One Dish Meals | Mommie Cooks!

Pesto Pasta with Chicken Bacon and Mushrooms

August 29, 2011 By Julie 18 Comments

I just sent my middle child, Alex, off to Kindergarten for the first day today. You think if you’d done it once before it would be a piece of cake the second time, right? I sure did. I managed to get him up and corral both him and his brother through the morning time routine without too much issue (aside from waking Alex and getting him out of bed; a herculean task to be sure). Scott came back to the house for the official send-off and we snapped the first day obligatory pictures. We even made it to the bus stop without incident and Alex, a bit reluctant and apprehensive, boarded with his brother and promptly drove away.

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Bacon Blue Cheese Quiche

August 9, 2011 By Julie 23 Comments

Imagine that you’re driving through the Northern Vermont countryside, soaking in the peaceful views that surround you. On all sides are idyllic small family farms with row upon row of vibrant organic vegetables poking up from the fertile soil, cows gently gnawing on dewy blades of grass, chickens cooing and pecking at the random insect that happens upon the ground as they meander within their outdoor pen, and quaint little homes, some of which are over 100 years old. You come around a bend and your friend notices a series of well maintained red barns, one of which says Blue Cheese in big swirling letters on the front.

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Savory Southwestern Salmon Pie

June 28, 2011 By Julie 14 Comments

Let’s give a hearty welcome to savory southwestern salmon pie. This meal was conceived out of a necessity to clear the pantry and fridge before vacation and quickly forged itself into the permanent dinner rotation.

Usually, when I attempt to create meals using only what I have on hand, the aftermath is either a rip-roaring “I meant to do that” success or it’s a “what the heck did you get us into with this dinner” failure. I have to say, with the way things were flying into pans and bowls; a little bit of this and whole bunch of that, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it hit a rather delicious mark with me. I’ll admit that I’m a sucker for Southwest flavors to begin with. Drop it all into a pie crust and just like that I’m licking my chops and proclaiming blogworthyness.

Make the note that the ancho chile kicks up the spice level a bit. Two of my three were ok with the heat, but the third one took issue. You could probably leave the chile out if needed and it would still work beautifully, however, I have to say that I love the added flavor it gives to the dish.

Let’s get on with it shall we?

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Weeknight Chicken and Broccoli

June 1, 2011 By Julie 25 Comments

I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial day. Our holiday weekend involved a camping trip up to the Smoky Mountains. I guess you could say that when there are four boys living in the house, at some point in time, sleeping in the great outdoors becomes a given. Fortunately for me, I enjoy it as much as they do. If you’ve never been before, make sure you go at some point in time. There is nothing quite like The Park. Incredible hiking, amazing scenery, quaint towns, and windy roads leading to God knows where.

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Southwestern Stuffed Mushrooms

May 3, 2011 By Julie 36 Comments

Kids say the darndest things. Last night we were sitting down to dinner, enjoying some quality time, when Alex made a sudden declaration that he didn’t like meat. “All meat?” I inquired. “No meat.” he replied. So I asked him the next logical question that came to my mind. “Do you think you might want be a vegetarian when you grow up?” An overly exaggerated look of utter frustration washed over his face as he rolled his eyes at me and sighed. “I thought we already discussed this. I want to be an ice cream truck driver when I grow up!” Silly, silly mommy for asking such a ridiculous question. But hey, as long as he drives his truck through my neighborhood it’s all good to me.

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Penne alla Vodka – A guest post from Christy at Fudge Ripple

April 18, 2011 By Julie 20 Comments

I’m thrilled to have Christy from Fudge Ripple as a guest poster for Mommie Cooks today! Her unique writing style drew me instantly into her blog and the delicious recipes keep me coming back for more. I hope you enjoy reading and tasting her delicious creations as much as I do. When you’re finished here, be sure to stop over and check out her blog. I promise you won’t be disappointed. On with the show!

when i received Julie’s kind invitation

to share a recipe with all of you

i got so excited

i had so many ideas about what i should share

and this one stuck

a recipe

that brings back memories of my wonderful

grandma

today

i share with you

spaghetti alla vodka

made with vodka soaked tomatoes

this is really simple. peel tomatoes and cram into a jar, use a skewer to secure tomatoes if they start to float to the top. fill the jar with vodka and store in the refrigerator for at least 5 days. i make several jars because i like to use the tomatoes and the vodka for my sauce. leftover vodka is really great for a bloody mary pick me up.

spaghetti alla vodka

(printable recipe)

1 lb spaghetti or pasta of choice

olive oil

1/2 of small onion–finely diced

2 garlic cloves–finely diced

6-8 basil leaves–chiffonade

1 large tin peeled whole tomatoes or combination of vodka soaked tomatoes and tinned tomatoes to equal about 4 cups whole

1/2-1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 cup tomato soaked vodka (or other vodka you have on hand)

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup grated parmesan plus more for serving

cook pasta in salted water, according to package instructions. cook onions and garlic in olive oil over low heat. meanwhile, place the tomatoes in a food processor or blender and pulse until it is smooth. do not allow the onions and garlic to brown, but let them begin to soften and become translucent. at this point, add the tomatoes and vodka and let simmer for about 10-15 minutes. add the basil, red pepper flakes and heavy cream and allow to heat through. stir in parmesan, then toss drained pasta in. if the sauce seems too thick, use a bit of the pasta water. shave a bit of parmesan on top of each individual serving, along with additional crushed red pepper, if you like spicy.