Tag: basil

Pesto Stuffed Shells

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Let’s talk about stomach viruses.

Not in gory detail, you weirdos.

Just in general terms I think all fellow humans can agree on.

They absolutely blow chunks. No pun intended. Somehow, someway, a plague fell upon our house recently. I feel both blessed and annoyed it chose me to kiss first. Once it hit, it hit hard and your girl was down for the count. Couldn’t move, couldn’t eat, but the best – I couldn’t keep my eyes open OR sleep. Have y’all experienced this before? It was righteous. All night I tossed and turned, unable to get comfortable. Then, G started tossing his cookies. We were both down! Who would care for our seemingly well child?! Luckily, I rallied just in time for her to start spewing. Oh, what great fun it is to crouch down on all fours scrubbing carpets when your body is weak from upchucking.

I say we have a handful more kids so we can all get sick together again sometime.

Time: 1 hour (prep + cooking) | Serves: 4-5

Ingredients:

  • 1 package of jumbo pasta shells
  • Pesto recipe from here
  • Tofu ricotta from here
  • 1 jar of marinara
  • Basil, for serving

How to:

  • Preheat oven to 350
  • Cook pasta shells to just al dente, drain
  • Combine the tofu ricotta + the pesto in a bowl
  • Pour some marinara into the bottom of a baking dish
  • Once shells are cool, stuff them with the pesto ricotta
  • Cover with more marinara
  • Cover with foil, cake for 30 minutes
  • Remove foil, bake another 5 minutes
  • Top your plate with no fewer than 12 + have at it
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Pasta Fagioli

7 Comments

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I am not one to time my food posts with whatever made up national holiday it is like some of the *kewl* bloggers do.

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UNTIL TODAY, SUCKERS!!!! Take that, better bloggers!!!

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I mean, it was a complete accident, but apparently today is National Pasta Day.

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Like all of these fake holidays, I feel like the same ones come around 8 times a year. I’m not complaining. I try to celebrate things like tacos, cookies and pizza on the daily. I appreciate these excuses. But who started this? Like, who was the guy that was eating a nice seafood bisque one crisp autumn night and was like “Wow, yes, from now until the end of the time we, as a country, should celebrate seafood bisque on this day annually.” Seafood bisque day is 10/19, by the way. I was trying to think of what day I would create and immediately thought of the unsung hero of everyone’s favorite dish and also just the best vegetable there is – the onion. I Googled and SOMEONE ALREADY THOUGHT OF THIS, OF COURSE. At least my baby boos (onions) are getting their moment in the sun on June 27 of each year.

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Bless, there is even a day for the rutabaga, like when will this madness stop.

 

 

Time: 45 minutes (prep + cooking) | Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

  • 1 package of pasta
  • 1 can of chickpeas
  • 1 can of cannellini beans
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 stalks of celery, chopped
  • 3 carrots, peeled + chopped
  • 4 tbsp. of garlic
  • 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
  • 1 container of vegetable broth
  • 1/4 cup of fresh basil, chiffonaded
  • 1 tbsp. of crushed red pepper
  • 1 tsp. of italian seasoning
  • S+P, to taste
  • 1 tbsp. of olive oil

How to:

  • Add oil to whatever brand of quick pressure cooker you have + set to saute
  • Add onion + S+P, cook 3-4 minutes
  • Add celery + carrot + S+P, cook another 3-4 minutes
  • Add garlic, cook another minute
  • Add in pasta + tomatoes + vegetable broth + beans + red pepper + italian seasoning + S+P
  • Close the lid + pressure cook on high for 4 minutes, let the steam release naturally for 5 minutes, then flip the lil switch + let the rest of the steam release
  • Stir in basil + more S+P to your tastes
  • Serve warm
  • To cook on the stovetop, just saute your veg in a skillet over medium heat, add all ingredients except pasta from the pasta step (boil your pasta separately) + cook for like 20 minutes, then add pasta + basil + serve!
  • Contort body into shape of favorite noodle + have sweetie gently pour pasta fagioli around your body + become one with the dish

 

Adapted from here!

Spicy Thai Basil Tofu + Veggies

5 Comments

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After 6 long weeks, my boo is HOME.

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We’ve done way longer obvio, but this time particularly sucked because we couldn’t speak. As soon as he came through the front door, I presented him with a list of 83 things I’d written down to tell him so as not to forget including inconsequential things like, “I put this new lamp together all by myself.”

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I got a couple of letters which was nice. I liked to pretend it was the 1940’s and I was just a sweet, naive debutante awaiting word from her handsome beau that all was well. Except in these letters he’s more interested in telling me about his meals (fajita chicken with rice and beans was a really good day) than professing his love.

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The best is just like getting back into a routine with each other. As much as I missed him, I got used to my evenings on the couch with Topanga, bingeing whatever our hearts desire. Only having to do laundry once a week. Having the tidiest home, with everything in its proper place. Really enjoying the numbers in the bank account because the online shopping queen was without his devices.  He, on the other hand, got used to sleeping in the wilderness surrounded by a bunch of dudes who hadn’t showered. Different strokes. It just takes like 48 hours to adjust when he returns. Like, I can’t lose my mind when he leaves his clothes on the floor and he can’t get mad at me because we, as a household, have adopted a new way of folding said clothes!

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Honestly, I’m just so happy he’s home. The house is finally starting to smell like itself – the perfect mix of Bath & Body Works candles and farts.

 

 

Time: 40 minutes (prep + cooking) | Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:

  • 1 package of extra firm tofu, excess water drained (I like to wrap it in a towel + then press a heavy pan on top)
  • 1/2 a head of green cabbage, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 cup of carrots, sliced thin
  • 1 tbsp. of red chili paste
  • 1 tbsp. of brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp. of soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp. of lime juice
  • 2 tbsp. of garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp. of fresh ginger, minced
  • 1 tbsp. of sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp. of olive oil
  • 1 cup of fresh basil, chopped
  • S+P, to taste
  • 1 tsp. of crushed red pepper
  • Brown rice for serving

How to:

  • In a lil bowl, combine chili paste + brown sugar + soy sauce + lime juice, set aside
  • Heat oils in a wok over medium heat
  • Add tofu + a lil S+P, cook until crisp to your desire about 6-7 minutes
  • Remove from pan
  • Add garlic + ginger, cook one minute
  • Add cabbage + peppers + carrots, cook 5-6 minutes
  • Add tofu + sauce in, cook for 2-3 minutes until combined + luscious looking
  • Turn off heat, stir in basil
  • Serve hot with brown rice
  • Wrap mouth around one end of the plate + tip your head back + mouth up, allowing all contents to gracefully slide into your pie hole

 

Adapted from here!