Brittany's PantryRoasted Tomato Pasta & The day my freezer ate my tomatoes…
Brittany wrote this on 29 August 2012
balsamic vinegar, basil, parmesan cheese, pasta, sausage, tomatoes
Who has two thumbs and is super excited about today’s post???? THIS gal!
(Read the following really fast but monotone and with very little inflection in your voice. That is how I hear these next words in my head as I type…)
Disclaimer: I was in Barnes & Noble today-don’t you just love that place?- and had a coupon for a free one of those Starbucks Refresher drink thingys and they say that it is supposed to give you natural energy but I wasn’t fond of the taste and I don’t think that it gave me any kind of super energy or is in anyway going to help me stay awake after I was up a bazillion times last night with both of my boys and in any case I could totally use a little boost because my eyelids are totes feeling the whole gravitational pull thing and I am nursing so no coffee for me and I don’t drink pop, like, ever, but I was uber thirsty and had the coupon deal and bought one anyway and even though I only had a little bit and gave the rest of it to Mike, I don’t think it matters because I am not feeling any kind of buzz or energy power from it anyway. K? Just so you know. I’ll try to keep the crazy to a minimum.
On to the pasta! About a year ago I posted a How To on grilled pizza and Roasted Tomatoes were one of the recipes in that post. You can check it out again here or find it in the Recipe tab above and scroll down to Side Dishes and then Vegetables. They are so good and so sweet you could practically give them out on Halloween! Although I do not recommend this. Then in this post, I mention that I like to freeze these same tomatoes. I go on to give some ideas of how to use them right from the freezer and that is what I am talking about today. But instead of just telling you, I now have pictures.
Everything is better with visual aids. Right? Right.
I should also confess that there were a lot of things on my list of meals for this week-Chinese Chicken Salad, Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps, and these stellar Vegetable Enchiladas, but this pasta dish was not one of them. I only made it because I was trying to make room for all the baby food I was freezing. More on that later. While I was digging around trying to maneuver frozen blocks of sweet pastry dough for tarts, bags of frozen blueberries, and what I believe to be an unlabeled container of taco meat, this little quart bag of frozen tomatoes came flying out at me. I swear it wasn’t there last month. It was as though my freezer was mocking me and chortling, “You fool! I have been hiding this for a YEAR now and ha ha! It is no longer good and you must throw them away! I win again! Again! Mwah ha ha ha haaaah!” Don’t judge. You weren’t there. You didn’t hear the sounds it made.
Well the joke is on you Mr. Frigidaire! Not only were they still good, but they still smelled, and tasted, like fresh summer tomatoes. Awesome. I should go back and note that in the recipe: ‘These tomatoes have super powers and will last forever in your freezer. Or at least 13 months.’
See? Don’t they look awesome? Evelyn was helping us make pizza that day.
This is said bag of tomatoes. I don’t know exactly how much was in it but I am guessing a couple of cups. However many tomatoes fit on a sheet pan. This is such a perfect way to use up all the late summer tomatoes that seem to suddenly all need to be dealt with immediately. Romas especially. Completely freezer proof.
And so darn tasty you won’t believe it!
One Year Ago: Caramelized Onion Dip
Two Years Ago: Dippin’ Biscuits, Spiced Peach Jam, Stuffed Shells
Roasted Tomato Pasta
1 recipe Roasted Tomatoes
olive oil
1 pound medium pasta shells, rotini, penne, rigatoni, farfalle, etc
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese
1 c reserved pasta water
freshly chopped basil
1/2 pound browned and crumbled italian sausage, optional
In a food processor, puree the roasted tomatoes, thawed if frozen, with olive oil until it reaches the consistency of applesauce. Add the oil a bit at a time because you can always thin it with a bit more, but you can’t take it back out again. Set aside. Cook the pasta, reserving about a cup of starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta and immediately toss with the sauce. If pasta seems too dry, add a bit of pasta water. Toss again. Add cheese, basil, and sausage, if using. Serve and enjoy!
Lunchbox Chocolate Chip Cookies
Brittany wrote this on 25 August 2012 chocolate
We are back from vaca! Did you miss me?
The end of our time off signaled the beginning of the school year here and forty-eight hours after we returned I was waving goodbye to Evelyn as she marched into her first grade classroom. *sigh* This morning she rode the bus for the first time ever and I made my husband zip over to the school to make sure she was doing OK. I could practically hear her roll her eyes at me. Such a big girl!
My husband and I were recently blessed with an early Christmas present: an iPad! Although I am still trying to figure it all out and frankly am a bit intimidated by all it is capable of, I thoroughly enjoy the convenience of it. Apple sauce led to the demise of my last cell phone so I am looking for some kind of impenetrable case for the iPad that can withstand a nuclear blast and, of course, small children.
The recipe I am sharing today is a simple chocolate chip cookie, but we have some chatting to do first! I would love to know what you thought of my Favorites post! I am already making notes for an Autumn addition. Also, I know that many of you have munchkins headed off to school soon (or like mine, have already started) and that means packing lunches. And speaking of bagged lunch, we like to use these bags instead of plastic. They last forever, look super cool, and are much better for the environment!
While Evelyn is the least picky six year old I know, she was still less than impressed with the food served at her school. Lack of flavor and canned veggies were at the top of her list of grievances so she bagged her lunch a lot last year. This year is looking like much of the same, but I am ready for it! Here are a few ideas if you are looking for some variety for your kids or your own bagged lunch!
Earth Bread– Make this now while zucchini is in season! Bake as loaves or muffins and freeze. I send Evelyn with a whole muffin, some fruit, and string cheese or cottage cheese. I also slice the bread and make a sandwich with cream cheese in the middle. My kids devour it for breakfast too.
Veggie Couscous– I make this all the time with whole wheat pasta. Mix it up the night before and pack it cold for lunch. Feel free to skip the veggies and pack what you like separately. My daughter asks for this at least once a week!
Banana Bran Muffins, Honey Bran Muffins, Pumpkin Pie Muffins– All of these are healthy enough that I pack them as a substitution for a sandwich. They are already portioned and can be pulled right from the freezer.
Homemade Granola Bars– I usually cut these a bit smaller when I put them in my daughters lunch. otherwise she doesn’t have an room for fruit or veggies! Individually wrapped in cellophane, they freeze great and go straight into her lunch box. They defrost perfectly by lunch time.
Chicken Salad Wraps– I pack these just like you seen in the picture, but I use a mini tortilla, whole wheat if I can find it. Some organic greens, chicken salad, and I wrap it tight in wax paper. I do the exact same thing for my husband to take to work or for the family when we go on a picnic. Crazy good. For a change of pace, I also pack it in a small dish with a fork and a separate little bag of whole wheat crackers.
Margarita Pasta Salad– Because this salad is so good cold, I save out a portion when I make it for dinner and then it is all ready to send with her the next day. Sometimes I give it to her plain, sometimes I add diced grilled chicken. Either way, super good when all the other kids are eating chicken nuggets.
Super Healthy Cookies– I like the combo of dried cranberries or cherries and dark chocolate chips, but feel free to vary this recipe to your tastes. A variety of dried fruit is particularly good. Thanks to the whole wheat flour, oatmeal, wheat germ, and canola oil, these cookies are healthy enough for the kids to have two! Freeze them and tuck them in lunches for a treat that tastes like dessert but is heart healthy and full of fiber.
Oatmeal Raisin Snack Bars– These are a great change of pace but taste so good you won’t believe it. I wrap them individually in plastic wrap and freeze them just like the granola bars. Make sure to save a few to eat right away. They are addicting!
Sweet Potato Fries– These are fantastic cold!
Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps– These are good cold and pack surprisingly well. One of my daughters favorite meals!
Tofu Chocolate Pudding– Much better for you and/or your kids than the store bought stuff!
Also our faves…
-cottage cheese
-string cheese
-whatever fruit is in season
-carrot sticks, bell pepper strips, sliced cucumbers-my kids prefer these plain but this ranch dressing is great with veggies
-dried fruit and nuts
-crackers and cheese
-graham cracker, whipped cream cheese (it is easier to spread), and jam sandwiches-these taste just like cheesecake
-peanut butter and jelly whole wheat tortilla roll-ups, although I do the cream cheese and jam on these too
-hummus and pita chips (Evelyn is currently on a mission to perfect her own hummus recipe!)
-cubed salami or summer sausage and cubed cheese
-hard boiled eggs, cut in half and seasoned with salt and pepper
-graham crackers with yogurt or applesauce to dip them in
-leftover Salmon Nicoise, all diced into bite sized pieces
-rice cakes smeared with peanut butterI hope these ideas help! And please note that if I could find a thermos that my daughter could get the top off easily herself, she would probably eat soup twice a week. And now, on to the cookies!
I like to call these cookies Lunchbox Chocolate Chip Cookies for a couple of reasons. First of all, they are super simple. Think of them as a streamlined version of a chocolate chip cookie. No extra ingredients and no extra steps. Second, this recipe makes exactly two dozen cookies. Every time. Perfect for a quick treat in the middle of the week, a speedy dessert for unexpected guests, or a snack for a class. This number will only be off if you eat too much dough. I speak from experience….
This recipe is in my daughters cookbook, Betty Crocker Kids Cook! And even though I have a bazillion cookie recipes to choose from, the kids wanted to make the one in their cookbook. Totally understandable. So we made them, and they were good. Quite good. Simple and good. With such a small ingredient list, I figured we could make them the old fashioned way and mix them in a bowl with a wooden spoon. Now, that is the only way we make these. No mixer, nothing to plug in. Just a bowl, a spoon, and some elbow grease!
Please know that these are in no way an ultimate or best chocolate chip cookie. We far prefer this cookie more. But these are just simple, fast, easy, and yummy. And sometimes, that is just what our families need.
One Year Ago: Pesto & Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Two Years Ago: Tortellini W/Shrimp, Zucchini and Tomato Cream Sauce
Lunchbox Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from Betty Crocker
1 stick of butter, room temp
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 c chocolate chips-M&M’s would be nice too
In a large bowl, cream sugars and butter together with a wooden spoon until smooth. Add egg. Mix well. Add dry ingredients and mix until incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls into a greased or covered sheet pan and bake at 375 for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Greetings! I am in the middle of vacation but I definitely couldn’t wait to share this with you. I promised you a new salmon recipe and here it is! Granted, it is not the prettiest dish I ever made but what it lacks in looks it more than makes up for in taste.
And now. Heed my words! The most important part of this recipe is the tomatoes. DO NOT FORGET THIS! If you make this dish with tasteless, crunchy, mealy tomatoes from the grocery store, it will be good but nothing really all that special. You may not even really like it. If you make it with real tomatoes, as in tomatoes grown in your own backyard or from the Farmer’s market, you will be emailing me messages of joy! Real tomatoes that have grown in the sun and hung on the vine until juicy and ripe! These are the tomatoes you need! I have tried this both ways and cannot stress it enough. Use good tomatoes!
That said, the freshness of this meal and the fact that it is so light and healthy, help make it particularly enjoyable during the summer months. Add some whole wheat couscous or brown rice and steamed asparagus or quickly sauted zucchini and you have got yourself a truly spectacular meal.
One Year Ago: Baked Pasta W/Summer Veggies, Keebler Cracker Bars, & Cocoa Cake
Two Years Ago: Jane’s Margaritas, June Bug, Herbal Iced Tea, BBQ Pulled Pork
Summer Salmon
Inspired by Eating Well
1 salmon fillet per person, skin on, small bones removed
1 tomato per person, sliced
minced garlic
fresh chopped basil
olive oil
salt and pepper
On a large sheet of aluminum foil or parchment paper-I use a double layer of foil-lay a salmon fillet skin side down. Drizzle with just a bit of olive oil, some of the garlic, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and about a teaspoon of fresh basil. Slice a tomato, discarding the stem ends and lay the slices on top of the fish. Repeat with the seasonings, being a bit more generous with the olive oil this time. Bring up the sides of the foil or paper and fold and crease it together, leaving some space above the fish. Fold up and seal the ends. Repeat process for each serving. Place fish packets on the rack of a grill over medium low heat. You want to cook the fish, but not scorch it. Close the lid and let the fish cook for about fifteen minutes, or until the fish is just barely cooked through. Alternatively, you can bake the packets of fish in a 350 degree oven. Be very careful when opening the packets! Steam burns. Use a spatula to lift the fish off the skin and place on a plate. Enjoy!
Love a Good Recipe?
Then you’ve come to the right place! I’m Brittany, and I share tested, trusted recipes you’ll love. I prepare & photograph food, obsess over the perfect recipe, and enjoy grins of delight when I serve up something awesome. Enjoy!
