Mushroom Marsala on Gorgonzola Polenta w/ Arugula Salad

meatless meal in minutes...

It was a busy weekend and I've had little time to think about my blog and this post. So, I needed something quick and easy tonight. One of my favorite things to make when time is short and I need to make dinner is polenta - it cooks in 3 minutes, much quicker than pasta. It's a lot like grits if you've never had it before. And it's really good with butter and cheese...especially with Gorgonzola cheese. Yum!

Polenta is an Italian staple, so I'm topping it with a classic sauce - Marsala. Typically chicken is served with this sauce (and that's what I made for my husband; he hates mushrooms). But, to make this a vegetarian meal, I just left it out and doubled the amount of mushrooms. This simple supper is nearly a whole meal as well, just serve it with your favorite green vegetable. Need a deliciously easy meal in minutes? Make this for dinner, here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 4
Mushroom Marsala
2 T Olive Oil
1 lb. Sliced Mushrooms (such as crimini)
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1/2 T Fresh Thyme, chopped
2 T All-Purpose Flour
1/2 C Sweet Marsala Wine
1/2 C Vegetable Broth
2 T Unsalted Butter
1/4 C Fresh Parsley, chopped

Gorgonzola Polenta
1 Box Quick-Cooking Polenta (4 servings)
1/4 C Half & Half
1 T Unsalted Butter
4 oz. Gorgonzola Cheese, crumbled

Arugula Salad
2 C Baby Arugula
1/2 Lemon, juiced
1 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper

Directions
Following the directions on the polenta box, bring 4 1/2 C of water to a boil in a sauce pan.

Brown the mushrooms: Heat the olive oil over medium. Add the mushrooms and cook until browned about 5 minutes. Hold off salting them, this draws out liquid and keeps the mushrooms from browning. Stir in the thyme, garlic, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook for another minute.

Make the sauce: Add the flour to the mushrooms and cook out, about one minute. Pour the Marsala into the pan and boil down for a few seconds. Then add the vegetable broth and simmer for a minute to reduce the sauce slightly. Stir in the butter and parsley. Taste for seasoning and keep warm.

Make the polenta: Salt the boiling water and slowly whisk the polenta into it. Turn off the heat and continue whisking for 2-3 minutes or until cooked through. Whisk in the half and half and butter. Finally stir in the crumbled Gorgonzola cheese.

Plate the dish: In a bowl combine the arugula, lemon juice, oil, and a pinch each salt and pepper. Toss to combine. In a shallow bowl put down a bed of the polenta, top with the mushroom Marsala, and finish with the arugula salad. Serve with your favorite green vegetable. Enjoy!

Spaghetti Squash "Pasta" Puttanesca

crave healthy comfort food...

One of my favorite comfort foods is pasta. Macaroni and cheese, baked ziti, lasagna, really anything with a noodle, I'm in! Unfortunately, pasta is super high in carbs. So, it's important to enjoy in moderation. That's pretty difficult considering my husband is Italian and nearly every meal he wants to make includes pasta. So, for this post, I'm trying something totally new - spaghetti squash.

Yep, I've never made or even had spaghetti squash before tonight. But, in the spirit of eating healthier in this new year, I thought it was time to try it out. I was quite skeptical, but have to say, pleasantly surprised. The squash, while not the same as pasta, is a pretty good substitute. I'm serving this spaghetti squash with a puttanesca sauce. To make this sauce better for you, I'm adding tuna and arugula. Both of these are not traditional ingredients in puttanesca sauce. All in all, this meal is well rounded and satisfied my comfort food craving. Next time you have one, try out this recipe. Here's how to make it...

Ingredients - Serves 4
1 Spaghetti Squash
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3-4 Cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
1/3 C Flat-Leaf Parsley, roughly chopped
1/4 C Pitted Kalamata Olives, roughly chopped
3 T Capers
1 (5 oz.) Can Tuna (in water), drained
1 T Anchovy Paste
1 tsp. Dried Oregano
1/2 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1 (14 oz.) Can "No Salt Added" Diced Tomatoes
1 C Arugula
To Serve: Grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Following the instructions on Eat Within Your Means, roast the spaghetti squash. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes, then squeeze the skin from the flesh and separate the strands into long "noodles". The manor in which the squash is cooked on the blog, worked really well. My "noodles" were nice and long!

While the squash is cooling, make the sauce. Heat 1-2 T extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Add the garlic, parsley, olives, capers, tuna, anchovy paste, oregano, and crushed red pepper. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Then, add the tomatoes and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Next, wilt in the arugula and add the cooked spaghetti squash. Carefully toss together to combine, adding extra olive oil if needed. Adjust seasoning as needed (I didn't need to add any salt or pepper).

Finally, serve the "pasta" puttanesca topped with grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy with a small side salad and bread. Here's to healthy comfort food!

Winter Pesto Pasta Bake with Shrimp

an Italian Christmas feast...

Some of my family came over yesterday to celebrate Christmas. We opened gifts, played games, and of course had lots of food. My husband is Italian, so naturally we served an Italian feast. He made his family's sauce, meatballs, and served it over rigatoni. I went a different direction and created this baked pasta dish. Both were well received by the fam, but I think most were pleasantly surprised by my dish.

I begin by making the pesto. I call this a winter pesto because I don't use basil (very summery) but instead use arugula and baby kale. I also use almonds instead of pine nuts. And, Romano in place of Parmesan Cheese (Romano is nuttier). The pesto is then mixed with cooked penne pasta, sun dried tomatoes, and raw shrimp. The whole dish is baked and ready to serve when you are. It was the perfect make ahead for a day like yesterday - one meant to be spent with family. Make this dish for yours, here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 8
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Shallots, minced
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1/2 C Sliced Almonds, toasted
1 1/2 C Arugula
1 1/2 C Baby Kale
1/2 C Flat-Leaf Parsley
1/2 C Grated Romano Cheese, more for topping
1 (7 oz.) Jar Oil-Packed Sun Dried Tomatoes, chopped (reserve oil)
1 Box (14.5 oz) Whole Wheat Penne Pasta
1 lb. Raw Peeled & Deveined Shrimp, tails removed

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350. Bring a large pot of water up to a boil.

Begin by making the pesto: Saute the shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes in 1 T olive oil until soft and fragrant. Place in a food processor and add the almonds, arugula, kale, and parsley. Pulse a few times to combine.

Next, add the cheese and pulse a few more times. Scrape down the sides. Then, with the motor running pour in the reserved olive oil from the sun dried tomatoes. As needed, add more extra virgin olive oil to create a smooth pesto.

Once the water comes to a boil, salt it and add the pasta. Cook for about 7 minutes, the pasta should be under done as it will finish cooking in the oven. Reserve 1/2 C of the cooking water and drain the pasta.

Put the pasta back in the pot and add the pesto, chopped sun dried tomatoes, shrimp, and the cooking water. Stir together and ensure everything is coated well with the pesto.

Put the mixture into a large casserole dish and cover with foil. Cook for 25-30 minutes, or until the shrimp is cooked through. Remove the foil and top with more Romano cheese. Continue to cook for another 10 minutes until the top is browned. Cool for about 5 minutes and then serve. Enjoy!