Grilled Feta Pasta

In the NW we’ve hat the hottest summer on record.  Between the record heat wave of 117° and 107° we had a brief break where the temps got down to the mid 80°s. As most NorthWesterners, we don’t have AC (or at least full house AC).  So firing up the oven is out of the question. 

In this heat, there’s only so many sandwiches and salads you can make, before you start needing some comfort food.  So I thought, why not grab my Detroit pizza pan, and bake the “TikTok” Feta Pasta, quickly a favorite in our house. (Link to my first post-Baked Feta Pasta) This time I only had crumbled feta, so that’s what I used.  I also added artichokes, cause….why not. Here’s my version of this great dish, served with our version of a Caprese Salad.

Grilled Feta Pasta with Artichokes

Ingredients 

• 8-12 oz Feta, block or crumble
• 2 large heirloom tomatoes, chopped (you can also use 1 pt, or more cherry tomatoes)
• Olive oil, to coat
• 1 can quartered artichoke hearts, drained and cut into 1/8ths
• A few sprigs of thyme
• 4-5 peeled cloves of garlic
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 10-12 leaves Fresh basil, thinly sliced
• 1 Grilled Chicken breast, chopped (optional)
• 1 lb or your favorite pasta (cavatappi, farfalle, penne, ziti…), cooked according to package directions

Directions

1. Heat grill to high, try to maintain about 400-425°
2. Prep all ingredients, and place in metal, grill safe pan.
3. Place pan in grill 
4. “Bake” for 10 minutes, stir once, then leave on hot grill for another 10 minutes.(I used this time to grill my chicken breast)
5. Carefully remove pan.  Remove the thyme sprigs. Stir sauce, then fold in cooked pasta.
6. Serve and top with sliced, grilled chicken if you choose.

Firecracker Tofu

Ok, I know you all might not be a fan of tofu, but have you actually even tried it. Honestly?  My guess is a firm no. However it is pretty amazing in this dish (ok you can sub in chicken, but….boring!!)

A little history about the tofu I used. Craig and I were watching Top Chef Portland, and they did an episode on Ota Tofu, a local, (and the oldest) tofu company here in Portland. We both said we need to try that. Fast forward to a few weeks later snd some really good friends were in town and we went to dinner, unknowingly we parked in front of Ota. I was just giddy. However they were not open. The next week I found some in an Asian market and decided on this dish. Which is PERFECT for a 4th of July celebration!  Maybe just cause it’s called “firecracker”?!?!

Firecracker Tofu

Ingredients

• 1 Package Extra Firm Tofu - 14 oz package
• 1/4 Cup Cornstarch
• 1/4 Cup Sesame Oil 

For the Sweet-Spicy Sauce:

• 2 Tbsp Karo Syrup
• 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
• 1/2 Cup Hot Sauce 
• 1 tbsp White Vinegar
• 4 Tbsp Water
• 1/4 Tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes
• 1/8 Tsp Black Pepper
• 1/4 Tsp Salt
• 2-3 Green Onion Stalks - cut into 1 inch pieces

Topping (optional):

• 1 Tsp Sesame Seeds
• 2-3 Green Onion Stalks - chopped thinly

Instructions

Making the Crispy Tofu.

1. Start by cutting the tofu into bite-size pieces or about 1-inch size.
2. Then pour the cornstarch on a large plate.
3. Add the sliced tofu pieces in the cornstarch and toss to coat them evenly.
4. Heat 1/2 the sesame oil in a non-stick pan/wok.
5. Add 8-10 coated tofu pieces and shallow fry for 3-4 minutes (turn sides and cook tofu evenly until light golden brown).
6. Remove the cooked tofu and repeat the step until all leftover tofu is cooked.

Making the Sweet-Spicy Sauce:

1. Take a large bowl and add all the sauce ingredients in it. Whisk to mix everything evenly.
2. In the same non-stick pan/wok and add the whisked sauce ingredients from the bowl.
3. Saute the sauce and let this simmer on low heat for a minute.
4. Add larger green onion pieces. 
5. After a minute, add the crispy tofu and stir to mix everything.
6. Make sure the sauce evenly coats each side of crispy tofu.
7. Let this cook for another 2-3 minutes and then turn off the heat.
8. Transfer the Firecracker Tofu to a serving bowl.
9. Sprinkle sesame seeds and sliced green onions. 
10. Serve hot with choice of side.

Sesame-Hoisin Chicken Wings

(Warning…sappy love story before the recipe.) As you hopefully all know, I am in love with my husband. I have been since we met on 9.9.99! I had always said, I will end up with someone that can hold up their end of the conversation, but not be a know it all. He’s all that, and a bag of plain Lays (there’s a story in that too!).

 

That being said, I have been cooking almost every night of our relationship (21 years strong) and I’m not complaining!  However, my one gripe is this…his food rating system! It’s either “it’s ok” or “nah”. Occasionally it might be “would you rather a turkey sandwich”. Otherwise, he’s my best critic. He grounds me and I know what he likes.

 

The other night I decided to make grilled wings. Now, we make Buffalo wings ONLY on Super Bowl Sunday It’s our tradition! So, it was risky trying a one off, or two off wing dinner. While on vacation, I came across this amazing recipe for Sesame-Hoisin Chicken Wings and I was like, this is it!  I found fresh wings at my local grocery and was very excited. This time I followed the recipe, as there were many steps and  I didn’t want another biryani incident. Needless to say, they turned out great. Since this was a trial, I didn’t make too many, so there was only one container of leftovers. 

 

A couple days later Craig was off work and I said, “why don’t you air fry those wings”. I got an “ah, sure, We’ll see”. Which means, no. The next day he says, “those wings”….and I braced myself “were amazing air fried”.  SCORE!!!

Sesame-Hoisin Chicken Wings

Ingredients 

• 1∕2 cup Soy-Balsamic Sauce
• 1/2 cup green onion, thinly sliced
• 1∕4 cup hoisin sauce
• 1∕4 cup Magic Paste (recipe follows)
• 3 lb. chicken wings, separated into flats and drumettes
• Gochugaru (Korean-style red pepper), optional

Directions 

1. In a large bowl, whisk the Soy-Balsamic Sauce, scallions, hoisin, and Magic Paste. Set 1∕2 cup sauce aside in a small bowl for basting the wings. Add the wings to the large bowl. Toss until coated. Cover the wings and reserved sauce separately; refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Prepare the grill for medium heat. If using charcoal, when the coals are gray, pile them on 1 side of the grill. If using a gas grill, light 1 part of the grill and leave the other unlit.
3. Place the wings on the cooler side of the grill in a single layer, spacing them evenly apart. Close the grill and cook for 5 minutes. Turn the wings over; baste with the reserved sauce. Close the grill and cook for 5 minutes more. Transfer the wings to the hot side of the grill; baste with some of the sauce. Cook, turning once or twice, until cooked through, 10 to 20 minutes more; move the wings to the cooler side of the grill if the skin begins to burn. Top with gochugaru for a little more heat, if desired.

Soy-Balsamic Sauce

Ingredients 

• 1 1∕4 tsp. cornstarch
• 1∕4 cup plus 1 tbsp. brown sugar 
• 1∕2 cup plus 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1∕2 cup plus 2 tbsp. soy sauce

Directions

1. In a small bowl, stir the cornstarch and 2 tbsp. plus 11∕2 tsp. water. In a small saucepan, bring the sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
2. Stir in the cornstarch. Simmer until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. 
3. Let cool. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Makes about 1 1∕4 cups.

Magic Paste

Ingredients 

• 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 tbsp. fennel seeds
• 1∕2 cup fish sauce
• 1∕4 cup gochugaru (Korean- style red pepper)
• 1∕4 cup toasted sesame oil

Directions

1. In a food processor, pulse the ginger, garlic, and fennel seeds until finely chopped. 
2. Add the fish sauce, gochugaru, and oil. 
3. Process until almost smooth, about 30 seconds. 
4. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 2 months. 
5. Makes about 1 cup.

Southwest Black Bean Salad

This salad!!  I started making this back in the late 90’s, even before I found my niche with cooking. It’s so versatile. Over the years I’ve used it as a salad dressing, atop a bed of chopped green leaf or butter lettuce, I’ve put it on warm rice, scooped it with chips, added chicken and pasta….the possibilities are truly endless. 

Southwestern Black Bean Salad

Ingredients

Dressing

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons lime juice freshly squeezed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Salad

• 30 ounces black beans cans
• 1 1/2 cups corn kernels
• 1 small red bell pepper stemmed, seeded and diced 
• 1 small green bell pepper stemmed, seeded and diced
• 1/2 cup tomatoes chopped
• 1/4 cup cilantro chopped or flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
• 1/4 cup red onion chopped
• 1/2 cup cubed cheese
• 4 stalks of Celery, diced 

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine all of the dressing ingredients. 
2. Whisk until combined. Then add the  salad ingredients. 
3. Toss to coat. 
4. Enjoy!

Manicotti vs. Cannelloni, a family divided

Manicotti vs Cannelloni

My family (please note we are not at all Italian!!) have been making Manicotti for decades.  As long as I can remember this dish has been HIGHLY requested.  Several years ago, my cousin gathered all of our family recipes, and there was some heated debate of who actually “owned” our family favorite dish.  Turns out we all decided my Aunt Jean was the true originator (adapter).  

No please don’t get me wrong, while our “manicotti” is a family favorite version, I learned years later that the actual dish we made was cannelloni, or a version there of.  We used 4 cheeses, cottage, cheddar, mozzarella and that green can of “sawdust”, err I mean parm….. at some point and time someone added little smokes into the tubes.  Don’t ask, I don’t know.

Fast forward quite a few years, and a friend invited us over for dinner.  She was making tons of manicotti.  We discussed the above mentioned family version.  In the end I learned our version was completely backwards.  But we still call it manicotti. 

Here is our favorite Manicotti to make. In the pictures I has making it to give away (I don’t normally don’t bake in tin foil!) but I do make extra filling and stuff all the tubes.  Then tuck a tray or two into a freezer bag and freeze them for a later dinner.  We always have left of spaghetti sauce (Goon’s Spaghetti), so this is a quick and VERY easy dish to pop together when your feeling time poor.

Manicotti 

• 1 package of Manicotti tube pasta
• 16 oz ricotta
• 8 oz grated parm
• 1/4 Parsley, chopped loosely packed
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 egg, beaten 
• 3- 4 cups Left over spaghetti sauce, or your favorite jar
• 12-16oz Shredded Mozzarella
• 1 Pastry bag

Instructions

1. Par cook the pasta.  You want to not fully cook, as they will fall apart.
2. Set of parchment to cool
3. Mix together the ricotta, parm parsley and egg.  Lightly salt (the cheese may have enough salt).  Add pepper to your liking.
4. Put the filling mixture into the pastry bag, cut off a small/medium hole in the tip.  you can also use a ziplock bag, and cut off one corner.
5. Take the bag and pipe the filling into the tube.
1. If you don’t have a piping bag, you can use a spoon to stuff the tube
6. (At this point you can place the back into the plastic contained the uncooked past came in, and slide into a large ziplock, to freeze)
7. Layer about 1/2 cup in the bottom of a prepared baking dish.
8. Place the stuffed tubes in a baking pan.
9. Continue until the pan is full.
10. Place the remainder of your pasta sauce on top of the pasta.
11. Top with shredded mozzarella
12. Bake at 350°, for 20-35 minutes, or until golden and bubble.

      

      
      

          

Here are the family versions…..