Penne with Asparagus and Pecorino Cheese

8 ounces uncooked penne pasta
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 cups (1-inch) slices asparagus (about 1 pound)
1 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh pecorino Romano cheese
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons shaved fresh pecorino Romano cheese

1. Cook pasta in boiling water with 1 tablespoon kosher salt according to package directions, omitting additional fat. Drain.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan, swirling to coat. Add asparagus to pan; cook 3 minutes or until crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from pan; keep warm. Add broth, lemon rind, and garlic to pan; cook until liquid is reduced to 1/2 cup (about 6 minutes). Return asparagus to pan. Add pasta, grated cheese, salt, and pepper; toss well. Place about 1 1/4 cups pasta mixture in each of 4 shallow bowls; top each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons shaved cheese.

Feedback: Very good, though I will use a little more garlic and lemon rind next time. I got the recipe from Cooking Light magazine, though they called for using garganelli pasta. My local Whole Foods didn't have that available so I replaced it with Penne. It was really easy and quick to make. This will go on my "make again" list.

Pan Seared Cod with Basil Sauce

1/4 cup fresh basil, finely minced
1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, freshly grated
4 teaspoons olive oil
1/2-1 teaspoon salt, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 (6 ounce) cod fish fillets or 4 (6 ounce) other similar fish
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
cooking spray


Combine basil, broth, cheese, oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and garlic in a small bowl.

Sprinkle fish with 1/2 tsp salt (I omit) and pepper.

Coat a large nonstick pan with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat.

Saute fish for 5 minutes on each side or until it flakes easily with a fork.

Spoon basil sauce over fish to serve.

Feedback: Not even worth a review. Don't waste your time.

Joy Behar's Lasagna

Apologies that it's been so long since I blogged but I'm learning that a crawlng, and now walking baby takes up a lot of time! That and the fact that he loves to stand and try and pull down my pants when I'm at the stove so I can't move around makes it harder to spend my days cooking. However, I love lasagna so when Joy Behar showed everyone how to make her lasagna recipe on The View I had to try it! The recipe is as follows:

2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 cup Chopped Onion
2 Garlic Cloves
1 ½ Lbs. Sweet Italian Sausage (Out Of Casings)
1 Large 28oz Can Crushed Italian Tomatoes
1 6oz Can Tomato Paste
¼ cup Chopped Parsley
½ cup Chopped Basil Leaves
2 Tsp Sea Salt
¾ Tsp Pepper

½ Box Lasagna Noodles
1 Lb Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Extra Large Egg
1 Lb Whole Milk Mozzarella Cheese
¼ cup Parmesan Cheese For Sprinkling At End

1 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and position the oven rack in the middle.

2. To make the meat sauce, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook over medium-low heat until translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic and stir for one more minute. Then add the sausage and cook over medium-low heat. Breaking it up with a wooden spoon, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until fully cooked and no longer pink. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, oregano, basil, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 20 minutes.

3. Soak lasagna noodles in hot tap water.

4. While the sauce is simmering, make the cheese filling In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, 1 cup of Parmesan, the beaten egg, chopped parsley, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.

5. Ladle one third of the meat sauce into a 9”x 12”x 2” casserole or baking pan. Spread the sauce over the bottom of the dish. Then add approximately half the pasta (in one layer, cover the sauce with the noodles), half the sliced mozzarella, half the cheese mixture, and one third of the sauce. Add another single layer of noodles, mozzarella, ricotta, and the remaining sauce Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup of Parmesan.

6. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling.

Feedback: The lasagna was good but I have had much better. I did however like the mixture of the parmesan with the egg etc, and I also liked the way that the mozerella was not shredded but fresh and just laid down disc by disc. It really assisted with making a nice gooey, thick lasagna - just how I like it! I would continue constructing my lasagna the same way if I could find a better tomato sauce recipe.

Daddy Cooks - Pepper-Crusted Pork Tenderloin

Yesterday was my 24th straight day of working. Long hours, long days and long weeks. When I found out that I was actually going to have the weekend off Brian told me that he would have something special planned when I got home. I had a great bubble bath and dinner after. This recipe he found in the Taste of Home cookbook. Wow, it was good!



Pepper-Crusted Pork Tenderloin

2 pork tenderloins (3/4 lb each)
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon 1% buttermilk
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1-2 teaspoons coarsely ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup bread crumbs

1. Place tenderloins side by side and tie together with kitchen string. In a small bowl, combine themustard, buttermilk, thyme, pepper and salt; spread over surface of milk. Press crumbs onto meat.

2. Place on a rack in shallow roasting pan. Cover and bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Uncover; bake 35-40 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees. Let stand for 10 minutes. Remove string before serving.

Feedback: Brian didn't use the string because the tenderloin wasn't stuffed. It worked fine and was delicious! The only variation we may try next time is a little garlic powder.

Chicken & Asparagus in Puff Pastry with Dijon Cream Sauce

2 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
8-10 stalks asparagus
1 Can Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1-2 T Course Ground Dijon Mustard


Cut chicken breasts in half, leaving you with 4 pieces of chicken. Salt and Pepper both sides of the chicken breasts.

Brown the chicken breasts in a skillet. Roll out crescent rolls,cut into squares. Cut asparagus into half leaving short stalks. Place 2-3 stalks in the middle of each crescent square, place chicken on top. Pull crescent dough over and cover, pressing to seal. Place onto cookie sheet and bake according to crescent roll instructions.

While chicken is baking place 1-2 T dijon mustard into the bottom of the skillet. Add 1/4 cup of the heavy whipping cream and stir with a whisk to mix. Bring to a slight simmer, adding heavy cream until the sauce has reached the thickness you desire (I prefer mine like a thick soup, i.e. cream of mushroom). Set aside.

When chicken is completed place a large spoonful of dijon cream sauce onto your plate, using spoon to spread into circle. Place chicken on top and serve.

Feedback: I made this recipe up because I wanted to suprise my husband for dinner. Translation: I wanted something that looked complicated but really took me no time at all. This came out great, was delicious, and was easy. The only thing that I would do slightly different would be to add a little cheese inside next time.

Basil & Garlic Sausage Lasagna

It's been awhile and I apologize. With going back to work full time, going to school full time and juggling a 4 month old and a husband I've been to busy to cook! I also FINALLY got propane for my husband's grill as a Fathrt's Day gift so he's wanted to cook on the grill. Tonight I had a craving for a quick fix lasagna. Hubby is working new hours so I have to have dinner ready before he leaves for work at 3:30pm - here's what I came up with.

Basil & Garlic Sausage Lasagna



1 Box No Boil Barilla Lasagne
1 package Large sausages - (I used a fresh basil & garlic sausage from Safeway meat department)
1 15 oz container Ricotta
8 ounces Mozarella
8 ounces Parmesan cheese
1 can mushroom pieces
1 jar tomato sauce of your choosing ( I prefer to make my own but for this quick I meal I did not. I used Bertolli Marinara with burgundy wine.)

Remove casings from sausage and brown, breaking up to the consistancy of ground beef. Drain and set aside. Preheat oven to 350.

Place a thin layer of tomato sauce along bottom of pan. Place lasagna sheets along bottom. With a spatula spread one layer of ricotta over lasagna sheets,follow with mozarella, a thin layer of parmesan and mushrooms. Top with a layer of the basil & garlic sausage. Repeat with as many layers as you wish (I had 3) ending with tomato sauce topped by mozerella and parmesan.

Bake covered with foil at 350 for 40-50 minutes or until heated thru and bubbling.



Feedback: This was very good for a variation on a regular lasagna. The basil and garlic sausage gave a nice extra flavor though I don't think I would want it everytime I have lasagna. Perhaps if it was mixed with a ground turkey or beef it would make the basil not quite as strong tasting. I was very pleased with the Bertolli sauce and would use it again when I don't have time to make my own from scratch. Overall though I was very pleased with the outcome as was my husband.

Fresh Summer Fruit Salad

Sometimes nothing is better on a hot summer day than -



1 Granny Smith Apple
1 Pear
1 Bunch Green Grapes
5-10 Strawberries, cut into quarters
1/4 of a small watermelon, cubed
1/2 of 1 pineapple, cubed
1 orange, each slice cut into thirds
1/4 cup sugar

Mix all together and enjoy!