Easy Spring Pasta Recipe: Fettuccine with Peas, Leeks & Thyme

Written by Liz -

Spring has sprung in California – as well as most of the country. To me that means spring vegetable season; asparagus, leeks, peas, artichoke, fennel and fresh herbs are bountiful in farmers markets. Much of this produce is available year-round, but spring is the best time to get the freshest spring vegetables, whether at your local market, grocery store or from your own garden!

And those fresh spring flavors really come through in this easy spring pasta recipe, Fettuccine with Peas, Leeks & Thyme. It’s a cinch to make and it’s packed with flavor and nutrients, plus spring is a great time to get hooked on the Mediterranean way of eating. Adding a bit of the pasta water instead of using sauce is a traditional way to make pasta dishes in Italy. This recipe is a sure way to eat more vegetables and wow your friends with your culinary savvy!

Wine Pairing

• Italian wines can be hard to find, other than the super popular Pinot Grigio. If you can find a Soave wine, it’s a soft, fruity, clean wine with crisp lemon flavors and really complements this dish.
• Grenache Blanc with its acidity and rounded flavors, or Sauvignon Blanc with its herbaceousness, would also be great wines with this pasta.

Fettuccine with Peas, Leeks & Thyme

Ingredients for 3 servings:

• 1 package (9 ounces) BUITONI Refrigerated Fettuccine
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup sliced fresh leek
• 1/3 cup frozen peas
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 2 thyme sprigs, leaves removed and stems discarded
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) BUITONI Refrigerated Freshly Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

PREPARE pasta according to package directions, reserving ½ cup cooking water. While pasta is cooking, prepare leek mixture.

HEAT oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add leek; cook, stirring frequently, until softened and golden. Stir in peas; cook for 1 minute or until heated through. Season with salt and pepper, as shown above.

ADD reserved pasta cooking water, thyme leaves and cheese; stir in gently. Toss pasta with leek mixture. Season with salt and pepper.

Links:

• Fettuccine with Peas, Leeks & Thyme
• Wine Pairing Tool

More spring pasta recipes:

Vegetable Tortellini Soup	Butternut Squash Agnolotti with Fresh Herb Pesto

Eating Fish on Fridays? Two Easy Fish Recipes

Written by Liz -

Fish Baked In Creamy Milk Sauce with Onions & Herbs

Tender fish fillets seasoned with herbs are topped with sautéed onions and baked in a light, velvety creamy milk sauce in this classic dish from Colombia’s Pacific coast. Thyme, basil and anise give the sauce excellent flavor and will be a recipe you’ll want to try again and again.

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 small onion, sliced into thick rings
• 1 lb. white fish of choice, cut into 2-inch pieces
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon anise seeds, crushed
• 2/3 cup (5 fl.-oz. can) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
• 1/4 cup water

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 325° F. Grease 13 x 9-inch baking dish.

HEAT 1 tablespoon olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook, stirring frequently, until tender and golden brown. Remove from skillet; set aside.

SEASON fish with salt and pepper. Add remaining oil to same skillet and cook fish until browned on both sides. Remove from heat. Place fish in prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with thyme, basil and anise. Top with reserved onion rings. Combine milk and water in small glass measure; pour over fish. If desired, season with additional salt and pepper.

BAKE for 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Creamy Tuna Noodle Casserole

Convenient comfort food at its very best. This Creamy Tuna Noodle Casserole is a comforting option for any weeknight or weekend meals.

Ingredients for 8 servings:

• 6 cups (about 8 oz.) dry medium egg noodles, prepared according to package directions
• 6 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 4 stalks celery, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 cans (9 oz. each) tuna, drained and flaked
• 2 cans (10 oz. each) condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can (12 fl. oz.) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
• 2/3 cup crushed potato chips

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Grease 13 x 9-inch baking dish.

MELT butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add celery and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 to 2 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in noodles, tuna, soup and evaporated milk; mix well. Pour into prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle with potato chips.

BAKE for 25 to 30 minutes or until chips are golden brown.
Links:

• Fish Baked In Creamy Milk Sauce with Onions & Herbs
• Creamy Tuna Noodle Casserole
• Get a Carnation coupon

More oven-steamed fish recipes:

Steamed Shanghai Black Cod with Summer Vegetables	No Mess Summer Fish Packets with Pesto

My Ooey-Gooey Take on the Classic Comfort Food: Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Written by Chris -

The rich, sweet, nutty flavor of Gruyère cheese complements basil pesto and sourdough bread so well; it really takes this adult grilled cheese sandwich to a whole new level!

Now that my family is back to somewhat of a chaotic weeknight schedule, squeezing in a few quick & delicious meals is a must. The beauty of grilled cheese is that you can cater to your family’s preferences. You just need to have a few different varieties of cheese and bread on hand. My kids still prefer the classic grilled cheese made with American cheese and white bread. However, they’ve been loving sharp cheddar and fresh spinach on wheat lately!

So if you are looking for a way to simplify dinner, give this Pesto Grilled Cheese a try. Then customize to your liking. Caramelized onions, thinly sliced Bartlett pears, peppery arugula or sliced tomatoes make great additions to this grilled cheese.

Pesto Grilled Cheese

Ingredients for 2 sandwiches:

• 2 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 to 4 tablespoons BUITONI Refrigerated All Natural Pesto with Basil
• 4 slices sourdough cracked wheat bread
• 1 cup (about 4 ounces) shredded cheese (I like a combination of Gruyère, sharp cheddar and mozzarella)

Directions:

HEAT a heavy-duty, large skillet or grill pan over medium heat. Spread butter over one side of each bread slice. On two of the slices, spread the unbuttered side with pesto, just enough to cover the surface.

PLACE slices of bread with pesto, butter-side-down, in the skillet. Sprinkle cheese evenly over bread in the skillet, as shown above.

PLACE remaining slices of bread over the cheese, butter-side-up. Cover skillet loosely and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden on bottom. Uncover; carefully flip the sandwich over. Cook uncovered for 3 to 4 minutes or until cheese is melted and bread is golden brown. Slice in half and enjoy immediately (with a side of fresh veggies and fruit). If you like wine, I recommend a lightly sweet or dry Riesling.

Be sure to check out Meals.com for additional quick & delicious recipes!

Links:

• Pesto Grilled Cheese
• Buitoni Basil Pesto

More grilled cheese recipes:

Grilled Ham and Tomato Sandwiches

Smoked Turkey and Tomato Wraps

Go Green on Cinco de Mayo: Green Jalapeño Margarita

Here’s a trend I’ve been seeing lately: adding spinach to smoothies, grating zucchini into brownies and stirring pumpkin into soup and pastas. This may sound crazy, but these are all good ways to get more nutrients into our diets, which most of us need! And, they really do taste delicious…or, rather, I should say they don’t taste at all. I can’t even detect the extra veggies added to these particular dishes, so I get to eat my favorite foods with one extra, effortless serving of vegetables.

So, I soon became a spinach-smoothie convert, throwing a handful of spinach into any combination of frozen fruit, yogurt and instant breakfast mix I was blending. As May rolled around, I realized I could easily incorporate this trick into one of my favorite cocktails: the frozen margarita! Plus, I love jalapeños and drinks with a bit of spice. Adding a few fresh slices of this hot pepper + spinach gives your frozen margarita some heat, as well as a gorgeous green color. And it still tastes like that awesome beach trip to Mexico.

Green Jalapeño Margarita

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 3/4 cup fresh spinach leaves
• 1/4 cup Tequila blanco
• 1/4 cup orange liqueur (such as Triple Sec or Grand Marnier)
• 1/4 cup Apple NESTLÉ® JUICY JUICE® All Natural 100% Juice or orange juice
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 to 4 slices fresh jalapeño chile
• 10 to 12 cilantro leaves
• 2 cups crushed ice
• Coarse salt

Directions:

PLACE spinach, Tequila, liqueur, Juicy Juice, lime juice, jalapeño slices, cilantro and ice in blender; cover. Blend until smooth.

DIP rims of glasses into water; dip into salt and shake off excess. Pour margarita mixture into glasses. Garnish each with a jalapeño slice, if desired.

Cook’s Tip: Increase amounts of jalapeño, cilantro and spinach leaves according to taste.

Another option for frozen margaritas is adding whole fruits to the mix, as shown by Better Recipes above.

Links:

• Green Jalapeño Margarita
• Get a Juicy Juice coupon

Related recipes:

Strawberry Margarita

Limoncello Basil Cooler

Enjoy Hot Cocoa Three Ways this Winter

Written by Chris -

Are you ready for National Cocoa Day? These recipes will help. Hot cocoa is a perennial favorite, but a steaming hot mug of cocoa is especially nice during the holidays. And there are so many ways to spice it up! One day I may add ancho chili powder and cinnamon, another fresh orange peel and ground cloves. The additions really depend on one’s mood.

The other day I swirled a spoonful of Nutella into my hot cocoa. It was good, but not knock-your-socks-off good. I added a little cinnamon and a dash of salt and my socks were off! It’s dessert in a cup! This just happens to be a kid-favorite as well – or I should say – a triplet favorite.

Hazelnut Hot Cocoa

Ingredients needed for 1 serving:

• ¾ cup lowfat milk, heated
• 1 envelope Rich Milk Chocolate Flavor NESTLÉ Hot Cocoa Mix
• 1 to 2 tablespoons hazelnut spread (such as Nutella or Carla Cream)
• Pinch of cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

Directions:

POUR milk into large mug; stir in hot cocoa mix, hazelnut spread, cinnamon and salt. Enjoy!

Not every hot cocoa recipe must be rich. This Fresh Mint-Infused Hot Cocoa above is light and polite. It calls for mint but rosemary is just lovely! If you aren’t a fan of mint or rosemary, give fresh orange peel a try. Citrus and chocolate are a match made in heaven!

Hot Cocoa with Holiday Dippers will make a perfect gift for teachers – and the best part – kids can make and assemble with a little guidance from a parent.  Large marshmallows, peppermint sticks and plastic spoons are dipped in chocolate then coated in sprinkles. To assemble, pile mini marshmallows into a large mug, add a few packages of hot cocoa, then add the coated sticks. Wrap securely in cellophane to keep fresh, and that’s it! Homemade gifts are the best!

How do you take your hot cocoa?

Happy holidays!

Links:

• Hazelnut Hot Cocoa
• Fresh Mint-Infused Hot Cocoa
• Hot Cocoa with Holiday Dippers

More hot cocoa recipes:

Hot Cocoa Mix In A Jar

Mexican Hot Cocoa

Pitcher Drinks: Cool Summer Sips & Cocktails

Written by Liz

You may remember from previous posts that I love a little herb in my desserts – well, I also love a little herb in my drinks. Especially basil. And cilantro. And rosemary…ok I love them all. Give me a fennel-infused bloody mary with a touch of cilantro plus all the fixin’s and I’m a happy girl.

I was an equally happy girl when I found these easy summer drink recipes: one uses limoncello and basil and the other uses wine and sparkling orange mineral water. Both can be made by the pitcher for groups and parties, and you can always infuse your own personality into the drink – as I found out at a recent wine cocktail aperitivi party on California’s central coast.

For the Limoncello Basil Cooler pictured at top, you can easily follow the recipe; it’s oh so refreshing after a long day. Or, to create a South of the Border version, use 1 part margarita mix and 1 part dry white wine instead of limoncello, add fresh lime and lemon juice, and replace the basil with cilantro. You can even add a dash of Tequila!

Limoncello Basil Cooler

Ingredients for 6 small servings:

• 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil sprigs
• 1 bottle (750 ml) limoncello liqueur, chilled, divided
• 1 bottle (16.9 fluid ounces) PERRIER Sparkling Natural Mineral Water
• Crushed ice cubes
• 6 basil sprigs for serving

Directions:

MUDDLE or smash 1/2 cup basil with 1/4 cup limoncello with a wooden spoon in a large pitcher. Add remaining limoncello and sparkling water.

FILL glasses half full with ice. Top with limoncello mixture, holding back bruised basil; garnish with basil sprig.

Another super easy crowd pleaser is this recipe for Fruity White Wine Spritzers. These take no time to put together if you just follow the recipe (a little bit hard for me!) OR you can really go crazy substituting your favorite fruit, juices and herbs to get something totally unique. Get some ideas here.

Have fun mixing it up!

Links:

• Limoncello Basil Cooler
• Fruity White Wine Spritzers

Related drink recipes:

Sparkling Sangria

Strawberry Aguas Frescas