Spinach and Lentil Soup with Cheese and Basil

A lovely soup. And not difficult to make at all.

Spinach and Lentil Soup with Cheese and Basil
Courtesy of Cooking Light

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 
1/4 cup chopped pancetta (about 1 ounce)
1 1/4 cups chopped onion 
3/4 cup chopped celery 
3/4 cup chopped carrot 
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 cup dried brown lentils
3 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth 
2 cups water
1 (6-ounce) package fresh baby spinach 
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese 
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add pancetta; cook 1 minute or until pancetta begins to brown, stirring occasionally. Add onion and next 4 ingredients (through bay leaf); cook 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Add lentils, broth, and 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 40 minutes or until lentils are tender and mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Discard bay leaf.

Place 2 cups lentil mixture in a blender. Remove the center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape), and secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters), and blend until smooth. Return pureed lentil mixture to pan. Add baby spinach, chopped basil, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and black pepper; stir until spinach wilts. Serve immediately.

Springtime Spaghetti with Artichokes and Herbs

I really enjoyed this. It was very fresh and light and tasty. I used canned artichokes because I couldn't find the baby artichokes that the original recipe called for. I have actually also never processed a fresh artichoke before, as I'm a bit intimidated. The canned version worked just fine.  

Springtime Spaghetti with Artichokes and Herbs 
A variation on this recipe from Rachael Ray



1 can quartered artichokes, drained 
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 
1/4 pound pancetta, cut into fine dice (optional, omit for a vegetarian version of recipe) 
4 large shallots, finely chopped 
4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated 
Black pepper 
1 cup dry white wine 
Salt, to taste 
1 pound spaghetti 
A generous handful mint leaves 
A generous handful flat-leaf parsley 
1 cup loosely packed basil leaves 
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, a generous handful for tossing plus some to pass at the table

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for pasta.

Heat 1/4 cup oil, 4 turns of the pan, in a large skillet over medium heat. Add pancetta, if using, and brown a couple of minutes. Add shallots and garlic, and cook 3-4 minutes more.

Add drained artichokes to pan. Season with pepper. Raise heat a bit and sauté until light golden at edges, 6-7 minutes. Add wine, stir and reduce by half. Cover pan, reduce heat to a simmer and cook covered, 5-6 minutes more. Season with salt to taste.

Meanwhile, salt the boiling water and cook pasta to al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup of cooking water before draining pasta.

While pasta cooks, finely chop the mint with parsley. Stack up the basil leaves, roll them into a log and thinly slice the logs of leaves across. Uncover the artichokes and stir in the reserved starchy water. Bring sauce to a bubble, add drained pasta, mint and parsley. Toss to combine, 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat. Add a handful of cheese and basil to pasta and toss again to combine, serve immediately.

Pasta with Asparagus, Pancetta and Pine Nuts with White Bean Dip

Yummy, fresh, and simple. I paired these two things together because there was bread with what looked like some sort of white bean dip on top photographed with the pasta on the website where I found the pasta recipe. But they didn't include a dip recipe, so I found one that I had seen before and wanted to try. I'm not sure they exactly go together, but they were both good.

The only thing I changed was that I tweaked things a bit to make it so that I had roasted flavor on pretty everything. I think it probably helped take the raw flavor out of the garlic in the pasta dish, which is good, because I found that the raw flavor in the white bean dip was a bit overwhelming. I think I may try using garlic powder next time.

Pasta with Asparagus, Pancetta, and Pine Nuts
A variation on this recipe from Cooking Light



8 ounces uncooked cavatappi pasta
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut diagonally into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons pine nuts
2 ounces diced pancetta
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.

Arrange pine nuts in a single layer on a parchment-lined jelly-roll pan. Bake for 3 minutes or until golden and fragrant, stirring occasionally. Place in a large bowl.

Increase oven temperature to 450°F. Put asparagus on jelly-roll pan and toss with garlic, salt, and pepper. Bake for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Place in bowl with pine nuts.

Increase oven temperature to 475°F. Arrange pancetta on jelly-roll pan. Bake for 6 minutes or until crisp. Add to bowl with pine nuts and asparagus. Drain pasta and add to bowl.

Combine lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over pasta mixture; toss well to coat. Sprinkle with cheese.

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White Bean Dip
A variation on this recipe from Giada De Laurentiis



1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil, plus 4 tablespoons
1/4 cup (loosely packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Place the beans, garlic, lemon juice, 1/3 cup olive oil, and parsley in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the bean puree to a small bowl. Serve with French bread or pita.

Sage and Pancetta Biscuits

These were scrumptious. I'm thinking they may need to be included in an upcoming holiday breakfast...

I served them with this potato soup. I used shredded mozzarella instead of Fontina since that's what I had on hand. And I had to make my own buttermilk substitute. I did that by adding a tablespoon of vinegar to a little less than a cup of milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes.

Sage and Pancetta Biscuits
A variation on this recipe from Bon Appétit



1 3-ounce package thinly sliced pancetta (Italian bacon), chopped
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons chilled buttermilk

Preheat oven to 450°F. Sauté pancetta in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in large bowl to blend. Rub in butter with fingertips until coarse meal forms. Stir in Fontina and sage, separating strands of cheese. Add 3/4 cup buttermilk and pancetta with any pan drippings and stir until moist clumps form. Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead just until dough holds together, about 4 to 6 turns. Flatten dough to 3/4-inch thickness. Using 2 1/4-inch-diameter biscuit or cookie cutter, cut out rounds. Re-roll dough and cut out more rounds until all dough is used.

Transfer biscuits to large rimmed ungreased baking sheet, spacing apart. Brush biscuit tops with remaining 2 tablespoons buttermilk. Bake until biscuits are puffed and golden, about 14 minutes. Serve warm.

Spicy Lentil Soup

I loved the combination of flavors in this soup. And it was beautifully autumnal. I wasn't entirely expecting it, so it was a nice little surprise when it started to give off the gorgeous aroma during the simmering process. Yum.

I have never used anchovies before, and while I liked the depth of flavor it gave the dish, I'm definitely going to be looking for the resealable paste tubes next time. I had no idea what to do with the leftover anchovies in the tin, so I tossed them. Did I panic? Probably. But I wasn't willing to risk stinking up my fridge and kind of knew I was probably never going to use them but would probably end up just buying the paste or another tin.

Oh, and I'm refusing to call this a "stoup" because I think that label is dumb. Sorry, Rachael.

Spicy Lentil Soup
Courtesy of Rachael Ray



2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 canned anchovy fillets
1/4 pound pancetta, cut into cubes
1 large baking potato, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and grated
1 onion, chopped
3 to 4 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
2 to 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika or ground cumin
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
Salt and black pepper
1 1/2 cups dried lentils
Two 32-ounce containers (2 quarts) chicken broth
One 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 bunch kale, stemmed and chopped (about 4 cups)
Crusty bread or rolls, for serving

In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Stir in the anchovies until melted, then add the pancetta and cook until crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the potato, carrots, onion and garlic. Season with the rosemary sprigs, bay leaf, paprika, crushed red pepper, allspice and salt and black pepper to taste; cook until the vegetables are softened, 7 to 8 minutes.

Stir in the lentils, chicken broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, stir in the kale and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaf and rosemary sprigs. Serve the soup with the crusty bread.

Pancetta-Wrapped Pork Roast

This could have been really really good. But when I went to check the internal temperature, like I had been taught, I stuck my meat thermometer in the thickest part of the roast... Which, turned out, happened to be in a hunk of dark meat right at the top of the roast. So I kept cooking it to bring it to the proper temperature, very successfully drying the heck out of the light meat and making it extremely tough. Not even the pan juices helped to make the meat even slightly moist again.

This dish will be attempted again, with hopefully much more successful results. At least the pancetta was nice and crispy...

Pancetta-Wrapped Pork Roast
Courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis



8 large garlic cloves
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (3 1/2- to 4-pound) tied boneless pork loin roast
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces thinly sliced pancetta
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups dry white wine

Blend the garlic, rosemary, thyme, and oil in a small food processor, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally, until the garlic is minced.

Sprinkle the pork roast generously with salt and pepper. Arrange the pancetta slices on a work surface, overlapping slightly and forming a rectangle. Spread half of the garlic mixture over 1 side of the pork and between the 2 loins that meet in the center of the tied pork roast. Place the pork, garlic mixture side down, in the center of the pancetta rectangle. Spread the remaining garlic mixture over the remaining pork. Wrap the pancetta slices around the pork. Place the pork in a roasting pan. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Pour 1/2 cup of broth and 1/2 cup of wine into the roasting pan. Add more broth and wine to the pan juices every 20 minutes. Roast the pork until a meat thermometer inserted into the center registers 145°F for medium-rare, about 1 hour. Transfer the pork to a cutting board. Tent with aluminum foil and let stand for 10 minutes. Pour the pan drippings into a glass measuring cup and spoon off any fat that rises to the top.

Using a large sharp carving knife, cut the pork into 1/4-inch-thick slices and serve with the pan juices.

Christmas Dinner 2010 (Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta, Mushroom-Leek Stuffing Muffins, Parker House Rolls, Cranberry Sauce, and Pumpkin Maple Pie)

Christmas 2010 will not be forgotten... I bought my first fresh turkey from Wolff's Apple House. I found a wonderful recipe for it. I brined it with the tried-and-true Alton Brown's Good Eats recipe. I didn't make a mess while getting the turkey ready, like I have in the past. I was organized and ready to go. The turkey went into the oven. I used the neck and giblets to start a gravy base that smelled amazing. I had the veggies pre-chopped for the sides. The rolls had been set up ahead of time and frozen. I had a timeline up on my dry-erase board in the kitchen. I had the serving platters set out on my beautifully set table. I had all of my utensils and other preparation accouterments ready. I was on top of everything...

And then...

The electricity went out.

And stayed out.

The turkey was almost 2 hours from being done. And the gravy base was only halfway done. And I had a ton of stuff in my fridge, for the meal as well as stocked up for the week. The electric company's automated system said that we weren't due to have our electricity back on until at least 3 hours after it had shut off.

Needless to say, I was really upset. I was far more disappointed about it than they were, but I was sad to disappoint my guests. Especially my unofficially-adopted brother-in-law from Austria, who, since he isn't able to be here for Thanksgivings, had been looking forward to a traditional American holiday meal.

I had been really excited about preparing this meal. And, as I mentioned, I was feeling very organized and ready. I had spent quite a bit of money on the whole thing. And even though it was far from being done, the turkey was gorgeous. It ended up being thrown in the woods, where Jonathan said he heard very large footsteps. So presumably, we made a very nice Christmas turkey for some happy deer, while we dined on Wawa take-out.

Since our fridge/freezer supplies survived (thank goodness), I ended up making the planned sides the following evening. And I have to say that I was actually a bit disappointed in some of them. (A silver lining in this Christmas dinner disaster story? I'm certainly choosing to look at it that way.) The Brussels sprouts were not as crispy as I wanted them to be and lacked some flavor. And the stuffing muffins, while a pretty good idea, were very difficult to actually dig out of the muffin cups. I have a whole load as leftovers, so I'm interested to see if they're like other muffins and are easier to get out of the cups once they've cooled. I also wasn't happy with how mushy they were. I did end up baking off some of the stuffing mixture in a pan in order to compare texture, so I'm anxious to see if it tastes better when prepared in the more "traditional" manner.

The rolls, however, were wonderful. And the cranberry sauce was delightful. And the two together? Well, that's a recipe for a delicious post-holiday breakfast and/or snack, which I will be taking advantage of as long as the leftovers last.

I made two kinds of pumpkin pie, the apple butter pumpkin pie I made before and a pumpkin maple one. I was very excited to "pass around the coffee and the pumpkin pie", but instead, the morning after our Christmas dinner disaster, I had them for breakfast. While both are delightful, the maple one was my favorite. The maple flavor really kind of sneaks up on you and gives the pie such a warm and full flavor.

So there's Christmas Dinner 2010. It's one for our family history book. I'm not quite ready to laugh about it yet, but I'm sure some day I will be.

Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta
A variation on this recipe from Cooking Light



2 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 cup chopped pancetta (about 4 ounces)
1 shallot, diced
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Cook Brussels sprouts and 1 tablespoon salt in boiling water 6 minutes or until almost tender. Drain and plunge into ice water; drain well.

Cook pancetta in a large skillet over medium-low heat until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove pancetta from pan, reserving drippings.

Cut Brussels sprouts in half lengthwise; place on a baking sheet. Add reserved drippings, shallots, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper; toss to coat. Bake for 15 minutes or until browned, stirring after 10 minutes. Combine Brussels sprouts, pancetta, and vinegar in a large bowl; toss well.


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Mushroom-Leek Stuffing Muffins
Courtesy of Food Network Magazine



1 stick unsalted butter
3 cups leeks, chopped
2 cups celery, diced
1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon rosemary, minced
1 tablespoon thyme, minced
Salt
Black pepper
3 cups turkey or chicken broth
2 eggs
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
16 cups white bread, cubed and stale

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks, celery, mushrooms, rosemary, and thyme; add salt and pepper and cook 5 minutes. Add broth and bring to a simmer. Beat eggs with parsley in a large bowl; add bread, then pour in the vegetable-broth mixture and toss.

Line muffin cups with paper liners and fill with stuffing. Bake, uncovered, at 375°F until golden, about 45 minutes.

(If you would like to make "traditional" stuffing, transfer stuffing mixture to a buttered baking dish and dot with butter. Cover and bake 30 minutes at 375 degrees F; uncover and bake until golden, 30 more minutes.)

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Parker House Rolls
Courtesy of Alex Guarnaschelli



1 1/4-ounce packet active dry yeast
1/2 cup sugar
7 1/2 to 8 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus softened butter for brushing
2 cups whole milk, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling

Bloom the yeast: Measure out 1/2 cup warm water and check the temperature: It should be between 110°F and 120°F (comfortable bathwater temperature). Sprinkle the yeast into a large bowl, add the warm water and whisk in the sugar. Let sit 1 minute (it should bubble and froth slightly), then gently stir in 1 cup flour. Set aside near the stove while you prepare the dough.

Make the dough: Mix the melted butter and milk in a mixer with the hook attachment on low speed. Add the eggs and mix until blended. Scrape in the yeast mixture and mix until incorporated. Add 6 1/2 cups flour and 1 tablespoon salt; mix until the dough forms a ball, 2 to 3 minutes, adding up to 1/2 cup more flour if the dough is too wet and sticky.

Let it rise: Brush a large bowl with softened butter. Transfer the dough to the bowl, cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place, 2 hours to 2 hours, 30 minutes. The dough should double in volume.

Shape the dough: Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dust a clean flat surface with flour and turn the dough out onto it. Flour your hands; gently press the dough into a 16-by-8-inch rectangle, about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick (don't use a rolling pin).

Cut the dough: With the short side in front of you, cut the dough in half lengthwise with a floured knife. Then slice crosswise into 12 strips.

Shape the dough: One at a time, fold each strip of dough unevenly in half so the top part slightly overlaps the bottom half, then tuck the overhang underneath. Place the rolls seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet in 3 tightly packed rows. (If making in advance, wrap the baking sheet tightly in plastic wrap and freeze up to 3 weeks.)

Bake the rolls: Bake until the rolls are bursting at the seams and golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. (If frozen, bake 25 minutes at 325°F, then 10 minutes at 375°F.) Remove from the oven and brush with softened butter. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.

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Cranberry Sauce
Courtesy of Alex Guarnaschelli



1 pound fresh cranberries, washed and dried
2 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup water
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 orange, zested and juiced

In a medium pot, combine the cranberries, sugar and water. Stir to blend. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Reduce to a simmer and add the cinnamon stick, allspice and nutmeg. Stir to blend and simmer for an additional 5 to 7 minutes. Some of the cranberries will burst and some will remain whole. Add the orange juice and zest, stir and allow to cool before serving.

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Pumpkin Maple Pie Supreme
Courtesy of AllRecipes.com

1 small sugar pumpkin
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup real maple syrup
1 1/4 cups half-and-half cream
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
3 eggs
1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

Cut up pumpkin, and remove seeds. Place in large baking pan, and cover with foil or lid. Bake for 1 hour, or until very tender. Remove from oven, and set aside to cool. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C).

Scrape pumpkin into a food processor; puree until smooth. Measure 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree. In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and salt. Stir in maple syrup, half-and-half, and flour. Mix in eggs one at a time. Pour filling into unbaked pie shell.

Bake for 1 hour, or until center is set.

Ribollita

I thoroughly enjoy this soup. The bread in the bottom is such a nice little tasty surprise.

Ribollita
Courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis



1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling on bread
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
4 ounces pancetta, chopped
2 cloves garlic, 1 minced and 1 whole
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 pound frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 (15-ounce) can cannelloni beans, drained
1 tablespoon herbs de Provence
3 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 (3-inch) piece Parmesan rind
4 to 6 ciabatta rolls, halved lengthwise or 1 loaf, sliced
Grated Parmesan, for serving

Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, pancetta, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook until the onion is golden brown and the pancetta is crisp, about 7 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir until dissolved. Add tomatoes and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all the brown bits. Add the spinach, beans, herbs, stock, bay leaf, and Parmesan rind. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Drizzle the ciabatta halves with olive oil. Toast until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and rub the top of the toasts with the whole garlic clove. Place the toasts in the serving bowls and ladle the soup over the toasts. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve immediately.

Brussels Sprouts with Caramelized Onions

I ate so much of this dish on Thanksgiving that I got a wicked stomachache. Yes, they were that good that I couldn't stop myself.

Brussels Sprouts with Caramelized Onions
Courtesy of All You

Salt and pepper
1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces pancetta, cut into thin strips
1 onion, thinly sliced

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add Brussels sprouts and cook until al dente, about 6 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Pat dry and cut in half.

Warm oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add pancetta and fry until crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove pancetta to a plate with a slotted spoon. Add onion to fat in skillet, reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until onion is soft and browned, 15 to 18 minutes. Add Brussels sprouts to skillet and gently stir until heated through, 6 to 8 minutes. Return pancetta to skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.

BLT Frittata

We had this last year for Christmas breakfast with my in-laws, so I thought I'd make it this year for Thanksgiving breakfast with my mom and sister. The bottom was a smidge overdone, but it was still quite tasty.

Edited to add, 11/29/2014: Definitely don't let this set all the way before you put it in the oven. It comes out so much better if it's still jiggly on top when you put it in. Also, adding some Italian seasoning and mozzarella cheese makes it even better.

BLT Frittata
A variation on this recipe by Rachael Ray

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan
1/4 pound sliced pancetta, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 bundles arugula, trimmed and chopped, about 3 cups, loosely packed
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
12 large eggs
1/3 cup half-and-half, eye ball it
1 teaspoon salt
Black pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Heat a 12-inch nonstick ovensafe skillet over medium high heat. Add oil, pancetta, and garlic to the pan. When pancetta browns at edges and begins to crisp, add arugula. Wilt arugula, stir in tomatoes. Beat eggs together with half-and-half. Whisk in salt and pepper. Pour eggs over fillings and let eggs set. Using a spatula, raise eggs off the bottom of the skillet, allow more of the liquid egg to settle. When the frittata has set, transfer to oven and cook 10 to 12 minutes until top is deep golden brown. Remove the frittata and let it stand 5 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.

Spaghetti with Pork Bolognese

Oh. My. Goodness. This is absolutely fabulous. It's unexpectedly autumnal because of the addition of the cinnamon stick during the second portion of the simmering process. And it goes so well with all of the other flavors in the dish. It makes a ton, so I'm extremely happy to have so much sitting in my fridge right now. Mmmmmmm...

Spaghetti with Pork Bolognese
A variation on this recipe from Cooking Light



1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot (about 1 medium)
1/2 cup finely chopped celery (about 1 stalk)
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 bay leaf
1 pound ground pork tenderloin
3/4 pound ground pork
2 ounces pancetta, finely diced
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 cups chopped plum tomato (about 1/2 pound)
1 1/2 cups organic vegetable broth
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
1/8 teaspoon grated whole nutmeg
1 (2-ounce) piece Parmigiano-Reggiano rind
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 cups hot cooked spaghetti (about 16 ounces uncooked)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and bay leaf to pan; cook 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.

Increase heat to medium-high. Add ground pork tenderloin, ground pork, pancetta, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; sauté 8 minutes or until pork loses its pink color. Stir in tomato paste; cook 1 minute. Add tomato and next 5 ingredients (through rind); bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes.

Add cinnamon; simmer 30 minutes or until most of liquid evaporates. Discard bay leaf, rind, and cinnamon stick; stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add drained pasta to pot and toss. Sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon grated cheese and 1 tablespoon parsley.

Baked Penne with Fennel and Pancetta

This was a bit too cheesy. Especially in leftover form. But in small quantities, it was very tasty.

Baked Penne with Fennel and Pancetta
Courtesy of Food Network Magazine



Kosher salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
1/2 pound pancetta, trimmed of excess fat and diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 28-ounce can whole plum tomatoes
1/2 cup heavy cream
12 ounces penne
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 1/2 ounces)
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese (about 8 ounces)
1 3/4 cups grated Fontina cheese (about 6 ounces)

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 450ºF.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring, until the fat renders, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour off the fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan. Add the onion and fennel and cook until the fennel is soft, about 5 minutes. Crush the tomatoes into the pan with your hands, then pour in the juices from the can and bring to a simmer. Fill the empty can with 1/2 cup of the boiling water and add to the sauce. Stir in the cream and simmer while you cook the pasta.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain and add to the sauce. Stir in the basil and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, season with salt and toss.

Oil a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Layer the pasta, mozzarella, Fontina and the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan in the dish, alternating pasta and cheese. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Bake, uncovered, until browned and bubbly, about 15 minutes.

Fall Minestrone

Ever since I discovered this recipe, I've had to make it every Fall. It's a hearty soup that definitely needs a bit of extra stock/broth if you want more of a soup than a stew. And it's especially fantastic with toasted garlic bread.

Fall Minestrone
A variation on this recipe by Rachael Ray



2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 pound pancetta, chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 garlic cloves, chopped
3 portobello mushroom caps, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery ribs, chopped with greens
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 stems of fresh rosemary
8 fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 small bunch of kale or chard, trimmed of tough ends and veins and coarsely chopped (4 to 5 cups)
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained
1 14-ounce can petite diced tomatoes or chunky-style crushed tomatoes
1 quart chicken stock or broth
2 cups vegetable stock or broth (or more if you want to make it soupier)
A piece of Parmigiano-Reggiano rind
1 cup ditalini pasta
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, to pass at the table

Heat a medium soup pot over medium-high heat and add the oil. Add the pancetta and brown for 2 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes, garlic, mushrooms, onions, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until the mushrooms are lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper and add the rosemary stems and the sage to the pot. Add the zucchini and chopped greens and stir them into the pot until all the greens wilt down, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the beans, tomatoes, stocks and cheese rind, then place a lid on the pot and bring the soup to a boil. Uncover and add the ditalini pasta. Cook the soup for 7 to 8 minutes at a rolling simmer, uncovered, until the pasta is al dente, with a bite to it. Remove the pot from the heat. Remove the rind and then now bare rosemary stems (the leaves fall off into the soup as it cooks). Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle the soup into shallow bowls and top with grated cheese. Pass the crusty bread at the table.

Winter Minestrone

Another lovely warm comfort food for this chilly season. Hearty and healthy.

Edited to add: We tried this with kale instead of Swiss chard, and it was REALLY good. It makes the soup even heartier though, so I had to add more broth to make it less of a stew and more of a soup.

Winter Minestrone
Courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis



2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound Swiss chard, stems trimmed, leaves coarsely chopped
1 russet potato, peeled, cubed
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 fresh rosemary sprig
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained, rinsed
2 (14-ounce) cans low-sodium beef broth
1 ounce piece Parmesan cheese rind (this is really worth it, so try to find it if you can)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
Salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, pancetta, and garlic. Sauté until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the Swiss chard and potato; sauté for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and rosemary sprig. Simmer until the chard is wilted and the tomatoes break down, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, blend 3/4 cup of the beans with 1/4 cup of the broth in a processor until almost smooth. Add the pureed bean mixture, remaining broth, and Parmesan cheese rind to the vegetable mixture. Simmer until the potato pieces are tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Stir in the whole beans and parsley. Simmer until the beans are heated through and the soup is thick, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Discard Parmesan rind and rosemary sprig (the leaves will have fallen off of the stem.)

Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.