Creamy Ricotta, Fresh Corn & Tomato Baked Ziti

Yes! More tomatoes. They are taking over my kitchen! 🙂 I loved that this dish also incorporated sweet summer corn- and basil.

This is a wonderful summertime version of one of my favorite winter casseroles. Cheesy but not too rich. It’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

The recipe was adapted from TheKitchn.com, contributed by Christine Gallary. I modified the proportions, reduced the pasta cooking time, and used Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese in the sauce. Great.

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

• cooking spray
• 1 pound dried penne or ziti pasta
• 15 to 16 ounces whole-milk ricotta cheese
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds tomatoes (about 4 to 5 medium), diced
• 2 cups fresh corn kernels (I used kernels from 3 ears of corn)
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 425°F, preferably on convection. Coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
3. Add the pasta to the water and cook about 2 minutes shy of al dente, about 8 minutes, or adjust according to package directions.
4. Meanwhile, place the ricotta cheese, milk, Parmigiano-Reggiano, garlic, salt, and pepper in a blender and blend until very smooth; set aside. (I used a Vitamix.)
5. Drain the pasta and return to the pot. Add the tomatoes, corn, and ricotta sauce and stir until thoroughly combined.
6. Transfer to the baking dish. Cover tightly with foil.
7. Bake until bubbling around the edges, 30 minutes. Uncover and stir to evenly coat with sauce.
8. Taste and season with salt as needed. Sprinkle with the basil. Serve.

Note: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

One Year Ago:

• Southern Pimento Cheese Dip

Two Years Ago:

• Ritzy Summer-Squash Casserole

Three Years Ago:

• Summer Vegetable Tortilla Casserole
• Roasted Sicilian Eggplant & Ricotta Bake

Four Years Ago:

• Basil Pesto & Tomatoes over Fresh Whole Wheat Pasta
• Eggplant & Wild Mushroom “Meatballs” in Tomato Sauce

Spaghetti with Tomatoes & Anchovy Butter

My husband waters a friends’ tomato plants for one week every summer while they are on vacation. I really look forward to it because we get to eat all of the ripe specimens. 🙂

This dish was a spectacular way to use our giant load of vine-ripened tomatoes. The stick of butter in the sauce made it restaurant-esque. 😉 Rich and absolutely fabulous!

This recipe was adapted from Bon Appetit, contributed by Alison Roman. I doubled the recipe, increased the garlic, and used whole wheat spaghetti. The whole wheat pasta added a wonderful bite to the finished dish. I also omitted incorporating pasta water into the sauce because the consistency was perfect without it. I did save it for re-heating the leftovers.

Yield: 8 servings

• 16 ounces whole wheat spaghetti
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 4 anchovy fillets packed in oil, drained
• 12 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 4 pounds medium tomatoes, cut into eighths
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• chopped tender herbs (such as flat-leaf parsley, tarragon, and/or chives), as desired

1. Cook spaghetti; drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.
2. Meanwhile, heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
3. Cook anchovies and garlic, stirring often, until anchovies are broken down and garlic is soft, about 4 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes; season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until falling apart, 8–10 minutes.
5. Toss in pasta; cook until sauce coats pasta, about 2 minutes. Incorporate pasta water to achieve desired sauce consistency.
6. Toss in herbs, for garnish, as desired.

One Year Ago:

• Ottolenghi’s Deconstructed Baba Ghanouj

Two Years Ago:

• Arugula with Sautéed Corn & Shallots

Three Years Ago:

• Pesto Pasta Salad with Spinach, Peas, & Pine Nuts
• Ina Garten’s Provencal Tomatoes

Four Years Ago:

• Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Browned Butter, Swiss Chard, Walnuts, & Golden Raisins
• Pasta alla Norma

Sam Sifton’s Middle-School Tacos

We are counting down the days until the end of my son’s elementary school career. 😦 His 6th grade Graduation- a.k.a. “Moving Up” ceremony- is next Tuesday. So… it’s the perfect time to share this recipe for a popular Middle-School lunch! I’m getting him ready for his next chapter. ❤

The recipe for these “Middle-School ‘Gringo’ Tacos” was featured in a New York Times article titled “The Case for Hard Shell Tacos,” contributed by Sam Sifton. They were a wonderful upgrade from a taco kit. 🙂 I used ground turkey instead of ground beef, decreased the chile powder and red pepper flakes, and doubled the garlic. We topped them with grated cheeses, sour cream, guacamole, shredded iceberg lettuce, and chopped grape tomatoes. I served them with refried beans on the side as well. Great.

Of course, my kids absolutely loved them! Then they informed me that their school lunch tacos are served in soft tortillas. Funny. Maybe that’s an elementary school thing? We’ll see! 😉

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

Time: 30 minutes

For the Meat Filling:

• 2 tablespoons neutral oil, like canola, peanut or grapeseed
• 1 medium-size yellow onion, peeled and diced
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 2 pounds ground beef or ground turkey
• 1-2 tablespoons chile powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika (or substitute hot or sweet paprika)
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes, or to taste
• 1 cup chicken stock or beef broth, low-sodium if store-bought

For Serving:

• 12-18 hard taco shells
• refried beans, optional

Topping Suggestions:

• grated cheese (I used both cheddar and Monterey Jack)
• sliced jalapeños
• chopped tomatoes
• shredded lettuce or cabbage
• sour cream
• guacamole
• lime wedges

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat, and add the oil. When it begins to shimmer, add the onion, and cook until softened and starting to brown, approximately 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Add the garlic, and cook for a minute or so to soften, and then the ground meat. Cook until it starts to brown, stirring and chopping with a spoon to break up the meat, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Pour off excess fat, leaving only a tablespoon or two in the pan.
4. Add the chile powder, cumin, salt, pepper, cornstarch, paprika and red-pepper flakes, and stir to combine.
5. Add the stock or broth, stir, bring to a simmer and cook uncovered until the sauce has thickened slightly, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
6. As sauce cooks, place taco shells (on a taco rack, if possible) on a sheet pan, and toast in oven until they are crisp and smell nutty, about 2 to 3 minutes.
7. Serve a few tablespoons of meat in each taco, along with whatever toppings you like.
8. Serve with refried beans on the side, if desired.

One Year Ago:

• Soft Pretzels

Two Years Ago:

• Grilled Chicken Thighs with Chile-Yogurt Sauce

Three Years Ago:

• Chipotle Shrimp Tostadas
• Mr. BrookCook’s Mother’s Day Dinner: Aji de Gallina

Four Years Ago:

• Mother’s Day Huevos Rancheros
• Aji de Gallina (Chicken in Aji Sauce)

Happy Mother’s Day & Cooking for a Junior Girl Scout Cook Badge

Happy Mother’s Day! I wish all of the mom’s out there a beautiful and relaxing day. ❤ While Mr. BrookCook and my kids take care of me and the cooking today, I have time to share a special mother-daughter cooking project.

In order to earn a Junior Girl Scout Cook Badge, my daughter (with my help) had to cook a complete breakfast, a healthy dinner, and a delicious dessert. Understandably, she wanted to make meals that she wanted to eat! This was actually a great opportunity for her as she is harder to please when menu planning. It was a lesson in itself to see how much time and work is required to put together an entire meal. 🙂

We made Blueberry Cornmeal Muffins for breakfast with fruit salad on the side. She loved cutting all of the fruit herself. For the “healthy” dinner, she prepared a No-Boil Macaroni and Cheese (recipe below) with Simple Caesar Salad. Healthy enough, right? She loved it so much we have already made it again.

We made a Lemon Meringue Pie, using a store-bought pie crust, for dessert. Not only did she make the pie, she typed out the recipe to share with her Girl Scout Troop. A big project! She did a great job and I was very proud of her. I hope that she continues to enjoy cooking more and more in the future. ❤

No-Boil Macaroni & Cheese (adapted from Bon Appetit)

Yield: 8 Servings

For the Pasta:

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1 T coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or more, to taste
• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 2 cups shredded extra-sharp white cheddar, divided

For the Topping:

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 2 T chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. Preheat oven to 400°, preferably on convection.
2. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
3. Add flour; cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute.
4. Whisk in milk and 3 cups water.
5. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, whisking often, until a very thin, glossy sauce forms, about 10 minutes.
6. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Remove sauce from heat.
7. Toss pasta and 1 1/2 cups cheese in a 13x9x2-inch or other shallow 3-quart baking dish. Place on a rimmed baking sheet.
8. Pour sauce over (pasta should be submerged; do not stir) and cover with foil.
9. Bake until pasta is almost tender, about 20 minutes.

For the Topping:

1. Melt remaining 1/4 cup butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add garlic, panko, and parsley and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

To Finish the Dish:

1. Remove foil from dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese, then panko mixture.
2. Bake until pasta is tender, edges are bubbling, and top is golden brown, about 10 minutes longer.
3. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Two Years Ago:

• Super Creamy Macaroni & Cheese

Three Years Ago:

• Stove-Top Pasta & Cheese

Four Years Ago:

• Lighter Three-Cheese Mac
• Speedy Baked Ziti

Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Skillet

Somehow, we seem to always have a conflict with a having timely Cinco de Mayo feast. This year, my son has his Swim Club Dinner Dance (at an Italian restaurant, by the way), so, we had our feast early. This way, there is also time to have a second feast. Good planning, right?

This quick and easy, crowd-pleasing dish was perfect for our early Cinco de Mayo celebration. It would be perfect for a Mexican-inspired weeknight meal any other day of the year too. We enjoyed it with chips and guacamole, of course. 😉

This recipe was adapted from Epicurious.com, contributed by Anna Stockwell. I reduced the oven temperature, and increased the proportions as well as the pan size. Great.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Total Time: 30 minutes

• 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2  teaspoons kosher salt
• 24 oz (1 1/2 jars) medium red salsa (I used Trader Joe’s Garlic Chipotle Salsa)
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 6 corn tortillas, torn into quarters
• 6 cups shredded cooked chicken (from 1 rotisserie chicken)
• 1 to 2 cans (15.5-ounce each) black beans, drained, rinsed (I used 1 1/2 cans)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
• cilantro, for garnish, optional

1. Preheat oven to 425°F, preferably on convection.
2. Combine salsa, sour cream, and 6 T water in a large bowl; stir to combine. Fold in tortillas, chicken, and beans until thoroughly coated.
3. Heat oil in a 12″ ovenproof skillet over medium. (I used cast iron.)
4. Add onion, garlic, cumin, and salt and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.
5. Transfer onion mixture to the chicken and bean mixture; reserve hot skillet. Fold to incorporate evenly.
6. Return mixture to reserved skillet and transfer to preheated oven until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Mixture should be bubbling on the edges.
7. Remove skillet from the oven. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the top.
8. Return skillet to oven and bake until cheese is lightly browned, melted and bubbling, about 7 to 10 minutes.
9. Top with cilantro, if desired.

One Year Ago:

• Cinco de Mayo Chicken-Chipotle Tacos

Two Years Ago:

• Shrimp & Avocado Enchiladas in Creamy Tomato Sauce

Three Years Ago:

• Shortcut Enchiladas Verdes
• Creamy Poblano & Ancho Chicken Tacos: Mix & Match Fillings
• Mexican-Style Chicken over Penne

Four Years Ago:

• Cinco de Mayo Chicken Tinga Tacos
• Rick Bayless’ Swiss Chard Tacos with Caramelized Onion, Fresh Cheese and Red Chile
• Creamy Chicken and Greens with Roasted Poblano Tacos or Pollo a la Crema con Quelites, Chile Poblano Asado

Easy Enchilada Pie

My son’s third grade teacher told the class that they each needed to know three recipes by heart before going to college. What good advice! 😉 Besides a good vinaigrette, this one might make the list! 🙂 It’s an easy crowd pleaser.

This recipe is also quick… super super fast. 🙂 It initially caught my eye because it included a “2-minute” enchilada sauce (as well as a lot of ingredients from Trader Joe’s!). We were not disappointed. It was a perfect, comforting, and family friendly weeknight meal. I especially loved the sauce. This recipe was adapted from Feasting at Home. I added an additional layer of tortillas as well as cheese to the top. Now I need to teach my kids how to make it! 🙂

For the 2-Minute Enchilada Sauce:

• 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes (preferably fire roasted)(Trader Joe’s!)
• ¼ cup water
• 2 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp chili powder
• ¼-½ tsp chipotle chile powder, to taste (or add a canned chipotle pepper, smoked paprika, and/or cayenne for heat)
• 1 ½ tsp coarse salt
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp dried oregano

1. Add all of the ingredients to a Vitamix (or blender) and blend until smooth.

To Complete the Enchilada Pie:

• 2-Minute Enchilada Sauce
• 12-14 6-inch corn tortillas
• 2 15-oz cans seasoned black beans (like Trader Joe’s Cuban Style Black Beans)
• 16 oz bag frozen fire roasted corn (Trader Joe’s) or other roasted vegetables
• 2 1/2 cups coarsely grated Mexican style cheese or blend (I used Monterey Jack)
• 4 ounce can green chilies, preferably fire roasted (Trader Joe’s)
• cilantro, to taste as well as additional chopped cilantro for garnish
• diced avocado, sour cream, hot sauce, as desired for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, preferably on convection.
2. In the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, spread out a scant amount of the enchilada sauce- just enough to lightly coat the bottom. (I used an enameled cast iron baking dish.)
3. Spread 4-5 tortillas on top of the sauce.
4. Drain one can of seasoned beans, and spread out over the tortillas. (Drain well!)
5. Spread out half of the frozen roasted corn.
6. Spread out 1 cup of the shredded cheese.
7. Scatter ½ of the canned green chilies and a little chopped cilantro.
8. Spread a second layer of 4-5 tortillas over the mixture.
9. Then repeat with another can of drained seasoned beans. (cooked chicken, chorizo,or ground meat can be substituted, if desired)
10. Top with rest of the corn, the cheese, the chilies and cilantro.
11. Drizzle with ⅓ of the enchilada sauce and top with 4-5 more tortillas.
12. Spread the remaining sauce over the tortillas.
13. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
14. Uncover, top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese and bake 8 to 10 more minutes, until the cheese is melted and lightly browned.
15. Garnish with diced avocado, and cilantro. Cut into servings and serve with sour cream and hot sauce, if desired.

One Year Ago:

• Corn Queso Fundido

Two Years Ago:

• Rick Bayless’ Classic Mexican Fried Beans with Onions & Garlic

Three Years Ago:

• Enchiladas Suizas
• Classic Applesauce

If you like this you may also like:

• Shortcut Enchiladas Verdes
• Summer Vegetable Tortilla Casserole

Spaghetti Pizza

I loved that this recipe equated the choice between making spaghetti or pizza for dinner to choosing a favorite child! 😉 Such a paralyzing decision! 🙂 A spaghetti pizza “crust” was too genius of an idea for me to pass up. I made it for my kids one night when my husband couldn’t join us for dinner- it seemed like the ultimate KID-friendly dinner. They gobbled it up!

This recipe was adapted from Tasting Table.com. I used whole wheat spaghetti, Trader Joe’s Tuscano Marinara Sauce, and Grana Padano instead of Parmesan. (I would have also added tons of garlic if it was for my husband and me! 🙂 ) Easy, tasty, and FUN!

Yield: Serves 4

• 1/2 pound whole wheat spaghetti
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan or Grana Padano, separated
• 1-2 cups tomato or marinara sauce, to taste (I used Trader Joe’s Tuscano Marinara Sauce)
• 1 cup coarsely grated part-skim mozzarella cheese
• fresh basil, for garnish
• additional pizza toppings, to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, preferably on convection.
2. Precook the spaghetti in salted boiling water for 6 minutes; cool slightly.
3. Toss the noodles with the eggs and 1/4 cup Parmesan.
4. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Form a crust with the noodles on the pan. (I made a rectangle.)
5. Bake it for 5 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and spread the tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and the last 1/4 cup of Parmesan over the top. Add any additional toppings as desired.
7. Bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the cheese begins to brown.
8. Garnish with fresh basil, slice into wedges, and serve.

One Year Ago:

• Panko-Crusted Mustard Salmon

Two Years Ago:

• Broccoli & Mozzarella Potluck Stromboli

Three Years Ago:

• Speedy Baked Ziti
• Movie Night Pizza