Veggie Pasta Salad

Veggie Pasta Salad

Veggie Pasta Salad

I love making this Veggie Pasta Salad and it is so refreshing during hot summer days. Even though it is September, NY is in the brink of a heatwave and this pasta salad was fitting for Labor Day. This recipe is very easy to put together and it is so yummy. The only thing bad about this recipe is you do not want to stop eating it. The tangy dressing, the crunch of the veggies and great tasting pasta make this a satisfying and hearty meal. The more time it is chilled in the fridge the better, so go for at least 3-4 hours or more if you have the time. Recipe below.

Peppers, Broccoli, and Onions sauteeing

Ingredients
1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced

1 Orange Bell Pepper, sliced

6 Radishes, sliced and halved

1 bunch of fresh Broccoli Florets, cut

1/4 Yellow Onion, chopped

1 cup Shredded Carrots

1 container Grape Tomatoes

1 bunch of Parsley, roughly chopped

Veggie Pasta Salad, chilled and ready to be eaten!

Coarse Salt

Cracked Black Pepper

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 cup Light Italian Dressing (or more if desired)

1 bag Wacky Mac Veggie spirals (Tomato, Beet and Spinach Blend)

Veggie Pasta Salad, so yummy!

Directions
In a huge pot, add salt and 1 teaspoon olive oil in bowling water and cook veggie spirals 1 minute shy of Al Dente according to package directions.

Drain and set aside.

Season broccoli, peppers and onions with salt and pepper.

Add olive oil to skillet on medium heat and sautee broccoli, peppers and onions for 5 minutes or so.

Cool veggies.

In a large bowl, add veggie spirals, broccoli, peppers, onions, carrots, radishes, tomatoes and combine.

Add Italian Dressing and combine.

Add Parsley and mix together.

Cover and chill in fridge for at least 2-3 hours before you serve and add a little more dressing to taste if desired.

Enjoy!

-Sophia/Two Frys

Apple Pie

Apple Pie

Apple Pie

I asked my coworker Carole what she would like me to bake for her birthday, and she requested Apple Pie. She is not a fan of tart apples so for her pie, I used 6 Gala Apples and 3 Granny Smith Apples and 3 Gala Apples for our pie, which is the perfect combination of sweet and tart. For the pie crust, I use Ina Garten's (see link below) Pie Crust recipe and instructions. You can make the pie crust a day or two ahead and keep it covered in the fridge until ready to use. Bring the pie crust to room temperature before rolling out the dough. I use Paula Dean's apple shape cutout that I put over the crust. I doubled the recipe and the one below is for the sweet-tart pie, but use Gala or any other sweet apple you prefer. The crust is light and flaky, and I reduced the sugar by 1/2 cup and you wouldn't even notice it since the lemon juice and all the spices develop the flavors together beautifully. The sweetness is balanced by the tart Granny Smith Apples. You really need to make this Apple Pie! Recipe below.

Apple Pie Ingredients
3 Granny Smith Apples, peeled and sliced

3 Gala Apples, peeled and sliced

1/4 cup Turbinado Sugar + 1 teaspoon to sprinkle over the crust

1/4 cup Light Brown Sugar, lightly packed

2 tablespoons, All Purpose Flour (King Arthur)

1/4 teaspoon, Coarse Salt

1 teaspoon, ground Cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon, ground Nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon, ground Allspice

3 tablespoons, freshly squeezed Lemon Juice

1 Egg beaten + 2 tablespoons water for Egg Wash

2 tablespoons Butter, cold and cut into small cubes

Apple Pie slice

Directions
See link below for Ina Garten Pie Crust recipe.

Heat oven to 425 degrees.

Lightly beat egg with a fork in a small bowl with water; set aside.

Peel and slice apples using a corer and add to a large bowl.

Add lemon juice and combine.

Add the sugars, flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and and mix the ingredients.

Place apple mixture into pie dish over crust.

Add butter cubes over the apple filling.

Top with second pie crust. Take excess crust and tuck in and seal together, and with the tines of a fork press down all around the crust.

Make 4-6 slits on the top of crust and add decorative apple cutout.

Brush the crust lightly with egg wash and sprinkle turbinado sugar over the crust.

Bake Apple Pie for 40-55 minutes until apples are tender and crust is golden brown. My pies took 50 minutes to bake.

Cover the edge of the crust with a pie shield or with cut strips of aluminum foil and remove after 20 minutes to prevent burnt edges. If you do not own a pie shield, I recommend you purchase one. I use Mrs. Anderson's Pie Crust Shield.

After you take the Apple Pie out of the oven, let it cool completely on a wire rack for 2 hours before serving.

For the Ina Garten Pie Crust recipe, please visit:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/perfect-pie-crust-recipe.html

Enjoy!

-Sophia/Two Frys

Asian BBQ Chicken Legs

Baked Chicken Legs with Hoboken Eddie's Asian BBQ Sauce

Chicken Legs with Hoboken Eddie's Asian BBQ Sauce

I love chicken legs and baked them using Hoboken Eddie's Asian BBQ Sauce. It is as Eddie describes it on the label, Asian BBQ is "a sweet non-smokey Asian BBQ finishing sauce." I marinated the chicken for three hours, and then baked the legs for 50 minutes. The results were amazing! The chicken legs were sweet and tangy, and packed with a robust Asian inspired flavor profile from the ingredients below. Some of Asian BBQ ingredients are: ketchup, distilled vinegar, grape jelly, brown sugar, molasses, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Cherry peppers, Cajun seasoning, and chili powder. The heat is mild, and I love the balanced taste from the combination of the ingredients. Nothing overpowers and the chicken is so satisfying, and sticky, finger licking good. I will use the remaining sauce on stir fry soon. Please see below for recipe.

Chicken Legs with Hoboken Eddie's Asian BBQ Sauce

Ingredients

Organic Chicken Legs  (I used 5 legs)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Coarse Salt

Cracked Black Pepper

1 cup Hoboken Eddie's Asian BBQ Sauce

Chicken Legs with Hoboken Eddie's Asian BBQ Sauce

Directions

Wash and pat dry chicken legs. 

Place on a plate, sprinkle with extra virgin olive oil, and season with coarse salt and cracked black pepper.

Add seasoned legs to a large ziploc bag, and then Asian BBQ Sauce. Seal and gently massage chicken. 

Place ziploc bag over a plate and marinate in fridge for 3-4 hours.

Remove from fridge 1/2 hour before baking.

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Add marinated chicken legs to glass baking dish making sure to use all the sauce in the ziploc bag and pour over the legs.

Bake for 50 minutes and then turn over half way through cooking time.

Remove from oven, and let chicken rest for 5 minutes. 

Serve with a side dish.

-Enjoy

To order Asian BBQ Sauce and for further information, please visit Hoboken Eddie's: http://www.hobokeneddies.com/

"Like" Hoboken Eddie's on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/hobokeneddies-388604112291/

-Sophia/Two Frys

Zucchini Mushroom Spaghetti

Zucchini Mushroom Spaghetti with Ground Turkey

Yummy Zucchini Mushroom Spaghetti with Ground Turkey

I have been cutting back on pasta lately but earlier this week, I had a serious craving for spaghetti. After coming home from work tired and hungry, I made Zucchini Mushroom Spaghetti with Ground Turkey in 30 minutes. Omit the ground turkey for a vegetarian option. The zucchini and mushrooms elevate the pasta, and the healthy ground turkey rounds out this dish. It is a comforting meal, hearty, yummy and filling. I did not add onions or garlic, but add if you desire. I highly recommend this spaghetti recipe. See recipe below.

Zucchini Mushroom Spaghetti

Ingredients
1 lb. Organic Ground Turkey

1 lb. Spaghetti (I used Barilla Whole Grain Thin Spaghetti)

1 jar Pasta Sauce (I used Barilla or make homemade if you have time)

1/2 teaspoon Tomato Paste

3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 cups Sliced Shiitake Mushrooms

2 Zucchini, each sliced and halved

Bunch fresh Parsley, roughly chopped

Coarse Salt

Cracked Black Pepper

1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning

1 Bay Leaf

1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Grated Parmesan Cheese

Ground turkey, mushrooms and zucchini cooking

Directions
Roughly chop a bunch of parsley; set aside.

Clean mushrooms with a paper towel.

Slice zucchini and then each slice in half.

Season mushrooms and zucchini with coarse salt and cracked black pepper.

With a skillet on medium heat, add 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and when hot add ground turkey.

Cover and cook for about 7 minutes stirring often, and then add sliced zucchini and mushrooms. Continue cooking.

After 5 minutes add pasta sauce, tomato paste, bay leaf, and Italian seasoning. Stir, cover, and simmer on low heat for 6-7 minutes.

This is the pasta I used. Barilla is my fave.

On high heat, bring a large pot of water to boil.

Add coarse salt.

Add 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil.

Add the spaghetti and cook to Al Dente, according to box directions.

Before draining spaghetti, reserve about 3/4 cup of starchy pasta water.

Drain spaghetti and return to pot.

Remove bay leaf and add ingredients in skillet to pasta pot, then the reserved pasta water, and stir.

Add shredded Mozzarella cheese and grated Parmesan cheese and combine.

Add parsley and combine.

Add more Parmesan cheese over the top if desired.

-Enjoy!

-Sophia/Two Frys