American Pasta Carbonara

Yesterday I had a craving for "Eggs and Bacon" Pasta. This was one of Geoff's favorite dishes at a restaurant we went to in Brazil, and we found this recipe and it's delicious! (And EASY)

American Pasta Carbonara

Prep time: 25 min

Servings: 4-5

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces dry spinach fettucine (or whatever pasta you would like)
  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 ounces finely chopped bacon (Greg used like, 1/2 a pound)
  
• 1 clove minced garlic (Greg doubled this)
  
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup grated sharp white cheddar cheese (We tripled this)
  
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, salt, add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until "al dente." Meanwhile, heat olive oil in skillet. Add bacon and saute for about 5 minutes or until it has rendered its fat and bits are crisp. Add garlic and saute for few seconds. Remove skillet from the heat, over and set aside until pasta is done. Whisk eggs and cheese together and season to taste with salt and pepper. When pasta is done, drain well and return to pot, off heat. Thoroughly combine with bacon, garlic and oil. Stirring pasta continuously with a long wooden pasta fork, slowly pour in the egg mixture. Continue to stir, over low heat, until the eggs thicken into a sauce. Remove from the heat immediately or eggs will curdle. (If you are concerned eggs are not cooked enough, continue to cook until they form soft curds; it won't look pretty but it will taste delicious.)

I was thinking it could be nice to add chicken. But it's really yummy regardless. :)

Salads to try

It is summer. Duh. And I am a salad fiend. I am going to try each of these, and I thought I'd post them up here for others to try.

Enjoy (I hope)!

Strawberry Salad

3 cups watercress leaves

3 cups torn arugula leaves

3 cups sliced strawberries

1/4 cup orange juice

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 teaspoons poppy seeds

1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind

Alternate

For a delicious twist on this salad, add 1 cup fiddlehead ferns. Fiddlehead ferns taste like a cross between green beans and asparagus. You can use blanched green beans or asparagus as a substitute for fiddlehead ferns. Spinach Salad with Strawberries: Replace the watercress and arugula with 6 cups torn tender spinach leaves. For a nutty crunch, add 1/3 cup sliced toasted almonds.

Directions

1.

In a large bowl, combine the watercress, arugula and strawberries.

2.

In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice, oil, poppy seeds and orange rind. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine.

Chickpea Cucumber Salad

1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1/2 small red onion, quartered and thinly sliced

1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped

1 roasted red pepper, chopped

3 plum tomatoes, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 cloves garlic, chopped

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

Alternate

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad WIth Feta: A bit of feta cheese adds a pleasantly tangy, creamy note to this salad. Crumble 6 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) feta cheese over the salad. It will increase the fat only slightly, to about 4 grams per serving.

Directions

1.

In a large bowl, combine the chickpeas, onion, cucumber, pepper, tomatoes, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Toss to mix. Allow to stand at room temperature for 10 minutes for flavors to blend.

Fruit Salad

1 teaspoon grated lime peel

2 tablespoons lime juice

4 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

1/2 small honeydew, cubed

1/2 cantaloupe, cubed

1 pint fresh strawberries, halved and hulled

2 cups fresh pineapple or mango cubes

Directions

1.

In a large bowl, stir together the lime peel, juice, honey, and mint until combined. Add the honeydew, cantaloupe, strawberries, and pineapple or mango. Toss to combine.

Chicken-Asian Salad

12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into thin crosswise strips

4 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes

3 tablespoons raw cashews

2 tablespoons olive or canola oil

5 cloves garlic, slivered

1 1/2 tablespoons slivered peeled fresh ginger

1 large red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

2 medium carrots, cut into thin slices

4 scallions, diagonally sliced

1/2 cup orange juice

3 cups shredded iceberg lettuce

3 cups baby spinach

Directions

1.

In a medium bowl, mix the chicken, 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce, and the red-pepper flakes, to taste. Cover and set aside.

2.

Cook the cashews in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring often, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Tip onto a plate and let cool.

3.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant and lightly golden. Add the chicken and stirfry for 3 to 4 minutes, or until no longer pink. Transfer to a clean bowl.

4.

Place the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the same skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper and carrots, and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add the scallions and stir-fry for 2 minutes longer, or until the vegetables are crisp-tender. Return the chicken and any juices to the skillet. Add the orange juice and the remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Bring to a boil, stirring. Let boil for 30 seconds; remove from the heat.

5.

Mix the lettuce and spinach on a large, deep platter or in a wide, shallow bowl. Spoon the chicken mixture on top. Sprinkle with the cashews and serve immediately.

Turkey Blue Cheese Salad

1 lb turkey breast cutlets

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 tsp salt

2 tbsp cider vinegar

1 tsp dijon mustard

8 C baby spinach leaves

4 slices cooked reduced sodium turkey bacon, crumbled

1/2 ripe avocado, cut into 1/2" cubes

4 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 oz blue cheese, crumbled

Directions

1.

Preheat grill pan on medium high heat 2 minutes. Brush turkey with 1 teaspoon of the oil and sprinkle with half of the salt. Grill turkey 4 minutes, flip, and continue cooking until centers are opaque and juices run clear, about 3 minutes longer. Cut into chunks.

2.

To prepare dressing, combine vinegar, mustard, 1 tablespoon of water, and remaining 2 teaspoons oil and 1/8 teaspoon salt in glass jar. Shake well.

3.

In large bowl, toss spinach with 2 tablespoons of the dressing. Arrange turkey, bacon, avocado, tomatoes, and cheese over spinach. Drizzle remaining dressing over salad and season with black pepper to taste.

Chicken Mango Salad

2 tbsp olive oil

3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, trimmed

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 shallots, finely chopped

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

4 C shredded romaine lettuce

1 sm bunch watercress, lg stems discarded

1/2 C finely shredded red cabbage

1 firm ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/2" pieces

Directions

1.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Season chicken with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper. Cook, turning, until golden brown and cooked through, about 6 minutes on each side. Transfer to cutting board.

2.

Add shallots and 1 tablespoon of the vinegar to skillet and cook, stirring, until shallots are softened and liquid is almost evaporated, about 3 minutes. Transfer shallots to small bowl. Whisk remaining 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper into shallot mixture.

3.

Place romaine, watercress, cabbage, and mango in serving bowl. Cut chicken diagonally into long, thin strips. Add to romaine mixture, toss with dressing, and serve.

Fruit Salad on Greens

4 cups mixed salad greens

3 cups mixed fruit, such as grapes, sliced strawberries, sliced kiwi, and cubed mango, honeydew, cantaloupe, or watermelon

1 cup mandarin oranges, drained

Dressing

1/2 cup orange juice

1 teaspoon orange zest

1 cup plain yogurt

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon sugar or honey

Directions

1.

To make the salad: In a large bowl, toss the greens, fruit, and mandarin oranges.

2.

To make the dressing: In a small bowl, combine the orange juice, orange zest, yogurt, lemon juice, mayonnaise, and sugar. Whisk together just before serving. Pour over the salad, toss gently, and serve immediately.

Tomato Cucumber Italian Salad

3 large tomatoes, cut into wedges

1 hothouse cucumber, cut into 1" pieces

4 scallions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup light Italian dressing

ground black pepper

6 lettuce leaves

6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1.

In a refrigerator container, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, and scallions. Add the dressing, and season to taste with salt and pepper; mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight, stirring the salad several times.

2.

To serve, drain off most of the dressing. Place a lettuce leaf on each of 6 salad plates and spoon salad into each leaf. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon Parmesan over each.

Cooked Veggie Salad

1/2 cup salad oil

1/2 cup vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups whole cooked green beans

1 cup sliced cooked carrots

1 cup sliced celery

1 cup green pepper, sliced or cut into strips

1 medium spanish onion, sliced

Directions

1.

Prepare dressing of oil, vinegar, and sugar mixed together. Mix green beans, carrots, celery, green pepper, and onion into dressing and keep pressed down with plate on top. Refrigerate overnight. Drain well before serving.

Spinach-Orange-Dijon Salad

8 cups torn spinach leaves

1 red onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings

1/2 cup canned mandarin orange segments, drained

2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds

HONEY-MUSTARD DRESSING

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon orange juice

Alternate

In a pinch, use fat-free honey-mustard dressing.

Directions

1.

To make the salad: In a large bowl, combine the spinach, onions, oranges and almonds.

2.

To make the honey-mustard dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, honey, lemon juice and orange juice. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine.