Lemon-Garlic Bucatini and Panchetta

Pasta ... who doesn't love it?

You know what my favorite pasta is? Bucatini!
If you've never had it, it looks like spaghetti, except it's thicker and has a hole running right through it from end to end.

And you know what that means right? Sauce gets in there, so there's sauce a inside and out. Now tell me that doesn't sound divinely delicious.

Now add panchetta (Italian "bacon" - unsmoked pork belly), garlic, cream, lemon and cheese. Lots of yummy, salty, nutty Parmesan cheese. Oh goodness, I want to get into the kitchen and make this again, it's so good!

So easy to make and the entire meal comes together in under 30 minutes. Thirty minutes to the tang of lemon, the nuttiness of Parm and the slurp of the bucatini.

If you want to jazz it up a little, add a pound of shrimp when you get to step 4. Shrimp and panchetta really play nicely together. I think you'll like it.

Round the meal out with a salad, garlic bread and your favorite wine and you are set.

Leftovers, yeah, even better the next day.  Add a splash of cream when you heat it up to loosen it up, and sprinkle with Parm. Lunch anyone?

Serves 2 - 4

• 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 8oz panchetta - diced
• 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic (or more to taste)
• zest of one lemon, thinly sliced (set aside a few strands
• Juice of one lemon
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 egg -  beaten
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 1/2 cups fresh, grated Parmesan cheese (no canned cheese - please) reserve 1/2 cup for sprinkling over each serving
• 1 pound cooked bucatini
• Palm full of Italian parsley, chopped 

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of the oil and panchetta.
2. Saute panchetta until crispy, stirring often
3. Lower heat to medium-low
4. Add 1/2 tablespoon oil followed by the garlic and lemon zest - stirring continuously to avoid burning. Cook 2-3 minutes.
5. Stir in cream and egg, stirring continuously cook till almost bubbling
6. Briskly stir in wine to incorporate into cream mixture
7. Add 1 cup of Parmesan, the bucatini and parsley, stir well to distribute throughout.
8. Top with chopped parsley, stir well.

Serve into deep bowl, top each with additional Parmesan and enjoy!

Pasta with Chicken Sausage and Portobello Mushrooms

Portabella vs. Portobello, apparently either is correct
but you won't care once your serve up a bowl of my
Pasta with Chicken Sausage & Portobello Mushrooms

One of my favorite Sunday dinners is pasta and this particular pasta recipe is a family favorite! And it's a low fuss meal that comes together in about 15 minutes and then it's left to simmer to develop it's rich flavor.

What I love about it is that it is lighter in calories then a traditional pasta and sausage dinner because I use lean Italian-style chicken sausage. If you splurge on a good brand you won't miss the pork variety. 

The addition of the portobello mushrooms adds that extra meatiness and lots of depth of flavor.

Typically, I like to serve this with some kind of slow cooked greens, such as kale or swiss chard and wine, red or white.  I tend to drink whatever I am in the mood for and just chuck that whole this type of wine goes with that type of protein.  If you like it ... I say drink it!

Serves 4

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium onions  sliced
• 2 red and yellow bell or 8 mini-bell peppers, sliced
• 3 caps of portobello mushrooms, thick sliced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon oregano, dried
• 1 tablespoon basil, dried
• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of red chili pepper flakes
• 4 mild Italian-style chicken sausages, sliced on the diagonal
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pound cooked penne pasta (or pasta of choice)

1. Heat a heavy bottomed, skillet with tall sides over medium heat, add the first 3 ingredients, saute 3 minutes.
2. Next, add the mushrooms, garlic, oregano, basil and red chili pepper. Saute 3 minutes.
3. Add sausage and saute 5-7 minutes, stir often.
4. Pour in wine to deglaze the pan and allow to simmer until the wine is reduced by half.
5. Add tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste.
6. Simmer 30-45 minutes over low heat. Adjust seasonings to taste.
7. Add cooked pasta and stir well to incorporate.
8. Top with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Serve with garlic bread and a light salad and of course wine, lots of wine!

Turkey Kielbasa Alfredo with Broccoli

It's Wednesdays with Eryka and ladies and gentlemen, I present to you another recipe for kielbasa! I think Kielbasa is my new obsession. It is so versatile and I keep finding new ways to use it. This week I am using it in pasta, one of my other obsessions/favorites. Kielbasa pairs great with pasta, more so with a white sauce, like Alfredo. I made a homemade Alfredo sauce. It is simple to make, not too fancy and an excellent weeknight meal. If you scanned the recipe already and saw one of the ingredient is lemon juice, your eyes are deceiving you. My Alfredo sauce takes lemon juice. It adds that spark of flavor to the sauce. As usual, I cook the kielbasa in the pan and I then make the sauce in the same pan to pick up the flavors from the cooked meat. This alters the color of the sauce making it less white, but oh so  tasty as well as rustic looking! The broccoli adds a pop of fun green plus a dash of nutrition. Pair with your favorite pasta and enjoy!

Recipe:

Wednesdays with Eryka

1lb turkey kielbasa, sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup white wine
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup chicken stock
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons cream
2 teaspoons lemon juice
salt and pepper, to taste
pinch of nutmeg
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 box linguine or pasta of choice
2 broccoli heads, chopped

1. In a pan on medium heat, heat the olive oil then add the kielbasa and onion. Cook together until kielbasa is browned and onion is soft. Add in the white wine and simmer until evaporated. Remove from pan.

2. Add the butter and let it melt. Stir in with a whisk the flour. Stir together until a light brown color and all lumps from flower are gone. Stir in slowly, with the whisk, the chicken stock, the milk and cream. Stir until all combined with no lumps.

3. While sauce is cooking add in the lemon juice, salt and pepper, nutmeg and mozzarella. Stir all together. Add the kielbasa/onion mixture back into the sauce. Simmer while pasta cooks.

4. In a large pot, cook your pasta of choice. In the last 2-3 minutes of cooking add in the broccoli. You may have to adjust the cooking time because adding in the broccoli will change the temperature thus altering cooking time. Drain when pasta is al dente. Put pasta back into the same pot and add the sauce with kielabasa. Serve and top with parmesan cheese!

Chicken, Orzo & White Bean Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion diced

1 bell pepper diced

 8 ounces of cremoni mushrooms sliced in thick slices

4 skinless boneless chicken thighs cut into chunks

1 tablespoon finely minced garlic

1/2 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped 

1 tablespoon fresh oregano, minced

1 tablespoon of fresh basil, finally minced
1 cup white wine

28 ounce can of San Marzano whole tomatoes (tear apart with your hand as you add to pan)

2 bay leaves

4 cups of chicken stock

2 cups of cannellini beans (previously soaked) or 1 can, drained and rinsed.

1/2 teaspoon of dried orange peel
Parmesan rind (optional)
1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup uncooked orzo
3-4 handfuls spinach

Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese

• Heat a dutch oven or deep pan over medium heat. Add oil followed by onions and peppers. Saute 5 minutes.
• Add mushrooms, cook 3 minutes.
• Add the chicken, allow to lightly brown, then add the garlic. Stir to incorporate.
• Sprinkle the rosemary, oregano and basil over top and stir well to incorporate. Saute 2 minutes.
• Deglaze the pan with wine, scrape brown bits from bottom of pan.
• Add the tomatoes,  bay leaves,chicken stock, beans and orange peel. Bring to boil, then lower heat to a simmer. (At this point you can transfer everything to the slow cooker and set on high for 2 -3 hours or low for 6-8 hours.)
• Cook until the beans are softened about 45 - 60 minutes
• 30 minutes before serving, bring to a low boil add, salt, pepper, orzo and spinach, stir, lower heat to simmer.
• (For the slow cooker, raise heat to high and stir in, salt, pepper, orzo and spinach - cook 30 minutes or till orzo is al dente).

To Serve: Grate parmesan over each serving and with your favorite bread.

Recipe notes:  You can use dried herbs in place of fresh just be sure to adjust  quantities as dried herbs are much more potent.

Spicy Turkey Kielbasa Alfredo Pasta

Pasta, how I love thee. It is safe to say I'm a big pasta lover so I present to you another delicious pasta dish! This is a great dish for the weekend; it is also great for a get together since there is enough to go around. I do recommend to make this during the weekend rather than during the week because even though it is an easy recipe there are a lot of steps. Make it on a Sunday night to have left overs for 2 days! Now when a recipe calls for cheese I always believe more is... more! I like adding a lot more cheese than I ever read in recipes or even in my own recipes. The texture cheese leaves plus the taste you just can't go wrong. My boyfriend gave me the biggest compliment with this dish, the night I made it he told me this is a definite repeat recipe! It is important to cook the sauce in the same pan the kielbasa was cooked for depth of flavor. The pasta shape is up to you but I do recommend a pasta that has ridges such as penne, corkscrew or rotini so that the sauce and all that lovely cheese adheres to every bite. I hope you enjoy this recipe for it has become a new staple in my home!

Recipe:

A Wednesdays with Eryka Recipe

1lb Turkey Kielbasa, 1 inch slices
Olive oil
1 box corkscrew pasta
3 tablespoons butter
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tablespoon flour
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups half and half
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 cups Mozzarella cheese

1. In a sauté pan, heat olive oil to a medium heat then add the kielbasa. Cook until browned on both sides. Set aside once browned.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions.

3. While pasta is cooking, in the same sauté pan the kielbasa was in, melt the butter then the flour. Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes or until fragrant.

4. Wisk in chicken broth until smooth followed by the half and half one cup at a time. Add the salt, pepper, cayenne and red pepper flakes. Simmer until sauce is thickened.

5. Add the parmesan cheese with 1 cup of mozzarella into the sauce and stir until smooth.

6. Preheat broiler. Add the kielbasa into the sauce followed by the cooked pasta. Stir until combined. Pour pasta mixture into a 9x13 baking dish. Top with remaining mozzarella.

7. Broil until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve and enjoy!

Mediterranean Inspired Cavatappi Pasta with Roasted Vegetables

When you are into the winter months and perhaps tiring of all the heavy comfort foods, soups, stews and want a light spring-like meal, consider my Mediterranean Inspired Cavatappi with Roasted Vegetables.

The dressing for this pasta is light and flavored with garlic, zesty lemon and fresh herbs and can be prepared ahead of time.  In fact, it's best that it sit overnight to let the flavors develop. You can even make the veggies a day or two ahead. Then all that's left is mixing everything into the hot pasta and dinner or lunch is ready.

You can easily expand this pasta dish by adding grilled chicken or serving it alongside of your favorite grilled fish.

Serves 4

Dressing:
1 cucumber - seedless, diced
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
Half a palm of parsley
Zest of one lemon, finely minced
Juice of one lemon,
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt & pepper, to taste

Handful of basil, rough chopped
A sprig of mint, rough chopped
3 campari or plum tomatoes, cut in wedges

Place the first 8 ingredients into a jar or zip bag, gently shake to mix. Set aside in fridge for a few hours and allow the flavors to develop. Best over night.

Roasted Vegetables:
3 - 4 - Bell peppers - variety of colors - cut in wide strips
1 - large eggplant, large dice
Olive oil
Salt & pepper

Preheat oven at 375 degrees, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast till veggies are lightly charred about 30-45 or till desired doneness. You can remove the skins of the peppers by placing in plastic wrap for a few minutes and peel them off.  I don't bother because I don't mind the skins.

Pasta:
1 pound cavatappi or corkscrew pasta
Cook pasta according to package direction.

Topping:
Feta cheese, to taste and crumbled over each serving

Bring it all together:
Place hot pasta in a large bowl, add the roasted vegetables, dressing, basil, mint and tomatoes. Mix everything together.  Crumble feta cheese over each serving.

Enjoy!

Cuban Franks with Yellow Rice - Arroz con Salchichas

*A Wednesdays with Eryka Recipe*

Franks with yellow rice Arroz con Salchichas ( salchichas pronounced sal-chee-shas) is an old school Cuban recipe that is so easy to make it is almost unbelievable!

This recipe is a throw back to what a typical Cuban housewife would of made (back in the "old-school days") if she had nothing in her pantry but white rice, some azafran (saffron), Vienna sausages and maybe some stock. It's kind of the equivalent of making spaghetti with "souped-up" jarred sauce, because that's all there is in the pantry.

Wednesdays with Eryka

Classically the recipe calls for Vienna sausages but seeing as how I have a bad relationship with Vienna sausages, from over eating them when I was a kid, I put my own twist by using turkey franks. I also add green beans, an ingredient my co-worker told me she adds to hers. It is literally a one pot meal and it is so good!

Recipe:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 -  8 oz bag yellow rice with saffron
4 turkey franks*, sliced in 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup green beans
2 cups water* (or as indicated on rice package)

1. In a pan, heat the olive oil on medium-high heat. Pour in the rice with the seasoning. Brown the rice for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. If needed, lower heat to medium to keep the rice from burning.

2. Add in the franks and the green beans and brown all together for about 2 minutes.

3. Add the water, stir and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer; simmer for 20-25 minutes depending on how dry or mosit you'd like your rice.

4. After 20-25 minutes, check the rice to your liking, stir and serve. Enjoy!

Serve with bread and a simple salad of iceberg lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber with a drizzle of olive oil and vinegar. Now your talking ... old-school Cuban dinner.

*Recipe Notes:
Want to try it the original way, use two cans of Vienna sausages and cut each in thirds, saute as directed in step two.
Added more flavor by using chicken or beef stock to the rice instead of water.

Easy Chicken Parmesan Casserole

Many times I crave a traditional Chicken Parmesan but don't want all the fuss and mess of breading and frying the chicken. Especially on a work week night. After a day on my feet, tending to patients, there's little energy to make an elaborate meal. Here's where my Easy Chicken Parmesan Casserole comes in. It's easy to make, takes little prep time and it really satisfies that craving.  Most, if not all, the items are probably already in your pantry or freezer, and that's a winner in my opinion. While it's baking away, just boil some pasta to serve with it, add a tossed salad and dinner is on the table.

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 lbs chicken breast, cubed
Salt and pepper to taste
1 onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 24-oz jar of your favorite pasta sauce
1 cup Parmesan cheese
2 cups mozzarella cheese
1 cup panko
1 tsp dried oregano
4 fresh basil leaves, chopped

The Petite Chef - Eryka

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a saute pan, heat the olive oil and cook the onions until soft, then add the garlic. Cook for about 1 minute. Remove from pan. Cook the chicken in the same pan with a little bit more oil. Cook through.

2. In a 13 x 9 casserole dish, add in the cooked onion/garlic, chicken and the entire jar of pasta sauce.  Mix well to incorporate. Add the Parmesan cheese first then layer the mozzarella cheese on top.

3. In a separate small bowl, combine the panko, oregano, pinch of salt and pepper and fresh basil. Mix all together and then sprinkle on top of cheese. Place in oven to cook for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top and cheese has melted. Serve with pasta. Enjoy!

Creamy Chicken with Orzo

This week is another easy weeknight meal that I happen to put together on a weeknight after work. I was craving something creamy all day and I already knew, while at work, that I had chicken defrosting at home. On my downtime at work, I mentally took inventory of what was in my fridge, combining flavors that were simple yet rich in flavor. I could not wait to get home and into the kitchen to make this dish happen. It came out just as I imagined. You can spruce it up with spices, other types of vegetables, pair it with different types of paste or even use dark meat! I kept it simple since I am as my mother calls me a "purist" in the kitchen but it does pack a lot of flavor... lets just say there were no left overs!

Recipe:
1 1/2lb chicken breast, cut into cubes
salt and pepper
olive oil
1 onion, minced
1 pepper (red or green), minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2-3 TBS cream cheese
2 carrots, chopped diagnoally 1 inch pieces
Green beans, chopped in 1 inch pieces
Orzo (cooked according to packaging)

1. In a saute pan, heat the oil on medium heat then add the chicken pieces. Add salt and pepper to season. Cook through until no longer pink. Cook in batches if necessary.

2. Set the cooked chicken aside. Add a teaspoon more of oil to the pan then add the onion and pepper. Saute until they are soft. Add the garlic and cook for together for about 1 minute. Pour in the chicken stock to pick up any brown bits and allow the vegetables to soak in the stock. Add the chicken back in.

3. Pour in the heavy cream and cream cheese and let it all melt together over medium-low heat. Adjust to taste the amount of heavy cream/cream cheese to your liking espeically if you like a saucier dish. Season with salt and pepper. Once everything is combined, add in the carrots and greens beans.

4. Stir everything together and let it simmer for about 20-25 minutes, making sure to stir occassionally to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pan. Serve over a hot bed of orzo and enjoy!

Two-Tomato Farfale with Wine Poached Chicken & Broccoli

I had this dish while on a recent mini-vacation with the Hub at Ft. Myers Beach, Florida.  It was a house dish ... Farfale Terra Nostra, aptly named after the restaurant Terra Nostra.

The flavors were so clean, simple yet complex at the same time. I loved that it used two types of tomatoes; fresh and sun-dried, fresh broccoli, a delicious and light garlicky wine sauce.

I was so impressed I had to come home and reproduce it. And while I know it can't be exactly like theirs, my adaptation so close, that it will forever transport me back to the memory of that highly relaxing and much needed vacation.

And the Hub? Well, he barely spoke during dinner, except to come up for air, exclaiming "this **** is so good".  I couldn't have asked for a higher compliment than that! 

Serves 4

1 pound farfale pasta
 Palm full of Kosher salt to boil the pasta

1 bunch of broccoli, cut down into flowerettes 

1 pound of chicken breast, butterfiled and sliced into 2" strips
     (The day before, brine** the breast for maximum moistness and flavor)

Salt & Pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 campari tomatoes quartered

8 oz sun-dried tomatoes, chopped 

      (Do not use the oil-packed type and do not reconstitute dried tomatoes in water)

1 cup white wine

1 cup chicken broth

1 generous tablespoon of minced garlic (or more to taste)

1/4 cup creme fraiche (or sour cream)

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more (to taste) to grate over each serving

Olive oil to drizzle over top

• Butterfly, slice and brine** the chicken breast the night before or the morning you are planning to make the dish. 
• Remove from brine, discard brine, rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and very lightly brown the chicken. Work in batches. Add all the chicken back to the skillet. 
• Add the white wine, stock and minced garlic to the skillet with the chicken. Bring to a low boil then reduce heat and allow to poach while the  water for the pasta comes to a boil and the pasta cooks. About 15-20 minutes total. You should be left with about 1/2 to 1 cup of liquid.
• Bring a deep pot of water to the boil, once boiling add salt and pasta and cook according to package instructions. Set a timer one minute before the end of cooking time.
• With one minute before pasta is done, add the broccoli to the cooking pasta water and cook for 1 minute. Drain pasta/broccoli.
• Place pasta, broccoli, campari and dried tomatoes in large deep serving bowl, and stir together carefully.
• Pour in chicken cooking liquid and chicken, stir to distribute.
• Add creme fraiche, stir through to distribute.
• Add Parmesan, stir to distribute.
• Drizzle olive oil over top.
• Serve into individual pasta bowl and grate additional Parmensan over each serving.

Serve with garlic bread and a light salad and your wine of choice. Enjoy!

**Recipe Notes:

It takes little time to brine your chicken and what you get back is juicy, flavorful chicken. To brine one pound of chicken: 1 quart of water,  dissolve 3 tablespoon of Kosher salt and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, add the sliced chicken. Keep in fridge for up to 24 hours. 

Want to  learn what else you can brine and learn more about the process? 

Read my post To Brine or Not to Brine? That Shouldn't Even Be a Question.

Easy Italian Sausage Skillet Dinner

Italian food is one of my other favorite foods to make. Italian dishes are usually in line with my vision of cooking: simple and fast! Nowadays, everyone is fast paced, so I believe in recipes that cook up fast recipe and that make life easier but not compromising on good, home-cooked dinners. Italian sausage is a great meat. It's absolutely delicious, full of flavor, easy to make, spicy or sweet and versatile. However, as my mom mentioned in a previous post, it is easy to get stuck on the same ol' recipe of sausage and peppers. Yes it's a great recipe but we need to change it up a little... at least for the sausage's sake! This recipe is great for sausage. If you do not have sausage on hand or do not like sausage then you may replace it with ground beef (another great ingredient). Instead of pasta for this dish I use rice and everything is cooked in one pan making it a fast easy dinner for during the week. You will notice the recipe calls for instant rice and it is important to make sure instant rice is used or it will not cook properly. I hope you enjoy this delicious sausage recipe!

Recipe:
1 lb Italian sausage (sweet or spicy), cut into 1 inch pieces
olive oil
1 green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5oz) can diced tomatoes
2 cups vegetable juice
1 1/2 cups instant rice
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese


1. In a skillet, heat oil on medium heat and cook sausage pieces until no longer pink.

2. Add the pepper, onion and garlic. Cook until crisp.

3. Add the can of diced tomatoes and vegetable juice; cook and stir until mixture boils. Remove from heat and stir in the rice.

4.Cover and let stand for 6-8 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle with mozzarella then cover to melt. Enjoy!

Weekly Recipe Round-Up - Valentine's Week

It was Valentine's Day week and that meant celebrating with food and romance at The Fork Ran Away with the Spoon. Monday started with a 3-course dinner, Wednesday a classic (think Lady and the Tramp) spaghetti and seared chicken and the grand finale on Friday, a decadent chocolate cheesecake. The best part is you don't have to wait till next Valentine's to make these great recipes, you can stir up romance and a romantic dinner any day. We hope you had a great week and an even sweeter Valentine's.

This week's Recipe of the Week was our Easy 3-Course Valentine's Dinner.  It had the most shares, page views/likes by our awesome followers and for that we Thank You!  Here's a look back at what was cooking in the kitchens of The Fork Ran Away with the Spoon this past week.

Featured on Monday:

Easy 3-Course Valentine's Dinner

An easy 3-course Valentine's dinner that is high on the flavor barometer and low on the fuss, a beautifully light pea soup, a parchment baked fish and yummy nutella and banana pastry bundles.And best of all it will all come together in about 30 minutes.

Featured on Wednesdays with Eryka:

Tomato-Basil Spaghetti & Seared Chicken

Is there anything more classically romantic than a simple Spaghetti dinner on Valentine's day? Today we are featuring and recommending Tomato-Basil Spaghetti & Seared Chicken for your Valentine's dinner!  

Featured on Friday:

Rich & Creamy Chocolate Cheesecake

After your Valentine's Dinner, make sure you save room for Eryka's Rich & Cream Chocolate Cheesecake. It's luscious, creamy and yes, just a little decadent.

Tomato-Basil Spaghetti & Seared Chicken

For me, there is nothing more romantic than a pasta dinner. For Valentine's Day I have this classic recipe for a couple's most romantic night of the year, however, you can make it for any spontaneous romantic night! I went to Italy a few years ago and obviously at every restaurant, pasta rules the menu compared to any other ingredient. One popular dish throughout Rome was Tomato Basil Spaghetti. It was delicious and surprisingly it was a very simple red sauce with spaghetti; the pasta was not over-sauced, it was just enough to coat the pasta but not for it to be swimming in it. This recipe is similar to that idea. The sauce this recipe makes is enough to cover the chicken and whatever pasta you choose to pair it with and nothing more. The basil enhances the rich taste of the tomatoes and the seared chicken remains moist and juicy. This is a great recipe to cook with your significant other which makes the meal that much more delicious! I hope you enjoy this meal whether you make it for the love of your life, for your friends, for your family or even for yourself. Buon Appetito!

Recipe:
3 chicken breasts, butterflied
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 tablespoons red wine
4 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup chicken stock
1-2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1. Butterfly the chicken breast and season with salt and pepper on each side. In a large skillet, heat the oil on medium-heat heat. Let the pan get very hot to create a nice sear on the chicken. Cook in batches for better browning and cook about 5 minutes per side. When all pieces are browned add them all back in to the pan.

2. Add the tomatoes, basil, garlic and tomato paste. Lower the temperature to medium and add the wine to deglaze the pan as well as to start the sauce. Cook everything together for about 3 minutes, adding small splashes of wine if needed.

3. Add the butter, let it melt then add the stock. Sprinkle in the Italian seasoning and bring the sauce to a boil. Lower the boil to a simmer. Simmer for about 5 minutes then turn off the heat. Serve and enjoy!

Cuban Meat & Potato Stew - Carne con Papa

There are so many beef stew recipes out there it is sometimes hard to keep up not to mention it can be overwhelming to choose a recipe. Do a Google search on beef stew and the results are endless. There are many renditions of it, but today I'd like to offer the Cuban version of it and it is my personal favorite. My grandma used to make this when I was growing up but sadly I don't remember what it tastes like and also I never learned the recipe from her... that lady could cook up a storm! According to my mother, this carne con papa recipe is exactly how my grandmother used to make it. To me that is a huge compliment that it does, because this meal and another famous Cuban meal called Picadillo reminds me of her. I'm not sure if it's the paprika, the tomato sauce, the wine that makes this particular beef stew rich in flavor and much added depth,but what I am sure of is how much my family enjoys it whenever I make it. The recipe calls for potatoes but I used sweet potatoes for my boyfriend (pictured) and yes it does work the same!

Serves 4

1 1/2 - 2 lbs beef stew meat
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 bay leaf
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 green or red pepper, chopped
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup white wine
1 cup water
2 or 3 large potatoes, chopped in medium cubes

1. In a large skillet, brown the stew meat until browned on all sides with the oil. When the meat is browned add the salt, paprika, pepper, bay leaf, onion, garlic and green pepper.

2. Cook the vegetables for about 5 minutes or until the onions are wilted and somewhat translucent. Add the tomato sauce, wine and water. Stir everything together and bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes, covered.

3. After 10 minutes add the chopped potatoes, stir together and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender. Enjoy!

Weekly Recipe Round-Up January 6 - 10, 2014

Finally, life back to normal, or at least as close to normal as possible! I hope you had a great first full week of the new year.  We got back to our regular posting schedule, including Wednesdays with Eryka. For me it was easing back into a routine and even welcoming back some of our favorites shows that had been on hiatus during the holidays. And while I haven't gotten back to running, the weather was just horrible here in South Florida, nothing like that polar vortex the northern states got hit with, just a lot of rain and few days of "cold". It was just impossible to get out there and jog a few miles. But there is always next week or I  may head out tomorrow morning for a quick run, weather permitting.

This week's Recipe of the Week was Savory Meatballs in Mushroom Cream Sauce.  It had the most shares and likes by our awesome followers and for that we Thank You!  Here's a look back at what was cooking in the kitchens of The Fork Ran Away with the Spoon this past week.

Featured on Monday:

Savory Meatballs in Mushroom Cream Sauce

The sauce in this recipe is just as delicious with the meatballs as it is on its own ladled over pasta or egg noodles. Letting the onions and mushrooms cook together brings about a depth a flavor that only slow and low cooking can bring about.



Featured on Wednesdays with Eryka:

Super Cheesy Baked Penne

Ground beef, pork and Italian sausage are simmered in wine, stock and spices and one of the spices may surprise you..One pound of cheese make this pasta this pasta dish super cheesy and yummy!




Featured on Friday:

Bacon & Ham Braised Greens
Now I know what you are thinking, ugh... greens, right?  Nooooo, I promise, no ughs here!  We are using smokey bacon, ham, ham hocks and shanks, rich stock, and letting them all braise with your greens of choice for hours in a slow cooker. What you get is smokey-bacon-ham-y goodness that you can eat alone or over pasta, beans, legumes or my favorite with a loaf of toasted french bread and white wine.

Super Cheesy Baked Penne

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year (all late!) from Wednesdays with Eryka! I'm back for the new year and ready to share more delicious recipes with you. This past holiday season Christmas and New Year's both landed on Wednesday so I have been MIA. So as the holiday season rolled in I noticed countless recipes for turkey, ham and roasts, but since this year I was hosting a small Christmas day dinner I decided to change it up a bit by making one of my favorite things in the whole world... pasta! Why not? Not only is it pretty simple to make, it is a crowd pleaser and it usually makes a lot so you're not worried about under feeding your guests. What makes this pasta slightly different from your everyday pasta with red sauce is the added spice of cinnamon. Yes, you read right, cinnamon! It adds a warmth to the dish and leaves an excellent after taste that, for me personally, makes you want to eat more. It was perfect for the holidays. Now you can take out the cinnamon but you'd be missing out! For those of you who like to plan meal ahead of time, you can make this sauce a few days ahead, whether it's for your own family dinner or a get together, because the longer the sauce sits the more the flavors mingle, become best friends then become best friends with your taste buds. In short, the sauce will taste better the longer it sits. My favorite part is the gooey, melted cheese top layered coming out of the oven; that paired with the hint of cinnamon is a delicious culinary experience. I hope you enjoy this recipe and use it for a future holiday dinner or even for a cold winter night with your family. Enjoy!

Recipe:
Olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1/4 lb pancetta, chopped
1/2 lb ground hot Italian sausage
1 lb ground beef
1/2 lb ground pork
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup red wine
1 cup beef stock
2 32-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped basil, fresh
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
salt and pepper, to taste
2 lb penne, cooked
2 8-ounce mozzarella bricks, grated

1. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add garlic, bay leaf, and pancetta. Brown all together for about 1 minute. Add all the meats and break apart with a wooden spoon. Cook for about 5-7 minutes.

2. Add the carrot, celery and onion into the meat mixture. Cook together for about 5 minutes then add the red wine. Cook for about 1 minute; add stock, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and brown sugar.

3. Stir in the cinnamon, parsley, basil, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce to medium low and cook for 20-25 minutes (At this point you can either serve it with pasta as indicated in the next step or store the sauce in the refrigerator/freezer until ready to use.)

4. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In an oven safe casserole dish, toss the sauce with the pasta; stir to make sure it is all distributed evenly. Layer the shredded mozzarella cheese all over the top. Place in the oven until cheese is gooey (I also placed it under the broiler for a few minutes with the oven door open to slightly brown the cheese). Enjoy!

Creamy Turkey & Spinach Stuffed Crepes

The first time I made crepe was in November of  1987.  I can remember the date because I made 200 hundred chicken crepes for my own baby shower. Why did I decided to make my own food? Simple, I didn't really care for the alternative ... a catering company, of which there weren't that many decent affordable ones at the time.  I had an assembly line at my mom's house the night before the shower.  In attendance were my mom, my sister-in-law Sandra, my niece Aylin and of course ... me. We worked for several hours, talking, laughing, talking some more about ... what else, the baby.
It's an evening I will never forget and from then on crepes became a frequent meal at my home. That's how good those very first crepes were. Several years later, as the baby grew into a little girl, I use to make orange crepes for breakfast. To this day my daughter, Eryka, still remembers those breakfasts.
I use a basic crepe recipe for the crepe, which you can find at the end of the recipe.  The ingredients for the stuffing are fairly straightforward but when put together they create a creamy, luscious meal that your family will want often. The use of ground turkey really lightens up the crepes and keeps the meal feeling light. Pair it with a light salad, a glass of white wine and you have a well-rounded and satisfying meal.

Serves 4

1 lb ground turkey
2 tablespoons of butter
1 large frond of fresh dill,
2 large handfuls of spinach, kale, or whatever greens you have on hand.
1 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste
1/2 cup of room temperature cream cheese
1/4 of half & half
2-4 grates of fresh nutmeg
8 crepes (basic recipe below)

Weekly Recipe Round-Up - November 10th - 16th

Can you believe that we are already half way through November? Just this past week alone flew by at what felt like an insane pace!
This week's Recipe of the Week was Zippy Ketchup and Mustard Chicken featured on Wednesdays with Eryka. It had the most shares and likes by our awesome followers and for that we Thank You!  Here's what was cooking in the kitchens of The Fork Ran Away with the Spoon this past week.

Featured on Monday:

Potaje de Garbanzo / Cuban Chickpea and Chorizo Stew

The recent "cool" weather inspired me to make one of my favorite Cuban potajes (stew) ... Potaje de Garbanzo.  I think of a potaje (poe-tah-hey) as not quite a soup, not quite a stew and not quite a porridge. It's a hearty chickpeas (garbanzo), simmered with Spanish chorizo, ham, smoked pork shank, Cuban calabaza and potatoes. To me, the perfect spoonful has a piece of chorizo, calabaza, and chickpea swimming in the smokey, paprika infused tomato-y broth.

Featured on Wednesdays with Eryka:

Zippy Ketchup and Mustard Chicken

It may surprise you that the main condiments used to cook the chicken in this recipe are ketchup and mustard. It's an incredibly easy to make, budget friendly and mostly importantly absolutely delicious dish - and that's makes it's a Wednesdays with Eryka recipe.





Featured on Friday:

Grilled Chicken with Corkscrew Pasta in Preserved Lemon and Garlic Sauce

This recipe starts by marinating the chicken in preserved lemon, the lemon brine and lots of garlic. It is then grilled to perfection. While your pasta cooks you create a luscious, lemon and garlic infused creamy sauce that will coat the ridged, corkscrew pasta. Those lovely ridges are what help hold the sauce onto the pasta and deliver the most amazing bite.

Grilled Chicken with Corkscrew Pasta in Preserved Lemon and Garlic Sauce

Since my romantic foray with preserved lemons started I've been using it as an extra ingredient rather than letting it be the star of the show. In my Grilled Chicken with Corkscrew Pasta in Preserved Lemon and Garlic Sauce, it is the star ... front and center, shinning, glistening beautifully and adding so much depth of flavor, it's almost sinful - almost. This recipe starts by marinating the chicken in preserved lemon, the lemon brine and lots of garlic. It is then grilled to perfection. While your pasta cooks you create a luscious, lemon and garlic infused creamy sauce that will coat the ridged, corkscrew pasta. Those lovely ridges are what help hold the sauce onto the pasta and deliver the most amazing bite.  This makes a big batch, enough that The Hub and I had leftovers for our lunch.  As some you already know, The Hub is my constant gauge as to whether a recipe is good, great or amazing. This recipe, he said, was amazing - he kept mentioning how mellow and delicious the flavor of the lemon was. That made me pretty darn happy!

Serves 4

4 boneless, skinless, chicken thighs OR 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied so that you have 4 individual pieces
1 preserved lemon, chopped, + 1/2 preserved lemon, diced
2 tablespoon of the preserved lemon brine
1/2 a head of garlic, minced or passed through a press
1/8 cup of olive oil
Pepper to taste
Large palm full of roughly chopped parsley, divided in two

Add all the ingredients (except 1/2 preserved lemon and parsley) to a large glass
bowl. With clean hands, massage all the ingredients into the chicken pieces. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and allow to marinate in the fridge minimum of 2 hours or overnight (even better).

What you need at the grill:
Sturdy grill tongs
Cooking oil spray or canola oil in a small bowl and a brush to swipe over grill grates
A large piece of aluminum foil - large enough to fold over  and enclose all the chicken pieces (like a pouch) when done.

Spray grill with cooking oil. Heat your grill using a high flame (about 10 minutes). Place each piece on grill, do not try to move it at this point, and lower grill cover. If you want crisscross grill marks, after 3 minutes, give each piece a quarter turn and lower flame to medium and continue to grill for an additional 3 minutes. Raise flame to high, flip over each piece and repeat process if you want crisscross grill marks. Grill on high flame for 2 minutes, then reduce flame to medium and continue cooking 3-4 minutes. Place all the pieces in a large sheet of foil and close tightly, allowing to rest for 5 minutes. Slice diagonally into 2 inch long pieces.

For the sauce:

1 pound of corkscrew pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 large shallots, minced
1/2 a head of garlic, finely minced or pass through the garlic press
1 preserved lemon, diced
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup white wine
1 teaspoon of preserved lemon brine
2 egg yolks beaten with 3/4 cup heavy cream (yolk should be at room temperature)
1 palm full of parsley, roughly chopped
1/2 preserved lemon, diced