kale mac and cheese :: by radish*rose

kale mac and cheese

Do you ever have a day in the early autumn when you absolutely *must* have comfort food? OK, maybe more than one day? A day like that just happened for me, while the NYC area was being rained on by a Nor’Easter for a week, while waiting to see if a hurricane was going to hit us next. I decided I *needed* to make classic macaroni and cheese, with a Radish Rose twist.

Where does one turn for the best classic recipes? To Cook’s Illustrated New Best Recipe, of course! For my Radish Rose variation, I added smoked paprika and dijon mustard to the classic cheese sauce, and I mixed in some kale before baking for extra healthy yum (not that this dish is slenderizing in any way!). And instead of regular bread crumbs, I used panko for extra crunchiness in the golden brown topping. I also baked it instead of broiling it as the original recipe says, because of that time I caught a breadcrumb topping on fire in the broiler. See? I can be taught. Continue reading

pasta sauce with tomato, butter, and onion :: by radish*rose

simple pasta sauce with tomato, butter, and onion

This is so simple that it seems it couldn’t possibly work. My favorite kind of adventure! How could something with only three ingredients taste so good? (Five if you count the pasta and Parmesan.) But it does! Really, you’ve got to try it for yourself. You can’t beat the convenience – in fact, I bet you have all these ingredients in your pantry right now. Or if you don’t, start keeping them on hand and then you can always make a tasty pasta on short notice. Indeed, I made this on a chilly, rainy summer evening, accompanied by a big green salad and a glass of wine, and it was just the thing. Continue reading

pasta primavera with peas, asparagus and mint :: by radish*rose

pasta primavera with peas, asparagus and mint

Ever find yourself with some random veggies and no plan? That happens to me all the time. I think it’s a fun “problem” to have, because then you have to get creative. I was perusing the New York Times Cooking website, which I love, and came across a recipe for Pasta Primavera with Asparagus and Peas.  It looked so pretty! But I didn’t have everything that recipe required, so I invented my own. Here it is! It’s a light and refreshing summery take on pasta with crisp green veggies, just enough sherry-cream sauce and a little lift from fresh herbs. 

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truffle thyme mushroom lasagna :: by radish*rose

truffle thyme mushroom lasagna

Love mushrooms? This is definitely a Lazy Sunday kind of recipe. It takes a bit longer, but oh is it worth it. Three kinds of mushrooms enriched with a touch of truffle oil, layered with Dijon cheese sauce and tomato thyme sauce between creamy sheets of pasta and baked to perfection, then sprinkled with crumbs and cheese and crisped up to add a crunchy topping. You know I love some crunch! I won’t pretend this is slenderizing, but if you want to pull out the stops for a special occasion for the mushroom lovers you know, this is just the thing! You might even fool those carnivores. If you’re making this for a dinner party, just put it together in advance and pop it in the oven when your guests arrive. If you don’t have any truffle oil, just leave it out, but if you love mushrooms, it’s nice to have on hand since it’s like a hit of super mushroom intensity! Continue reading

spinach lemon pasta with toasted almonds

Want a super easy way to get your greens and whole grains in? This spinach-lemon pasta comes together so quickly, yet is an elegant way to enjoy healthy spinach, almonds, and whole wheat pasta. I really like the Barilla Plus pasta, which not only includes whole grains, but also 17g of protein per serving. And it’s delicious! I have made this vegetarian recipe for years and it even makes my carnivorous mother happy. Continue reading

fancy tuna pasta with lemon, capers and pine nuts :: by radish*rose

fancy tuna pasta with lemon, capers, and pine nuts

What’s fancy tuna?  Fancy tuna, at least in my head, is the kind from Spain packed in olive oil:

fancy tuna packed in olive oil :: by radish*rose
fancy tuna packed in olive oil :: by radish*rose

I always would see these pretty cans in gourmet shops like Grand Central Market or Eataly and think, “But it’s packed in olive oil. HOW DECADENT. What on earth do you do with that?”

I am happy to report that it is indeed decadent, but guess what.  It makes perfect sense in pasta sauce.  You would probably be adding some olive oil to your pasta sauce anyway, so why not start with the fancy tuna in olive oil and only need to add a little more? Continue reading