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.

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Turn Veggies into “Cream” Soups

By Sandy Hu

With the bounty of fresh vegetables now coming to market, it’s easy to overbuy. When I find my enthusiasm has overtaken my cooking capacity, I turn the extra vegetables into “cream” soups. There’s no actual cream in these soups but the soup turns wonderfully thick and satiny when the veggies and potato are pureed.

This recipe is a formula: You can use 3 cups of any vegetable you’d normally cook, such as broccoli, carrots, asparagus or cauliflower. Just don’t combine vegetables in one soup because you could end up with an unattractive, muddy-looking broth. And don’t skip the potato. It provides the body and creamy quality to the soup.

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Asparagus, when Company’s Coming

By Sandy Hu

I love vegetables but I’m not big on preparing them. Usually I steam them and dress with good-quality butter, salt and pepper, and I’m done. Or I blanch them, then sauté quickly. Or I toss them in olive oil and roast. I’m happy with such simple treatments because the natural vegetable flavors shine through and besides, it’s almost no work.

But when company is coming, I feel the need to do a little more. Not much, but a little something extra to make the vegetables seem company-worthy. In the spring, when asparagus is in season, I turn to Baked Asparagus with Goat Cheese and Breadcrumbs. It’s hardly more effort than simple roasting, but the topping looks just a bit fancier. Also, I happen to have a colorful, rectangular asparagus-patterned platter that’s the perfect size and shape for this recipe.

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Jen’s Cinco de Mayo Kentucky Derby Celebration

By Andrew Hunter

A few weeks back my cousin, Jenifer, posed a challenge: “Cinco de Mayo AND Derby Day on the same day?!? Might I beg...er, politely request, Andrew, that you post a few menu suggestions and recipes on Special Fork? Keep in mind, we don’t expect to be 100% sober on this magical day that honors both margaritas and mint juleps. :)”

So Jen, this one’s for you. No confusion or crazy fusion, just accommodation of both celebrations, side by side. Here are two of my favorite drinks and dips for your table this Saturday. Spiced Margaritas served with chips and Pineapple Pico de Gallo, and Mint Juleps served with Benedictine, crackers and crudités.

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The Color of Spring

By Lori Powell

It’s nice to be green, especially in spring after a rain. Amazing how many variations of green can sprout out of the ground. Every bud and flower is exploding with color.

I can’t take my eyes off of the lushness of it all. The first thing I do when I get up in the morning is open all the shades to embrace the greenness.

In celebration of the color of spring I have developed a recipe for spring pea soup with lemon and mint. I will be eating mine on the back porch while breathing in the sweet scents of everything renewed!

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