cooked through, about 7 minutes.
Add the sprouts to the pan and cook, stirring frequently for a further 2 minutes. Season lightly with salt and black pepper.
Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
Serve this sauce spooned over the cooked ravioli, sprinkled with cheese if desired.
.JPG "Ravioli with Sausage & Brussels Sprouts")
I think that this is a dish that could very easily be doubled to feed more than two people. Halving it made a very generous serving for just me, so I can imagine that doubling it would make a perfect supper for four people.
You could also add some toasted pine nuts if you wanted to add a bit of crunch and texture. To toast pine nuts, I simply bake them on a small baking sheet in a hot oven (400*F/200*C) for about 8 minutes or so.
Keep an eye on them as they can burn very quickly!
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There was a ton of things to love about this dish! Not only was it quick and easy to make, but it was incredibly delicious! I loved the variety in texture, colors and flavors.
I also loved the speed at which this went together. In a week which is a really busy week I was really needing something that was not only simple to make but easily put together as well as being nutritious! I could not love this more!
.JPG "Ravioli with Sausage & Brussels Sprouts")
If you are also an empty nester and looking for smaller, simpler meals, you might enjoy the following:
CLASSIC POT ROAST FOR TWO - Who says if you are on your own you can't enjoy comfort food such as pot roast without having to eat it for a week! This smaller version feeds two people amply with just enough for one meal of leftovers! And it's delicious, lacking none of the flavors of the full-sized version!
EASY CHICKEN PARM FOR TWO - Chicken Parmesan has to be one of my favorite meals. Tender breaded pieces of flavor filled chicken topped with a rich tomato sauce and plenty of cheese. This smaller version is every bit as delicious as its full-sized counterpart!
Yield: 2
Ravioli with Sausage & Brussels Sprouts
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 20 Min
A quick and easy supper made from packaged ravioli and a tasty sausage and sprout sauce. Its delicious!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces (230g) cheese ravioli
- 1 TBS olive oil
- 4 ounces (115g) Italian sausage, casings removed and discarded
- 6 ounces (170g) Brussels sprouts, trimmed and thinly sliced
- fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup (60ml) chicken broth
- grated Parmesan or Romano cheese to serve
Instructions
- Cook the ravioli as per the package directions, drain well and keep warm.
- While the ravioli is cooking heat the oil in a skillet. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until it is browned and cooked through, about 7 minutes.
- Add the sprouts to the pan and cook, stirring frequently for a further 2 minutes. Season lightly with salt and black pepper.
- Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
- Serve this sauce spooned over the cooked ravioli, sprinkled with cheese if desired.
Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
A week or so ago my sister said that she was making Cheesy Baked Tortellini for supper. I asked her about it. She said it was something everyone there really enjoyed, and she had not made it in a while.
It sounded delicious. I am a real pasta lover. I asked her to share the recipe with me. I knew that it would be very easy for me to break it down into a recipe for two.
For those of you who are not familiar with it, Tortellini is a small, filled pasta dumpling.
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I had not thought of using Tortellini in this way before and I don't know why not. It's really very simple. You just cook your tortellini and then fold it into a creamy cheese sauce and bake.
I have had tortellini many times with a sauce spooned over top, but never this way. It sounded easy and delicious.
.JPG "Cheesy Baked Tortellini")
I also found another version that added cooked chicken, but to me the ham and peas one sounds way better and something I might try next time.
In the meantime, I am enjoying this simple version so much that I can't keep my fork out of the dish! Yes, it is that addictively delicious! All I can say is I am glad I made a small version of it so that I can keep myself from really over-doing it! Whew!
.JPG "Cheesy Baked Tortellini")
.JPG "Cheesy Baked Tortellini")
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CHEESY BAKED TORTELLINI (FOR TWO)
It does use a convenience food in that it uses refrigerated prepared tortellini, but what the hey! Its not a long list of ingredients at all.
- 6 ounces (175g) about 1 heaped cup of ready to cook tortellini (I used cheese and bacon)
- 1 TBS butter
- 1 TBS all purpose plain flour
- 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
- 1/4 cup (45g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup (43g) grated Mozarella cheese
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder (not salt)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
To top:
- 1/2 TBS butter melted
- 1/4 cup (30g) cracker crumbs
.JPG "Cheesy Baked Tortellini")
You can find already prepared tortellini in the chiller section of the deli at the grocery store. I believe you can also buy frozen bags of it in some places. It is a very simple thing to cook and comes in a variety of flavors.
The store I went to carries many varieties, spinach and cheese, three cheese and herb, etc. I chose to use the cheese and bacon variety.
.JPG "Cheesy Baked Tortellini")
Look at the lovely steam rising from my hot casserole. At this point, I could hardly wait to dig in, it smelled so good!
I use full fat milk. I don't drink milk per se. I only really use it in cooking or a bit on my cereal, and so I just buy full fat. I like it best.
Do make sure you don't use garlic salt. Just the powder and it does seem like a lot, but trust me, it totally works at this amount!
.JPG "Cheesy Baked Tortellini")
HOW TO MAKE CHEESY BAKED TORTELLINI (FOR TWO)
This is very simple to make. Cook the pasta, make a cheese sauce, combine the two and bake.
Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a small pie plate or casserole dish large enough to hold about 1 1/2 cups.
Bring a pot of lightly salted water to the boil and cook the tortellini according to the package directions.
.JPG "Cheesy Baked Tortellini")
While the tortellini cooks make the sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cook for a minute and then slowly whisk in the milk.
Cook, whisking constantly over medium heat until the mixture comes to a bubble and is smooth and thick. Whisk in both cheeses.
Drain the pasta well and fold it into the cheese sauce, combine well. Pour this into the prepared baking dish.
Mix together the melted butter and crumbs for the topping. Sprinkle this on top.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling, and the crumbs are golden brown.
.JPG "Cheesy Baked Tortellini")
Normally I make all of my sauces (such as this one) in the microwave oven, and I did so today as well. Just melt the butter (in a microwave safe beaker) in the microwave on high, about 20 seconds. Whisk in the flour and spices until smooth, then slowly whisk in the milk to combine.
Cook on high in the microwave for about a minute and a half, stopping every thirty seconds to whisk smooth. Remember heated milk doubles in volume so you will want to make sure your container you are cooking the sauce in is large enough.
It should be thickened nicely after a minute and a half. If not cook for 30 seconds longer. (A lot depends on the strength of your microwave.) At the end of that time whisk in both cheeses and your sauce is ready to go!
.JPG "Cheesy Baked Tortellini")
I couldn't believe how delicious this was. I was afraid it might be bland because Mozzarella cheese is quite bland, but it was filled with flavor. Mind you, some of that was because of the filling in the tortellini, which really shone quite nicely!
I highly recommend this recipe if you are wanting a quick and easy mid-week supper that is delicious. Very tasty and on the table in about half an hour. All you need on the side is a salad!
.JPG "Cheesy Baked Tortellini")
Some other pasta dishes on here that you might enjoy are:
PASTA E PISELLI
Simple ingredients put together in a simple way. Pasta, peas, water and cheese. It doesn't get any simpler or easier than this. You wouldn't think that simple things like this could come together in such a delicious way, but like magic, they do! I love this.
One thing I love about this tasty pasta dish is that everything cooks in one pan, even the pasta (linguini). You just add the dry pasta and other ingredients, including water, and it cooks all-together in the pan. No fuss, no muss, no faffing about with having to drain this or that. The water, tomatoes, etc. condense along with the starch from the cooking pasta to create a delicious sauce.
Yield: 2
Cheesy Baked Tortellini
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 30 Min
This quick and easy cheesy bake is so delicious, I couldn't leave it alone! It's fabulous!
Ingredients
- 6 ounces (175g) about 1 cup of ready to cook tortellini (I used cheese and bacon)
- 1 TBS butter
- 1 TBS all-purpose plain flour
- 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
- 1/4 cup (45g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup (43g) grated Mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder (not salt)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
To top:
- 1/2 TBS butter melted
- 1/4 cup (30g) cracker crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a small pie plate or casserole dish large enough to hold about 1 1/2 cups.
- Bring a pot of lightly salted water to the boil and cook the tortellini according to the package directions.
- While the tortellini cooks make the sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cook for a minute and then slowly whisk in the milk.
- Cook, whisking constantly over medium heat until the mixture comes to a bubble and is smooth and thick. Whisk in both cheeses.
- Drain the pasta well and fold it into the cheese sauce, combine well. Pour this into the prepared baking dish.
- Mix together the melted butter and crumbs for the topping. Sprinkle this on top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the crumbs are golden brown.
Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again!
I hope you will forgive me for sharing another chicken recipe with you today. To be honest, I have been feeling very poorly for the past week, and I have had to dig into the archives for this one.
This is a recipe which I had cooked and photographed while I was still in the UK, but never had time to share. I thought I would share it with you today. I hope you don't mind. Oh, I know you won't because I have the nicest readers in the world.
I had really hoped that I would have started feeling better by now, but there you go. It is what it is, and whilst I am feeling somewhat better, I obviously still have a ways to go.
I am a huge fan of one dish suppers. One pan meals. Main dishes that you can cook all in one pan without having to cook things separately. This Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Pasta Recipe is one such supper.
Its incredibly easy to make. Almost everything just gets stirred together in a skillet and cooked, with the broccoli being added at the last so as not to overcook it.
I don't know about you, but for myself, I do not like overcooked broccoli at all! It can make a broccoli hater out of even the staunchist broccoli lover!
This chicken and broccoli pasta dish makes for a really quick weeknight supper that the whole family can and will enjoy.
With plenty of tender pieces of chicken, penne pasta, crispy tender broccoli florets and a creamy white cheesy sauce that can be as high or as low fat as you like.
If you want to make it low fat use evaporated skim milk. If you don't care about the fat, use cream. Either way it is fabulously tasty!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE ONE PAN CHICKEN BROCCOLI ALFREDO PASTA
Its actually a very short list. Its also fairly economical because it helps a small amount of chicken to go a long way!
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into chunks (at least 6 ounces each)
- 1 tsp garlic Italian seasoning mix
- 1 3/4 cup (420ml) of well flavored chicken stock
- 1 cup (240ml) of single cream (can use evaporated milk)
- 1/2 pound (225g) uncooked penne pasta
- 1/2 head of broccoli, cut into florets and blanched until crispy tender
- 1 cup (180g) finely grated Parmesan cheese
- more grated Parmesan cheese to serve
If you don't have chicken breasts you can also use boneless chicken thighs. Just make sure you trim them well. They will also take a bit longer to cook through.
I have used chicken tenders in the past as well, cut into chunks. Delicious!
As I said you can use either cream or evaporated milk. As I recall I used evaporated milk. Both work equally as well, and you really cannot taste the evaporated milk.
I always make my own seasoning mixes. You can find an extensive list here. If you wish to make your own Garlic Italian Seasoning, you can do this: Mix together 3 TBS dried basil, 3 TBS dried oregano, 3 TBS dried parsley, 1 TBS garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp dried rosemary, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes. Store in an airtight container out of the light for up to 6 months.
It really does have a lovely flavor.
Feel free to use frozen broccoli but bear in mind it will cook much faster than fresh broccoli and the flowery bits have a habit of knocking off of the stems, so it won't be as aesthetically pleasing.
There is no real flavor replacement for the Parmesan cheese. Pecorino perhaps. Alfredo and Parmesan are synonymous. Parmesan is Alfredo.
As is garlic which is why you want Garlic Italian Seasoning. If you don't have a Garlic Italian Seasoning, add some garlic powder when you add the other seasoning. NOT SALT. Powder. About 1/4 to 1/2 tsp should do the trick.
HOW TO MAKE ONE PAN CHICKEN BROCCOLI ALFREDO PASTA
As I said, nothing could be quick or easier.
Heat the oil in a large skillet with a lid. Add the chicken breast pieces and cook, stirring frequently until lightly browned and cooked through.
Add the Italian seasoning, broth, and milk. Bring to the boil. Stir in the pasta. Reduce to a slow simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, covered, stirring occasionally.
Add the broccoli during the last five minutes of cooking.
Stir in the Parmesan cheese to melt. Taste and adjust seasoning as required. Serve hot, accompanied with more grated Parmesan for sprinkling on top.
Since there is a nice amount of broccoli in this you may not want to serve another cooked vegetable alongside, but I can tell you that a nice tossed salad and some crusty bread to mop up all that sauce would not go amiss!
Quick and easy? Check! No fuss no muss?! Check! All in one pan making for less to clean up? Check! Simple and delicious? Check!
This is one recipe and mid week supper that ticks all my boxes. I hope you will want to try it for yourself!
As a fan of one pan suppers myself, I can highly recommend the following:
ONE PAN CHEESY SAUSAGE PASTA- Cheesy, creamy, spicy and savory this one pan midweek supper has it all going for it! Prepare yourself to fall in love because this quick and simple recipe is destined to become a favorite! With its savory smoked sausage and creamy cheesy sauce, garlic, mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers and onions, this one pan pleaser is destined to become a meal that you will want to put on repeat in your kitchen.
CHEESY TUNA SKILLET PASTA - This Cheesy Tuna Pasta is just like your favourite Tuna Casserole, except it is cooked in a skillet. Amazingly there is no need to cook the pasta first. The pasta cooks right in the pan with everything else. This also helps to cut down on the washing up! I am all for that!
MARTHA STEWARTS ONE PAN PASTA - This simple dish is a real favorite in my house. With spaghetti, cherry tomatoes, onions, garlic, and basil, it has beautiful flavors. A bit of heat from some crushed chilis. It makes its own sauce in about 9 minutes! You can't go wrong!
One Pan Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Pasta
Yield: 4
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 30 Min
This is a delicious way to spread out a small amount of chicken. Rich and delicious.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into chunks (at least 6 ounces each)
- 1 tsp garlic Italian seasoning mix
- 1 3/4 cup (420ml) of well flavored chicken stock
- 1 cup (240ml) of single cream (can use evaporated milk)
- 1/2 pound (225g) uncooked penne pasta
- 1/2 head of broccoli, cut into florets and blanched until crispy tender
- 1 cup (180g) finely grated Parmesan cheese
- more grated Parmesan cheese to serve
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet with a lid. Add the chicken breast pieces and cook, stirring frequently until lightly browned and cooked through.
- Add the Italian seasoning, broth, and milk. Bring to the boil.
- Stir in the pasta. Reduce to a slow simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, covered, stirring occasionally.
- Add the broccoli during the last five minutes of cooking.
- Stir in the Parmesan cheese to melt. Taste and adjust seasoning as required.
- Serve hot, accompanied with more grated Parmesan for sprinkling on top.
Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again!
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