Penne with Tomatoes Goat Cheese and Arugula

I am a cheese person. I like everything from Gouda to good ol American sliced cheese. I even appreciate a stinky cheese every now and then. But one cheese I just cant get a taste for is goat cheese. I don't know what it is about it. It has a pungent and tangy aroma that makes me catch my breath in my throat. And while I know I am not a fan of this type of cheese, I keep trying it over and over again. I really want to like it! I feel like a foodie failure carrying around this dislike of such a versatile cheese. I have tried it rolled in herbs, spread on crackers, thrown in salads. But I just cant make myself love it. My latest attempt at using goat cheese was in a pasta dish. It makes sense to let the cheese coat over the warm pasta, tomatoes and wilted arugula...sounds delicious right? Well, I will say this has been the best way I have eaten it so far. I will go with a mozzarella or a smoked cheese next time for sure. Maybe I will give goat cheese another try soon but for now I still feel pretty "meh" about it. Any suggestions or recipe recommendations? Until then Enjoy!

Penne with Tomatoes, Goat Cheese and Arugula
3 ounces goat cheese
1 cup coarsely chopped arugula, stems included
1/2 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
 1/4 pound penne pasta
  
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Crumble goat cheese into a large serving bowl. Add arugula, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and salt and pepper. Drain pasta, and toss with goat cheese mixture. 

Adapted from All Recipes

 It sure was a pretty dish

  I used a spinach/arugula mix. I also think basil would have been a nice addition.

Shepherds Pie

Ok I am kinda over winter. We had six inches of snow here yesterday! Then we are supposed to have another two tomorrow THEN I hear we have a possible ice storm coming our way for Thursday. Last year when this kind of weather hit, our power was out for four days! And the thing about losing power out here in the middle of nowhere is that we do not have municipal water. Ours is from a well...powered by electricity. So no power equals no water. It makes me miss Arizona and the unusual heat they are experiencing. hahah I am definitely not a snowbunny...more like a desert hare.
The colder the weather the more I want comforting filling foods. So what is more filling and tummy warming than a Shepherds pie? I have found that I am a fan of new white potatoes when making a mash. So I made my cheesy bacon shepherds pie topped with smashed new white potatoes. Enjoy!!

Shepherds Pie-My Way
1/4 lb smoked bacon chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 lb ground beef or pork
1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup seasoned tomato sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 can sweet peas
4 cups or more, fresh mashed potatoes
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350°. Saute the onion and bacon together until golden brown. Add the beef or pork, and the parsley, cooking until the meat is brown and crumbly. Drain excess fat. Stir in the tomato sauce and other seasonings. Carefully stir in peas. Pour mixture into the bottom of casserole dish. Layer with 1/2 cup of cheese. Cover with mashed potatoes. Add the last 1/2 cup of cheese to the top of the casserole.
Bake for 45 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Serve hot. Enjoy!

Cheese topped potatoes! Yum.

Guilty Pleasures Week: Cheesy Chili Hashbrown Bake

AKA: Chili Cheese Fries disguised as a casserole

Day two of my guilty pleasure week and I am faced with the processed guilty pleasure food that is the Cheesy Chili Hashbrown Bake. It is layer after layer of potatoes, cheese and chili. I think what makes me feel so guilty eating this it that it is like eating chili cheese fries....for dinner. But seriously if there is one thing that is always needed in my hectic life it is comfort intertwined with calories. And the extra bonus is that my husband is CRAZY about this. You can either use canned chili or homemade chili. Sometimes homemade chili isn't thick enough so make sure that the homemade chili is hearty enough to not water down the dish. I really enjoyed this...it made me all warm, fat and fuzzy feeling :)

Cheesy Chili Hashbrown Bake
2 cups 30-Minute Chili
1 bag (16 ounces) fresh or frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed if frozen
4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro (optional)
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Preheat oven to 425, with rack set in upper third. Place potatoes in a double layer of paper towels; squeeze out as much liquid as possible. In a large bowl, combine potatoes, cheese, and cilantro; season with salt and pepper. In a 8x8 dish or a round pan pour a small amount of chili into the bottom. Add a layer of potatoes, a layer of cheese then a layer of chili. Top with a final layer of cheese.Place baking dish in oven and bake until potatoes are golden brown and chili is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve.
Source: Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

Mmmm...Cheesy deliciousness

Comfort