Pasta

Creamy Cajun Cauliflower Pasta

November 13, 2014 by Erica

Remember that time I spent a weekend in the Big Easy (does anyone actually call it that?!) eating alll the food? I promised you (and myself) that I’d create some Cajun-inspired recipes when I got home, and what do you know, here I am doing just that.

Emphasis on the Cajun-inspired. Because the “cream” in this creamy pasta is, well, a vegetable. Cauliflower, to be exact. And, in my experience, that doesn’t come close to authentic Cajun cooking. The restaurant that inspired this recipe certainly did not let any cruciferous florets near their creamy Cajun pasta. Nope, they used a heavy hand with the real cream, and it was deeeelicious. But in our own kitchens, we have to do things a little differently, right? That’s where the cauliflower comes in.

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Cheesy Southwest Pasta Salad + a GIVEAWAY!

September 2, 2014 by Erica

This post is sponsored by Pacific Foods.

I’m looking for ways to extend summertime.

The list I’ve brainstormed so far:

– Keep wearing white pants.

– Move to Arizona.

– Eat nothing but corn and zucchini until January.

– Heat lamps.

…other ideas?

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Easy Orzo Risotto with Sun Dried Tomatoes

June 20, 2014 by Erica

I am just bursting with excitement to share today’s recipe with you. Because: ORZO RISOTTO <– Did you know that this could happen?!?

I certainly didn’t until the topic came up at work the other day.

It’s probably no big surprise that food is a frequent topic of conversation at work. A lot of my work friends love to cook, too, so we’re constantly peering into each other’s Tupperwares, asking what’s for lunch and how it’s prepared. What might be a surprise is that they are mostly single guys! I never thought I’d be sitting around with a bunch of bachelors talking about homemade naan recipes… or that one of them would turn me on to a new kind of risotto.

I guess that begs the question why they’re single. Well, due to a whole host of commitment issues, bad habits, and other personal flaws, no doubt.

Eh, you win some, you lose some. And I obviously win, because I got this risotto recipe.

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Roasted Shrimp and Orzo Salad

May 21, 2014 by Erica

Roasted Shrimp and Orzo Salad

This shrimp and orzo salad was just catapulted to the top of my all-time favorites.

Why, you ask? Well, cause my mom made it for me, of course! And I guess the huge chunks of feta don’t hurt, either.

This was lunch one day during my bridal shower a few weekends ago. My mom made a huge batch (like quadruple the recipe!) to feed 11 hungry women. Well, I don’t know if everyone was hungry… but I sure was, and I think I ate 4 servings. Or maybe that was the souffle the next morning that I ate 4 servings of? Oh wait, that too. There was a loooot of good food. But I certainly wasn’t the only one going back for “just one more bite” of this salad.

Now, I know I don’t post a lot of seafood on this blog, but the truth is that I eat a fair amount of it. It’s usually at restaurants, because let’s face it, I love sushi! Also, fish is often the healthiest thing on a restaurant menu. But I forgot how absolutely WORTH IT it is to cook seafood at home from time to time. This pasta salad is a prime example.

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Spring Orzo Salad with Fennel and Asparagus

April 21, 2014 by Erica

Spring Orzo Salad with Fennel and Asparagus

Here in Utah, when people learn I’m from Boston, they often ask me why I don’t have a Boston accent. The truth is that neither of my parents grew up in New England, so the chances of me developing a Boston accent were pretty slim. Nate likes to tell me that my accent comes out after a few beers (bee-ahs!), but I say, psh. It’s probably just a mirroring thing. These days I probably have more of a Utah accent than anything – no big dill. (And for those of you wondering what a Utah accent is, that’s it right there.)

Well, I learned on Friday that I do have an accent, and it’s, um, not what I thought. My co-worker informed me, after much prefacing about how he liked the way I spoke, that my accent is Harvard valley girl. Oh, and that he’s mentioned this to other people we work with and they’ve confirmed it. What!

Well, I did not go to Harvard, nor did I grow up in any valley. I’m not exactly legally blond over here. I am forced to interpret the Harvard valley girl thing as something along the lines of “well brought-up but dumb” or “you say smart things but sound dumb saying them.” And they let me talk to clients… why? My mom was kind enough to offer her take as “smart but unpretentious.” But now I’m realizing “pretentious and dumb” is probably closer to a direct translation. Groan. Suffice it to say I will be speaking in a monotone at work for a few days! Like, totally.

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