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!

Slow Cooked Green Beans & Ham Shanks

To me green beans symbolize the holidays, a special ocassion, a celebration, whatever the moment, they are a classic favorite of mine.

I prepare them in so many different ways but hand-down this is my family's favorite way to enjoy these little green wonders.

The key to making this recipe a success is slooooooooow cooking - ten hours worth of slow cooking. Don't try this on the high setting of your slow cooker, the flavor just doesn't compare.

Even though they are simmering away along with meaty ham shanks and smoked ham hock, the green bean flavor is not lost, on the contrary it is enhanced. It's richer, deeper and so incredibly savory.

The best part? Everything gets chucked into the slow cooker, that's it. Nothing more to do than sit back and let the cooking aromas tantalize your taste buds all day. And really how bad can that be?

Give it a try, I think you'll make these green beans a part of repertiore!

2 - 3 pounds fresh green beans, ends trimmed *
1 big meaty piece of ham shank or two medium pieces
1 smoked ham hock, scored
1 large onion, chopped
1 head of garlic, crushed, no need to peel**
2 quarts of ham stock (substitute with chicken stock if not available)
Salt** and pepper to taste

1. Place all the ingredients in a slow cooker.
2. Set for 10 hours on low. (Do not use the high cooking temperature, the results are not the same)
3. Shred ham hock and shank.
4. Remove the garlic or slip the peel off and throw back into the green beans
5. Enjoy!

Serve with anything but especially delicious with a down home southern meal of fried chicken, mashed potatoes and cornbread.  Fish out the garlic head** or leave it in and serve with the green beans.  I've been known to have this dish on its own as meal with just a wedge (or two) of cornbread to soak up the juices.

Recipe notes:  If you have juices left over, DON'T throw them out! Use them to make another batch or save them to use when you make a batch of split peas or any bean for that matter! The juice freezes well in zip bags.
** Go easy on the salt, since the shank and hocks are fairly salty. Check for seasoning halfway through cooking time and adjust if needed. You can either remove the garlic head and discard (terrible thing to do!) or  gently squeeze out the paste and mix back into the green beans (a great thing to do!).

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.

Leeks, Parsnips & Coconut Soup

The first official post of the year and after a long hiatus from the blog because of a four month battle in getting our computer issues resolved.  But resolved they are and I am so happy to be back and blogging. What better way to start the year with a delicious, nutritious and warm soup...

A recent trip to Trader Joe's inspired this yummy, warming soup of leeks, parsnip and coconut!

It's perfect as a main meatless meal when paired with a light salad or as a starter to dinner. Parsnips are often overlooked in the veggie aisle and I think that is such a shame. It's a super versatile veggie! If you are watching your carb intake, parsnips are a great substitute for mashed potatoes, personally I prefer them to the usual cauliflower substitution.

As to health benefits, well 1/2 a cup of parsnips serves up 3 grams of  dietary fiber, 45 micrograms of folate, 6% of the RDA* of potassium, and 13% of the RDA of vitamin C.

But really, I just love their subtly sweet, earthly flavor. Paired with leeks (known for their vast quantities of vitamin A and K), garlic, ginger and coconut milk, you not only have a tantalizingly delicious soup, you are also honoring your body with a healthy treat.

I hope you get around to trying my Leeks, Parsnips & Coconut Soup recipe and enjoy it as much as the Hub and I did.

Serves 4 served as a main meal, 8 as a starter.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound leeks, sliced into half inch medallions
1 large sweet yellow onion, sliced into half moons
1 tablespoon butter or coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 pound parsnips, sliced into 1/4 inch coins
1 quart of chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup of water
1 14 ounce can of light coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt & pepper to taste
Greek yogurt - lowfat

1. In a deep soup pot (such an enamel cast iron dutch oven) heat olive oil over medium heat.
2. Add leeks, onion and a pinch of salt to pot. Saute for about 5-7 minutes or until leeks/onions are tender. 
3. Add butter or coconut oil.
4. Stir in garlic, ginger and parsnips to the onion mixture and saute for 5-7 minutes or until parsnips start to take on a slight golden color.
5. Add all the remaining ingredients except yogurt. Cover.
6. Simmer on low 10-15 minutes or until parsnips are tender. Stir ocassionally.
7. Remove about 1/2 to 1 cup of onions and parsnips, set aside.
8. Using and immersion stick or a blender, blend soup until thick and creamy and all vegetables have been incorporated.
9. Add reserved vegetables back to the soup. Gently stir through.

To Serve:

Ladle into deep bowls, add a dollop of yogurt. Serve alongside a warm loaf of crusty bread and a light salad. Enjoy!

*RDA=Recommended Daily Allowance

2014 Top Ten Recipes at The Fork Ran Away with the Spoon

In just a few short days, on January 5th 2015, The Fork Ran Away with the Spoon will be back up and running.  It's been a long 4 months without a computer.  Frankly, tablets and mobile phone just don't cut it for me when it comes to writing a post.  I find myself taking short cuts and hurrying up a post.  In the end that affects everyone especially my awesome followers, supporters and fellow bloggers. Since we are closing out the year I wanted to share the top ten recipes at The Fork Ran Away with the Spoon, so with further ado ...

#10
Simple Creamy Leek Soup
http://goo.gl/eWQG0Y

#9
Mini Sweet Peppers Stuffed with Chicken, Goat Cheese and Sun-dried Tomatoes
http://goo.gl/9EWpqM

#8
Drunken Tres Leche Cupcakes
http://goo.gl/lNOevA

#7
Potaje de Garbanzo / Cuban Chickpea and Chorizo Stew
http://goo.gl/n6jzA7

#6
Nicaraguan Cabbage Slaw or Ensalada de Repollo Nica
http://goo.gl/lVtSCg

#5
Garlicky Tequila-Lime Grilled Shrimp-Kebabs with Cilantro-Garlic Aioli Sauce
http://goo.gl/9DyvJO

#4
Cuban Meat & Potato Stew - Carne con Papa
http://goo.gl/O3JL2U


#3
Make Your Own Cuban Sazon Completa / Adobo Seasoning
http://goo.gl/3hp39a

#2 
Stuffed French Bread with Chicken, Bacon, Cheddar and Caramelized Onions
http://goo.gl/89sHQf

and the Top #1 Recipe  ...
          Baking Soda as a Tenderizer
               http://goo.gl/JS6yVW

January 5th, 2015 - The Fork Ran Away with the Spoon finally RETURNS!

As some of you may have read in the few posts we've made, we at The Fork Ran Away with the Spoon have been dealing with not having a computer since September! The laptop failed and from that moment on we were in an ongoing back and forth shipping of said laptop with the company through whom we had our extended warranty. Mind you this laptop was a month away from being all of  two years old. After the sixth time (no it wasn't the charm) I finally lost my extended patience and spoke "very firmly" to a "head honcho". The results of which are a full refund of the original purchase price and we have now purchased a new and better laptop. It should be arriving sometime next week and we will be "re-debuting" on January 5th, 2015!

We can't wait to start sharing new recipes with you.  We miss posting and most of all we miss interacting with our great supporters, followers and fellow bloggers.  I don't think we could of gotten a better Christmas present.  Look forward to reconnecting with everyone! Cheers!

Update on the state of The Fork Ranaway with the Spoon

Dear friends, visitors, follower and fellow food bloggers;

Update: 12/12/14

The computer problems persist!  The laptop is now on it's seventh round of "repair" only to come back this last time with the same problem. Patience, I will say, is truly a virtue and mine has been tested ... extensively. If it is not resolved today, I will be "biting the bullet" and getting a new computer.  I've got so many  beautiful food pictures and recipes to share with you that I just have to take the plunge and do what I have been putting off. It's just so frustrating because the laptop is only 2 years old!  I hope I haven't lost to many followers and to those who have stuck around ... THANK YOU!




11/1/14

Perhaps you've noticed my retreat from the blog and social media. I just wanted to let you all know that The Fork Ranaway with the Spoon Has been experiencing a number of computer related issue since September. The laptop on which all the content and photos for the blog were saved has been back and forth with repairs since September. It even had a new hard drive installed and still it remains in repair. It's under an extended warranty and this is the third time back for repair, it now falls into the "lemon law" category and I'll either have a refund on the cost or a new laptop. It seems the motherboard has failed. The desktop computer, a twelve year old Mac is no longer able to run the latest browser and thus makes it impossible to do anything on the site. I am currently writing this post from my ipad, which is not my favorite tool to use for writing. Additonally, since the latest updates to the ios it repeatedly crashes. It's done so 2 times in my writing just this small post.

I truly hope to be back soon, I just can't estimate when that will be. I am "jonesing" to blog about all my latest recipes and share them with you, I guess that is a good thing. I hope I haven't lost to many followers and to those who have stuck around ... THANK YOU!