Valentine’s Day is a family day at our house. At least it has been for the last sixteen years. We’ll see if the teenagers will change things up this year. But I also way cook a fun Valentine dinner for the whole family. There’s nothing sacred about February 14 (sorry to burst your bubble) that Mr. Hedin and I need to run out to an expensive dinner on that exact day.

I’ve done heart shaped make-your-own pizza, steaks, and plain old red sauce pasta. Recently I discovered that you can cook pasta in beet water and have it turn out red/pink-ish. It’s not perfectly even color - but it’s all natural and you can pop the beets in to the pasta sauce too! I think it’s a cool thing for younger kids to se happen. My teenagers did think it was cool. I got a shrug, but I’ll take a shrug.

The trick to getting the pasta to cook and the beets to be done is to start the beets early when you put the water in the pan. And then to get the color to stick, turn the water off when the pasta is basically done (but not crunchy) and let it rest all together. Then when you go back and drain the pasta - keeping some water! - the pasta is a lovely little red shade.

While the pasta sits, you can get the breadsticks going and tell one of your kids to mix up a green salad.

Heart throb Pasta

With love-ly bread sticks

Serves 4

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 sweet onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tbs olive oil

2 beets

½ lb pasta

½ cup parmesan cheese

1 package crescent dough

STEP 1

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Slice the beets in half and add them to the water as it begins to boil.  When the water has come to a boil, add the pasta.

STEP 2

When the pasta is nearly cooked, turn the heat off and let rest for 30 minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

STEP 3

Unroll the package of crescent dough and press together all of the seams.  Slice the dough into strips.  Twist the dough and form it into a heart.  Bake 10-12 minutes until golden brown.

STEP 4

Heat a skillet with the olive oil.  Cook the peppers, onion, and garlic over medium heat until softened.  Zest in lemon juice and toss with cooked beets. 

STEP 5

Drain the pasta – reserving at least one cup of pasta water – and toss the pasta with the peppers.  Add the pasta water, a little at a time, and toss until a sauce has formed.  Remove from heat and sprinkle parmesan on top. 

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When I was growing up, this was a staple at every family gathering. Aunt Carolann always made this salad. And if she didn’t, then my mom did. It was by far the best part of a potluck buffet - and because we knew either Aunt Carolann or mom made it, then we knew it was a safe option. You never really know what’s at a potluck…

As an adult, I realized why this was at every potluck - it’s actually the easiest thing ever to make. And usually we have the ingredients in the pantry. Keep a bottle of Kalamata olives, regular pimento olives and capers in the pantry and you are ready to mix this up anytime. It has served me well when someone says at the last minute, “hey, I need to take something to school/work/party tomorrow!” Boom. Pasta Salad.

You can really use anything pickled or marinated in this salad. It’s not rocket science. The secret is to toss the hot pasta with the salad dressing. It immediately soaks it up and makes the noodles taste ‘marinated’ too. Which is critical; nothing is grosser than plain noodles in a salad.

Aunt Carolann’s Olive Bar Pasta Salad

1/2 pound dried pasta (small twisty shapes are best)

1/2 cup Italian salad dressing

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped bell pepper

2 green onions, chopped

1/2 cup chopped salami

1 1/2 cup chopped olive bar bits (olives, marinated artichoke hearts, marinated garlic cloves, pickled mushrooms, marinated tomatoes, etc.)

STEP 1

Cook the pasta to package directions. Drain and immediately toss with the salad dressing. Let cool with the lid off the pan.

STEP 2

Chop all of the bits and toss them into the pasta. Let rest in the fridge for at least an hour - ideally 4-6 hours.

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another oLIve Bar FAvorite

Baking a split fryer chicken in a medley of olive bar favorites makes a fabulous dinner!

Click here for the recipe

The combination of lemon and capers is a family favorite. When I was growing up we loved it - and it turns out it’s genetic. This is easily a comfort dinner around our house. The sauce is perfectly pickled with the capers and a little of the caper brine and cut with the lemon zest and butter.

We are a dairy free/dairy light family so I use fake butter when I do this. And then this is a dish that would probably be epic with parmesan cheese. I’ve tried it - it is epic. But it’s not something I can serve our family. If you are a cheese family, blend a little in when you add the spinach and then top with more! You won’t regret it, unless you are dairy free and it wreaks havoc on your system!

Lemon Caper Chicken with Orzo

serves 4

4 chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness (about 2 pounds)

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup white wine

zest of 1/2 lemon

juice of 1/2 lemon

2 tablespoons capers

1 clove garlic

1 tablespoon caper brine

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

1 cup orzo

2 cups spinach

olive oil

salt and pepper

parsley to garnish

STEP 1

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Brown the chicken on both sides and remove from pan. Don’t worry about cooking through. You’ll do that later.

STEP 2

Lower the heat and melt the butter in the pan and add the flour. Whisk until combined. Pour in the white wine. Whisk until thickened. Add the capers, lemon zest. lemon juice, and stock. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir.

STEP 3

Return chicken to the pan, keep the heat on low/medium and cover. Cook until the chicken is cooked through. It takes about 20 minutes. While that’s cooking - boil the orzo.

STEP 4

When the chicken is done, remove from the pan. Drain the orzo and toss it into the chicken pan - add the spinach and season with salt & pepper. Pour out into a serving bowl. Slice the chicken and serve it on top. Garnish with parsley freshly chopped.

*optional to top with parmesan cheese!

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This time of year we start thinking about eating healthier and cutting out some foods.  This would be a food lots of people may cut out – however, let me make a case for it.  If this February is anything like last February, we should have at least one snow day!  Can you think of anything more comforting on a snow day than Bacon Mac & Cheese?  We can return to healthy eating after the snow melts.

This is the ultimate comfort food. Had a bad day? Bacon + cheese. Feeling sad? Bacon + cheese. Still dreary outside? Bacon + cheese. I make this regularly for my kids and I made it for the Robotics team last week - they devoured it. Once a week I make the high school Robotics team dinner and every week I try to outdo myself. So far I made ribs, pulled pork, and meatballs - but this is going to be the winner. I can feel it.

Bacon Mac & Cheese

serves 4

6 slices bacon

2 tbs flour

1 cup milk

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

½ cup parmesan cheese, grated

Salt & pepper

1 pound cooked noodles

STEP 1

Cook bacon over medium in a small skillet.  Pull it out when crispy and let it cool on paper towel.  Reserve 2 tbs of the bacon fat.

STEP 2

In a sauce pan over medium heat, whisk together 2 tbs bacon grease and flour.  Pour in milk and continue whisking until the sauce thickens. 

STEP 3

Pour in cheeses and whisk until they are melted.  Add pasta and stir until completely covered in sauce.  Crumble bacon over top. 

Serve hot with extra parmesan cheese.

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As long as we’re in comfort mode

Make these Brown Butter Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies and go for broke. It’s the ultimate comfort pairing!

This is the perfect quick cook dinner!  It takes almost no time to cook and still seems fancy.  Which is exactly what we need for Halloween night! I am sure your house is just as hectic as mine with kids needing last minute costume pieces (which of course they can’t find), everyone being hungry, my husband just coming home, and some over eager parents who’s kids are ringing my doorbell at 4:30pm.

All you need to do with this is boil the water, add onions and shrimp to a skillet - they cook quickly - and then toss it all together! It’s simple, looks fancy, and is way healthier than the pizza we often order!

Vampire’s Noodles

Squid Ink Pasta with Caramelized Onion & Shrimp

Serves 4

½ lb squid ink pasta

½ cup butter, divided

1 onion

4 cloves garlic, smashed

2 sprigs thyme

1lb shrimp, peeled and deveined

½ cup white wine

1 lemon, zested

STEP 1

Over low heat, cook onions, garlic, and thyme in 2 tbs butter.  

STEP 2

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook noodles according to package instructions.  Reserve ½ cup of pasta water when draining.

STEP 3

Add remaining butter to the onions and melt until toasty and bubbly.  Add shrimp and toss to coat with butter.  Pour in white wine.  Add lemon zest and salt and pepper.  Cover and cook 5-10 minutes until shrimp is fully pink.

STEP 4

Toss noodles in shrimp pan.  Add pasta water if noodles appear dry. 

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This is the ultimate way to use all of those tomatoes rolling out of the garden right now. I’m crossing my fingers and hoping I can get the rest of them to ripen so we can do this one more time this year! You can use really any tomato that’s ripe. I used San Marzano in this recipe, but cherry tomatoes would be amazing too! You do you.

The simplicity of this dish relies on really good tomatoes, really good basil, and really delicious bread crumbs.  I can’t recommend enough making your own bread crumbs for this – it’s totally worth it!

Roasted Tomato Basil Pasta

Serves 4

2 pounds heirloom tomatoes, sliced into quarters

5 garlic cloves

1 bunch basil leaves

½ cup breadcrumbs

2 tbs butter

1 lb spaghetti noodles

olive oil

salt and pepper

STEP 1

Put a pot of water on to boil and preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spread tomatoes on the tray.  Sprinkle a handful of basil and 4 cloves crushed garlic over the tomatoes.  Drizzle olive oil over top, sprinkle with salt, and pop into the oven. 

STEP 2

In a skillet sauté breadcrumbs in butter with garlic and salt until toasty and brown. Cook the pasta while you’re at the stove.

STEP 3

Drain the pasta and return it to pan.  Toss with roasted tomatoes and fresh basil. 

STEP 4

Serve with breadcrumbs on top.

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This is a classic Italian dish that I have completely man-handled to make it a one dish dinner. I’d like to think I haven’t totally separated it from it’s Italian original but I probably have. Either way, it’s a delicious one pot dinner that’s done in a very short amount of time. I like to serve this with a big green salad and I usually have a giant loaf of garlic bread because I have three teenagers in my house. It’s perfectly fine on it’s own too!

This is the perfect back to school dinner. It’s hearty and delicious but also cooks in about a half an hour! What could be better on a weeknight?? Enjoy.

Penne alla vodka-ish

Serves 4

2 cups cherry tomatoes

2 cloves garlic

2 tbs olive oil

1 lb penne

1 cup vodka

2 cups chicken stock

½ cup parmesan cheese

STEP 1

In a dutch oven, sauté the tomatoes and garlic in olive oil until the tomatoes start to pop. 

STEP 2

Add the noodles and coat in oil and tomato.

STEP 3

Pour in vodka and boil down to half and stir.

STEP 4

Pour in stock and ¼ cup parmesan cheese.  Stir then cover and cook 5-10 minutes until noodles are tender.  Serve with remaining parmesan. 

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This time of year the zucchini starts showing up in gardens all over Seattle and we’re all looking for ways to use it up! This pasta feels fresh and cozy while highlighting the zucchini. This is best with the small zucchini fresh off the vine!

Also, use good quality prosciutto. When you only have a few ingredients it’s critical to use the best you can find!

Zucchini Pasta

With crispy prosciutto

Serves 4

3 oz prosciutto

1 medium zucchini, about 2 cups chopped

2 cloves garlic

¼ tsp red pepper flakes

4 cups penne

½ cup fresh ricotta

¼ cup chopped pine nuts

STEP 1

Cook prosciutto until crispy then remove from the pan.

Bring a pot of water to a boil.

STEP 2

Cook the pasta in the boiling water. Strain pasta reserving 1 cup starchy pasta water.

STEP 3

Cook zucchini, garlic, and red pepper flakes in the pan until slightly browned - about two minutes

STEP 4

Whisk in ½ cup starchy water and ricotta cheese.

STEP 5

Add cooked noodles to the pan and stir to coat with the sauce. Add more starchy water if needed.

STEP 6

Serve with crumbled prosciutto and pine nuts on top.

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This eggplant pasta is the perfect way to feed vegetarians or for Meatless Monday. The eggplant is grilled, which gives it nice char and everything else I buy in a jar. You can make your own pesto, if you choose - I just like when things are ready to use. Boil the pasta and toss it all in. You’re only 15 minutes from din-din!

Eggplant Pesto

With sundried tomatoes

Serves 4

1 large eggplant, sliced into 8 rounds

1 ¼ cup olive oil

1/2 lb noodles

1/2 cup pesto

1 cup sun dried tomatoes in oil

1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives

½ cup parmesan cheese

STEP 1

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Toss eggplant with ¼ cup olive oil and 1 tsp salt.  Let rest

STEP 2

Grill eggplant on the grill or in a grill pan.  Cook until eggplant is soft.

STEP 3

Toss cooked noodles with pesto, chopped eggplant, olives and sundried tomatoes.

STEP 4

Serve with parmesan cheese and fresh basil

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Pumpkin Pasta with Toasted Pecans

A fabulous fall celebration dinner – in 20 mins

Serves 4

1 lb pasta

½ cup pumpkin puree

½ cup plain greek yogurt

¾ cup parmesan cheese

1 cup pecans

4 tbs butter, melted

1 tbs honey

½ tsp cayenne pepper

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bring a pot of water to a boil.

Whisk together butter, honey and cayenne.  Toss pecans in melted butter mixture and lay out on a cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with salt.  Pop in the oven and bake 15 minutes until toasted.  

STEP 2

Whisk together pumpkin, yogurt, ½ cup parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

STEP 3

Cook pasta in boiling water.  Reserve one cup of cooking water when straining cooked noodles.

STEP 4

Stir together pasta and pumpkin sauce. Slowly add pasta water as needed to thin out the pasta sauce. Sprinkle pecans and extra parmesan cheese over the top.

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