Crab Stuffed Ravioli with a Duxelle of Mushrooms, Shallots, Red Pepper, and Pistachios Serves 4 Tip: Uncooked ravioli can be prepared the day before. Keep in the fridge, in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Cover carefully with plastic wrap. If planning ahead and freezing all or part of the[…]
Roasted Bell Pepper and Tomato Sauce
Mariel here. So far for Secret Recipe Club, I’ve had the distinct pleasure of meeting new bloggers, or should I say, new to me. But this week, I was assigned none other than Family Fresh Cooking, one of the very first food blogs I ever started browsing. Marla is a busy So-Cal transplant from Long[…]
Harvest Lasagna with Roasted Squash and Caramelized Onions
Mariel here. This past weekend, I spent some time down in Charlotte celebrating the engagement of my best friend…I just happen to be her maid of honor so it was an event I couldn’t and wouldn’t wanna miss. Unfortunately, the weather here in NYC had other plans. As many of you no doubt know, we[…]
Whole Wheat Pasta with Mushrooms, Sweet Peppers, and Fontina Cheese
Mary Anne here. Hellooo autumn! Well, maybe I’m jumping the gun since the temp today was a humid 82, but the promise of the the season does put a glow in my heart. It’s the best of all weather, as the fading summer sun provides golden warmth during the day only to be replaced by[…]
Orzo with Creamy Brie, Bing Cherries and Fresh Basil
Mariel here. Recently I’ve been feeling like a neglectful bloghost. Where I’d normally stop by the back-end every other hour to tend to Feast‘s stat log and answer any reader questions, now it’s more like every other day. I’m in the throes of several new work projects and they’ve been all but consuming my life….which[…]
Tortellini Salad with Roasted Peppers, Tomatoes, and Eggplant
Tortellini Salad with Roasted Peppers, Tomatoes, and Eggplant 6 Side Servings FYI: We served this as a side dish for our 4th of July BBQ, but it would also make a satisfying entree for 2 or 3. Note: The veggies can be made several hours before cooking the pasta. Keep covered in the fridge and[…]
Farfalle with a Shrimp Pomodoro Sauce
Mary Anne here. Dining al fresco is one of my favorite signposts that spring has sprung in earnest, and this creation beautifully captures the promise of warm weather staples like fresh basil and rosy tomatoes. It’s a simple repast that tastes as bright as the new season. I’ve been making this sauce in various forms[…]
Easy Whole Wheat Mac ‘n Cheese
Easy Whole Wheat Mac n’ Cheese Serves 8 as an Entrée or Serves 16 as a Side Note: Use any combination of your favorite cheeses including mild to sharp cheddar, Jarlsberg, Smoked Gouda, Gruyere or Parmesan. Ingredients: 2½ cups milk, heated to a very low simmer (I used 1%) – stock 1 lb. whole wheat[…]
Penne alla Vodka
Mary Anne here. I realize that we’re only just recovering from Super Bowl splurges and now Cupid’s arrow is aimed squarely at our sweet tooth, so it only seems logical to eat light, lo-cal meals. But I’m sorry, the thermometer has been plummeting here on the East Coast and the wind chill is dancing with[…]
Tagliatelle with a Creamy Portabella Mushroom Sauce
Mariel here. This was a charity creation, a recipe I whipped up solely for the sake of my mushroom-loving husband. Much to my delight however, I fell head-over-heels in love. While cream sauces can sometimes be heavy, cloying and, well, too creamy – this one is light and lively, topped off with a handful of[…]
Ravioli with a Pumpkin-Spiked White Wine Reduction
Mariel here. This is what I make for guests when I really don’t feel like making anything at all. These are – gasp – frozen ravioli, but I’ve dressed them up with a little pumpkin reduction that tricks people into thinking I’m a thoughtful, well-prepared host. In reality, this entire meal takes maybe 20 minutes.[…]
Pumpkin Ricotta Lasagna
Mariel here. A sudden 20-degree drop in the temperature left me craving something a little warmer, a little heartier, a little autumn-ier. While I initially planned on making savory pumpkin ricotta pancakes – I’ll never grow out of breakfast for dinner – I got sidetracked by the pasta aisle. Pumpkin Ravioli happens to be one[…]
Pesto Plain and Simple
Mariel here. Pesto is the type of thing that does wonders for sprucing up a lackluster meal. Pop it on toasted bread and you’ll instantly add pep to a Tomato Salad; spread it on chicken breasts for a little zest; or just blend it with your favorite pasta. And, there are more pesto renditions than[…]
Garden Pasta Salad with Chicken Sausage, Dried Apricots, and Walnuts
Mary Anne here. The weather outside is frightful – and I’m not talking snow. Here in the Northeast, we’ve been hitting 90-degrees almost daily, and the Weather Channel is predicting we’ll top out at 100 by the end of the week…and it’s only the sixth of July! This past weekend, I was hankering for my[…]
Four Cheese Crab Macaroni
Mariel here (on behalf of Mary Anne). This is a new take on a family favorite, courtesy of my multi-talented mamacita. While this is HER recipe, I decided to do her a solid and write the intro – I’m certainly not trying to pass off her work as my own… By now you probably know[…]
Pasta with Spinach and Ricotta Cheese
Mary Anne here. Recently I attended a casual dinner party at a friend’s fabulous home in Bridgehampton. One might assume the highlight of the night was the spectacular setting, the wide-open ocean views or the scintillating dinner conversation, but the true star of the event was the second course: Debra’s pasta smothered in a dreamy,[…]
Linguine with Spicy Red Clam Sauce
Mariel here. While my mom steered clear of a set weekly menu when I was a kid, Linguine with Clam Sauce (courtesy of Progresso) was definitely part of the regular rotation. Always one of my faves, I decided to try my hand at an Italian-style red clam sauce since we only dined on white clams[…]
Fresh Tomato Sauce with Garden Vegetables
Mary Anne here. This recipe is yet another inspired by my dear friend, Mrs. A. When her garden tomatoes were ripe on the vine this past August, she prepared her “house specialty” sauce, sharing several unforgettably delicious portions with me. Naturally I tried to wrangle the recipe from her, but alas, she doesn’t measure when[…]
Classic Lasagna
Lasagna on the Lighter Side Serves 10-12 Ingredients: 1 28-oz jar of marinara sauce (I like Classico’s Tomato Basil or Roasted Garlic) – $3.09 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth – stock 2 eggs – stock 2 teaspoons minced garlic – stock 1½ cups shredded mozzarella, divided – $2.79 ½ cup freshly grated parmesan 2 cups[…]
Lazy Man’s Pasta all’Amatriciana
Mariel here. If I was Italian, this recipe would have my relatives rolling over in their graves. But I’m not, so I have no shame in sharing it! While I clearly doctored a traditional Amatriciana recipe – and gasp, used store-bought tomato sauce! – I contend that this makes an apt imitator. And with minimal[…]