Potato and Corn Quesadila

Looks like it is just a quesadilla kind of week.  Instead of using meat this time, I stuck with some baked potatoes and corn.  It is the time of year where corn is going to be in season, and you should be able to pick it up at your local store or farmer's market for a great price.  If using fresh corn, it can be used uncooked, sautéed, steamed, or boiled.  This recipe uses our Pastamore Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil to give the potatoes a delicious flavor.

Ingredients:  Serves 4
2 - medium, russet potatoes
1.5+ Tbsp - Pastamore Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil
1/2 cup - corn (frozen or fresh)
10 oz - colby jack cheese
8 - tortillas (plain or spicy)
To taste - salt and black pepper

Directions:
1.  Bake potatoes using desired method (e.g. microwave, oven).  Allow to slightly cool, and then chop into 1/2" cubes.  Toss with the 1.5 Tbsp of Pastamore Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil.  Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

2.  Heat a large frying pan on the stove over medium heat.  Once hot, lightly oil the pan with Pastamore Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil.  Place one tortilla into the pan.  Add 2.5 oz of cheese, then top with 1/4 of the seasoned potatoes, 1/4 of the corn, and then top with another tortilla.  Flip once during the cooking process, making sure both sides are nice and toasted.

3.  Chop into quarters and top with your favorite salsa.

Coconut Citrus Mahi Mahi

Coconut oil is delicious and misunderstood.  Coconut oil is often looked down upon because of its high saturated fat content.  The reality is that the saturated fats found in coconut oil are medium chain fatty acids and do not work in the potentially negative way that regular saturated fats may act in the body.  Coconut oil has a nice mellow coconut flavor and can be found for a great price at a warehouse store.  This recipe combines our Pastamore Citrus Balsamic Vinegar with this great coconut taste.

Ingredients:   Serves 4
4 - Mahi mahi fish filets
4 tsp - Pastamore Citrus Balamic Vinegar
4 Tbsp - coconut oil
2 cups - cooked brown rice
As needed - salt and black pepper
To garnish - dried thyme
As needed - vegetable oil

Directions:
1.  Begin cooking rice according to favorite method.

2.  Generously season both sides of the fish with salt and black pepper.  When the rice is 10 minute away from being finished, heat a large frying pan on the stove over medium heat.  Once the pan is hot, lightly oil the pan.  Place the fish into the pan and cook.  Turn once during the cooking process, cooking until an internal temperature of 145ºF is reached.  Remove from the pan, and allow to sit for a few minutes.

3.  While the fish is resting, place the Pastamore Citrus Balamic Vinegar into a medium mixing bowl.  Very slowly drizzle in the coconut oil while whisking.  Lightly season to taste with salt.

4.  Plate the brown rice, top with the mahi mahi, and top with 1/4 of the citrus coconut sauce.

Spicy Beef Quesadilla

During my time working in the kitchen at a Mexican restaurant I got a great opportunity to experiment with tasty ingredients.  The restaurant served a great quesadilla, and they have always been a favorite of mine.  This recipe is a great use of our Pastamore Fresh Jalapeno Oil which is used twice during the recipe.  This quesadilla would pair great our chilled sweet corn soup recipe.

Ingredients:    Serves 4
1 lb - 90/10 ground beef
1 Tbsp + 2 tsp - Pastamore Fresh Jalapeno Oil
10 oz - shredded pepper jack cheese
1/2 - medium red onion
8 - medium flour tortillas
1/4 tsp - oregano
1/8 tsp - red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp - cumin
1/8 tsp - smoked paprika
1/8 tsp - garlic powder
To taste - salt and black pepper

Directions:
1.  Cut the top and bottom off of the onion, remove the skin, cut in half, and thinly slice on half.

2.  Heat a large frying pan on the stove over medium-high heat.  Once hot, add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add the ground beef to the pan.  Break up the meat into small crumbles.  Season with the spices, add the Pastamore Fresh Jalapeno Oil.  Season to taste with salt and black pepper.  Cook until the desired doneness has been reached.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes.

3.  Heat a large frying pan on the stove over medium heat.  Add 1/2 tsp of Pastamore Fresh Jalapeno Oil to the pan and allow to heat.  Place one tortilla into the pan, evenly add the pepper jack cheese, and add 1/4 of the ground beef to the quesadilla and spread evenly.  Add the top tortilla.  Turn once the bottom tortilla has reached the desired doneness.  Turn over once, cooking the second side to the same doneness.  Remove from the pan and cut into quarters.

4.  Cook the remaining quesadillas and enjoy!

Pan Roasted Pineapple & Sweet Potato Pasta

Pineapples were on sale and looking great at the store so I couldn't pass one up.  This recipe pairs the great taste of our gluten-free Sweet Potato pasta with the sweet taste of fresh pineapple and vidalia onion.  The cinnamon flavor in the Sweet Potato pasta matches well with the pineapple, and the soy sauce used in the recipe really gives a nice depth of flavor.  Another quick and delicious meal using one of our great gluten free pastas!

Ingredients:    Serves 3-4
1 - 12 oz package Pastamore Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Fettuccine 
1 - medium,  pineapple
1 - medium, vidalia onion
3 cloves - garlic
1.5 tsp - gluten free soy sauce
2 Tbsp - extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp - sesame seeds
1/4 tsp - black pepper
To taste - salt

Directions:
1.  Cut the top and bottom off the pineapple.  Cut off the skin by cutting from top to the bottom, retaining as much of the flesh as possible.  Cut the pineapple in quarters vertically.  Cut out the core by cutting at a 45º on the interior pieces.  Chop the pineapple into 1/2" x 1/2" pieces.  Remove the ends and skin from the onion, cut in half, and slice into 1/8" thick pieces.  Mince the garlic.  Place to the side.

2.  Heat a large pot of water on the stove over high heat.  Bring to a boil.

3.  Once the water is boiling heat a medium frying pan on the stove over medium heat.  Using enough oil to keep the ingredients from sticking, add the pineapple, onion, soy sauce, black pepper, and garlic to the frying pan.  Place the pasta in the boiling water.  Cook until the onions are tender.  Do not stir too often as you want the pineapple to have some color.

4.  Cook the Pastamore Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Fettuccine until al dente.  Drain using a colander and rinse thoroughly with warm water.  Return to the pot it was cooked in and add the pineapple mixture and olive oil.  Mix well.  Season to taste with salt.

5.  Serve immediately and enjoy.

Spicy Chicken Fajitas

I've always been a big fan of fajitas.  Some restaurants have run of the mill fajitas while others have ones that will knock your socks off.  I stopped making fajitas at home after hitting the jackpot at a place in Denver, La Loma.  However, after leaving town I haven't come across any fajitas worth going back for.  So the solution?  Going back to making tasty fajitas at home.  This recipe uses our Pastamore Fresh Jalapeno Oil, and it gives the dish just the kick that it needs.

Ingredients:   Serves 4-6
1.25 lb - thin cut chicken breast
1 Tbsp - Pastamore Fresh Jalapeno Oil
2 - red bell peppers
1 - medium yellow onion
1 - lime
As needed - tortillas
3/4-1 tsp - salt
1/4 tsp - oregano
1/4 tsp - black pepper
1/8 tsp - garlic powder
1/8 tsp - cumin
1/8 tsp - smoked paprika
To taste - salt and black pepper

Directions:
1.  Combine the salt and other spices into a small mixing bowl.  Mix well.  Season both sides of the chicken breasts with the mixture.  Set to the side.

2. Heat a medium frying pan on the stove over medium heat.  While the pan is heating, wash the red peppers and cut half vertically.  Next, cut into 1/4" wide strips.  Cut the onion in half, remove the skin, and thinly slice.  Lightly oil the pan and add the red peppers and onions to the pan.  Cook until tender.  Add the Pastamore Fresh Jalapeno Oil, season to taste with salt and black pepper and lime juice, and mix well.

3.  While the veggies heat a large frying on the stove over medium/medium-high heat.  Add enough oil to keep the chicken from sticking and then add the chicken to the pan.  Turn once during cooking, cooking the chicken until an internal temperature of 165ºF has been reached.  Remove the chicken from the pan and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes before cutting.

4.  Slice the chicken into 1/4"-1/2" wide pieces.  Warm tortillas and serve immediately.

SBBG: Spinach Basil Bacon and Garlic

Here is another quick and easy recipe to whip up using our Pastamore Gluten-free Spinach Basil Garlic pasta.  While bacon doesn't make EVERYTHING better, it sure makes a lot of things better.  In this case, it is a great addition to the awesome flavors found in our SBG pasta.  If you get the chance, don't skimp on the quality of the bacon as a nice thick cut style will go a long way towards the dish.

Ingredients:    Serves 3-4
1 - 12 oz package Pastamore Gluten-free Spinach Basil Garlic
5 strips - thick cut bacon
8 oz - grape tomatoes
2 Tbsp - extra virgin olive oil
To taste - salt

Directions:
1.  Cook the bacon according to package directions.

2.  Heat a large pot of water on the stove over high heat.  Once boiling add the Pastamore Gluten-free Spinach Basil Garlic and cook until al dente.  Drain using colander and rinse thoroughly with warm water.  Return to the pot and add the extra virgin olive oil.  Mix well.

3.  Chop the bacon into 1/4" x 1/4" pieces.  Add to the pot as well as the tomatoes.  Season to taste with salt and mix well.  Serve immediately.

Sausage Shepherd's Pie

Sometimes you have great plans for a recipe and then you come to find out that one (or two) of your ingredients have gone south. Sometimes you just have to give up and make something else, and other times you stick to your guns and come up with a unique and delicious dish.  This recipe happens to come from one of the latter situations.  You might want to save this dish for a cool spring day as the dish is pretty heavy.  This recipe uses our Pastamore Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil to give the mashed potatoes a great flavor.

Ingredients:    serves 4
2 - Andouille sausage
3 - russet potatoes
1-2 Tbsp - Pastamore Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil
1-1.5 cups - milk
1/3 cup - corn kernels
1/2 - yellow onion
To taste - salt and black pepper

Directions:
1. Place a large pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil.  Rinse and clean the potatoes and chop into 1" cubes.  Add to the boiling water.  Preheat the oven to 425º F.

2.  Heat a large frying pan on the stove over medium heat.  Dice the onion into 1/4" x 1/4" pieces.  Add enough oil or cooking spray to keep the onion from sticking.  Cook for 5 minutes.  Cut the sausages into quarters length-wise and then chop into 1/2" long pieces.  Add to the pan with the corn and heat throughout.

3.  Drain the potatoes using a colander and return to the pot over medium heat.  Add the milk, Pastamore Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil, and mash until smooth.  Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

4.  Lightly grease an 8" x 8" baking pan with butter or cooking spray. Scoop in enough mashed potatoes to fully cover the bottom of the pan 1/2" deep.  Add the sausage and corn mixture and spread until it is level.  Add the remaining mashed potatoes and gently spread until level.  Place into the oven.

5.  Cook for 10 minutes.  Turn off the oven and turn on the broiler at 500º F.  Cook for 5 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes.  Cut into quarters and serve.