It’s not uncommon that I get strong, undeniable urges for red curry dishes. Usually, this is not a problem, as our local Thai food restaurant makes the most addicting red curry on the planet. I’m at the point of believing it contains illicit drugs, it’s that addicting! But, as sometimes happens in small towns, the owners, who also serve as the cook and wait staff, decided to take a vacation. For the entire month of July! I know, right?! One whole month without their cooking. Sigh. Oh, yeah, I can make curry, too. But I like theirs a lot, and I particularly like not having to cook. But finally, toward the end of July, I broke down and made my own red curry dish with ingredients I had on hand. It hit the spot, and it was stupidly easy. Try it out, and see for yourselves.

Ingredients:

*Note: Adjust according to the number of people you will be serving. This serves 2-3.

½ lb whole wheat spaghetti
½ lb shrimp
½ red pepper, sliced
1-2 tbsp. red curry paste
3-4 tbsp. lime juice
¾ cup pasta water (reserved from cooking spaghetti)
fresh basil
peanuts
olive oil

Guidelines:

Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Reserve ¾ cup of the cooking liquid before draining the noodles.

In a large skillet, cook shrimp in a tbsp. or so of olive oil until pink, about 3-5 minutes, depending on size.

Add the red curry paste and lime juice. Stir to combine and coat the shrimp.

Add the red pepper and cook until just softened, but still crisp, about 3-5 minutes.

Add the pasta water. Stir to combine.

In a large bowl, mix the noodles with the shrimp and red curry sauce. Top with slivered fresh basil and chopped peanuts.

Aside from caramelizing the onion(s), this is a quick and easy dish. Caramelizing the onion(s) takes about 40-45 minutes (at least it does for me; can anyone do it quicker? Rachael Ray claims it takes twenty minutes…). Otherwise, the pasta cooks in eight minutes, and everything else is garnish. Still, pretty simple dish, right? Mighty tasty, too.

Ingredients:

1 package fresh tri-colored, cheese filled tortellini (the small will feed 2 people, and it’s what I based this recipe off of)

1 extra large (or 2 medium) sweet onion, such as Vidalia or Walla Walla
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
a handful of fresh parsley, chopped
a couple splashes of white wine
Parmesan cheese, to desired amount
olive oil
fresh ground pepper
salt (for pasta water)
*1/2 cup pasta water

*Before you dump your pasta into a colander, scoop ½ cup of the liquid out of the pot. Reserve.

Guidelines:

Thinly slice your onion. In a large skillet, set to medium heat, add a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Add your onions and garlic and cook until caramelized, which means to cook until the onions reach a deep, brown color. You may have to adjust your heat down if the onions are browning too fast, or blackening along the edges. You may also add a dash of water if this happens.

Bring your pot of generously salted pasta water to a boil. Add tortellini and cook according to package directions. This usually takes 8-10 minutes, depending on brand and amount. *Before draining your pasta, reserve ½ cup of the pasta water.

Once the onions are nearly caramelized, add a couple splashes of white wine, along with the parsley. Add the pasta water, and cook until reduced about ½.

Toss everything in a large serving bowl, grate Parmesan cheese over the top, and add fresh ground pepper to taste.

*Note: If you can’t find olive bread, use any country-style crusty bread and throw some Kalamata, or Green olives, into the artichoke mixture.

Ingredients:

½ loaf Kalamata olive bread (or Green olive bread, if you prefer), cut into large cubes
2 tomatoes, diced
1 jar of artichoke hearts, drained and cut in half
feta cheese, to taste
a handful of fresh parsley, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
olive oil
sea salt
fresh ground pepper (optional)
lemon zest

Guidelines:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large ovenproof casserole dish, toss the cubed bread with plenty of olive oil and sea salt. Bake in the oven while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

In a medium skillet, sauté the garlic in olive oil just long enough to release its flavor. Add the tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and lemon zest. Cook until just heated through. Add the fresh parsley and fresh ground pepper (optional).

Remove the bread cubes from the oven. Toss the artichoke heart mixture into the bread cubes. Sprinkle feta cheese over the top, and return the pan to the oven. Bake for about five minutes, just long enough to warm the cheese, or if you prefer your bread crispier, bake until you reach your desired texture.

Serve with herb roasted chicken breasts, and/or a glass of your favorite wine.

Enjoy!

The sauce is shown here as White Barbeque Beans, (which are great for packed lunches, by the way) but you can use this sauce for poultry, ribs, as a French fry dip, etc. If you want to use this sauce with white beans, add 3 cans of white beans to your shopping list. And, if you really want to jazz it up, use a couple swoops of bourbon in lieu of the vinegar. Peach Bourbon Barbeque Sauce. Yummy!

Ingredients:

1 can tomato sauce
¼ cup peach preserves (*Note: You can also use fresh peaches, skins removed, and mashed.)
2 tbsp. red onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
3 tbsp. molasses
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar (or bourbon, if you choose to go that route)
1 tbsp. cumin
1 tbsp. smoked paprika
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped (optional)
olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Guidelines:

Chop all of your ingredients.

Sauté the red onion and garlic in a bit of olive oil for a few minutes, just to release their flavors.

Add the remaining ingredients and let simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve with whatever suits your fancy.

I started playing around with what I had in my fridge, and I came up with slaw. Shredded red cabbage, ribbons of spinach, fresh jalapenos, green onions, cilantro, chopped red peppers for that splash of color, and diced red onion, all dressed with a sprinkling of lime juice. Yeah! The slaw is crisp and vibrant, and coupled with the fajita seasoned meat and hearty pita bread, it filled me right up. The best part is, you can make the slaw and cook the meat beforehand, and tote it with you wherever your summer adventures take you.

Ingredients:

1 or so pounds of skinless, boneless chicken, cut into strips
*fajita seasoning (see note below)
1 package pita or flatbread

Slaw:

1 to 1 ½ cups shredded red cabbage
1 to 1 ½ cups fresh spinach, cut into ribbons
½ -1 jalapeno, diced (adjust for heat)
2 green onions, sliced
handful of cilantro, chopped
½ -1 red pepper, diced
2-3 tbsp. chopped red pepper
2 tbsp. lime juice

*A note of fajita seasoning: You can purchase the mix in a package, or, if you prefer to make your own, try this, which is what I use: Mix 1 tbsp. cornstarch, 2-3 tsp. chili powder (adjust for heat), 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. paprika (try it with smoked, if you have it), 1 tsp. sugar, 1 tsp. onion flakes, ½ tsp. garlic, ¼ tsp. cayenne, 2 tbsp. cumin, and 1 chicken boullion cube. You may not need all of it. I used about half for this recipe, and saved the rest. Mix the desired amount in enough water to dissolve the powder. Mix into meat.

Guidelines:

Brown your meat. Once the meat is nearly cooked through, add the fajita seasoning mixed with water, and continue to cook, stirring often, until done.

For the slaw, combine all of the slaw ingredients in a large bowl. Let sit for at least half an hour to let the flavors meld.

If using flatbread, versus stuffing a pita pocket, you may need to gently warm the bread so it doesn’t split upon folding.