Supernatural Botanicals

Vegetarian Ronaldo has to be one of the best Italian pasta dishes you can make.  The bonus is…it’s so easy to throw together.  It literally takes about 10 minutes start to finish.  Angel Hair pasta only takes about 4-5 minutes to cook.  It makes the house smell exactly what you’d think an Italian villa would smell like, tastes delicious, and makes you look like a rockstar in the kitchen.  What’s not to love about that? 

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Add Angel Hair pasta to boiling water for approximately 4-5 minutes, or until al-dente. 

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In a pan over medium-high heat, add a generous amount of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Black Olives, and minced garlic. 

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This is the kind of Olive Oil and Sun Dried Tomatoes I use. 

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Pour Olive Oil mixture over fresh rinsed pasta, and finish the dish with fresh Feta cheese.  It’s so delicious!  If there are left-overs, throw it in the fridge for lunch tomorrow.  This dish works really well hot or cold. 

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Serve with Mini Pitas with Hummus sprinkled with Feta Cheese.

Cathy Erway’s new book, The Art Of Eating, depicts her two year journey of swearing off restaurant fare.   Cathy’s blog, Not Eating Out In New York, was the inspiration for her book.  Not only did Cathy lose 10 pounds within a few months of eating in, but she cherished the act of making delicious dishes.  She says it slowed her down and lowered her stress.  Turns out, eating in is ultra-frugal as well.  Cathy says she ended up saving about $75 a week by eating in.  Not only did she learn confidence in the kitchen, but she learned she had a great deal of discipline to say no to the restaurant scene for two years.  This book is such a fun, informative read.  Highly recommended!  Think you could swear off restaurants for two years?

Coffee Smoothie Caffeinated deliciousness!

This coffee smoothie is available at many coffee shops, now you can make it at home in just few minutes as instant coffee is used to make this delicious smoothie. You may adjust flavors according to your taste.

Ingredients:

1 tsp instant coffee
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp sugar
Ice cubes

1. Add all the ingredients to the blender including instant coffee, milk, vanilla extract, sugar, ice, and chocolate syrup in a blender. Try to use a good quality blender to make smooth drinks and in this recipe of smoothie particularly because coffee needs to blend properly.
2. Blend them all until become smooth and creamy.
3. Serve in beautiful serving glasses and add some whipped cream on top.
2 tsp chocolate syrup.

If you’re not checking out Food52′s food blog, you should be.  If you are a foodie, or simply want to get some ideas to impress others in kitchen, this is the place to be.  Check out their website to find gems like this recipe below.  So perfectly simple, yet bursting with flavor.  Start channeling your inner gourmet cook and make something delicious today!

Tad’s Roasted Potatoes

Serves 4

• 1 pound old white potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• Olive oil
• 8 sprigs herbs (any combination of thyme, sage and rosemary)
• 3 garlic cloves, lightly smashed (leave the skins on)
• Coarse salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Spread the potatoes in a well-seasoned cast iron pan — they should fit comfortably in one layer. Douse with olive oil, like you’re marinating them. Add the herbs and garlic, and season generously with salt and pepper. Toss the potatoes a few times to mix in the herbs and seasoning.

2. Roast in the oven, scraping up and turning the potatoes every 10 minutes or so, until the potatoes are well caramelized and tender, about 40 minutes.

Don’t rule out your outdoor living space just because the temperatures are dropping.  Some of my best parties were held outdoors in the Fall.  It seems to make parties cozier, in fact.  An essential for a Fall party is a fire pit or outdoor fireplace for warmth and light.  Keep the fire stoked all night…you’ll need it for s’mores after dinner.  Adding lanterns with small candles to tree branches around the entire perimeter makes it glow, and again, lends extra warmth.  Serve heartier eats, such as spicy chili, tacos, or a beef brisket.  Learn how to make some delicious after dinner hot drinks that warm you up, and get you in the mood for a party (see below.)  Add a great smooth jazz CD music mix to the background and decorate the the entire area with fall colors.  It’s a guaranteed magic night! 

Peppermint Patty Hot Drink:

1 Shot of Peppermint Schnapps

Hot Chocolate to fill glass

Top with Whipped Cream and an Andes Chocolate Mint.

If you’ve been to my house, you’ve probably eaten my hummus and fresh pita bread standing around my kitchen island.  It’s a staple around my house.  Super-delicious and good for you, too.  The basic recipe is below, but you can add anything you want to it.  My favorites include roasted garlic and roasted pine nuts, but add whatever flavors you love.   

Hummus is one of the more popular Middle Eastern dips, generally served with fresh or toasted pita bread.  Hummus makes for a great snack or appetizer. Tahini is an important part of the hummus recipe and cannot be substituted.   You can find Tahini in the grocery store.

I use a food processor to make mine.  Be sure to blend ingredients until they are smooth (not grainy and loose) for better texture.    

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 16 oz can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans
• 1/4 cup liquid from can of chickpeas
• 3-5 tablespoons lemon juice (depending on taste)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation:

Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can. Combine remaining ingredients in blender or food processor. Add 1/4 cup of liquid from chickpeas. Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth.

Serve immediately with fresh, warm or toasted pita bread.  So delish!