Use Your Noodle to Perk-Up Weeknight Pasta

By Katie Barreira

We all have that go-to pasta dinner. Whether it’s spaghetti and meatballs, baked ziti or just a plate of linguini tossed with butter and cheese, pasta is a quick and happily habitual meal. But it can get boring.

Want to add some intrigue to your mindless mid-week pasta without really having to try something new? Use your noodle! Pasta comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes, more and more of which you can find on the shelves of your average grocery store.

Click to read more ...

BLT Pasta for One

By Lori Powell

With the hope that spring is actually on its way I turn to food that incorporates fresh herbs and veggies. However it is still winter so I am bridging the gap with a BLT pasta for one.

The combination of bacon, lettuce and tomato is undeniably a delicious combo and can take many forms. There is even a cookbook named simply The BLT Cookbook by Michele Anna Jordan.

Who doesn’t like bacon? Apparently a lot of us do – otherwise, why would there be so many bacon-of-the-month clubs? And who knew there were so many flavors...peppered, applewood-smoked, honey, BBQ, some made with heritage pig breeds such as Berkshire, Tamworth or Duroc. Yummmm!

Click to read more ...

Andrew and Marilyn Provide Help for Busy Moms and Dads every Thursday

By Andrew Hunter

All this week, we will be re-introducing our bloggers by re-posting their very first post for Special Fork. Next week we’ll be back blogging with more cooking insights, helpful tips and delicious recipes that take no more than 30 minutes of prep time, all to solve your daily dinnertime dilemma: what to cook now!

Today we feature Andrew Hunter’s introductory blog. Andrew and his wife, Marilyn, post every Thursday to provide cooking help for busy families.

Andrew is the founder and owner of Culinary Craft, where he develops food products for such brands as Wolfgang Puck Worldwide, Niman Ranch and Martha Stewart. Previously, he was a VP of Culinary Development for Wolfgang Puck and before that, Andrew managed the culinary operations for the 525-unit Olive Garden chain. Earlier in his career, he was chef de cuisine of Barbara Tropp’s China Moon Café.

Click to read more ...

Very Merry One-Pot Pasta

By Katie Barreira

It’s lovely to go about making everything merry and bright, but it sure takes a lot of huffing and puffing. Here’s a weeknight meal that’s perfect for the holiday season: filling, festive and on the table in 15 minutes flat.

Ruby Pasta
Add a few glugs of red wine to your pasta pot and turn ho-hum into ho-ho-ho! Choose an inky, jewel-toned red, like Garnacha or Tempranillo, and trim the plate with a dash of greenery and a flurry of cheese.

Click to read more ...

Another Kitchen Sink Dinner

By Lori Powell

Yes, yet another kitchen sink dinner using ingredients that are always in my pantry: oil, bacon (you can keep it frozen and then chip off what you need), dried herbs and spices (keep them fresh by buying small quantities and replace after four months), garlic, Parmesan, and some form of tomato product and pasta.

I happened to have fresh basil on hand, so that just helped seal the deal of what to cook for dinner. Also, it was Monday (and a long one at that) so I just wanted something quick.

Click to read more ...