It's all about Pasta: Bell Peppers Cream Bacon Fettuccine

My husband and I came back home late and had no idea what we were going to do for dinner... It has been a while since we had dinner at home, we have had a very busy schedule for the last couple of weeks, so we feel like staying home and cooking something...

The problem is that it's 9 pm and we have limited availability of ingredients in our fridge, so I decided to make a vegetable pasta... and then I found some bacon and some cream! and voila, magic it's on it's way!

Makes 2 servings
Time: 40 -45 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 orange bell pepper
1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 red onion
3/4 tomato
3 garlic cloves
4 strips of bacon
1/3 of a cup of heavy whipping cream
olive oil
salt and pepper
1/2 a box of fettuccine pasta


Preparation:

Chop the bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, garlic and bacon and keep them aside. Turn the stove on with medium heat, add 1 tbs of olive oil and wait for it to heat, add the chopped bacon and cook for 5 - 7 minutes, do not let it get crunchy, you want it to be soft so it can mix well with the rest of the vegetables.

Add the chopped garlic and saute it for 3 - 4 minutes; then add the chopped red onions and saute for 4 more minutes; add the bell peppers and let them cook for 5 minutes, notice that the coloration of the vegetables start getting orangy. Finally mix the tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes; add a pinch of salt and another one of pepper, decrease the temperature to low and remain cooking for another 5 - 7 minutes before adding the heavy whipping cream, mix the sauce and let it cook for another 7 - 10 minutes.

In a medium sauce pan boil some water with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil, add the fettuccine,  approximately 13 minutes. Remove from the heat.

In a medium size bowl mix the pasta with the sauce and it is ready to serve! You can add some shaved Parmesan cheese as a garnish.

Sherry and Red Wine, Tomato Soup

Yesterday my husband and I decided to enjoy the "cold" weather that Texas has been enjoying by cooking our traditional winter menu... tomato soup and sandwiches! It was sooo good, but to tell you the truth it needs to get colder for it!  It is super easy to make serves 4 - 6 people, it takes around an hour to make...

Ingredients

8 large tomatoes
salt and pepper
Olive Oil
12 - 15 thyme stalks
10 - 12 garlic cloves
1 shallot
1 medium red onion
1 tbs of chopped oregano
1 tbs of chopped basil
1/2 cups of chicken stock
1 shot of sherry
1 shot of red wine
1/2 small can of tomato paste



Preparation 

Pre heat the oven 350 degrees.
Cut the tomatoes and garlic cloves in big chunks, place them in a large sauce pan, drizzle with salt, pepper and olive oil. Also sprinkle the chopped herbs and mix, bake for 30 minutes.

In a separate medium frying pan chop the red onion and shallot, drizzle olive oil and saute for around 4 minutes, add a little bit of chopped thyme for flavor... when the onions are lightly brown remove from the heat and wait for the tomatoes to come out of the oven.

Add some of the chicken broth and the tomatoes in the big pan and stir while keeping it over medium heat. Let it simmer and add some more chicken broth, until the tomatoes star falling apart, add the sherry, wine and tomato paste, let it reduce for 20 minutes.

Place the mix in the blender and puree... serve hot in a bowl, with garlic croutons.

Chicken Soup, Grandma's Recipe

Yesterday my husband went and had sushi with some coworkers of his, before we went to bed he was running a 103 degrees fever, his boy was shaking and needless to say he got really really sick... After a whole night of drinking Pedialite, today I  made him my super special chicken soup, it is the best thing to boost your immune system and get you back on track!

For 4 servings, prep time 30 minutes, cooking time 1.5 - 2 hours

Ingredients

3 chicken breasts
1 white onion
8 fingerling potatoes
1/2 bag of pre cut broccoli and cauliflower
3 medium size carrots
5 celery sticks
6 - 8 branches of cilantro and/or parsley
2 garlic cloves
2 chicken bouillon cubes
3 tbs of season all or any seasoning salt
4 1/2 cups of water


Preparation

In a large size boiling pan at medium high temperature, heat the water with the chicken bouillon cubes and the pealed garlic cloves, when the bouillon cubes are melted, chop the onion in four pieces and put it in the boiling water as well, lower the temperature to medium low.

Peal and chop the carrots, clean the broccoli and the cauliflower, and chop the celery sticks, add all the vegetables to the boiling water. With some twain put together in a bunch the cilantro and parsley and add to the boiling water. Let it seat for 15 minutes.

Clean the chicken breasts and cut it in cubes, add to the boiling water and cover for 25 minutes, so the juices of all the vegetables and the chicken can mix properly.

Note: You can add many other vegetables like green beans and zucchinis, also if you would like the soup with a little kick you may want to use Tony Chachere's for your seasoning salt!


Chop the potatoes and add them to the mix, let it cook for another 15 - 20 minutes, try the soup and add salt or pepper if needed.

Now after this step you need to take it out of the heat and let it cool down for a couple of minutes before serving! Hope you enjoy it!