Farfalle with Sugar Snap Peas, Spring Onions & Ricotta

It's been so crazy with work and life events that we've fallen off the weekly meal plan. However there have been some very good dinners and this one was so good and so easy it begs to be recorded.

I had skim milk ricotta, a bag of sugar snap peas and spring onions from my farm box and some leftover roast chicken breasts from GFC. I had Marlena Speiler's article full of pasta recipes from the Chronicle food section. This came together in under 20 minutes and was very tasty!

• 12 to 14 ounces Barilla whole wheat rotini pasta*
• 2 cups sugar snap peas, halved crosswise on the diagonal
• 3 spring onions, halved and very thinly sliced
• 1 stem green garlic, white and lightest green part only, halved and very thinly sliced
• 2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 7 ounces part skim milk ricotta cheese
• Shredded meat from 1.5 roast chicken breasts
• Salt and liberal grindings of freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano, plus more to pass at table

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to package instructions. With about 2 minuts to go, add the peas to the water and continue cooking until the peas are bright green and tender and the pasta just al dente. Set aside a cup of the cooking water and then drain the pasta and peas.

Return the pasta and peas to the still hot pan and toss first with the green onions and olive oil, then the ricotta, salt and pepper. Add pasta water as necessary to moisten. Lightly stir in the chicken and grated cheese. Serve right away.

True to her recommendation, this went fabulously with dry rose. Even MZ enjoyed it!

* This is our favorite w/w pasta, it has great pasta flavor and texture, it's never gummy or tough.

Creamy Asparagus Mustard Sauce for Pasta

This recipe is a riff off an Eating Well recipe. I didn't want red sauce, R wanted cream sauce, we had asparagus and pancetta that needed to be cooked. The end result was delicious, easy and extremely satisfying but not crazy-creamy. Definitely worth making again

1 t EVOO

1/4 cup pancetta, fine dice

1 lg shallot, halved and thinly sliced

1 stalk green garlic, white part only, halved and thinly sliced

1/4 cup white wine

4 t mustard

4 t flour

1/2 t kosher salt

1/2 t freshly round pepper

3/4 cup each half/half and 1% milk

zest of one half lemon

1 bunch asparagus, thicker stalks

1/4 cup grated parmesan

8 oz. whole wheat fusilli or spaghetti

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Heat the oil in a medium pan over medium heat, add the pancetta and brown slowly. Drain all but 2 t fat and add shallots. Saute till softened, add green garlic and saute briefly. Add white wine, turn up heat and reduce by 2/3.

Meanwhile, snap the bottoms from the asparagus stalks, trim "points" from sides and slice 1/4" thick on a sharp diagonal. Reserve tips.

Cook pasta per the package directions. Add asparagus tips in the last 90 seconds of cooking, then add the asparagus in the lass minute. Drain.

Whisk together mustard, flour, pepper and salt. Add milk and half/half slowly, whisking to combine. Add to pancetta mixture, heat to a simmer and stir, 1-2 minutes till the sauce thickens. Stir in the lemon zest and parmesan, combine with the pasta and asparagus and serve.

Dinners Week of 04/05 - Passover!

With Passover and MZ's Spring Break, this week was weird. We sent MZ to Mana & Papa's so we could front-load the week. It was like the pre-MZ days, staggering in at 9 pm to take-out Chinese food. And then three nights of serious cooking.

o Sunday: Thai food out with Friends

o Monday: Chinese take out won ton soup

o Tuesday: Turkey Fajitas
So easy, so good: Sauteed 2 red peppers, added 2 red onions, then sliced turkey cutlets, Penzey's SW seasoning, juice of one lime, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, on the table in 30 minutes.

o Wednesday: First Night Seder with Friends

o Thursday: Second Night Seder at Emanu-el

o Friday: My Special Passover Lambshanks + Brown Rice + Steamed Broccoli

o Saturday: Big Family Seder at Our House

o Sunday: Easter Dinner at Mana & Papa's

Passover Matzoh Balls
My recipe for easy, foolproof and completely delicious matzoh balls:
1 package Manischewitz matzo ball mix
2 T schmaltz
1 T finely chopped green garlic
1 T finely chopped chervil
1 pot-sized piece parchment paper

Prepare matzoh balls according to directions on box, substituing schmaltz for vegetable oil, and adding herbs. Refrigerate 1 hour before shaping into small balls slightly smaller than a golf ball. Do not be afraid to handle them, really shape them into tight balls. Bring water to a boil (do not salt!) and add matzoh balls as fast as possible. Cover pot with parchment paper, cover quickly with lid. Turn down heat and follow package instructions. Taste, if they're ready, remove them from the water as fast as possible or they'll start to sink. Enjoy with homemade chicken soup!

Prepare matzoh balls according to recipe

Dinners Week of 03/22

o Sunday: Chicken Vesuvio + Sauteed Greens
A Weight Watchers recipe, this one needs work: the potatoes need to be cut smaller in order to cook in time, and cut down on the rosemary. But R. enjoyed it and it's super-healthy and I love artichokes, so I'll probably try this again.

o Monday: Mustard-Maple Pork Tenderloin + w/w couscous + String Beans
Another easy, delicious Eating Well recipe! Pork and couscous, oh the irony!

o Tuesday: Ground Lamb Kebabs with Basque White Beans + Roasted Brussels Sprouts
A Basque dish that Mana and Papa made together, the kebabs were too spicy for MZ but the beans were delicious!

o Wednesday: Miso Soup with Rock Cod, Bok Choy and Soba Noodles
A super-easy recipe from New Food Fast, R and MZ had this made before I made it home!

o Thursday: Peruvian Grilled Chicken + Grilled Asparagus + Brown Rice
One of Bubbe's specialties, this chicken is great.

o Friday: GFC at SOMAnu-el

o Saturday: Mixed Grill with Friends at Home

Dinners Week of 03/08

o Sunday: Pumpkin-Tomato-Lentil-Merguez Soup + W/w Toast + Green Salad
Lots of house projects, dinner from the freezer

o Monday: Turkey Burgers with BBQ Seasoning on W/w Buns + Roasted Cauliflower + Green Salad

o Tuesday: Mana's Tortilla Casserole + Steamed Asparagus

o Wednesday: Lemongrass Marinated Grilled Pork Bun
Marinated the meat in the a.m., came home and shredded lettuce, carrots, cukes and green onions, cooked some rice noodles and made a dressing from some nuoc cham. A speedy, delicious dinner

o Thursday: Hangar Steak + Mashed Potatoes + Steamed Artichokes
Bubbe made a delicious dinner!

o Friday: Out at Friends' House

o Saturday: Out at Restaurant

The last of the green garlic

I have a few recipes I've been dying to post, and right now I'm procrastinating folding laundry, so why not?

This a salsa verde of sorts that's amazing served over grilled fish or chicken. The strong flavors make a simple dinner pop. Serve over salad or whole wheat couscous or orzo. As an aside, whole wheat orzo is my new favorite side dish, it's fast and toothsome, without the flavor and mouthfeel tradeoff of some whole wheat pastas.

Green Garlic Salsa Cruda

3 stems (?) of green garlic, from whites through light green, stopping wherever the stem becomes tough
One dozen green or oil-cured black olives
20 or so stems of Italian parsley
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon rinsed salted capers
1 t or more fresh lemon juice
Anchovy, mashed (optional)
EVOO or lemon EVOO
Salt and freshly ground peper to taste

Coarsely chop the first 4 ingredients. Add the capers and combine with your preferred EVOO to taste. Addictive served over grilled salmon or halibut, yummy on steamed vegetables.