La Dolce Vita

To celebrate the return of the embarrassingly addicting Jersey Shore, I made one of the most delicious dinners imaginable.

I know I say this a lot.

But this was so easy and tasty, that I couldn't stop eating it.  I literally used my finger to grab the rest of the sauce from the pan (Sorry, Mom).

Parmesan and Mushroom Pasta
by: ME
1 tablespoon of butter
1 cup of baby (porta)bella mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 of an onion, sliced
2 cloves of garlic (for one serving!!)
about 1 cup of pasta (I put the uncooked pasta in my serving bowl before I cook it to make sure that I don't make too much--because I WILL eat it!)
Squeeze of lemon juice

Cook patsa according to the directions on the box--I used whole wheat penne.

Melt half tablespoon of butter and a drizzle of EVOO in pan.

Add minced onion, red pepper flakes, S&P, and garlic to the pan--saute for a few minutes, until garlic is browned (but not burnt!) and onions are translucent.

Add sliced mushrooms.

Add 1/4 cup of grated parm cheese and cooked pasta.

Toss together in the sauce.  Add 1/2 tablespoon of butter and stir until melted.

And devour!

Look at how the cheese and butter created a rich sauce!  

This was so delicious, from the nutty parm, the hint of freshness of the lemon juice, and the meaty mushrooms, this meal was incredibly savory and out of this  world!!!

Spinach Artichoke Dip!

Hello everyone!!!!
The Occasional Oenophile has yet another scrumptious recipe that is healthy and ready in no time!

Spinach & Artichoke Dip

This is a super-easy dish that always gets rave reviews.  Surprisingly, for 1/4 of the dish AND a full serving of multigrain tortilla chips, you'll only rack up 400 calories.

1 bag of fresh spinach
1 block of neufchatel cheese
1 jar of artichoke hearts/quarters
1 envelope onion soup mix/dip mix
1/2 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Tortilla chips/pita/veggies for dipping
Preheat oven at 350 F.

Nuke the spinach in an 8x8 glass baking dish for 2 mins on high, just til it wilts.  Roughly chop the artichokes.

Blend the neufchatel with the onion soup mix. Combine spinach, artichokes, neufchatel, and Italian cheese blend.

Sprinkle parmesan on top

Bake 20 mins.

So fix this up ASAP for the next party you're invited to...or plan a party as an excuse to make this...


Or just make this.

A Plate for Every Palate

Hi everyone!

So I have been MIA the past week because I have been vacationing in Maine.  I realized about Wednesday last week that since I still will be gone another week, maybe starting a blog until after I got back would have been ideal. Fail.  To keep the blog alive, Jill sent me this wonderful recipe that she cooked up for her and her husband a few days ago.  

Mediterranean Veggie Bake

 

1 cup coarsely chopped artichoke hearts (non-marinated)

1 cup chopped tomato (bite-sized pieces)

1 cup cut asparagus (bite-sized peices)

1 tbsp Italian seasoning (with sea salt)

1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine all the veggies (and fruit, i.e., tomatoes) in a non-stick coated 8x8" Pyrex dish.  Mix in the seasoning and feta until well-combined.  Sprinkle the bread crumbs on the top, just to coat (you may end up not using the full 1/4 cup).  Layer the parmesan on top.  Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes, til heated through.  Make sure not to overcook, as the tomatoes will become mush.  Once heated through, switch the oven to a low broil, just until you notice a slight browning of the melted parmesan. 

 

You can eat your heart out on this one.  Only 315 calories for half of the prepared dish!

Delish.  It is vegetarian, yet so tasty that any meat-eater would love to try it, including her hubby!  Full of fresh ingredients, you truly get a taste of summer and eat as much as you want without feeling guilty.  The saltiness from the feta, nuttiness from the parm, and all of the distinctive flavors and textures from the vegetables really combine into a winning meal.

See you in a few days--I am busy stuffing myself silly with lobster meat and ice cream....

Enjoy!

Rachel