Spaghetti Fridays: Rao's Homemade Marinara Sauce & Garlic Parsley Butter

I recently read this wonderful article from Serious Eats on a fun tradition they started, to gather their friends and family around the dinner table and get people to talk, shut off their phones and really connect with one another. They call it "Friday Night Meatballs".

I loved the idea of gathering friends for an easy dinner party, with great food and not a lot of fuss. I've decided to try this idea out in my own little village here in Salt Lake and would like to invite anyone interested in attending to message me. "Spaghetti Friday's" are officially kicked off! I've had a few practice runs already with my roommates and last week when I was in Denver, we had a Spaghetti Sunday dinner to finish off a great weekend filled with comfort food. there's just something about pasta with a slow cooked batch of Sunday Gravy that is almost magical.

To make the first Spaghetti Friday a little easier on everyone, I'm giving you a semi-homemade version to get the ball rolling (and a day to prepare). I've tasted a lot of jarred pasta sauces in my day, great ones and really really bad ones. One of the best bottled sauces I've tried is from the famous Rao's restaurant in NYC. Since reservations are almost impossible to get at the NYC location, you can either dine at their Vegas location, or bring a jar of their famous sauce home.

Rao's has been featured in many movies and a few tv episodes. The most recent was in The Wolf of Wall Street. Jordan meets with Bo Dietl to discuss the ongoing FBI investigation into Stratton Oakmont as they dine amongst the wealthy, famous and infamous.

Spaghetti & Meatballs with Rao's Marinara

You will need:

1 box of spaghetti
1 packet of Aidells Caramelized Onion Chicken Meatballs
1 jar of Rao's Homemade Marinara
1 loaf of sliced french bread
1 batch of garlic parsley butter (below)
Parmesan cheese for finishing the pasta

Directions:

Fill a large pasta pot 1/4th of the way full, place on the stove and start heating the water on high. Make sure to salt the water, it should taste as salty as the sea. 

In a medium saucepan, combine the meatballs and the marinara sauce. Simmer on low while everything is cooking.

Turn the oven on low broil, line a cookie sheet with foil, set aside.

Once the pasta water is boiling, add your noodles. Set a timer according to the package directions for Al dente pasta.

While the pasta cooks, make your Garlic Parsley Butter. Slather a generous amount of butter on each slice of bread and set out evenly on the foil lined cookie sheet. Broil for 3-5 minutes, until golden brown.

Drain the pasta once cooked to perfect Al dente, add a cup of the sauce and stir. Let the pasta rest while the bread is cooking. By adding sauce to the noodles before serving, you will find you get much better flavor out of the pasta as the noodles will absorb the sauce, this also prevents the strands from sticking. Never ever add oil to your noodles or water when cooking pasta for spaghetti, it is a cardinal sin. The oil will prevent the marinara from soaking in and cause the sauce to slide off of your noodles.

Garlic Parsley Butter

Ingredients

• 2 cubes of butter, softened
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon garlic salt
• 1/4 cup of fresh parsley, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground paprika

Amazing Avocado Toast

Let me start out by saying that editing these photos without having a slice of avocado toast to munch on while I type, is the worst form of torture. My mouth is salivating at the memory of my breakfast yesterday, it was THAT good. We all know that avocado can be smashed on toast and it's a thing. Last year shots of "Avo-toast" were voted as the most annoying food picture on Instagram. So as to not beat a dead horse, I'll keep it simple. I want to share my favorite version of this delicious treat with you and hopefully you'll enjoy each buttery and crunchy bite as much as I do.

When I make this version at home, I like to use flavored olive oils. Lemon, jalapeño or garlic flavored oils add intense flavor packed in a small drizzle of oil. Play around with different cheese varieties as well; fresh mozzarella, asiago or crumbled gorgonzola are great options. Use any fresh herbs you have on hand. I just happen to love basil on this version the most.

Amazing Avocado Toast

Ingredients:

1 slice of whole grain bread, toasted
1/2 an avocado, mashed
4-5 Roma tomato slices
1 tablespoon olive oil
lemon juice
2-3 torn basil leaves
freshly cracked pepper
sea salt
Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Spread the avocado flesh evenly over the toast.
Top with tomato slices and basil.
Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice over the top.
Finish with pepper, salt and cheese to taste.

*Skip the cheese to make this recipe Vegan

Cranberry Salsa

I had a bag of cranberries left over from Thanksgiving that  needed to be used, or frozen and I started spinning the creative wheels in my head thinking of a new way to use them raw.  Using raw ingredients in this recipe preserves the most nutrition, making this dish a powerhouse of antioxidants and flavor. I also wanted to switch up the usual overly sugared version of cranberries you see in sauces and baked goods, adding a new element of heat and keeping the tartness from the berries.

The best part about Cranberry Salsa, is that it still works as an amazing condiment for meats or as a dip or spread. I can't wait to try it spooned over honey baked ham on Christmas Eve, or as a great twist on traditional salsa for my next Taco Tuesday meal. I bet it would also be great on fish, think of broiled teriyaki salmon with cranberry salsa spooned over the top, it's just so pretty!

This recipe was so simple to make, I might just whip up a few more batches to give as gifts to friends and family. Try it out and tell me any fun and creative ways you used this recipe in the comments below.

Cranberry Salsa

Ingredients:

1 12 oz. bag of cranberries
1 jalapeño, stem and seeds removed and cut into thirds
2 clementines, zested and juiced
1/2 red onion
1/2 bunch of cilantro
1 bunch of scallions, thinly sliced
1 tsp. freshly grated ginger
1 lime, juiced
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1-3 T. Stevia, to your desired sweetness

Directions:

In a food processor, combine the cilantro, jalapeño and red onion, pulsing until well minced. Add the cranberries, ginger, and stevia; continue pulsing until mixture is evenly minced, but still chunky for texture.

Scrape into a medium bowl. Add the chopped scallions, lime juice, clementine juice, zest and salt. Stir well to combine. Taste for flavor and adjust seasonings.



Serving suggestions:

Serve salsa with Late July Organic Sublime Tortilla Chips, or spoon over Neufchâtel cheese and serve with crackers for a festive holiday appetizer.

Romesco Sauce

Romesco sauce is a rich and dense almond and roasted red pepper based sauce, which originated in the Catalan region of Spain. It is considered one of the main condiments at Spanish restaurants and is typically paired with traditional Catalonian foods, including fish, roasted meats, and vegetables. It also makes for an amazing appetizer topped on crusty, grilled bread crostini with goat cheese and/or grilled vegetables.

This sauce will take center stage at your holiday party and be a major hit. I can’t get enough of it this season, as it’s the perfect bit of spice and light heat during these cold winter months. Try it on sandwiches or as a twist on salad dressing. Mix in a few tablespoons of sauce into ranch or Caesar salad dressing for a Spanish twist.

Romesco Sauce

Ingredients:

·      1 loaf of artisan bread; Italian, French or sourdough, reserving 3" of the heel on one side. Slice the remaining loaf into thin 1/4" slices for grilling (Skip this step to make the recipe vegan and gluten free)

·      1/4 cup olive oil

·      2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, and seeded*

·      2 fresh poblano chili peppers, roasted, peeled, and seeded*

·      1 jalapeño pepper, roasted, seeded*

·      4 whole cloves garlic, roasted*

·      1/2 cup blanched almonds, toasted

·      3 tomatoes (on the vine or plum), roasted, peeled and seeded (or 3 canned whole plum tomatoes, drained)*

·      2 teaspoons red wine or red wine vinegar

·      1/2 teaspoon sea salt

·      1/4 teaspoon cayenne

·      1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 500°F. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. *Place all of the whole peppers, chilies, garlic and tomatoes on the cookie sheet and drizzle with 2 Tbs. of olive oil. Turn to coat the outside of the pepper skins on all sides; bake, turning occasionally, until all sides are blistered and slightly blackened, about 30 minutes. 

2. Place the roasted peppers in a heatproof bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow peppers to cool, approx. 15 minutes as the steaming period will help loosen the skins for easy removal. Once the peppers are cool enough to handle, remove the stems, skins, seeds and membranes. Wear kitchen gloves for this step, as the membrane and seeds are where most of the pepper's heat is stored.

3. In a food processor, pulse all of the prepped bell and chili peppers, along with the garlic, nuts, and bread heel. Pulse until combined, but still chunky.

4. Add the tomatoes, pulsing until combined. Drizzle the remaining oil and red wine through the top of the processor while running to emulsify the mixture. Add the salt, cayenne, and smoked paprika. At this point the sauce should be thick, but still easily pliable for spreading. If it seems on the thick side, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to thin. Taste for salt, heat and acid consistency and season accordingly. If you have extra sauce or are making sauce before your planned use, you can cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days. The Romesco sauce actually tastes better after sitting for a day, so this step is also a great option for party prepping.

Autumn Harvest Soup

The countdown to Thanksgiving is on! We are just days away from stuffing our faces and eating our daily allotment of calories in one meal, and I can't wait! :) But before the caloric, cholesterol inducing meal begins, why not start out with a healthy and hearty soup that has all of the flavors of fall blended in?

The recipe I created for Autumn Harvest Soup came from a lot of time spent in the kitchen developing flavors, while trying to keep the soup as nutritionally sound as possible. I know we don't usually care about nutrition on T-day, but this soup is delicious enough to be a staple meal and get you through the next few cold months, right into Spring. 

I had fun playing with a few varieties of squash to mix up the traditional variety of butternut squash soup and create something unique to bring to the table. If you were like me, looking at the beautiful display of squash varieties at the grocery store and not knowing the first thing about how to use them in a recipe, this soup is your answer.

From left to right:Acorn, Carnival and Butternut varieties of squash.

For a small appetizer, serve the soup in a 2 oz. shot glass with a breadstick standing out like a straw. Garnish with a few curried pumpkin seeds and a sprinkling of bacon crumbles.

Autumn Harvest Soup

Ingredients

1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped (or 20 oz package precut)

2 Acorn squash, peeled, seeded and chopped (I used Carnival and regular varieties)

1 med sweet onion, sliced into ¼” chunks

3 T. olive oil

1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree (plain, not spiced)

2 cups vegetable broth

1 cup apple cider

1 cup applesauce

1 cup of 2% milk or almond milk(vegan)

2 T honey

2 T. curry powder

1 T  pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. ginger powder

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

Pumpkin seeds and cashews for garnish (see below)

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper for seeds

Fresh chives, cream and/or croutons for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 445°F. Toss squash and onion with olive oil and 1 T. of curry powder.

2. Roast on a foil covered cookie sheet for 25-30 minutes, until fork tender. Let cool 5 minutes.

3. Puree the roasted squash and onion in the blender until smooth with one cup of the apple cider. This may take two batches to complete. Do not overfill the blender.

4.  Combine the blender puree, pumpkin puree, vegetable broth, applesauce, honey and all of the spices and seasonings in a large stockpot over medium heat and bring to a gentle boil. Whisk for one minute to combine while the soup begins to heat. Stir in milk.

5. Simmer on low for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust any seasonings as necessary, depending on the sweetness of the squash, you may have to adjust seasonings slightly. Serve with roasted curried cashews and pumpkin seeds, chives and a splash of cream, or the garnish of your choice.

Curried Cashews & Pumpkin Seeds:

After you have moved the cooled squash to the blender after roasting, reuse the cookie sheet to roast the pumpkin seeds and cashews.

Lightly spray the nuts and seeds with oil. Sprinkle curry powder and cayenne pepper over the top. Toss to coat and shake flat and even. Roast for 3-5 minutes, until lightly browned and remove to cool.