This Comes With the Sauce Built In

Who knew that asparagus, eggs and cheese could come together so nicely?!? New York Times Cooking Contributor Yasmin Fahr, who wrote the new cookbook, Cook Simply Live Fully, came by Tonia's Kitchen to tell us about a delicious recipe that can really come in handy when you're feeling a little lazy. She told Tonia about her Sheet Pan Asparagus that's almost Mediterranean since it includes Feta Cheese, along with cherry tomatoes. But the sauce here comes from eggs that you crack right over the pan full of the other stuff. It cooks right up, is delicious, and if you really wanted to, you could eat right from the pan! Dinner...Done!

The Wine's Already In It

  

How about red wine and pasta? That dinner has been enjoyed for centuries. Very little to add here...or is there? Ali Rosen, who wrote the cookbook Bring It, stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to give a modern take on that dish.  She told Tonia that instead of enjoying a glass of wine with the pasta, cook the spaghetti IN the wine! Ali cautions you need to mix the wine with water to make sure the pasta cooks properly. She then adds pine nuts and feta cheese, which gives the dish a beautiful, bright color, and a taste that will leave your dinner guests demanding more.  And of course, you can still enjoy a glass of wine with this meal!

 Red Wine Pasta

Pasta often relies on other ingredients to add color. In this dish, however, the pasta is the star. I once encountered a version of this recipe in a restaurant and thought that color had been added to the pasta dough itself. But you can make this magical burgundy pasta with whatever dried pasta is in your pantry. Spaghetti is used in this recipe, but almost any pasta size or shape will do: the concept remains the same. The wine adds an earthy fruit flavor to the dish, and the simple addition of pine nuts, feta, and parsley brings another dimension.

Makes 6 to 8 Servings

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

3 garlic cloves, diced

1 (750 ml) bottle light red wine,

such as Beaujolais

1 pound spaghetti or other pasta

1 cup pine nuts

11/2 cups crumbled feta cheese

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

1 cup fresh chopped basil

Salt to taste

Directions

Find a pan wide enough to hold the uncooked spaghetti. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in the pan on medium-high heat and add the garlic. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the garlic just starts to brown.

Add the red wine and 1 cup of water, and bring to a boil. Add the spaghetti and reduce heat to a rapid simmer. Cook the pasta until the wine has been absorbed, approximately 8 to 10 minutes (or according to your particular pasta’s instructions), stirring occasionally.

Depending on the pasta you are using, you may need to add up to 2 more cups of water as you cook. If the pasta has absorbed the liquid but still isn’t quite done to your liking: add another half a cup at a time until it is done.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of the butter in the last minute or two before the pasta is done. Remove from the heat and toss with the pine nuts, feta cheese, lemon, and basil. Add salt to taste.

How To Bring It

1The way you handle this recipe depends on whether you want to serve it hot or cold. If you are

serving it cold, you can just refrigerate it after cooking and serve it as is up to 2 days later. If you are serving it hot, save the feta, lemon juice, and basil for whenever you are serving it. Cook the pasta fully and store separately; keep the pine nuts, feta, and parsley in another container. To reheat, place the cooked pasta in a skillet with a tablespoon of butter and bring back up to temperature, and then mix in the remaining ingredients.

FRIDGE TO TABLE

Reprinted with permission from BRING IT! © 2018 by Ali Rosen, Running Press

Kabobs...With Fruit

 

Fruity...is probably not the word you'd use to describe a kabob...that is unless of course the main ingredient is Watermelon!  Today, Amy Riolo, who wrote The Ultimate Mediterranean Diet, came by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her Cyprian-inspired Watermelon kabobs, that are a wonderful treat for outdoor picnics or barbeques.  Amy told Tonia she takes a traditional Cypriot cheese called Halloumi and places it on a kabob with basil leaves and watermelon.  Then she drizzles it with olive oil.  It's a fresh, healthy snack that's colorful and fun to eat!  Amy told Tonia the kids love it, and so will you!   A word about Halloumi cheese, it is available in most gourmet supermarkets, but if you can't find it, Amy tells Tonia Feta Cheese will do. 

These Beets Can't Be Beat!

  



By their very nature, beets are not boring, but sometimes they're served in uninteresting ways.  Suzanne Landry is hoping to change that though.  Suzanne, who wrote, appropriately, The Passionate Vegetable, told Tonia's Kitchen about her Tangerine and Beet
salad.  She starts with roasted or boiled beets,  When preparing them, Suzanne says you shouldn't cut below the stem end, because doing that means flavor and nutrition fall right out.  She says after cooking the beets, place into cold water, and the peel will come right off.  Then, Suzanne says, toss those beets into olive oil to prevent bleeding, and combine them with sectioned tangerines.  Toss it all together in Feta Cheese and fresh mint and serve.  Not boring!

(Suzanne's recipe is reprinted from koshereye.com)
Ingredients:
3 beets, cooked, peeled and cubed
3 seedless tangerines, peeled, and sectioned
½ cup feta cheese, crumbled

Dressing:
1/3 cup olive oil
2 Tbs balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs minced fresh mint

If using fresh beets, scrub well but do not peel. Cut stem off to within one inch of beet. Immerse in water, cover and bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium. Depending on the size of the beets, cooking will take about 30 minutes or longer. They are cooked when the beet feels tender when a fork is pushed into the center. Drain and cool. Remove skin and stem by rubbing off with your fingers under running water. Cut beets into ½-inch bite size pieces.

Peel tangerines and separate wedges. Remove any white membrane. Either leave whole or cut in half.
This dressing will make more than you need for this salad. It's a favorite in our house and I'm sure you'll want to have extra. For this amount of salad, place ½ cup of finished dressing in a salad bowl. Add cooked beets and tangerines and toss. Sprinkle with feta cheese.