Azoresgal~Life on an Island

We just changed our clocks back an hour, the days are now shorter, and the nights a little cooler, so around here we are now in comfort food mode.  Enter this really simple and delicious one-pot meat sauce, Beef Ragu.   The ragu cooks low and slow, all the flavours marry, and the beef ends up fork tender. Making it perfect  for being served with your favourite pasta( I made fresh pappardelle ), or over creamy polenta. I don't think it's something you would make after rushing back from a long day at  work, but instead make it for a lazy weekend at home, it just ticks off all the boxes for comfort food! Beef Ragu Approximately 3 pounds (1.35kg) Beef brisket, or similar cut of meat (slow cooking) 5 Tbsp olive oil 2 small onions, finely diced 5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 1 cup of celery, finely diced (4-5 stalks) 1 cup Carrot, finely diced (1-2 medium carrots) 2 cups (500ml) red wine, divided 3 cups (750ml) beef stock/broth 1 28oz (800g) can of ...

A great little pasta dish, super easy and delicious. Perfect for a busy work week or just right for when you need some comfort food. The portion here is for one as per the original recipe, when I am cooking for my family of five, I just adjust the portions. If you like use fresh pasta, it also works like a charm here. 100 g spaghettini or vermicelli pasta ( I used spaghetti) 2 tbsp olive oil 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed 100 g cherry tomatoes, chopped 5 basil leaves, shredded To serve 5 basil leaves, shredded 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1.In a large saucepan cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente, about 5 6 minutes, before draining. 2.Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small saucepan and fry the garlic for about 2 minutes until soft but not brown. 3.Put in the tomatoes and a pinch of salt and cook for a few more minutes, adding a splash of water. Cook until the tomatoes are tender and have a saucy consistency. Add the chopped basil. 4.To serve: stir ...

 This is a quick meal that’s perfect for the lazy days of summer that are upon us . Made with a few simple fresh ingredients, it takes less than 20 minutes to prepare and tastes amazing. For a summer meal that´s light and meatless, you really should give it a try. I promise you will love it! 100 g spaghettini or vermicelli pasta 2 tbsp olive oil 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed 100 g cherry tomatoes, chopped 5 basil leaves, shredded To serve 5 basil leaves, shredded 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1.In a large saucepan cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente, about 5 6 minutes, before      draining. 2.Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small saucepan and fry the garlic for about 2 minutes until soft but not    brown. 3.Put in the tomatoes and a pinch of salt and cook for a few more minutes, adding a splash of water.  Cook until the tomatoes are tender and have a saucy consistency. Add the chopped basil. 4.To serve: stir t...

Despite the very cold, damp, winter-like spring we are having in the Azores, there are many things growing in the garden. Because of all of the rain we have had, the garden has become a bit of a jungle, as it is too muddy to keep things under control. We have enjoyed lots of lettuce, and spring onions. Anything that is leafy green, has basically gone wild, the herbs, like the parsley and mint. The arugula has bolted and so has the kale. Hubby isn't to worried, although he dislikes it being "messy", everything we grow is organic, so perhaps we get more birds, more butterflies, and more rabbits to visit the garden, and help control the mess . It all balances out, food for them, food for us, everybody gets their fair share, I can only hope the sun pays us a visit  really soon, the garden needs it, and so do I. While we wait for the sun, some things are ready for picking, these french green beans were picked by our oldest not so little . He thought  of it as a chore when he ...

This sauce served with your favorite pasta, makes a great simple weeknight meal, but it is also perfect for times when you need something fancy for company. It's so lovely, so quick and easy, seriously, the sauce cooks in less than 20 minutes. The important thing  is to use a good pasta/tomato sauce, it will give the sauce great flavor. My family absolutely loved it, I hope yours does too ! 6 tablespoons butter (1/3 cup) 1⁄3 cup unflavored vodka 1 jar of your favorite pasta/tomato sauce (3 cups) 1 cup heavy cream salt/pepper/chili flakes to taste In a medium saucepan, combine the butter and vodka. Cook over medium heat just until you can't smell the vodka, about 5 minutes. Add the pasta/tomato sauce and cream, stirring until combined, and cook until heated. Add salt and pepper to your liking, add chili flakes for some heat if you wish. Serve over  your favorite cooked pasta. Add grilled chopped chicken for a complete meal. source

This meal is SUPER easy, it's made in one pot and most importantly everyone loves it. The genius behind this recipe is Nigella Lawson, her use of orzo  pasta instead of rice, to produce a creamy, risotto-like dish, with  no stirring, is like I said, genius. The fact that it comes together really quickly, makes it perfect for week night meals. The sweetness of the peas next to the crunchy salty bacon are a match made in  heaven. The recipe as is, makes 4 small servings, so for my family of five, I double it. Well do you think you will try it ? I hope you do, it really is a keeper !  2 Tbs. garlic-flavored oil (or add a peeled garlic clove to regular olive oil and cook until golden; discard garlic, use oil)  6 ounces cubed pancetta (or diced, thick-cut bacon)  1 1/4 cups frozen petits pois (baby peas)  8oz orzo pasta 2 1/2 cups boiling water  Salt, to taste  1 Tb. soft butter  2 Tbs. grated Parmesan ( I added 1/2 cu...

This is a such a quick recipe to make, there’s nothing complicated about it. Just simple ingredients combined, to result in an amazing dish. The shrimp sits in a garlicky, buttery sauce that is perfect for mopping up with bread, or served over pasta instead. It´s a great week night meal, but would also be great as an appetizer at a party. Its easily doubled, and the shrimp size can also vary. If you prefer to leave the shrimp with the shell on,  that's not a problem, what I do suggest, is using fresh parsley and garlic. I hope you give it a try !  500g//1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup white wine 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons  parsley, chopped salt and pepper to taste Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and sauté until light pink, about two minutes. Add the garlic, butter and parsley and cook until fragrant, another minute or two. Stir in the wine, s...

This is one of my very favorite things to eat, sesame noodles, I love it better than  chocolate . It is easy, and can be thrown together really quickly. The sauce is light, a little bit sweet, and a little bit spicy. All you have to do is cook the pasta, whisk together the sauce and Voilá your done ! I like to use rice noodles, but you can use any pasta you like. It's perfect for a late night snack  dinner after a long day of work. You can add chicken or beef or even shrimp if you like, or crunchy sugar peas. I hope you give it a try !  1 package rice noodles/ or pasta 1/4 cup  soy sauce 2 tablespoons sugar 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons sesame oil 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 green onions, sliced toasted sesame seeds Cook rice noodles/ or pasta according to package directions. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the water before draining. Meanwhile in a large bowl add soy sauce and all other ingredients ex...

This was divine....seriously divine ! My kids absolutely loved it, they love bacon, just like their momma ! As I made this, I kept thinking, of how great this would be, with some jalapeno peppers added to it. I can hardly wait, for all the jalapenos in the garden to grow.When that happens, I will for sure have to give it a try. This is such an easy dish to prepare, I have said it before, just as fast as using the stuff that comes in the box. Give this version a try, I think you will like it ! To this recipe , I added 200g. of diced bacon, which I pan fried.

Pasta what ??..... Pasta with Garlic, Olive Oil, and Parsley ! This is another simple,  super-quick dish that we never get tired of. It is one of my husbands favorites. Great as a main dish, or as a side dish. We love it with breaded chicken. Sometimes I forget to add the chili flakes...that's not a problem. After making this a couple of times, you will end up adjusting the garlic and the parsley to your own liking. 1/2 cup olive oil 3 to 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes (less or more to taste) 1/2 cup finely chopped  parsley Spaghetti 500g Bring water to boil add salt and cook pasta. While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a pan.  Add garlic and cook on low for 1 minute. Do not brown. You just want to flavour the olive oil. Add hot red pepper flakes to taste. Drain pasta and add to pan. Toss to coat with oil and sprinkle with chopped parsley. xo.Diana

This is such an easy meal to make. It is one of our favorites, I think my 7 year old Simon, would eat this everyday, if I made it that often. This time it was lovely to actually use leeks from our garden. If you prefer not to add the peas, thats ok too. The only think you must do, is use real parmesan cheese, it will make all the difference. I used spaghetti, but any pasta is fine. Ingredients: 3 tablespoons butter or olive oil 2 packages diced bacon 2 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only), halved lengthwise, thinly sliced 500g spaghetti, or any other pasta 2 large eggs, room temperature 1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving 2 cups baby peas (or less) optional salt and pepper to taste Directions: Sauté bacon and leeks butter or olive oil, in large pan over medium heat until bacon is cooked and the leeks are soft, about 6 -8 minutes. Set aside. Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but...

This is one of those easy~peasy ones. The most difficult part is boiling the water for the pasta...see easy ! I just used what I had in the pantry, and in the fridge. It was yummy, and well liked by the little's, our youngest, after eating 3 bowls, requested, I make it more often ! Bring to a boil a pot of salted water, cook your PASTA of choice. Once cooked, drain the pasta,return to the pot. Now into the pot, add in a small bag of FROZEN BABY PEAS , add in a small carton 200ml of CREAM , and add in a package of  chopped SMOKED SALMON. Gently toss everything together, and adjust any seasonings, salt, pepper, I think dill, would be great in this. Add some cheese if you like, some grated Parmesean.  See easy~peasy ! xo, Diana

Though fresh pasta might require you to spend a little more time in your kitchen, the effort is so worth it. It is  very satisfying to eat a plate of pasta that you've created from scratch. Yes, perhaps store bought is cheaper, and alot faster, but this really is a labor of love. The tricky part, can be the pasta machine itself, but be patient, once you get the hang of it, things will go smoothly. If you don't have a pasta machine, the dough can be rolled out, and then cut free-style, makes for less clean up too. 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 3 eggs 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon olive oil Directions Put the flour and salt into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a couple of times to combine. Add the eggs and olive oil to the food processor and turn on, letting run for about 30 seconds until the dough comes together around the blades. If it is dry and pebbly looking, add one tsp of water at a time and pulse. If it...

                                        "Necessity  is the mother of  invention " This certainly was true today, I had no clue what to make for lunch. No clue..... and had not gone grocery shopping over the weekend. So searching I went, in the cupboard I found some penne ( we always have pasta ), next I raided the fridge. Eureeka , half a jar of olives, half a jar of sun-dried tomatoes, and you guessed it, half a bag of basil !. I cooked the pasta, in salted water, then drained it. Then added in, the olives, the fresh basil , and the tomatoes, chopped. Added a great big glug of olive oil, and some minced garlic, and tossed it all together. It was delicious, and the best part, I used up ingredients I had in the house. That's kind of cool ..right ??  

This shrimp dish was sooooooooo good. My husband absolutely loved it, he said it was a 9 out of 10 yes he will do that, rate a new recipe I try, he mostly does it to bug me, especially when he says, a meal is an 8 :) . It has a bit of a kick to it, you could adjust that by using less chilli flakes/hot sauce. But around here we don't mind hot food, it just means you can wash it down with some more "vino". Considering Valentines day, is just around the corner, I think this would make a fantastic dinner for two. Served with this salad, some garlic bread, a little wine........... you can see where I am headed with this. Try it, you won't be disappointed. Shrimp in Spicy Vodka Sauce Ingredients 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic minced ( I used WAY more) 1/2 cup vodka 1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes ( I used a jar of plain tomato sauce) 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes/ tabasco  to taste Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/2 p...

Conchiglioni con ricotta,  somehow sounds nicer in italian, then it's english translation " pasta shells stuffed with ricotta",  The great thing is, does not matter what language you say it in, either way it is  a delicious dish. I have always wanted to make this dish, but have never been able to buy the shells, here on the island. Well that changed, last week when in my local supermarket, I found a bag of these large shells, in the pasta aisle. I jumped for joy ( really I did, thats often what I do, when I find products,  I have been searching for ) and grabbed a couple of bags ( around these parts, if you see it at the supermarket, BUY IT, more than one) sometimes things are brought in, and then never appear again ( I swear, I am still waiting for them to stock, blueberries again, haven't seen them since  circa 2002 ).  I usually stuff canelloni shells, this way also. The filling is quite forgiving, as you could add, all sorts o...

That was my 12 year old son, a couple of days ago. He asked me if he could cook something, to which I said "yes". I asked if he knew what he wanted to make, he said he already had a recipe picked out !! So from one of my books, we put a shopping list together. We went to the market, and bought what he needed, the only thing we did not get was parmsean cheese. "Mom, I really wanted the real kind".  I told him next time, I am sure the market would have some. So home we went, and the cooking began. He chose a pasta dish, with bacon, peas, and cheese. I have to say, he did a wonderful job, and his dish was delicious! I am a proud mumma :) he even set up this shot get your pasta cooking first chopping onions "finely" ;) into the pot sauté onions and bacon, in a bit of olive oil drain the pasta, add to the bacon and onions add the sweet peas add in a knob of butter add in the parmesan cheese chopping parsley add in ...