Thursday, January 21, 2010

Friday Flair Birthday Card


Gorgeous stamp for a fun birthday card! I loved laying it with paper piecing and glossy accents, which takes FOREVER to dry. (Ask my thumb!) Check out all the other great blogs today at Angela's blog. Happy Friday!!

Supplies
Stamps: December KOM (Unity), Birthday Basics (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: Tuxedo Black
Paper: Pink (PTI), White (Gina K. Designs), Bittersweet DP (Basic Grey)
Accessories: Glossy Accents, Buttons, Satin Ribbon, Pearl Shimmer Mist (Tattered Angels)

Oh...and my new Vera Bradley hipster Sittin' in the Tree.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Creamless Creamy Mushroom Pasta


I was so not in the mood for a tomato-based pasta sauce and needed to cook up some fresh mushrooms before they went into slime-mode tonight. I wanted a cream-based pasta that could simply focus all of the mushrooms that I had available. I searched for a sauce without cream as I had none in the house and usually don't and found a suggestion to start the base from a roux. Ok, I can do that.

Here is my take on a creamless cream sauce for mushrooms and pasta. I also thought this would be fabulous with artichoke hearts if you have company who are not fans of mushrooms.

I took ideas from a few different recipes I found online, in my cookbooks and under the influence of Food Network.

Angela Magnuson of Unity Stamps tried this recipe on her family, with her own additions, and loved it. Check out Angela's blog Create This Moment.

Creamless Creamy Mushroom Pasta

Pasta and Mushrooms
8 oz. Farfalle Pasta (Bowtie - Barilla Pasta Plus is my recommended.)
1 lb. fresh sliced mushrooms (Baby Portabellas would be yummy. I had plain old mushrooms.)
1 T. olive oil
2 T. butter
salt

In a stock pot add water, salt and olive oil to boil for the pasta. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside. At the same time heat the butter in a pan and saute mushrooms. When finished set aside.

Sauce
1 c. chicken stock (or vegetable...We have a couple vegetarians in the family, so I try to accommodate.)
1 c. white wine (gulp down the rest WITH dinner!)
3 T. flour
2 T. butter
1/2 c. parsley
3 T. minced garlic (I used the type pre-minced in olive oil.)
salt and pepper to taste

Add butter to a large skillet and bring to a SLOW simmer. Add flour little by little and whisk in quickly. (Do NOT have the pan too hot or it will burn the flour!) When all the flour is in SLOWLY add in the white wine and stock, whisking constantly. Continue to whisk after all liquid is added and bring to a slow simmer. Add in remaining sauce ingredients. Continue to whisk until the sauce has thickened. Add pasta and mushrooms to the skillet and mix throughly. Serve topped fresh, shredded Parmesan cheese. Don't forget to enjoy it will your leftover white wine. :)

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Flair and a Little Comfort Food

Glad to be back with some Unity Friday Flair. I had to use this stamp from the December KOM the month to create a card for my husband. Mitch has supported me through so much lately with all of this pregnancy exhaustion and accompanying emotional roller coaster.

If you are up for a delicious soup recipe...here's my Veggie Stoup recipe. Enjoy!

Supplies
Stamps: December KOM (Unity)
Ink: Real Red, Cool Caribbean, Versamagic Red
Paper: Kraft, Simple Valentine (Papertrey Ink), Cool Caribbean
Accessories: Morracan Screen (Cuttlebug Embossing Folder), Nestabilities

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Vegetable Stoup: Another Recipe Post


To be honest, I don't consider myself much of a cook. I'm not terrible, but I'm not a gourmet. My cooking is, generally, edible with the exception of a quesdilla that was left in the pan too long.

I have to say my inspiration for this recipe redo was from a Rachel Ray vegetable stoup of some sort. I don't even know if it was an actual recipe and have no clue how far I have deviated, so Rachel, my apologies if this is a total disaster of a dish from your original vision. ;)

Veggie Stoup

3 celery stalks, chopped
3 carrots, chopped (We always have baby carrots around, so I just use a few handfuls of those.)
2 medium red potatoes, chopped (Leave on the skins. They are yummy and nutritious.)
1 c. frozen corn
1 c. frozen peas
1 c. frozen green beans
1 c. dry pasta (penne, bowtie, elbow have all worked for me. I used Barilla Plus. Extra protein in the meatless meal.)
2 cloves of garlics, chopped (I always have a standby of minced garlic in olive oil in the fridge. A couple tablespoons of that works, too.)
1 large can of tomato juice (30 oz.)
2 c. chicken or vegetable stock
2 T. olive oil
1 T. dried rosemary
1 T. garlic tabasco
Shredded cheese to add as a topping.
salt and pepper to taste

Add the olive oil to a stock pot and put on medium high heat. When the pan is hot add celery, carrots and potatoes, salt and pepper. Cook until beginning to get tender, then add chicken/vegetable stock and let come to a gentle boil. Turn down the heat to about medium, which should still have a gentle bubble to it, and continue to cook veggies until tender. Slowly add the tomato juice. Let come to a gentle boil. Add frozen veggies and pasta. Let cook for 15 minutes after coming to a gentle boil again, then add remaining ingredients. Let simmer for 15 minutes. If it seems to thick at all you can always add a little extra stock to thin it out. I will, however, be nice and chunky. If you love tomatoes, go for a can of crushed tomatoes, too.

I have also done this in a slow cooker. Much prefer cooking it over the stove, but it definitely will work.

Serve with toasted, crusty bread. I pick mine up at the grocery. Love it!

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