Wining and Dining (for the broke and hungry)

Tuna Pasta with White Wine Sauce

Use this recipe to impress your friend during a girls night, or if you're at the end of the month on your funds and canned tuna, whine, and pasta is all you have. It's funny how it can work for both - the secret is in the preparation.

INGREDIENTS (serves two):

2 cans of tuna drained

4 ounces of spaghetti or linguini pasta

1/4 medium onion diced

1/4 cup white wine

2 tbsp olive oil

Pinch of chili pepper flakes
1 tbsp of capers
1 tsp of parsley
1 tsp of black pepper
1 tsp of salt
1/2 tbsp of basil leaves

1: PREPARE TUNA

We want the tuna to be soft and not dry and chewy from the can, so you're going to need to soak the tuna in olive oil before you cook it. Let it marinate while you prepare everything else.

2: BOIL WATER

Bring large pot of water to a boil. Pretty simple stuff. 

3: WINE TIME

Pour yourself a glass of white wine, you deserve it.

4: COOK PASTA

Put in pasta of your choice. It's always easier to set a timer for pasta instead of waiting for it to become "al dente." Whole wheat noodles take a little longer, so my whole wheat spaghetti took about 10 minutes. 

5: THE GOOD STUFF

Here comes the fun part. Chop your onion into small squares. Heat olive oil on a large sauté pan. Throw in onions and chili pepper flakes and stir around on medium-high heat until onions are translucent. 

Now, mix in your canned tuna, capers, and salt. Add the wine, take a sip from the bottle for yourself, and bring the pan to a simmer. Turn to low heat and if the mixture dries out, add a little more wine.

(If you're too poor for capers, add peas! They don't add a lot of taste, but they serve as a budget friendly substitute. Unfortunately I was TPFC in this round so I'm sorry if you were fooled but the picture is actually peas. Trust me though, capers are SO much better with this.)

5: MIX IT UP

Once the pasta is ready, drain it then add it to the pan with the other ingredients. Mix it all together with a splash of olive oil. Add parsley, salt, and pepper and serve to your hungry and probably drunk guest.

And that's what we call ballin on a budget, people. 

Pasta Party of Seven

Tomato Basil Penne

This recipe is great for group dinners and is super easy to make because it's all in one giant pot. Calories don't count if it's a dinner party right?

INGREDIENTS (serves seven):

2 cups of chicken broth

1 1/2 jars of tomato pasta sauce
1 cup of water
1 1/2 boxes of penne noodles (yes, boxes, because you might not have leftovers)

1/2 large onion diced (yellow or white)

4 garlic cloves diced

1/2 tbsp of crushed red pepper seasoning
1 tsp of oregano
1 tsp of salt
1/2 tbsp of basil leaves
2 tbsp olive oil

1: THROW IT IN THE POT

Put all of the ingredients that I just mentioned into a (very) large pot in that order. 

This dish was inspired by a few one-pot recipes I stumbled upon this week. I decided to make it more 20 Something friendly with regular pasta sauce instead of being pretentious with "sliced tomatoes." Mostly I did this because tomatoes are the worst to chop up, and  this sauce makes the recipe so easy your boyfriend could probably make it - assuming they all cook like mine (horribly).

2: STIR AND SIP

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. I turned on the stove as I chopped and threw things in, and eventually at the end of all the ingredients, it started to boil. If you want a specific time try 12-15 minutes. 

Reduce heat to medium-low and cover for 12 minutes, stirring at five minute intervals. This is a good time to open up that bottle of wine. By the time the buzzer finally dings you should have magically soft noodles.

Serve with parmesan and enjoy!

(Didn't I tell you it would be easy?) 

Eat Your Heart Out

Steamed Artichokes

Too full from lunch or too stressed from finals week to eat? Grab some of these ugly flower things and enjoy them steamed.

INGREDIENTS (one artichoke per person):

1 tpsn sea salt

Artichokes

Lemon halved

1: BOIL WATER

Do you have a steamer? Good. If you don't have a steamer, you can do it too, I promise. Either way, you need to boil some water first. Put in some lemon juice and salt for taste. 

2: ARTICHOKE PREPARATION

Wash your artys thoroughly. Pick off the hard leaves that are poking out. Cut the stem so the arty can sit upright on its own. Now cut 1/3 off the top of the entire artichoke. This should give you a nice view into the inside of it. Trim the outer leaves that you missed while cutting, so all leaves do not end on a point. Rub a slice of the lemon on these edges to prevent discoloration from steaming. 

3: STEAMING

Steamer: place the artys on the basket on their sides and cover for 30 minutes. If you have a sweet grandmother like me, you have a hand-me-down gigantic steamer and can fit all of them in there.

No steamer: use a large pot with boiling water and place the artichokes directly in there. It doesn't matter what angle they sit, they will float with the water. If you have a small lid, you should place them directly over the artys to keep them submerged while boiling. If not, cover it normally. Let them cook at a high simmer on stove until they are tender, or for about 30 minutes. 

4: SERVE AND DIP

After thirty minutes, they should be finished. If you've never eaten an artichoke from the bushel directly, you must know to bite the bottom of the leaf - that's where the "meat" is. The deeper you go into the bushel, the more "meat." Also, scrape your teeth on the leaf above the meaty part, that has a lot of good stuff on it too. Basically it feels like you're eating a big juicy leaf - which you are - but damn, it is good with some sauce. My dad likes to dip them in ranch. You can also melt some butter or olive oil and put a little seasoning in it (like bread dipping oil) for a nice, thin sauce if you want to feel a little classier than Hidden Valley. 

The heart is the best part. It is located at the base of the bushel. Sometimes you get jipped and get a bushel with only hair, but most times underneath that hairy looking stuff is a big juicy heart - wait, am I talking about men or artichokes? Anyways, cut that heart (ouch) into fourths and eat the whole damn thing. 

Enjoy!

Dinner For Roommates

Pesto Chicken and Baked Vegetables

Senior year is winding down and options for "roomie nights" are getting slim as we all begin to go our separate ways in less than a month. One's moving to Atlanta, one's staying here, one's moving to Spain (casual), and I'm not really sure what I'm doing. The only comfort we can have in parting ways is sharing a few more meals together, so I decided to bake us a little dinner to cherish our last weeks as roommates. *tear*

INGREDIENTS (serves four):

2 tsp sea salt

2 tsp pepper (I should just make these two a given)

1/2 tbsp of Cavender's greek seasoning

8 slim chicken breast tenders

2 tbsp pesto

2 tbsp olive oil

2 zucchini

1 squash

2 sweet potatoes

1/2 yellow onion

Mushrooms

1 tbsp lemon zest or 1/4 of a lemon

PRE-HEAT OVEN TO 375 DEGREES

1: VEGGIES

Wash all vegetables. Chop squash, zucchini, and sweet potatoes into cubes and put in a large glass baking dish. Mix in olive oil, seasoning, salt, and pepper. Make sure they are evenly distributed in the dish and the sweet potatoes are touching the glass. These suckers take forever to cook, hence the roughly 40 minute wait time. While you're waiting, make sure to turn everything in the dish so they don't all burn on one side.

2: WINE?

Always optional, never unnecessary. Unfortunately we all had work to do tonight *more tears*

3: CHICKEN

Slice into each piece of chicken in a cut down the middle, not penetrating the other side of the breast. Place in dish and brush on oil. Make sure to get under the chicken with the oil so they don't stick to the pan. If you don't have a brush, you should obviously buy one, but if you spent money on your wine instead, you can "brush" on the oil with your (washed) hands. See why the brush is important? Now, brush/rub pesto on the chicken, making sure to cover it with specks of basil. Not completely, but not bare of specs. Pesto freckles only. Get pesto into the crevices of where you cut into your chicken breasts. Squirt the lemon on it and throw it into the oven for thirty minutes.

4: SAUTE OTHER VEGGIES

In my opinion, it can't possibly be a full meal unless sautéed vegetables are involved. Cut onions and mushrooms into reasonably small pieces. I like to remove the stem, then cut an X on top of mushrooms because it's fun and usually the perfect size. Sauté with oil and salt until browned and squishy, then throw them into the oven on top of the chicken to keep them warm and give them a little of the pesto taste. These don't take long, so leave about ten minutes left on your chicken when you start them. 

5: CHEESE AND SERVE!

Shake some parmesan cheese on the chicken before you serve and voila - an easy (mostly) baked meal for four.

Enjoy!

Pretty Rad Rabbit Food

Sautéed Spring Salad With Kale

So I'm really hyped about this whole Kale thing. Not only does it taste good, but it's AMAZING - vitamins, protein, etc. And you can sauté it! I questioned posting this salad recipe because, I mean, it's a salad and anyone can make a salad... but this was too good not to post. Trust me.

INGREDIENTS (for dining alone):

2 tsp sea salt

2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp of onion powder (or just sauté onions)

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 tbsp of Star balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

Bowl of washed kale

1 cup of sliced mushrooms

1/2 a squash

1/4 of a bushel of asparagus

1/2 cup of feta cheese crumbled

1: KALE

Heat up olive oil in a large saucepan (try not to get burned by hot, jumping oil as I did). Throw washed kale in with salt. Stir around until evenly salted/oiled and cover for 6 1/2 minutes on medium heat.

2: WINE?

Always optional, never unnecessary. 

3: CHOP VEGGIES

Wash all vegetables. Chop squash into wedges by first slicing down the middle of the full squash. Do the same between the two cut sides again. Make sure to leave a little un-cut squash at the top of the squash so it doesn't fall into four pieces. Now take the squash and cut perpendicularly in evenly spaced rows. If this makes absolutely no sense, refer to the top picture or find a youtube tutorial because I really don't know how to explain that any better. Throw those in the pan. Next is the asparagus. Cut into five or six sections horizontally so they are in bite size pieces and you don't feel like a rabbit sucking it down. Throw those in. Lastly, throw in the mushrooms because they're small and for lazy people.

4: SAUTEE VEGGIES

Pour oil onto the vegetables in the pan. Mix in with salt, pepper, onion, and garlic powder. Keep flipping them around until they are soft and squishy and taste delicious. If you have time or like to be healthy, lay them on a plate with flat paper towels to dry out the oil before serving.

5: FINISH OFF KALE

After the timer dings, quickly add balsalmic vinegar to the leaves and mix. Place the lid back on, turn the burner off, and place them back on the warm stove top until the rest of your food is ready.

Side note: this balsamic stuff is a hidden gem that my roommate discovered (and whom I steal it from a lot in the kitchen - sorry Elena) so I highly advise anyone to invest the $4 in it. Star is great for cooking and regular salads.

6: CHEESE AND SERVE!

Serve kale and veggies in a bowl or plate, and last but certainly not least - add feta cheese! If you're thinking it will be fine if you don't add cheese (because of dietary concerns or maybe you aren't human and don't like cheese) then I'm telling you, it is not the same salad without it. Total game changer. Just do it, ok?

Enjoy!

Kale Yeah!

Chicken & Mushroom Penne With Kale

INGREDIENTS (serves four):

2 tsp sea salt

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

4 thin chicken breasts

Box of penne noodles

Sliced mushrooms

Bag of kale washed (use how much you want to cook) 

1 can of Cream of Mushroom

1 can of water

1 tspn of Cavender's greek seasoning

1: MARINATE CHICKEN

De-thaw chicken breasts and place them in a baking dish with olive oil and greek seasoning. You can also do this in a clear plastic baggy, just depends on how classy you want to look. 

Side note: Cavender's seasoning is the God of seasonings. If you don't own this you need to go to Publix and get it now - you'll thank me later

2: POUR GLASS OF WINE

Pinot Grigio preferably.

3: KALE TIME

Heat up olive oil in a large saucepan. Throw washed kale in with salt. Stir around until evenly salted/oiled and cover for 6 minutes on medium heat.

4: START TO BOIL WATER FOR NOODLES

5: COOK CHICKEN

Take chicken from dish (baggy) and cut them into small pieces. Place them on a hot, large skillet. Let sit on a high medium temperature. Keep an eye on these and keep flipping them to equally cook both sides. 

6: COOK NOODLES

Should cook for about 10 minutes

7: SAUTEE MUSHROOMS

In a medium skillet, heat olive oil and salt. Add mushrooms and stir to oil and season evenly. Put on medium setting and keep an eye on them. When the chicken is nearly finished and the mushrooms are starting to shrivel, throw the mushrooms in with the chicken and stir it around.

8: SAUCE

Take your can of Cream of Mushroom and dump it on the skillet you just used for the mushrooms. Add a can of water and put on high heat. Whisk the contents until they are in liquid form and put the temperature to low once it starts boiling.

9: NOODLES

Put drained noodles in skillet with mushroom sauce. Stir and let sit until everything is ready.

10: SERVE!

By now your meal should be ready! The order by which I served it onto a plate (in the first picture) was noodles > sauce > kale > chicken > mushrooms on top. Hopefully you're already down a few glasses of greej so this meal will taste even better!

Enjoy

Fish Are Food, For Friends

Pan-Seared Tilapia With Spinach Fettuchi and Sauteed Squash and Asparagus

INGREDIENTS (serves four):

2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

Pinch of rosemary

Pinch of oregano

2 cups of chicken broth

1/2 cup of water

6 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

4 tbsp flour

4 tilapia filets de-thawed 

Bag of Al Dente Spinach Fettuchini

1 large tomato (or two tomatoes)

1 squash

1/3 bushel of asparagus

1: DE-THAW & MARINATE TILAPIA

Thaw tilapia filets and place in a glass dish. Add olive oil and rosemary. Let sit for a 5-10 minutes. 

2: POUR GLASS OF WINE

You're gonna want it, trust me.

3: START TO BOIL WATER FOR NOODLES

I'm sorry that font looks like I'm yelling

4: COOK TILAPIA

Take tilapia from dish and place them on a hot, large skillet. Let sit on a high medium temperature. Keep an eye on these and keep flipping them to equally cook both sides.

3: SAUCE

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter with pepper and salt (make sure it is a teaspoon not a tablespoon like I originally thought...). Add flour and stir to get the lumps out. Add chicken broth and seasoning (rosemary and oregano) and stir the sauce until it's thick and creamy. Put temperature on low and let sit with occasional stirring throughout the whole cooking process. If it doesn't smell like sex you're doing it wrong.

5: SAUTEE VEGGIES

Chop each asparagus into four small pieces, and cut squash into small slivers to match the size of the asparagus. Put oil, salt, and pepper in a medium sauce pan and throw chopped veggies in. Pour lemon juice directly on the vegetables and start mixing the ingredients on the pan. Place on medium heat. Keep an eye on them and stir veggies around so they cook evenly. They will be ready when they are soft, or if they are burnt on one side. If you want to feel like Emeril you can try to flip the veggies in the pan with just your hands. If I have to explain how to do that, then you're not ready to be Emeril. 

6: NOODLES

Throw it in the pot with salt and olive oil, and watch until they get soft. Pretty basic stuff here.

7: BACK TO TILAPIA

Cut the heart out of the tomato and chop skin of the tomato into small slivers, cut those into smaller pieces. Put tomatoes in the pan with the tilapia while the fish are almost finished cooking (when it starts to fall apart). Keep flipping fish with tomatoes on them so the tomatoes are sauteed as well. 

8: DRAIN NOODLES

9: SERVE!

By now your meal should be ready! The order by which I served it onto a plate (in the picture above) was noodles>sauce>sautéed veggies>tilapia>tomatoes on top. Also make sure to keep drinking your wine so if you messed up, the food will taste better eventually.

Enjoy!