DOCTORED UP PESTO PASTA

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CONFESSION TIME: I am so not above store-bought pesto…for myself or for personal chef clients. There are many worthy fresh prepared brands in the refrigerated section of the grocery store.

I do like to doctor up store-bought pesto pastas up with roasted veggies like the red onion and zucchini here, then big flavor boosters like olives and shaved parm. Add some rinsed, canned cannellini or butter beans, or chickpeas, a few handfuls of arugula if you want and you have yourself a perfectly rounded meal. Dinner with less that 20 min of effort.

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Farro with Late Summer Corn, Fried Halloumi and Pickled Red Onion

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DO NOT come at me with fall BS. Yes, we have months of squash, potatoes and long cook times to come but we still have weeks left of all the best summer produce. Here is a crunchy, filling salad using all the best of the late summer produce to fuel you through your first few days back to work or school. It will make the transition just the slightest bit more enjoyable.

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Dilly Late Summer Beans with Jammy Eggs

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This salad is as fun to eat as it is beautiful to look at – a jumble of flavors, textures and colors. I’m always looking for ways to make the humble green bean a little more exciting. This is it.

I love keeping a big jar of picked red onions or shallots in my fridge and toasted nuts in my freezer. With those things at the ready, salads like this come together in minutes.

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5 Ingredient Farro with Toasted Pistachios and Parm

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Guys, no excuses not to throw this bad boy together. It’s a crunchy, salty, chewy and totally satisfying combo of farro, pistachios and Parmesan. I’m calling it 5 ingredient but really it’s just those three plus lemon / evoo / salt / pepper, none of which should count so let’s just say those count for 2 ingredients…am I cheating? Whatever, just make it.

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JUNE 15 VIRTUAL COOKING CLASS

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My next Zoom cooking class will be Wednesday, June 15 from 4-5pm ET. Cooks of all skill levels are welcome and our menu is vegetarian-friendly (though this time not vegan). $40 per Zoomer. 

The class will be short and sweet but leave you with a delicious dinner to enjoy with family or friends that night *and* an extra meal to stick in your freezer for the coming weeks/months. 

*MENU*

Now or Later Turkey (or Lentil) Meatballs

Roasted Tomato and Corn Pasta with Arugula and Ricotta

Pasta and meatballs…. what’s not to love? 

This is one of those menus that I find myself making on repeat. It comes together quickly, tastes as good room temperature (or cold from the fridge) as it does hot, is enjoyed by toddlers and adults alike, and leaves me with plenty of lunchbox leftovers and even a second meal in the freezer.

The Roasted Tomato and Corn Pasta with Arugula and Ricotta is summer in a bowl. It is made with the pasta:veg ratio I love, which is about 50:50. That way it serves double duty as the meal’s “salad.” You can toss the noodles with the ricotta so they are all equally coated with the milky cheese or leave it like I do with big, billowy pockets. The dish is so hearty that I oftentimes serve it as dinner all on its own. 

But I want to make meatballs with you, so let’s do that! In my opinion, meatballs are an essential recipe that everyone should have memorized. If you have a basic template (which I of course will be giving you) you can make endless variations to suit your tastes. The turkey (or lentil) meatballs we’re making are a basic Italian-style ball flavored with garlic, more ricotta, salty parmesan cheese and tomato paste. We’ll prepare some to serve with the pasta and freeze leftovers in your favorite jarred sauce. In my opinion, meatball recipes should always be doubled. It’s far less than twice the work, they freeze like a dream and it feels so good knowing you have them on hand when you could use the short cut later on.

Register for the class here. I will approve your registration, and send you an invoice and more information about the class including a grocery list, our recipes and answers to common questions. If you can’t make it live, the recording will be made available to all registrants after the class. If you miss this entirely or catch this post after the fact, send me a message directly and I’ll get everything to you.

HOPE I SEE YOU THERE!

xx