Category Archives: Hearty Soups & Pasta

Asparagus, Penne Pasta, Shrimp and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

"When Only Shrimp Will Do" My dad has mentioned several times how shrimp used to be strictly a Sunday dinner type of meal growing up. Obviously, over the years the price of this delicious crustacean has come down dramatically, making it a wonderful weeknight option. This recipe takes less than a half hour, including the …

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Beef Bourguignon

AKA "Christmas in Paris (kinda!)" My father Edward love to serve this dish on Christmas day with their dinner table surrounded by all our family. The original recipe comes from the Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten, with a couple updates. It's a pretty intense meal, preparation wise, as you'll see from the instructions. That's why we …

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How to Make Delicious Store Bought Macaroni & Cheese

AKA "Frozen Mac & Cheese on Steroids!" Interestingly, my roommate and myself just invented this recipe the other night when we looked at the frozen Stouffer's Mac & Cheese in the freezer and felt inspired to make it into a dish that's not just edible, but delectable! This Mac & Cheese recipe takes a large …

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Braised Pot Roast with Vegetables

AKA "Crank Up the Stove!" If it's weekend and it's raining you can almost count on this being on the stove. It's not so much the actual serving of the meal, but the aroma throughout the whole house that makes this such a great rainy-day meal. Plus this is another one-pot meal; so cleanup is …

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Wild Caught Tilapia with Tomatoes & Capers

AKA "One-Skillet Fish" The problem with cooking fish indoors is that you can smell it when you get home for weeks after you've prepared it. My dad takes pride in the fact that since this recipe uses tilapia, a mild white fish that's really delicious, it doesn't add that unwanted smell to your living space. …

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Dinner Stew in a Hurry

AKA "Winter Vegetable Stew" So the story behind this very quick and simple vegan recipe is that it is actually based off of a recipe that my dad found in one of Rachel Ray's 30-Minute cookbooks. He modified the original recipe slightly, adding and subtracting ingredients, and it quickly became a family staple as well …

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Easy Traditional Spaghetti Sauce

AKA "Omi's Most Famous & Often Requested" My German grandmother made the most amazing Italian spaghetti sauce. So this recipe is now my father's - and mine! We have however, altered the ingredients a little bit (such as adding red wine) to make the sauce a bit meatier and more fragrant. Omi's frugal nature meant …

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Penne Pasta with Asparagus, Smoked Mozzarella & Prosciutto

AKA "The Old Standby" This recipe is an old family recipe which my father calls 'Klodt family comfort food'. Whenever one of us is having a tough day, this is what we crave for dinner. It's easy to make, requires only one pot, and contains all of the basic food groups. In fact, double this …

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