Three Cheese Basil Raviolis

Inspired by the popularity of my Heart Shaped Cranberry Pomegranate Mini Pies for Valentine’s Day, I set out to make a “Shamrock Shaped” recipe for St Patrick’s Day.

It was only when I was elbow deep is green pasta dough that I realized my “101 Cookie Cutters Box” did not contain a shamrock!  Say what?

There were 8 different sized hearts for Valentine’s Day, but not one measly little shamrock for us Irish folk?!  I was appalled, but already too deep into the recipe for a trip to the craft store to find a shamrock shaped cookie cutter, so I decided circular green raviolis would just have to do

Luckily they came out very green, so to me they still screamed St Patty’s Day fun!

I served them tossed in Kale Pesto Sauce and topped with Pistachio Crusted Tilapia.

My, oh my, was that one delicious meal!

Ingredients – Ravioli Pasta Dough

• 3 cups flour
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup basil pesto

Three Cheese Italian Herb Filling

• 15 oz ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
• 2 tbsp fresh basil (chopped)
• 2 tbsp fresh italian parsley (chopped)
• 1 tsp dried oregano

Begin preparing the pasta by adding the flour to a large mixing bowl, then making a well in the middle and adding the eggs.

Combine well, then add the water and pesto until a solid ball forms that is not dry, yet not sticky.  If dry, add additional water.  If sticky, add additional flour.

While the basil pesto adds some green color to the dough, you can also add a couple dashes of green food coloring to add more “green” to the pasta!

Next, roll the pasta dough into thin sheets either by hand or with a pasta roller.

Next, prepare the filling by combining all of the ingredients in a small bowl.

Cut the ravioli dough with round pastry cutters or cookie cutters and place a large spoon of the filling onto half of the cut pasta rounds.

Place the other half of rounds onto the filled dough then press the edges together with your fingers until sealed shut.

Add the raviolis to a pot of boiling water and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the raviolis float to the top.

Toss with Kale or Basil Pesto for that extra bit of green!

Add the Pistachio Basil Crusted Tilapia for a little protein!

I can’t wait to share this recipe with all of my friends who aren’t big on “Green Eggs and Ham” or “Corned Beef and Cabbage” for St Patty’s Day!

While my roommates love everything I make, they were particularly impressed with these raviolis! There is just something about creamy ricotta cheese pouring out of fresh, homemade pasta that can not be beat!

♣ Vegetarian Option: This recipe is vegetarian.

♦ Gluten Free Option: Substitute gluten-free flour for traditional flour to make this recipe gluten-free.

♥ All pottery seen on the littleleopardbook can be purchased by visiting www.longaberger.com/muffetbond or e-mailing keepsakebl@sbcglobal.net.

Chopped Challenge Thursday: Lemon Curd, Bacon, Sage and Escargot

I am BEYOND excited to share with you all the results of my first “Chopped Challenge Thursday”.  In case  you missed the 1 Year Anniversary post explaining the concept, on Monday I made an announcement on Little Leopard Book’s Facebook Page asking for the four “mystery” ingredients for my “Chopped Challenge Basket” this week.

The first four responses came from Cindi Bogue with Lemon Curd, Kyle Baker with Bacon, Brian Spracklen with Sage and Krista Lombardi with Escargot. Lemon Curd, Bacon, Sage, I can make something happen with this… ESCARGOT, what the heck am I going to do with escargot? Thanks to Krista for throwing a curve ball at me on week one!  Although it wouldn’t be called a “challenge” if it were easy!

I knew I wanted to make the lemon curd and sage into a sauce. First thing I thought of was bacon wrapped scallops with a lemon sage reduction, but then Krista threw the escargot at me and my plans changed.  This change actually led to the development of an amazing lemon sage alfredo sauce. The only way I knew to cook escargot was with some garlic and wine so I thought, let’s go pasta here!

I wanted to use a large noodle to hold up the thickness of the alfredo and meatiness of the bacon wrapped scallops and escargot, so I chose Pappardelle, a broader, larger fettuccine egg noodle.

So the final result of “Chopped Challenge Thursday” Week One: Pappardelle tossed in Lemon Sage Alfredo topped with Seared Bacon Wrapped Scallops and White Wine Garlic Escargot

Ingredients

White Wine Garlic Escargot

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 7 0z can escargot

Lemon Sage Alfredo Sauce and Pasta

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 lemons (juiced)
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tbsp lemon curd
• 1 tbsp fresh sage (chopped)
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups parmesan cheese (grated)
• 8 oz package pappardelle

Bacon Wrapped Scallops

• 4 slices bacon
• 4 fresh large sea scallops
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp butter

We’re going to start with the escargot. I mean why not?  Who doesn’t just love themselves a little afternoon snail on top of their pasta

I will admit that prior to this meal I had never cooked, nor eaten escargot and that I was much more concerned about the actual eating part than the cooking part!

I opened them up and surprisingly they looked and smelled so much more appetizing than they sound…. NOT!  They are scary looking!

At this point, I feel like everything I’ve said above is going to come back and bite me in the butt some day when I end up on Food Network and they make fun of me for not being super excited to eat the delicacy that is escargot!

Any who, I drained the little buggers using my strainer and then place them in a bowl full of cold water to rid them of the canned taste (because that’s really going to help the cause here!)

Yes, that is a hot pink plastic Wal-Mart bowl from college.  I feel like everything looks less scary in hot pink! I mean really, would you be scared of someone breaking into your house in a hot pink jumpsuit?  I think not!

As the snails squirmed over on the side I began their sauce bath by melting the butter in a large skillet, then adding the garlic.

Sauté the garlic for 2 minutes, then add the white wine, salt and pepper.

Allow the sauce to come to a light boil, then simmer for 20 minutes. Next add the escargot.

Now, what do you do with the rest of the bottle of wine you ask?  Drink it while these guys are cooking so that you have the courage to eat them when they’re ready (at least that’s what I did!)

Alright, one chopped basket ingredient down, three to go. Lets make some sauce!

Start out the lemon sage alfredo by pouring the cream and lemon juice into a saucepan over medium heat, cook for 2-3 minutes.

Next, add the butter and allow to melt.

Once the butter has melted add in the lemon zest, nutmeg and lemon curd.

Lemon curd is VERY sweet, the first ingredient in lemon curd (also known as the dominate ingredient) is, none other than our friend sugar. I counterbalanced the sweetness with the sage and sea salt.

Next, add the sage, salt and pepper.

The sage was actually an amazing addition to the sauce. The savory, peppery flavor complimented the cheesy rich alfredo and balanced the sweetness of the lemon.  Thanks Brian

Finally, add the parmesan cheese. Stir to combine well and make sure no chunks of cheese exist.

Simmer on a burner for 15-20 minutes while the sauce thickens.  In the mean time, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pappardelle 10-12 minutes.

At this point, the escargot is simmering, sauce is thickening, pasta is boiling and I’m drinking the rest of the wine, oh wait, no I’m making bacon wrapped scallops!

Start by placing the bacon in a 375° oven for 5-10 minutes (depending on the thickness of the bacon and how crispy you would like it). I learned this trick somewhere, sometime, that I don’t recall, probably Food Network, but you place the bacon on a cooling rack on top of a baking sheet, that way the grease drips off the bacon instead of swimming around in it!

You want to cook the bacon slightly prior to wrapping it around the scallops because scallops cook much quicker than bacon and if you don’t pre-cook the bacon, you will end up with one of two things:

1. Overcooked scallops… $17.99/lb people, just saying, overcooking something that expensive and delicious should be a crime!
2. Undercooked bacon… no one likes soggy bacon, let’s be real!

So while the bacon is in the oven, lightly salt and pepper the scallops on each side.

Next, remove the bacon from the oven and wrap one slice around each scallop, securing with a toothpick.

Next, add the butter to a warm cast iron skillet and watch it melt. (OK, you don’t have to actually watch it melt, but it’s quick and exciting so why not!) As soon as it is melted spin that skillet around to allow the melted butter to cover the bottom. Add the scallops to the pan.

Cook for 5-7 minutes then use tongs to flip.

Cook for an additional 5-7 minutes. The scallops should be a nice white color with a light brown caramelization on top.

Chopped Basket Ingredients have been used, stove burners are full, kitchen smells amazing, I think it’s time to plate this baby up!

Are you ready?  Ready for what you ask?  To be bombarded with pictures!

This recipe was so fun to create, from the incoming Facebook comments with ingredients, to the recipe coming together in my mind, to the ingredients coming together in the kitchen, I am proud of this dish and took enough pictures to show it

I want to grab the scallop right off my computer screen and eat it!

For some reason I feel the need to write something between each picture, so we’ll just say YUM!

Lets check out the inside of that scallop.

Buttery, creamy, mouth-watering amazingness!

Now about that escargot…

Yeah, that’s them, sitting over there by their lonesome, tossed to the side, haunting me with their presence on my plate.

I have to eat them, right?  I mean I did spend $12 on a tiny can of them.  I have to try.. at least one… maybe half one.  Maybe if I wrap it in a noodle, top it with bacon and smother it with sauce I can bare it!

Yes, that was the first bite I was able to muster up the confidence to eat. A tiny little sliver of escargot, covered in my porky BFF, bacon.

It wasn’t that bad, the taste was salty and the texture reminded me of a portobello mushroom.

Although I will probably not put escargot on my weekly shopping list, it was a fun experience and I’m glad I can say I’ve both cooked and eaten the french delicacy!

Over all this dish was delicious.  I would eat the sauce, pasta and scallop combination pretty much every day!

If you’re feeling super adventurous in the kitchen, prepare this dish as is.  If you’re feeling a little less likely to want snails on your dinner, discard the escargot and enjoy the amazingness of the bacon wrapped scallops!

If you’re on a budget (or vegetarian), escargot and scallops may be a little out of your price range but never fear, the sauce in and of itself is so delicious it could be a meal on its own with the pappardelle!

♣ Vegetarian Option: See above ↑

♦ Gluten Free Option: Substitute the pappardelle with a gluten-free pasta such as corn spaghetti from Trader Joe’s. You can also order gluten-free pappardelle online or find it in specialty stores.

♥ All pottery seen on the littleleopardbook can be purchased by visiting www.longaberger.com/muffetbond or e-mailing keepsakebl@sbcglobal.net.

Kale Artichoke Pasta

Spinach artichoke dip, delicious yes, make it into lunch, yes please! I used the spinach artichoke dip recipe I served at my Pumpkin Carving Party last October with some alterations, including substituting kale for spinach and a creamy, hearty pasta dish was born!

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 8 oz penne pasta
• 3 tbsp olive oil (divided)
• 4 oz kale
• 1/4 cup water
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
• 14 oz can artichoke hearts
• 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1/4 cup parmesan and romano cheese

Get your burners going by boiling water for the pasta on one burner. On another burner add the kale, 1 tbsp olive oil and 1/4 cup water in a large skillet with lid.  On the third burner start making the sauce by adding the cream cheese to a medium saucepan to melt.

Next add the greek yogurt, salt and garlic to the melted cream cheese.

Next add the additional 2 tbsp olive oil, white wine vinegar and lemon juice, then drain and chop the artichoke hearts.

Add the artichoke hearts to the pasta sauce.

Stir to combine then add the cooked kale.

Drain the pasta and place into a large bowl. Mix the sauce well then add-on top of the pasta.

Now toss and serve topped with the red pepper flakes and parmesan and romano cheeses!

Yummy!

♣ Vegetarian Option: This recipe is vegetarian.

♦ Gluten Free Option: Substitute gluten-free pasta.

♥ All pottery seen on the littleleopardbook can be purchased by visiting www.longaberger.com/muffetbond or e-mailing keepsakebl@sbcglobal.net.

Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan

I have to start out this blog post by expressing my eternal gratitude to Jenna’s Everything Blog for being one of my first inspirations to start the little leopard book!

My brother was lucky enough to meet Jenna and her husband Adam when he moved into the college dorms over a decade ago and they still remain the best of friends!  Jenna’s posts are entertaining and hilarious, her pictures are stunning and her recipes exquisite!

The means for my rambling about the greatness of Jenna is that this is my first little leopard book dish inspired by a “Jenna original”!

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp dried thyme
• 1/4 cup fresh basil (chopped)
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1/3 cup Gluten-Free Mary’s Gone Crackers “Just the Crumbs” Breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan
• 2 tbsp Enzo Basil Olive Oil
• 2 cups chunky tomato marinara sauce (click for recipe)
• 4 oz fresh mozzarella (thinly sliced)
• 8 oz pasta (cooked according to package directions)

Preheat the oven to 500°

Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise. Next, mix the oregano, thyme, basil, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs and parmesan in a small bowl.

Drag the chicken through the breadcrumb mixture and place on top of the olive oil in an oven safe skillet over medium heat. Next, brown the chicken on the stove, 2-3 minutes per side.

Turn the heat off and cover the chicken breasts with the sliced mozzarella.

Next, add the tomato sauce.

Cover the skillet and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.  R

emove the cover and bake for an additional 5 minutes. That delicious fresh mozzarella should now be nicely melted in!

Serve with the cooked pasta.

Ok yeah, it’s as good as it looks!!!  Writing this post takes me right back to the happiness of that first bite.

Oh I wish I hadn’t already eaten all the leftovers!!

♣ Vegetarian Option: Substitute tofu for chicken.

♦ Gluten Free Option: The chicken parmesan is gluten-free. Substitute gluten-free pasta or serve with a side of steamed vegetables instead of pasta.

♥ All pottery seen on the littleleopardbook can be purchased by visiting www.longaberger.com/muffetbond or e-mailing keepsakebl@sbcglobal.net.