From the Dinner Diva's Kitchen

This week’s post was inspired by a request from both my mom and college-aged daughter asking for the dinner recipes I recently made for them. It turns out, they are quite easy to make using fresh ingredients you may already have in your pantry or refrigerator. They also come together quickly and are perfect for a weeknight meal when you want something satisfying and simple.

Whether it’s bow-tie, penne, orecchiette or conchiglie, use whatever pasta you like and/or have on-hand; cook it according to the manufacturer’s directions before adding your fresh ingredients. You’ll also notice I have not added a “sauce” per se. Instead, use the liquid from your cooked pasta along with goat cheese or feta cheese to make a nice creamy sauce.

Dinner Recipe 1 – Salmon & Asparagus Pasta with Feta Cheese (or Goat Cheese)

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. cooked pasta of your choice
• 8 oz smoked salmon or 2 salmon fillets, center cut- seasoned with salt & pepper or other spices of your choice (I like Old Bay Seasoning) or my own rosemary-salt rub
• 4 oz. feta cheese (or goat cheese, if preferred)
• 2 medium caramelized leeks (sliced, cooked over low heat with 1 Tablespoon butter and 1 Tablespoon olive oil until soft and slightly browned) or substitute 1 cup chopped and caramelized onion if leeks are not available at your store or are not in season
• 1 bunch grilled asparagus – asparagus will have the best flavor if grilled, but asparagus roasted in your oven is fine (400 degrees, 8-10 minutes, tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper), or you can steam them on you stovetop (2 minutes only and then immediately tossed in ice water to stop the cooking process). You want nice bright green stalks, not a drab olive green color – this signals that they’ve been over-cooked!
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes (halved) or grape tomatoes
• Pasta water – just enough to soften the feta cheese or goat cheese to create a creamy “sauce.” Start with 1/4 cup and add more as needed Continue reading →