Broccoli with Bow Tie Pasta Alfredo & Pine Nuts



Todays Meatless Monday recipe is can be made in 30 minutes or less. We invite you to try it and let us know what you think.

Broccoli with Bow Tie Pasta Alfredo & Pine Nuts
Serves: 4- 6 servings

Photograph by Meal Makers, Inc.

Ingredients                                 

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1 cup low-fat (2%) milk

Sea salt to taste

2 tablespoons cream cheese

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping

2 cups Broccoli Florets

12 ounces bow tie (Farfella) Pasta

Freshly ground pepper

Directions

Heat a saucepot to melt  the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and lemon zest and cook until the garlic is slightly soft, about 1 minute. Add in the flour and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon,1 minute. Whisk in the milk, stirring constantly, until just thickened, about 3 minutes. Add the Neufchatel and parmesan cheese; whisk until melted, about 1 minute.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the bow tie pasta and cook until al dente, 8 to 12 minutes. Add Broccoli florets to pasta about the last 1 1/2 minutes. Drain the pasta and broccoli and return to the pot. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water.

Toast the pine nuts In a skillet over medium heat.

Add the sauce and 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water to the pasta and gently toss to combine, adding more cooking water as needed to loosen. Season the pasta with salt and toss with toasted pine nuts. Divide among bowls and top with parmesan and pepper.

Top 10 Ways Not to Burn Thanksgiving Dinner

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, cooking fire incidents spike during Thanksgiving and Christmas time. But it's not just fires. Trips and falls, along with cuts and burns incidents are also high many of which occur while people are preparing their meals.

Thanksgiving can be a whirlwind of cooking and entertaining guests.  To make sure no one gets hurt, Fire administration officials recommend:

·         Stand by your pan, when cooking. Never leave food, grease or oils cooking on the stovetop unattended. Pay attention!

·         When simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food, check it regularly, remain in the home while it’s cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.

·         Wear short or tight-fitting sleeves when cooking, because loose fitting clothing can easily catch on fire.

·         Keep potholders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper or plastic bags, towels, and other things that can catch fire, away from your stovetop.

·         Plug microwave ovens and other cooking appliances directly into an outlet, not an extension cord.

·         Keep children three feet away from the stove.

·         Test fire alarms before a gathering to make sure they are working.

What to do if you have a fire

• If it’s a small grease fire and you have an oven mitt and lid nearby, smother the flames in the pan by sliding the lid over it. Turn off the burner, and don’t move the pan. Leave the lid on the pan until it has cooled.
• For an oven fire, turn the heat off and keep the door closed to prevent flames from burning you or your clothes.
• For a microwave oven fire, turn it off immediately, keep the door closed and unplug the appliance if you can reach it safely. Keep the door closed until the fire is out.
• If your clothing catches fire, Stop, Drop and Roll to put out the flames.
• When in doubt, get out, is what the U.S. Fire Administration advises for any fire in the kitchen. If you leave, close the door behind you and call 911. If you decide to stay and fight the fire, make sure others are already out and you have a clear exit path.

One of the larger contributors to Thanksgiving fires in recent years is the increasing popularity of deep-frying turkeys, which uses grease that can become flammable. If you're planning to deep-fry your holiday bird, watch this video to see a first-hand demonstration of what can happen if you don't follow all instructions

Safety around turkey fryers

Before you use a turkey fryer, make sure to read instructions. Many accidents involving turkey fryers are from first-time users.

• Make sure to use a turkey fryer outside and at a safe distance from buildings or any other combustible material. Also, don’t use a turkey fryer in a garage or on a wooden deck. Be sure it is on a flat surface.
• Don’t leave the fryer unattended. Most units don’t have thermostat controls, so if you don’t watch it the oil could continue to heat until it catches on fire.
• To keep oil from spilling over, which can cause fires if the oil hits the burner, never overfill the fryer. Be sure the turkey or Chicken is completely thawed and be cautious of marinades. Water can cause the oil to spill over.
• Never use water to put out a grease fire. Keep an all-purpose fire extinguisher nearby.

·          Keep children or pets away from the fryer even if it is not in use. The oil inside the cooking pot can remain dangerously hot hours after use.

If a fire starts and has been extinguished, call 9-1-1 anyway and have firefighters make sure it is out.

During this Thanksgiving weekend we wish you a safe and joyous holiday!

Count Down to Thanksgiving!

The festive part of the year is approaching us quickly. Have you begun planning your holiday menu yet? Now is a great time to start if you have not thought about your holiday meal. Nor is it too early to plan other upcoming  holidays like Chanukah , Christmas or Kwanza meals.

First on the agenda should be the menu. If the meal is a collaborative effort of family and friends,then deciding who will be preparing what from appetizers to desserts should be made very soon. Also do not forget to delegate who will be bringing the beverages.

In planning the menu please remember to keep those with special diets such as food allergies, diabetics, and vegan/ vegetarians in mind. Finding out any special dietary requirements in advance gives you the opportunity to plan and prepare dishes that everyone could enjoy at the dinner table.  The people with the special diet would be appreciative of the advance consideration and feel included in the festive dining experience.

Fall is a good time to try something new.

The fruits and vegetables that are in season now are:

Apples, artichokes, avocado, beets, bok choy, broccoli,

brussels sprouts, cabbage

carrots, cranberries, celeriac, chard, chestnuts, Greens, cranberries, daikon, fennel, guava, kiwi

kumquat, lemons, oranges, pears, persimmons, pomegranate, potatoes, quince

rutabaga,  turnips and variety of fall and winter squash

Many of these fresh fruits and vegetables are grown locally. We will be featuring recipes for side dishes in upcoming posts.

With higher food prices and slim budgets in mind take advantage of the Supermarkets: Free turkey, Ham or Lasagna giveaways! When a certain dollar amount has been spent with in the free turkey campaign time frame, a turkey, ham or lasagna is earned. Some stores offer different products so check the weekly circulars for the giveaway campaign that suits your needs. If you shop at different stores you may be eligible to win a free item from each store patronized. Most stores only allow the customer to earn one item within the time period regardless of the amount spent over the set goal.

During this time of year “good” coupons are more bountiful. I state “good” because these are more likely for items you may actually want to purchase and the value of the coupon does not require you to purchase more than one item to reap the benefit.

If holiday meal planning and cooking is overwhelming for you, consider using a Personal Chef for your meal preparations. Meal Makers, Inc. is available to help you by preparing your holiday meals or working with you to prepare your meal.  Contact us for more information mealmakersinc@gmail.com

Dinner is Ready! Are You?

Recently, I started taking pictures of the foods I've prepared to share with my customers and potential customers. In the learning process I put together this video to use in my marketing efforts. We offer gift services for both At Home Cooking Lessons and Customized Meals. If you know of any one that would be interested in using the service or give the service as a gift please share this with them.


You feed back is encouraged!


Bon Appetit!

Will you celebrate Vegetarian Awareness Month?

October is Vegetarian Awareness Month so if you have been considering adding meatless entrees to your diet then this is a great time to do it. As an incentive the North American Vegetarian Society has offered Non-vegetarians who pledge to abstain from all meat, fish and fowl a chance to win cash prizes. October 1^st was World Vegetarian Day which was created in 1977 to honor the lifestyle and educate others about the benefits of a vegetarian diet.

Sauteed Broccoli Rabe

A Vegetarian diet encompasses the practice of following plant-based diets (fruits, vegetables, grains, etc..), with or without the inclusion of dairy products or eggs, and with the exclusion of meat (red and white animal flesh, poultry, and seafood).  Many vegetarians also abstain from using or consuming by-products of animal slaughter, such as animal-derived clothing, rennet and gelatin

There are a many variations of vegetarianism that may include or exclude various foods such as:

·         Ovo- vegetarianism includes eggs but not dairy products.

·         Lacto vegetarianism includes dairy products but not eggs.

·         Ovo-lacto vegetarianism (or lacto-ovo vegetarianism) includes animal/dairy products such as eggs, milk, and honey.

·         Veganism excludes all animal flesh and animal products, including milk, honey, and eggs, and may also exclude any products tested on animals, or any clothing from animals.

·          Raw veganism includes only fresh and uncooked fruit, nuts, seeds, and vegetables. Vegetables can only be cooked up to a certain temperature^.

·         Fruitarianism permits only fruit, nuts, seeds, and other plant matter that can be gathered without harming the plant.

·         Buddhist vegetarianism (also known as su vegetarianism) excludes all animal products as well as vegetables in the allium family (which have the characteristic aroma of onion and garlic): onion, garlic, scallions, leeks, or shallots.

·         Jain vegetarianism includes dairy but excludes eggs and honey, as well as root vegetables.

·         Macrobiotic diets consist mostly of whole grains and beans.

Quinoa Pilaf  Stuffed Peppers

To be or not to be a vegetarian is a personal decision one has to make for themselves. We all have basic nutritional needs that are mainly derived from fruits, vegetables, grains, beans and dairy. So why not include more of these things in our diets.  Therefore, making the decision to be an active participate with Meatless Mondays is a good place to start.

Check in with our blog to get Meatless recipes every week!

Stacked Roasted Vegetable Portobello                  Spicy Rice Balls