Cooking with the Spacesuit Wearing Editor! #2

Disclaimer: All recipes have been modified from where found. Please note, oven temp is in Ferinheight and in American units. Always fully cook meats. Children (for some reason being a 24 yr old counts as a child these days, though I have heard it has been raised to 26) should always be supervised by an adult when cooking. Cooking can be dangerous if not done correctly. Cooking oils have flash points and can cause a fire if not used correctly. Bla-bla-bla... If you don't have business cooking--don't do it!

Today I have some recipes for you guys. I hope you enjoy them.

Pasta with Peppers, Sausage, and Spinach

Ingredients

• 1 pack of sausage or brats
• 4 peppers
• 1 box of pasta of choice
• 8 - 16 oz of spinach
• 1 med to large onion
• 4 cloves of garlic
• ½ cup pasta water
• 4 Tbsp butter
• 3 Tbsp olive oil

Prep Work

Boil water for pasta.

Remove pepper cores and membranes. Slice into inch to two inch pieces. Set aside. De-skin and dice onion. Set aside. Remove garlic skin and mince. Set aside. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to pan. Heat to medium-medium high, oil is ready when it shimmers (looks like it has streaks when running down the pan). Place sausages in pan, then rotate to make sure all sides are browned. Remove from pan and cut into quarter inch thick slices. They may be undercooked in the middle and this is fine.

Cook

When the water is bubbling add pasta and cook per box directions. When done,  save ½ cup pasta water, then set aside.

Add 2 Tbsp olive oil in pan and adjust heat to medium to medium-high, oil is ready when it shimmers (looks like it has streaks when running down the pan). Add peppers and onions, stir regularly until onions are semi-transparents, add  sausages and cover for about 5 minutes. In another skillet, add the pasta water, put pasta in skillet and add spinach on top. Heat pan to boil, then reduce temperature to medium. Cook for about 5 minutes but do not allow spinach to become soggy or wilted or the pasta to stick to pan (to resolve pasta sticking you may need to add small amounts of water). Remove spinach and set aside. Do not drain. Add 4 Tbsp butter and mix with pasta. Combine Spinach, pasta, peppers, onion, and sausage. Serve.

Pasta with Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce and Zucchini

Ingredients

• 2 shallots (or 1 onion)
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 lbs cherry tomatoes
• 3 large garlic cloves
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 box pasta of choice
• ¼ cup basil
• ½ teaspoon salt 
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 large zucchini
• Grated parmesan cheese
• *½ cup kalamata olives (pitted)

Prep Work

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Quarter zucchini longwise then cut into small sections. Halve or quarter tomatoes. Peel skin from garlic, then cut thin slices. Dice shallots (or onion) into small strips. In one bowl toss shallots with 1 teaspoon olive oil. In a separate bowl toss tomatoes, remaining olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes. *If you wish to add the kalamata olives, you may either leave them whole or sliced.

Cook

Bringing water to boil for pasta.

On a baking sheet, pour tomato mixture onto pan. Spread evenly, but do not spread too thin or too close to the edges. Add shallot (or onions) mixture to the top of tomato mixture. Cook in oven for 35-40 minutes. Do not stir at any point! Remove and let sit for about 5 minutes before serving.

Next, boil pasta per directions on package, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water before draining.

In a pan, add 2 Tbsps olive oil, and set at medium-low. When oil shimmers (looks like it has streaks when running down the pan) add zucchini. Do not stir. When one underside is lightly golden, flip and cook until lightly golden on both sides, then remove from heat source and let sit until ready to serve.

When tomato sauce is finished add to the zucchini. Add basil (and the olives), then toss, adding in small amounts of the pasta water to desired sauce consistency.

Serve tomato sauce over pasta and sprinkle with parmesan.

Honey Mustard-Glazed Baked Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 lb potatoes
• ½ lb carrots
• 1 medium red onion
• 2 Tbsps olive oil
• 5 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 6-8 chicken thighs
• 1 Tbsp Salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 3 Tbsps Dijon mustard
• 2 Tbsps whole-grain mustard
• 2 Tbsps honey
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar

Prep Work

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Sauce - In a medium bowl, whisk the Dijon mustard, the whole-grain mustard, the honey, and brown sugar. 

Scrub and quarter potatoes. Quarter, lengthwise, carrots, then cut into 2 to 4 inch sections. De-skin onion, then cut into 8 wedges.

Cook

On a large enough baking sheet (or a 9 x 13 pan sheet), toss potatoes, carrots onions, thyme, oil, and ½ teaspoon salt. Put into oven and cook for 15 minutes. Remove and layer chicken on top of vegetables, and cook for another 15 minutes. Remove and pick apart chicken, returning chicken to the vegetables. Add glaze over chicken and vegetables and return to oven for an additional 25 minutes or until chicken and vegetables are tender. Serve.