Pantry Cooking

Recently, we talked about the basic items you should have in your pantry. If your pantry has the items we discussed, then you’ll likely only need to pick up feta to make tonight’s dinner. In a recent issue of Family Circle magazine, I ripped out a recipe for Greek Feta and Tomato Pasta. I happened to have two half-full containers of feta on hand already, so I was all set. A ten minute meal, literally, with things you have on hand – what more could you want?

It was light, delicious and moderately healthy. The recipe indicates that it serves 4, but The Neighbors came over for dinner, and 2 had seconds, and there’s still at least one serving, maybe two, left. The original recipe has 447 calories and 20 grams of fat, but that’s for 4 servings, so once you reconfigure it to reflect the servings we got out of it, it becomes pretty darn healthy.

For a side thing, I got a bit creative. We had a bunch of mussels left over from yesterday, which I turned into Mussel Salad. I took all the mussels out of their shells and made a quick dressing with extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, organo, salt and pepper. Everyone loved that one, and The Husband called it the highlight of the night. High praise for a quick, whip-together dish, and it tasted way better than any other Mussel Salad I’ve ever bought.

With the oregano in the pasta dish and the Mussel Salad, tonight’s dinner makes a perfect submission for Kalyn’s Weekend Herb Blogging, which is being hosted by Morsels and Musings this weekend.

Until tomorrow…

A year ago today… a name revealed, and East Coast favorites.
Two years ago today… banana bread recipe, but not one that beats Nigella’s or Paula’s versions.

P.S. Don’t forget our Weekend Dog Blogging roundup tomorrow and ARF/5-A-Day on Tuesday. Be there or be square.

Greek Feta and Tomato Pasta
Recipe courtesy of Family Circle

1/2 pound thin spaghetti
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
4 fresh plum tomatoes, cored and chopped (I used one 14.5 oz can diced)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup dry white wine
4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Bring 4 quarts water to a boil and lightly salt. Prepare spaghetti following package directions. Remove 1/4 cup of the cooking water and reserve; drain pasta.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring so garlic does not burn. Stir in tomatoes, oregano and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook for 2 minutes. Add wine and cook for 1 minute. Add feta cheese, spaghetti and reserved water and toss with pepper. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 (we easily got 6 servings out of recipe, with at least 1 serving leftover)

Sweetnicks’ Mussel Salad
Recipe courtesy of Cate O’Malley

Mussels, cooked
1-1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Pinch or two of oregano
Salt
Pepper

Combine oil, vinegar, and mustard and stir with whisk. Add salt, pepper and oregano, stir to combine. Add mussels. Toss to coat. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.