Spinach Artichoke Pasta for Two

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This is a wonderful main dish for two that is perfect for both Meatless Monday, as well as those who are fans, as I am, of spinach artichoke dip. This is my homage, you might say, to that popular dip, in pasta form. If you cook wisely, and get that water boiling before you get out your sauté pan, this can be on the table in 30 minutes. 

Spinach Artichoke Pasta for Two

 

4 oz. bow tie pasta

2 T. unsalted butter

1 t. Melissa’s minced garlic

2-3 handfuls fresh baby spinach

1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1 t. chicken soup base (I use L.B. Jamison)

2/3 c. heavy cream

Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 to 3 gratings fresh nutmeg

1 7.5-oz. marinated artichoke hearts, drained

2 T. Melissa’s pine nuts, toasted*

2 T. chopped parsley

Sprinkling of Parmesan cheese, to garnish

 Prepare bow tie pasta according to package directions; drain.

 In 10” skillet melt butter. Add minced garlic and sauté for one minute. Add baby spinach and sauté until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes.

 Stir in Parmesan cheese and soup base until blended, and then slowly stir in heavy cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add cooked pasta to cream sauce and toss until pasta is coated. Fold in artichoke hearts. Sprinkle with pine nuts, parsley, and additional Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve immediately.

 Serves 2.

 * I toasted mine in the sauté pan prior to melting the butter. Over medium heat, it takes about 3 to 5 minutes to turn them a nice nutty brown.

 

 

Peppery Pecan Pasta Florentine

When you think of pasta, you may not consider it a dish that’s very exciting. This recipe will change your mind about that. I had such a taste for pasta, but with the temperatures around 93° all this week — I am not happy — needed something lighter than typical heavy white or red sauce fare. When I started thinking about things that reminded me of summer, spinach and lemons came to mind. So, incorporating those two items, and a host of others, I created this.

This is a pasta dish that won’t soon be forgotten. It is bright, peppery, and complex. The lemon juice gives it a citrus-y freshness, the pecans add nutty, woodsy heat, spinach adds both flavor and nutrition, and the basil provides a wonderfully pesto-like addition, all of which combine to make this one amazing dish. Try it at your first opportunity.

Peppery Pecan Pasta Florentine

½ lb. angel hair pasta
¼ c. extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ t. dried chili flakes
Zest of 1/2 lemon
2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 bag baby spinach, chopped, rough cut, or left as is
1 t. kosher salt
¼ t. freshly ground black pepper

½ c. Melissa’s Green Hatch Pecans, rough chopped
¼ c. freshly grated Parmesan

Cook pasta according to package direction; drain, reserving one cup pasta water.

While the pasta is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat in a 9-inch sauté pan. Add garlic and pepper flakes and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add spinach and lemon zest, and cook for two minutes until spinach is wilted. Add the pasta, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, basil, salt, and pepper. Toss until coated. While tossing, pour in reserved pasta water, a little at a time, until a creamy texture is achieved.

Add pecans and Parmesan, and toss one more time before dividing among plates. Garnish with a few additional pecans and gratings of cheese.

Makes two main dish portions or four starter or side dish portions.

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Spinach Artichoke Chicken for Two

Cooking for one or two is not often easy, largely because of the lack of availability of truly good recipes that makes such an endeavor worthwhile. I generally will make two entrées when I cook so that I can either share one with my dad, or if I’m making something I think he won’t enjoy, pop one into the freezer for later.

I like a dish that I can put together early in the day, because as the day wears on and I wear out my interest in cooking diminishes. This is a tasty, company worthy meal that I started the day before. It’s not necessary, but, as I’ve often mentioned, chicken needs to be marinated in buttermilk to make it juicy. So, this time I included that step in the recipe. You can skip this step if you are short on time, but it makes a world of difference, so I always encourage it. Another advantage to this recipe is that you can make the topping 1 to 2 days ahead of time, so this dish can go together in a hurry. I served mine with rice pilaf (Truth be told it was this, and this is an excellent price, by the way.) and roasted carrots from my garden. It was an elegant meal.

​Spinach Artichoke Chicken for Two

1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut horizontally*

1 cup buttermilk

¼ cup Italian Dressing, any kind will do

Topping:

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

½ 10-oz. pkg. froz. chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry

½ cup chopped artichoke hearts

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon Melissa’s lemon pepper

Freshly ground black pepper

2 slices provolone cheese

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Grease a 1-quart baking dish (or individual au gratin dishes); set aside.

Place chicken breast halves into a shallow bowl, cover with buttermilk and return to the fridge for 6-8 hours or overnight. Remove chicken from buttermilk; pat dry. Pour salad dressing into a Ziploc bag. Place chicken breasts into bag, squish to cover chicken with dressing, set aside for 15 minutes while you prepare topping.

Place all topping ingredients into a medium mixing bowl. Beat until thoroughly combined.

Remove chicken breasts from marinade, pat dry. Place breasts into prepared casserole. Divide topping among the two breast halves, thoroughly covering the top of each. Place a slice of provolone cheese on each piece of chicken, and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F.

*You can learn how to do this here.

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Another delightfully easy Dinner for Two is Beef Stroganoff for Two.

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Filet Mignon with Portobello Mushroom Sauce

My passion for portobellos prevails, this time taking me in the direction of a taste-tempting mushroom sauce to top a fillet. This relatively easy, on the table in 45 minutes, company-worthy dish is certain to dazzle. Considering how impressive it is, you will not believe the ease. This is something I doubtless could consume once a week with no problem. If you often struggle to find recipes that make dinner for two, this one is perfect and mighty impressive. I just made one filet for myself, kept the sauce as is, and used it to top a baked potato for dinner the following day.

Filet Mignon with Portobello Mushroom Sauce

Adapted from epicurious.com

1 slice bacon
1 garlic clove, mashed to a paste
1-1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 pound Melissa’s portobello mushrooms, cleaned and sliced thin

2 tablespoons cognac
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 filet Mignon, each about 1-inch thick

In a 9-inch sauté pan, cook bacon over moderate heat until crisp; drain on paper towels. Crumble and reserve. Wipe skillet clean.

In same skillet cook garlic in 1 tablespoon butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Add mushrooms, salt, and pepper to taste, and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until liquid from mushrooms starts to evaporate. Start in cognac and boil until nearly evaporated. Stir in water, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce, and boil until sauce is slightly thickened. Stir in heavy cream; heat through. Transfer sauce to a small saucepan and stir in reserved bacon and parsley. Keep warm while you make the steaks.

Pat filets dry with paper towels, and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. In skillet, heat remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter over moderately high heat until foam begins to subside and sauté filets four minutes per side for medium rare meat (I did mine five minutes per side). Divide filets between two plates and top with sauce. Heaven!

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Coffee-Rubbed Filet Mignon is yet another delicious filet-based dinner for two.

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Creamy Bacon & Mushroom Fettuccine

Recipe three in my celebration of Mushroom Week features pasta, namely fettuccine. There are a lot of ways to fix fettuccine, but this is one of my favorites. It is particularly easy to put together if you start your water boiling for your pasta around the same time you cook your bacon. This way everything tends to get done at the same time and you can toss it together and serve. This is one of those 30-minute meals that come in so handy on busy days.

Creamy Bacon & Mushroom Fettuccine

4 slices bacon, cut into ½” pieces
4 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 Melissa's shallot, minced
4 ounces fettuccine, uncooked
4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
1/3 cup whole milk
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried basil leaves
¼ cup freshly chopped parsley
Red pepper flakes, for garnish

Cook bacon until crisp; drain. Add mushrooms and shallots to the skillet, cook and stir about four minutes. Stir in reserved bacon. Set aside.

Meanwhile, cook fettuccine as directed on package in large saucepan; drain. Return fettuccine to saucepan. Stir in cream cheese, milk, garlic powder, basil, and fresh parsley. Cook and stir over medium/low heat until cream cheese melts. Toss bacon mixture with fettuccine mixture. Serve immediately. A sprinkling of red pepper flakes takes this over the top!

Makes two main dish servings.

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Another fabulous fettuccini dish is this Fettuccini Alfredo for Two.

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Fettuccine with Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Bacon

​I was experimenting in the kitchen with Brussels sprouts today. 

I decided to roast them, and added some to a salad (not thrilled), and the rest to pasta; I was very pleased with the latter.

What resulted was a meal both delicious and hearty, and one that can be on the table in 30 minutes. This recipe makes two ample servings that are flavorful and nutty from the Brussels sprouts with just enough smoky zing from the bacon. It pairs particularly well with a nice glass of red wine, and crusty slice of bread. It’s a wonderful combination that I’m sure you will enjoy.

Fettuccine with Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Bacon

1 4-oz. pkg. fresh Melissa’s Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cleaned
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper

4 ounces fettuccine, cooked according to package directions

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon chicken soup base
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2/3 cup heavy cream
4 slices bacon, cooked crisp and chopped

Preheat oven to 400° F. Toss Brussels sprouts in oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes.

While sprouts are roasting, melt butter in a 9-inch sauté pan. Sauté mushrooms for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for an additional minute. Stir in Parmesan and soup base to blend, then slowly add heavy cream. Keep warm over low heat until sprouts are ready.

Remove sprouts from the oven, toss pasta with cream sauce, and fold in Brussels sprouts and bacon. Serve immediately dusted with a few gratings of fresh nutmeg, cracked pepper, or a shake or two of Parmesan cheese. Makes two servings.

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For another delicious pasta dish for two, you might consider trying this equally delicious Fettuccine Alfredo for Two.

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Dishing It & Digging It

Feathered Nest Friday
Funtastic Friday
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Beef and Broccoli for Two

If you're anything like me, you occasionally get a hankering for Chinese food.  If you are even more like me, when it gets to around seven o'clock in the evening you're often too tired to go out for Chinese.  Here is a great recipe for two that cooks up in no time and tastes as close to restaurant-style beef and broccoli than any other that I've tried.  It's adapted from a recipe that I found on epicurious.com, but I like my version better.

Beef and Broccoli for Two

Marinade for Beef:
2 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 pound boneless sirloin, cut across the grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices

Sauce:
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon medium-dry Sherry
1/4 cup beef broth
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons Oriental sesame oil

For rice:
1/3 cup Basmati rice, well rinsed
2/3 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 tablespoon butter

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger root
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes, more or less to taste
1 medium head broccoli, cut into flowerets

Prepare the beef:
In a small bowl stir together the soy sauce, sugar, and the salt.  Add the beef, and let it marinate for 30 minutes.

Make the sauce while the beef is marinating:
In a small bowl dissolve the cornstarch in the soy sauce and stir in the Sherry, broth, oyster sauce, sugar, and sesame oil.

Make the rice:
 Spray a medium-small saucepan with canola oil.  Put the rice, water, salt, and butter in the pan and place over high heat.  Bring to a boil and let the rice simmer until the level of water is equal to that of the rice.  Cover with lid and reduce heat to low.  Simmer 20-25 minutes.  If you happen to find yourself cooking the beef mixture longer than the rice is to cook, simply turn the heat off and let it rest the in the pan while you prepare the remainder of the meal.  It will keep for another 30 minutes without any adverse effects.

Heat a wok or large heavy skillet over high heat until it is hot, add 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil, and heat it until it just begins to smoke. Stir-fry the beef in the oil in batches for 1 minute, or until it is no longer pink, and transfer it as it is cooked with a slotted spoon to a plate. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to the wok, heat it until it is hot but not smoking, and in the oil stir-fry the gingerroot, the garlic, and the chili for 30 seconds, or until the mixture is fragrant. Add the broccoli and stir-fry the mixture for 1 minute. Add 1/3 cup water and steam the broccoli, covered, for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, or until it is crisp-tender. Stir the sauce, add it to the wok with the beef and any juices that have accumulated on the plate, and cook the mixture, stirring, for 2 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened and the beef is heated through. Transfer the mixture to a heated platter and serve it with the rice.

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Thai Shrimp for Two

I packed the rice into custard cups and inverted it into the empty bowl then spooned the mixture around it.

I love cooking magazines.  So much so that I tend to subscribe to a lot of them.  Fortunately I also tend to get some great deals.  Fortunately for those who know me, I share.  Almost every magazine that I receive gets passed onto someone else, as I just don't have the space to keep them all, as much as I'd like to. You'd be surprised how grabby some people can get!  Tonight's dinner came from the current issue of Taste of Home magazine (slated to go to my mom upon the completion of this blog post).  I happened to open the issue to this page and knew immediately this was going to be dinner.  It's a simple recipe, serves two, and features the shrimp I've long been craving.  I did all of my chopping early in the day, so it went together in a flash, and it was delicious!

You'll have leftover coconut milk.  I used mine to make coconut rice to serve as a base for tomorrow's Rogan Josh.

Have a great weekend!

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