Tag Archives: side dish

Gypsy Pasta

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pasta wood After a long day at work, home alone and not one inch of me wanting  to shop or order take out resulted in this dish. Which I can say was easy, delicious and pretty, so naturally I fell in love and now make it all the time.

The best part  of this dish is that it can be different every time. Keeping a box of pasta in your pantry at all times is a must for this reason! Then add in any veggies or protein you have for a quick satisfying bite.

What you need: (For this version)

  • Box of your favorite pasta (gluten free or regular both work)
  • 1/4 cup of milk
  • 2 Italian sausages
  • 1/2 red onion
  • Shitake mushrooms
  • Micro greens (topper)
  • Cheese
  • Salt, pepper, chili powder and chili flakes

What to do:

Pasta-

  1. Bring a large pot of water to boil
  2. Add salt
  3. Add pasta
  4. Drizzle a lil bit of olive oil and cook pasta for about 6 minutes (if gluten free) to al dente

pasta fun

In another saucepan:

  1. Drizzle olive oil and start to heat slivered red onions – on med-high
  2. Add in chopped up sausage after onions start to brown a lil
  3. Turn down heat to medium
  4. Then add in chopped shitakes
  5. Sprinkle salt and chili powder to liking (not too much cause you can always add more)
  6. Mix til everything looks about cooked and turn to low heat
  7. Throw in micro greens

pasta acc

Time to combine:

  1. Drain pasta and let it sit while all the mixings cook
  2. Add pasta back into the  pot and add milk
  3. After the milk starts to boil and your pasta starts to get coated add in your toppings and mix til you get a good balance of everything in one bite

Serve with fresh herbs sprinkled on top and a pinch of cheese

pasta

xo

Stiletto

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Meatless Monday | Summer Salad with Grilled Corn & Black Beans

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Grilled Corn Salad | Aprons & Stilettos

Today I headed over to the local produce stand to pick up some fresh vegetables for the week. I just spent six days in North Carolina enjoying southern food at its finest and after indulging in North Carolina BBQ, fried chicken and waffles, biscuits (with every meal) and grandma’s lemon chess pie, I decided I should probably load up on fresh veggies this week. As I was driving towards Mike’s Truck Garden produce stand I noticed they were advertising fresh corn for sale so I decided to pick up a bag. Taking into account that today is Meatless Monday, I decided to make one of my favorite summer salads: grilled corn & black bean salad with radishes, cilantro, lime juice and queso fresco.

Veggies

4 ears of fresh corn, shucked
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 bunch radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
Queso fresco, crumbled
1 avocado, thinly sliced
Salt

Preheat your grill. Cook the corn on the grill until slightly charred, about 10 minutes. Let cool before cutting off the corn kernels.

In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, chili powder and salt. Once the corn has cooled, cut the corn kernels from the cob and transfer to the bowl. Add the rinsed black beans, radishes, scallions and cilantro. Mix together. Top salad with queso fresco and avocado.

Cheers ~ Crystal

Grilled Summer Squash & Prosciutto Ribbons with Mint-Lime Dressing

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Squash Ribbon Skewers
The arrival of summer means getting outdoors, enjoying time on the patio and firing up the barbeque. One of my favorite things to do during the warmer month (besides hiking or heading to the coast) is throwing local ingredients on the ‘que and enjoying dinner “al fresco style” with friends and family.

Each week, I head down to my favorite local produce stand (Mike’s Truck Garden) in Santa Rosa, California. This past week, I picked up some beautiful summer squash, prosciutto, a bag of Bing cherries along with other vegetables to get me through the week. As I was searching for inspiration for a new “summer squash” recipe, I came across this simple grilled squash kebab recipe from Food & Wine magazine. This recipe was so easy to make and delicious that I thought I should share it with all of you. It’s perfect as a light main dish, appetizer or side dish and it taste great straight from the grill or tossed with whole wheat pasta.

Squash Ribbon Kebabs

2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise on a mandoline
2 medium yellow squash, thinly sliced lengthwise on a mandoline
6 slices of prosciutto, cut in half
1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
1 lime, juiced
1/4 cup chopped mint (feel free to add more mint as desired)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for brushing
Salt and ground pepper, to taste

Light the grill or preheat a grill pan. In a small bowl, mix together the lime zest, lime juice, mint, garlic and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Alternately thread the zucchini, yellow squash and prosciutto on kebab skewers. Lightly brush the remaining olive oil over the vegetables and prosciutto. Lightly season with salt and pepper (try to avoid seasoning too much salt on the prosciutto pieces). Grill the skewers over high heat until the vegetables are lightly charred, about 1 1/2 – 2 minutes each side. Serve with the mint-lime dressing on the side.

Cheers and have a safe Fourth of July holiday! ~Crystal