Tag: weeknight

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Veggie

Miso Butter Pasta

one and a half slices miso butter pasta recipe fall glow up
one and a half slices local simple recipes food

Miso Brown Butter Pasta

one and a half slices miso butter pasta recipe fall glow up

Girl dinner needed a glow up. (Yes, the OG is still champagne and french fries. And yes, capellini with zucchini still hits. But this dish is WILD good. And it’s giving fall in all the best ways.) It’s got that umami feel in a silky smooth sauce. Very mushroom forward. Chicken totally optional (I just happened to lift weights that day and needed the gains). Loving my city as much as my miso.

🍥🍶🍜

what you need

1/2 pound pasta, cooked al dente (a mezzi rigatoni or a radiatori work super well here) 

Reserve pasta water

3 tablespoons cultured butter

1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

2 cups shitake mushrooms, washed, stems cut off, and sliced very thin

1 tablespoon celtic sea salt

1 1/2 tablespoons white miso paste

(optional) chicken breast, pan fried, pre-marinated in: white miso paste, sesame oil, lemon juice, rice wine vinegar, chili oil, celtic sea salt, maple syrup, and shiso or cilantro flakes 

how to make it

Method: stovetop

Utensil: pots

Cook the pasta until al dente according to package directions.

Melt butter over medium-low heat and fry mushrooms for several minutes. Add a bit more butter, the miso paste, and the parmesan cheese, and stir to emulsify for one minute more. Add the al dente pasta and a generous splash of reserve pasta water, stirring over medium heat until it all comes together. Add more parmesan cheese or pasta water as needed. A little black pepper also goes a long way here. 

Plate in pasta bowls and top with sliced chicken breast, if using. Top with a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley.
fall favs
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Veggie

Crystal Miso Salad

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Crystal Miso Salad

one and a half slices miso ginger soy salad noodles recipe thai

Single serve. Veggie forward. Cold. Clean. Fresh. & Crunchy.

🥢🍋‍🟩🌶️🫑🥒🥕🫚🥜🫛🥢

what you need

2 small Persian cucumbers, sliced lengthwise and very thin

1 extra large carrot, peeled and then shaved using the carrot peeler

the green parts of 2 green onion stalks, sliced

1 cup finely sliced red or savoy cabbage

1 cup steamed and cooled shelled edamame

1 cup rice vermicelli noodles, cooked according to package directions 

1/2 cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped 

1 small handful of fresh cilantro, washed and coarsely chopped 

🥢

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon plain miso paste

1 tablespoon creamy, runny peanut butter

2 tablespoons hot water

1 teaspoon sea salt

the juice of 1/2 a lime

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil 1 teaspoon chili oil (such as Momofuku)  

🥢

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

how to make it

Method: lots of chopping and peeling

Utensil: peeler, mostly

First, the veggies. Peel the carrot, chop the cucumber, steam the edamame, chop the cilantro, chop the cabbage, chop the green onion, and toss it all together in a mixing bowl.

Then, the dressing. Combine all ingredients in a jar and shake vigorously. Adjust for taste. It should be slightly thin.

Finisher. Cook the rice noodles and strain them into the vegetable mixture, careful to keep them somewhat separated as they have a tendency to cool together in a chunk. You can also toss them in a little sesame oil to help with this. Add the peanuts and toss everything once or twice. Then add the dressing and toss until everything is coated. You should have one heaping bowl full when this is all done. 

Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and eat with chopsticks.
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Veggie

Fried Rice

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Quintessential Fried Rice

Fried rice: the perfect solo or double date weeknight shutdown when there is leftover (white, long-grained) rice in the fridge.

This hits. Pretty much any night. The post is old but the recipe is updated.

what you need

2-3 eggs, whisked

1 tablespoon butter

2 carrots, peeled and diced tiny

1 cup frozen peas (take them out during prep, let them thaw)

1/2 yellow onion, diced tiny

2-4 cups cooked, leftover, long-grain white rice (like a basmati or a jasmine). For best results, use day-old rice. You actually need the rice to be dry for this recipe.

1/2 cup green onions, sliced thinly, with some extra for topping

1 knob of fresh ginger, grated

2 cloves of garlic, grated

1 small knob of fresh turmeric, grated

freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon toasted or regular sesame oil

3 tablespoons soy sauce or Tamari + a bit more for cooking 

2 teaspoons chili oil and/or 1-2 tiny diced red Thai chilies 

2 teaspoons of rice vinegar

2 tablespoons sesame seeds 

1 bunch of green onions, washed and chopped

(optional) prepared/leftover protein such as chicken, steak, or tofu. Personally, I am happy with eggs + veg.

🌶️🔥🥢

how to make it

Here is how we are going to approach this. And hopefully you have a wok, but if you don’t, a regular old large frying pan will work just fine.

First, scramble your eggs in the tablespoon of butter and set aside. Leave them on the softer side and break up the curds into smaller pieces.

Next, dice all your veg and set it out so it’s ready to go. I recommend three piles:

  1. Carrots, onions
  2. Garlic, ginger, turmeric, black pepper, chilies and chili oil 
  3. Green onion, green peas, sesame seeds

The creation of this is going to move quickly so best have everything set out.

Heat up a few tablespoons of your favorite cooking oil in your wok. For me, that is avocado oil (no seed oils in this house). Get it really fucking hot. And turn on the stovetop vent.

1 tablespoon of tamari + the carrots and onions. Two minutes.

Follow with the garlic, ginger, turmeric, black pepper, chilies, and chili oil + 1 tablespoon of tamari. One Minute. (Stir it a lot). 

Move the veg to the sides of the wok, add another tablespoon of cooking oil, and add the leftover rice. Spread it out and stir it up a bit, optimizing for maximum rice contact with the wok. To the top of the rice, add 1 more tablespoon of tamari, the sesame oil, and the rice vinegar. Stir it all up and now let it sit for two minutes. Stir. Two more minutes. Stir. A little smoke is okay. 

// If you are using a protein, throw it in now, stir. One more minute. Just warm it up. 

Last step. Add the green onion, green peas, sesame seeds, and scramble egg. Stir it up. Then take it off the heat.

You’re done. You made it. 20 minutes tops. With no seed oils. Now go eat that shit with chopsticks and sake. 
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Veggie

Pasta Primavera

one and a half slices past primavera girlypop recipe spring cherry blossoms washington dc
one and a half slices recipes local delicious food

Quick Pasta Primavera

one and a half slices past primavera girlypop recipe spring cherry blossoms washington dc

hot take girl dinner is getting a springtime refresh. The OG girl dinner is giving summer and this, well, this is for cherry blossoms in full bloom 🌸use whatever veg you have. peas, carrots, and asparagus are on rotation at Valley house atm. don’t skip the lemon and parm | happy springtime!

what you need

1 1/2-2 cups of veggies of choice, diced small

*I like carrots, frozen peas, and asparagus

1/2 shallot or 1/4 yellow onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1 1/2 cups pasta of choice (I’ve been on this huge radiatore kick that has dominated girl dinner)

1 cup parmesan cheese (shredded finely)

2 tablespoons salted butter 

2 tablespoons olive oil

(optional) 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

(optional) splash of half and half or heavy cream

how to make it

Method: stovetop

Set the pasta to boil according to package instructions. Don’t forget to reserve a couple splashes of pasta water!

When the pasta is al dente: in a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallot/onion and cook for 1 minute until it softens. Add the vegetables and sauté 2 minutes more until starting to soften. Sprinkle the garlic, lemon zest, and cherry tomatoes on top and give everything a nice stir.

Push the vegetables to the edge of the saucepan and add a couple splashes of pasta water to the pan. Stir this together with the butter to create a silky sauce in the middle of the pan. Then transfer the drained al dente pasta to the saucepan. Stir everything together.

As the pasta simmers, add the parmesan cheese to the top and the half and half, if using. Stir together until combined. Once this comes together, but before the veggies are overcooked, plate and top with additional parmesan cheese. Enjoy warm and steaming.
pasta
Categories
Omni

Tuscan Chicken Soup

one and a half slices local simple recipes food

Tuscan Chicken Soup

Man, the soups are slaying this fall. This one is in the same category as the Zinger Chicken Soup, which is zestier, and Viking Lentil Stew, which is heartier. This one, above all, is warm. Just warm. Super freaking cozy while maintaining a light level of flavor profile intrigue. It’s a curious little sweater of a soup for fall and winter evenings that takes exactly 1 hour to get on your table.

⛄🔥❄️

what you need

1 quart (36 fl oz) chicken broth + 1 cup water

~3 small white or red potatoes, skinned and diced tiny

~3-4 carrots, skinned and diced tiny

2-3 cups swiss chard, washed and chopped coursely (without the stems removed)

1 tablespoon salted butter

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 yellow onion, diced tiny

3-4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 lb fresh white meat chicken

1 can (8 oz) cannellini beans (or other white bean of choice)

zest from 1 full lemon

1 parmesan cheese rind

freshly grated parmesan cheese for serving

2 tablespoons olive oil per bowl for serving

how to make it

Method: stovetop

Utensil: Dutch oven or large cooking pot

Melt butter over medium heat in pot. Add diced onion, sauté for 2 minutes, then add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute more. Add the thyme, oregano, and crushed red pepper, and give it a good stir.

Place the parmesan rind, chicken broth, water, and whole pieces of chicken in the pot with a generous amount of salt. Bring to a boil and simmer with the pot covered for ~30 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot to a cutting board and shred it with a fork. Then return it to the pot. Also remove the parmesan rind from the pot and throw it away.

Add the potatoes, carrots, and beans to the pot and simmer, covered, for an additional 2o minutes. At this point, kill the heat and add the lemon zest and swiss chard, stirring a bit, then covering the pot (without heat) for 5 more minutes.  

Note: at this point, you can add a splash of heavy cream of half & half if you want the soup truly creamy, but I find that the starch from the potatoes and the beans has thickened it to my particular liking. 

Ladle the soup into bowls and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of really good olive oil per bowl (you should be able to see plenty of the little oil beads in the soup). Grate some fresh parmesan cheese on top and enjoy immediately.

more warm soups for winter
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Omni

Zinger Chicken Soup

one and a half slices chicken soup recipe easy thai spicy local
one and a half slices local simple recipes food

Zinger Chicken Soup

one and a half slices chicken soup recipe easy thai spicy local

The origin of this soup is… Fridge Soup. Fridge Soup is soup I make at least once a week, sometimes at the end of a week, when the fridge is almost empty but the freezer is stocked with chicken broth because I bake so many chickens. Fridge Soup involves chicken stock and whatever happens to be in the fridge (and pantry). It is flexible. It is hearty. It is warming, calming, homey, and very, very low maintenance. At minimum, you need something like dried herbs, onions, carrots, garlic, a rice or a noodle, maybe some chicken or perhaps just some really nice beans. This particular Fridge Soup, though, came out really, really well. So well that the entire household agreed it deserved its own post. So here is it. I dub thee Zinger Chicken Soup, mostly because it blends thai flavors with Italian inspo super well in this spicy, zesty, fresh yet hearty soup like nothing I’ve ever quite tasted. If you want that specific experience, recreate the recipe precisely. If you just want to go the way of Fridge Soup, vibe on, my friend… vibe on.

what you need

1 lb chicken (a breast is fine)

1-2 cups cooked brown rice or wild rice, or 1-2 cups cooked pasta noodles of choice 

1 cup beans (like a great northern bean, a pinto bean, or a kidney bean – a can is fine, but if fresh, soak overnight)

1 cup finely chopped vegetables in the allium family (e.g., garlic, onions shallots, green onions, leeks)

1 large knob of fresh ginger, minced

the zest from 1 lemon

the juice from that same lemon

2 thai chilies or serrano peppers. minced

6-8 oz dry white wine

1-2 cups finely diced carrots, celery, and/or baby turnips 

1 tablespoon red pepper flakes 

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 cup parmesan cheese

8-10 cups chicken and/or vegetable broth (a mix of both is fine)

3 cups washed and trimmed kale, spinach, or swiss chard

3-4 tablespoons herbs of choice (e.g., herbes de provence, oregano, thyme, parsley, salt)

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

how to make it

Method: stovetop

Utensil: Dutch oven or large cooking pot

Chunk your chicken and season it as you see fit (salt, olive oil, mustard, paprika, lemon juice, ???, get jiggy w it)

Place the olive oil in the dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken really well until cooked almost through. Remove from the pot and shred or cut into smaller pieces for the soup. Set aside.

Back to the pot. Go in with the white wine and fully deglaze the pan. Add the butter, alliums, peppers, ginger, red pepper, lemon zest, herbs, and salt, and give it a good solid sauté for a minute or two. Then add the carrots/celery/turnips, along with some more salt and black pepper, and soften for a minute or two more. 

Once everything is softened, add the broth and the beans. If the beans were raw, at this point you’ll need to cover the pot and boil steadily for 40-50 minutes or until the beans are soft. If the beans were from a can, you can keep the boil to around 15 minutes. 

Add the chicken, rice/noodles, and kale/chard, and boil steadily for another 10-15 minutes until everything is fragrant and combined. After the soup is mostly composed, kill the heat. Into the steaming soup, add the heavy cream (slowly so it does not curdle), the parmesan cheese, and the lemon juice. Stir to combine. 

Ladle into 2-3 bowls, top with fresh chives or parsley, a glug or two of olive oil, and more parmesan cheese. Serve on its own or with very crusty, hearty bread.  

impromptu soup
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Omni

Moroccan Tagine

one and a half slices local simple recipes food

Moroccan Tagine

I have been SO excited to release this post!!! Why? Because this is your new weeknight dinner. It will impress your family, fill your stomach, warm your heart, and make your house smell like North African spices. I started making tagine [pronounced tah-jeen with a soft ‘j’] years ago when I first moved to DC and came across a tagine (distinction below) in World Market. I was instantly and aesthetically intrigued, and purchased the thing on the spot not having a clue what I would do with it. Well… figured that one out. A tagine is the OG slow cooker.  And whatever you put inside – lamb, chicken, chickpeas, rabbit, potatoes – you will taste the spicy exoticism. If you don’t have a tagine, no worries. You can make it in a Dutch oven, stovetop or, yes, in a slow cooker. And before you think this is just chicken slow roasted in tomato sauce… keep reading…

For reference, the clay pot pictured above (the vessel) is a tagine. What is pictured below it is the deliciousness you are about to create in said vessel, which also happens to be called tagine. Both the pot AND the dish are called “tagine.” A tagine (the vessel) is a clay or ceramic pot. A tagine (the food) is a stew. Both of these items are native to North Africa (think Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia), but this cooking style is traditionally Berber and has its counterparts in both Cypriot and Ottoman cuisine.  In Cypriot cuisine, it is called the tavas and in Ottoman (present-day Turkish) cuisine, it is called testi.

In the traditional Berber implementation, a fire is made in a hole in the ground, the clay pot nestled inside, buried, and left for many hours. Upon return, the meat and vegetables inside have become a hearty stew and the meat is super tender (see? slow cooker…). In traditional Ottoman cuisine, the clay pot is made and preliminarily fired before the meat and vegetables are added. Then the clay pot is sealed (with more clay) and placed in the fire for several hours like a kiln. To extract the food, the pot is broken (often tableside for showmanship), and its contents poured onto a bed of rice. The streets of Turkey brought me this Ottoman delight in 2014, well after I tasted Moroccan and Algerian flavors in 2011. One of the best meals I have ever had in my life was rabbit plum couscous (made in a tagine) in central Morocco (the blue city, to be precise). While the cooking methods are similar, the tastes can vary drastically due to the spices! An exemplar Moroccan spice blend is pictured below. Cloves, fennel, anise, fenugreek, caraway, cardamom, turmeric, and saffron could just as easily find their way into the mix. As we move further east from the Berber origins, Lebanese (deep red) or Turkish (purple) Sumac may make an appearance. 

This has always been a personal fascination of mine… how culinary traditions jump borders. For example, German schnitzel is Argentinian Milanesa is American Country Fried Steak (well, almost). Similarly, almost every Eastern European country, to include Greece and Turkey, has its own version of borek (baked, fried, cheese-filled, spinach-filled, meat-filled… recipe coming eventually). Borek is not too dissimilar from the Latin empanada (which varies drastically from country to country –  baked, fried, with potatoes/peas/carrots, with egg/olives/raisins, with cheese, without cheese). 

Given the diversity of this dish and its multicultural origins, it is like almost everything I make – flexible. You can make it your own. You can also eat it on Monday with chicken, on Wednesday with lamb, and go vegan on Saturday – versatile. I’ve provided a base ingredient list and a base recipe below, with instructions for how to make it stovetop or in the oven. If you love it as much as I do, a simple tagine isn’t hard to come by. No, it isn’t technically required… but neither are sprinkles. For testing purposes, however, your Dutch oven or a large stovetop pan will suffice. Truth be told, I typically make it stovetop unless it’s for presentation. The quickest, weeknight version is made in the oven. Don’t be alarmed by the length of the ingredients list – it is mostly spices that you already have in your pantry.

You can serve this over rice or over couscous, or even just with the stewed potatoes all mashed up if you wanted to. 

what you need

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth (2 cups for the stovetop version; 1 cup for the oven version)

1 cup dry couscous or rice

4 chicken pieces (drumsticks or thighs work best, but breasts cut into chunks work as well). You can also use rabbit meat, chunks of lamb loin, or a can of chickpeas for a vegan option.

fresh cilantro, coriander, or parsley

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon ground turmeric 

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more if you prefer your tagine super spicy)

2 tablespoons ghee or olive oil

1-2 tablespoons honey

1/2 onion, thickly diced

1 whole, small lemon, washed and cut into wedges with seeds removed

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 can crushed or diced tomatoes

1/4 cup golden raisins or diced dried apricots

1/4 cup sliced almonds, cashews, or pine nuts, roasted

(optional) 1/4 cup green peas

(optional) 1/2 cup green olives, pitted and sliced in half

(optional) 2-3 large carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks

(optional) 1 16oz can of chickpeas

My favorite: I prefer a chicken drumstick tagine made stovetop with golden raisins and lemon wedges, with or without the chickpeas, topped with toasted almonds. The golden raisins, lemon, and almonds are what make the dish. 

how to make it (stovetop method - recommended for best flavor)

Mix the dry spices together and set aside (cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and cayenne pepper).

Prepare the protein. Heat olive oil or ghee over high heat in Dutch oven or large pan on the stove. Brown the chicken on all sides, about three minutes on each side, and sprinkle with salt. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Add onions to the pan and sauté until softened, about 1 minute. Add sliced garlic and grated fresh ginger and cook another 30 seconds, taking care not to burn the garlic. 

Make the tagine. Reduce heat to low and add tomatoes, chicken broth, honey, drained chickpeas (if using), green olives (if using), lemon wedges, and golden raisins to the pan. Stir in the spices and bring to an extremely low simmer. Nestle the chicken back into the stew, cover, and cook on the lowest possible setting for 1 1/2-2 hours, or until chicken becomes extremely tender. Check the stew once every 30 minutes or so, stirring occasionally to ensure there is enough liquid and nothing is burning. If the liquid dissipates, you can add about 1/2 cup of water. About 45 minutes out, throw in the carrots so they stay a bit firmer. You can do this with half of the lemon slices as well if you choose. 

Notes on cooking time: 1 hour is plenty sufficient for chicken breast or rabbit, but this dish is more delicious with bone-in chicken drumsticks or thighs.  These will do better with a 2-3 hour cooking time to ensure it is extremely tender. Lamb will benefit from the 2-3 hour cooking time as well. I will be posting a second rabbit couscous recipe down the road with a different set of ingredients.

Serve. While the tagine is cooking, make the rice or couscous according to instructions on the package, and roast the nuts in the oven as well. When the stew is ready, spoon rice or couscous into a bowl and spoon the tagine over top. Garnish with a lemon wedge, fresh cilantro or parsley leaves, and toasted nuts. 

how to make it (Dutch oven or tagine method - recommended for speed)

Preheat oven to 350 or 200 (see notes below). Mix the dry spices together and set aside (cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and cayenne pepper). 

Make the tagine. Place chunked meat in tagine or Dutch oven and nestle vegetables (carrots, chickpeas (if using), onions, and lemon around the meat). Top with sliced garlic, grated ginger, golden raisins, and green olives (if using). Sprinkle with spice mixture. Pour 1 cup of chicken broth and can of diced tomatoes over the mixture, secure the lid, and place in the oven.

Notes on cooking time: If you are making a quick weeknight meal and are using diced chicken or rabbit breast, you can get away with cooking this on 350 for 1 hour. If you have the time, aim for 2-3 hours on 200, checking once at the 1 1/2 hour mark to ensure there is still enough liquid. 

Serve. While the tagine is cooking, make the rice or couscous according to instructions on the package, and roast the nuts in the oven as well (or quickly under the broiler when the tagine comes out). When the stew is ready, spoon rice or couscous into a bowl and spoon the tagine over top. Garnish with a lemon wedge, fresh cilantro or parsley, and toasted nuts (almonds work especially well).

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Chicken Francaise

one and a half slices german germany
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Chicken Francaise

one and a half slices chicken francaise easy weeknight recipe

This recipe has just a few ingredients but a lot going on. And it wants for capers. But nevermind. It’s fabulously simple and deceptively French (deceptively so, because it is not actually French). It is kind of German and kind of Italian, reminiscent of the Italian Chicken Piccata (without the capers). It’s a beautifully simple technique to master that makes for a glorious weeknight affair – over brown rice (for health), over pasta (for joy), or with a well-earned, crispy, buttery potato of choice. Or… wait, wait… haricot vert. 

✨ 

what you need

this is a perfectly portioned weeknight dinner for two

2 fresh chicken breasts

1 lemon, washed 

1 cup chicken stock

1/3 cup dry white wine

a handful of fresh chives, chopped finely 

1 cup flour

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon paprika

2 eggs

1/3 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated 

5 tablespoons butter, cubed and kept cold

3 tablespoons olive oil

how to make it

Method: stovetop

Utensil: one very large pan

PREPARE slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise so that you are left with four thinner chicken breasts, as if you were making schnitzel 

in a small bowl, mix flour, oregano, paprika, and a generous amount of salt together

in another bowl, whisk the two eggs along with the parmesan cheese and a bit of salt

slice four rounds out of the center of the lemon and retain the two ends for juice

PAN FRY heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a very large pan over medium heat (leave the rest of the butter in the fridge). once heated, roll each piece of chicken one by one in the flour mixture, coating completely, and then dip in the egg mixture. arrange the four chicken breasts in the pan and allow to pan fry, flipping once, until almost cooked through (~150-160 degrees). remove the chicken from the pan to a plate and pan fry the four lemon slices for ~45 seconds on each side. remove those to a plate. by this point, your pan is probably smoking and quite hot.

SAUCE deglaze the pan with the white wine and scrape the chicken bits off the bottom of the pan (yes, there will be a lot of smoke. it’s okay, calm down). then add the chicken stock and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. take the butter cubes from the fridge and roll them generously in the flour mixture before adding to the pan. whisk the butter in to create a very silky sauce. at this point, if you have a lot of chicken bits or flour chunks in your sauce, you have the option to strain it quickly and return it to the pan. 

throw in your handful of chives (reserving a few for serving) and return the chicken breasts to the pan, spooning the sauce over them. place one lemon slice on each breast. squeeze the remainder of the lemon juice from the lemon ends into the sauce. allow to simmer for a few minutes until the chicken climbs over 165 degrees. if your chicken seems undercooked, you can put a lid on the pan and simmer on low for ~10 minutes to bring it up to temperature.

SERVE so far, my preference is to serve this over brown rice. it provides more structure than orzo. but if your jam is chicken piccata, I could easily see this over some capellini. it also pairs exceptionally well with sturdy green vegetation such as asparagus or broccoli, and/or potato mash or some sort of internet-trending crispy buttered potatoes. serve two chicken breasts over your base, spoon a little sauce on top, and throw on a few fresh chives and some additional parmesan cheese. enjoy immediately. 
fav ways to prepare chicken
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Butternut Pasta

one and a half slices butternut squash fall pasta recipe healthy agriculture
one and a half slices local simple recipes food

Butternut & Sausage Pasta

one and a half slices butternut squash fall pasta recipe healthy agriculture

this one was quick and dirty (and, yes, internet-inspired). but! I had a brilliant and enthusiastic ginger accomplice. and she was determined to put this butternut squash to creative use (not pictured: the illustrious butternut squash in its original form). we chopped and roasted, sauteed and blended, and created this hearty, super sweet Fall fav. cheers, you guys. we have officially entered spooky season.

🦇💀🎃

what you need

1 small-medium sized butternut squash, chopped into ~2 inch squares

1 onion, quartered

3 cloves of garlic, peeled

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon dried rosemary

salt, to taste

1/4 cup water

1 pound loose, mild sausage (Whole Foods’ bulk sage sausage is a great choice)

1/2-1 pound pasta noodles of choice (we used tagliatelle for lacking farfalle, paccheri, or campanelle, all of which would have likely been better) 

8-10 fresh sage leaves 

2 tablespoons salted butter 

1 pinch ground nutmeg

1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half 

1/2-3/4 cup parmesan cheese

how to make it

Method: stovetop

Utensil: blender

Preheat oven to 400. Place butternut squash squares, onion, and garlic on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with rosemary, and roast until cooked through, ~15 minutes. 

While the veg is roasting, roll the loose sausage into small, hastily-formed meatballs, and brown them in a saucepan until cooked through. Remove and set aside on a plate.

Cook the pasta until al dente.

Transfer the roasted veg to a blender with about 1/2 cup of water and some salt. Blend thoroughly, adding water until very smooth. 

To the original sausage saucepan, add 2 tablespoons of butter and fry the fresh sage leaves over medium heat for ~1-2 minutes. Add the blended veg to the saucepan and stir until combined and bubbling. Add the sausage. Then add the cream. Stir and heat completely (the mixture will be very thick and will pop all over the place if you do not heat it slowly). Add the pasta along with several tablespoons of pasta water to make the sauce silky. Add in some grated parmesan cheese an give it all a good mix.

Plate and serve immediately with additional parmesan on top and a sage leaf, for dramatic effect. 

get your #fallvibes
Categories
Veggie

Girl Dinner

one and a half slices zucchini parmesan girl dinner pasta delicious
one and a half slices local simple recipes food

Girl Dinner

trust me you want it

I’m entering my level up era and I’ve been eating a lot of girl dinner. Yes, I know, girl dinner is french fries and a pornstar martini. But this girl dinner is a fraction of the cost and it takes like 15 minutes to make. At home. So you can continue doing #levelup things (or play videogames, either). 

also, have you tried the primavera version?

what you need

2 cloves fresh garlic, thinly sliced or minced

2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest

(optional) 1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 zucchini, cute into small slices

1 small handful of angel hair pasta

2 tablespoons butter

3/4 cup good parmesan cheese

salt & pepper to taste

how to make it

Set a pot of salted water to boil. Add your pasta and boil until cooked through.

In a pan, sauté garlic and zucchini until al dente in the first tablespoon of butter. Remove from heat until the pasta is ready. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter, all the lemon, and a bit of black pepper. 

Return to heat and add the pasta using tongs, allowing several tablespoons of the pasta water to spill into the pan (no need to drain). Toss the mixture once or twice.

After about a minute of sizzle and simmer, add the cheese and some salt and give the pasta another couple of tosses. Plate immediately and top with a bit more parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. 

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