Pasta with Kale, Garlic & Calabrian Chile

Ok, so I know spicy chile, garlic and kale pasta is not your typical Easter side dish fare but just imagine it paired with roast beef, or lamb or turkey. Gorgeous color, fresh taste, loads of flavor. It just shouts spring to me. Best of all you have a delicious main dish for your vegetarian friends. Happy Spring everyone!

The key to this dish is Calabrian Chile paste. I love the Silanfunghi brand of chile paste and used to buy it by the case at NapaStyle, Michael Chiarello's store, and catalog. They are "rebranding" and not taking orders at this time, so I have found other brands on Amazon. I am pretty addicted to this sauce and always have a number of jars in my pantry. Try the chile drizzled on pizza, or eggs, or vegetables of any sort. It is spicy but not "stupid hot" as my husband likes to say. I shared a recipe this week for Sauteed Broccolini With Garlic and Chile On Toast over on my Napa Farmhouse 1885 blog. The broccolini also features the chile sauce. You should give it a try too.

Pasta with Kale, Garlic & Calabrian Chile
(serves 6)

6 oz kale leaves, trimmed and cut into 3-inch pieces
extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 cup pine nuts
2-3 heaping teaspoons Calabrian Chile Paste. ( I like the Sil brand)
sea salt
black pepper
grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
16 oz tubular pasta, cooked according to the package directions

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Stir in the kale and 1 cup of water. Cover pan and allow kale to cook until crisp-tender. (about 4-5 minutes). Remove cover and saute kale until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, the garlic, pine nuts and a pinch each salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute. Add 2 tablespoons chile paste and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

Add the hot, cooked pasta to the skillet and stir to combine. Taste and add the additional tablespoon chile paste if you want a spicier dish. Generously top pasta with cheese and serve.

It is Easter Sides Week at Food Network's Sensational Sides roundup. Do you have a favorite side dish recipe to share? Please list (or link) in the comments below. And be sure to check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends and Food Network. 

The Lemon Bowl: Roasted Asparagus and Tangerines with Toasted Almonds
Devour: Have a Hoppin’ Easter with These Remixed Brunch and Dinner Dishes
Creative Culinary: Deviled Eggs with Lemon Zest, Capers and Chives
The Mom 100: Spring Greens Salad with Kohlrabi and Golden Beets
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Vanilla Pudding with Fruit Jam Topping
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Sauteed Broccolini With Garlic And Chile On Toast
Red or Green: Pasta With Kale, Garlic & Calabrian Chile
Big Girls, Small Kitchen: Fennel & Cherry Tomato Salad with Toasted Pistachios
Healthy Eats: 5 Spring Sides for a Healthier Easter Feast
Taste with the Eyes: Butter Lettuce Cups with Fried Goat Cheese, Green Apple, Meyer Lemon Cream
The Wimpy Vegetarian: Creamy Feta and Asparagus Casserole with Orzo
FN Dish: 5 Side Dishes That Are More Important Than the Easter Ham

best,

diane

napa farmhouse 1885

red or green? 

California Girl in Taos

MoseyLove
please follow me on Facebook

I have started sharing my newest blog "California Girl in Taos."  Please visit and let me know what you think.

Taco Stuffed Baked Potatoes

I love tacos...all kinds. I honestly could eat them every day so was thrilled to see a new "cleanse" book has been released. The Taco Cleanse: The Tortilla-Based Diet Proven to Change Your Life has 75 vegan taco recipes that have reviewers raving. It makes sense...steamed corn tortillas filled with healthy, delicious ingredients. What's not to love?  But today's recipe does not come from the book...and is not especially healthy (hold the cheese & ranch for a healthier version)...but easy to prepare and delicious all the same.

It is Potato Week at Food Network's Comfort Food Feast, and I felt like making baked potatoes. I also felt like eating tacos. So I combined the two. My version of stuffed baked potatoes with some spice. So good. My new favorite potato recipe. Perfect for a crowd because once the potatoes are baked and the toppings prepared, everyone can assemble their own. I think this would make a fun Superbowl Party appetizer. Enjoy!

Taco Stuffed Baked Potatoes
serves 2-4

2-4 large organic baking potatoes
extra virgin olive oil
1 pound ground beef, turkey, tofu or refried beans
1 package organic taco seasoning
grated cheddar cheese
diced onions
diced tomatoes (in season)
sliced radishes
salsa
guacamole
ranch dip/dressing
course sea salt
sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper 
salad greens
tortilla chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place a wire cooking rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Prick potatoes 5-6 times with a sharp knife. This allows steam to escape while the potatoes are cooking and you get baked potatoes...not steamed potatoes (completely different texture). Using your hands, rub olive oil all over a potato and then place on the prepared rack. Repeat with the rest of the potatoes. Sprinkle potatoes with the coarse sea salt. Roast in oven 1 1/2 to 2 hours until the potatoes give slightly when squeezed.

Prepare taco meat (or beans) according to package instructions. Set aside

When ready, remove potatoes from oven. To serve, slice a potato down the center lengthwise. Gently squeeze to loosen the flesh being careful not to tear the skin. Use a fork to fluff up the flesh and drizzle a bit more olive oil over the top. Sprinkle with grey salt and black pepper. Repeat with the remaining potatoes. Top potatoes with some of the taco meat and the toppings of your choice.  Serve immediately with chips and greens alongside.

Other potato recipes you may enjoy:

• Spicy Potato Salad with Jalapeno & Vinegar Vinaigrette
• Smashed Potato Tacos with Guacamole & Tomato Salsa (vegetarian)
• Spicy Baked Sweet Potatoes
• Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Chipotle
• Roasted Sweet Potato Fries

It is Soup Week at Food Network's Comfort Food Feast roundup. Do you have a favorite soup dish recipe to share? Please list (or link) in the comments below. And be sure to check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends and Food Network. 

Creative Culinary: Bacon and Caramelized Onion Potato Salad
Homemade Delish: Parmesan-Crusted Potato Wedges
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Stir-Fried Purple Potatoes
Healthy Eats: 6 Better Ways to Eat Potatoes
In Jennie's Kitchen: Slow Cooked Baked Potatoes
Taste with the Eyes: Flatbread Pizza: Potato, Arugula, Sour Cream, Chives, Olive, Truffle, Lemon
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Mashed Russet and Sweet Potato Casserole
Red or Green: Taco Stuffed Baked Potatoes
The Wimpy Vegetarian: Sweet Potatoes Anna with Apples and Raisins
From My Corner of Saratoga: Air Fried French Fries
FN Dish: 5 Downright Perfect Potato Dishes


best,

diane

napa farmhouse 1885

red or green? 

California Girl in Taos

MoseyLove
please follow me on Facebook

I have started sharing my newest blog "California Girl in Taos."  Please visit and let me know what you think.

Summer Pasta With No-Cook Tomato Sauce

When fresh produce is perfectly ripe, I do not like to mess around with overly complicated recipes. This pasta dish is a perfect example. Just picked-from-the-garden tomatoes combined with fresh garlic, sweet onion and a handful of herbs. Of course I add dried red pepper flakes for some heat...this is the Red or Green? Blog after all.

I don't even cook this sauce. The heat from the hot pasta warms the vegetables and melts the cheese. Easy, quick, no-cook, delicious. Wonderful on scorching summer nights. Just do me a favor, do not even attempt this dish without sustainably grown, in-season produce and the best-quality-you-can-afford ingredients. A recipe this simple requires excellence from each item.  Enjoy!

Summer Pasta With No-Cook Tomato Sauce
(serves 6 as a main course)

2 lbs heirloom tomatoes, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup sweet onions, chopped
1/4 cup best quality extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon coconut sugar
pinch dried red pepper flakes
1/4 cup basil leaves (julienned)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
sea salt
black pepper
8 oz fresh buffalo mozzarella, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 lb dried pasta (any shape you like)

Place first 7 ingredients in a large, non-metal, bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. 

Cook pasta according to package directions. When cooked, drain and add hot pasta to tomato mixture. Immediately stir in herbs and cheese. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Summer means easy, breezy dishes made from fresh, just-picked produce and this week at Food Network's Summer Soiree we are celebrating Summer Tomatoes. Do you have a favorite tomatoes recipe? Please share in the comments section of this post. And be sure to check out the delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends and Food Network. 

The Heritage Cook: Rice and Cheese Stuffed Roasted Tomatoes (Gluten-Free)
The Lemon Bowl: 5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Beef & Eggplant
Homemade Delish: Sweet Tomato Jam
Healthy Eats: 7 Seasonal Uses for Fresh Tomatoes
Creative Culinary: Warm Tomato and Mozzarella Bruschetta 
Weelicious: Heirloom Tomato Salad
Dishin & Dishes: Cobb Salad with Homemade Roasted Onion Vinaigrette
Domesticate Me: 10 Totally Awesome Tomato Recipes
Swing Eats: Tiny Insalata Caprese
The Wimpy Vegetarian: Tomato and Swiss Tart
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Tomato Pickle
Taste with the Eyes: Quiche with a Black Quinoa Crust, Heirloom Tomatoes, Spinach, Goat Cheese
Red or Green: Summer Pasta With No-Cook Tomato Sauce
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Heirloom Tomato & Crouton Casserole (Scalloped Tomatoes)
The Mom 100: Chopped Salad with Chicken, Tomatoes and Lemon Thyme Dressing
FN Dish: 10 Ways to Be a Tomato Whisperer

best,

diane

napa farmhouse 1885

red or green? 

California Girl in Taos

MoseyLove
please follow me on Facebook

I have started sharing my newest blog "California Girl in Taos."  Please visit and let me know what you think.

Cheesy Polenta with Spicy Leeks

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    This is the perfect dish to serve alongside stew, or beef bourguignon, or any saucy meat dish. It works with roast beef or chicken, chicken cacciatore, sauteed vegetables, ragu, grilled Italian sausage or even topped with a fried egg. Can you tell I think polenta is an incredibly versatile dish? 
    
    
    
    
    
    Today's recipe is cheesy and creamy, referred to as "soft" polenta. I made it with leeks sauteed in a chile-infused olive oil (see resources), vegetable stock, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. The cooked cornmeal marries really well with the silky soft leeks, and the chile-infused olive oil adds a bit of heat and sweetness. A handful of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano? Well, melty cheese makes everything perfect, correct? I serve this all year but springtime, when leeks are in season, is especially delicious. Enjoy!
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Cheesy Polenta with Spicy Leeks
    (serves 6)
  • chile-infused olive oil
    3 large leeks, sliced
    1/4 cup sherry wine vinegar
    2-3 cups vegetable stock
    2 cups water
    1 cup uncooked polenta 
    1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
    sea salt
    freshly ground black pepper
    1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, rough chop
    
    
    • Warm 3 tablespoons chile-infused olive oil in large stockpot. Stir in the leeks and one tablespoon each salt & pepper. Saute leeks over medium heat until translucent and beginning to caramelize. ( 8-10 minutes). Add vinegar, 2 cups stock and water and bring to a boil. Slowly stir in polenta and bring back to slow boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, frequently stirring, for 35 minutes. Add the additional stock, a 1/4 cup at a time, if polenta begins to dry out. The polenta should be thick with a puddinglike consistency.
    • Remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons chile oil and 1/3 cup cheese. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired. To serve, spoon into bowls and top with a drizzle of chile oil, a sprinkle of cheese and a pinch of parsley.
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        Springtime means the start of sensational side dishes made from fresh, just-picked produce and this week at Food Network we are celebrating Something Cheesy. Do you have a favorite cheese recipe? Share in the comments section and link to your blog if you have one. Be sure to check out the delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends and Food Network. 
      • The Lemon Bowl: Spelt Salad with Apples, Cheddar and Scallions
        Jeanette's Healthy Living: Loaded Mashed Cauliflower Casserole with Bacon and Caramelized Onions {Low Carb}
        Creative Culinary: Cilantro Serrano Rice
        Virtually Homemade: Stove Top Mac and Cheese with Apples and Bacon
        Napa Farmhouse 1885: Mary Lane's Pasta With Pesto Tomato Sauce
        Red or Green: Cheesy Polenta with Spicy Leeks
        The Wimpy Vegetarian: Cheesy Beer Bread with Quinoa, Millet and Jalapeño Peppers
        Homemade Delish: Cheesy Zucchini and Summer Squash
        Daisy at Home: Bell Pepper Pizza
        Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Indian Cottage Cheese & Bell Pepper Quick Stir-Fry
        Weelicious: Cheesy Turkey Meatballs
        Swing Eats: Frico: Parmesan Cheese Crackers (gluten-free)
        The Mom 100: Leek, Mushroom and Goat Cheese Quiche
        FN Dish: 6 Ways to One-Up Side Dish Favorites with Cheese
      
      best,diane 
      red or green?
      California Girl in Taos
      napa farmhouse 1885
      MoseyLove
      
      
      
      Please follow us on Facebook
      
      
      I have started sharing my "California Girl in Taos" blog. Please check it out and let me know what you think.