Fusilli with Fresh Tomato Sauce & Ricotta Cheese

After college I moved to NYC to “grow up,” which means I worked three jobs in attempts to make rent & pay off student loans while having some fun too. Glamorous, right? One of my three jobs was waiting tables  in NYC’s Little Italy. During this time I survived on a few staples for dinner: cannolis, pasta dishes my boss would generously share with me & Chinese food from my favorite place a block away.

I really hadn't thought about these meals until I was watching Giada’s show on Food Network yesterday. She was in Italy making all kinds of pasta. The one dish that she made took me way back to my early twenties when I used to share fusilli (the long curly pasta) with tomato sauce & fresh ricotta with my boss. I easily ate this once or twice (maybe more) a week. Giada’s method was simple & straight forward so feeling nostalgic for it I recreated it from memory of what I learned earlier in the day. 

The one key method for making Giada's simple & super fresh tomato sauce sung out to my inner love of tomatoes - especially fresh summer tomatoes. She took fresh tomatoes & used a box grater to break them down for the sauce. Apparently if you do this in a fancy food processor or blender the heat from those kinds of appliances actually change the flavor of the tomatoes (& we don't want that). I had to try it. I did & I loved it. This maybe my new favorite way to make tomato sauce. It’s so easy & fresh that you’ll be making on the regular too. I think it’s time to get this dish back in my weekly rotation like when I first moved to NYC.

Do you have specific food that reminds you of your first “adult” years? I’d love to hear about them. Leave me a note in the comments below.

PS: remember if you make this pasta be sure to snap a pic & then tag me in your photos on instagram (@mrshoh or #HeatherOMade)!

Basil-Parsley Pesto

When we visit Charleston we find ourselves at Coda del Pesce  at least once if not twice per trip. The menu changes daily but it’s always delicious. The one constant (non)menu item is the ciabatta bread they serve with this amazing pesto. It’s super light but really addicting & we’ve definitely asked for seconds (& wanted thirds) because it’s that good. The wait staff is super knowledgeable & more than happy to share how the dishes are prepared so of course we asked, “what’s in the pesto?” The answer was not much. Literally there are a handful of ingredients that make the pesto so delicious. Naturally,  I made some mental notes & then made it at home.

The one main element that separates this pesto from your usual pesto is also what makes it so light - it doesn’t have any cheese or nuts but it does have anchovies. I know that may sound a little unapproachable but really the anchovies just serve as a salt factor. It doesn't taste fishy what-so-ever. I promise. (Note: If you're preparing this for picky eaters who are put off by fish just don't mention the anchovies & all they'll know is that it tastes delicious.) It’s really fresh & great on everything (I mean everything: bread, fish, pizza, potatoes, veggies).

Make this & then let me know what you put it on. Tag me in your photos on instagram (@mrshoh or #HeatherOMade) if you do I'd love to see your concoctions!

Chickpea & Tomato Ragout

I make dinner most nights after I get home from working all day so quick, easy & tasty food is ideal. We ate this chickpea & tomato ragout with some grilled fish (cod, I think) but I could make a meal out of this alone. It's reminiscent of pasta e fagioli (pasta with beans) minus the pasta. It's ready to eat (prep to finish) in about 20 minutes & you can eat it hot, room temp or cold.

Green Pea & Asparagus Soup with Poached Eggs & Toast

I love a flavorful soup that isn’t full of cream (although cream based soups are delicious too). This soup that I found while skimming the pages of Cooking Light magazine called out to me. It’s vegetable based & only has a little bit of butter. Plus, they recommend serving it with a poached egg & toast which is a no brainer for me that I was automatically going to love this recipe. I did. Chris did. You will. It’s a perfectly green & light enough for warm spring days or nights yet satisfying soup!

Crispy Salt-&-Vinegar Potatoes

I love potatoes & my subscription to Bon Appetit magazine. This post is a marriage of the two. I’ve made this recipe twice already - once for dinner & once for breakfast! I really don’t think there’s ever a wrong time of the day to eat potatoes - do you?

Simple Toasts with Marscapone, Chives & Sea Salt

We have a toaster oven at work. I may really be the only one that ever uses it. I love toast. If i can have a sandwich with toasted bread - i’m toasting it. Usually I’ll bring in al the components to make a sandwich but don’t make them into an actual sandwich until I’ve toasted my bread about five minutes before I eat it. Sounds high maintenance but it’s really not - it’s toasting bread. It’s so simple & really for the short amount of time I have to dedicate to make my sandwich all the more delicious - well I’m going to make the commitment.

So you see, toast seems fancy but it’s not.  So if you’re having a dinner party & need a quick appetizer make these simple cheesy toasts. There will be no leftovers & everyone will be so impressed that you too the time to make (easy) fancy toast - they really will.

Whipped Coconut Milk & Pineapple Parfait

A couple of weeks ago I was thinking (to myself, not out loud) about coconut & pineapple & how great this combination is (hello piña coladas!).  I came home & Chris had bought some ice cream  - chocolate chocolate chip for him & coconut pineapple for me. (Do I have the best mind-reading husband or what?) I had never had coconut pineapple in my life & was a little mind twisted by the coincidence.  I happily ate it & loved it.

If you love coconut & pineapple then you will love this parfait - albeit lighter than the yummy ice cream Chris brought home but ever bit as tasty.

This whipped coconut milk is thicker than whipped cream & much healthier (& less hydrogenated-whatever-is-in) cool whip. If you like fresh whipped cream but could skip the endless whisking you need to make this. It takes just a minute to whisk & you have a fluffy, thick cream  that will actually hold it’s shape sans the chemicals of the stuff in the tub.  Plus, it’s dairy-free - so vegans everywhere can skip to the pantry & stick a can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight - because it must be cold - & enjoy this dessert or breakfast.

PS: Happy birthday do my mom! Love you!

4 Ways to Make Chicken Exciting

Clockwise starting at the upper left corner: Chicken Lettuce Tacos; Cherry & Goat Cheese Chicken;
Chicken & Veggie Turnover; Cajun Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

Happy Friday! Lately it's been a little bit of a ground hog's day in the kitchen. There always seems to be chicken in the fridge & I don't want to cook it. Here are 4 recipes that will (hopefully) bring some excitement back into your kitchen & chicken dinners.

Baked Root Vegetable Frites

Yesterday, I posted about mussels. Other than great bread to soak up the yummy sauce you should definitely eat them some some sort of "frites."  Instead of your traditional pomme frites (potato french fries), Chris & I munched on a tasty alternative: root vegetable frites.

Lately, I'm trying cook more with coconut oil. It's a bit lighter then olive oil & has some really great benefits too - whether you eat it or rub it on like a body lotion - it can help boost your immune system, help you to lose weight & does wonders for skin care. Check out more about these benefits here.

Click through for this tasty & guilt-free recipe.