Tasty Tuesdays! Spring Arugula w/ Linguine & Toasted Almonds

Whew!!  What a weekend!  I hope everyone had a great one.  I certainly did but seem to have misplaced my get-up and go somewhere along the way.  I ate a lot of good food, spent time with great friends and got a lot of things accomplished.  I did miss out on a couple of things but am looking forward to catching up on that in a few weeks. 

I spent part of the long weekend on the lake and soaked up all the sun possible while I was there.  It is quickly becoming that time of year in Oklahoma where the weather rapidly turns cooler and unpredictable for weekend plans.  If they forecast 90% chance of rain here it will likely be cloudy and dry whereas if you have a 20% chance, get ready for the monsoon.  I've always thought it would be great (and I'm not bashing here) to have a job reporting the weather.  It doesn't matter whether you are wrong or right you still get paid!!  All you have to say is "Wow!! We did not see this coming!!" and all is forgiven...:-)

This week's Tasty Tuesday! post is a favorite of mine and one I thought I should put up right away as it isn't spring any longer, (ie: Spring Arugula) summer is nearly gone and fall is almost here.  I love this dish but like many favorites, don't eat it often enough.  The recipe is as follows:

2 cups Arugula (washed & dried)

1/2 cup Almonds (sliced & toasted)

3 oz. Pecorino Romano cheese feather shredded

2 Tbsp green onions chopped

1 cup fresh Linguine

Cracked Pepper (to taste)

1 Tsp. Olive Oil

Add your olive oil to a hot saute' pan.  Add green onions and almonds, cook for two minutes. 

Homemade, fresh linguine.....Mmmmm!

I don't have a pasta roller at home but I've always wanted one. You can find them at restaurant supply vendors in your area. After this dish I think I'll see what I can do to add to the kitchen arsenal.

Poach linguine until al dente, add to pan.

Toss pasta in oil mix in pan, season with cheese.

Toss fresh arugula quickly but do not cook.

Swirl in pan & place in pasta bowl, top with almonds from pan and additional cheese.

Last but not least, finish with cracked pepper.

Arugula is one of those delicious additions to a meal that many people overlook.  It adds a wonderful flavor to pasta or any other dish as well as having super concentrations of vitamins B & C.  I'll be the first to admit that I don't take advantage of it in my meals often enough.  It was an incredible compliment to this meal.  The Pecorino cheese speaks for itself and toasted almonds topped it all off.  Pasta is one of my favorite meals, as is obvious to my waistline but I don't foresee giving it up anytime soon!  Enjoy!!

This post is part of the following blog carnivals.....Go check out these great sites!!

Mouthwatering Mondays
Two for Tuesdays
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Pennywise Platter Thursday

Tasty Tuesday! GF Penne Genovese

Wow I am sooo sleepy today!  I got up early this morning and went for a short walk as it was about to rain again!  Twice in one week, woohoo!  I spent the weekend with friends and was very busy but had a great time.  We got several things accomplished, went to the races, and even got a little lake time thrown in for good measure.  I got quite a bit of sun and I am somewhere around that fine line between just enough and too much sun.  It was never painful but we'll just have to wait and see if I start peeling. (Don't you just love when your face peels from a sunburn! Lol)  People look at you and say "Got yourself a sunburn, didn't you?"  Like you didn't know already....

My neck and back feel like a million bucks today thanks to Dr. Martinez, my esteemed chiropractor.  Anytime you need services in Tulsa, OK you should give him a call.  He is verrrrry good.  Yes, I get charged regular price, and no I don't get discounts for plugs on the blog.  Lol.  I do however, believe in telling others when you get a good product or service, so I do that here to let the readers know....

With all that sun and the rain today I am super sleepy but determined to carry on in honor of you, the readers.  I have more Dutch Oven recipes ready to post but this week wanted to put up another 5* recipe for those fans.  If you are new to the site, you can find navigation buttons for popular topics under the header.  If you scroll down to Labels on the right side you can find all of the subjects I blog about including Dutch Oven recipes, Diet & Nutrition, and many other topics.

This post is a fantastic Penne Genovese recipe from Michael Fusco's Riverside Grill in Tulsa, OK.  If you haven't eaten there you should try it once.  I guarantee you will go back again and again.  This recipe is a favorite of mine and it is sooo delicious! I haven't had it in way too long but am glad to share it here.  Why is it that many of our all time favorite dishes only get made a handful of times a year??  I know it happens to me more than it should and was just curious if anyone has the answer....Alright let's get to the recipe!  Serves 4

Ingredients

4 sprigs fresh basil (for garnish)

4 Tbsp basil pesto or more

3 oz. olive oil

2 Tbsp grated Pecorino Romano cheese

2 Tbsp toasted pine nuts

Salt & Pepper to taste

1 lb imported penne pasta (Your favorite GF pasta or DeBoles makes a good one)

1 gallon water

2 Tbsp salt


In a saute pan, heat a touch of white wine and olive oil to medium heat. 

Add pesto and pine nuts.  Saute until aromatic.

Bring salted water to boil and add penne.  Stir occasionally & cook until al dente.  Drain excess liquid.

Toss pasta in hot pesto.  Remove and place in bowl.  Top with Pecorino & garnish with basil tops.

Pesto is one of those things that many people love, myself included, but know very little about.  It can be found in many places but the best known locale is Genoa, Italy.  In ancient times, the extra basil crop was made into paste and mixed with lemon juice and covered with oil for preservation.  Traditional pesto consists of basil, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts, cheese and lemon juice.

This dish, as you see here, was served with a couple slices of pork tenderloin for added flavor or maybe because I looked really hungry that night!  It can be served with an added meat like the pork loin or it is also an excellent stand alone dish.  It has been a couple of weeks since I have had this and just looking at the pictures and writing this post makes me hungry.  I better go see what I can do to remedy that.......Enjoy!!

This post is part of the following blog carnivals.....Go check out these great sites!!

Mouthwatering Monday

Monday Mania 
Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays
Two For Tuesdays
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Tuesday Twister
Real Food Wednesday
Gluten-Free Wednesday
Pennywise Platter Thursday