Are you hungry?

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Quick, Seasonal, Creamy Pasta Primavera

This is one of the easiest pasta recipes I've created in quite some time. Florida fresh seasonal squash and sweet peppers, baby portabella mushrooms, Philadelphia Brand cooking creme along with leftover cheese tortellini turned out to be a most delicious pasta dinner in just 30 minutes.

Being a member of the Kraft First Taste community, I was given an opportunity to test Philadelphia cooking creme about a year ago. They provided free product coupons. In return, I was asked to evaluate the product through surveys. Of course, sharing and blogging about the cooking creme is always appreciated but not required. So, I blogged about Mexican Lasagna I prepared with the Santa Fe Blend over at The Midlife Woman. At that time I also tested the Italian Cheese and Herb variety, and have to admit I wasn't too impressed... the creme was overly seasoned.

Feeling as though I didn't truly test the Italian blend, when another coupon opportunity arose I had to take it. Oh boy I'm really happy I did too!! This pasta recipe is particularly wonderful not only for the delicious flavor but for using what you have on hand. The amounts and ingredients depend solely on your personal tastes.

Ingredients
Cooked Pasta
Fresh Vegetables
1 - 2 Tbps. Olive Oil (for sauteing veggies)
1/3 cup chicken broth or water
Philadelphia Brand Italian herb & Cheese Cooking Creme
Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Method
Choose your favorite pasta and cook according to package directions or use left over pasta. I used leftover cheese tortellini. The amounts shown made two adult servings, about 4 cups.

Next quick saute the vegetables in the olive oil over a medium heat to brown outsides. We don't want mushy veggies, be sure to add the quick cooking veggies last.

Lower the temperature and add the cooking creme. I used 1/2 the container.

Stir in the chicken broth or water, blend completely with the vegetables. add the pasta, season with fresh ground pepper, and eat!

Are you hungry?

♥

Comments Recipe Tags: dinner, leftovers, pasta, reviews, vegetables

Thursday, May 03, 2012

Fresh Strawberry Lemon J E L L O Pie

Hey there, remember me? Seems like forever since sharing a recipe from my kitchen. The menu has been simple, swift, and prepared at erratic hours. Food photos were totally out of the question under the circumstances. Nevertheless, we ate good quality meals and even managed to sneak in a few home made desserts too.

My father’s health is stable but he never fully returned to pre-accident status. While this is a common occurrence among the elderly, personality also played a huge role in his recovery or, should I say, the lack thereof. That old adage “You can‘t teach an old dog new tricks” proved to be 100% true. He now resides in a skilled nursing facility. What can I say…? I guess we all have to live with the consequences of our decisions.

Anyway, relishing in the Florida strawberry season, a midnight search based on what was in the pantry returned this delightful, fresh flavored Strawberry Lemon Jell-O Pie. The recipe author claimed this was an adaptation of the original by her 5-year-old daughter. With a pre-made crust in the fridge, I thought yes I could definitely construct this JELLO pie!

Fresh Strawberry Lemon Jell-O Pie

Ingredients

1 9” pre-made Pillsbury piecrust (or home made if you have time)

1 1/4 cup of water
1 1/4 cup of sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 oz lemon Jell-O gelatin
4 cups Florida strawberries, sliced thinly (about 16 oz container)

Directions
Prepare the piecrust according to package directions.

In a saucepan over high heat, combine the water, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and stir about 4-5 minutes, reaching a very slightly thickened consistency. Add lemon gelatin and stir until dissolved. Cool to room temperature. Add strawberries and mix thoroughly. Pour into the prepared piecrust and refrigerate for 4 hours or until set.

You may not notice a thickening in the consistency while stirring, I didn’t. However, don’t worry stirring the full 5 minutes is sufficient.

Strawberry Lemon Jell-O Pie Assessment

The pie was bursting with that distinctive fresh strawberry flavor. Expecting a sweet lemon Jell-O undertone, I was pleasantly surprised to find the contrast of lemon completely enhanced the fresh strawberry flavor. The texture was delightful, in no way rubbery, and much lighter than traditional Jell-O. Not an excessively sweet pie, a dollop of whipped cream is the perfect finish.

Thank you Pam - fortheloveofcooking - for the delicious recipe and photo!

Other combinations of Jell-O I’ve tested were raspberry and strawberry. The strawberry was my least favorite as it overpowered the fresh strawberry flavor. The raspberry Jell-O and fresh strawberry combo needed something more. Perhaps a thin layer of kiwi is the answer…. We will see next pie!

Are you hungry?
♥

Comments Recipe Tags: baking, dessert, fruit, pie

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Easy Apple Cranberry Galette-Crostata Recipe

Is it a Galette or a Crostata? Regardless of the name, these fruit layered desserts are scrumptious by all measures. The combination of apple and cranberry formulate the best Galette - Crostata filling in my opinion.

"More often than not, despite the fact that it can refer to a number of different baked goods, the term galette typically refers to a free form tart that is made with a flaky pasty crust." Baking Bites

"As a form of tart that hails from Italy, the crostata cane be prepared with a variety of fruit fillings and made into any size that the cook desires." WiseGeek

Although “Are You Hungry?” has been nearly uninhabited the last few months, I have been cooking and baking. My real comfort in troubled times. Being of the “self taught” foodie classification, I thought a bit of Google research would help to facilitate a title. Yeah well regardless of selecting Galette or Crostata this dessert is delicious!

The original recipe was posted by a fellow Floridian at Just a Pinch.com. I've prepared the recipe exactly as written three or four times. The only adjustment I made was brushing the crust with honey. This is an easy, not too sweet, and incredibly comforting dessert.

Apple Cranberry Galette - Crostata

Ingredients

1 9" pie crust (pre-made or homemade)

4 apples, peeled and cored
1/4 c butter
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/3 c brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 c fresh cranberries
1-2 Tbsp Honey (for brushing)

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick spray.

In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat. In a bowl, place apple slices and add cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and brown sugar. Toss and add to skillet.

Cook for 10 minutes and then stir in cranberries. Cranberries will pop when heated through. Cook until liquid cooks down and apples are tender.

Unroll pie crust onto prepared pan, spread so it makes an uneven circle. Spoon prepared apples into center of crust and fold in sides loosely and unevenly.

Bake in preheated for 12-15 minutes or until crust is golden brown and flaky.

The original recipe suggested the option of sprinkling the crust with granulated sugar. This is where I brushed with honey. Local Florida Orange Blossom Honey. YUM!!

Thank you for the continued kind words and prayers for my Dad. After another visit to the hospital due to pneumonia and a bout of C Diff in rehab, we think he's finally on the road to recovery.
♥