Cheesy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

There’s nothing better than a bowl of pasta!

Here’s a super easy pasta dish with a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce loaded with garlic, mozzarella & parmesan cheese!  You can add in your favorite meats and/or veggies – the possibilities are endless.

Did you know?

Italians originally dried tomatoes on their ceramic rooftops. And it’s thought that the technique may even date as far back 700 AD when Aztecs would salt and dry tomatoes in the sun to preserve their freshness. Well, whoever started this process, I am beyond grateful. I seriously rather eat Sun-dried tomatoes than raisins any day! Not only are they delicious in pasta dishes, they are a great snack too! 

This recipe pairs great with Scout & Cellar…

 Fiddleneck Sauvignon Blanc, pairs very nicely with this rich, creamy sauce. 

Or 

Che Fico Pinot Grigio is another great match – With bright acidity and notes of citrus, it’ll pair well.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 ounce sun-dried tomatoes – not in oil
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 5 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup half and half
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ¼ Parmesan cheese, freshly grated plus more for serving
• ¼ cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 8 oz. box of Angel Hair pasta

INSTRUCTIONS

Cook pasta according to package instructions, until al dente. Drain, reserving some pasta water and set aside- about 1/2 cup.

While pasta cooks,  saute garlic, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes in a large skillet with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. 

Saute for 1 minute until fragrant. 

Sprinkle with a pinch of salt, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper and cook on medium heat for 2 minutes more.

Add Parmesan cheese and Mozzarella cheese, half and half and chicken broth to the skillet and bring to a simmer. 

Remove the sauce from the heat. Stir in reserved pasta water and cooked pasta, coating the pasta in the sauce. 

Adjust seasoning, sprinkle with parmesan, and more crushed red pepper if desired. 

Enjoy!

http://www.scoutandcellar.com/whiskawaykitchen

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White Wine & Saffron Cod

This Cod with White Wine Saffron Sauce is truly an incredible dish! It sounds fancy, but you can make this dish in under an hour. Saffron is a favorite of mine. I will admit that it is kind of expensive, but a little goes a long way and it is delicious!

What is saffron?

You know I love reading the history of the food I make so when I started my research on Saffron, I was amazed! Saffron is one of the most precious spices in the world. The threadlike red stigmas and the yellow color they impart are quite literally the stuff of legend

Each flower produces only three threads (stigmas) of saffron, and it blooms for only one week each year. The saffron must be harvested—by hand!—in the mid-morning, when the flowers are still closed in order to protect the delicate stigmas inside. It takes about 1,000 flowers to produce just one ounce of saffron. That’s why it’s a little pricey! 

The deep reddish threads (stigma) of the crocus turn a deep yellow when they come in contact with liquid. Saffron is used mainly in Persian and Mediterranean cuisine. You can’t possibly make a paella without saffron.  

Interesting & Fun Facts

In ancient Egypt it was used as a perfume dye and  medicine. It also had a religious use: saffron cakes were used as offerings to the gods.  In ancient Mesopotamia, saffron was used as both an aromatic and an aphrodisiac.  According to Greek mythology, the god Hermes accidentally struck his friend Croco lethally wounding him. In the spot where blood dripped, Hermes touched his sword and flowers began to grow.  These flowers were, well… crocuses! Another reference in Greek mythology has Zeus sleeping on a bed of saffron. It was also thrown on the beds of newlyweds in Ancient Rome (Remember saffron’s aphrodisiac use in ancient Mesopotamia?) LOL. 

I really think you will enjoy this dish, the combination of flavors is absolutely amazing! It makes for a beautiful dish on a special occasion or a regular weeknight dinner! I served it on Christmas Eve with homemade pasta. And on a weeknight, over a bed of sautéed garlic spinach! 

Now for the wine pairing?

http://www.scoutandcellar.com/whiskawaykitchen

Scout & Cellar 2019 GALLIVANT ROSÉ, it is 35% Syrah, 65% Zinfandel. Lively and refreshing with strawberry, red cherry and fresh melon balanced by limestone on a dry, well-textured frame with a clean finish. For this rosé, grapes were hand-picked from 30-year-old vines. The juice began fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks and finished in neutral French Oak barrels. The wine then aged for 3 months in stainless steel before bottling, unfined and lightly filtered.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb cod fillet 
• 2 tbsp extra virgin Spanish olive oil
• ½ small onion, diced
• 3 shallots, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced 
• 1 small red habanero, diced 
• 1 medium size red bell pepper, cut into strips
• 1 tsp saffron threads
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• ½ cup white wine
• 1 cup chicken broth 
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste 
• Salt & pepper to taste 
• Fresh chives, optional 

INSTRUCTIONS

Cut the cod fillet into 3 or 4 evenly sized pieces and season them with salt and black pepper. 

Heat a large pan over a medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 

Add the onions and cook until translucent.

Add the garlic and shallots, sauté for 3 minutes.

Add red pepper and habanero, sauté for 3 minutes.

Add lemon zest and saffron threads, stir to coat the sauteed vegetables. 

After mixing it all together add 1/2 cup of white wine and broth, give it a gentle mix. 

Once the wine/broth comes to a boil add the tomato paste and stir to combine. 

Place the cod fillets into the pan and place a lid on the pan, 4 minutes later remove the lid and flip the cod fillets and place the lid back on the pan. 

After another 3-4 minutes remove the pan from the heat, add the cod fillets to a dish and spoon the white wine saffron sauce over the fillets. 

Garnish with fresh chives, enjoy!

http://www.scoutandcellar.com/whiskawaykitchen

Honey Orange Glazed Grouper

This Honey Orange Glazed Grouper is a citrusy sweet recipe that I guarantee you’ll have on repeat. A quick and delicious dinner that will be  on the table in no time! Perfect for a healthy lunch, weeknight dinner or a dinner party! To make this easy fish dinner you need less than 30 minutes, isn’t it great?

And it keeps getting better and better! You can use this sauce for just about anything from fish, shrimp, chicken or as a salad dressing. It’s very versatile and delicious!

I love experimenting with new marinades and sauces. And really love using orange marmalade in my homemade salad dressings so I figured it would be great in this recipe. The outcome? Amazingly delicious! You’ll want to drizzle the sauce on all your side dishes too. So I recommend pouring about ¼ cup of the prepaped sauce into a separate bowl and save for the table. 

What to serve with this dish?

Cold Zucchini noodle salad or steamed Broccoli, pan fried Asparagus.

Want a starch? Couscous or rice are also great choices, but anything will do as long as you like it.

Grab a bottle of Scout and Cellar 2019 FIELDHOUSE WHITE BLEND and you have yourself one delicious meal! The taste? Under ripe peach, under ripe apricot and white flowers with refreshing acidity that hangs on so the wine finishes clean; as the wine warms, notes of pear and honey emerge.

TIP:

I covered my broiler pan with foil then sprayed it with non-stick Olive oil spray, which is a real clean up saver.  The honey makes the grouper crispy and crackly and tastes like heaven, but makes cleaning up no fun.  What good is a quick dinner if you are scrubbing the pan all night, right? 

Ingredients 

• 1 pound grouper fillets
• 2  tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon orange marmalade
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed Orange Juice
• ¾  teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
• 2 teaspoon orange zest
• 2 teaspoon dried parsley

Instructions

Preheat broiler.

Combine all ingredients except grouper, mixing well.

Season filets with salt and pepper on both sides.

Place fillets on an oiled broiler pan and brush fillets with honey glaze to cover.

Broil or 4 to 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Flip fillets, brush with honey glaze and broil for an additional 2 minutes, then brush with honey glaze and broil for additional 1-2 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily.

*Don’t have a broiler pan? No worries! You can use a baking sheet. Don’t forget to cover it with foil and oil it for easy clean up!