Pasta with Peas, Mushrooms, and Fresh Mozzarella

Pasta with Peas, Mushroms, and Mozarella1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Cups Chopped Fresh Mushrooms
4 Fresh tomatoes, skin removed and chopped
2 cups fresh peas
1 large ball of fresh mozzarella, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped fresh basil
1/2 Lb large tubular noodles

Cook the noodles in a large pot of salted water. Drain and reserve. Heat the oil in a sauce pan over medium-high heat and add garlic.  Sautee for about 30 seconds until you can smell the garlic.  Add the onion and sautee until translucent, about five minutes.  Add the mushrooms, reduce heat and cook until mushrooms begin to release their juices.  Add tomatoes and stir until tomatoes begin to break down, about 7 minutes. Add peas and cook until hot, about 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Turn off heat and add noodles, basil, and mozzarella.

Recipe note: Try different combinations of mushrooms. They add different flavors and depth to the sauce

Guacamole

1 clove garlicThere is nothing like homemade guacamole!
3 Large Ripe Avocados
1/4 cup minced fresh onion
1/4 cup minced orange pepper
1/4 cup minced fresh tomatillo
1 lime
1/2 jalapeno pepper, finely minced (optional)
1/4 cup fresh, chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp salt or to taste

rub the garlic on the inside of the bowlSplit the garlic clove in half and rub each half into the bottom of the bowl.  Halve avocados, remove pit and skin and mush them into the bowl.  Squeeze the lime and stir to mix.  Add the pepper, tomatillo, jalapeno, cilantro, and Mashing the avocadossalt.  Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

recipe notes: I like this recipe because it is very flavorful and light.  Tomatillos look like a green tomato, but they are actually a relative of the gooseberry.  They add a nice citrus flavor to the guacamole.  The Avocados should be slightly soft to the touch, but firm.  Mushy avocados or avocados that feel like there are air pockets inside the skin should not be used.  I good rule of them is 1/2 an avocado per person, but if you have big eaters adjust accordingly.

Pasta with Lemon, Maple, and Rum

Pasta with Lemon, Maple, and Rum1/2 lb pasta
3 Tbs butter
2 shallots, finely diced
Zest and juice from 1 lemon
1/3 cup rum
1/4 cup Maple Syrup
salt and pepper to taste 

Cook pasta in plenty of water, drain, and reserve.

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter.  Add the shallots and sautte for about 5 minutes, until they are translucent.  Add the lemon zest, and cook for about 30 seconds.  Add the rum (be careful that you add the rum AWAY from the flame) and stir to remove the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Add the maple syrup and reduce for about 10 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Turn off heat and toss in pasta.  Serve and enjoy!

Warm "Carmel" Corn

"Carmel" corn6 ears of corn
3 Tbs Butter
1 tsp kosher salt
2 Tbs white wine

Remove Raw Corn from the Ear

Remove the corn from the ears.  Melt butter over medium heat in a large skillet. 

Add corn and sautee until the corn just starts to turn brown.  Add wine, and stir to remove brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Add salt and toss to coat corn kernals.

Recipe notes:Try this recipe.  It really is delicious

Summer Rolls with Soy Ginger Dipping Sauce

1 Package Bean Thread (cellophane) Noodles
Rice Spring Roll Wrappers
1 Mango, sliced
1 Cucumber, seeded, pealed and sliced into match sticks
1 avocado, sliced
1/2 Lb cooked shrimp
1/4 cup fresh cilantro

Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Add cellophane noodles and cook for 3 minutes until the noodles are translucent and soft.  Drain and reserve.

Soften 1 spring roll wrapper in water until soft, about 20 seconds.  Put softened wrapper on a plate and add a thin layer of noodles, mango, cucumber, avocado, shrimp, and cilantro.  Roll as though you were rolling a burrito (see below).  Serve with Soy Ginger Dipping Sauce.

Fresh ingredients are the key!Layer ingredients on the wrapperFold up sides, as though you were rolling a burritoRoll!

 Recipe notes:  Don't be afraid of the wrappers.  They look delicate (and they are delicate), but even if they rip you can still roll them and they will still taste delicious.  If you are a vegetarian, omit the shrimp.  You can also experiment with ingredients.

Soy Ginger Dipping Sauce:

1/2 cup rice vinegar
1 Tbs sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, minced

combine and serve!

Recipe notes:  This is the dipping sauce I usually serve with my steamed dumplings, but it is delicious with the summer rolls.  It's tangy and slightly spicy and is a nice complement to the fairly bland summer rolls.  You could also serve them with the more traditional peanut sauce.  I can't eat peanuts so I don't cook with them, but if I were to make one, I would try Alton Brown's recipe for Peanut Sauce.