Tapenade + Pasta ='s one great dish

Note on pic: I apologize for the lack of green in this pic and the steam clouding the shot (although ,it does create atmosphere-lol). Had a seriously hungry family nipping at my heels to eat this. It may not look the prettiest but I can assure you, it was gobbled up in under 5 minutes, which is about how long it took to prepare.

Tapenade is a Provencal dish usually consisting of pureed or finely chopped olives, capers, anchovies and olive oil. It is a simple dish that is easy to make and oh-so delicious. My husband and I were lucky enough to spend our honeymoon traveling through France and sampled many delicious tapenades while staring out at the gorgeous olive trees that helped create them.

Every time I make it as a dip or spread for a party, people ask me for the recipe. And my son inherited my husbands love for olives so I make it a lot! The beauty of tapenade is that it's not just a dip or spread for crackers or crusty bread. It can be spread on fish or thinned out and tossed into pasta for a unique, no-mayo pasta salad. In this recipe, I broke tradition (like I so often do), by leaving out the anchovies and adding basil and lemon zest. This recipe is fool proof so go ahead, personalize it. Mix up the olives and the flavors a bit, make it your own. Whatever you do, ya gotta bring this dish to your next picnic or BBQ. I just know your friends will be begging for the recipe. Tell them you got it in France. Even if you've never been, I won't tell!

Tapenade
Makes 1 1/4 cups

1 cup pitted olives (any kind. my fave are black oil cured)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup basil
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 small clove garlic

1)- Place all ingredients into the bowl of a food processor. Process until mixture is well combined. Be sure to stop the machine to scrap down the sides of the bowl. Process until mixture is a thick paste, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately or place in airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.


Great uses for Tapenade:

As a main dish:

Stir in 1/2 cup Tapenade into warm pasta (see above image). Add in extra olive oil or pasta water to thin out the sauce if needed.

As a fancy-schmancy but oh-so simple appetizer:

Slice a baguette into 1/2-inch pieces. Toast in broiler until light brown. Spread 1 teaspoon of tapenade on each piece of bread. Top with chopped basil or parsley.

As a sandwich spread:

Spread 1 tablespoon of tapenade on a crusty roll. Top with fresh mozzarella, basil, sliced tomatoes and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. This ain't yo mama's caprese sandwich!

Dinner in less than 10 minutes-Pasta and Peas in Creamy No-Cook Basil Sauce

Being a full-time working mom is tough. It's especially hard when you are committed to cooking dinner every night. I admit it's a stress I put upon myself, but so worth it. When I get home from work, I have about 15 minutes to get dinner on the table for one very hungry toddler. Any meal I attempt on a weeknight must be healthy, and fast! It's not easy trying to make dinner with a toddler at your feet, but it is not impossible. I achieve this most nights by keeping things VERY SIMPLE. It's definitely a challenge and sure, there are nights when we go out or order pizza. Luckily, those nights are few and far between thanks to a repertoire of quick recipes like this one. This dish is super fast. In the time it takes to boil the pasta, you're done!


Pasta in Creamy No-Cook Basil Sauce
Serves 4

1/2 cup grated parmigiano reggiano cheese
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup basil, plus more for garnish

1 pound pasta (I used Barilla's Tri-color Fiori Shape here)

1/2 cup frozen or fresh peas
*extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling at the end


1)-In a food processor, combine the parmigiano, ricotta, salt, pepper and basil. Process until mixture is smooth, about 1 minute. Set aside.

2)-Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until tender but still firm (al dente). About 30 seconds before the pasta is done, toss in the peas. Drain pasta and peas, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water. Place pasta, peas and basil sauce into a large serving bowl. Toss well to coat. Use some of the reserved pasta water to thin out the sauce if needed. Top with extra parmigiano cheese, extra basil and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serve immediately.

More fun with Baby Purees

My little man just turned 10 months and he is quickly going from a teeny baby to a big boy with a big appetite. The poor guy still doesn't have any teeth and rejects things that are too difficult for him to mash with his gums (smart guy!). All of his buddies are progressing to bigger and more exciting textures and I know he getting bored with his purees.

In effort to make his food a little more exciting (but still soft enough for him to be able to swallow whole), I started mixing his purees with his new favorite food-pasta!! It's so simple! Since I have all of these veggie and fruit purees stashed in my freezer, I figured they would make perfect "sauces" for his Pastina. Topped with a little cheese, you have some delicious fresh veggie sauces and a way to get some extra vitamins into your little one. Despite looking vibrant and beautiful, these tasted fantastic and Griffin became an instant fan. This idea is so yummy, your whole family will be able to enjoy it (add some herbs and maybe garlic and salt and pepper for more mature eaters). These veggies "sauces" are a great way to get those picky eaters to eat their veggies without having to hide them in something. Bright and colorful pasta sauces equals lotsa fun! Go ahead, call the Pea Sauce Pastina, Pasta with Slime and watch how eager your little one is to gobble it all up.

** I know for many parents jar food is the way to go for you and your family. This method will work just fine with jar food but I warn you, the nutritional value of the fresh purees is far superior and the colors and flavors will not be nearly as vibrant. My friends always marvel at how bright and vibrant my sons green peas are. I mean come on, have you ever seen anything so gorgeous????

Pastina with Carrot Sauce and Cheese

Pastina with Pea Puree aka Pasta with Slime Sauce : )

Just look at these gorgeous peas!!!!!
The things that excite me these days are pathetic. I'm a proud mama who loves her peas.

Pastina with Veggie Puree
Serves 1 bambino

1/4-1/3 c cooked Pastina pasta, (made according to pkg directions, we love Barilla)
2-3 tbsps fresh/frozen veggie puree (Griffin loves carrot and pea)
1 tsp grated Parmigiano Regianno cheese

**1 tbsp Ricotta cheese (optional)- Griffin loves Ricotta mixed into his veggie pasta. It adds a nice creaminess to the sauce.


In a small bowl mix the cooked Pastina with the puree and stir until well combined. Add a little water if consistence needs adjustment. Top with grated cheese and serve.

Chickpea Pasta Salad with Agave Vinaigrette

Agave syrup is a healthier alternative to processed and most other natural sugars, such as honey. It's glycemic index is significantly lower than other non-nutrative sweeteners. I try to substitute agave where I can. Try adding it to your coffee or tea, it's great! When I make pasta salad, my vinaigrette always contains a little honey. So, in this recipe,I figured agave nectar would be the perfect swap out for honey. The crazy thing is, I actually like it better than my old version. This pasta salad is easy to throw together for a last minute BBQ and can be made the night before. No mayo means it won't spoil and makes it perfect for the beach or a picnic in the park.


Chickpea Pasta Salad with Agave Vinaigrette
Serves 6-8 people

1 lb fusilli pasta (click here for a cool site showing pasta shapes)
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1 cup, grape tomatoes
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
1 -15oz can chickpeas, rinsed and well drained
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 c red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons, lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2-3 tablespoons, agave nectar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water according to the package directions (I personally like to cook the pasta a little short of what the package says in order to ensure that my pasta is al dente). Drain the pasta and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.

Place cooled pasta in a large bowl and add the bell pepper, grape tomatos, red onions, chickpeas and parsley. Toss to combine.

In a small bowl combine vinegar, lemon juice, salt, pepper and agave. Whisk to dissolve the salt and agave nectar. As you continue to whisk, slowly stream in the olive oil until the mixture is well combined. Pour dressing over pasta salad and gently mix to combine.

Place in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Can also be made up to 2 days in advance.

Enjoy!

Baby's First Pasta

Don't ya just love his chubby hands?


Finger Lickin' Good!

I got brave and decided that today would be the day that I made Griffin his first bowl of pasta. My son is 9 months old and doesn't even have any teeth yet, poor guy! He's been doing well with all of the thicker purees, and is a whiz at chomping on soft cheeses so I figured, why not! After all, a boy cannot live on sweet potato mash alone. A growing boy needs some variety! And by variety I mean PASTA (I am an Italian girl from Brooklyn, after all).

This recipe is our family recipe for Baby's First Pasta. It's barely even a recipe but my Grandma and my Mama served it to me, and now I am serving it to my little boy. Heck, I still enjoy it today and bet your family will too. It's made with Pastina (tiny cylindrical or start shaped pasta that is perfect for babies with little or no teeth). The only Pastina that my local store had was a little bigger than what I am used to and Griffin was definitely shocked by this new texture. After a few spoonfuls, he was chompin' like a pro.

** Full Disclosure: I made a double serving of this, added some salt to my portion and ate it right along side my boy. Delicious!


Baby's First Pasta
8 months and up
Makes 2 servings (depends on how big of an eater your baby is)

1 cup organic Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1/2 cup Pastina
2 teaspoon, freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
2 teaspoon, organic parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoon of whole milk ricotta cheese (optional)

Heat chicken broth in a small saucepan over medium high heat until boiling. Stir in pasta and allow to cook until pasta is very soft, about 10 minutes (baby can be introduced to al dente another time but for now the softer the better).

TIP: Add more water to the pasta if the water evaporates too quickly and the past still seems too hard.

Remove the pasta from the heat and allow to cool.

Divide the pasta into 2 bowls (or pack the other half in a container for lunch the next day). Stir in the parsley and sprinkle Parmigiano Reggiano over top. Serve with 1 tablespoon of ricotta cheese (this is optional but my boy loves his cheese and you can stir it into the pasta to add a nice creaminess which babies and parents seem to love).

Enjoy!

Leftovers again? Yes, please!

Call it Pasta Pie or Pasta Frittata. Either way, it's a quick and delicious Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner. The best part is, it utilizes leftover pasta. Add any ingredients you like for a simple and nutritious anytime meal.


Alternate Meal:

Mexican Tortilla Pie-Instead of using pasta, mozzarella, parsley and tomatoes, use rotisserie chicken, corn, cilantro and chopped up leftover tortillas for a Mexican spin on this tasty dish.


Italiano Whole Wheat Pasta Pie

3 tbsps olive oil
8 eggs, beaten
6 sun dried tomatoes, coarsely chopped (i like the marinated kind)
1/4 c parsley, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
3/4 c left over whole wheat penne pasta (or any smaller cut pasta)
1/2 c mozzarella, cut into 1/4-inch dice


Preheat oven to400 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine, eggs, sun dried tomatoes, parsley and salt and pepper.

Heat the olive oil in a 9-inch skillet over medium heat. Be sure to spread the olive oil to coat the bottom and sides of the pan evenly.

Pour the egg mixture into the pan and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the eggs start to set around the edges but are still runny (about 2-3 minutes).

Add in the cooked whole wheat penne and the mozzarella. Spread it out and try to nestle in into the eggs.

Remove the pan from the heat and place it in the oven for about 5-10 minutes or until the eggs appear set. After the eggs have set, put the oven on broil and broil for 1 minute or until golden brown.

Allow the pie to cool slightly. Use a rubber spatula to loosen the pie from the pan. Invert to serve. Enjoy!

Cook what your Grandma made ya!

My Grandma Mary fed her 9 children with this recipe and it is still a family favorite. This recipe is very inexpensive and easy to make. Little ones really love eating it with their fingers right off of the highchair tray. Grandma Mary's recipe will surely become one of your family favorites too!


Grandma Mary's Pasta Fajole
Serves 4-6

4oz (about 13 slices) of Pancetta, diced
3 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 (28oz) can crushed tomatoes
14 oz of water (1/2 of the tomato can)
½ of a 6 oz can tomato paste
2 tbsps fresh basil, chopped
1 (16 oz) box ditalini pasta
3 (19oz)cans of cannellini beans, reserving one can with it’s liquid, the rest can be rinsed and drained
salt and pepper to taste
3 tbsps parsley, for garnish

In a medium non-stick frying pan, cook pancetta until crisp. Drain pancetta on a paper towel and reserve for garnish.

Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and stir with wooden spoon until softened but not crisp. Add tomato paste to oil and stir with wooden spoon until paste caramelizes slightly, be careful not to burn. Stir in crushed tomatoes, 14 oz of water (1/2 can) and basil and cook over low heat for approximately 25-30 minutes. Stir the sauce every so often to prevent burning. Sauce should reduce and thicken quite a bite before beans are added.

After sauce has thickened add 2 cans of rinsed, drained beans and 1 can of beans with it’s juice. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir and cook for approx 10 minutes.

While the beans and sauce are cooking, Boil a large pot of water and add salt. Cook pasta until al dente and drain.

In a large bowl combine pasta, and sauce and stir until completely coated. Top with parsley and pancetta.

Serve immediately. Enjoy!