Sometimes it’s beef/pork, or beef/veal or beef/pork/veal. Today it was all ground beef, because it’s what I had on hand, but it was very high quality ground beef and suited the gnocchi perfectly.

Gnocchi with Bolognese is Italian Meat and Potatoes

Over the last decade or so the idea meat and potatoes has gotten a bad rap. The “thin” generation of the 1950-70’s ate meat and potatoes several dinners a week. It’s all in portion control, healthy ingredients.

It’s not typical to serve bolognese with gnocchi. I usually serve it with a paparadelle pasta, but I thought it would be fun to make a serious comfort food dish as a play on meat and potatoes. Everyone loved it and I actually made it twice in one week with no complaints.

You can make your own gnocchi with the recipe below or buy they store bought. The big advantage of using gnocchi is that they cook in about a minute.

I’ve made no egg version here, but this version uses egg yolks, and they come out perfectly soft. The other thing I did differently from my other recipe is changing the flour to an Italian flour.

Gnocchi Ingredients

• 1 pound potatoes
• 1 cup unbleached flour, more as needed
• 2 egg yolks

I baked the potatoes and while still warm put through a ricer, which also makes the best mashed potatoes.

When you rice the potatoes warm with the skins, they come right off. Don’t use more flour than necessary or the gnocchi will be tough.

Bolognese Sauce

I have made no less than six bolognese recipes here. The basic technique is always the same, but the variations come with the meat chosen and sometimes a fun addition for the fall season. Whatever you choose from the very classical recipe or a recipe with a twist, you will find them hearty, delicious, and perfect for gnocchi.

• Five Bolognese Recipes
• What is Bolognese, Your Questions Answered and One New Bolognese Recipe

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Gnocchi with Bolognese

An Italian meat and potatoes comfort meal, Potato gnocchi with Bolognese.

Course Entree

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

Gnocchi Ingredients

• 2 pounds potatoes
• 2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 4 egg yolks

Instructions

Gnocchi Instructions

• Bake potatoes in 375 degrees oven, until tender in middle. This is better than boiling the potatoes, because it will dry them out. If you rice the potatoes, you will not need to peel. The peel comes right off.
• Do not add all the flour at one time. Start by adding a half cup and then keep adding, just until you have a dough you can work with.
• Add in egg yolks. Don’t overwork. If the mixture seems too wet, add a little flour a tablespoon at a time. Too much flour will make gnocchi tough.

  Roll into cylinder, cut in 3/4” pieces and taking it lengthwise across a fork, depress center. The center should be thinner than the edges, which helps to keep the gnocchi tender.
• The ridges serve to hold the sauce.
• Use 4 quarts of water in sauce pan to boil. Add salt. In the beginning, add 3 gnocchi and cook only FOR TEN SECONDS. Taste and if too floury, add only 2 or 3 seconds. If you are tempted to cook your gnocchi behind this point, they will become the dreaded piece of rubber.
• Time your gnocchi to be ready when your sauce is done, cooking the gnocchi in the last stretch of those 45 minutes. When gnocchi is ready, add grated cheese, and then the sauce.
• Serve immediately. Season to taste.

Notes

Double recipe for 4 to 6 servings.

The post Gnocchi Bolognese (Italian Meat and Potatoes) appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

For the last few years, I’ve been making them lunch at least three days a week. It’s become a thing and to make it even more special, we do a bible study at the lunch table. It’s become a core memory for all of us, feeding the body, feeding the soul.

These lunches take less than an hour, and sometimes are simply left-over dinners reheated and redone.

Orzo with Italian Sausage and White Beans (Cannellini Beans) is a perfect pre-ride lunch, full of carbs, protein and flavor. It only took 30 minutes to make and not one bite was left in the pan.

Orzo will absorb a LOT of liquid so make sure you do not throw out the pasta water. Keep adding until you get

Today, I had some spicy Italian sausage, (loose), white cannellini beans, passata, orzo, heavy cream, chicken broth, and a little white wine. The beans, passata and pasta are staples. You can make very quick meals with these ingredients. The sausage was a plus and we happened to have it. Of course, this dish started with sofrito, that is carrots, onion and celery.

The boys absolutely love this pasta dish of white beans and rigatoni and want it every week. This is kind of a spin on that. It’s easy comfort food, and even though it’s now Spring, there’s always time for the kind of food that makes you happy.

You might not know what passata is. You will find it in jars in the grocery store next to canned tomatoes. I like this because, you can use just the amount you want and then keep in refrigerator for at least a week.

Ingredients for Sausage Bean Pasta Recipe

• Italian Sausage
• Passata (found in jars, a tomato puree)
• Cannellini Beans
• Orzo
• White Wine
• Chicken Broth
• Heavy Cream
• Rosemary
• Garlic

More Pasta Recipes from Spinach Tiger

• Pasta with Peas and Bacon
• Tuscan White Beans Pasta
• How to Cook Pasta like an Italian
• Hearty Itakian Beef Rigatoni

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Orzo Sausage Beans Recipe

Course Pasta

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Italian sausage, orzo

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons Loose Italian Sausage
• 1 pound Italian Sausage
• 1 can Cannellini Beans
• 1 cup Tomato Passata
• 1/3 cup white wine optional
• 1 pound Orzo Pasta
• 1/2 cup Heavy cream
• 2 sprigs Rosemary
• 1/2 cup Pecorino Cheese at the table

Instructions

• Begin this dish by boiling a large pot of water for the orzo. (Begin this, while cooking sausage in another pot). Cook pasta until al dente. Do not throw out pasta water, which will be added to dish.
• Heat oil in large frying pan or dutch oven, (large enough to fit the sausage and pound of pasta.
• Sauté garlic cloves until golden. Add sausage, breaking up into bite sized pieces and cooking all way through.
• Remove garlic cloves. Add passata, which will be just enough to mix into sausage. This is not a tomato sauce dish. Add in sprigs of rosemary.
• Add white wine if using and cook down on low for about ten minutes to cook off alcohol.
• Rinse can of beans. Add to dish.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Add in orzo pasta. Mix thoroughly and add one ladle of pasta water. The starchy pasta water will help to thicken. You might need to add more passata. You can judge this if you think you need more. I never add more than one cup.
• Stir in heavy cream at the end.
• Serve with grated pecorino cheese.

The post Orzo, Italian Sausage, White Beans appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Peas is one of those things you love or hate. My MOST POPULAR RECIPE OF ALL TIME is my hamburger and peas recipe.

If you love peas, you also know they brighten up a lot of dishes, like stews, meat pies and are a great accompaniment to starches such as boiled potatoes, rice or pasta.

Peas paired with some crispy bacon, sauteed shallots, some parmesan cheese wake macaroni up, not just in taste but also in looks, because this dish is appetizing.

Frozen peas work the best and are thrown into the pasta while still frozen. The bacon gives the peas flavor and half should be reserved to add at the end (to have some crispy).

As far as using butter or olive oil, both fat choices work, or use both like I do, and as I always say, don’t forget the pasta broth, which serves as a thickner.

Ingredients

• Pasta
• Peas
• Bacon
• Butter
• Olive Oil
• Parmesan or Pecorino
• Pasta Water
• Shallots

Recipes Where Peas Shine

• Italian Ground Beef, Onion, Peas
• Veal Stew with Purple Peas and Potatoes
• Peas with Ricotta Appetizer
• Salmon with Tarragon Peas Sauce

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Pasta Peas and Bacon

Easy Tasty Pasta, Peas and Bacon with Shallots, Pecorino Cheese

Course Pasta

Cuisine Italian

Keyword bacon, pasta, peas

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound pasta
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 4 slices thick bacon
• 2 shallots chopped
• 3 cups frozen peas
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• pecorino cheese
• pasta water as needed
• salt, pepper for seasoning

Instructions

• Cook pasta according to instructions.
• In large frying pan crispy bacon. Depending on what bacon you use, save just one tablespoon of bacon grease in the pan.
• Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. You will add bacon at end.
• Add shallot to bacon grease. saute for five minutes until softened, stirring.
• Add frozen peas and continue to cook on medium heat until peas are cooked through.
  
• Once pasta is cooked through add to frying pan with a little bit of the pasta water. Add in each tablespoon of butter, and olive oil, more if needed.
• Add bacon, pecorino cheese and toss. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Keep in mind bacon and pecorino are already salty.
  

The post Pasta, Peas and Bacon appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

There are a lot of different dishes one can do with beef cubes, but usually we don’t think of making a hearty pasta beef dish, but this hits all the boxes. Pasta lovers and meat lovers get a bowl that is sure to please and makes a cold winter more palatable.

Ingredients

The list might look long, but these are items you most likely have in your pantry.

• beef cubes,
• carrots,
• onion
• celery
• beef broth
• wine
• canned tomatoes
• beans (optional)
• short rigatoni
• pecorino
• herbs

• Begin by browning beef cubes. I think it’s important to trim any fat after browning. Enough of the fat will be in the pan and can be deglazed.
• Soffrito: Chop onion, carrots, celery, as this is the go to for starting almost any soup or stew to build flavor.
• Use boxed organic beef broth, canned tomatoes, white beans and a little red wine.
• Short rigatoni make the perfect replacement for potatoes, which makes this a stew and not a soup. The rigatoni are cooked right in the pot, soaking up the broth, absorbing flavor and making this a hefty stew. You could use penne pasta also.

Variations

• You could make a similar dish with a pot roast, or even change the meat around and use boneless pork chops.
• Switch out the pasta to a different macaroni like penne.
• Add dollops of ricotta cheese!

More Dishes with Beef Cubes

• Beef Ragu
• Italian Beef Stew
• Irish Stew
• Beef Cabbage Soup
• Tomato Beef Soup with Einkorn Berries
• Beef Macaroni Soup

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Beef Rigatoni

Beef Rigatoni is a cross between a soup and a stew, hearty and true comfort food.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword beef cubes, beef rigatoni, rigatoni

Ingredients

• 2 carrots diced
• 2 celery diced
• 1/2 onion diced
• 1 pound beef cubes
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 cup Italian San Marzano Tomatoes
• 1/2 pound rigatoni
• 1/2 cup pecorino romano grated
• 1 can cannellini beans
• 1 bay leaf
• salt, pepper for seasoning

Instructions

• Make sure meat is dry (use paper towel) so it will brown better. Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan. I used a dutch oven. Add beef cubes and brown. Do this in stages because you don't want to crowd the pan.
• Remove meat to a plate and set aside.
• Add in vegetables Saute for a few minutes.
• Deglaze pot with the wine.
• Crush the tomatoes with your hand and add to pot.
• Add beef pack to pot, along with broth, bay leaf.
• Braise the beef for two hours or until tender.
• Rinse beans in cold water. Add to pot.
• Once the beef is tender, add in pasta. The pasta will absorb a lot of the liquid. If you find there's not enough liquid in pot for pasta, add some water or more broth. Make sure the soup is boiling before adding in the pasta. Cook until pasta is done. It will absorb the broth and and the starch will thicken it into a nice sauce.
• Serve with pecorino romano and any sprinkle of herbs you like.
• Drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper only if needed.

The post Hearty Italian Beef Rigatoni appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

I make a good lunch for the twins from three to five days a week. This is the dish they ask for the most. They homeschool for their senior year so they can train for competitive mountain biking. This means they need carbs and protein, but it needs to be healthy.

I don’t want to lecture anyone on how to manage the food in their kitchen, but I would like to inspire you to make more food at home using easy, fast recipes and yet still be in that slow food lane.

Slow food doesn’t mean a three-hour braise or a long list of ingredients. It means real food with real ingredients that are easy to access, and feed the body well.

Why Pasta and Beans is a Healthy Recipe

Pasta and beans make a complete protein, providing all the nine essential amino acids needed. Carrots and spinach along with garlic and olive oil add even more healthy benefits.

Why This White Beans Pasta Recipe is Our Favorite

This is a delicious dish for many reasons. The flavor boosters are garlic and rosemary sautéed in olive oil and a finish of pecorino romano grated cheese at the end. The heft of rigatoni along with creamy beans give you something to bite into.

Process for White Bean Pasta

The beauty of this recipe is how easy it is to get flavor, heft, and protein in just 15 minutes. The carrots are cooked right in the pasta water with the macaroni, while the beans are heated in an adjacent frying pan, soaking up the garlic flavored olive oil with rosemary. I also add in a half cup of passata (tomato puree) to the beans to add even more flavor.

The pasta and carrots are then transferred to the pan with beans, along with some pasta water. This is important because the starchy water adds creaminess. I do add a small amount (1/4 cup) of heavy cream at the end, which I still consider an option. Spinach is added to hot pasta and then the whole pan is tossed with some pecorino romano (or parmesan).

What Pasta is Best for White Bean Pasta?

The pasta of choice is a short rigatoni, but penne pasta would also be a great choice. More importantly, look for a bronze cut pasta (from Italy).

What Beans to use for White Bean Pasta?

Use cannellini beans. I like to rinse them first in cold water.

The Veggies for White Bean Pasta

I made this dish to use up carrots and they are a great choice to accompany beans. It really depends on what you have on hand. I had an excess of carrots and spinach the day I first made this dish, and we really liked it like this. You could also make it with red bell pepper.

ANY kind of greens such as kale, swiss chard, or napa cabbage can work in this pasta dish, as they go great with beans. Add cherry tomatoes to the beans before you add the pasta. Play around. This is a flexible dish, but we do like it just as written.

This is not the first time I’ve put macaroni and white beans in a recipe. Some time ago, I made a white bean macaroni soup, also made very quickly.

Variations

Feel free to add any left over meat (ground meat) pulled pork, bacon, or Italian sausage to this recipe.

Similar Dishes

• Oven Roasted Duck Confit with Rosemary White Beans
• White Bean Macaroni Soup
• Chicken and White Bean Soup
• Easy Shrimp and White Bean Soup
• Snowcap Heirloom Bean Soup
• My Special Italian Bean Soup

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Tuscan White Bean Pasta

Delicious easy white beans pasta made in under twenty minutes for a quick, but hearty lunch or dinner,

Course Pasta

Cuisine Italian

Keyword white beans pasta

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

Pasta Pot

• 4 carrots cut into coins
• salt
• 1 pound short rigatoni or penne pasta

Frying Pan

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves peeled
• 2 cans cannellini beans
• pepper
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1/2 cup passata (tomato puree)
• pasta water
• 2 cups fresh spinach or trimmed kale
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• red chili flakes
• 1/2 cup pecorino romano grated

Instructions

Pasta Pot

• Peel and cut carrots into coins (rounds).
  
• Bring large pot of water to a boil.
• Once boiled, add 2 tablespoons salt.
• Add pasta and carrot coins. Cook pasta two minutes under the recommended time.

Frying Pan

• Rinse beans with cold water and drain.
  
• Sauté whole peeled garlic cloves in olive oil.
  
• Swish the rosemary around in the oil and leave in to be removed at the end.
• Add drained beans and add more olive oil, if needed. Season with salt and pepper. Add chili flakes if desired.
• Add passata (a tomato puree). Or use tomato sauce.
• Some of the beans will become extra creamy and mashed which is great for the sauce. Keep on low heat until pasta is ready.
  
• Make sure to KEEP one cup of pasta water. Drain pasta and add pasta and carrots to the beans.
• Add the pasta water and stir. The pasta water contains starch and will bring more creaminess.
• Add spinach or kale. Stir in.
  
• Add heavy cream. Stir in.
  
• If necessary, season with salt and pepper. Add pecorino romano.

  Serve immediately.
  

The post Tuscan White Bean Pasta Recipe appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

It was a mix of all the right ingredients and although rustic, far from ordinary. They had a secret ingredient I’ll share below

I posted this recipe eleven years ago am I’m reposting with new pictures. It was a post that expressed how I feel about food, and particularly developing recipes you will actually make and enjoy. I still feel the same way in what I believe this blog is all about. It’s about you and how to make your life more delicious, more enjoyable in an easy, approachable style.

 Some people think that hat good food can only be achieved if you spend hours in the kitchen.

No one, not even a passionate foodie type, food blogger has several free hours to make each and every meal.  I now own a keto bakery and cooking is a lot more challenging for me.

When I boil down the reasons I blog about food, it’s not really for me. I can go in the kitchen and come out happy any time of day. I also know many of you didn’t grow up with my background.

I was exposed to home cooking and fine dining since the day I was born. I was also that girl who lived with one parent, and especially the years I lived with my father, I did all the cooking. The meals became important in rough times. Sometimes sitting to have nice food together was the only normal I felt.

When I write out recipes, I write them for you so you can have some normal in your day, to bring good smells, tastes, and bites of pleasure to your family. If you’re going through something, at least you can sit and eat together and smile through the food.

After all these years of writing this blog, my passion rests in getting my readers to try new foods, new flavors with ease and joy. This means it has be fast, easy, approachable, understandable and yet, still have last meal goodness.

My husband says “if I had a choice between this dish and sex, I would have a hard time choosing. There is no other food on earth I can say that about.” That’s a huge testimony to this dish.

Main Ingredients

• Scallops
• Basil
• Olive Oil
• Anchovies
• Bucatini
• Garlic
• Sliced Almonds
• Breadcrumbs (optional)

Pesto

There are many ways to make pesto. This recipe was made with pestle and mortar, which allowed me to add oil as I wanted. I crushed the basil with garlic confit, toasted almonds first, and gradually added olive oil. Salt before you taste, because salt finishes it. I also added an Italian cracked chili pepper. I also replaced the pine nuts with sliced almonds, as they are more affordable.

TIPS: If you don’t have enough basil (2 cups) do half and half with Italian parsley.

Anchovies, the Secret Ingredient

Do not let the anchovies scare you. When you are at the grocery store just pick up a can and trust me. Melt them into your olive oil. They may gross you out at first, but once the basil pesto sauce is layered over the pasta, you won’t even know the anchovies are there. They are an amazing flavor enhancer, giving any dish that umami oomph.

Actually pick up a few cans. Melt anchovies into olive oil and cook broccoli or cauliflower and taste the flavor boost.

Why Bucatini?

Bucatini is a large hollow spaghetti, which will absorb the flavors, and has a great bite to it.You could use linguini or spaghetti but bucatini is a favorite with this type of sauce.

Seared Scallops

I used smaller scallops that actually work better, because they are bite size and more affordable. You could also do large scallops. See Variations below.

So tell me, are you interested in fast, easy dishes that are amazing? Would you like to see more of these types of recipes?

Variations in this Recipe

• Replace the scallops with shrimp, or combination.
• Replace the scallops with broccoli florets.
• Replace the scallops with chick peas, green peas, or white beans.
• Replace bucatini with spaghetti or linguini, or even gnocchi.

More Recipes with Pesto from Spinach Tiger

• Zucchini Garlic Scape Pesto
• Ricotto Peas Pesto Appetizer
• Caprese Salad with Pesto
• Baked Red Snapper with Pistachio Pesto

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Anchovy Basil Pesto Sauce with Seared Scallops

Anchovy Basil Pesto Sauce with Seared Scallops, Toasted Almonds

Course Entree

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Bucatini, pesto, scallops

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 1 pound bucatini pasta
• 2 tablespoons salt for the pasta water
• 1 pound scallops
• 1/3 cup tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small can achovies approximately 6 to 8 packed in olive oil
• salt
• 1/2 cup pesto sauce
• 2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs optional

Pesto Sauce

• 2 cups tightly packed fresh picked basil leaves
• 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped before processing
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoon sliced almonds toasted, divided

Instructions

• Toast breadcrumbs either in oven until golden or in dry frying pan. Toast pine nuts or sliced almonds. Set both aside. You can skip the breadcrumbs if you want to.

Pesto Sauce

• Make Pesto Sauce, by combining basil, garlic olive oil in food processor or magic bullet, or by hand with mortar and pestle, reserving one tablespoon of toasted pine nuts or sliced almonds for garnish. Set aside.

  TIP: Mortar and pestle is the best way to go. The color will remain brighter green.
  
• Bring large pot of water to a boil. Add ample amount of salt to pasta water.
• Cook bucatini or spaghetti one minute less than directions to al dente. Pasta will finish cooking in sauce. While pasta is cooking, make scallops.
• Cook and drain pasta, reserving a cup of pasta water. You won't use all of that, probably a few tablespoons.

Sear Scallops

• Bring scallops to near room temperature. Ice cold scallops won’t cook inside.
  
• Remove muscle, a little rubbery piece on side of scallop.
• Pat dry. Season with salt and pepper
• Use a pan (not non-stick) that is large enough to give each scallop plenty of room. I use all-clad 12 inch pan.
• When scallops are crowded, they steam, instead of caramelize.
• Add enough butter in pre-heated pan that when melted, pan is covered. Add in a little bit of olive oil.
• Add scallops to hot pan, and do not try to turn until they are brown and no longer stick, 4-6 minutes, less for smaller scallops, which take 2-3 minutes.
• Turn and cook for a few more minutes. Immediately remove from pan.

Assemble dish

• In same frying pan heat 1/3 cup olive oil on medium heat.
• Add anchovies, breaking up with a wooden spoon until they are melted.
• Add cooked pasta.
• Add in pesto sauce. Only use as much as needed. You may have some left over.
• Add in pasta water, as much as you need, so pasta is not dry. Toss.
• Add Scallops.
• Season with salt if needed and some cracked red pepper.
• Cover dish with toasted sliced almonds. Can sprinkle toasted breadcrumbs to finish dish.
  
• Serve immediately.
  

The post Bucatini with Basil Pesto and Seared Scallops appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

I don’t generally make boneless breast of chicken recipes, as I find them a little on the dry and on the boring side. Sometimes, though a recipe like chicken marsala calls for it, and this is anything but humdrum.

I wanted a go to recipe that was easy, approachable and still big, fat, healthy food that could bring a little excitement to the middle of the week.

The best recipes I saw on the internet were from Serious Eats and Tyler Florence. I liked both of them, and took pointers from each, while keeping this on the low-carb side.

Easy and Fast Chicken Marsala

Between prep and cooking you are investing about ten minutes of time.

The prep only involves pounding the chicken and slicing the mushrooms and can be done ahead of time.  If that’s ready to go, this dish will be finished by the time it takes to make the spaghetti.

Gluten Free Approach to Chicken Marsala with Mushrooms Recipe

Most recipes have you dredge the chicken cutlets in flour. I did not do that. It’s not necessary and the flour takes away from the nuanced flavors of the Marsala wine and butter.

I used a gluten free pasta, but this would be great with mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower for a full low-carb dinner.

The sauce can be thin (no flour, no starchy thickener) or the sauce can be thicker from those ingredients. There are other options.

Serious Eats suggests gelatin be added to any store bought chicken broth/stock. Gelatin is flavorless and a trick of many chefs. That’s how he makes his chicken marsala.

This makes sense, as ideally, the stock should be full of it’s own gelatin which would give body to the sauce. The best store bought sauce will not have the same viscosity (body) that a restaurant chicken marsala has.

I often keep chicken bone broth like this me in the freezer in small amounts. When I don’t, I use xanthan gum gel.

How to Save Money buying Premium Quality Chicken for Chicken Marsala with Mushrooms Recipe

I can’t stress enough that the quality of your chicken is important. I wait for organic chicken or Greenwise chicken to go on sale (whole chicken) and buy several packages. I also LOVE Belle Evans brand.

Save money by cutting chicken breasts off the bone. It’s really easy to do. I have a pair of poultry sheers and cut the chicken up the back and cut out thigh/leg combinations and breast. The breasts from a whole chicken can feed yield 2-4 servings, and works perfectly for this recipe.

Slice through each breast piece horizontally, resulting in four substantial pieces. You can freeze the leg/thighs for a different day, and separately freeze the back for broth

I used cremini mushrooms, sliced and added Irish butter to the pan to cook them. Make sure they have released their water and are golden brown before adding marsala to pan.

Prosciutto bring flavor to Chicken Marsala with Mushrooms  

Tyler Florence has an easy recipe for chicken marsala and he includes prosciutto. If you don’t have prosciutto, you could use bacon.

If you don’t eat pork or don’t want to use prosciutto, add in some shallots.

How to Pound Out Chicken Cutlets

Take precautions with raw chicken, as you don’t want to contaminate your surfaces. I never lay cutlets on a wooden cutting board. I have a special “chicken only” color coded mat that I lay over my cutting board or on the counter. I only use my wooden cutting boards for fruits, vegetables, cheese and have devoted mats for meat and fish.

The safest thing to do is to put the chicken in plastic bag and pound it flat, so chicken pieces aren’t flying around, contaminating the kitchen.

The one thing both recipes emphasized was frying the cutlets golden brown. You can still do that without flour, keeping the cutlets at a medium low heat. If the cutlets are cold right from the refrigerator, the low heat is especially important, so that they cook through.

Marsala Wine

Marsala wine is an inexpensive, fortified wine from Sicily. Once open, keep it refrigerated. I’ve seen recipes using it with steak and with veal, so it’s not limited to a chicken marsala with mushrooms recipe.

Never buy cooking wine. Period. It’s full of sodium and tastes terrible.

Use fresh Italian parsley at the end of the dish, and if you like a squeeze of lemon to add brightness.

Serve chicken marsala with mushrooms recipe solo, with pasta, with mashed cauliflower or mashed potatoes.

Make this dish keto friendly with these sides

Make this Keto Friendly. Serve with Mashed Cauliflower Rice, cauliflower rice risotto, or Spaghetti Squash.

More Chicken Recipes from Spinach Tiger

• Low Carb Keto Chicken Picatta
• Greek Chicken Kabobs
• Chicken Francaise
• Chicken Stuffed with Ricotta
• Mayonnaise Parmesan Chicken Bake
• Chicken Breasts with Mustard Cream Sauce

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Chicken Marsala

Easy chicken marsala, twenty minutes start to finish, with gluten free pasta.

Course Entree

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 2 large chicken breasts
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons unsaltedbutter
• 4-6 slices prosciutto thinly sliced
• 2 cups cremini mushrooms about 8 ounces
• 1/2 cup marsala wine
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 package unflavored gelatin
• chopped parsley for garnish
• lemon wedge optional

Instructions

• Slice chicken breasts horizontally.
• Put chicken breasts in ziplock bag, pound about 1/4 inch thick.
• Season with salt and pepper on both sides.
• Heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter in frying pan on medium heat.
• Brown chicken a few minutes on each side, until golden.
• Remove chicken to a warming plate.
• Add prosciutto to pan, lower heat, cook for a minute, stirring.
• Add sliced mushrooms, saute until golden, about 5 minutes.
• Add Chicken back in, add marsala wine, cook down for a few minutes.
• Sprinkle gelatin onto broth. Stir in.
• Add broth and remaining butter into pan. Sauce should thicken rapidly.
• Add parsley.
• Squeeze a little lemon for brightness (optional)
• Serve immediately.

The post Chicken Marsala with Mushrooms and Prosciutto appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

He told me to cut them up and roast them as they sweet and delicious. He was right. You might be wondering what exactly is a carnival squash? Me too.

What is a Carnival Squash?

A carnival squash is small, pretty and a cross between a sweet dumpling and an acorn squash. It has bursts of color and is why it’s often used decorativley.

They are hard to cut through, and you might want to microwave a bit to soften. I just used a very sharp knife, carefully. Cut lengthwise and keep cutting until you have pieces. Scrape off seeds, but do not peel. The skin is edible.

This is my version with parmesan.

How to Roast Carnival Squash

I put the pieces (with skin) on roasting pan and brushed with melted butter. You could use olive oil also. It took about 20 minutes at 400 Degrees F. I turned over at 10 minutes.

This is my version with maple syrup.

Variations for Carnival Squash

• Brush with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
• Brush with melted butter (flavored with a bit of maple syrup or extact).
• Brush with butter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
• Brush with olive oil, seasoned with chili oil or whatever heat you like.
• Wrap with a little prosciutto for a quick appetizer bite.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this squash. It’s nutty, buttery and slightly sweet. Enjoy!

Similar Recipes from Spinach Tiger

• Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
• Festive Kale Salad with Butternut Squash
• Roasted Acorn Squash
• Butternut Squash with Brussels Sprouts and Secret Ingredient
• How to Cook Spaghetti Squash

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Roast Carnival Squash

Beautiful Carnival Squash, cut roasted with skin and several variations.

Course Side

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Variation 1

• 1 Carnival Squash
• 2 tablespoons Melted Butter
• 1/4 teaspoon Maple Syrup or extract
• Salt
• Pepper

Variation 2

• 2 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese
• 2 tablespoons Melted Butter
• Salt
• Pepper

Instructions

• Cut on the natural lines of the squash and cut into thinner pieces as needs.
  
• Remove all seeds.
• Brush with either melted butter or olive oil. if using variation 1 add the maple syrup to the butter and brush. If using variation 2, brush with either butter or olive oil. Add the Parmesan during last five minutes of roasting. Season both with salt and pepper.
  
• Roast on baking sheet for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees F. Turn over at then minutes. You may need a few more minutes. Should be fork tender.

The post Roast Carnival Squash, Not Just a Decoration appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

This time I made the macadamia nut pesto. They are probably the best substitute for pine nuts because they are sweet and don’t make pesto bitter like walnuts or other nuts sometimes can.

I made this recipe twice in the last week. The second time I used organic spaghetti from Trader Joe’s and served to company. Everyone loved it. I have to say it was definitely my favorite pasta dish of the year.

Ingredients for Macadamia Nut Pesto Pasta with Trader’s Joe’s Shrim

• Macadamia Nuts
• Garlic
• Olive Oil
• Fresh Basil
• Salt, Pepper
• Pecorino or Parmesan (optional)
• Pasta (spaghetti or for low carb this edamame option)
• Shrimp

The shrimp I use most often are the Argentinian shrimp from Trader Joe’s. They are peeled, frozen and sweet, ready to jump into any recipe. See below for all the ways I’ve used these shrimp.

Once you have the pesto made, a quick sauté of the shrimp while the pasta is boiling and you will have a fantastic dinner. I added in a few sliced grape tomatoes for color.

Make this Dish Keto, Gluten Free Friendly

Low Carb Option: If you want to keep your dish low-carb, you can use edamame pasta, hearts of palm pasta or zoodles. You can find edmame pasta it in various stores or on Amazon. I find it works well in this dish.

My Favorite Food Processor

I recently purchased a Braun food processor on Amazon that does just about everything I need in the kitchen and is amazing. It juices lemons, chops nuts, makes the BEST buttercream, heavy cream, chops, grates and for this recipe makes the best pesto. If you are in the market for a food processor, you will love this one. It costs a little more than the average processor, but it does so much more. Made in Europe with German engineering, it’s not like any food processor I’ve ever owned.

More Low Carb Shrimp Recipes from Spinach Tiger

• Keto Shrimp and Cheesy Cauliflower Grits
• Shrimp with Spaghetti Squash
• Shrimp Creole Cauliflower Rice
• Spicy Tuscan Shrimp
• Keto Shrimp Scampi
• Shrimp with Olives, Italian Spicy Zoodles

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Shrimp with Macadamia Nut Pesto

Fresh basil, macadamia nuts, lemon juice make a delightful summer pesto, perfect for shrimp.

Course Italian Sauce

Cuisine Italian

Keyword basil, cajun shrimp, edamame pasta, macadamia nuts, pesto

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 Servings

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

Macadamia Nut Pesto

• 2 cups tightly packed fresh picked basil leaves
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cups roasted salted macadamia nuts
• 1 cloves of garlic finely chopped before processing
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• dash of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• For completion by hand
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup parmesan or Pecorino cheese optional

Shrimp and Pasta

• 1 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined
• 1/2 pound pasta
• 1/4 cup pasta water
• 8 grape tomatoes optional

Instructions

Macadamia Nut Pesto

• Place all ingredients except cheese into a food processor. You must chop the garlic first, which makes it much better to process and doesn’t become a juice.
• I don’t like to use a food processor for this because I can pulse it and keep some texture, which I prefer.
• I skipped the cheese in this recipe, but if using, add by hand at the end, before adding butter.
• Shrimp and Pasta
• Add oil to a frying pan and sautè shrimp for about one minute on each side, until there is no pink showing. Set aside.
• Cook pasta according to directions. (Save about 1/4 cup of pasta water).
• Add drained pasta to pan with shrimp. Add enough pesto to cover pasta. You can add a little pasta water back in, as the starchy water helps to thicken. Add a tablespoon at a time.
• Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise. Add as garnish to pasta dish.

Notes

Regarding cheese, sometimes I just use pecorino romano. You can also use parmesan cheese. I  skip the cheese when using seafood.

Shrimp: We use a pound of shrimp, half pound pasta for 4 small servings. You can double this for larger servings or to serve six.

If you are adding this to pasta, reserve some pasta water (3 tablespoons or so) a little at a time to extend the pasta.

You may also heat the pesto on very very low and add in heavy cream for a creamy pesto pasta.

The post Macadamia Nut Pesto, Shrimp, Edamame Pasta appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

The key is to mix it up with lots of crunch and color from various cabbages, greens, colored bell peppers, snow peas and top it off with a very bright citrus ginger dressing. You can add peanuts or sliced almonds for added flavor.

When I first made this asian slaw, I took the time to shred Napa cabbage, but then realized a bag of angel hair slaw would save a lot of time and provide the same result. I also used a bag of broccoli slaw which has added carrots (more color). The only time consuming part of Asian Slaw will be doing thin slices of colored peppers and making a homemade dressing.

I highly recommend you make your own dressing, as it’s easy, fresh and won’t contain harmful seed oils like canola oil.

My Sesame Ginger Salad Dressing is full of flavor and jumps with brightness. I brought this salad to an Asian night potluck and it was a big hit. I kept hearing words like refreshing, flavorful, delicious.

The main components of the ingredients for Asian slaw are listed below. You can skip the nuts altogether or replace broccoli slaw with more napa cabbage or angel hair slaw. You can add in slivered carrots or finely chopped celery. I’ll leave that to you.

Main Components of Asian Slaw

• Large Napa Cabbage or Bag Angel Hair Slaw
• Broccoli Slaw (bag)
• Red and Yellow Bell Peppers
• Snow Peas or Snap Peas (optional)
• Scallions
• Peanuts or Sliced Almonds
• Sesame Seeds
• Cilantro or Thai Basil

Sesame Ginger Dressing Ingredients

• Fresh Knob of Ginger
• Shallots
• Tamari Sauce (or soy sauce)
• Garlic cloves
• Orange juice from fresh orange
• Lime Juice from fresh lime
• Rice Vinegar
• Sesame Oil
• Avocado Oil

How to Make this Slaw Turn into a Full Dinner

This slaw can be the base for grilled for the following poached shrimp, salmon, fish tacos, salmon tacos.

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Asian Slaw with Ginger Dressing

Asian Slaw with Ginger Dressing for a side or serve with a Protein

Course Salad and Salad Dressing

Cuisine Asian

Keyword Asian Slaw, Ginger Dressing

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Ingredients

• 1 Napa Cabbage Or Bag Angel Hair Slaw
• 1 bag Broccoli Slaw
• 6 Scallions
• 1 cup snow peas or edamame optional
• 1 Red Bell Pepper
• 1 Yellow Bell Pepper
• 1/3 cup Peanuts or Sliced Almonds
• 1 tablespoon Sesame Seeds optional

Ginger Dressing

• 3 garlic cloves
• 3 tablespoons Freshly Grated Ginger (1 large knob)
• 1/2 orange
• 1 lime
• 4 tablespoons Rice Vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Tamari or Soy Sauce
• 1 tablespoon Sesame Oil
• 10 tablespoons Avocado Oil
• 1 large shallot
• 1 tablespoon fresh herb cilantro

Instructions

• Slice Bell Peppers into very thin slices. Slice scallions.
• Cook Snow Peas or Snap Peas and put on Ice to maintain color. You can serve them raw in the salad.
• If you are using Napa Cabbage, clean, rinse, dry and slice thinly.
• Put all cabbage and broccoli slaw in bowl. Add vegetables.
• Toss with dressing. You may not use all of the dressing or you may need more. For best flavor dress a few hours ahead and refrigerate.
• Add Peanuts and a sprinkling of cilantro right before serving.

Ginger Dressing

• Grate a large knob of ginger.
• Mince garlic.
• Finely chop shallot.
• Put vinegar, Tamari sauce (or soy sauce) and honey Into a jar Add garlic, ginger and shallots.
• Add juice from orange and lime.
• Add avocado oil and sesame oil and give a good shake.
• You may choose to add more of any Ingredient according to your taste.

The post Asian Slaw Recipe, Ginger Dressing appeared first on Spinach Tiger.