easy peasy roasted vegetable pasta

consider this your new back pocket pasta dish. you know, the one that you can make anytime-- for yourself, your family and even for company. 

it is another more-method-than-recipe kind of recipe and in case you haven't noticed, those are my most favored kind.

kale + ricotta ravioli with homemade tomato sauce (and a side of toddler and mama meltdown)

i had such high hopes for these homemade ravioli. and don't get me wrong, they turned out pretty amazing and i am a convert for homemade(ish) ravioli now that i know how simple(ish) it can be. 

what i didn't factor into the equation was-- the mister coming home late from work (he works incredibly hard to support our little family and late nights once in a while have to be expected), the subsequent meltdown from the toddler because he was famished, add in that dada wasn't home and nix was missing him something fierce, and then the resulting mama meltdown that followed the toddler meltdown as i tried to boil water, finish filling the ravioli, puree the sauce, plate the wee one's food and soothe him (all at the same time, mind you) while keeping him out of the hot, hot, hot kitchen.

nixon needed dada and i needed a beer. don't judge.

there was a whole lotta melting down going on in this house tonight.

okee dokee, back to the ravioli.

spinach and sundried tomato linguine with a silky lemon cream sauce

i am writing this as the little one scarfs down his yogurt so i need to be quick.

uh oh, i think i hear spoon hitting empty bowl.

summer spaghetti with a kick

summer means swimsuits (ugh), sandals, cute sleeveless dresses, brightly painted toenails, icy cold cocktails on the patio and meals packed with vegetables in every color of the rainbow.

basil pesto, a summer sauce

basil pesto is such a versatile and simple sauce, and, to me, it simply screams summer. this savory and tasty sauce can be thrown together in the food processor in a matter of minutes and the possibilities are only as limited as your culinary imagination.

tuna, lemon and garlic pasta with buttery breadcrumbs

the other night i (quickly) whipped up this tuna pasta for dinner. i must say, i had my doubts about how it was going to turn out (hot tuna? um... ick) but i was pleasantly surprised by how delicious it was. the lemon adds a nice brightness and acidity to it and the parsley adds a fresh note. i added a few pinches of red pepper flake for a little heat and it was a welcome addition. 

sharp cheddar + gruyere macaroni and cheese with shallots + pancetta

pasta with vodka sauce

if i had super extra long arms, i would give my freaky self a super awesome pat on the back.

this sauce is that good.

i'm also feeling pretty proud of myself since i was able to pull this dinner together with items that i already had in the house.

feelin' pret-ty smug up in here!

summer pasta

i am conducting a bit of an experiment this week with our meals.

we are having vegetarian meals all week to see how much money (if any) we save and to see how we feel after 5 days of the meat-free meals. this is, by no means, a gateway to us becoming vegetarians but just a little reminder that dinners that are vegetarian can be delicious, exciting and easy to slip into your weeknight routine.

last night we had thick spaghetti with grilled zucchini, garlic, lemon and red pepper flakes. it was really simple and light (yes, pasta can be light!) and tasty. today for lunch i jazzed it up a little with some torn, fresh basil leaves, a few more squirts of lemon, little bits of crumbly, tangy goat cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.

baked pasta with ricotta, mozzarella + basil

do you know what lycopenes are?

no? get ready, i'm about to drop some knowledge on you...

cold orzo salad on a hot summer day

hello there, summer. you are so dang hot.

i like to start the summer off with a nice cold beer or cocktail in my hand and a nice cold orzo salad in my bowl.