Macaroni with Fresh Basil and Carrots

What a teriffic lunch idea! This meal is quick and so light and delicious, it makes the perfect light meal. I came up with this by just using what was most readily available to me in my kitchen. I always make the best creations that way...

Ingredients:

- 1/4 pound large macaroni
- 8 extra large fresh basil leaves
- 1 shredded carrot
- parmesean cheese to top
- salt
- pepper
- crushed red pepper
- olive oil

To Make:

In a medium pot, boil water and cook your macaroni according to the package. Always making sure you keep it "al-dente". Salt the water when it starts to boil.

In the meantime, shred your carrot, wash the fresh basil and rip apart the basil with your hands.

Once your pasta is ready, drain and in a large serving dish, drizzle olive oil in the bottom and dump your drained pasta into the serving dish. Add your carrots on top and salt the top. Start mixing together adding more olive oil and handfuls of basil as you go. Add some parmesan cheese on the top and mix in. Top off with some fresh black pepper, salt to taste and crushed red pepper.

FABULOUS. :-)

Linguini with Carrots & Cabbage

This is such a simple and healthy dish, almost anyone will love it. Cabbage is so inexpensive and versatile and it goes extremely well with pasta. I've made this over and over and my husband loves it more each time. See below:

Ingredients:

- 1/2 pound linguine
- 1/4 head of green cabbage, chopped longways
- 1/4 head of purple cabbage, chopped longways
- 2 large carrots, shredded
- 1 whole onion, chopped longways
- salt
- pepper
- crushed red pepper
- Olive Oil

To Make:

In a large pot, boil water for your pasta. Salt the water when it boils and cook your pasta according the the package, al-dente.

While the water is heating up, in a large saute pan, lightly drizzle the bottom with olive oil and add your onions and cabbage into the mix. Saute on med. high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add your carrots and mix together. Add a few more drizzles of olive oil. Add in as much crushed red pepper as you can handle :-)

This should cook for about 15 minutes total. The cabbage will take a little bit until it's tender. Taste a small bit and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Drain your pasta and add immediately into the veggie mix. Drizzle a bit more olive oil on top, toss together with tongs and serve immediately.

Quick and delicious... a true crowd pleaser!

Spicy Habanero Sauce

I can't tell you how much I LOVE spicy food and SPICY SAUCE!!! So I was thrilled when my husband brought home some FRESH home-grown habanero peppers! Of course, I was immediately inspired to make a sauce. It's quick, simple and EASY...and OMG it's SOOO DELICIOUS!





Ingredients:
- 2 cans of PLAIN tomato sauce
- 3-4 small red habanero peppers, seeds removed, finely diced
- 1-2 med. size orange habanero peppers, seeds removed, finely diced
- 1 med. onion, diced
- 5 large cloves of garlic, minced
- paprika
- crushed red pepper
- salt
- pepper
- fresh oregano
- fresh basil
- olive oil


To Make:

In a med. sauce pan, drizzle some olive oil and saute your diced garlic, onion and diced peppers for about 5-6 minutes on med.-high heat or until tender. Sprinkle them lightly with salt and ground black pepper.

Next, add in your canned sauce and mix together, reducing heat to med. low. Add a teaspoon of salt to the top and a generous portion of black pepper. Add a teaspoon of paprika.

Chop up 4 sprigs of fresh oregano and a handful of fresh basil and add into the sauce. Mix in as much crushed red pepper as you can handle.

Turn on low heat and let this cook at least 30 minutes so all of the flavors can cook together. Stir this every 5-6 minutes.

Serve with bread, pasta, meat or fish. ENJOY!!!

Spicy Tilapia Mexicana

I realized tonight that I cook A LOT of Tilapia. Not only is Tilapia a versitile, tasty fish that is quick and easy to make, but it's inexpensive too! I probably have made half-a-dozen or more fabulous Tilapia recipes in the past few months that I am excited to start sharing. This one, I developed tonight, using ingredients I had in my fridge and it turned into one of the best! Check it out below... (did I mention it takes less than 10 minutes to make the whole thing?)

Ingredients:

- 2 Tilapia fillets
- 1 green peppers, sliced into thin strips
- 1 med. white onion, sliced into thin strips
- Salt
- Pepper
- Fresh Oregano
- Olive Oil
- Crushed red pepper

To Make:

Drizzle olive oil around a medium pan and swish the pan around to coat the bottom. Place on the stove and set to medium heat. Leave sit about 1.5 minutes while you grab your Tilapia.

In the meantime, slice your onion and pepper, drizzle olive oil into another pan, place veggies into pan and saute on medium high heat for about 7-8 minutes. Sprinkle salt, pepper and crushed red pepper on top and mix together.

Place your Tilapia fillets into your hot pan (make sure you don't smoke the oil) and season with salt, pepper, crushed red pepper and fresh oregano. (SO DELICIOUS)

Cook on each side about 3 minutes (depending how thick your fillets are)

Remove your filets and place on a plate, arrange your peppers and onions overtop the Tilapia forming a straight line.

YUM!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fresh Oregano

Rocks.

Fresh Oregano

Rocks.

Tri-Colored Spaghetti w/ Spicy Shrimp & Peppers

If your looking for a way to get a full serving of vegetables AND still eat pasta, then using the tri-colored pasta, which is actually made with tomatoes, carrots and spinach is a great way to get added nutrients. I also threw in some other fresh veggies such as (tri-colored) peppers, garlic and onions along with some fresh herbs which REALLY made this dish EXPLODE with flavor! Check it out!

Ingredients:

- 1 pound tri-colored spaghetti
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, diced
- 15 cloves garlic, diced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 pound fresh shrimp
- 1 cup olive oil
- 2 large handfuls of fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano
- Crushed red pepper, to taste
- salt and pepper

To Make

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water before you add in your pasta. Cook the pasta until it's al-dente, check the instructions on the package

In the meantime, coat the bottom of a large pan with some of your olive oil and bring your onion, peppers and garlic to a sizzle. Add some salt and pepper on top and mix every 2 min. Cook on medium heat until they are just about tender, about 4-5 minutes. Add in your shrimp and cook the shrimp until they are done, about 3-4 minutes or until they turn pink. Add some salt, pepper and crushed red pepper to the shrimp and pepper mix. Add more olive oil if needed.

When your pasta has cooked, drain and add into the mix of shrimp and peppers. Add the rest of your olive oil and lightly salt the pasta. Mix ingredients together, adding in sections of your chopped oregano and basil. Add a last sprinkle of salt, pepper and crushed red pepper to the top.

Serve Immediately.