Back in the kitchen & a fabulous plan!

One thing I've been dying to do while recovering from surgery is getting back in the kitchen to cook! I love to cook. I haven't always loved to be in the kitchen and my mom says I had no interest while growing up. My mom was always preparing the next meal for our family of 6 while I would rather play (while I was younger) or hangout with my friends (when I got a little older). I hope I have a daughter (or a son!) that loves to spend time with me in the kitchen.

I wish it was possible to regret something like not cooking with my mom when I was younger but its hard to be regretful about something that I have grown to love in my own way. I still have my mom to thank for this. I can't even tell you how many times i've called my mom to ask "how do you make..." (insert any recipe she is known for making). I strive to be as good of a cook as she is one day! She says it takes "practice"! So this is my plan -

For the next 4 months, I will make, take photos of and share my mom's precious recipes. Any ideas on what I can call my entries? Sharing Secrets? Mom's Menu? The Next Meal?(because that's what my mom says she was always planning) or Whats for dinner? (because that's what mom says she always heard)-- I'm not good at coming up with creative names!

FEEL PRIVILEGED! If you are reading this blog and follow my ridiculous entries on a regular basis - you will see some things that look extra delicious. If you share them with your friends or family, please give credit where credit is due and thank my wonderful mother - Maureen.
Now I got you all excited, didn't I?  (for those of you that have been lucky enough to eat or have heard about my mom's delicious meals!) Unfortunately, this post is only going to include one of my mom's recipes on-top of several others I saw while watching countless hours of food network during my recovery. These recipes are really easy! If I can make this stuff while having throbbing pain in my abdomen, you can make it too!

Tomato & Eggplant Tian - courtesy of Melissa d'Arabian (last year's winner of the Next Food Network Star)

Ingredients

• 2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small eggplant, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• Kosher salt
• 2 small onions, sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 small tomatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan

Directions

Position the oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
In a large saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant slices, season with salt and cook until golden on both sides. Remove to a plate and repeat with the onion slices.
Rub a small baking dish with the garlic clove. Layer the eggplant, onions, and tomato slices in rows in the baking dish. Drizzle a little more olive oil on top. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake until heated through and the tomatoes are soft but still hold their shape, about 20 minutes. Remove the baking dish and set the oven to broil. Sprinkle the tomatoes with the shredded cheese and broil to melt and brown the cheese, about another 2 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.

I made this with my mom's pesto sauce & some rigatoni as a side. Perfect combination of flavors! 

Mom's Pesto

2 cups of basil

1/3 cup pine nuts

1 garlic clove

*blend*

*add 1/2 cup olive oil*

*stir in 1/3 cup of parmigiano cheese*

BLT Pasta Salad courtesy of Food Network Magazine. 

I like to call it "Manly Pasta Salad" - aka - it is NOT low on calories. But delish! 

Everything is better with bacon, right? :)

Ingredients

• 12 ounces corkscrew-shaped pasta
• 1/2 cup milk
• 12 ounces lean bacon
• 3 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 4 tablespoons chopped chives or scallion greens
• 5 heads Bibb lettuce, quartered, or 5 cups chopped romaine hearts

Directions

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water as the label directs. Drain and toss with the milk in a large bowl; set aside.
Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Discard all but 3 tablespoons drippings from the pan. Add the tomatoes, thyme and garlic to the pan and toss until warmed through; season with salt and pepper. Crumble the bacon into bite-size pieces; set aside 1/4 cup for garnish. Toss the remaining bacon and the tomato mixture with the pasta.
Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream and 3 tablespoons chives with the pasta until evenly combined. Season with salt and pepper. Add the lettuce; toss again to coat. Garnish with the reserved bacon and the remaining 1 tablespoon chives. Serve at room temperature.
Per serving: Calories 960; Fat 56 g (Sat. 20 g; Mono. 30 g; Poly. 18 g); Cholesterol 125 mg; Sodium 2,114 mg; Carbohydrate 73 g; Fiber 5 g; Protein 44 g

Italian Baked Chicken & Pastina courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

Giada is my favorite female chef on Food Network. Several of them get on my nerves big time!

Ingredients

• 1 cup pastina pasta (or any small pasta)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup cubed chicken breast (1-inch cubes)
• 1/2 cup diced onion (about 1/2 a small onion)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 tablespoon butter, plus more for buttering the baking dish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain pasta into a large mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, stirring to combine, and cook until the onions are soft and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Put the chicken mixture into the bowl with the cooked pasta. Add the canned tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Place the mixture in a buttered 8 by 8 by 2-inch baking dish. In a small bowl mix together the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture. Dot the top with small bits of butter. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.