Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Rotini

Every October, when summer in southern California is winding own, I tell myself that next year I’m giving up teaching swim lessons.

Every autumn I tell myself that I’m too old to be doing swim lessons, and that I should just relax on the weekends.

But every June, I get back in the pool with the kiddos. I’m not sure what keeps me coming back, but it keeps me happy and in extra cash. A total win win.

It also keeps me in a batching suit. Which means I gotta keep my meals a little lighter. Still hearty and tasty, but lighter.

You will need…

¾ pound dried rotini

1 cup reserved pasta water

3 tablespoons olive oil

6 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

½ cup sun dried tomato halves, roughly chopped

3 tomatoes, diced

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 cup Greek yogurt

1 cup basil, roughly chopped basil

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil.

When the water boils, cook the pasta to the packing instructions. Make sure to reserve a cup of pasta water.

While the pasta cooks, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat

When the oil is hot, add in the garlic, red pepper flakes and sun dried tomatoes. Cook until the garlic is fragrant. About 2 minutes.

Add in the tomato paste, tomatoes, sugar and season with salt and pepper. Stir well to combine and cook for an additional minute.

While rapidly whisking the tomato mixture, add in the Greek yogurt. Whisk until completely incorporated. Slowly add in the reserved pasta water until the texture of the sauce is creamy.

Toss in the basil and simmer for an additional minute.

Add in the pasta, toss to coat and serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Rotini

¾ pound dried rotini

1 cup reserved pasta water

3 tablespoons olive oil

6 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

½ cup sun dried tomato halves, roughly chopped

3 tomatoes, diced

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 cup Greek yogurt

1 cup basil, roughly chopped basil

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil.

When the water boils, cook the pasta to the packing instructions. Make sure to reserve a cup of pasta water.

While the pasta cooks, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat

When the oil is hot, add in the garlic, red pepper flakes and sun dried tomatoes. Cook until the garlic is fragrant. About 2 minutes.

Add in the tomato paste, tomatoes, sugar and season with salt and pepper. Stir well to combine and cook for an additional minute.

While rapidly whisking the tomato mixture, add in the Greek yogurt. Whisk until completely incorporated. Slowly add in the reserved pasta water until the texture of the sauce is creamy.

Toss in the basil and simmer for an additional minute.

Add in the pasta, toss to coat and serve hot. 

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

Lately, I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on the different living situations I’ve had in the last nine years since I first left home. I’m not sure if it’s because I’ve been back at home for almost two years or if it’s because my twenty-seventh birthday is just a week away, but either way it has been on my mind a lot.

Living with my parents and my brother has definitely been the most rewarding living situation I’ve ever had, but living with Lish and Jeanelle in our first post collage apartment was one hundred percent the most fun.

We were young, full of ambition and just trying to make our way in the world.

In the morning, we would get ready for work together and in the evening we would eat dinner together.

And one of our main dish components for a large majority of the things was the sun-dried tomato pesto from Trader Joe’s.

We literally had one or two containers on hand at ALL times. It was a requirement.

Which is why I think it is SHOCKING that it took me years to make it myself.

But I finally did, and I’m pretty sure it will be a new Samuels family staple.

You will need…

½ cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, plus 2 tablespoons of the sun-dried tomato oil

1/3 cup salted roasted almonds, roughly chopped

2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

½ cup olive oil

1 handful fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by combining the tomatoes, roasted almonds, garlic, basil, and sun-dried tomato oil in the base of a food processor.

Blend until you create a paste.

Season well, with salt and pepper.

While the processor is on, slowly add in the remaining olive oil and blend until completely combined.

Serve as a spread, dip or as a pasta sauce.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

½ cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, plus 2 tablespoons of the sun-dried tomato oil

1/3 cup salted roasted almonds, roughly chopped

2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

½ cup olive oil

1 handful fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by combining the tomatoes, roasted almonds, garlic, basil, and sun-dried tomato oil in the base of a food processor.

Blend until you create a paste.

Season well, with salt and pepper.

While the processor is on, slowly add in the remaining olive oil and blend until completely combined.

Serve as a spread, dip or as a pasta sauce. 

Sun Dried Tomato Soup

It happened! It finally happened!

After months of waiting, the rain has finally returned to southern California.

I have no idea why I have always been so drawn to the rain, but something about the drops falling from the sky awakens something special in my soul.

Profound, right?

I’ve never understood why, but the rain makes me really happy.

And the best part about rain is that it makes people crave soup.

My absolute FAVORITE thing to make.

There is something so comfy and cozy about soup. It makes you feel warm and fulfilled and the combination of flavors always dances off your tongue.

In the years I have spent making soup there have been quite a few gems, but this might be the best one yet.

You will need…

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 onion, chopped

2 leeks, white parts chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1/3 cup roughly chopped sun dried tomatoes

3 large russet potatoes, peeled and chopped

8 cups chicken broth

½ cup heavy cream

2 cups homemade croutons

2 tablespoons chopped chives

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by heating the olive oil and the butter in a large pot over medium heat.

When the butter has melted, add in the onions and the leeks.

Cook them down until the onions are slightly browned. About 7 minutes.

Season well with salt and pepper.

Add in the garlic and the sun dried tomatoes and cook until the garlic becomes fragrant. 

About 1 minute.

Add in the potatoes and the chicken broth to the pot and bring the soup to a boil.

Reduce the soup to a simmer and let it cook until the potatoes are very tender. About 30 minutes.

When the potatoes are tender, turn off the heat and season the soup again to taste.

Using a hand emersion blender or a food processor to puree the soup.

When the soup is nice and smooth, add in the cream and continue to blend until completely combined.

Ladle the soup into a bowl and top with a couple croutons and a couple of pinches of chives and serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Sun Dried Tomato Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 onion, chopped

2 leeks, white parts chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1/3 cup roughly chopped sun dried tomatoes

3 large russet potatoes, peeled and chopped

8 cups chicken broth

½ cup heavy cream

2 cups homemade croutons

2 tablespoons chopped chives

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by heating the olive oil and the butter in a large pot over medium heat.

When the butter has melted, add in the onions and the leeks.

Cook them down until the onions are slightly browned. About 7 minutes.

Season well with salt and pepper.

Add in the garlic and the sun dried tomatoes and cook until the garlic becomes fragrant. About 1 minute.

Add in the potatoes and the chicken broth to the pot and bring the soup to a boil.

Reduce the soup to a simmer and let it cook until the potatoes are very tender. About 30 minutes.

When the potatoes are tender, turn off the heat and season the soup again to taste.

Using a hand emersion blender or a food processor to puree the soup.

When the soup is nice and smooth, add in the cream and continue to blend until completely combined.

Ladle the soup into a bowl and top with a couple croutons and a couple of pinches of chives and serve hot. 

Chicken and Gnocchi in Sun Dried Tomato and White Wine Cream Sauce

Prepare yourselves for a rant my friends because I have a hair up my ass.

Actually, I have no idea what that saying really means. Nor do I think I really want to know.

Regardless, I have something that is irking me and I’m going to spew my anger all over this page.

Brace yourself.

I love social media. Obviously. I write a blog, I Facebook, I tweet (not really but I have a twitter account where I share the blog) and I am new but enthusiastic Instagram user.

The glory of staying connected socially is not lost on me. It does not stop me from calling my friends to chat or spending time with my family.

To me, social media is truly a life enhancement.

But why the hell do people really feel the need to post solo photos of themselves?

I will give it to you if you are doing something funny or if you are in front of something funny or if you are in a photo with a family member, friend, pet or beautiful work of art.

You even pass my test if you are making a stupid face or capturing a photo of yourself with a stunning sunset.

However, if you post a photo of yourself looking in the mirror, posing by yourself in your car or a pic of yourself shirtless in your bathroom, pull yourself together.

We are all vain. For the most part, we all want to look good. And if you look good, awesome. I don’t care how hot you are, I don’t want you to take a picture of yourself just to show everyone how great you look. No matter how great I think you look, I will still think you are shallow.

As you ponder that thought, I am going to have another helping of this not so body flattering but oh so delicious dish.

Just to prove my point that I am not as vain as the face posters. So there.

You will need…

2 large chicken breasts

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ onion, chopped

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

4 tablespoons butter

½ cup dry white wine

¼ cup sun dried tomatoes, roughly chopped

½ cup heavy cream

¼ cup basil, roughly chopped

2 cups homemade gnocchi

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by heating the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.

As soon as the oil is hot, season the chicken with salt and pepper and add them to the pan.

Cook the chicken until both sides are browned. About 4 minutes a side.

As soon as the chicken is browned, add in the onion, garlic, mushrooms and thyme.

Cook until the onions start to become translucent. About 5 minutes.

Add in the wine and cook until the liquid has reduced slightly. About 2 minutes.

Turn the heat to low and add in the butter, cream, basil sun dried tomatoes and season it well with salt and pepper.

With the heat low, simmer the sauce for 15 minutes.

After 20 minutes, remove the chicken and cut it into bite sized pieces.

Add the chicken and the gnocchi to a platter. Drizzle the sauce over the chicken and serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Chicken and Gnocchi in Sun Dried Tomato and White Wine Cream Sauce 

2 large chicken breasts

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ onion, chopped

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

4 tablespoons butter

½ cup dry white wine

¼ cup sun dried tomatoes, roughly chopped

½ cup heavy cream

¼ cup basil, roughly chopped

2 cups homemade gnocchi

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by heating the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.

As soon as the oil is hot, season the chicken with salt and pepper and add them to the pan.

Cook the chicken until both sides are browned. About 4 minutes a side.

As soon as the chicken is browned, add in the onion, garlic, mushrooms and thyme.

Cook until the onions start to become translucent. About 5 minutes.

Add in the wine and cook until the liquid has reduced slightly.About 2 minutes.

Turn the heat to low and add in the butter, cream, basil sun dried tomatoes and season it well with salt and pepper.

With the heat low, simmer the sauce for 15 minutes.

After 20 minutes, remove the chicken and cut it into bite sized pieces.

Add the chicken and the gnocchi to a platter. Drizzle the sauce over the chicken and serve hot. 

Sundried Tomato and Pesto Rotini

Tomorrow is the big day.

The big day that I’ve been dreading.

After work tomorrow, I’m heading home to attempt the real deal. A three tiered wedding cake. The exact wedding cake I will be making come the middle of September.

Instead of doing a bunch of baby practice cakes, I decided I just needed to give the real deal a chance.

And chances are good there will be more than one kink I will have to work out.

But no matter how ugly that thing looks, I know it will taste good.

If you are in the area and hungry for sweets on Sunday, stop by.

In the mean time, here is a recipe I KNOW will work out.

You will need…

1 package penne or rotini pasta

½ cup fresh pesto

1 cup goat cheese crumbles

½ cup sundried tomatoes

3 cups arugula

1 lemon, juiced

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by boiling a large pot of salted water.

While the water is boiling, chop your sundried tomatoes into small bite sized pieces.

When the water has boiled, add in the pasta and cook to the package instructions.

Before you drain the water, make sure to take out 2 cups of the starchy pasta water and set it aside.

Drain the pasta and add it back to the pot.

Add in the pesto, goat cheese, arugula and 1 cup of the pasta water. Add in more water if it isn't becoming sauce like.

Stir everything well so that it makes a light sauce.

Toss in the sundried tomato and the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

Combine completely and serve hot.

 

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Sundried Tomato and Pesto Rotini

1 package penne or rotini pasta

½ cup fresh pesto

1 cup goat cheese crumbles

½ cup sundried tomatoes

3 cups arugula

1 lemon, juiced

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by boiling a large pot of salted water.

While the water is boiling, chop your sundried tomatoes into small bite sized pieces.

When the water has boiled, add in the pasta and cook to the package instructions.

Before you drain the water, make sure to take out 2 cups of the starchy pasta water and set it aside.

Drain the pasta and add it back to the pot.

Add in the pesto, goat cheese, arugula and 1 cup of the pasta water. Add in more water if it isn't becoming sauce like.

Stir everything well so that it makes a light sauce.

Toss in the sundried tomato and the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

Combine completely and serve hot.