Sicilian Broccoli and Cauliflower Pasta

Forget Stitch n' Bitch....this is Rants n' Recipes!

I just flew in from Florida yesterday and there are a couple of people who I'd like to thank for making my JetBlue experience that much more enjoyable. First, the man sitting next to me for feeling it was necessary and exceptable to take off his SNEAKERS and let his feet air out. The four year old child who spilled her apple juice all over my bag and computer case and the seven year old who kept kicking the back of my seat. Double Whammy!

But of course, this rant would not be complete without thanking MTV for a Jersey Shore marathon. I'll be that much smarter for graduate school for it.

I'm not that spoiled but I think it's time I bought my own plane. Soulja Boy just spent the only money he'll ever have from that only hit he'll ever have on a 55 million dollar plane...SB you know where to find me ;)

On to the recipe! Isn't that why you're really here? This is another recipe I have adapted from 101 Cookbooks. This recipe is light and very healthy. It makes a huge meal so if you have guests or are just trying to make something for multiple lunches, this recipe is great. So here it is.

Sicilian Broccoli and Cauliflower Pasta;
Adapted from 101 Cookbooks
http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/000146.html

Ingredients:
1 large bunch broccoli
1 bunch cauliflower
1 medium yellow onion
4 garlic cloves
A generous pinch of red pepper flakes
EVOO
3 tbs golden raisins
1/4 c of italian (flat leaf) parsley
salt
1 tps fresh rosemary
fresh parmesan
1 lb dried penne
pine nuts (totally optional)

***before you start cooking anything, I would strongly suggest chopping up the broccoli, cauliflower, onion and garlic.

Steps:
1. Heat a large heavy sauce pan with some evoo. On a medium heat, throw in your broccoli adding a little more evoo and salt generously. it's important to get the seasoning right so your broccoli isn't bland. keep the broccoli on until it turns green and even browns a little.
2. take the broccoli out of the pan and place it into a bowl. In the same pan, repeat step 1 with the cauliflower.
3. take the cauliflower out and place in into the same bowl with the broccoli (you need a big bowl)
4. Using the same pan (if the pan is brown and you want to rinse it out, feel free) sautee the onions. When the onions soften and become translucent, add the garlic, red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt. Cook until everything has soften but does not brown.
5. In a separate pan, add the golden raisins to warm water. They'll plump up to give them a sweet flavor.

Pasta:
1. Boil water with salt and a little bit of evoo. Add pasta. If you are using pine nuts, lightly toast them now. Drain the pasta. On a low heat, put the pasta the large pan you have been using to cook the veggies and add the onions, broccoli, cauliflower, raisins, rosemary, some parsley and the pine nuts if you chose to use them. Your dish should be well salted from when you cooked the veggies and the same goes for the evoo but feel free to taste for seasoning.
2. Turn off the heat and give yourself a big ole' bowl. Toss in a generous amount of freshly grated parmesan and a little bit more parsley if you'd like.

Serving Size:
4 hungry people or 4 lunches.

Until next time ya wanksta!

Noodle Kugel

I damn well know it's not the season to be making noodle kugel. And I really don't have an excuse either except for the fact that I'm down here in Delray, FL with my 80 year old grandma. By the time it was noon, we had made noodle kugel, a sponge cake and a meatloaf. And you know what the best part of cooking with my gam gam was? She wanted to clean everything.

I'm sitting here watching the 40 most scandalous celebrity breakups but things weren't always this dull. Just this morning, my grandma blew two red lights and was driving 85 mph in a parking lot. I can't decide which is better; my grandma going 85 in a parking lot or yesterday my grandpa going 45 on the Florida Turnpike......so much time, so little to ponder.

I made a noodle kugel once and it was ok. But today, my Gam Gam took my hand and showed me the way. Look out all you hunky jewish men, sassy knows how to make a kugel a real good kugel. Your Rosh Hashanah will never be the same ;)

Ingredients:
1 stick of butter
8 oz cream cheese
1 cup of sugar
4 eggs
1 cup of sour cream
12 oz egg noodles
2 cups milk
1 grated apple
2 tbs lemon juice
2 tsp vanilla

Topping:
1½ cup of cornflakes
2 tbs some of that melted butter
¼ tps cinnamon
1 tbs sugar

***when the butter is melted save half for the bottom of the pyrex glass, 2 tbs for the topping and the rest for the mixture.

Steps:
1. Using a pyrex 9x13 dish, melt a stick of butter in the oven at 300 degrees.
2. Don't let the butter burn and after you take the dish of melted butter out, turn the oven up to 350.
3. Start boiling water. We used a little vegetable oil to make sure the noodles wouldn't stick. Once the water is boiling, add the noodles.
3. In a mixmaster, add in the cream cheese, vanilla, lemon juice, sugar, grated apple, sour cream and eggs.
4. When the noodles are about done, add the milk and some of the melted butter into the mixture.
5. Drain the noodles, make sure there is no water, then put the mixture into the noodles and stir.
6. Put the mixture of noodles into the 9x13 dish (which should still have a layer of butter at the bottom)
7. TOPPING TIME: Smash the 1 1/2 cups of cornflakes with all your might, add 2 tbs of that melted butter, the cinnamon and sugar and mix it all around (use your dang hands) and sprinkle it on top of your noodles.
8. Bake for 45 mins.

I can't say you're really ever going to make this dish unless it's a jewish holiday or you're bored in my grandma's house. BUT if you only use one recipe for a noodle kugel (hear me saying this in the most New York Fran Drescher voice) USE THIS ONE ahhahaha (the voice continues).

Fresh Ravoli Dish

I stared at the computer screen for about 45 minutes before realizing this was not going to happen until I had iced coffee in my paws.

There are a couple of things I could rant about this Friday morning...the way NYC smells in 95 degree weather (a big thanks to emily for letting me know that is unacceptable on a food blog) or a man who I'll call Larry that works in my dad's office and does absolutely NOTHING except go into people's offices to chit chat all day. I've worked at my dad's company for 3 weeks and I have my own office. No I'm not a spoiled brat but the receptionist desk did not have the computer software I needed to do quotations. On this lovely Friday I would just like to say to Larry "get the f out of my office."

Recipe: Spring/Summer/Fresh Ravoli Dish
Adapted from 101 Cookbooks
http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/001568.html

this dish is so good. so light. so fresh and so delicious.

Ingredients:
12 large ravoli (i used ricotta)
1 bunch of asparagus
10 oz of frozen peas
4 handfuls of baby spinach (if you go to the 101 cookbooks link you notice there is purple spinach in her photo but I just used regular green baby spinach)
1 tbs evoo (you can always add more)
1/2 c pine nuts toasted
salt
freshly grated parmesan

**side note larry just walked in. oysters...rhode island...if he had the balls he would open a restaurant...yawn, get out larry.

Step by Step:
1. generously salt your pot of water and boil it baby.
2. add the ravoli to the pot.
3. when the ravoli surfaces, add the chopped up asparagus (I would suggest cutting them 1/2 inch each) and peas.
4. when the veggies are green, drain everything, add it to the bowl with the spinach. top everything off with the toasted pine nuts and parmesan.
5. add the evoo, a little salt and toss everything.

Serving Size: this dish is great for you and your biddie (that term is for men and women)

god speed.