Pasta Carbonara

This makes a nice luncheon dish or a late night supper, or just when you don't have anything in the house...like tonight.

 You probably have all these ingredients in the house. 

 If you have bacon too, your good to go. Saute the bacon in a skillet until browned and remove to a paper towel to drain and cool.

 Saute the onions in the reserved drippings. You can also use 1/2 small onion, chopped.

Add the garlic and saute another minute until fragrant. Do not let burn.

Whisk the eggs, milk, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

 Add to the drained pasta in the pot.

 Add the pasta mixture to the skillet along with the crumbled bacon and parmesan cheese. Toss and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Sprinkle with additional parmesan if desired. 

Serve with crusty warm French baguette and a big Caesar salad.

Pasta Carbonara

4 slices bacon

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 green onions, chopped

2 eggs, lightly beaten

4 T cream, milk or half&half

1/4 t salt & 1/4 t pepper

1/4 C parmesan cheese

2 T chopped fresh parsley

1/2 lb spaghetti

Begin cooking the spaghetti in salted water. Cook about 10  minutes. Reserve 1/4 C pasta water.
Fry the bacon until crisp. Remove onto paper towel to cool, then crumble. Reserve the drippings.
Add enough olive oil, if needed to the drippings in the skillet to make about 2T. Add the chopped onions and saute until tender. Add the garlic and saute another minute. Remove pan from heat.
Drain the pasta, but do  not rinse and return to the pot. Beat the eggs with a fork and add the milk, salt and pepper. Add to the hot pasta in the pot and stir well. Add reserved pasta water if needed. Add all the spaghetti mixture to the skillet with the onions and garlic. Add the bacon and parmesan cheese and toss to coat well. Sprinkle the top with parsley and serve in warmed pasta bowl.

Serves two

Enjoy!

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Links: Between Naps On The Porch 

Beef with Snow Peas

We just had this for dinner tonight and it's so good! It's a favorite recipe I've had for years and I don't make it often enough. I added chopped green onions and a few red pepper flakes this time. Good additions.

Start the rice and popovers first. Those will take about 25 minutes.

 Gather the ingredients.

 Whisk the soy sauce, cornstarch, sherry, brown sugar, and ginger in a large bowl.

 Slice the flank steak against the grain into 2" long strips. 

 Season with garlic salt and pepper.

 Toss in the bowl. Rinse and trim the ends (pulling the string off) the pea pods. Lay on paper towels to dry. Diagonally slice or chop the green onions. 

 Heat 1 T oil in a large iron skillet until very hot. Add pea pods and saute for 1 minute. 

 Remove to a plate and set aside.

 Add 2-3 T oil to the pan and allow to heat again until very hot. Add the beef and let sear for 1 minute.

 Then stir the beef until browned and almost cooked, about 1-2 minutes.

 Add the green onions and pea pods and stir to cook for 1  minute.

Remove from heat.

Sprinkle on some red pepper flakes for added spice. 

 We like this with popovers because......well you don't need a reason to have popovers!

 Serve with perfect rice.

Beef with Snow Peas

1 lb flank steak

3 T soy sauce

1 T cornstarch

1 T sherry

1 t light brown sugar 

1/4 t ginger

4 T oil

garlic salt & pepper
red pepper flakes

6-8 oz fresh pea pods

Cut beef into 2" long strips against the grain.

Combine the next 5 ingredients in a bowl; add the beef and toss well. 

Rinse pea pods and trim the ends pulling off the strings.  Set aside on a paper towel to dry.

 Heat about 1 T oil in a large pan until hot and saute pea pods for about 1 minute and remove to a plate. Add more oil to the pan, about 2-3T, and allow to get very hot. Add the beef and let sear for 1 minute. 

Then stir unti browned, about 1-2 minutes. Add the pea pods and chopped green onions. Stir and cook another minute. Remove from heat and sprinkle with a little red pepper flakes to taste. 

Serve with rice.  Serves 4

note: If you have 1-1/2 lbs of beef add more ingredients by (about 50% more.

Make sure the pan is very hot so that the beef sears.

Perfect Rice

1 C rice

2 C water

1/4 t salt

Combine in a covered pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes until water is absorbed.

Fluff with a fork and remove from heat and let sit up to 10 minutes.

Popover recipe  HERE
I cut the recipe in half and made 4 popovers in custard cups.

Enjoy!

Links: My Romantic Home

Cheesy Potato Casserole

This is a delicious potato casserole that goes wonderfully with roast beef, grilled steaks, or anything!

 You can make it ahead, so it's a good potato dish when you're  entertaining.
 Leftovers are a good side dish to serve with omelets for breakfast.

Gather the ingredients.

 Pour half the melted butter over the potatoes.

 Combine the remaining ingredients (except topping) and mix into the potatoes.

 Put into a greased 9x13 baking dish.

 Combine the crushed Ritz crackers or corn flakes with the remaining butter.

Sprinkle evenly on top.

Bake until golden brown.

Cheesy Potato Casserole

30 oz bag frozen hash brown potatoes
1-1/2 sticks butter, melted, divided use

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 C chopped green onions - about 1 bunch                          

2 C sour cream - 1 pint

1 t garlic salt

1/2 t pepper

2 C grated Cheddar cheese - 8 oz.
topping

2 C corn flakes or
Ritz crackers,(1 sleve) crushed
remaining butter

In a large bowl combine the potatoes with half the melted butter. Combine the remaining ingredients, (except for the topping) and mix into the potatoes. Put into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Top with the combination of  crushed Ritz crackers or corn flakes and the  remaining butter. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or start in a cold 325 oven and bake for 1hr and 15 minutes.

Enjoy! 

Links: BNOTP

Pork Tenderloin en Croute

This is an elegant, but easy dinner.
I got this recipe from my daughter Kim.
It's been a family favorite for years.
One tenderloin makes a special romantic
dinner for two.  Make two tenderloins
to serve six for entertaining.
It makes an elegant presentation.

Just two ingredients.

 Puff pastry sheets a
peppercorn seasoned pork tenderloin.

 One tenderloin per package already
 perfectly seasoned.

 Place on foil-lined baking sheet.
Roast for 22 minutes @350.

 Thaw the pastry sheets and roll out slightly.

Lay the pre-roasted tenderloin on 

the pastry sheet and fold over. 

 Pinch the ends to seal.

 Remove the foil from the baking pan
and spray with cooking spray.

 Place tenderloins seam side down
about three inches apart so they will
 brown evenly and have room to puff.

 Brush with egg wash.

 Bake another 30 minutes @ 350,
until the pastry isgolden brown.

 Let rest for 10 minutes.
Slice diagonally about 1" thick. 

 It will be nice and juicy.

Menu suggestions: rice pilaf, broccoli, glazed carrots.

Pork Tenderloin en Croute

1 package Pepperidge Farm puff pastry
(2 in a package)

2 peppercorn flavored pork tenderloins

egg wash (1 egg + 1 t water beaten with a fork)

Thaw the pastry for about 2 hours until
 soft enough to roll out slightly.

Place the tenderloin on a foil-lined baking sheet.

Roast @ 350 for 22 minutes

Remove the roast and discard the foil.
Spray the sheet with cooking spray.

Place a tenderloin on each pastry sheet and wrap.
 Pinch the ends closed. Place seam side down on
the sprayed pan. Brush the top with the egg wash.

Return to the oven and continue to roast for
another 30 minutes. Remove and let rest for
 10 minutes before slicing. Slice on the
diagonal into 1" thick slices.
2 tenderloins serves six

Enjoy!

Links: Between Naps On The Porch,
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