SPINACH PASTA with WALNUT SAUCE

Here is one of those seemingly endless pasta variations we mentioned earlier! The delicate Spinach Pasta and rich Walnut Sauce are sure to be a winner at your dinner table! We generally serve this with lightly seasoned chicken breasts.

1 1/2 cups white flour
2 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 egg, beaten
2-4 tablespoons cold water
1 recipe Walnut Sauce {recipe follows}

With the exception of adding the spinach to the flour and salt, prepare the Spinach Pasta in the same manner as the Jalapeno Pasta.

WALNUT SAUCE

1/2 cup butter
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 cup finely ground toasted walnuts {about 4 ounces}
2 cups whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
Dash salt

Melt the butter in a skillet and add the garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic starts to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the ground walnuts, whipping cream, and lemon juice to the pan. Raise the heat and simmer, stirring often, until it starts to thicken. When thickened, remove from the heat and add the pepper, nutmeg, and dash of salt. Mix well. Makes 2 1/4 cups sauce. Toss with the Spinach Pasta and serve.
Serves 4-6.

HOMEMADE PASTA

Pasta, with seemingly endless variations, provides a great accent to a memorable dinner. When you start with a homemade pasta, it takes little else to complete a meal.

1 1/2 cups white flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons olive oil
2 eggs, beaten
2-4 tablespoons cold water

Combine the flour and salt in the work bowl of a food processor and pulse a couple of times. Add the olive oil and eggs. Process until well blended. With the machine running, add the cold water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough holds together and forms a ball. Knead in the processor 30 seconds. See Jalapeno Pasta recipe, below, for instructions on rolling out and cooking pasta.
Serves 4-6.

Sesame Pasta: Add 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds to the flour. Use 2 teaspoons sesame oil and 2 teaspoons vegetable oil as a substitute for the olive oil. Proceed as above. Sesame pasta nicely complements Marinated Pork Tenderloin or Spicy Teriyaki Chicken.

JALAPENO PASTA

A pasta with a wonderfully distinct flavor! It was developed to accompany the Scallops in Feta Cream Sauce. It is also a heavenly addition to a summer pasta salad.

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
3 good-sized jalapeno peppers, cut in 1/4's and seeded
2 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups white flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-2 tablespoons cold water {if needed}

Place the cilantro in the work bowl of a food processor and pulse 3-4 times. With the machine running, drop in the jalapeno pieces and process until chopped. Add the eggs and olive oil. Pulse until combined. Scrape down the sides of the work bowl. Combine the flour and salt. Add and process until the mixture forms a ball, adding the water, if necessary, 1 tablespoon at a time. Knead in the work bowl for 30 seconds.

By hand: Divide the dough into 2 pieces and cover with a towel. Using one piece of dough at a time, place on a floured board and flatten into a rectangle about 1" thick. Using a heavy rolling pin, roll and turn the dough until it is paper thin. If the dough sticks at any time, lift it and sprinkle some flour on the work surface. Lightly dust the rolled pasta with flour and let it rest for about 10 minutes. Gently roll the sheet of pasta up and cut it to the desired width with a sharp knife. Repeat the process with the remaining dough.

By pasta machine: Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces and cover with a towel. Set the rollers of the pasta machine as far apart as possible. Feed the dough, using one piece at a time, through the first setting 3-4 times. Set the rollers down a notch and feed the dough through 2 times. Continue in this manner until you have reached the fourth notch-dusting the pasta with flour if it seems at all sticky. Cut the pasta with the desired blade of the machine.

To cook: Drop the pasta into a pot of rapidly boiling, salted water. Cook 5-10 minutes, until just tender. Drain and toss with the sauce of your choice.

THREE-PEPPER COUSCOUS

A versatile side dish! When served cold or at room temperature, it is perfect for a picnic or hot summer evening. Try it with chicken or lamb if you need something on the lighter side to round out a menu. The peppers add a dash of vivid color!

3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium green pepper, cut into 1/4" dice
1/2 medium red pepper, cut into 1/4" dice
1/2 medium yellow pepper, cut into 1/4" dice
1 teaspoon minced shallot {about 1 small}
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, minced {about 1 tablespoon minced}
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 1/2 cups quick cooking couscous
1 1/2-1 3/4 cups chicken stock
2 pinches cayenne pepper

Heat the olive oil in a medium-size skillet. Add the diced peppers and the shallots. Saute over medium heat 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and add the chives and cilantro. Set aside.
Place the couscous in a pan that has a tight-fitting lid. Bring 1 1/2 cups stock to a boil. Pour the boiling stock over the couscous. Stir and cover. Set aside 5 minutes. Remove the cover and stir with a large fork to separate the grains. Add the sauteed peppers. Stir and taste. If the couscous seems dry, bring the remaining stock to a boil and add it. Stir to combine. Cover the pan and let set an additional 5 minutes. Remove the cover and stir to separate the grains {if you have used homemade stock you may want to add some salt at this point}. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Serves 6.

SEASONED COUSCOUS

Couscous has become one of our favorite grains to work with. It cooks quickly and lends itself to a variety of seasonings. Couscous may be served either hot, or in a cold summer salad.

1 1/2 cups quick cooking couscous
1 tablespoon seasoned olive oil from the sun-dried tomatoes
2 small garlic cloves, finely minced {about 1 1/2 teaspoons}
1/4 pound medium mushrooms, stemmed, caps sliced {reserve stems for another use}
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, cut in 1/4" dice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme {optional}
Dash cayenne pepper
2 cups rich chicken stock
2 tablespoons butter

Place the couscous in a medium-size saucepan and set aside.
Heat the seasoned oil in a medium-size skillet. Add the garlic and heat to release the flavors, but do not let brown. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until limp. Add the diced sun-dried tomatoes, salt, thyme {optional}, cayenne, and chicken stock. Simmer 1 minute to allow the tomatoes to soften. Bring to a boil and add the butter. Immediately remove from the heat and pour over the couscous. Stir, cover the pan, and set aside for 5 minutes. Remove the cover and stir with a large fork to separate the grains and fluff the couscous. The liquid should all be absorbed and the couscous softened.
Serves 4-6.

MUSHROOM-BARLEY CASSEROLE

We love the texture and the nutty flavor of barley and often choose it as an accompaniment to barbecued entrees. Any leftovers are a wonderful beginnings for a hearty soup!

4 tablespoons butter
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups sliced mushroom caps
3/4 cup barley
1 1/2 cups beef or chicken stock {or water}
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the onions and garlic. Cook 5 minutes and add the sliced mushroom caps and barley. Cook an additional 10 minutes, until the barley has started to brown. Stir in the stock, salt, and pepper and transfer to a buttered casserole dish. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 45-60 minutes. Stir in the minced parsley.
Serves 4-6.

WILD and BROWN RICE PILAF

This is often our first choice to accompany Marinated Pork Tenderloin. The crisp texture and slightly sweet flavor are a perfect complement to the very tender pork. It also goes well with turkey, duck, and Cornish hens.

3/4 cup wild rice
Boiling water
3/4 cup brown rice, long or short grain
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons bacon drippings
1 cup chopped celery with leaves
1 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
3 cups apple juice
1/3 cup currants or golden raisins
1/3 cup dry sherry
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste

Place the wild rice in a saucepan 1-1 1/2 hours prior to cooking. Cover with boiling water and put a lid on the pan. Set aside. Place the currants in the sherry and set aside.
One hour before serving, melt the butter and bacon drippings in a large saucepan. Add the celery, onion, and garlic. Saute briefly. Drain the wild rice. Add wild rice, brown rice, salt, and pepper to the sauteed vegetables. Add the apple juice and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer 40-50 minutes {check the liquid level halfway through the cooking and add water if necessary}.* When finished, add the currants and sherry. Mix well. Taste and adjust as necessary.
Serves 6.

* If wild rice has been stored for an extended period of time, it will take longer to cook.

MUSHROOM and PARSLEY PILAF

Many of our guests stay with us for a week or more, and we design our menus to avoid repetition {unless requested!}. This pilaf recipe was created to add the needed variety to our menu.

6 tablespoons butter
4 large shallots, minced
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 pound mushrooms, caps sliced and the stems minced
1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
3 cups chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon salt {omit if using canned stock}
Pepper to taste
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a saucepan. Add the shallots, garlic, and minced mushroom stems. Saute 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the rice, cook, and stir until the rice begins to brown-about 5 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer 15-20 minutes.
Melt the remaining butter and saute the sliced mushroom caps. Stir the parsley and sauteed mushroom caps {along with any pan juices} into the cooked rice. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Serves 6.

WALNUT RICE

This recipe was developed after we had a wonderful meal at a friend's home. One dish that stood out was a nutted rice. We recreated the dish, which we serve with fish or chicken.

2 tablespoons butter
3 large garlic cloves, minced and divided
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 cup long grain white rice
2 cups chicken stock
Dash cayenne
Salt to taste {omit if using canned stock}
1 tablespoon walnut oil
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the celery and half of the garlic. Saute 2 minutes, add the rice, and cook an additional 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the walnut oil in a skillet and add the remaining garlic and the walnuts. Saute, stirring constantly, until the walnuts start to brown. Remove from the heat.

After the rice has cooked for 15 minutes, remove from the heat. Add the sauteed walnut mixture and cayenne. Taste. Add salt if necessary. Replace the lid and let set to season 5-10 minutes.
Serves 4.