Yes, it may seem as though I’ve been missing in action, but in reality I’ve been simply practicing what I preach.  I’ve been ” living in the moment” with my daughter, Theresa, who has just returned from France after 10 months of living the amazing life as an exchange student with the wonderful famille Buzy and attending high school in Toulouse, France.   So, you can only imagine that all I’ve wanted to do is cook with her, stare at her, speak French with her and have fun with her.   Finally, I have a few minutes to share one of the recipes that we’ve cooked together since she’s been home.  I promise more will follow.

Can't forget the sauce

Chicken Balsamic Lasagna
(Featuring  Al Dente Pasta and Monique’s Marvelous Marinara Sauce)
Serves 6-10
This is a recipe adapted from Showcase magazine.  It originally called for lasagna sheets, but I found it easier to make with fettuccine and just as delicious.  I once quadrupled the recipe for a fundraising dinner for 85 people and every person asked for the recipe.  Great for a crowd!  Can make it ahead and everything.

Ingredients:
12 oz. Al Dente Fettuccine (your favorite flavor but I use Basil Fettuccine)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion, cut into small dice
1 pounds chicken thighs (or breast) meat, cut into small cubes
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
15 oz. ricotta cheese
cup grated Parmesan Cheese
2 eggs
1 tsp. kosher salt
12 oz mozzarella cheese, grated
1 jar Moniques Marvelous Marinara Sauce

Method

1.  In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta for 3 minutes (slightly undercooked).  Drain and set aside.  In a large skillet, gently sauté onion in 2 tbsp. oil  until translucent, 2 minutes..  Add chicken, stirring until cooked.  Add balsamic vinegar.and ½ tsp salt cooking for 5 more minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

2.  In a bowl, combine the ricotta, ¼ cup Parmesan, eggs, pepper and ½ tsp. salt.  Mix well.

3.  Layer the ingredients in an 9×13 pan in the following order:  1 tablespoon oil and 1/2 of pasta,1/2 ricotta,1/2 marinara, chicken/onion mixture, 1/2 mozzarella, 1/2 of pasta, 1/2 ricotta mixture, 1/2 marinara, ½ mozzarella, ¼ cup parmesan

4.  Bake in a 375 degree oven until golden brown.

All is well!  How many times in life can you say that you have no regrets?  Well, this is one of them. Last week Dennis and I were in New York exhibiting Al Dente Pasta at the Fancy Food Show.   When I’m in a city like New York, where the choices abound and innovation surrounds, the idea of making a bad choice on a restaurant really freaks me out.   I am happy to report every single meal was a winner.   Here’s the list of restaurants that worked for us and just may work for you.

The $14.00 Prix Fixe Lunch at Tout Va Bien Could be the Best Deal in New York

Poached Salmon with Crudites

Coq au Vin

Let’s put it this way. The portions at Tout Va Bien are more American style than French so
we were not able to join the clean plate club.  I’m not complaining, just commenting.    The waiter had a great sense of humor and “got” every one of Dennis’ jokes.   This restaurant has been around a really long time, I think since 1948.

Jean-Christophe, the really nice French waiter at Tout Va Bien!

Momofuko Never Disappoints.  Ever!

Shitake Buns

We can never eat a Shitake Bun or a Pork Bun without thinking of Ben Saginaw.  He is the one who turned us on to Momofuko and, on numerous occasions, thoughtfully delivered Pork Buns to us while we were working the trade show.  That Benny.  What a guy.

Momofuko Octopus

Honestly, the food at Momofuku is off the charts.  To quote Dennis, “I’ve eaten a lot of octopus over the years, but this is the best!”

Tamarind Celery Soda

Even the drinks at Momofuko!  We had the Tamarind Celery Soda and Toasted Sesame Horchata.  Amazing!  For desert, try the homemade, strawberry yogurt soft serve topped with brown sugar pretzel crumbles.

ICI: Everything is Organic in this Brooklyn Restaurant, Including the Wine.

Organic Wine from Corsica

Tailor: for Creativity and Innovation Could Not Be Beat

bourbon and smoked coke

Sunday Night Dinner at Public is another of New York’s Best Deals. Seven Courses for $45

Carrot, ginger, coconut soup with a shrimp shumai, Thai basil with a puffed black rice

Trend:  Watermelon on Every Menu in One Form or Another, but Always Delicious and Refreshing. In this case, it was watermelon, feta, basil salad with pumkin seeds and schichmi

We took advantage of the fact that La Sirene is BYOB to pair up some really beautiful French wines with our dinner.  This place is ultra comfortable, with ultra charming people running the show and very good food.

Mussels at La Sirene

One of our all time favorites in New York is Savoy.  It’s actually where we gathered a “cosmic” group friends from around the country to celebrate Al Dente’s 20th anniversary back in July of 2001.  We go there every year when we are at the food show, even if it’s just for desert as we did this time.  We had an incredible “short stack”.  This desert was 4 layers of meringues (shaped like small pancakes, get it?),  featuring the flavors of blueberries, lavender, and coffee. And, finally I got to have St. Germaine, the elderberry liquor which is not available in Michigan. The bartender, who is a fellow Michigander, mixed it with Champagne for a delicious cocktail.

On our list to try next time:

The Diner in  Williamsburg

Kuna Inn, another BYOB

Again, I encourage you to check out the websites of these restaurants to help determine if they will work for you.  One of my more recent revelations is that I am not responsible for the universe and this extends to not wanting to take responsibility for your dining experience.  Nevertheless, I do hope you enjoy every dining opportunity, especially when you are traveling.

I should first preface this by saying that I, Nate Staley, love spicy food.  Actually, I live for spicy food.  While most of my friends look for a good Chinese dish on the nights that they want to eat out, I’m always looking for a good Mexican or Indian establishment.  I want spicy food whenever I can get it.  A lot of this side of me - my mother says anyway - comes from my upbringing in Texas.  While she likes to tell me that during her pregnancy with me all she would eat was the spiciest foods she could find, which in Texas can be found on every street corner, I can still attribute my affinity for spice to the years of spicy cuisine in which I indulged myself afterward.  I’ve still to find a good Mexican restaurant in the midwest like the ones that were available everywhere in Dallas.  What people like to think of as spicy in the midwest pales in comparison to even the mildest of salsas in a good Mexican restaurant in Texas.  But I digress.

As you might have imagined what this is leading up to, the mood for something spicy struck me the other night.  Being a college student, it is not often that I get the chance to indulge myself in a good spicy meal, or a good meal of any kind for that matter.  My diet most often consists of Spaghetti-O’s, Wendy’s or a grilled cheese sandwich.  When I came across Al Dente’s Red Chili Fettuccine several nights back, ideas started rolling through my head about what kind of pasta dish I might be able to make.  After all, a cheap, delicious, spicy pasta is irresistable to a college student such as myself.  Being a fan of grilling, I decided to get myself some type of spicy sausage to grill up, slice up and throw in the pasta, and ended up choosing chorizo to go along with my affinity for mexican spices.  In the end I made up quite a delicious pasta dish that was cheap to make and satisfied my need for putting a bit of sweat on the brow.

Pasta Recipe:

1 Bag of Al Dente Red Chili Fettuccine

3 Johnsonville Chorizo links grilled and sliced

1  jar Monique’s Rustic Roasted Garlic Sauce

1 red bell pepper, sliced

8 oz. mushrooms

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

Grated Parmesan Cheese

Saute the mushrooms and sweet red pepper in the olive oil. Grill your sausages and slice. (If you are not grilling the sausages, you can slice and cook in a skillet on the stove top.) Add Monique’s Rustic Roasted Garlic Sauce to mushrooms, sweet red pepper and sausages. Cook pasta Al Dente Pasta for 3 minutes in boiling water and serve with sauce.  Garnish with Parmesan Cheese.

John, Deb and Miles

OK, it’s not really Al Dente Pasta holding the Oscar.  It’s actually  Deborah Gaydos, wife of the Oscar winner, holding the pasta.   Let me explain.   Many fellow U of M alumna have gone on to Fame (with a capital “F”) and John Nelson is certainly one of them.  Among our group of friends, it was certainly an exciting moment when we got to watch John receive an Oscar for Special Effects in the movie, Gladiator!  Now John just finished as Special Effects Director for this summer’s hit “Ironman”.  Whenever John comes back to Ann Arbor, Jim Kruz gathers us together for an evening of fun, frolic and fantastic food.  We get to catch up with John, Deb and Miles and take delight in how wonderful it is to connect with old friends, even when it is just once a year.

The Theme of the Party: Fresh and French

Pasta Salade Nicoise Fit Perfectly!

Al Dente Pasta Salad Nicoise

1 bag Al Dente Pasta (I used Basil Fettuccine)

1 can (high quality) tuna fish, drained

3 tomatoes, chopped or pint of cherry tomatoes

1/2 lb. green beans, blanched in salted, boiling water until tender

3 scallions, chopped

1 cup black olives, halved

1 tablespoon capers (optional)

1/2 cup feta or fresh mozzarella

For the dressing:

1/4 cup vinegar (white wine or white balsamic)
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 cup chopped parsley
salt and pepper

Whisk together the vinegar, mustard, and seasonings.  Slowly add the oil until combined.

Cook Al Dente Pasta as directed for 3 minutes.  Drain well and rinse in cold water.  Combine pasta with dressing and all other ingredients.  Season to taste.  Serve at room temperature.

Other “Famous” People Spotted Holding the Pasta

Lisa Marra, one of Michigan’s finest Interior Designers, and Al Dente’s First Employee

Vicki Honeyman and Nina Cambron:  Artists, Entrepreneurs and Long-Time Friends

A Toast to Jim Kruz (left front)!   Our host, who also was Al Dente’s First Photographer.

There is nothing like the satisfaction of knowing when you’ve come up with the perfect gift idea.   That is how I felt the day I offered my friend, Marra, a cooking class for her 18th birthday.    I could tell by the look on her face that there was nothing better I could have given her.

Last week, Marra and her friends joined me at the lake house for their first lesson.  Five minutes before they arrived, I sat down at the computer and jotted down a few quick thoughts.  Little did I know how central these words would be to our cooking class.

Rule #1.    There is nothing to be afraid of.  Granted, I realize that the kitchen doesn’t scare me,  a new recipe doesn’t scare me, cooking along side a famous chef doesn’t scare me.  But, trust me. I know fear.  I understand that fear is not always rational.  (Marra’s mother, Lisa, made certain to reveal to the girls that for the first 50 years of my life, I was afraid to light a match).    Neverthless, when something is holding us back,  we need to figure out how to rise above it.  (I am proud to say that I lit a match on my 50th birthday and have been lighting them ever since.)  That is going to be my goal with Marra and her friends today.   I am hoping they will walk out of my kitchen with the confidence to tackle any recipe, anytime, anywhere.   I plan to show them a bit of technique.    I will show them how to look at a recipe and decide if it sounds good to them. I want them to know how to follow a recipe, but also how to modify it.

Sure enough, the first words out of Marra’s mouth as she walked into kitchen were, “I’m so scared”.  That is why I immediately read them rule #1.  As you can see from the picture, they weren’t scared for long.

Al Dente Pasta with Hot Italian Sausage, Artichokes and Sundried Tomatoes

I discovered that the commentary when cooking with teenagers was priceless, especially when it came to getting the sausage out of the casing.

“What do we do with the skins”     “Oh, it’s coming out of both ends”         “This is so much fun”

“Monique, aren’t you proud of me?”

My words of wisdom while we made this dish were:

1.  When using a non-stick pan, only use a wooden or plastic stirring spoon.

2.  Don’t be afraid of the meat.  (I was told by Marra’s mother that she repeated this phrase frequently as she made the dish on her own)

Next we made Al Dente Fettuccine with Alfredo Sauce.

They could not believe how easy it was to make one of their all-time favorite pasta dishes.  The comment when sampling this dish was, “it tastes even better than anything I”ve had in a restaurant, and I made it myself.”  Of course I told them that you can add a number of tasty addtions to the basic Alfredo Sauce:  Eg. Shrimp, peas, cubed turkey, ham, sweet red pepper, chicken, etc. etc. etc.  Also, I like to show that you don’t need massive amounts of cream to make a great Alfredo Sauce.

Al Dente Fettuccine Alfredo

1 bag of Al Dente Pasta (we used Egg Fettuccine)

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

pinch of nutmeg

salt and pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for pasta.  In the meantime, melt butter in skillet over medium heat.   Add cream.  When cream begins to thicken and small bubbles appear, add Parmesan, nutmeg, 1/2 tsp. salt.  Cook pasta, testing after 3 minutes.  When pasta is done to tender but firm perfection, drain.  Add to skillet with Alfredo sauce, stirring until pasta is coated.  That’s all there is to it.  Emily’s quote at this point was, ” I really like these noodles.  I like the texture.  They’re not really thick.”  (So glad she noticed!)

Rule #2.  Never eat standing up.

For desert we will make a Blueberry Cobbler that Marra loves and has enjoyed it many times over the years.  She never imagined that anything this good could be so easy to make.  This super simple, healthy and delicious desert is from Jane Brody’s cookbook. I first had it in Colorado while visiting my high school friends, Jill and Jim, more than 20 years ago.  Thank you, Jim, for turning me on to this great recipe.  I usually double or triple this recipe.

Jane Brody’s Blueberry Cobbler

2/3 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1.5 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

2/3 cup skim milk

2 Tbsp, butter, melted.  (I melt the butter in my baking dish, in the oven, while oven is heating up.)

2 cups blueberries.  (I used frozen blueberries this time, but result is much better with fresh, so from now on this recipe will be reserved for summertime enjoyment when blueberries are in season.  On the other hand, I will make it with frozen peaches in the winter.

1. In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Stir in the milk and mix the batter until smooth.

2. While oven is preheating to 350 degrees, melt the butter in your glass or ceramic baking dish in the oven.  When melted, pour in batter and sprinkle blueberries on top.

3.  Bake cobbler in oven for 40 minutes, until top is lightly browned.  Size of baking dish will depend on whether you double or triple recipe like I do.  Single recipe requires a 1 or 1.5 quart baking dish.  Cobbler is great for breakfast or brunch as well as for desert.

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]]> http://aldentecanoodler.com/2008/06/24/fearless-cooking-for-teens/feed/ marra with friends at cooking class http://aldentecanoodler.com/2008/06/19/the-experiment/ http://aldentecanoodler.com/2008/06/19/the-experiment/#comments Thu, 19 Jun 2008 21:30:28 +0000 Aly http://aldentecanoodler.wordpress.com/?p=113

My name is Aly Croen, I’m an intern for Al Dente Pasta this summer, and this is where my story begins.  It was dark, gloomy, rancid, and full of pizza boxes. No, I’m not talking about a garbage dump (though not far from), I’m referring to a college apartment.  On this fateful Thursday, I gathered three of my friends to participate in a moderately risky experiment.  I have to be honest, these friends were very brave participants. The experiment, embarrassingly enough, was if I could actually make a decent meal.  Our hypothesis was of course that, no, I would not be able to do so.  As a University of Michigan student, Monique’s alma mater (Go Blue!), I often do not have time to prepare anything more than a sandwich, frozen dinner, or if I’m feeling particularly creative, a salad. Therefore, we had various Ann Arbor delivery places on call for the moment they tasted my food.

Living in Michigan, I try my hardest not to let the weather influence my mood or my decisions. So, what was I thinking when I tried to cancel the first official Pasta and Peonies party due to the pouring rain and dark clouds? Thank goodness Lisa Dengiz, with her usual “the party must go on” attitude, encouraged me to think positively and start cooking.

Photo by Lisa Monahan

Sure enough, the evening turned into a warm and sunny pasta extravaganza. One of the recipes was such a hit with all of the men, I decided I had to quickly post it just in case you still needed the perfect dish for Father’s Day. You can look forward to a full report on the party next week, but in the meantime be nice to the men in your life and cook up some Special Spicy Father’s Day Pasta.

Al Dente Pasta with Hot Italian Sausage, Artichokes and Sun-Dried Tomatoes.

12 oz. bag of Al Dente Pasta (we used Roasted Garlic Linguine)

1 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, sliced. (reserve oil)

1 lb. Italian Hot Sausages

16 oz. frozen artichoke hearts

2 large garlic cloves, chopped

1.5 cups chicken broth

1/3 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus additional for garnish

8 oz. water-packed fresh mozzarella, drained and cubed.

1 tsp. salt and pepper to taste.

Heat the oil reserved from the tomatoes in a heavy, large frying pan over medium-high heat. Squeeze the sausage out of the casing, into the skillet and cook until brown, breaking up the meat into bite-size pieces, about 8 minutes. Transfer sausage to a bowl. Add frozen artichokes and garlic to same skillet and saute for 2 minutes. Add broth, wine and sun-dried tomatoes. Boil over medium high heat until the sauce reduces slightly.

Meanwhile, bring large pot of water to boil. Add pasta and cook for 3 minutes, until “tender but firm”. Drain Pasta. Add pasta to skillet with sauce, sausage and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with mozzarella, parsley and/or basil and extra Parmesan.

(this recipe was inspired by Every Day Italian, Giada DeLaurentis)

What makes this recipe “heavenly” is that it was inspired by my friend, Vicki Honeyman, who owns a wonderfully eclectic shop in Ann Arbor called Heavenly Metal. In the same way that Dennis and I, back in the 80’s, combined our two businesses under one roof to have the world’s only Pasta Factory/Windsurfing Store, one of Vick’s claim to fame is that she has the world’s only gift store where you can also get a haircut. The really great news is that Heavenly Metal is now “online”. This will allow people from all over the country to have access to the great things Vick discovers as she scours the world for what is cool, functional and beautiful.

Heavenly Metal is just around the corner from the Ann Arbor’s Farmer’s Market so, whenever possible, Vick buys local produce there. She sent a recipe to the aldentecanoodler using greens from the Farmers Market and her recipe inspired this one. I think it reflects the way most of us cook on a day to day basis. You come home from work and are really hungry and have just a few things in the fridge. In my case, I had leftover green beans, already cooked, from my Memorial Day picnic. I had 4 slices of bacon that somehow got past my son and his friends. I always have good olive oil and I always have Al Dente Pasta! And, even though I don’t do the gardening thing like all of my friends, those wonderful chives are always there for me, year after year. So, here it is:

Al Dente Pasta with Green Beans, Bacon and Chives

Serves 2 as a main dish, 4 as a side dish

1/2 Bag of Al Dente Pasta. (I used Al Dente Egg Fettuccine)

3 cups slender green beans, cooked

4 slices bacon, diced

1/4 cup olive oil

chives, snipped with scissors

Parmesan, if you have some

Salt and Pepper to taste

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil.

Cook bacon. Place on paper towel after cooking. Drain off most of bacon grease. Add olive oil to skillet and saute green beans. After cooking pasta, drain and toss with bacon and beans. Garnish with lots of chives, salt and pepper and Parmesan. Heavenly!

photo by Lisa Monahan

A Special Pasta Dish for a Special Young Woman

All of my kids have their designated favorite pasta dish named after them. Today, in celebration of my God Daughter’s graduation from Ferris State University, I would like to honor her by officially publishing Jenise’s Favorite on the Aldentecanoodler. Lisa Monahan, a wonderful photographer with a specialty in food photography, was able to capture both the gorgeous peony, grown by Lisa Dengiz, and the lusciousness of the shrimp from Monahan’s Seafood. We are so lucky to have one of the best seafood stores in the whole country, right here in Ann Arbor. Yum.

Tangy Pasta with Shrimp and Spinach

(Jenise’s favorite!)
Serves 4-6

1 bag of Al Dente Pasta-your favorite flavor (lemon chive fettuccine?)

1 lb. peeled and deveined large shrimp
(substitute cubed chicken breast, if desired)

3 Tbsp. Olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots (or red onion)

3/4 cup chicken broth

Juice from 1 lemon

1/2 tsp. salt

10 oz. fresh spinach, coarsely chopped

3 Tbsp. Capers

Directions

1. Bring large pot of salted water to boil.

2. Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots; saute 30 seconds. Add shrimp; saute 3 minutes, just until cooked. Add chicken broth, lemon juice and salt to pan. Bring just to a boil.

3. Cook pasta and add to pan with spinach and capers, heating until spinach wilts. (optional additions-pinenuts, roasted red pepper strips, chopped tomatoes). Delicious!

Congratulations, Jenise. You’ve made “the village” proud!

P.S. Now, Jenise is seeking an internship in the Printing Industry in the Ann Arbor area.

Please contact us with opportunities.

]]> http://aldentecanoodler.com/2008/06/05/pasta-favorite-for-the-college-grad/feed/ al dente pasta with shrimp, shrimp and pasta, al dente fettuccine, shrimp and fettuccine, Jenise\'s favorite Jenise\'s Favorite http://aldentecanoodler.com/2008/06/04/a-creative-culinary-expression/ http://aldentecanoodler.com/2008/06/04/a-creative-culinary-expression/#comments Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:01:50 +0000 Monique http://aldentecanoodler.wordpress.com/?p=98

The aldentecanoodler is serving its purpose, that’s for sure! I’ve heard from friends from all around the world. Taking it one step further, I’m also making new friends. Like Todd White, who is the author of one of my absolute favorite blogs, Culinary Expressions. I love his style of cooking and so will you. Check out his recipe for Short Rib Ragout served over Al Dente Spinach Fettuccine. I’m trying it tonight!

Al Dente Spinach Fettuccine-Made with REAL spinach