Simple Tasty Pasta Meal In 20 Minutes

Not having to please my carnivorous better half since I was on my own for dinner tonight I was excited to try something different. I wanted quick. I wanted easy. I wanted something I couldn't get away with for a typical weeknight meal. 

I came across this recipe on Allrecipes.com in the Barilla collection and since pasta is a rare treat for me I knew I had to sample it. I'm always looking for tasty quick dinners and this fit the bill perfectly for me today. As a matter of fact this would make a terrific side dish to any meal. This is yummy as is but toss in some grilled chicken and it would be an out of this world delish main dish. Heck, that would be sure to make any carnivorous better half happy.

I couldn't believe it - dinner was actually done in 20 minutes. From start to finish. And simple. It couldn't get more simple. If only every night's dinner could be this easy.  

Now let's get to to the recipe. 

Looking for a simple tasty meal in about 20 minutes? Need a pasta fix? Look no further? This tasty pasta dish is great for a speedy main dish or a quick side dish. Give it a try - don't be shy!

Not Your Traditional Carnitas

Wow, eating healthy has never been so delicious. I love preparing my meals at home. Nothing beats a homemade meal. Not only do you have control over the ingredients but it tastes so much better and you get the satisfaction of knowing you are doing your best at leading a healthy lifestyle. 

In my last post I mentioned working with Mazola® and agreeing to prepare and review their recipes. They sent along product as well as a token of thank you in exchange for an honest review.  As promised, here is recipe #2 in that series. 

Pork Carnitas with Tomatillo Salsa

Servings: 4 
Yield: 4 servings
1 pound pork shoulder
2 tablespoons Mazola® Corn Oil
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon Chipotle peppers in Adobe sauce 
2 tomatillos, finely chopped
1/2 cup tomatoes, finely chopped
1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley
4 flour tortillas

Combine chopped tomatillos, tomatoes and parsley in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Cut pork into 1 inch cubes; season with salt and pepper. 

Heat oil in large skillet or Dutch oven. Add pork, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder and chipotle peppers in adobe sauce (the original recipe called for 1/4 tsp Chipotle chili powder which I didn't have - this sauce worked great); saute 3 to 5 minutes to brown the meat.

Add enough water to barely cover pork. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Remove lid and continue to simmer an additional 45 minutes or until liquid has evaporated.

Place an equal amount of pork on each tortilla. Top with tomatillo salsa. Garnish with shredded cheese and sour cream if desired.

Enjoy!

The carnitas took more time than I realized, because I didn't pay attention to detail, but was worth the wait. Preparing this ahead would make an easy weeknight meal for those busy days. They're definitely not your traditional carnitas but so yummy nonetheless.

Click here to see the recipe that inspired my version

Another easy, delicious and nutritious dish that's sure to be a part of my menu rotation. 

Give it a try. You won't regret it!

If you are interested in reading more about Mazola® Corn Oil click here.
 

Want more tasty recipes from Mazola®? Find them here.

Spring Cleaning and Healthy Eatin'

After the long cold hard winter we're hopefully about to come out of, I am so ready for some sunshine, warmer days and lighter fare. Spring is just a few short days away (on the calendar at least) which leads me to thinking about gardens, campfires, picnics, and easy delicious and healthy meals packed with nutrition. Spring is not only time to clean out our closets and wash our windows, it's also time to clean out our pantries of all the comforts of winter so we can ditch our yoga pants and don our bikinis!

I am a sucker for health and nutrition information, especially when it relates to food and cooking, so I frequent my local library as well as the internet to feed my addiction. However, I am often left scratching my head after learning what I had trusted for years has been replaced with new research. So, I don't pretend to have all the answers. I just try to stick with what I do know. And I do know how to cook....with wholesome ingredients. 

Which brings me to today's recipe which fit perfectly into a healthy lifestyle. The recipe I am featuring today was sponsored by Mazola®. You see, Mazola® got wind of the fact that I enjoy cooking and enjoy reviewing recipes so they sent me a bottle of Mazola® Corn Oil as well as a promotional item in exchange for preparing two of their recipes and giving my honest feedback. 

The first recipe I'm sharing with you today is my version of their salmon dish that was so quick and easy and loaded with flavor that I can't wait to make it again. A perfect recipe to compliment any new healthy lifestyle.

Sweet and Spicy Salmon with Orange Salsa

Sweet and Spicy Rub:
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
Dash of cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 pound salmon fillet
2 teaspoons Mazola(R) Corn Oil

Orange Salsa:
2 cups orange sections, trimmed and diced (insides only)
1/3 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 jalapeno pepper, diced

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Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Combine all salsa ingredients and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Combine paprika, onion and garlic powder, salt, oregano, thyme, black pepper, cayenne pepper and brown sugar in a small bowl.
Cut salmon into 4 portions and brush with oil.
Distribute the rub over the salmon generously coating all surfaces.
Place salmon on a shallow baking pan with sides.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until fish flakes easily.
Top salmon with salsa.

Enjoy!

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Great served with a side of orzo and steamed asparagus, this salmon was quick and delicious and very light and filling. And ready in about 30 minutes. Who doesn't love a fast healthy meal. Gives us more time to enjoy our warmer days!! This could easily be grilled on those hot days when you don't want to run the oven.

Click here to see the recipe that inspired my version.

Won't you give this recipe a try? Easy, Delicious and nutritious and a great dish to add to your healthy menu. It can't get better than that!

Stay tuned for my next post of another delicious recipe inspired by Mazola®.

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If you are interested in reading more about Mazola® Corn Oil click here.
 

Want more tasty recipes from Mazola®? Find them here.

Chicken and Gnocchi Soup Made with Homemade Gnocchi

It's a rare occasion that I get to enjoy a lunch with my sister. One afternoon we were out shopping and decided to stop at Olive Garden to have their unlimited soup, salad and bread sticks special.

I love Olive Garden's salad and was looking forward to trying their soup. I had tried their Zuppa Toscana soup before and loved it but this time I decided to try their Chicken & Gnocchi soup. This was new to me and I didn't know what to expect. But from the moment it touched my lips I was in heaven. It was love at first bite! I thought I only wanted one bowl of soup. My stomach said I only wanted one bowl of soup but you know how that goes when you really really enjoy something? You tend to overeat! And that I did. Ugh! Can someone call the ambulance? I must try to make this at home. Or should I? It could be dangerous.

Now that cooler weather is settling in I'm trying to find a few tasty comforting soups that I can enjoy for lunch. So I went on a mission to find a recipe for Chicken & Gnocchi soup. But anyone who knows me wouldn't be surprised to hear that I wanted to make my own homemade gnocchi also. Store bought just won't do for this gal. 

I found both recipes I wanted to try on Allrecipes.com. I started with the Gnocchi I - aka a roman numeral 1 and not an I just so you know :) . I made the gnocchi on a Sunday evening in the middle of a storm, a very windy storm. Needless to say, the storm knocked out our power while I was in the middle of the recipe. So my husband gathered many candles and a propane lantern so I could finish my chore by candlelight. I felt like Ma Ingalls from Little House On The Prairie.

I finished the recipe and tossed them into the freezer hoping that they would be ok until the power came back on. They survived the storm and froze beautifully. Before cooking I removed them from the freezer and allowed them to thaw. Here's my finished and cooked gnocchi. I was very excited with the results for my first attempt.

Gnocchi I

Now off to try the Chicken and Gnocchi soup recipe. As I mentioned, I found the recipe on Allrecipes.com and I didn't change a thing. I had some chicken stock in the freezer that I had made from the bones of another roasted chicken so I used that. But I did cheat and use the meat from a store bought rotisserie chicken. It worked out great.

Here's my finished product.

Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

This soup is delicious!! If you love Olive Garden's Chicken & Gnocchi soup and you love to cook you will not be disappointed in this recipe. It's yummy goodness! 

Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

I hope you decide to give this soup a try. While you're at it won't you try the homemade gnocchi also? You won't regret it. I promise. Just have a napkin ready to wipe the drool.

Now on to the recipes:

Chicken & Gnocchi Soup 
Makes 6 servings
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, shredded
3 – 4 cups cooked chicken (I used rotisserie)
4 cups chicken broth
1 (16 oz.) package mini potato gnocchi (or use recipe below)
1 (6 ounce) bag baby spinach leaves
1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional)
2 tablespoons cold water (optional)
2 cups half-and-half cream
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, garlic, and carrots in the hot oil until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in cubed chicken and chicken broth; bring to a simmer.

Stir gnocchi into the simmering soup and cook until they begin to float, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in spinach; cook until wilted, about 3 additional minutes.

Whisk cornstarch into cold water until smooth. Stir cornstarch mixture and half-and-half into simmering soup. Cook until soup thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

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Gnocchi
Makes 4 servings
2 potatoes
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Peel potatoes and add to pot. Cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool and mash with a fork or potato masher.

Combine 1 cup mashed potato, flour and egg in a large bowl. Knead until dough forms a ball. Shape small portions of the dough into long "snakes". On a floured surface, cut snakes into half-inch pieces.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Drop in gnocchi and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until gnocchi have risen to the top; drain and serve.

What Are We Gonna Have For Dinner? I Dunno - What Do You Want?

We ask this question too many times to count in our house. You would think with just the two of us that it would be an easy chore to figure out what's for dinner. But sometimes, when you're a workin' woman who has so many agendas, you just get tired of figuring it out.

Days like these are when I like to have some ingredients on hand for a speedy dinner. That's when a bag of tater tots in the freezer and some hot dogs in the fridge can come in real handy. Even though it may not be the healthiest way to eat, it sure can take the pressure of a girl. If I'm going to buy frozen tater tots (or in this case Crispy Crowns), I going to grab the Ore-Ida brand. If this girl is gonna splurge on frozen taters it's gotta be Ore-Ida. Ore-Ida?

 Now I don't get all fancy with my Ore-Ida's. I don't add them to a recipe or top them with gravy. I just like them tossed in the oven (yeah, I'm sure they're way better in the deep fryer, but hey, I gotta try to be good) and then tossed on my plate next to a side of ketchup. And a hot dog. Um...A Koegel's hot dog. No exceptions! And in this case, a side of roasted cauliflower. 

What a dinner, huh? But it was fast! I like fast. And very little cleanup! 

So grab a bag of your favorite Ore-Ida potatoes and make your next meal in a snap.

 I am an Allrecipes Allstar Brand Ambassador (a voluntary position) and I’m not compensated for my work with Allrecipes.com.   Product received from an Advertiser is only used for experience based reviews on this site. The reviews, content and opinions expressed in this blog are purely the sole opinions of Livin' Life - One Spoonful At A Time.  

Hold The Sausage....Or Not

It wasn't too awfully long ago - like only 6 months - that Italian sausage was far from desirable to me. The only experience I ever really had with Italian sausage was on pizza. Now my husband, being the meat eater that he is, doesn't mind sausage on his pizza. Or bacon. Or ham. Or pepperoni. Or venison. Well OK - we've never had venison on pizza but hey, now that's an idea he would love! 

So, me being the good wife that I am, would let him get a meat lovers pizza that included the sausage and I would just pick it off and give it to him. If it were up to me, we would have a veggie pizza. That would go over like a lead balloon. Just like my idea for Meatless Monday meals. Did you hear me? I did say he was a meat lover.

This month I had the pleasure, once again, of working with Johnsonville and Allrecipes. I was given the opportunity to try Johnsonville's sausage using recipes found on Allrecipe's website. I decided to try their Italian sausage again just to remind myself that I am no longer a hater.

I truly have to say that their sausage has great flavor and now I'm hooked. I especially love that they are now offering some of their products in an all natural variety like the one shown below. With ingredients like pork, water, salt, natural sugar, spices, natural flavors and paprika and with no yucky fillers or additives they're a winner in my book. Go Johnsonville!

Here are the tasty recipes I've tried this year using Johnsonville's products. The links to the recipes are shown below the pictures. Be sure to give them a try. They make quick, easy, delicious meals your whole family will enjoy.

One of my favorites was this Sausage, Peppers and Spaghetti Squash recipe. I got to eat this one all by myself. Veggies of the onions and peppers variety, like you would find on a veggie pizza, makes this one mine - all MINE!

Sausage, Peppers and Spaghetti Squash

You may be able to tell that I made this next one, Pizza Pasta, when the darling hubby wasn't around. It's packed with flavor not only from the sausage but also from green peppers. Again, stuff you'd would find on veggie pizza.

Pizza Pasta by Johnsonville®

And last but not least, here is a recipe that any man or child would love to sink their teeth into. Why not break away from the regular mundane burgers you're used to eating and try an Italian Sausage Slider? They're sure to please.

Johnsonville's Italian Sausage Sliders

Hold the sausage? I think not. So if you've tried something before that you don't like why not give it another try? Your tastes may have changed with time. Or is it with age?

Man I'm getting hungry!

I am an Allrecipes Allstar Brand Ambassador (a voluntary position) and I’m not compensated for my work with Allrecipes.com.   Product received from an Advertiser is only used for experience based reviews on this site. The reviews, content and opinions expressed in this blog are purely the sole opinions of Livin' Life - One Spoonful At A Time.