Carla's Kitchen Capers: Pasta With Asparagus, Bacon and Brie

Carla's Kitchen Capers: Pasta With Asparagus, Bacon and Brie: These are a few of my favorite things....with pasta. I love brie, paired with bacon (who doesn't love bacon) and yummy grassy aspara...

Pasta With Asparagus, Bacon and Brie

These are a few of my favorite things....with pasta. I love brie, paired with bacon (who doesn't love bacon) and yummy grassy asparagus you can't go wrong. First I diced and crisped 1/2 pound of bacon, removed from the pan and drained. Next I sauteed 1 pound of diced asparagus in olive oil, set aside. Boil 1/2 lb pasta of your choice then toss with the asparagus, bacon and brie (about 4 oz but as much as you like) add a knob of butter and some starchy pasta water. Takes about 20 minutes and about $10 to make.

*I like to add fresh cracked black pepper while I'm frying the bacon

**season as you go, but go easy on the salt

***top with grated romano

Carla's Kitchen Capers: Porketta My Way

Carla's Kitchen Capers: Porketta My Way: This is a perfect Sunday dinner with little fuss. Start with a nice bone in pork shoulder, make a marinade with lots of garlic, parsley, fen...

Porketta My Way

This is a perfect Sunday dinner with little fuss. Start with a nice bone in pork shoulder, make a marinade with lots of garlic, parsley, fennel seeds, olive oil, salt and pepper, blend in a paste. Score the skin of the pork shoulder and rub the marinade all over making sure to get it into all the score marks. Roast at 350 for at least until the meat falls off the bone depending on how many lbs the roast is, mine was 8lb and I cooked it about 5 hours. Halfway through I added baby yukon, red and purple potatoes. Simple as that and the leftovers make great sandwiches.

Carla's Kitchen Capers: It's Chili Season

Carla's Kitchen Capers: It's Chili Season: We had our first snow fall yesterday so I thought it be a perfect day to put a big o'pot of chili on the stove. I've tweaked this over the...

It's Chili Season

We had our first snow fall yesterday so I thought it be a perfect day to put a big o'pot of chili on the stove. I've tweaked this over the years but its not set in stone. I'll give you my basic recipe but I never make it the same way twice, for example today the ground beef was on sale so I used that instead of meatloaf mix, I had white onions on hand instead of red, I also used some poblano peppers today, ect....


                                      


2-3 lbs meatloaf mix
2 cans goya pink beans
1 each yellow, orange and jalapeno pepper
1 large red onion chopped
5 or more cloves of garlic
2 14 oz cans fire roasted tomatoes
wostershire sauce
cumin
goya adobo
paprika
cayenne pepper
chili powder
cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste

dice up all the veggies meanwhile brown the chop meat, I think it very important that you add all the seasonings while the meat it browning, when the meat is brown add the veggies and cook another 10 min. Now add the beans and diced tomatoes, if it seams a little too thick sometimes I add a can of beef stock or you can use water. You MUST simmer it at least 4 hours. Taste and re season if needed. 
*I always serve it with garnishes today I used grated cheddar, green onion, sour cream, cilantro and lime
*I decided to make some cheese bruchetta at the last minute
**It ALWAYS tastes better the next day

Carla's Kitchen Capers: Basic Mac n' Cheese Many Ways

Carla's Kitchen Capers: Basic Mac n' Cheese Many Ways: The possibilities are endless. A basic bechamel with an addition of any cheese you like (turns it into a mornay sauce), and add in anythin...