Our Steak and Pasta Dinner

RibEye Steak and Pasta with Artichoke and Roasted Tomatoes

For 2013 Labor Day- 3 day Holiday we decided to stay home and skipped the hustle and bustle of the holiday travel. Instead we did our general clean up of the house for the first day, then today we did some shopping and even went to a Filipino Adobo Festival. We were able to do our a mile or more walk also. 

For our dinner we had some grilled Rib Eye steak and Red wine courtesy of my brother. I then made some potato salad and pasta with artichoke and roasted tomatoes topped with shaved and grated parmesan cheese. 

Ingredients:

For Steak:

Ribeye Steak or any preferred cut meat

olive oil

butter

salt and pepper to taste

For Pasta:

choice of pasta..cooked al dente

olive oil

butter

artichoke 

garlic

salt and pepper to taste

parsley

Procedure:

Grill steak according to preference...either  medium rare, medium well or well done

Cook pasta al dente 

saute artichoke in olive oil and mince garlic

roast tomatoes in oven...

Mix all ingredients . Serve the pasta dish while hot or warm  topped it with extra shaved or grated parmesan cheese 

Bon Appetit!!!!!!

Pasta with Fire roasted tomatoes and artichoke

Pasta with fire roasted tomatoes and artichoke with
Shaved, Shredded Aged Parmesan Cheese.

Last sunday during mass, it was mentioned that Lenten Season is fast approaching and so I'm starting to see and plan what I could cook for the whole family during this coming lenten season. In two weeks time, it would be Ash Wednesday  and from then on every Friday would be no meat allowed for us and during holy days as well.

Found this in my picture gallery, Picture of pasta with fire roasted tomatoes, artichoke n aged parmesan cheese that I've cooked before. Most of the time if not all the time, I try to make sure that I take pictures so I could post it in my FB or here in my ourmeza blog. I've posted it already in my FB but not in here yet so here is my Pasta with fire roasted tomatoes and artichoke with shaved and shredded aged parmesan cheese. It is absolutely  refreshing, light and yummilicious.  My family love it and your will surely love it too. Bon appetit!!!

Ingredients:

Spaghetti  pasta cooked al dente

Fire roasted tomatoes if not sun dried tomatoes will do

marinated artichoke heart in EVOO 

Aged Parmesan Cheese

sliced Fresh Mozzarella Cheese (optional)

Light Butter 

Procedure:

Cook pasta according to box instructions, preferably cook the pasta  al dente  then mix all ingredients and before serving topped it with freshly shaved parmesan cheese and sliced or cube fresh mozzarella.   

Pasta with Sun Dried Tomatoes in Olive Oil and Spices

My Husband and unico hijo went to the grocery store to buy some milk but came home with extra stuff including the take and bake home garlic bread. I asked about the garlic bread, responsed was "I'm craving for it". Garlic bread only means we are having pasta. We already had some pasta last week so thinking perhaps we have some left over ingredients to cook another pasta dish.

Went on a scavenging hunt for pasta dish ingredients and for some reason I'm getting lucky lately, why? Well, everytime I think of something to cook I didnt have to go out and drive just for a few ingredients ( Gotta save some gas!!! ).

Wanted to cook something refreshing and light in sauce like the penne pasta with pesto.

My scavenging hunt started in our fridge and when I opened it, infront of me, as if staring is a jar of sun dried tomatoes and a jar of marinated artichokes that I have been using for turkey sandwhich ( I'll be posting a turkey sandwhich with sun dried tomatoes and marinated artichokes next time). Found some left over grilled chicken breast, butter, shaved parmesan and flat leaves parsley too. Next went in our pantry and found different kind of pasta; medium shell pasta, manicotti, linguini, spaghetti, elbow and farfalle. I was thinking of using the farfalle but that is my unico hijo's favorite shape pasta so its a no no. I could use that for emergency meal for him. Decision, decision... decided with the shell pasta. Found some italian seasoning too. Italian seasoning is a combination or a blend of seven herbs that gives the authentic italian flavor to any dishes. It consist of marjoram, thyme, rosemary, savory, sage, oregano and basil.

My ingredients scavenging hunt for a pasta dish was successful. Found everything I needed.

But I have sun dried tomatoes and artichokes , now do I use the marinated artichokes or the sun dried tomatoes? Can't use both. Hmmm light, summery, sweet, tangy..definitely and no question about it, sun dried tomatoes it is ! Yummmm, I could almost smell, see and taste it. I could definitely tell I'll have another delicious pasta dish.

So Pasta with Sun dried tomatoes in olive oil and spices it is.

Below is the recipe for my Pasta with Sun Dried Tomatoes in Olive Oil and Spices.

Cooked the pasta "al dente" and drained. Save about 3/4 cup of the water from the pasta and just mixed all the ingredients. Salt and pepper to taste if needed.

And voila... Pasta with Sun dried tomatoes prepared on our "meza" or table, including the garlic bread that my husband bought and some green salad on the side...bringing a taste of italy once again on our "meza".

Penne Pasta with Lemon Herb Chicken in Pesto Sauce

We have some left over, well actually almost the whole Lemon Herb Chicken that we bought in our local deli ? Why? Well the first time we bought it and tried it, it was juicy,tasty and just simply delicious and between the three of us we were able to finish it. But when I bought it last for some reason it was dry although it still have the lemon and herb taste that we love its not what we've expected. And so my husband and son both have just a few slices of it and decided to finish the left over "torta".


I dont like wasting food and so instead of just leaving it in the fridge for a few days then later on throwing it away, right after we had that very meal, I've decided to recook it. Went to our pantry, there are different kind of pasta,pasta sauce, dried herb and so on. Went to our fridge, we still have plenty of the shaved parmesan cheese and some italian parsley leaves from the last time I made some chicken carbonara and some left over of pesto that I've put in our french baquette bread. Instead of garlic bread, we had some pesto bread that day. So I was like hmm I think for dinner we'll have a taste of Italy, I'll make some Penne Pasta with Lemon Herb chicken in Pesto Sauce.

I've gathered all the ingredients; penne pasta, my italian seasoning, italian parsley, shaved parmesan cheese,butter, pesto sauce and I've flaked the Lemon Herb Chicken.


Cooked the Penne pasta "al dente". In a pan put the butter and pesto let it simmer. Then add the penne, italian seasoning,parsley, shaved parmesan and the lemon herb chicken. Mixed them all together and voila Penne pasta with Lemon herb chicken in Pesto sauce. And they are absolutely delicious. My husband love it and even ask for it again the next day.

So the chicken that was almost thrown away became the catalyst to a delicious meal prepared on our "meza" or table. So for that dinner we had some Penne Pasta with Lemon Herb Chicken in Pesto Sauce and we had some salad also with rasperry and walnut vinaigrette for me and asian orange sesame dressing for my husband. No food was wasted. And I am happy that made another penne pasta recipe thats easy to make.

On Father's Day

Father's Day was celebrated in our son's school. All fathers were invited for a luncheon celebration . Our son insisted for his father to come and so like a good father he took two hours lunch from work on that day. He was treated for lunch with pizza,fruits and salad. And hand made gift from our son, key chain with a mini basketball and a handmade card with our son's very own handwritten signature (we are very proud that at a young age he could write his own name).
Father's Day came, my husband just would like to celebrate it at home with our son and I. And so my son and I gave him a father's day card and a polo shirt that matches our son's and mine. So we will be the three stooges...lol. Ofcourse I have cooked his favorite spaghetti, baked some garlic bread and cooked some chicken afritada his new favorite.

Below are the pictures:

Spaghetti Garlic Bread Chicken Afritada

For my dad we sent him a father's day card and some scratcher and a penny for him to use to scratch the scratcher big spin. He loves scratcher and guess what he won a few bucks. He called us and got a big laugh about the card,the scratchers and the penny and most of all for winning some money.

Father's day was celebrated simply but full of laughter,love and peace.

So for my husband who is the best father there is for my son, deserve everything good in life. And for my dad who's been there and very supportive of us, we respect and love him dearly.