Weeknight Pasta

I recently have found a new love for frozen pasta.  They are so easy and quick to make, come in a huge variety of flavors, and are perfect when you can't muster up a thought for dinner.  Bonus, kids totally dim them! You can bulk up the pasta with healthy veggies and other flavorings to fit your families tastes.  In this particular dish the addition of toasted breadcrumbs on top catapulted it from good to awesome, so I would recommend not skipping that step.  Otherwise, mix it up and enjoy!

Ingredients:
family size frozen tortellini - (I used spinach pasta stuffed with ricotta cheese)
olive oil
salt/pepper
1 onion, diced
1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 bunch of rainbow chard
1/2c. seasoned bread crumbs

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Toss onions and squash in 1-2T of olive oil and season with salt and pepper, place on a baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes or until veggies are tender and slightly caramelized (turn once halfway through baking).  Boil frozen pasta according to package.   Meanwhile chop the chard leaves (discard stems or save for veggie stock) and sauté in olive oil and season with salt and pepper, cook until leaves are wilted and tender and set aside in a bowl.  Wipe the chard pan clean with a paper towel and put back on heat.  Add 2t. of olive oil to pan and add bread crumbs and a touch of salt, toss and toast the crumbs for 3-5 minutes on med heat and set aside.  Add the chard, pasta and roasted veggies together and toss to combine ( add a ladle full of pasta water to the dish make a light sauce).  Top each potion with bread crumbs. Yum, yum, yum!

And. I'm back.

 It has been a rough and hectic couple of months for me as some of you may know. While I am writing none of this to gather sympathy, I feel the need to put it out there in the world, as part of letting go and moving on.  My dog, Zoe, whom has been with me through college, single life, marriage, and motherhood passed away in September, heart wrenching.  Shortly after we discovered I was pregnant, only to find out a month later that it ended in a miscarriage. Words just can't describe how hard a miscarriage is, both physically and mentally.   In light of recent events, I know my problems are hardly much to talk about and I have SO much to be thankful for. I lead a beautiful and blessed life.  And so it's time to get back to being me, talking food, finding joy and happiness in the little things, and enjoying life.  

                                  Panzanella with Mediterranean Flair

To kickstart my return to blogging I made an easy and versatile salad.  It would make a wonderful side dish with your holiday meal or light lunch/dinner.  I hope you enjoy!

For the *Vinaigrette:

2t. dijon

zest of 1 lemon

1 clove garlic, grated

4T. olive oil

2T. lemon juice

salt/pepper

2t. honey

*make sure to taste for seasoning!

For the Salad:

1/2-3/4 of day old baguette cut into 1" cubes

2T. olive oil

salt/pepper

1 avacado, sliced

1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 english cucumber, diced

8oz arugula

1/4 cup chopped parsley

4 soft boiled eggs, halved or diced (add eggs into cold water, heat to boil, turn off stove and cover for 7 minutes, cool eggs to stop the cooking)

 

Add all the vinaigrette ingredients into a jar with tight fitting lid, shake vigorously until combined.  In a large sauté pan add olive oil and bread cubes, season with salt and pepper.  Coat bread with oil and cook until it becomes crunchy and slightly browned, about 5 minutes.  In a large salad bowl combine all of the salad ingredients, including the bread, and toss with as much vinaigrette as you like.