Tivoli Inspired Lemon Pancetta Pasta - Pasta of the Month

I can't begin to explain how my first trip to Italy inspired me in the kitchen.  I was extremely impressed while on an excursion to the town of Tivoli which is a fortress of a town which was frequented in ancient times by the wealthy Romans.  After the main attraction, the Villa d'Este, we were treated to a pasta making demonstration by mother and daughter at the restaurant Terme di Diana.

Villa d'Este

Pasta making demo at Terme di Diana Restaurante

They made pasta the "old school" way which I still haven't mastered, but they made it look so easy, it was worth a try.  Since that first try I've resorted to using my trusty food processor, much simpler!  

The best recipe/method I've found happens to be Giada's fresh pasta on page 222 from her cookbook "Everyday Pasta".  I love her recipes!







When I make fresh pasta I'll usually make a few different types/shapes utilizing the whole batch.  Sometimes, it's ravioli, lasagna, fettuccine or, this time, spaghetti noodles.  Then I freeze whatever I won't be using that day.  For my Lemon Pancetta pasta I used approximately 6 "nests" of fresh spaghetti.  You can use about 1/2 pkg for the same amount.

"nests" of pasta

Tivoli Inspired Lemon Pancetta Pasta

5 "rounds" of pancetta, chopped

1 small shallot, sliced and chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 Tbsp red chili flakes

1 Tbsp of lemon zest

1 Tbsp of lemon juice

handful of fresh basil, sliced

ladle of pasta water (reserve before draining the pasta)

2 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

Parmesan cheese grated for garnish (optional)

While you boil some water for the pasta, put together the sauce.  If using fresh pasta, it will only boil for a few minutes versus 9-11 minutes.

For the sauce, in a large skillet fry the pancetta until it's done.  Reduce the heat to medium, add the shallot and continue to cook until soft.  Add the garlic and chili flakes, then the zest, lemon juice and basil.

Bring the pasta water to a boil, add a sprinkle of salt.  Add the pasta and stir to keep from clumping.  When it rises to the top, it's done, usually about 3 minutes or so.  Reserve a ladle of water, drain and place the pasta into the skillet.  Mix well and add the ladle, especially if dry, then the oil and butter, blending well.  Plate and serve.  Molto bene!

Riviera Maya Getaway - Part Three

In Mexico there are plenty of all inclusive properties to choose from.  One must do the research to find the best ones.  In my opinion, The Royal in Playa del Carmen meets and exceeds my idea of "the best".  The restaurant choices are Pelicanos,  beach front, serving upscale beach seafood, Tapas Pinxtos, Spanish and Basque style food, also beach front.  Then there's Spice, the "breakfast" spot also serving lunch, dinner and the best coconut ice cream!  You can sample almost every cuisine here.

Down the street is Asiana, serving sushi, noodles and several Southeast Asian entrees, including duck. 

Across the street you find Italian and Mexican restaurants.  The new kid on the block is Mediterraneo accompanied by a whole new wing of rooms, quiet pool and Starbuck -type coffee house.

Grouper from Mediterraneo

One of the best restaurants I've ever eaten at is called Marie Marie.  Most of the other restaurants don't require reservations.  This one?  Absolutely!  And it's easy to see why.  They "literally" rolled out the red carpet for us the first night.  (We ate there twice)  As we entered the place all the servers were lined up and started to applaud as we strolled in.  I almost had to look around  to make sure Angelina and Brad weren't behind us!  I guess that's what they do for the 1st arrivals!  Nice touch!

The food was terrific, the atmosphere romantic, yet colorful, with beautiful murals on the walls, and the service was amazing.  Okay, so it sounds like I'm being paid to write a good review for them.  Not so!  But I will show you some pictures...see what you think.  Too bad there's no taste-o-vision on this blog, huh?

Yucatan fondue - not the diet special!

Hubby's steak

Monk fish medallions

Lobster bisque

Melt in your mouth lamb chops

Disclaimer:  All of the above food was not eaten in one sitting!  For those of you with a hearty appetite this could be accomplished.  That's the beauty of going to an all-inclusive!

French Fennel Potato Soup

I would imagine this may have been a frequent meal for my ancestors.  As they arrived in North America in the 1700's they acquired a plot of land in the Acadian settlements along the St. Lawrence river.  Life was not easy, dealing with harsh weather, poor soil, Indians, disease and the land hungry British.  Their meals were "rustic", anything they could grow, hunt or scrounge.  I'm sure potatoes were on the table much more than they would have liked.  

While probably not an authentic Acadian French potato soup, I jazzed it up to suit our tastes.  Enjoy!

French Fennel Potato Soup

Ingredients:

3 medium red new potatoes, parboiled, peeled and diced

2 fennel bulbs, cleaned, white part, chopped

1 Tbsp oil

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

4 cups chicken stock or broth

1 cup water

2 Tbsp butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup chopped parsley (optional)

Parboil the potatoes, cool, peel and dice.  In a soup pot heat the oil on medium heat.  Add the onions and cook until soft, then add the garlic. Stir and cook for an another minute.   Add the potatoes, fennel, chicken broth, water and parsley, increase the heat to boil, then reduce to simmer for about 20-25 minutes.

Cool slightly.  Then puree in a blender.  Pour back into the pot as you do this in batches.  Add the heavy cream, butter and salt and pepper.  Heat soup on low for a few minutes.  Garnish with fennel fronds and serve with a hearty baguette, and of course, a glass of French wine!  Tres bien....  

Getaway to Riviera Maya - Part Two

If you ever need inspiration in the food department, take a trip to the Yucatan.  Riviera Maya is a world renown destination and there is no lack of ethnic cuisines.  In our little "corner of the world" (the all inclusive property we stayed at) every day and night was a trip to a different country.  Here's a pictorial of our food frenzy.

The first evening freshly caught grouper stuffed with spinach was on the menu.

One of the beachfront restaurants was called Tapas Pinxtos featuring small plates with a Northern Spanish and Basque influence.  As soon as we were seated we were eagerly greeted by our waiter carrying a "welcome drink", a version of sangria.  The picture above is a cuttlefish (calamari) bruschetta...scrumptious and to be duplicated at home this Summer, perhaps. 

Our next sampling was puff pastry with goat cheese and spinach...way too good!  So much for a light lunch!  Oh well, we'll just take an extra long walk or a more vigorous snorkel.

A few days later we went to the other beach front restaurant called Pelicanos for another light lunch.    Below is a Mimosa salad with assorted fish and hearts of palm.  This was followed by a mixed seafood plate.  Shrimp, grouper, lagostinos and mussels....a seafood lover's delight!

Stay tuned for more of our Mexico vacation.  Looking back, I think we were on a mission to soak up as much sun as our bodies would allow, taste devour as much seafood as we could, interspersed with as much walking. swimming and snorkeling as we could fit in.  We succeeded...mission accomplished!

Simple Black Bean Enchiladas

Before I continue with my getaway to the Riviera Maya I wanted to insert this simple enchilada recipe.  My love for Mexican food goes way back into my childhood days.  There was never a shortage of great Mexican food restaurants in Southern California where I grew up.  Most were inexpensive and casual, always a great place to take the kids, I guess, because my parents would load us into the station wagon and off we'd go for a "special' night out.  I might add that this special event usually only occurred once every month or when there was a blue moon!  Times are quite different now.  It's not uncommon for people to have breakfast, lunch and/or dinner out several times a week.  Who can afford that?  Okay, I'll step off of the "soapbox"!

Why not try to make Mexican at home?  It's pretty easy.  There's no right or wrong when it comes to tacos, quesadillas or enchiladas.  You can create your own fillings.  

For the filling:

1-2  boneless chicken thighs, cooked first and cubed

1 15 oz can of low sodium black beans (whole, not refried), drained and rinsed

2 Tbsp chopped onion

2 Tbsp salsa verde (use some from a small can)

1 small can sliced black olives, liquid drained

1 small handful of chopped fresh cilantro


Mix all of the above ingredients in a saucepan  and cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes.  This part can be done a day ahead.  Put in a covered bowl in the refrigerator.

To assemble:

1/2 can (28 oz) of mild-medium green enchilada sauce

6 white corn tortillas, about 6-8 inches in diameter.

3-4 oz of grated jack cheese

Using either a 7x11 or 9x12 pan,  spray the bottom with pan spray first, then spoon a little of the green enchilada sauce on the bottom, barely covering it.  Place about a 3/4 - 1 inch wide strip of bean mixture down the center of one tortilla.  Sprinkle a light layer of cheese on top and roll up, flapping one side over the other towards the middle.  Grasping firmly, turn over and place in the pan.  Repeat with remaining tortillas until you have no more room in the pan.  They should fit snugly.  If you have additional bean mixture, sprinkle it over the top and sides.  Pour more green enchilada sauce over each enchilada and top with additional cheese.  Cover and heat in the oven for 30 minutes on 350 degrees.

Serve with rice, guacamole and/or a dollop of sour cream.

NOTE:  I used both pan sizes and soft taco size tortillas versus regular sized tortillas.  Both came out good.  For company, I recommend the larger size...you can add a bit more chicken or cheese for these.

smaller soft taco size

A Quick Getaway to Riviera Maya

Traveling is my HOT BUTTON.  When it's combined with excellent food choices I'm a happy girl.  When it requires long sunrise walks on the powdery white sand beach, I'm there!  Add a sprinkling of relaxing snorkel excursions and I (almost) never want to go home.

As I alluded to earlier, hubby and I escaped to the Caribbean shores of the Riviera Maya two weeks before Christmas.  I'm always amazed at how quickly my body acclimates to the warm tropical air and ocean breezes after arriving from freezing temperatures back home.  But, the Mayans graciously hailed our arrival, with a smile and a "welcome" margarita as we check into our home for 8 days.  A slice of heaven?  Maybe...

We usually allow for one touristy excursion on these "relaxation trips".  This time we chose to swim in Akumal Bay with the sea turtles, combined with a snorkel into the depths of ancient Mayan cenotes (see-no-tes).  These are a series of underground caves that dot the landscape.  The cenotes are very sacred to the Mayan people as they are believed to be the connection to the underground or other world and ,at times, their only source of freshwater.  

Sacred altar

We visited three, but swam in two because a wedding ceremony was taking place at one.  Our first dip was in a semi underground cenote  warmed by the sun thus producing algae which was a buffet for small pirhana-like fish.  I guess these tiny fish are all the rage for use in pedicures.  They nibble on the dead skin!   No thanks!

The pirhana pedicure cave

Protective thorns on trees...protected from what and do they swim in the water, too?

We ventured over to the huge cave of amazing clarity and color.  The sun beamed into the cave illuminating and casting shadows into the teal colored water.  I could have floated in there for hours while peering into the dark crevices of the cenote waterway.  I found it hard at times to quiet my mind though, thinking of all those creatures from the black lagoon...a bit of an eerie feeling as I waited for unfamiliar jaws to clamp  onto my leg.  Time to climb out of the cave.  On to the remainder of our snorkel excursion...Akumal Bay Swim with the Turtles.

The deep dark cave.  Anyone for a swim?

This bay is known for its sea turtles, abundant fish, and brilliant white sand beach.  It did not disappoint, however, if I were to do it again (and hopefully, I will) I'll hire a car to get us there and venture off on our own.  I felt rushed, racing from turtle to turtle as they were pointed out by our guide.    Swimming with the turtles is supposed to be relaxing, not when it's done with a multitude of snorkelers swimming around, over and into you.  With that said, it is a gorgeous area to swim, sunbathe and snorkel, just not with a large group.  You will see many turtles (very cool), eels, stingrays, and plenty of colorful fish as well as a coral formations swaying with each swell of the waves.

If I could snorkel everyday, I'd be a very happy girl!  More about our trip to Mexico....later.

Prime Rib with Sweet Potato Hash

When writing a blog, I learned recently how important SEO is.  That is "search engine optimization". In a nutshell, watch what choice of words you put in the title or repeat in the body of the post.  Mostly, it can work in favor of how many hits you get.  However, I experienced a flurry of activity (hits) when my blog was definitely confused with a site that has (rhymes with corn and starts with P) no interest in food, travel or recipes, if you will.  The title of my blog post just happened to be the title of this persons blog.  Oops!  So, with this "hash" title, who knows what kind of hits it will bring!!

I had a bit of prime rib left over from Christmas dinner.  Steak, lamp or pork could also be used.  Once again, my kitchen is like a "box of chocolates"  You don't really know what you'll get!  This was pretty good though, especially if you love sweet potatoes.

Prime Rib and Sweet Potato Hash

2-3 cups of cooked, cubed prime rib

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

1-2 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup of spinach

a handful of chopped fresh parsley

water or broth (if needed)

salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet or pot, on medium heat,  start to cook the potatoes in a bit of oil, stirring as you go for about 10-12 minutes.  Add the onions and cook until they are soft.  Then add the prime rib or any cooked meat.  Add a bit (maybe 1/3 cup) water or broth, spinach and parsley.  Simmer  uncovered for another 5 minutes or until the potatoes are done, adding extra liquid, if necessary.  Salt and pepper to taste.  This goes together very quickly, one of those mid-week meals.  Hearty, yet quick!

Creamy Pear Thyme Salad Dressing

Do you get tired of the same old salad dressing?  Or maybe you have your "go to" salad dressing.  Why not get creative and make your own.  At least, you'll know what goes into it.   For so many years we only ate ranch dressing or blue cheese.   When ordering a salad at a restaurant it was like hearing a skip in a record, reciting " ranch please" every time!  No longer!  

Now, I enjoy dressing my salads...no more boring oil and vinegar or bottled ranch for me.   The taste is incredible when the ingredients are fresh!  Salad at its best!

Creamy Pear Thyme Salad Dressing

In a blender or food processor mix the following:

1/4 - 1/3 cup olive oil

1 small shallot, chopped

1/2 pear, peeled, cored  and sliced

1 tsp dijon style mustard

1 Tbsp sour cream

2 Tbsp mayonnaise

3 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves, removed from woody stem

1/2 tsp lemon zest (optional, but adds a zing)

salt and pepper to taste

Let your blender or food processor do all the work.  Refrigerate in your own nice bottle.  Makes about 8 oz. (8 servings)  I highly recommend making it an hour or longer before you use it.

Most Viewed Posts for 2012

As promised, here are the top ten most popular food posts for this last year.   In all honesty, it was not what I expected...I have my own "favorites". #5 and #6 made my personal list, how about you?

#10 Mini Turnovers

#9 Lasagna - A Work in Progress

This should have been titled, "How to Destroy your kitchen in 100 steps".

#8  Pulled Pork Tacos

#7 Margherita Pasta

#6 Butternut Squash Soup

#5 Green Chili Chicken

This is practically a staple in our house because it's so easy and flavorful.

#4  Limoncello Cake

Let the truth be know, this was not a complete success, but anything with limoncello in the title gets extra hits.  This has been revised but not posted  (or made) yet.  Soon, I hope.

#3  Eggplant Parmesan on the Grill
Very yummy and you can cut out a huge amount of oil usually used  with frying.

#2  Glazed Carrots

Really?? Number 2?

 #1  Panko Crusted Baked Cod

For all you fish fans here's the link for this mild fish.  Enjoy!

Panko Crusted Baked Cod

Thanks, again for all the views.  Hope you saw your favorites.  If not, stay tuned for more in 2013!  Happy New Year!

Year in Review - 2012 Part Two

Here is the second installment of my year in review for 2012.  I take MANY pictures, but sometimes all those special events don't get captured as they should.  This compilation is a small snippet of what went on in my world month by month.  Enjoy....I did.

July is always a busy month with anniversaries, birthdays and other events.  This year was no different!  I admit I was a little green with envy when I saw my son and Leilani off for a trip back home to Kauai, but also thankful and excited for them to experience such a beautiful island together with Leilani's family.

 We celebrated a "big" birthday in Half Moon Bay.  Hey..it's not Kauai but we had a great time relaxing, walking/hiking the cliffs above the beach and eating some fabulous seafood.

 In August we celebrated my son's 35th birthday.  Congratulations!!  How can that be?  I don't think I'm past my 40's!!

 August is also a great month to work play in my garden as I start to see the fruits of my labor after watering, weeding and chasing the critters away!

September brought a new addition to the family and I think my finicky  aunt kitty approves.  They are the best of friends and new partners in crime when they aren't looking this cute!

We took a brief but spectacular hiking trip to Yosemite's Tuolomne Meadows.  I spent a lot of time here in my youth so it made it that much better sharing it with my hubby.

Another fun day was spent with my almost daughter-in-law at a cooking class.  Frankly, we could both teach the class...she's an excellent cook....but, I just enjoyed the time with her.  Thanks, Leilani, for the invite.

October literally blew by as we celebrated hubby's birthday with his Italian rum cake and homemade lasagna!  And, my other love celebrated her 8th (?) birthday.

November brought Thanksgiving, of course, and I'm thankful for all family, friends, and the goodness that surrounds them.  The Christmas tree went up early this year...and she helped!

I was not happy or thankful about the past election this year and I don't want to sweep it under the rug.  It was ugly (and still is) and I wish someone else was flying around in that jet!

My cat displays my feelings best...a picture tells a thousand words!

 December rains gave us "the flood that never happened", thank God.

"Travel is good for the soul" - Wendy.   We flew off to Playa del Carmen before Christmas, wish I was there!

But, home we went for Christmas...time to spend with family.