Goat Cheese and Bacon Avocado Dip

Here is a quick and tasty avocado dip that would make a great alternative to your normal guacamole. This dip would be great with tortilla chips, or it would be a nice topper for chicken or steak.

Ingredients:
2 - avocados
2 slices - bacon, cooked
1 oz - goat cheese, crumbles
1/4 tsp - cumin
2 tsp - Pastamore Spicy Tomato Dipping Oil
As garnish - red pepper flakes
To taste - salt and black pepper

Directions:
1. Cut avocados in half and remove seeds. Scoop flesh into mixing bowl and mash until smooth.

2. Add cumin, Pastamore Spicy Tomato Dipping Oil, goat cheese, and crumble in bacon. Mix well and season to taste with salt and black pepper.

3. Serve and garnish with red pepper flakes.

Bacon Goat Cheese Rotini

How can so few ingredients pack such a huge punch? This recipe combines our fun and flavorful Pastamore Tomato, Spinach, and Red Bell Pepper Rotini with goat cheese and bacon. The goat cheese fills in the rotini shape and the bacon gives a nice salty flavor. This recipe would also be great if our Pastamore Spicy Tomato Dipping Oil were substituted for the plain olive oil.

Ingredients:
1 12 oz package - Pastamore Tomato, Spinach, and Red Bell Pepper Rotini
2 oz - goat cheese crumbles
4 slices - bacon, cooked
1.5 Tbsp - extra virgin olive oil
To taste - salt and black pepper

Directions:
1. Heat a large pot of water on the stove over high heat. Once the water is boiling, add the Pastamore Tomato, Spinach, and Red Bell Pepper Rotini. Cook until al dente.

2. Drain the pasta using a colander and return to the cooking pot over medium heat. Add in the goat cheese and olive oil. Crumble in the cooked bacon. Mix well. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

3. Serve and top with fresh cracked pepper.

Italian Breakfast Scramble

Cheese and eggs, enough said. Add in spinach, tomatoes, and our Pastamore Roasted Garlic Balsamic Dipping Oil and you've got yourself a fantastic breakfast. This recipe would also be tasty topped with our Pastamore Basil Parmesan Dipping Oil. Whether you make this as a treat during the week or for a weekend brunch this will be sure to please your taste buds.

Ingredients:    serves 2
4 - eggs
1 - tomato
2 cups - baby spinach
1 oz - mozzarella cheese
1 Tbsp - Pastamore Roasted Garlic Balsamic Dipping Oil
As needed - cooking spray
To taste - salt and black pepper

Directions:
1. Crack eggs into mixing bowl and whisk well. Rinse tomato and cut into 1/2" cubes.

2. Heat a large frying pan on the stove over medium-medium/high heat. Lightly grease pan with cooking spray. Once hot, add eggs. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring very often.

3. Add tomatoes, spinach, and mozzarella. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Cook until eggs are cooked throughout.

4. Plate and top with Pastamore Roasted Garlic Balsamic Dipping Oil.

Peppers and Onions Cracked Pepper Fettuccine

Peppers and onions are a classic combination that works great with all types of food. In this case, they are paired with bacon and our Pastamore Gluten-free Cracked Pepper Fettuccine. The sweetness of the vegetables pairs great with the saltiness of the bacon and punch of the cracked pepper pasta. For this recipe, I baked the bacon in the oven at 400ºF until crispy.

Ingredients:
1 12 oz package - Pastamore Gluten-free Cracked Pepper Fettuccine
6 slices - bacon, cooked
1/2 - medium white onion
1 - green bell pepper
1 Tbsp - olive oil
1/4 tsp - garlic powder
To taste - salt

Directions:
1. Heat a large pot of water on the stove over high heat. Roughly chop bacon.

2. Peel onion and thinly slice one half. Rinse green pepper, cut in half from top to bottom, and remove stem and seeds. Slice into 1/4" thick pieces and then cut in half. Heat a large frying pan on the stove over medium-high heat. Add half of the olive oil and allow to heat. Once hot, add the peppers and onions. Stir often and season to taste. Cooked until browned.

3. Add Pastamore Gluten-free Cracked Pepper Fettuccine to the pot of boiling water. Cook until al dente and drain using a colander. Rinse throughly with water and return to the cooking pot over medium heat.

4. Add cooked bacon, peppers and onions, garlic powder, and remaining olive oil. Mix well and season to taste with salt.

Classic Italian Penne

Penne has always been my favorite cut of pasta, and our Pastamore Gluten-free Italian Blend Penne is no exception. This pasta has an excellent flavor that provides a base for this dish, and the gluten-free penne holds up well to both cooking and reheating. This recipe could be made to fit your preferences by switching out the ground beef for ground turkey.

Ingredients:
1 12 oz package - Pastamore Gluten-free Italian Blend Penne
1/2 lb - ground beef
2 - tomatoes
1 Tbsp - olive oil
2 oz - shaved parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp - thyme
1/4 tsp - garlic powder
1/4 tsp - red pepper flakes
To taste - salt and black pepper

Directions:
1. Heat a large pot of water on the stove over high heat. Rinse tomatoes and dice into 1/4" cubes. Set to the side. Heat large frying pan on the stove over medium-high heat. Once water is boiling, add Pastamore Gluten-free Italian Blend Penne.

2. Once frying pan is hot, add the ground beef to the pan. Add thyme, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Cook until cooked throughout, stirring often and breaking into small pieces. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

3. Drain pasta using a colander once al dente. Rinse throughly with water and return to the pot over medium heat. Add tomatoes, olive oil, and ground beef. Mix well and heat until warm. Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper.

4. Plate and top with shaved parmesan cheese.

Heirloom Tomato Goat Cheese Chicken

It has been a while since I have finished a recipe with "the drizzle." For this recipe, our Pastamore Barrel-Aged Balsamic Vinegar tops off a chicken breast that is paired with heirloom tomato and goat cheese. The creaminess of the cheese pairs well with the juiciness and acid from the tomato. This is an easy and quick recipe that will make you forget about those other nights with dry, bland chicken breast.

Ingredients:
1 lb - chicken breast
1 large - heirloom tomato
2 oz - goat cheese, crumbled
1 Tbsp - Pastamore Barrel-Aged Balsamic Vinegar
2 tsp - vegetable oil (or cooking spray)
1 tsp - thyme
1/4 tsp - garlic powder
1/4 tsp - black pepper
1/4-1/2 tsp - salt

Directions:
1. Heat a large frying pan over medium/medium-high heat. Butterfly chicken if breasts are thick. Season with thyme, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt. Once the pan is hot, add the oil followed by the chicken presentation side down.

2. Rinse tomato and slice into 1/4" thick slices.

3. Turn chicken once during the cooking process. Cook until chicken is nearly finished and top each with 2 slices of tomato. Split the goat cheese between the tomatoes. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until cheese softens.

4. Plate chicken on top of qunioa or a bed of baby spinach. Finish with a pinch of black pepper and a drizzle of Pastamore Barrel-Aged Balsamic Vinegar.

Garlic Balsamic Kale and Smoked Salmon

Although I prefer the taste of spinach to kale, I think kale stands up better for cooked dishes. This recipe pairs kale with delicious smoked salmon, roasted pumpkin seeds, and our Pastamore Roasted Garlic Balsamic Dipping Oil. The dish could work as either a side dish, entrée, or lunch. Cooking this with a little egg would also make for a tasty brunch. This recipe would also be great finished with goat cheese.

Ingredients:
4 oz - smoked salmon
1 Tbsp - Pastamore Roasted Garlic Balsamic Dipping Oil
4 cups - kale, roughly chopped
1 - medium tomato
1/4 - medium white onion
4 Tbsp - pepitas
2 tsp - olive oil
To taste - salt and black pepper

Directions:
1. Heat a large pot on the stove over medium heat. While the pan is heating finely slice the onion. Once the pan is hot, add the olive oil and onion. Cook until translucent, stirring often.

2. Rinse tomato and dice into 1/2" cubes. Shred the smoked salmon.

3. Add the kale to the pot, stirring often. Cook for 2-4 minutes. Next, add the Pastamore Roasted Garlic Balsamic Dipping Oil and smoked salmon. Mix well. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

4. Plate and top with the pepitas.

Smoked Salmon and Sausage Rotini

Sausage and seafood are always a great combination. This recipe combines delicious andouille sausage with a rich smoked salmon. These great ingredients pair great with our Pastamore Tomato, Spinach, and Red Bell Pepper Rotini. Try this recipe hot or as a chilled pasta salad.

Ingredients:
1 12 oz package - Pastamore Tomato, Spinach, and Red Bell Pepper Rotini
2 - andouille sausages, cooked
4 oz - smoked salmon, shredded
1 Tbsp - extra virgin olive oil
1/2 - medium white onion
To taste - salt and black pepper

Directions:
1. Cut off top and bottom of onion and remove skin. Finely slice 1/2 of onion.

2. Heat a large pot of water on the stove over high heat. Once boiling, add the Pastamore Tomato, Spinach, and Red Bell Pepper Rotini.

3. Heat a large frying pan on the stove over medium-high heat. While the pan is heating slice sausages into 1/4" thick pieces. Add olive oil, sausage, and sliced onions to pan. Cook until browned. Add smoked salmon to pan and heat until warm.

4. Cook pasta until al dente and drain using a colander. Return to the cooking pot along with the salmon and sausage mixture. Mix well and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve.

Cheese Curds and Beef

After a trip to Wisconsin a few years ago I am always on the lookout for cheese curds. It was a great surprise to find some Wisconsin cheese curds at the local grocery store this week. The cheese curds are paired with ground beef and mushrooms for a great "meat and potatoes" dish. This recipe uses our Pastamore Barrel-Aged Worcestershire Sauce to add great flavor. This recipe would be great served over rice or with a baked potato.

Ingredients:
1 lb - 85/15 ground beef
4 oz - cheese curds
6 oz - mushrooms
1/2 - medium onion
2 tsp - Pastamore Barrel-Aged Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 tsp - dried oregano
To taste - salt and black pepper

Directions:
1. Heat a large frying pan on the stove over medium-high heat. Rinse mushrooms and cut into quarters. Peel onion and cut 1/4" slices. Once the pan is hot, add the ground beef, mushrooms, and onion to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes and add the Pastamore Barrel-Aged Worcestershire Sauce.

2. Cook the ground beef, stirring often. Once the ground beef is nearly cooked, add the cheese curds and mix well. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

3. Cook until the cheese curds are gooey. Serve immediately.