Cooking for my Bestie

A few weeks ago I visited my best friend, Ruchi in St. Louis, where she attends med school. We checked out the gorgeous fall foliage, ate frozen custard, went on a brewery tour at Anheuser-Busch, attended a lovely Thanksgiving potluck and even attended a boot camp class. The trip was especially fun since I lived in St. Louis for a few years when I was in junior high but haven’t been back in years, so everything felt both familiar and new at the same time.

18 years of friendship 

While I was there, I had a few opportunities to play in Ruch’s kitchen. For the Thanksgiving feast I made my brownies (by request) sprinkled with sea salt. The second dish was a bit more of an adventure…

The life of a medical student is pretty much filled with studying, class, and more studying, so I decided to save Ruch some time by making her food for the week. The requirements? Healthy, vegetarian and preferably with veggies. Also, whatever she happened to have with her kitchen. I ended up making something that was healthy, filling and colorful that looked and smelled as delicious as it tasted. I enjoyed it when I came home I recreated it in my own kitchen. And best of all? It’s easy. Recipe and photos after the jump. 

Pasta with Creamy Red Pepper-Feta Sauce

After all the excesses of the holiday season, I was in the mood for something healthy to balance myself out. Since I love both red peppers and feta, I figured this pasta would be a pretty safe bet. I actually found that the sauce was a bit oniony the night it was made, but that element mellowed out overnight and ended up being quite lovely. Mixing in some steamed broccoli is also a nice way of amping up the nutritional value of the meal.

Pasta with Creamy Red Pepper-Feta Sauce (from Ellie Krieger)

What you need…

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 to 3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 1 (16-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock or vegetable stock
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese or a 6-ounce block
• 1 pound whole-wheat pasta (the original recipe calls for fettuccine, but I couldn’t find whole wheat organic spaghetti)
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

What to do…

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion and garlic until soft, about 10 minutes. Add roasted peppers and saute until heated through. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Place mixture in the bowl of a food processor with stock and all but 2 tablespoons of the feta. Process until combined and smooth, about 30 seconds. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water. Toss pasta with sauce, adding pasta water by the tablespoon, if needed. Sauce should cling nicely to pasta. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with parsley and remaining feta cheese.

Each time I chop an onion I get a little bit better...

Finished product!

 

Return from hiatus with a childhood favorite

Between moving and having my computer die, I have been M.I.A. from here longer than I was expecting. However, with my return I would like to share with you my absolute favorite thing (and pretty much the only form of veggies I would voluntarily eat) as a child. Serbian Spinach Casserole is warm, comforting and delicious. It pairs nicely with ham for a holiday meal or makes a good vegetarian main dish. It also keeps well and is tasty both hot and cold. As a bonus…it’s super simple!

Serbian Spinach-Cheese Casserole

What you need…

2 one-pint cartons cottage cheese (I use low-fat)

6 eggs

6 tablespoons flour

1/8 lb. salted butter in coarse pieces

1 block cheddar cheese (I use low-fat), grated

1 package frozen chopped spinach, cooked and drained

What to do…

Mix all together in a large bowl. Bake in well-greased baking dish at 325 degrees for one hour. 

Yummy :)

Healthy Yummy Mac n Cheese

It's a bit ironic that my first food post isn't dessert but sometimes I have to eat real food too. Despite my love of all things involving sugar and butter (or perhaps because of it), when I make food for meals, I tend to cook as healthy as possible (and delish, of course). Since I love mac n cheese and I have issues incorporating enough veggies in my diet, this recipe does double duty. Although there is much more squash in it than cheese, the cheese flavor is really what shines in this dish. I usually make a big batch and then take it to work to make sure I'm eating balanced during the day. So, without further ado...

Healthy Yummy Mac N Cheese (modified from Ellie Krieger)

What you need…

• Cooking spray
• ~1 1/2 lbs. whole wheat rotelle pasta
• 2 (12oz) packages frozen squash
• 2 cups nonfat milk
• ~6oz extra-sharp Cheddar, grated
• ~4oz low fat Monterey Jack cheese, grated
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon powdered mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons unseasoned bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

What to do…

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until tender but firm, about 5 to 8 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
Meanwhile, place the frozen squash and milk into a large saucepan and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally and breaking up the squash with a spoon until defrosted. Turn the heat up to medium and cook until the mixture is almost simmering, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the Cheddar, Jack cheese, salt, mustard and cayenne pepper. Pour cheese mixture over the macaroni and stir to combine. Transfer the macaroni and cheese to the baking dish.
Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan and oil in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the top of the macaroni and cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. Then broil for 3 minutes so the top is crisp and nicely browned.



The milk and squash mixture (pot circa 1970)

Mmmm...cheese


Topping mixture

Finished product