Tuna Casserole Pasta Salad
September 13, 2015
Margaux says…
I know, I know…why am I posting about something boring like tuna pasta salad? Where’s the cake? Cookies? Cupcakes? It’s end of summer harvest…where are the tomatoes? Zucchini? Sweet corn? Well, sometimes I have nothing in the pantry but a couple of cans of tuna, some pasta, some frozen peas and some parsley. When I desperately need to go grocery shopping, it’s likely that I have those things. So I make this tuna pasta salad, a recipe from the Cook’s Illustrated 30-minute suppers magazine that I’ve vowed to post all of my favorite recipes from.
And this is not your normal tuna pasta salad. It’s not mayonnaise-y or sweet. It has great flavor and a little bit of a bite from the lemon, garlic and Dijon mustard. I like to serve it on a bed of arugula, and if I have them on hand, with a handful of cherry tomatoes thrown in, too. The original recipe calls for toasted breadcrumbs on top, which I don’t love the texture of, but I’ll include the steps to that for those of you who would like it!
Tuna Casserole Pasta Salad
adapted from 30-Minute Suppers from America’s Test Kitchen, Fall 2010 edition
2 slices high-quality white sandwich bread, torn into pieces (optional)
1/2 cup olive oil (plus 1 tbsp if doing bread crumbs)
3 tbsp juice from one lemon
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 (6-oz) cans tuna packed in water, drained and flaked into large chunks (I like the “chunk light” tuna)
1 pound small shells
2 cups frozen peas
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1. Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot. If doing bread crumbs, pulse bread in food processor until coarsely ground, about 6 pulses. Heat 1 tbsp oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add bread crumbs and 1/2 tsp salt and cook, stirring frequently, until deep golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl.
2. Whisk lemon juice, mustard, garlic, Worcestershire, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper together in large bowl. Slowly whisk in remaining oil. Gently toss tuna with 1/4 cup dressing in separate bowl.
3. Meanwhile, add shells and 1 tbsp salt to boiling water and cook until almost al dente. Add peas to pot and cook additional 1 minute. Drain pasta and peas and rinse with cold water. Add pasta, peas and parsley to bowl with remaining dressing and toss to coat. Gently fold in tuna and season with salt and pepper. Serve, topping each portion with bread crumbs.
Serve over a bed of arugula, or by itself with a green salad on the side.
Chickpea and Swiss Chard Soup
March 31, 2015
Aunt Suzy says . . .
This winter, Randy and I had what we called “Downton Abbey Dinner Date”. We would record DA and I would cook a soup which we would have while we watched the latest installment, usually Wednesday evenings. It was a lot of fun and great to have warming soups during our coldest months. While I made a few standbys, I tried some new recipes including this one. Margaux had pinned this recipe a while back and while searching for something to cook it caught my eye. I thought it looked really good and that it would be a really quick weeknight meal. We made a number of adaptations to up the deliciousness, but still keeping fast and easy in mind. How quickly you can make this is determined by how much you cook from scratch (chickpeas, e.g.) or how much you use canned/frozen ingredients.
Margaux says . . .
I don’t remember pinning this recipe, but I’m really glad Aunt Suzy brought it to my attention! I just made it last night and it was a hit with the whole family. My son loved that it was spicy, too…he’s very proud that he has a taste for spicy food. If you have someone in your family that is sensitive to spicy things, I would cut the red pepper flakes back to 1/4 tsp. I used fresh chard because I couldn’t find frozen in my grocery store, but I think using frozen is a great idea as a time saver, and I’ll be keeping my eyes out for frozen for the next time I make this.
Ingredients
5 1/2-6 cups cooked chickpeas (four 14-oz cans or 2 cups dried, cooked)
6-7 cups chicken stock, homemade or boxed (or Better than Bouillon no chicken broth for vegetarian)
3 tablespoons EV olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, small dice
1 celery rib, small dice
Swiss chard stems, diced (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Bay leaf
Small Parmesan rind, optional
1 bunch Swiss chard, stems removed and leaves cut into 1-inch pieces or 1-2 bags frozen chopped Swiss chard (see above note about stems)
Salt & pepper
Cooked small pasta – elbows, fusilli or shells, optional (we like whole wheat shells)
Directions
If using dried chickpeas, cook according to directions. 2 cups dried will produce the amount of cooked called for in this recipe. If using canned, drain and rinse.
Combine 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas and 1 cup chicken stock. Using a hand or regular blender, process until the texture is like oatmeal. Set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot. Add the onion, carrot, celery, chard stems, if using, and rosemary. Saute over medium heat for 5 or so minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices and the pepper flakes. Stir for a couple of minutes. Add the pureed chickpea mixture, the remaining chicken stock, cooked chickpeas, bay leaf and the Parmesan rind, if using. The amount of stock you will use depends on whether you like your soups on the thick or thin side. Bring to a boil, turn down heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
Add the Swiss chard and cook for another 10-15 minutes until cooked but not mushy. Remove the Parmesan rind and bay leaves before serving.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to directions until al dente.
To serve, place a little pasta in the bottom of the soup bowls and ladle the soup into the bowl. Serve with baguette if desired.
Zucchini and Tomato Frittata
August 1, 2014
Margaux says…
I love making frittatas for dinner in the summer. It’s a great way to use up random produce sitting in the fridge, it’s quick and easy, and it is best served at room temperature, which is great in summer. I got the idea for this one from Skinnytaste.com, except this isn’t the skinny version.
We don’t have tons of tomatoes and zucchinis like some people, because we unfortunately don’t have a garden. But I know that when you do grow those things, they are plentiful, so this is a great way to use it up. And the Asiago adds so much delicious flavor to this dish!
Zucchini and Tomato Frittata
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 large onion, diced
2 medium zucchinis, cut into matchsticks
8 large eggs
3/4 cup shredded Asiago cheese
1/4 cup chopped basil
salt and pepper
2 small garden tomatoes, sliced thinly
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Whisk together eggs with 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper and Asiago cheese. Set aside.
Heat olive oil in a 10″ non-stick pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add zucchini and turn up heat to medium-high. Saute until zucchini is soft, about 2 more minutes. Add egg mixture and let sit for a minute, then tilt the pan and loosen the edges with a spatula, letting uncooked egg slide underneath. Cook until the underside is golden but the top is still liquid, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes to the top of the frittata, sprinkle a little salt on them, and transfer to a center rack of the preheated oven. Bake until the top is set, about 5 minutes. If the top doesn’t set in that amount of time, turn the broiler on high, move the rack to the top position, and broil until the top sets, about 1-2 minutes. Don’t overcook! Remove pan from oven and let cool to warm. Remove frittata from pan onto a large serving plate, or cut right in the pan and serve. I like to serve it at room temperature, but it’s also good warm.
Steak and Zucchini Tostadas
July 31, 2014
Margaux says…
I bought this recipe magazine on a whim 4 years ago while waiting in line at the supermarket, and it quickly became my most-used recipe book in the summer and fall. Every recipe I have made (and I have used almost all of them) have been fantastic. And they are super quick and easy. So, since I use this blog as my virtual recipe box and menu planner (along with Pinterest, of course), I thought I would post some of my favorites from the magazine, just in case someday it catches on fire from being too close to a burner, or accidentally gets dropped in the dishwater. Plus, you should try out these recipes, too! They’re great for a quick, easy and flavorful weeknight meal.
I’m starting with the steak and zucchini tostadas. I don’t make these as often because we really don’t eat steak all that much (small business owner budget), but I have made this substituting lentil taco filling for the steak and it is also pretty good. My favorite lentil taco filling recipe is sort of a mash-up of my own taco seasoning and the lentil taco recipe from Budget Bytes. Actually, I keep the lentil taco filling on hand in the freezer for whenever we have tacos, so I have it ready for my vegetarian son on taco nights. But I digress….try these tostadas on your next taco night, you won’t be sorry. Zucchini and steak is a great combo!
Steak and Zucchini Tostadas
adapted from America’s Test Kitchen 30-Minute Suppers, Fall 2010 edition
**To make this even quicker, you can buy already made tostada shells at the grocery store if your store carries them. Here in Chicago there are a couple of different local brands that make them, and you can find them in the “Mexican” aisle.
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
4 tbsp vegetable or canola oil
salt and pepper
1 small flank steak (or about 1 lb strip steak…I used that once because it’s what I had on hand)
2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced thin
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
1 lime, cut into wedges, for serving
1 recipe pico de gallo, for serving (recipe follows)
1. Adjust oven racks to lower-middle and upper middle positions and heat oven to 450 degrees. Brush both sides of tortillas with 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Lay tortillas in single layer on 2 baking sheets. Bake until golden brown and crisp, rotating baking sheets and flipping tortillas halfway through, about 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, pat beef dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat additional 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium high heat until just smoking. Cook beef until well browned and it registers 125 degrees (for medium-rare), 4 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer to cutting board and tent with foil.
3. Add remaining oil and zucchini to skillet and cook until tender, about 4 minutes.
4. Cut beef in half lengthwise, then very thinly slice beef crosswise against grain. Divide beef and zucchini equally among tostadas. Top with feta and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges and pico de gallo.
Pico de Gallo
3 cored, seeded and diced plum tomatoes
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 jalepenos, seeded and minced (leave more of the seeds for more heat)
juice from 2 limes
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Pistachio Pesto Pasta – a Sicilian Classic
March 13, 2013
Aunt Suzy says . . .
I saw this recipe in a recent Bon Appetit and thought it fit right in to our Pasta Wednesday theme – easy, throw together quickly, healthy and delicious – even if it is hard to say! It reminded me of another no-cook pasta sauce we posted a couple of years ago that had a variety of nuts but basically the same approach. This recipe is a little less fancy, qualifying it for a perfect weeknight meal. I love cooking with mint and nuts which are ubiquitous ingredients in Sicilian cooking. (I must take a trip there one day.) The quantities listed made a lot of pesto so I had a chance to experiment with different pastas. I had it as a main dish on bow-tie pasta served with a salad. I served, as you see in the photo, as a side dish to salmon. While I liked it both ways, it’s very rich so I thought is was better as a side dish. An Italian white wine is a perfect match, even better if you can find one from Sicily where they are a little on the richer side.
1/2 pound pasta makes 3 main and 4 side servings
1 cup roasted pistachios, shelled
3/4 cup diced plum tomato (2 tomatoes)
1 large garlic clove or 2 small
a handful of fresh mint leaves
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
a handful of grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon EV olive oil
1/2-1 pound dried pasta, whole wheat recommended
Pulse the first 6 ingredients in a food processor until coarsely pureed. Turn into a bowl and add the olive oil. Stir until creamy, a bit like chunky peanut butter. Cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions. Before draining the pasta, reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water. Drain and rinse the pasta. Return to the pot and add 1/2 cup of the pesto per 1/2 pound pasta. Add a little of the pasta water and stir to blend thoroughly. Add enough of the pasta water to make a creamy sauce. Keep on the heat to heat through before serving.
NOTE: The pesto can be refrigerated and used at a later date or used as a sandwich spread.
Bow-tie Pasta with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Artichokes
February 20, 2013
Randy made this really delicious pasta last fall, and I’ve been bugging him about it since we decided to do Pasta Wednesdays here at S&SK. He finally brought over the cookbook where he found the recipe, Italian Light and Easy, a favorite standby of his originally published in 1993. He pointed out the recipe he thought he used, but couldn’t exactly remember. It used all the ingredients you see in this post except it was for a cold pasta salad! I distinctly remembered that he served it as a hot dish, so I thought he must have improvised, which is what I did. Not only is this dish Italian ” light and easy” it was lightning fast to put together, which fits perfectly with the Pasta Wednesday concept. This can be made in 30-minutes tops. Serve with a green salad and a nice, crisp bottle of Pinot Grigio and you’re set for a great weeknight meal.
1 9-ounce package frozen artichoke hearts
1/2 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, 1/2-inch dice
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
10 ounces Farfalle (bow-tie) pasta – regular, whole wheat or GF
2 tablespoons olive oil
8-10 fresh basil leaves, cut in chiffonade
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano
Cook the artichoke hearts according to package directions. Drain. When cool enough to handle, cut into 1-inch pieces and set aside.
Place the diced tomatoes into a small bowl and add the balsamic. Set aside.
Cook the pasta al dente according to package directions. Save 1/2 cup pasta water and then drain and rinse the pasta.
While pasta is cooking, place the olive oil in a large saute pan (large enough to hold the pasta and other ingredients) and heat to medium. After draining the pasta, place it in the preheated pan. Stir to coat. Add the reserved tomatoes and artichoke hearts and a little of the pasta water. Stir to combine, adding more water if it is too dry. Stir in the basil and parsley, salt and pepper. Once all is thoroughly combined, you can either add the Parmigiano and continue stirring till melted or pass the cheese for people to add to their individual serving.
COOK’S NOTES: I think this dish is perfect for whole wheat pasta which added a distinct flavor. I imagine if you don’t have Balsamic vinegar on hand, that red wine would work as well.
Warm Cauliflower Salad with Farro, Butterbeans and Herbs
February 19, 2013
Aunt Suzy says . . .
The most recent Bon Appetit is chock full of what look to be fabulous things to cook and bake, so I thought I’d better get started. This recipe contains only a few ingredients and none of the usual suspects of garlic, onions or shallots so I was curious about the flavor profile of the finished dish. I kept thinking “I should have added some garlic!” as I was cooking this, but am glad I didn’t – it is a WOW with many layers of flavor. The added bonus is that it was a snap to make! We served it with roasted chicken breasts and a green salad, but I can also see it as a first course or a vegetarian main dish. An Italian Pinot Bianco was a perfect wine pairing.
1/2 cup pearled farro (or barley)
1 1/4 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
juice of half a lemon
5-6 tablespoons EV olive oil
1 head cauliflower, cored and cut into florets
1 small can butter beans (or gigante or corona)
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
zest of 1 lemon
Cook the farro: Place farro in a saucepan with the water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 or so minutes until water is absorbed. Place in a large bowl to cool. Set aside.
Make the dressing: Whisk mayo, mustard, lemon juice and 4-5 tablespoons olive oil in a small bowl until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Cook the cauliflower: Place 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the cauliflower when oil shimmers. Cook for 10-12 minutes, uncovered, until browned in places, turning occasionally. Add 2 tablespoons water, then cover and cook for 5-8 more minutes until the cauliflower is tender. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.
Assemble the salad: Turn the cauliflower, while still hot, into the bowl with the farro. Add the butter beans and stir to combine. Add the dressing and stir to thoroughly blend. Next add the parsley, oregano and lemon zest and toss to blend all ingredients. Enjoy!
COOK’S NOTES: I adapted the BA recipe in a few ways. The original recipe called for barley, but I had farro on hand so used that. I think it would be good with either and possibly brown rice. I also used less mayo than called for and believe it could be made without it altogether. Also called for was tarragon, which I didn’t have so I substituted fresh oregano – I’ve been looking for uses since our plant is doing really well in the house this winter. I found the canned butter beans locally at Whole Foods – it took some searching!
Fish Tacos Take 1 – with Black Bean Salsa
July 17, 2012
Aunt Suzy says . . .
I’ve been hankering for fish tacos lately and suggested a recipe I made years ago to Randy that uses grilled red snapper and the classic cabbage slaw as a topping. He countered my suggestion with this recipe which is from a recent Co-op flyer. Since it was hot as blue blazes out, we opted for this recipe in which the fish is cooked stovetop – no lighting and hovering over a grill! This was fast to make and fun to eat. While we made it on a Saturday night, this would be a great option for a weeknight meal. We both agreed that we’d like to experiment with other fish taco recipes, so let us know about your favorites! Look for more fish taco postings soon.
This makes 4 servings of two tacos each
The Salsa
1 small can black beans, drained and rinsed (or 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans)
1 cup diced seeded fresh tomatoes
1 cup diced peeled and seeded cucumber
1 small red onion, diced
1 small jalapeno, minced
1/4 cup lime juice
3 tablespoons canola oil
1/2-3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 avocado, 1/2-inch dice
Salt and pepper to taste
Place the first 5 ingredients into a medium bowl and stir to combine. Whisk the lime juice and oil together and add to the vegetable mixture along with the cilantro. Add the avocado right before serving or if you will not be using the entire recipe in one meal, serve the avocado on the side to add to each taco. (The avocado did not hold up well in the leftover salsa.)
The Fish
1 pound Tilapia or white fish fillets
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2-3 tablespoons canola oil
Warm a platter in a 200 degree oven. Whisk the spices together, along with salt and pepper to taste, in a small bowl. Rub all sides of the fish fillets with the spice mixture. Add 2 tablespoons oil to a large non-stick or cast iron skillet and set on a medium-high burner. When the oil shimmers, add the fillets, two or three at a time depending on size. Cook until lightly browned and the flesh is opaque, about 2 minutes per side depending on thickness. Transfer the fillets to the warmed platter while cooking the remaining fish.
Assembling the Tacos
8 or more corn tortillas
Place the tortillas in foil and warm in the oven along with the fish platter. Cut the cooked fish into large chunks (about 1 x 2 inches). Add 2-3 pieces of fish to each warmed tortilla, top with the salsa and avocado if serving separately. We used the house made tortillas from Cinco de Mayo Mercado in Minneapolis, which are on the thin side. We found we needed to double up on the tortillas for each taco or else they broke through. Even with this problem, we think these are the best locally made corn tortillas around the Twin Cities!
Banana-Coconut Crumb Cake
April 20, 2012
Aunt Suzy says . . .
S&SK goes to Florida! I’m in Sanibel Island for my annual girlfriend get-together with women I used to work with – this is the 23rd or 24th annual trip. (We can never remember exactly how many years!) I wanted to make a treat to bring and thought this recipe looked really good. And it is! Here’s what the blogger had to say about it and I agree: “An addictive spiced, crumb-topped banana coffee cake is a big hit!”
So if you have some bananas that are past their prime, this is a great option. I’ve adapted the recipe slightly. We all agreed that the original is a little sweet, so I’ve adjusted the amount of sugar accordingly.
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature (add 1/2 teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter)
1 cup (2-3 small) thinly sliced overripe bananas
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 egg
Instructions
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Have an ungreased 13 x 9 in baking dish.
In a large bowl, combine first four ingredients (flour through butter) and mix at low speed until crumbly.
Press 1 1/2 cups crumb mixture into the baking dish. Measure out another 1/2 cup crumbs and set aside.
Place the rest of the ingredients in the bowl with the remaining crumbs. Beat 30-60 seconds at medium speed until well blended (this will mash the bananas). Pour evenly over crumb crust. Sprinkle with reserved 1/2 cup crumbs.
Bake 30-35 minutes, until golden brown.
Cool before cutting into serving pieces.
COOKS NOTES: This recipe has an unusual approach in using a crust with a cake. I was curious how this would work and really like the crunch provided by it. Don’t worry if the amount of bananas is a little less or a little more than 1 cup. You can use yogurt, sour cream or buttermilk for the liquid.
North End Pasta with Broccoli and Chicken
April 18, 2012
Aunt Suzy says . . .
When I lived in Boston in the 80’s, this dish was served in many restaurants in the North End Italian neighborhood. This simple, yet flavorful pasta dish was new to me. I immediately loved it and ordered it often. One of my favorite restaurants, L’Osteria, made the best rendition so I asked them for the recipe. It’s so simple! Olive oil, garlic, red peppers, chicken, pasta and cheese. I see that L’Osteria is still open and still serves this dish, Chicken Maccheroni & Broccoli. So if you are in Boston, I recommend that you check them out. But if not, you can make this dish easily and authentically following my recipe. Excellent with a fruity Pinot Grigio or a light Italian Red, like a Valpolicella.
Serves 4 as a main dish and 6 as a first course (quantities easily adjusted up or down)
1-2 chicken breasts, depending on whether you want more or less chicken
4-6 cups broccoli florets
3/4-1 pound medium pasta shapes, (like the rigatoni shown or ziti, rotini, radiatore, cavatappi, etc.)
1/4 cup EV Olive Oil
2-3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste
1/2-3/4 cup shredded cheese, Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano
Season the chicken with salt and pepper only or also with your choice of herbs/spices. I use Italian Street Fair, a blend of smoked peppers, onion, garlic, fennel and spices. Cook the seasoned chicken breasts until just done, 4-6 minutes a side, depending on thickness. I used my stovetop panini press, but a grill pan, broiler or gas or charcoal grill would work. Set aside to cool slightly. When cooled, slice the chicken in roughly 1/4 x 1 1/2-inch pieces.
Steam the broccoli to al dente and set aside. Cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions. Before draining, save 1/2 cup pasta water. Drain the pasta, rinse and set aside.
Heat a large dutch oven over a medium burner. Add the olive oil and heat till shimmering. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Saute for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn’t burn.
Add the chicken and broccoli and stir to thoroughly blend and heat.
Add the pasta and pasta water. Stir to blend. Place the lid on the pot and heat for about 5 minutes until all is piping hot. You can serve as is and pass the cheese or for a creamier dish, you can add the cheese and stir to blend till melted. I recommend stirring in the cheese only if you don’t anticipate left-overs. If you know you’ll have left-overs, it’s easier to heat up the dish later without the added cheese.
COOKS NOTES: Many recipes suggest you cut the chicken into bite-size pieces and cook along with the garlic and hot pepper and then add the cooked broccoli. I think this makes for rubbery chicken pieces, but if you’re in a hurry this could be an option. I used 1 1/2 chicken breasts this time and thought this was a perfect amount. I had 4 cups of broccoli and wished it would have been 5 cups. This dish definitely stands up to whole wheat pasta. While I think Parmigiano is more authentic, I prefer this dish with the earthier and creamier sheep’s milk Romano. Don’t be daunted by all the steps. This is a great weeknight recipe that comes together really fast. This is also served in restaurants with shrimp or vegetarian/no meat or seafood.
Sweet & Savory Kitchens 