Farfalle with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This pasta lacks any vestige of sophistication and is ridiculously easy to make. I'm featuring it here because it's one of my favorite go-to meals for the fall season. I can't resist the the flavor and fragrance of roasted tomatoes and each year I'm lured by the myriad colors in those tiny baskets that stack the shelves of stores and farm stands. Practicing my usual restraint, I generally end up buying a basket of each color and am left to ponder ways in which to use them. Would that all life's dilemmas be so easy to handle. While I've probably never made this dish twice in the same way, I wanted to formalize a recipe for you to follow. My hope is that you'll use it as a road map first time through, then take the first detour you see and make this recipe your own. There is nothing not to like here, so unless you hate tomatoes or garlic give it a try. Here's my disposable recipe.

Farfalle with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
4 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
12 garlic cloves, cut in half (don't be shy)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
12 ounces farfalle
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup freshly shaved Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Set pasta water to boil.
2) Combine and toss tomatoes, garlic, oil, basil, salt, hot pepper flakes and ground pepper in a baking pan large enough to hold vegetables in a single layer.
3) Roast until tomatoes are shriveled and garlic is tender, about 30 to 40 minutes.
4) About 15 minutes before tomatoes are finished, cook pasta in boiling salted water per package instructions. Drain, reserving 1 cup water, and return pasta to pot.
5) Add contents of roasting pan to pasta. Toss to distribute vegetables and coat farfalle. Fold in basil. If pasta appears dry, add some reserved pasta water to moisten. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve warm. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Your might also enjoy these recipes:
Bow Tie Pasta with Peas and Bacon - Deep South Dish
Bow Ties with Sausage and Leek Sauce - One Perfect Bite
Farfalle with Mushroom and Prosciutto Ragu - Worth the Whisk
Farfalle with Savoy Cabbage, Pancetta and Mozzarella - Cookography
Chopped Spinach and Farfalle Salad - Living the Gourmet
Farfalle with Broccoli and Feta - The Picky Cook

Lamb Chops Sizzled with Garlic

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...My family loves lamb in all its iterations, and while they're visiting we'll enjoy it several times. We were out for most of the day, so dinner had to be quick and light enough to overcome the damage done by a lunch of thickly battered fish and chips. Lamb chops are perfect for a quick, light meal. The chops I prepared are based on a dish that is served in the village of Las Pedroneras, which is considered to be the garlic capital of Spain. The recipe was originally developed by Janet Mendel for Food and Wine magazine, and she has given us a classic that I've made over and over again with slight variations. The chops cook very quickly, so it's best to have your sides ready to go before you begin to saute them. I served the chops with a lovely pilaf, that I'll be featuring later in the week, and with an Andalusian Salad that's made with oranges, avocados and almonds. It really was a satisfying dinner that had lovely color and variety of textures as well. While I should have made a flan to end the meal, I decided, instead, to serve a lovely lemon scented iced milk with berries and a wine sauce that been featured here before. The original recipe calls for thin loin chops, but I prefer to use double cut chops instead. Visiting family was made to be spoiled and if you're in for a penny, you may as well be in for a pound. Those who try these chops will love them. Here's how they're made.

Lamb Chops Sizzled with Garlic...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by Janet Mendel

Ingredients:
8 double cut lamb loin chops, trimmed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon fresh thyme or a pich of dried
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 small garlic cloves, halved
3 tablespoons dry white wine
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced parsley
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:
1) Season lamb with salt and pepper and sprinkle lightly with thyme. In a very large skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add lamb chops and garlic and cook over moderately high heat until chops are browned on the bottom, about 5 minutes. If garlic looks like it might burn remove it from the pan. Turn over chops and garlic and cook until chops are browned, about 5 minutes longer for medium meat. Transfer chops to plates, leaving the garlic in the skillet.
2) Add wine, lemon juice, parsley and crushed red pepper to pan and cook, scraping up any browned bits stuck to bottom of pan, until sizzling, about 1 minute. Pour garlic and pan sauce over the lamb chops and serve immediately. Yield: 6 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Lamb and Cucumber Kebabs with Feta Sauce - Ladyberd's Kitchen
Lamb Keftedes - Edible Aria
Greek Lamb Burgers - Guilty Kitchen
Greek Roast Lamb with Potatoes with Feta - Authentic Greek Recipes
Grilled Lamb Kebabs Plus Tzatziki - Smitten Kitchen
Roasted Stuffed Lamb - Poppy Planet

Refrigerator Dill Pickles

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Ten years ago, if asked if I put by pickles, my answer was a resounding, "No." Twenty years ago, it was a terse and less polite, "Get real." My response thirty yeas ago is best kept to myself. My failure to get with the program wasn't based on laziness, I've just never cared for preserved pickles. I thought they were salty and limp, and found their color just plain unappetizing. I wasn't a complete snob about them. I did love the brined, unprocessed dills that could occasionally be found in be found in barrels in some markets and delicatessens. I just never took the time to find out how they were made. Shortly after we moved to this area, I began to experiment with refrigerated pickles for certain Thai and Vietnamese dishes, and in the process learned I could make our favorite pickles in much the say way. I first mastered a refrigerator version of bread and butter pickles because my family loved to have them on hamburgers. I worked on garlic dills for several years but couldn't get the flavors right. I was about to give up and admit defeat when I found a recipe by Bobby Flay and decided to try one last time. I'm so glad I did. These are great pickles and they require no special equipment to make. They can be eaten the day after they are made and keep for about two weeks in the refrigerator. My only caution is to make sure you have enough room to store them for that length of time. I hope those of you who are fond of pickles will try these. You won't be sorry. Here's the recipe.

Refrigerator Dill Pickles...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Bobby Flay

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups distilled white vinegar
1/4 to 1/3 cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
3/4 teaspoon dill seeds
2 cups hot water
2 pounds kirby cucumbers, sliced 1/4-inch thick
3/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh dill
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

Directions:
1) Combine vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard seeds, coriander seeds and dill seeds in a heatproof bowl. Add hot water and stir until sugar dissolves and liquid is clear. Cool to room temperature.
2) Place cucumbers, garlic and dill in a large bowl. Toss to combine. Pour brine over all and turn to coat cucumbers. Cover them with a plate to weigh them down and keep them covered in brine. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, stirring once or twice. Transfer to an airtight container and store for up to two weeks. Yield: 1 quart.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Italian Giardiniera - Luna Cafe
Dill and Garlic Freezer Pickles - The Other Side of Fifty
Bread and Butter Pickles - Simply Recipes
Pickled Cucumber and Shallots - Indo-Chine Kitchen
Calico Pickled Salad - Drick's Rambling Cafe
Favorite Kosher Dills - Never Enough Thyme
Sweet and Spicy Watermelon Rind Pickles - One Perfect Bite