Vegetarian Spaghetti Carbonara

The idea of a vegetarian Spagetthi Carbonara will surely send  shivers down  the spines of those who love this classic Italian dish. I know of one person in particular who will most probably put a ban on this post and that is Fritz from Real Men can Cook. After all he made a perfect Spaghetti Carbonara at the Cheese Festival this year....why would I want to mess with such a divine dish?

Gnocchi with Tomato and Basil

There is something so comforting about gnocchi, I am not sure if it is the sense of accomplishment for trying to make them rather than buy them, or whether it is the comfort of wrapping your hands around a bowl of  something so moreish and belly-warming. It might be both, but I love making gnocchi and once you have the hang of it, not difficult at all. Come on, you try it......

Cheesy Pasta Shells in a rich tomato sauce

Making these stuffed pasta shells was my come back after a few days of non-cooking in My Easy Cooking HQ. If you are in the kitchen all day, every day, then trust me, come dinner time, few dishes have a wow-factor anymore. All you can think of is just feet-up and rest, but  alas, I have a family to feed and a spoiled one at that!

Fettucine Alfredo and teaching an old dog new tricks!

Thinking of all the bastardized versions of Fettuccine Alfredo that I have seen on the Internet and horror upon horror all the bad ones I have served my poor (un-informed) family, I have to say, I was a tad embarrassed this morning when Jan Tripepi cooked this Italian Classic in my humble abode.

Lip smacking Roast Chicken Pasta Bake

The aroma of roast chicken drifting through my house fills me with nostalgia and a fuzzy feeling every time. There is something so hearty and homey about serving a roast chicken with all the lovely trimmings like potatoes, steamed young green beans and maybe, just maybe there will be leftovers to make a Lip smacking Roast Chicken Pasta Bake.

Crunchy Noodle Salad by Ina Garten

"Try this noodle salad", my sister suggested when I visited her one afternoon! I was not aware at the time that she is secretly developing a serious addiction to the food channels, but now it is a joy to be able to discuss and share recipes and ideas with her!

Mediterranean -Pasta-in-Minutes!

You can literally make this Mediterranean Pasta in Minutes - the amount of minutes it takes to boil the pasta! Yes, that is how quick and easy it is! If you can slice a few tomatoes and switch on a blender, then you have all it takes to make this Mediterranean Pasta.

Does Pasta give you energy!

Does pasta give you energy? I guess it is the question on every body's lips with the upcoming Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour that is on Sunday here in our lovely city, Cape Town. There have been many debates and arguments on this particular topic, but the fact that everybody seems to agree on is that pasta,

Middle of the week Spaghetti with Lobster!

Eating lobster in the middle of the week is how my husband measures whether blogging is a feasible profession or not. I see a few raised eyebrows so let me explain. He often asks me how I motivate myself to keep on doing what I  am doing,

Summer Capsicum Pasta Salad

Summer is here in full bloom people, days are hot and with the last Christmas shopping to be done, days are rather sweaty too. I can tell you, the last thing on my mind at dinner time is to slave away in front of a hot stove to cook a proper meal. I have also been extremely busy with catering jobs so our dinners have consisted mainly of

Butternut Gnocchi with Sage and Blue Cheese

Gnocchi  in the middle of November is not at all strange for people in the Northern Hemisphere where winter has finally arrived, but we are supposed to be in the middle of summer and yet it is cold, rainy and not at all summer or salad weather.

Pasta salad - perfect side dish for Braai Heritage Day 2010

I cannot believe it is Braai Heritage day again and that it is a year since I last wrote this post. Time flies when you're having fun and this has certainly been a busy and exciting year. Here in South Africa, having a braai is a serious matter and we will find a good enough reason to have one with friends and family often.

Fairview Bloggers Competition - let the voting begin!

Fairview Bloggers Competition, sounds easy doesn't it? Recipe has to include Fairview Camembert, still no problem right? Wait until you see the food gurus I am up against and you will know that I am stress  beyond belief, because no longer am I the cook with the one I in the land of the blind bloggers.

Vegetarian Lasagna - Deconstructed I believe.....

Vegetarian Lasagna Recipes are not difficult to find when traveling through the bloggersphere and you can find pretty much every kind of vegetable featuring in this classic Italian dish. Butternut Squash, Aubergines, peppers and zucchinis are the most popular vegetable choices I have found in my search for a good Vegetarian Lasagna Recipe.

Spaghetti Carbonara on Grilled Portabello Mushrooms

Spaghetti Carbonara must be one of he most popular of all Italian pasta dishes.

It can be made with other pastas like fettuccine or rigatoni, but traditionally it is always made with spaghetti. Basically it  is made with only four ingredients, pasta, pancetta, cheese and eggs.

Seafood pasta - Squid Ink pasta with Prawns and grilled Calamari!!

Seafood Pasta was what I needed last night to make the leap back into reality a more pleasant experience. I had such a fantastic holiday at my two favorite places that coming back into the habit of cooking and cleaning was traumatic for me to say the least!!

Orecchiette with Napoletana Sauce

Orecchiette is one of the less popular pasta shapes, but since I've read Jamie Oliver's book Jamie's Italy and saw the Italian mamas and their children sitting around a table making these interesting pasta shapes, I've been keen to make it myself. In Italian orrechio means "ear" so Orecchiette in essence means "little ears".

Seafood Pasta does not have to be so complicated!

Seafood pasta really does not have to be all that elaborate and expensive. Yes, I know you can add lobster, crab, clams and whatever other expensive ingredients you can lay your hands on, but for a simple home cook like me, it has to be cheap, easy but yet packed with flavor.

Easy Pasta recipes - Penne with Summer Vegetables

Easy pasta recipes are plenty, but it is not always so easy to find healthy pasta recipes. Given the choice my family will also opt for a creamy carbonara, lasagnas and or a 3 cheese mac 'n cheese. We are however trying to eat slightly more healthy in this family, by just cutting out unnecessary fats, sauces and sugars.

Easy pasta recipes- Pasta with Biltong, butternut and bacon!!!

More easy pasta recipes, you would ask? How is it possible that there can be more pasta recipes? As you search the internet, you will find that pasta is no longer just enjoyed as part of the Italian cuisine......I read about Mexican pasta recipes, Greek pasta recipes and even Thanksgiving pasta recipes to mention but a few.