Farmer's Pasta

Looking for a new pasta recipe that’s different than the traditional red sauce and the whole family will love? Then you will want to make this Farmer’s Pasta, courtesy of Food Network’s Giada DeLaurentiis. I hope you like cheese though because it is the cheesiest pasta you will ever make!

The recipe starts with sautéing 6 ounces of pancetta in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Pancetta is an Italian style bacon that is cured with salt and spices. It really has a great flavor which adds to the taste of this dish. Once the bacon is crisp transfer it to a dish using a slotted spoon. Keep the pan drippings in the pot and sauté 3 teaspoons of minced garlic for 30 seconds. Next add 1/3 cup of all-purpose flour and whisk for two minutes. It is very important to time the cooking of each ingredient accurately to avoid burning any of them. As I’ve mentioned in other posts, I always prepare my ingredients prior to starting the cooking process so they’re ready when I’m ready to add them.

Now for the dairy…add 7 cups of whole milk. Yes, I said 7 cups!! You must add this gradually whisking all the while. It is very helpful if you have someone helping you during this step, but not necessary. Once all of the milk is added, bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to medium and simmer until the sauce thickens a bit, being sure to whisk regularly for about 5 minutes. Next, whisk in all of the grated cheeses which consist of 8 ounces of Fontina, 4 ounces of Mozzarella, ¾ cup parmesan and 6 ounces of Provolone. Your cheese sauce is now ready!!

Cook your pasta in another pot about 7 minutes until it’s almost al dente. Al dente is an Italian term which means ‘to the tooth’. It is used to describe pasta that is cooked but still has a firm bite to it. It is best to cook pasta al dente if you’re going to add it to a dish that will be cooking more in the oven.

Once the pasta is done, add it to your cheese sauce, then mix in 3 tablespoons of chopped Italian parsley, 3 tablespoons of fresh basil leaves and the cooked pancetta. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour the entire mixture into a prepared baking dish coated with butter.

You probably think it’s ready to go into the oven now, right? Not yet! One more step. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of minced garlic and sauté about 30 seconds. Take off the heat and add 2 cups of fresh coarse bread crumbs. Coat the bread crumbs with the oil and garlic then pour on top of the pasta. Drizzle with olive oil and bake about 20 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and the bread crumbs are browned. You could definitely get away with a little less bread crumbs, two cups can be a bit overwhelming at times once it’s mixed in with the pasta.

Just one last thing to do now and that is to enjoy your dinner!! There are so many great flavors in this dish with the garlic, pancetta, 4 different types of cheeses, the fresh herbs and the bread crumb topping. There are many steps involved, so it is best reserved for the weekend when you have a bit more time to cook. But it is well worth it and will be enjoyed by all!!

Check out the full recipe here on the Food Network Website – Farmer’s Pasta.

Hummus

Need a good Hummus recipe? I’ve got a really good one for you and it’s easy to make. Courtesy of the Food Network Kitchens, the following recipe is one you’ll want to make over and over again. All you need is:

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
¾ cup water
½ cup tahini
5 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 clove garlic
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, water, tahini, 5 tablespoons of lemon juice, salt and garlic and puree. While the motor is running, pour in the olive oil and process until fully incorporated. Season with pepper to taste. Store in the refrigerator for 6 hours for flavors to come together.

When ready to serve, remove hummus from the refrigerator and stir in the remaining 2 teaspoons lemon juice and parsley. Transfer to a serving bowl or platter and drizzle with olive oil. Serve with flat breads and olives. Store any leftover hummus in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Copyright 2001 Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.



We usually eat the Hummus with warm pita bread and it’s also great with Multi-Grain tortilla chips. If you like Hummus, you’re going to love this recipe. You may even want to make a double batch because it will disappear quickly!!

Deep Springs Trout Club

I have never eaten so much fish in one sitting!! The funny thing is I probably could have eaten more if my stomach was bigger. Sometimes you stop eating something because you’ve had enough of the flavor, but that was not the case here. Every little bit of this trout was delicious.

Let me take you through my journey at the Deep Springs Trout Club. This diamond is tucked away deep in the heart of rural Chardon, OH. As we were traveling along the beautiful country roads that make up Chardon, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. When we drove up to the Club, I was surprised to see that the restaurant itself is not very big. But when you walk in, you are welcomed by a comfortable, quaint environment for dining. The atrium-like structure of this restaurant brought the outdoors in with the warmth of the sunshine shining through the windows and a clear view of the beautiful landscape. There are two lakes outside, a large one for fishing and a smaller one to hold the fish caught that day for cooking. There is also a fountain of fresh spring water that members can use to fill up gallon jugs for only 25 cents.

Now on to the food! We started out passing around a place of delicious, juicy sweet watermelon. Shortly following, we were served a plate of cut up red peppers drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper. Then…I tasted for the first time trout pate served on saltine crackers. I could have eaten the whole plate. It was so good that I found myself googling recipes for trout pate later that day. Next, we had breaded, fried calamari and roasted hot banana peppers. Are you feeling full yet? Keep reading!! Once we finished the appetizers, they brought out a plate of trout filets. Half of them were breaded and deep fried and the other half were coated in a lovely, so tasty Cajun spice. The breaded filets were very moist inside and perfectly fried. The Cajun filets I believe were also fried. They weren’t as moist but had such a wonderful flavor to them. You may think a Cajun flavored dish would be hot and spicy but the heat of the seasoning was very tolerable. It was just wonderful!

You probably think we’re done here, not a chance. Our host, a close client of ours, insisted we have dessert. Who am I to turn down dessert?! Especially a chocolate one! I indulged in a chocolate tortufo which was a ball of chocolate mousse with a vanilla center. It was very yummy!! The others in the group enjoyed hazelnut gelato and vanilla ice cream.

This was a very unique experience that I will cherish for years to come. Before you think about visiting though, I have to break your heart and tell you that it is part of a country club that has a membership fee. You either have to be a member or go with a member. I hope you will some day have the chance to visit the Deep Springs Trout Club or somewhere similar for some very tasty fresh fish dishes!!

Vegetarian Chili

Chili, to me, is a comfort food. It’s great for football games, on hot dogs, french fries or a meal to warm you up on a cold day. We’re all familiar with the traditional chili…meat, beans, tomatoes, spices…you know what I’m talking about. But these days, so many people are cutting out meat and wanting to be healthier. I have a wonderful vegetarian chili recipe shared with me by my sister-in-law (she and my brother are vegetarians) and you’re just going to love it. However, I hope you like beans and can deal with their effects because we are talking about a lot of beans. Let’s check it out…

First you will need to gather all of your ingredients. They are:

4 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 (12 oz) bottle of beer (you can substitute broth for this)
4 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp ground mustard
1 tsp dried oregano
freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp hot pepper sauce
1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained & rinsed
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, drained & rinsed
1 (15 oz) can cannelini beans, drained & rinsed
1 (15 oz) can of corn, drained & rinsed
**optional toppings based on your preference are shredded cheddar cheese or sour cream

Now it’s time to start cooking. Grab your stock pot and put in on the stove. In it you will sauté the garlic in olive oil on medium heat. The garlic can either be minced or finely chopped. I use a garlic press. This will only take about a minute. Be sure to watch your garlic closely so it does not burn. That will surely ruin the taste of the chili.

The next step will be to add all of the ingredients except for the beans. Keep in mind there are a lot of cans to open and spices to measure out. I always prep everything before I start cooking so I can pour it all into the pot immediately. Let this cook for a few minutes, then add the beans and corn. At this point, you will want to bring the chili to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Feel free to add more liquid as necessary, either water or broth.

That’s pretty much it! Sounds simple, doesn’t it? If you like chili and all of the ingredients I’ve listed above, you will love this recipe. It makes plenty so be sure to invite some friends or family over. Serve with your favorite cornbread recipe.

Cheesy Baked Tortellini

It’s time I wrote about a recipe from my favorite Food Network Chef, Giada DeLaurentiis. I have made soooo many of her dishes and have been extremely pleased with them all. They’re usually a big hit with everyone I share them with too. My family, friends and co-workers are my guinea pigs (whether they know it or not) and get to try whatever new recipe I decide to make for get-togethers and parties. Her recipes are definitely in line with my taste in food.

Giada’s ‘Cheesy Baked Tortellini’ has to be one of the tastiest, easiest recipes I’ve ever made. It takes no time at all to whip all of the ingredients together. You can make this meal on a week night when you want to get dinner on the table quick and still have plenty of time to relax. It’s actually a great meal for any occasion and doesn’t require expert cooking skills either. If you can boil water, measure ingredients and chop some fresh herbs, you can do this!

Let me walk you through the simple steps of making this meal. First, put your salted water on to boil. In the meantime, chop up some fresh parsley and thyme. Mix together 2 cups of your favorite marinara sauce (I prefer Prego), 1/3 cup creamy mascarpone cheese and the freshly chopped herbs. Once the water comes to a boil, drop in a bag of cheese tortellini. Only let them cook for about 2 minutes though because they’ll finish cooking in the oven. Once they’re done, drain and stir into the marinara mixture. Pour into an 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 baking dish coated with olive oil. Top it all off with smoked mozzarella (or regular mozzarella) and parmesan cheese. Bake for 30 minutes and you will have a wonderfully tasty meal to share with your family and friends. Visit the Cheesy Baked Tortellini recipe page on the Food Network website for ingredients and detailed cooking instructions.

Believe me when I tell you that you will be a star when you make this. The creaminess and tanginess of the marinara mixed with mascarpone cheese and the freshness of the herbs will create a burst of flavor in your mouth. You will appreciate not having to spend hours in the kitchen to make this extremely pleasing meal.

I love to serve this dish with warm ciabatta rolls and Ellie Kreiger’s Five-Minute Salad with Goat Cheese, Herb and White Bean.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Dessert

One of the most amazing combinations of flavors in the world is chocolate and peanut butter. It is so rich and satisfying and goes great with a big glass of milk to wash it all down.

My mother recently made a wonderful Peanut Butter Chocolate Dessert recipe she found in a Taste of Home Quick Cooking magazine. The recipe was provided by Debbie Price from LaRue, OH and won 1st Place in a contest back in 2002 for the magazine. When I saw how much everyone loved this dessert, I knew I had to make it for my company picnic. Everyone loved it there too!!

As you will notice in the picture, when clicking on the link above, there are several layers of delicious ingredients that you will dig into when eating this dessert. Each level is so easy to make and the best thing is it doesn’t require any cooking. You will definitely save time without the cooking. When you are finished assembling the layers, you simply cover and put in the fridge for at least 3 hours.

Now let me take you through the taste experience of this dessert. As your fork sinks into each layer then makes its way to your mouth you will be about to enjoy a peanut butter and chocolate creation out of this world! The first layer is a creamy chocolate mixture of chocolate pudding, milk, confectioners’ sugar and whipped cream, then you bite into a crunchy layer of chopped miniature peanut butter cups as you make your way to the creamy peanut butter blend of peanut butter (of course), cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar and whipped cream then finally down to the crust of crushed sweet cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies and melted butter to hold it all together. Mmmmmm….does that sound good or what?

I know you’re all dying to learn the recipe so you can run out to the store to buy the ingredients, so here it is:

20 Chocolate cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies, divided
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
½ cup peanut butter
1-1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar, divided
1 carton (16 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
15 miniature peanut butter cups, chopped
1 cup cold milk
1 package (3.9 ounces) instant chocolate fudge pudding mix

Crush 16 cookies; toss with the butter. Press into an ungreased 9-in. square dish. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, peanut butter and 1 cup confectioners' sugar until smooth. Fold in half of the whipped topping. Spread over crust. Sprinkle with peanut butter cups. In another mixing bowl, beat the milk, pudding mix and remaining confectioners' sugar on low speed for 2 minutes. Fold in remaining whipped topping. Spread over peanut butter cups. Crush remaining cookies; sprinkle over the top. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours. Yield: 12-16 servings.

In closing, I would just like to say, the dessert you are about to enjoy may cause serious indulgent tendencies and create the sudden urge to lock yourself in a closet with the entire dish so no one else can have any. Eat at your own risk!!

Marcella's Ristorante

Marcella’s
1319 Polaris Parkway
Columbus, OH 43240
http://www.marcellasristorante.com/

Marcella’s is a unique twist on fine Italian dining. It is one of the newer concepts created by Cameron Mitchell Restaurants. Currently, there are only two locations in Columbus, but hopefully they’ll expand into Cleveland soon!! (Hint, Hint)

The atmosphere immediately feels calming with colors of brown, gold and deep red decor. The walls are adorned with photos, mirrors and cabinets full of wine bottles, bread baskets, cans of tomatoes and more. The banquet style tables are set with paper placemats portraying a map of Italy and white kitchen towels with a blue stripe through it for napkins. There are also a stack of plates in a wire rack to encourage sharing of your plates. Whether you’re dining for lunch, after work or on the weekends, you will be completely relaxed, ready to enjoy wonderful food with good company when you walk in the doors.

Now that I’ve somewhat painted a picture of the surroundings, (and you can view actual photos of the interior on the Marcella’s website) I will dive right into the food. We started out with their selection of assorted olives, a Formaggi (cheese) plate, fresh sliced prosciutto with melon, bruschetta with prosciutto and deep fried calamari. The olive pot was filled with 4 types of tasty, assorted olives. The Formaggi plate is completed with your choice of 6 different cheeses based on your preference. We chose 3, Mozzarella di Bufala (Buffalo Mozzarella), Aged Goat Cheese and Pecorino di Pienza. These cheeses were so fresh and each had their own distinct flavor. The Goat Cheese actually came in the form of a sliced cheese, more firm than the traditional soft Goat Cheese I’m familiar with. You can also order a plate of various Italian meats from the “Salumeria”, but we opted for a cold plate of sliced prosciutto and melon.



Now if that wasn’t enough, we absolutely had to order the Bruschetta covered in whipped ricotta cheese, roasted tomato and parma prosciutto, as well as the Fritto Misto (Calamari with roasted garlic aioli & marinara). Love Calamari!!

Are you feeling full yet…this is just the beginning!! Dinner is served…

Between the eight of us, we tried several different dishes. Starting with the two girls (ages 9 & 10), who ordered from the children’s menu, they were served a bowl of fresh fruit with the appetizers of cantaloupe and grapes, which they happily devoured. One ordered the buttered penne for her meal and the other ordered spaghetti and meatball and boy was this a large meatball as you can tell from the photo. The penne needed a little extra butter which they were happy to supply. They both thoroughly enjoyed their meals, especially the bowl of vanilla gelato that arrived at the end.

The two teenage boys and my brother ordered pizza. These are classic Neapolitan stone oven pizzas with your choice of cheeses, vegetables and meats. There’s sure to be one that makes your mouth water. The two boys ordered the Quattro Formaggi (4 cheeses), which consisted of Pecorino, Asiago, Gorgonzola and Parmesan Reggiano. Not the typical cheeses they’re used to on their pizza, but they absolutely loved it. My brother ordered the Sicilian with capacola, salami, chunks of meatballs and asiago cheese. You can see from the picture that this is a hearty meal.



Now onto my parent’s meals. My father loves veal, so it wasn’t surprising when he ordered the Veal Milanese which is served with Pomodoro Sauce. I don’t have a picture of this meal and unfortunately didn’t taste it but he assured me it was delicious. My mother ordered one of Marcella’s Favorites, Ravioli Mezzaluna. This one I did taste and would definitely consider ordering it on my next visit. As you can see from the picture, this dish is made up of lovely, half-moon shaped pasta stuffed with goat cheese then smothered in a sauce of cabbage and Italian Bacon (pancetta) along with other ingredients that give it a golden brown colored sauce. The taste was amazing. It was very rich and flavorful.



Finally, I had a tough time deciding between the Linguine & Clams and the Spaghetti Alla Carbonara. I’ve had Linguine and Clams before at the little Italian Café down the street from me and loved it, but I had never had Carbonara and really wanted to try it, which is what I ended up ordering. What makes Carbonara distinct is that it is topped with a slightly cooked egg yolk that you mix into the pasta. If you’re not a fan of egg yolk, you probably won’t like it, but I’ll eat just about anything. Not too many ingredients in this dish. It’s basically the pasta in a simple sauce of EVOO (Extra-Virgin Olive Oil), pancetta (Italian Bacon), garlic, black pepper, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and the egg yolk. It was pretty good for my first Carbonara. I love EVOO, garlic and crushed red pepper on my pasta, so this was right up my alley. You could really taste the distinct flavors of each ingredient. The bits of pancetta were perfectly cooked. This is an Italian or Spanish dry cured pork belly that has been salted and spiced. I’ve cooked with it before and it has a rich meaty consistency and the spices give it a great flavor.


I think I’ve probably filled up the page with this post and I’m sure you’re all tired of reading by now, but at least the pictures gave you a visual instead of having to imagine what everything looks like. I would highly recommend this restaurant if you’re traveling in the Columbus area. My only regret is that we didn’t have room in our stomachs for dessert.