Monday Meal (Foodie Friday 4)

Monday Meal is what you call the post that should have been Foodie Friday.
You decide not to call it Munchie Monday; that sounds a little suspicious.

Tonight we had what I like to fondly refer to as a "Classed-Up Lunch Lady Dinner." We probably should have served it on a cafeteria tray, wore hair nets, drank milk out of cartons, and used a spork.

The Menu:
Green Salad with Simple Vinaigrette Dressing
Tuna Noodle Casserole
Sweet Potato Tator Tots

I have an unabashed love of tuna casserole. There was one legendary Christmas in which my brother, sister, and I spent lots of time at my grandparents' house. My grandma made tuna casserole. My sister hated it so much she actually ran from the table and threw it up. She's always had a flair for the dramatic; I have no idea where she got that from, no idea who would have been a role model for that behavior.

Granny's tuna casserole was filled with canned mushrooms and cream of mushroom soup and topped with shoestring potatoes. My tuna casserole involves cheddar cheese soup and peas and carrots. It's more of a mac and cheese with tuna (one of my favorite lunches) than a tuna casserole.

Comfort on a plate.

For what it's worth, I did make my "Classed-up Lunch Lady Dinner" an adult dinner by washing it down with a nice glass of wine. Turns out red wine is a nice accompaniment to tuna casserole and tator tots.

Foodie Friday 3

 Before:

After:

The Menu:
Spaghetti with Pecorino Romano (Cacio e Pepe)
(modified) Nuevo TX Waldorf Salad

The Situation:
Dinner alone reading blogs. (See computer screen - was enjoying a post from Hooked on Houses)

Spaghetti with Pecorino Romano
Makes 2 generous servings


4 oz. finely grated (about 2 cups) Pecorino Romano cheese
2 oz. coarsely grated (about 1 cup) Pecorino Romano cheese
1 lb. spaghetti
Table salt
2 Tbsp heavy cream
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. finely ground black pepper

Bring 2 quarts water to boil in large Dutch oven. Add pasta and 1 1/2 tsp salt; cook, stirring frequently until al dente. Reserve about 1 1/2 C cooking water.

Set pasta aside.

Combine 1 C cooking water with finely grated Pecorino until smooth. Whisk in cream, oil, and black pepper.


Gradually pour cheese mixture over pasta, toosing to coat. Let pasta rest 1 to 2 minutes, tossing frequently, adjusting consistency with remaining 1/2 C reserved pasta water.


Let sit for a few minutes. Consistency will adjust. Cheese will stick - deliciously - to noodles.


Serve, passing coarsely grated Pecorino separately.

Notes on pasta: This is delicious. It's a favorite around my house. The quality of the ingredients really matters. Splurge for imported pasta and the best cheese you can find. Also, it really does taste better after sitting for a few minutes. And, it isn't particularly great re-heated. Best to just eat it all.

(modified) Nuevo TX Waldorf Salad
Makes 4 servings

Rosemary Vinaigrette:
1/3 C fresh rosemary leaves
2 cloves garlic
1/4 medium-size red onion
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 C honey
1/2 C balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3/4 C extra-virgin olive oil

Salad:
1/2 C pecans
3 Granny Smith apples
4 C greens (romaine and spinach)
1/2 C crumbled blue cheese
1/2 C bacon crumbles
2 C cherry tomatoes, halved

For the Vinaigrette:
Blend the rosemary, garlic, red onion, mustard, honey, vinegar, salt and pepper for about 15 seconds in a food processor. Pour 3/4 cup olive oil through the feed tube in a slow stream, and blend until the mixture emulsifies. 

To Make the Salad:
Toast nuts in a pan over low heat until you can smell them. Cool and coarsely chop.

Core and slice the apples. Dip in lemon juice to keep from browning.

Add romaine, spinach, apples, pecans, blue cheese, bacon, and tomatoes to a large bowl. Toss gently.

Add some of the dressing. Toss to coat. Continue adding dressing until desired mixture is reached.

Serve immediately.

Notes on salad: I had some big issues with the dressing on this salad; there was too much rosemary. Next time, I would half the rosemary. Also, I used less than half the amount of dressing made by the recipe to dress the salad. I'd still make it again, though.