Episode 14: 3 Fresh PASTABILITIES for Pasta Night

Episode 14: BLT Pasta Salad, Roasted Chicken and Angel Hair Pasta, and Roasted Cauliflower Spaghetti It’s pasta night on the Dinner Sisters with recipes that go beyond just sauce and noodles. We’ll bake angel hair pasta with chicken, make a creamy cauliflower and mascarpone spaghetti and a pasta salad riff on the BLT. Each recipe is anything but a basic pasta dish. BLT Pasta Salad: The Kitchn Bacon, lettuce, and tomato are a killer classic summer sandwich and this pasta salad recipe evokes all the best parts. Tangy dressing is mixed in with crispy bacon, cherry tomatoes and spinach for a salad that is as great for dinner as it is for lunch the next day. Tips: Unless you are a huge garlic fan, consider using one clove of garlic instead of the suggested two. We two cloves to be too much. Pick any short pasta shape you like- we think raddiatore or penne are good choices here. This keeps well in the fridge for a couple days, making it a good recipe for houseguests or for taking for lunch. Roasted Chicken on Angel Hair Pasta: Simply Recipes Both a roasted chicken and angel hair pasta are dinner staples. Simply Recipes took the two and make a comforting baked pasta that will feed hungry dinner companions and be budget friendly. Tips: You can use all parts of the chicken but drumsticks and thighs tend to be economical and the most flavorful. Consider upping the oregano and adding a teaspoon of basil. Make sure to adequately salt the chicken before roasting. Underseasoned meat will be noticeable in this dish. Roasted Cauliflower Spaghetti: Sprouted Kitchen Mascarpone cheese makes a creamy sauce for roasted cauliflower and spaghetti. Roasting the cauliflower with nutmeg and smoked paprika gives the vegetable a subtle kick- one we would amp up when making again. Tips: Remember to reserve your pasta water to loosen the sauce- you will need it. We felt the sauce could use additional kick. Next time around we would double the spices and maybe add hot paprika to round out the flavors. From the Smorgasbord: Tackling questions and comments from our listeners; Tyler suggests adding mustard to the Kale, Apple and Cheddar salad from Episode 3. We think this is a great idea. Thanks, Tyler! Starving in the Bleachers asked, "Please help! I have 2 boys, age 6 and 9. Two nights a week they have swim practice followed by baseball. On a good night we have an hour at home in between to change clothes, eat dinner and head to baseball and sometimes we have to eat in the car between the two activities. Any ideas on what to serve them for dinner so we can stay away from fast food drive thrus??” Kate suggested buying a few medium sized plastic containers and using themfor homemade lunchables. Perhaps reheating the salmon patties from Episode 13  with some sliced cucumbers or pancakes with bacon from Episode 11. She also suggests store-bought dumplings would work really well.  Betsy suggests cooking a pound of pasta at a time and keeping it in a gallon plastic bag in the fridge for really busy nights. When boiling water takes too long, this could be a lifesaver.  Ana asked, "I made the BBQ meatloaf from Episode 3 in a loaf pan but I didn't know how long to cook it and it fell apart afterwards. What happened? Any tips?" Betsy makes a lot of meatloaf and did some research and found a few things: Most meatloaves take about 45 mins to an hour to cook. Good rule of thumb.  Use an 80/20 hamburger mix. This should keep the meatloaf together.  Alton Brown's Meatloaf Recipe has methods that many people swear by. Perhaps that's the ticket! Shopping List Here Follow us on Instagram @dinnersisterspodcast or on Pinterest at Dinner Sisters Podcast. Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Stitcher , Google Play, and SoundCloudSupport the show