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Little Thimbles Sciue Sciue

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If you’ve read our about page , you know that pasta by Giada de Laurentiis was pretty much all we ate for a while when we first discovered the joy of cooking. We didn’t quite grasp the concept of portion control yet and our expanding waistlines caused us to reevaluate our choices, but those were some blissful first months. After some reflection we have realize that this was the first recipe we really made as new home-cooks. Giada made this 6-ingredient dish look so easy and stylish on Food Network, so we felt empowered and enticed to give it a go… and it really was easy, beautiful, and full of fresh flavor (and meatless, which makes us happy). The name means “Little Thimbles Quick Quick,” because ditalini (thimble-shaped) pasta is traditionally used and 10 minutes of cook time is all that is required. Fruity olive oil, soft mozzarella, sweet tomatoes and liquorice-y basil combine for a Caprese salad in pasta form.

We see the Italian flag every time we make this dish.

Tips (unsponsored): Be sure to use Roma (or plum) tomatoes as they tend to produce less liquid and resist becoming mushy like a softer variety of tomato might. This recipe calls for 8 large basil leaves. We love the basil and the price we find at Trader Joes and enjoy having a plant around the kitchen.

Have your kids help you tear basil leaves from the plant, pointing out the amazing fragrance. Let them dump ingredients and stir. As you prepare and enjoy this dish with those you love, teach them a few things about some of the ingredients:

  • Basil helps to fight-off bad bacteria.
  • Tomatoes, eaten fresh, have tons of vitamin C, which helps your skin look good.
  • Garlic helps your body have healthy blood flow.

Let’s learn a few things about Italy and it’s people:

  • Italy has lots of earthquakes because of where it’s positioned on the earth’s tectonic plates.
  • You would never find pineapple on a pizza in Italy.
  • There are two states in Italy, called San Marino and the Vatican City.

From: Little Thimbles Sciue Sciue

Little Thimbles Sciue Sciue
 
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Difficulty: Easy
Est. Cost: $8
Serves: 6-8 servings
Ingredients
  • 1½ cups (about 6 ounces) ditalini pasta (thimble-shaped pasta) or other small tube-shaped pastas such as elbow macaroni or pennette
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 5 plum tomatoes (about 1 pound), chopped
  • 8 ounces cold fresh mozzarella, drained, cut into ½-inch cubes
  • 8 large fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
Instructions
  1. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often to prevent the pasta from sticking together, about 8 minutes. Drain.
  2. Meanwhile, in a heavy large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and saute just until heated through, about 2 minutes. Add the cooked pasta. Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the cheese and basil, and toss to coat. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt. Spoon the pasta into small serving bowls and serve immediately.

 

Angel-Hair Pasta With Shrimp And Greens

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angel-hair-pasta-with-shrimp-and-greens-bright-summery-ingredients-on-cutting-board-1

Pasta is such a crowd-pleaser, and, unless you’re carb-loading, a light pasta is preferred. This Angel-Hair Pasta With Shrimp And Greens is simply lovely – vibrant greens lend powerful nutrients and sautéed fresh cherry tomatoes burst with sweetness. Red pepper flakes, garlic, fresh basil, and lemon flavor this dish with citrusy vibrance and just enough heat. Protein-packed shrimp are an elegant, antioxidant-rich addition. You won’t find a prettier pasta, and this one is just as delicious served at room temperature as it is hot, qualifying it as a great dish to serve at a get-together because the pressure is off to get it to the table piping hot. At only 420 calories per serving, we think you’ll really enjoy this simple, healthful addition to your pasta repertoire.

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Here are the tomatoes in their sweet, juicification process. It really is a magical:

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This recipe calls for escarole – a tender yet hearty green – that isn’t extremely widely available. We’ve gotten ours from Sprouts before but it’s pretty hit-and-miss at other grocery stores. We recommend calling ahead to see if your grocer has it available. If not, other greens will work just fine.

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We are pretty picky about shrimp. They must adhere to strict textural qualifications (be firm and gray when raw and really meaty – not grainy, for lack of a better word – when cooked. It’s hard to describe the textural difference between “good” and “bad” shrimp, but there is a difference). They should smell of the sea but not bad. We are always happy with the raw shrimp in Costco’s frozen case. Use the medium size shrimp for this recipe.

We used these greens from Trader Joe’s (unsponsored):

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Let your kids dump ingredients into the serving bowl. As you prepare and enjoy this dish with those you love, teach them a few things about the ingredients:

  • Shrimp is a good source of copper, which strengthens your body tissue.
  • Mixed greens give you folate, which helps keep you from having heart problems.
  • Eating garlic may help keep your immune system strong.

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Pasta totally makes one think of Italy, but we talk about Italy all the time. Let’s learn a few things about Switzerland, just for fun:

  • Switzerland is covered in beautiful, picturesque mountains and lakes.
  • Many businesses in Switzerland close for a couple hours so their employees can have a nice lunch.
  • Unlike in the U.S., teachers are one of the best paying jobs in Switzerland.

angel-hair-pasta-with-shrimp-and-greens-collage

From: Angel-Hair Pasta with Shrimp and Greens

Angel-Hair Pasta With Shrimp And Greens
 
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Difficulty: Easy
Est. Cost: $17
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • Kosher salt
  • 8 ounces angel-hair pasta
  • 8 cups chopped escarole, kale and/or Swiss chard
  • 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
  • ½ cup fresh basil, chopped
  • Grated zest and juice of ½ lemon
Instructions
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs, adding the greens to the water. Drain and rinse under cold water; transfer to a large bowl.
  2. Combine the shrimp, red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a medium bowl. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until golden, about 1 minute. Add the shrimp and cook until pink, about 3 minutes per side. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring often, until slightly softened, about 2 minutes.
  3. Add the shrimp mixture to the bowl with the pasta along with the basil and lemon zest and juice; toss to combine.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 420 Fat: 13 g Saturated fat: 2 g Carbohydrates: 49 g Sugar: 5 g Sodium: 800 mg Fiber: 3 g Protein: 25 g Cholesterol: 145 mg

 

Extra Cheesy Mex Mac ‘N’ Cheese (aka Best Mac ‘N’ Cheese Imaginable)

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extra cheesy mex mac n cheese - plated, as a side-1

The summer party and barbecue get-together season is upon us, and a good mac ‘n’ cheese is a MUST. If it’s your turn to provide this most beloved and comforting of sides, do it right, for Pete’s sake (sorry, Pete, for taking your name in vain. Not sure why you’re the victim in this phrase)!

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This Extra Cheesy Mex version is THE absolute best one we’ve ever had, let alone made.

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Shallots and fresh thyme make the flavor unique and ancho chile powder lends a delicious Southwestern smokiness and kick. Unsponsored tip: You can find ancho chile powder at Walmart.

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A trio of melty cheeses – mozzarella, cheddar, and manchego –  make it sublimely satisfying and gooey. Unsponsored tip: Trader Joe’s is a great place to buy cheese at a good price. Shred it yourself if you can’t find it pre-shredded (just put it in the freezer to firm up for 10-15 minutes if it’s too soft to shred).

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Kids make great cheese-sprinklers.

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It isn’t sloppy and runny so it holds up well packed in there on your paper plate alongside your other favorite sides.

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Show up with this beauty and you’ll be the star of your next summer party.

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The history of mac ‘n’ cheese is a bit sketchy. Rudimentary versions involving cheese, pastry dough and butter were found in 14th century Italian and French cookbooks, and the combination seems to have gained popularity from there, evolving into recipes involving bechamel sauce, parmesan and breadcrumbs. Thomas Jefferson is credited with introducing the dish on a large scale to the United States when he served it at a state dinner. Apparently, he tried his hand at inventing a machine that would make macaroni, but ended up having some imported from Italy when that didn’t work out.

mac n cheese collage

Adapted slightly from: Extra Cheesy Mex Mac ‘N’ Cheese

Extra Cheesy Mex Mac 'N' Cheese (aka Best Mac 'N' Cheese Imaginable)
 
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Author:
Difficulty: Easy
Est. Cost: $13
Serves: 8 servings
Ingredients
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 shallots, minced
  • ¾ cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 tablespoon ancho chile power
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 pound mini elbow macaroni
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups whole milk
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 cups shredded mild manchego cheese
  • Freshly ground pepper
Instructions
  1. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Mix in the breadcrumbs until coated, then the chile powder and thyme; season with salt. Remove from the heat and set aside.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Rub 1 tablespoon butter in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
  3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook as the label directs, until tender but still firm to the bite. Drain and set aside.
  4. Meanwhile, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the flour and stir for 1 minute; do not brown. Add the milk in a slow, steady stream, whisking until smooth. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook, whisking, until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Whisk in 1 cup each mozzarella, cheddar and manchego. Season generously with salt and pepper. Stir in the pasta and remove from the heat. Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish.
  5. Mix the remaining 1 cup each mozzarella, cheddar and manchego in a medium bowl. Sprinkle over the pasta. Top with the breadcrumb mixture. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until the top is golden, start checking at 7 minutes. Serve immediately.

 

 

Pasta with Broccolini and Chicken Meatballs

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pasta with chicken meatballs - side view -1

With it’s tender, juicy meatballs, crisp-tender broccolini, and creamy ricotta, this Pasta with Broccolini and Chicken Meatballs is – hands down – one of the best pasta dishes you’ll make. Coming in at 613 calories per serving, it is one of the better choices you can make when it comes to pasta. And, when you consider how seriously flavorful it is and how decadent it feels, that’s pretty noteworthy. Plus, you’ll actually be getting some fresh nutrients with all of that broccolini. Using orecchiette means that you won’t risk your noodles being mushy and some red pepper flakes lend a welcomed kick. With a short ingredients list (costing about $12 to make) and 25 minutes active time, this dish is a total winner.

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Tips (unsponsored): We find our ricotta, orecchiette and sweet Italian chicken sausage at Trader Joe’s, but you can also use sweet Italian turkey sausage. We also find our broccolini at Trader Joe’s – it is beautifully trimmed and packaged and we use the whole package.

pasta with turkey meatballs - broccolini-1

Have your kids help you sprinkle each dish with parmesan. As you prepare and enjoy this pasta with those you love, teach them a few things about the ingredients:

  • Broccolini has vitamin C, which improves your collagen, helping your skin and bones stay strong.
  • Broccolini also has lots of potassium, which helps keep your nervous system healthy.
  • Ricotta cheese is a good source of phosphorus, which helps you have energy.

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We can’t help think of Italy when we think of orecchiette, broccolini and olive oil, so let’s learn a few things about Italy and it’s people:

  • The proper name for Italy is actually “the Italian Republic.”
  • Pasta dates back to the 4th century BC.
  • The story of Pinocchio was first distributed in a newspaper in Italy.

pasta with broccolini and chicken meatballs collage

Adapted from: Pasta with Turkey Meatballs

Pasta with Broccolini and Chicken Meatballs
 
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Author:
Difficulty: Easy
Est. Cost: $12
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • Kosher salt
  • 12 ounces orecchiette pasta
  • 2 bunches broccolini, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 8 ounces sweet Italian chicken or turkey sausage, casings removed
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 1 large egg
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • ¼ cup ricotta or
  • ¼ cup parmesan cheese
Instructions
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs, adding the broccolini during the last 2 minutes of cooking (cook pasta about 8 minutes, add broccolini and cook 2 minutes more). Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta and broccolini.
  2. Meanwhile, roll the sausage meat into about 20 small meatballs. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
  3. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil to the pot, the garlic, red pepper flakes and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring, 1 minute. Add the pasta, broccolini and meatballs. Whisk the egg with the reserved cooking water in a small bowl, then add to the skillet and stir until the sauce thickens slightly. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Divide the pasta among bowls. Sprinkle with the cheese, dollop with ricotta, and drizzle with olive oil.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 613 Fat: 25 g Saturated fat: 6 g Carbohydrates: 69 g Sodium: 749 mg Fiber: 4 g Protein: 29 g Cholesterol: 102 mg

 

Weeknight Bolognese

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weeknight bolognese 1-1

Ina Garten deserves a dang medal for this one, because this bolognese sauce is outstanding under any conditions, but especially for being so quick and easy. This sauce is so rich and the depth of flavor is so satisfying without needing to be fussed over for hours. Good red wine and quality San Marzano’s are the key to success here, and ground sirloin, fresh basil and heavy cream make this SO hearty. Another beautiful thing about this sauce is that it tasted even better the next day, making it ideal for those times when you have guests or need to bring someone dinner – simply re-heat the sauce to a simmer while you cook the pasta. If anyone ever served us THIS bolognese for dinner, we’d be friends for life. FOR LIFE.

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Tips (unsponsored): We love whole grain penne for this, but you can use any non-string noodle you love (the thick, meaty texture doesn’t pair well with the shape of a spaghetti or angle hair. Save those for your thinner, more delicate sauces). It used to be that you couldn’t get canned San Marzano tomatoes from just anywhere, but you can now. Even Walmart carries them, as well as a couple “double concentrated” tomato pastes in the tube that we love, such as the Amore brand. You can squeeze out what you need, screw the lid back on and return it to the fridge for another use. We love the basil plants at Trader Joe’s, as they are a great price and you can enjoy them until the exact moment you need fresh basil… and thereafter, if you’ve spared any. We don’t drink wine, but we know to look for a “cabernet” as a dry red.

weeknight bolognese ingredients-1

Have your kids help you pluck basil leaves. Let them smell the fragrant nutmeg as you grate it – there’s nothing like it. As you prepare and enjoy this meal together with your loved ones, teach them some of the health benefits of some of the ingredients:

  • Fresh basil helps your body to fight-off bad bacteria.
  • Nutmeg is found in some toothpastes because it helps kill the bacteria that causes bad breath.
  • Nutmeg is found in some toothpastes because it helps kill the bacteria that causes bad breath.

An obviously Italian dish, let’s learn a few things about Italy and it’s people:

  • Italy has lots of earthquakes because of where it’s positioned on the earth’s tectonic plates.
  • You would never find pineapple on a pizza in Italy.
  • There are two states in Italy, called San Marino and the Vatican City.

From Weeknight Bolognese

Weeknight Bolognese
 
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Prep time
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Author:
Difficulty: Easy
Est. Cost: $20
Serves: 4 to 5 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons good olive oil, plus extra to cook the pasta
  • 1 pound lean ground sirloin
  • 4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1¼ cups dry red wine, divided
  • 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • ¾ pound dried pasta, such as orecchiette or small shells
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
Instructions
  1. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground sirloin and cook, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the meat has lost its pink color and has started to brown.
  2. Stir in the garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 more minute.
  3. Pour 1 cup of the wine into the skillet and stir to scrape up any browned bits. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 1 tablespoon salt and 1½ teaspoons pepper, stirring until combined. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a tablespoon of salt, a splash of oil and the pasta, and cook according to the directions on the box.
  5. While the pasta cooks, finish the sauce. Add the nutmeg, basil, cream and the remaining ¼ cup wine to the sauce and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.
  6. When the pasta is cooked, drain and pour into a large serving bowl. Add the sauce and ½ cup Parmesan and toss well. Serve hot with Parmesan on the side.
  7. Make-Ahead Plan: Make the sauce, let it cool and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To serve, bring the sauce to a simmer while you cook the pasta, then toss the sauce with the pasta and Parmesan.

weeknight bolognese collage

 

Lemon Spaghetti

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Lemon spaghetti 1-1

If you’ve read our About page, you know that when we first started cooking we made A LOT of pasta recipes by Giada De Lauarentiis. We don’t eat pasta too terribly often anymore, but this is a Giada pasta that we still make 10 years later. This lemon spaghetti is SO many wonderful things, from tart (lemons) to sweet (basil) to fruity (good olive oil). It is incredibly light, fresh and satisfying. Enjoy it on it’s own or toss it with grilled shrimp or leftover seafood for a truly outstanding combination. Lemon and basil are a match made it flavor heaven, and the parmesan only adds to the beauty of what goes on here. Another item to be added to this dish’s list of virtues is that it is just as delicious served at room temperature, so there’s no need to stress about getting it into your family’s or guests’ mouths hot. It is also very inexpensive (minus any seafood additions), so consider this instead of your usual spaghetti the next time you need something quick and easy… and fabulously different from the norm.

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Tip (unsponsored): Although we love substituting whole grain pasta for the norm, we suggest using regular spaghetti for this recipe. The result just isn’t the same otherwise. Also, if you want to add salmon as seen here (we highly advise it – it’s such an awesome addition), we suggest undercooking your salmon just a touch. Overcooked seafood is dry, tough and never delicious, and this way it is sure to be great as leftovers, especially if you re-heat it at all. Speaking of which, please do not reheat fish above room temperature. It overcooks it and it is much more enjoyable at room temp. In fact, you can toss your leftover seafood into this pasta straight from the fridge. The hot noodles will bring it back up to near room temp for you. Here is how to grill salmon. It will add another 15 minutes or so to the process, but it’s so very worth it.

Lemon spaghetti ingredients-1

We love the basil plants that are available at Trader Joe’s. You can buy a plant for very little cost and enjoy it’s beauty and fragrance until it’s time to prepare your dish. This way, you won’t have to hope that the container of basil you bought a couple days ago will still be fresh when it’s go-time. We also love the lemons offered at Trader Joe’s. The little ones you buy in the bag are usually sweet and perfect (unfortunately, we can’t make the same claim for Costco’s lemons, which we have found to be huge but mostly flavorless).

Have your kids help you tear basil leaves from it’s plant. Be sure to have them inhale the amazing aroma, creating a memory with you. They will also love to help you juice the lemons. Preparing this dish is a total feast for your sense of smell! As you prepare and enjoy this meal with your family, teach them about some of the health benefits of some of the ingredients:

  • Basil has lots of vitamin K, which helps you stop bleeding.
  • Lemon juice can help protect you from getting kidney stones.
  • Olive oil’s fatty acids can help your body balance blood sugar.

Since this lemony, basil-y pasta invokes visions of Capri, Italy for us, let’s learn a few things about this picturesque isle:

  • Caesar found Capri so captivating that he returned over and over again for vacation.
  • Capri offers some of the most breathtaking caves and colors of water in the world.
  • Many authors have gone to Capri to enjoy the serenity and landscape, and have used it for the setting of their writings.
  • We will go to Capri someday. Oh, wait, that may not constitute as a fact….

Lemon Spaghetti
 
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Prep time
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Total time
 
Author:
Difficulty: Easy
Est. Cost: $7 (not including adding seafood)
Serves: 4-6 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 pound spaghetti
  • ⅔ cup olive oil
  • ⅔ cup grated Parmesan
  • ½ cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • ⅓ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
Instructions
  1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the oil, Parmesan, and lemon juice in a large bowl to blend.
  2. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Toss the pasta with the lemon sauce, and the reserved cooking liquid, adding ¼ cup at a time as needed to moisten. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with lemon zest and chopped basil.

From Lemon Spaghetti

 

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