Martha Stewart’s Gluten-Free One-Pot Pasta

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My friend Liz is doing it. My friend Elizabeth, too. And so is everyone on the blogosphere. What are they doing you ask? Whipping up the easy-peasy Martha Stewart one-pot pasta. Made with gluten-free rice pasta and some homemade chicken stock, this is one of the easiest dishes I’ve made in ages.

And after all that Labor Day grilling (pork tenderloin! Tri-tip! New York steaks! Chicken breasts!) I need something vegetarian and quick to clean up.

I knew when I first read about this recipe that it would be perfect for cooking gluten-free pasta. Rice pasta can be tricky, but I figured boiling it in its own chicken broth and other savory elements would ensure a perfectly cooked pasta strand. I sliced, diced and chopped, dumped everything into a large pot and just turned on the stove.

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Stir the pasta a bit in the beginning and again once the stock starts to simmer so the pasta won’t stick together. A glass of wine will help this stirring seem less monotonous, and since this isn’t a finicky dish anyway, you won’t need to worry about paying too much attention.

Which is good. Because in this heat, you may find me head first in the freezer as I’m stirring up dinner. Let’s cook!

xoxolisa

5.0 from 1 reviews
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Martha Stewart's Gluten-Free One-Pot Pasta
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6
 
This dish is fresh, fast and easy. And clean up is a breeze. What's not to love?
Ingredients
  • 12 ounces gluten-free spaghetti
  • 12 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • ⅛ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
  • 2-3 sprigs basil
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 4½ cups chicken stock (or water)
  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
  1. Add spaghetti, tomatoes, onion, garlic, red-pepper flakes, basil, oil, 2 teaspoons salt and chicken stock into a large Dutch oven.
  2. Bring to a boil over high heat.
  3. Once the stock is boiling, reduce temperature to medium-high and stir the pasta, constantly, for about 10 minutes. Begin to test the pasta for doneness. If using chicken stock, the pasta broth will have a thick consistency.
  4. Once the pasta is done, divide among six bowls and serve with freshly grated Parmesan.
Notes
Adapted from a recipe by Martha Stewart.
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Bacon, Avocado & Corn Salad

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Fresh sweet corn, creamy avocado, plump tomatoes and smoky bacon. What’s not to love about this salad, adapted from Gaby Dalkin’s new book, Absolutely Avocados?!

This is a great recipe for your end-of-summer BBQs. So if you love avocados and you love a good cookbook, be sure to whip up this recipe before summer comes to an end, and check out Gaby’s cookbook. Let’s eat!

5.0 from 1 reviews
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Bacon, Avocado & Corn Salad
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Serves: 4-6
 
This summery combination of flavors is adapted from a recipe in Gaby Dalkin's first book, Absolutely Avocados. Try it at your next BBQ!
Ingredients
  • 5 strips bacon
  • 6 ears corn, husks removed
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large ripe tomato, diced
  • 2 ounces feta cheese
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
  • 1 Reed or Haas avocado
  • Juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
  1. Cook the bacon according to package directions; optionally, you can microwave the bacon.
  2. Cut the kernels off each ear of corn using a sharp knife. Warm the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat, and sauté the corn kernels until golden brown, about five minutes.
  3. Allow the corn kernels and the bacon to cool before proceeding.
  4. Combine the corn kernels, bacon and tomatoes in a medium bowl. Crumble in the feta cheese, add the basil and toss to combine.
  5. Prepare the avocado: cut in half lengthwise and remove the pit. Peel the skin from the avocado meat, then cut into bite-sized pieces.
  6. Gently fold the avocado into the salad, squeeze the lemon juice over the salad and serve immediately.
Notes
Adapted from Absolutely Avocados by Gaby Dalkin.
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Parmesan & Pea Risotto

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It’s been a summer of beach BBQs, picnics in the park, sunset surfing on the beach, and day camps and play dates for my little Gigi. We’ve had sun burns and scraped knees at the beach, played endless rounds of ball with the dogs, and whooped it up during our weekly hula hoop contests in the backyard.

Continue reading Parmesan & Pea Risotto >> “Parmesan & Pea Risotto”

Basil Cottage Cheese Dip

I feel like I’m pretty close to perfecting my summer picnic menu. For beach BBQs I do a savory grilled flank steak, juicy watermelon, deli potato salad and a corn and tomato salad; I add margaritas or wine depending on the crew.

As a crowd-pleasing appetizer, I’ve been trotting out my cottage cheese guacamole here and there. But there I was Friday afternoon, rushing about getting ready to meet friends for jazz in the park, when I realized my avocados were not in the mood to cooperate. They were too hard, and even when I managed to whack them open, they completely lacked flavor. I’m sure it had something to do with the fact that they’d been in the refrigerator for nearly two weeks. A bit much to ask of an avocado I suppose.

So I grabbed handful upon handful of basil, some baby spinach wilting away in the fridge and created this concoction: spinach and basil cottage cheese dip. Doesn’t sound as sexy as guacamole but it’s every bit as good. I’m filing this one in my “everything but the kitchen sink” department, solely because you can just start tossing in whatever greens you have on hand until you have a dip that whets your appetite. Scallions would be nice but mine, like my avocados, were beyond hope.

No matter. Everyone from kids to grown-ups liked this dip, and I was happy to clear out my veggie drawer for a good cause. But I hereby promise to keep my eye on those avocados next time, because an avocado is a terrible thing to waste. Let’s eat!

5.0 from 2 reviews
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Basil Cottage Cheese Dip
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Serves: 8
 
Pack this into your picnic basket along with a bag of tortilla chips or crackers for a crowd-pleasing, low-fat appetizer.
Ingredients
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 cup basil leaves
  • 1 cup baby spinach
  • 16 ounces low-fat cottage cheese
  • Juice of one lemon
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red peppers
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
  1. Set up a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the garlic and pulse until chopped. Scrape down the sides.
  2. Add the basil and spinach and pulse until finely chopped. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  3. Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth.
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Chicken & Strawberry Balsamic Chopped Salad

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I’m back with another one of my signature chopped salads. This Chicken & Strawberry Balsamic Chopped Salad is a favorite around here. I hope you’ll love it, too!

In the summer and warmer months (i.e., all year long in San Diego) I layer everything on a bed of salad greens. For a heartier meal, I use gluten-free grains instead. Or, when I’m feeling really crazy, or I’m just eager to clean out my fridge, I use greens and grains. Crazy, I know.

This salad is a great example of the marriage of balsamic vinegar and strawberries. We’re still enjoying our strawberries here in San Diego, but sometimes we need to do something with them besides dunk them in yogurt or purée them in protein shakes. Pack this salad for your next picnic, or serve it al fresco on the backyard patio. Don’t forget the white wine. Let’s eat!

5.0 from 1 reviews
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Chicken & Strawberry Balsamic Chopped Salad
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Prep time: 
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Serves: 4
 
This refreshing salad is perfect for a picnic lunch or dinner on the patio.
Ingredients
For the Dressing
  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ¾ cup good quality olive oil
For the Salad
  • 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced
  • 4 cups spring greens, chopped
  • ½ cup strawberries, diced
  • ¼ sliced almonds
Instructions
Make the Dressing
  1. Combine everything in a glass jar with a screw-top lid.
  2. Screw the top on tight and shake until combined.
Make the Salad
  1. Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl.
  2. Drizzle with the balsamic dressing and season with salt.
  3. Serve immediately.
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Margaritas

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Today is a day for church picnics and beach BBQs, for slip-n-slides and bounce houses. It’s a day for chopping, slicing and dicing, for marinating steaks, and for packing food into small containers and big ice chests. It’s a day to cram kids into third row seats, drag sand into cars and lick ice cream from wrists.

And when it’s all said and done, it’s definitely, definitely, an evening for margaritas.

This margarita recipe comes from my sister who introduced it to us on our last family trip to Maui, in February, to celebrate my 42nd birthday (gasp!). It’s sweet and it’s sour and it’s perfect in its simplicity…and so potent you’ll need to watch yourself.

Or not, depending on your day. Cheers!

xoxolisa

5.0 from 1 reviews
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Margaritas
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Total time: 
Serves: 6
 
This recipe for margaritas couldn't be any easier. Pair with your favorite guacamole and chips and you're set for an afternoon fiesta.
Ingredients
  • 1 can limeade
  • 2 cans water
  • 1 can tequila
  • 1 shot Cointreau
Instructions
  1. Mix all ingredients in a large pitcher.
  2. Serve over ice with or without salt-rimmed glasses.
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