American-Italian all'Amatriciana

Okay guys and gals...Jump aboard the Rachael Ray train!!

Now, I'll admit she's not my favorite chef (Giada's #1!!)....anyways, but I do watch her show from time to time, usually I'll be on my computer, reading, cleaning, and whatnot and "30 Minute Meals" will be on in the background. The other day I saw her make this dish and I thought 'this looks really easy and pretty good'. Of course I had to try it, right?!

Guess what was for dinner tonight?? ; )

This dish is an american remake of an italian dish called Bucatini All'Amatriciana. Let me tell you, it is all about the bacon!! Yes Bryan, if youre reading this....this is the dish for you! It is basically a bacon tomato sauce with onion and garlic etc. With penne pasta. Mix all that together and Voila! You are supposed to shred some sharp cheddar to put ontop but I just bought the packaged shredded mild cheddar and that was just fine! I also used smoked bacon, red onion, a few cloves garlic and the chicken stock.  The sauce had an excellent smokey flavor to it thanks to the bacon...Very awesome!! My husband and I both were happy campers with this meal. I gave it 5 stars (Literally, I reviewed it on the food network site!) and I will definitly be making this again sometime!! : )

Ingredients

• Salt
• 1 pound whole-wheat cassarecci, rigatoni or penne pasta
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 slices lean peppered bacon, chopped
• 1 large red onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed fire roasted tomatoes
• Black pepper
• A handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• Shredded sharp white Cheddar, to pass at table

Directions

Heat water to boil for pasta, season with salt and cook pasta to al dente.

Heat a deep skillet over medium-high heat with extra-virgin olive oil, a turn of the pan. Add bacon and crisp 4 to 5 minutes then add onions and garlic cook to soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in stock then tomatoes and season with pepper to taste. Simmer sauce 15 minutes. Toss pasta with sauce and parsley. Serve with grated sharp white Cheddar.

*This is a Rachael Ray recipe found on Foodnetwork.com*

*Bacon photo found on google images*

My Fragrant Friend

Lets chat about one of me favorite ingredients to cook with shall we? He's very fragrant and very flavorful. People either love him or hate him...

If you guessed Garlic, you are indeed correct!!

As a kid growing up, I didn't care too much for anything garlic, not even garlic bread. I guess when I got older I must have developed a liking for it though. Now it is one of my favorites to use in the kitchen. My husband loves it too, if not more!

Some Fun Facts :

Decendents of garlic are believed to have been first found in Southwest Asia/China long ago. A couple relatives include onions and shallots. Garlic was even mentioned in the bible. The cloves found inside the bulb were used for culinary purposes as well as medicinal purposes. Nowadays, you can buy garlic vitamin supplements at the drugstore. Garlic is an antioxidant and is very good for your heart.

                                                                                  Garlic bulbs -->

If you're ever going to attract the attention of a Cullen, best to stay away from the garlic altogether ; ) Lets not forget the infamous fact that garlic will keep the vampires away too!!

I like to use garlic in just about anything I cook. Of course I haven't tried it in any desserts yet but I know people have done it! I just started using fresh garlic to put into sauces or mix in when sauteeing onions or veggies....I love it. I also use the minced garlic you can find in a jar, but I feel like that is less flavorful than fresh. If I want a bit more garlic kick, I just shake in a little garlic powder that I have on hand always right next to my stovetop!!

<--Cloves of Garlic

I love the smell while its cooking and the flavor it brings to the food I make. Come on, who doesn't love to have more flavor to their food?? Thats what makes food so awesomely enjoyable!

I know as I've stated earlier, you love it or you hate it...Those of you who think you hate it, why not give it a try next time with dinner?? A teeny bit won't hurt. You might even find you like it better in one dish than in another one...As for me, I will continue using my fragrant friend in just about everything I cook!! Mmm Mmm Good!!

There's Something You Should Know....

There's something I need to get off my chest. Something I think you all should know. Something I should admit....

I am an absolute complete spaz in the kitchen!! There I said it. *sigh*

I try so hard to follow recipes, not make a mess in doing so...juggling different tasks. "While blah blah is cooking, prepare this and that over here"...you know what I'm talking about. Things somehow slip out of my wet, slimy hands and onto the floor. I'm surprised I still have all my toes!! Meanwhile, the boiling water is bubbling over...Sauces are sticking to the bottom of the pot...I still have things to slice and dice (carefully!)...I'm the farthest cry from a pro thats for sure!

 Like that chicken I should have cut in half or flattened out before cooking it...yeah that was fun. That took forever to cook and I gave up on the last piece as it was almost burning but not fully cooked yet in the center.  Meanwhile I am looking around my kitchen in complete horror at the mess I made and I was just getting started!! I still had sauce and garlic bread to make....oh man....

I am so envious of the stars you see on TV. They make it look so darn easy...and I believe it could be. If I were someone else and not so spaz-like in the kitchen. I bet I could turn a bowl of cereal into a disaster!

I guess I'm just human right? Or maybe its just one of those special quirky qualities in me that my husband fell in love with....(I think I like that one) haha. I may not be a Pro to everyone else...but in my kitchen, Im the head chef and the food I make always comes out great. No matter how spazzy I am or how messy my kitchen becomes!! : )

Happy Cooking!!

**Pic from google images and wall decal from Joanns craft store!!**

The "Taste" of Fall

Hello There!! Labor day is all over and the weather is cooling down from those hot summer days. The leaves are already starting to change color as well. I've started to decorate my home with adorable fall decorations and lighting my "Be Thankful" candle from Yankee Candle! (one of my favorites) So now it looks like fall, smells like fall...but somethings missing....hm. Oh! I got it! We need the "tastes like fall"!!

What better way to "taste" fall than with these adorable Pumpkin Cupcakes?! I was browsing cupcake recipes one night in hopes of finding more creative cupcake flavors other than vanilla, chocolate and red velvet and I stumbled upon this one. These are super cute and you can add things to it like choco chips or different spices...make your own frosting or use the store bought kind. I might sprinkle orange sugar ontop of mine. I'm so excited to try these and I will definitly post pictures when I do!!

Fall colors, Fall scents, Fall Flavors!! Is it just me? Or is everyone else this excited too? :)

Ingredients

 

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice; set aside.

2.In a large bowl, whisk together, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Add dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.

3.Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake until tops spring back when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

**Picture and Recipe from MarthaStewart.com**