Pantry Cooking – Trust Your Instincts
February 4, 2009
(Look for more recipes like this at emealsforyou.com)
It’s snowing to beat the band outside and my mind is working over the thought, “What’s for dinner?” I want something hardy but something that I can find the ingredients around the house. Pasta, okay pasta and what? Peeking in the fridge I see: grape tomatoes, spinach, figs, some Boursin cheese spread and (from the pantry) garlic, lots of garlic.
So here we go; take the tomatoes and roast them in the oven with some garlic. Cook the spinach, with some more garlic, add the figs, some cooked pasta, mix in the cheese. My wife likes shrimp, I like sausage, no problem. I cooked the sausage in a pan, and the shrimp in a separate pan: I am a purist after all. Divide the pasta into halves, add the appropriate protein, stir, pour the wine and there you have it.
All of us can learn to “throw” meals together. It is simply a matter of trusting your instincts, knowing what you like and trying it. If something doesn’t work; figure out why. Change things around, add something else, take something out, but at least try.
Pasta with Oven-roasted Grape Tomatoes
Pasta with Oven-roasted Grape Tomatoes
| Complexity: | Medium |
| Serves: | 4 |
| Category: | Starch |
| Meal: | N/A |
| 12 | oz | pasta, cooked |
| 2 | Tb | oil, olive |
| 4 | cloves | garlic, chopped |
| 1 | lb | spinach, fresh |
| 0.5 | cup | figs, chopped |
| 0.5 | recipe | Oven-roasted Grape Tomatoes |
| 4 | Tb | Boursin Cheese Spread |
| 1 | pinch | salt and pepper to taste |
Place oil in a large sauté pan, add garlic and bring heat up to high, immediately add the spinach and figs. When spinach is wilted add the oven-roasted grape tomatoes and pasta. Stir well, add the Boursin and mix, adjust salt and pepper to taste.
Note: You may add sausage (add with garlic) or shrimp (add with garlic). Shown here with shrimp.
Oven-roasted Grape Tomatoes
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 4 |
| Category: | Vegetables |
| Meal: | N/A |
| 1 | pt | tomatoes, grape |
| 2 | Tb | oil, olive |
| 2 | cloves | garlic, chopped |
| 0.5 | tsp | sweet basil |
| 0.5 | tsp | salt, kosher |
| 0.25 | tsp | pepper, fresh cracked |
Heat oven to 350°. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl, mix and place in an oven-proof pan. Bake for 7 minutes.
(Look for more recipes like this at emealsforyou.com)
Entry Filed under: Dinners. Tags: grape tomatoes, pantry cooking, pantry ingredients, pasta, pasta with Boursin, pasta with cheese, pasta with oven-roasted tomatoes, pasta with shrimp, roasted grape tomatoes.
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1.
Juan- Landscape Designer | February 5, 2009 at 9:59 am
Tomatoes and grapes sounds a good combination. Thanks for sharing this great recipe.
2.
Kitchen Ideas | February 6, 2009 at 6:48 am
That was so sweet of you cooking for your wife. I agree with you everyone of us can cook all it takes is a little bit of creativity and instinct. Trust your taste bud and things will work out well in the end.
3.
Ana Retirement Plans | March 5, 2009 at 1:33 am
Cooking is all about feeling it, and people will really notice what you put into it. Like what you did, it is not just a usual manner. Creativity and curiosity also matters for as long as you know how to deal with it. Pasta with Oven-roasted Grape Tomatoes looks so tempting and truly mouth-watering. I promise to include it on my dish this weekend.
4.
john | February 13, 2010 at 11:39 am
thanks for the recipe. I tried it and it tasted great.