at home with ann

So, you have some leftover salmon.  Perhaps from Maple Glazed Salmon , perhaps not.  Maybe you just think this sounds good and bought salmon for this recipe in particular.  Good for you.  Salmon is great.  I was a big fan of this dish.  Since I did use leftovers from Maple Glazed Salmon, my fish was already spiced.  I thought that added a nice flavor dimension, but of course, it's not necessary. Creamy Salmon Pasta with Peas slightly modified from Self Cooking spray 1 lb salmon fillet, skin removed salt pepper 6 ounces pasta (I used whole wheat rotini) 1 1/2 cups peas (fresh or frozen) 1 1/2 cups milk (I used unsweetened almond milk) 3 Tablespoons flour 3 ounces Neufchatel (reduced fat cream cheese) 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill (I used 1/2-1 teaspoon dried) 1 Tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest If you are using precooked salmon, heat it slightly in a 350 degree oven just so you aren't mixing cold fish into hot pa...

I had plans to show you the delicious strawberry-banana version of this Banana Bread  that I made this weekend.  Those plans were thwarted when, after baking said bread, I tried to upend it out of the pan to cool and found the middle was still batter and oozed out all over my cutting board.  Some frantic yelling, two sets of hands, and 15 more minutes in the oven, it tasted delicious, but not worthy of photography.   Instead, I'll tell you about our dinner last night.  I saw Rachael Ray make this recipe last week, and modified it a little bit (partly because I can't for the life of me remember everything I need at the market).  Creamy Mushroom Pasta recipe from Rachael Ray Ingredients: 3 Tablespoons olive oil 2 Tablespoons butter 1 pound cremini mushrooms, wiped, stems removed, and thinly slices 2 shallots, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 2 Tablespoons thyme 2 sprigs rosemary, chopped 1 bay leaf salt and pepper 2 Tablespoons tomato paste - I omitted thi...

We had another big bunch of swiss chard in our CSA veggies this week, so I wanted to do something new.  A lot of the greens recipes I've found include bacon as an accent, because when you're getting all those healthy vitamins and minerals, you want to balance it out a bit.  Plus, bacon is really just a salty condiment.   This is another quick meal, maybe 20 minutes of cooking time.  Good thing since I realized at 9:15 at night that I needed to make something for the next day.  I do that a lot.   Bacon and Swiss Chard Pasta recipe from Bon Appetit Ingredients: 1 pound linguine - I used whole wheat spaghetti 12 ounces bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices 1 very large red onion, halved, sliced (about 6 cups) - I used vidalia 2 large bunches Swiss chard, stemmed, chopped (about 12 cups) 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese Cook pasta according to package directions, reserving 1/...

This is one of the most requested dinners around here.  Cauliflower is kind of a tricky vegetable.  On it's own, I think it's kind of tasteless, but roasted with olive oil and garlic, it's good stuff.  Plus it's full of good things for you, so added bonus.  The recipe was originally from Cooking Light, but I've modified it a bit (mostly making it less light...).  It only takes about 20 minutes to pull together, which means it's great for a quick dinner, or if you are cooking at 10:30 in the morning because you didn't plan ahead.   Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower and Chicken Sausage adapted from Cooking Light Ingredients: 1 package (4 links) chicken sausage - I've used spicy jalapeno and chicken apple, both with success 3 cups   small cauliflower florets - I use the entire head of cauliflower 2 tablespoons   extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1/2 teaspoon   salt, divided 5  garlic cloves, sliced 4 cups   uncooked farfalle -...

This pasta bake has all the components of traditional lasagna: noodles, tomato sauce, meat, onions, garlic, ricotta and mozzarella cheese.  Instead of layering, it's all just tossed together and sprinkled with cheese, a much easier and quicker dish. One night this Fall I was eating dinner with my then-4 year old nephew and he was a little wary of it, as 4 year olds tend to be.  We described it to him as a combination of pizza and lasagna.  He said, I don't know if I like pizzagna, and then ate most of it. Not-Lasagna Pasta Bake or Pizzagna Ingredients: olive oil 1 pound ground turkey, chicken or beef - I used ground turkey 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes 1 onion, diced 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon dried parsley 2 cups uncooked pasta (I used rotini) 1/4-1/2 cup ricotta cheese 1/2-1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese In a large saute pan or soup pot (something with at least 2 inch sides), heat a little olive...

While it's always nice to come home, I'm still adjusting to life in 40 degree temps as opposed to 80s.  As such, dinner last night was nothing creative or exciting, but instead good old pasta with tomato sauce.  Sometimes you just need dinner to be ready in 5 minutes and use one pot.  I know you don't need a recipe to combine pasta and crushed tomatoes, and top it with as much cheese as you can get away with.  But let me tell you, it hit the spot. Since I don't really have a recipe for you today, I will share some of the things I'm loving (or coveting) lately. Sonny's Barbecue Sauce - We had Sonny's ribs last week while in Florida, and they are just amazing.  I'm not usually big on tearing fatty meat off bones with my teeth, but for their sauce, I'm on board.   Bodum Double Walled Tumblers - I think these would be absolutely adorable for sipping tea.  I have grand plans to brew iced mint tea using the mint from my garden this summer.  We'l...

For all the years I've been cooking, I shied away from manicotti because I found the pasta tubes to be fussy and temperamental.  I'd rather make lasagna, pasta toss, or even stuffed shells than try to fill slippery pasta tubes that split in half partway through.  And then one day I found myself watching the America's Test Kitchen show, which is super dorky but always informative.  They suggested using softened lasagna noodles and making rolls.  It's so much easier!  You spend less time sticking your hands in boiling water!  There's no broken bits of pasta that you have to try to patch together and conceal in the bottom of the dish! It is a bit of a production because you need to spread everything out on the counter, but it really isn't too complicated, and you can clean up as you go.   Baked Manicotti inspired by America's Test Kitchen  - You can sign up for a free subscription, which I would recommend Ingredients Sauce 1-2 28 oz cans cr...