Penne with Arugula, Ham, and Orange Wine Sauce

I just created my first dish as a married lady, and I'm quite happy with it! I had plans for flank steak, but didn't feel like driving to Kroger. So, instead, I used some stuff we already had and created...

Penne with Arugula, Ham, and Orange Wine Sauce

1 lb. Penne pasta, cooked (al dente, of course)
2 handfuls fresh arugula
4 slices of honey ham (from the deli)
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
grated parmesan cheese, to taste
salt and pepper to taste

For the sauce:
1 Tbsp. butter
1 c. white wine
1 clove garlic, smashed
3 Tbsp. frozen orange juice concentrate
1 tsp. Italian seasoning

In a small sauce pot, melt the butter. Add the wine, dollops of orange juice concentrate, Italian seasoning, and garlic clove. Allow to simmer until it has reduced to half of its original amount.

Slice the ham into strips and saute in a little olive oil until caramelized.

In a large bowl, toss the warm pasta with the fresh arugula, caramelized ham, orange wine sauce, and salt and pepper. Top with freshly grated parm and serve!

Enjoy! Ryan did... :)

~ Mari

Arugula

There's Something About Pesto

It makes me happy. Pesto is, by far, my favorite pasta sauce. I'm not sure if it's the large amount of basil or the large amount of cheese (or perhaps the combination of both?) that gets me, but for a great pesto I get weak in the knees.

And this, my friends, is a great pesto:

Great Pesto

Yield: 32 oz.

8 oz. basil leaves
10 oz. pine nuts
1 oz. garlic, mashed to a paste
½ oz. salt
8-16 oz. olive oil
8 oz. grated Parmesan

Toast the pine nuts before you start getting into "Pesto Mode." They will be much better that way.


Rinse the basil leaves well, dry, and coarsely chop. Transfer a handful into a food processor.

Pulse for a few seconds (until it makes room for another handful). Do this until all of the basil fits into the food processor.

Add pine nuts, garlic, and salt and pulse for a few seconds. Add oil gradually until it forms a thick paste.

Taste and adjust seasoning with salt. Stir in the parmesan.*

*If you plan on heating the pesto at all (microwaving leftovers, etc.), I recommend that you not stir in the cheese. Just add it in later as needed. If you heat pesto, the cheese will melt and become rubbery…not a good thing to have.

VOILA! Now you have a delicious pesto (32 oz. of it to boot!) to eat with pasta, crackers, or just in a spoon.

I hope you enjoy it! I've found that it's pretty darn fool-proof.

Mari