Italian Mamas: Pesto, Bruschetta, & Creamed Corn (just cuz)

Much of my cooking inspiration comes from my mother. I remember in high school I would shrink away from having to help in the kitchen at home; I once tried attempted orange juice by throwing whole oranges in a blender (Toni managed to stop me in time). So when I finally began to appreciate the fine art and bliss of home cooking, it was my mother's recipes I thought of first.

"How do you make your lentils?" "So I shouldn't be adding salt to boil water for tea?" Shameful, I know. It was probably her Italian roots and mine too that finally brought about a love for the kitchen. A number of my dishes are a work in progress to veganify Italian classics. One of the her classic recipes as such was her bruschetta.

So following up on my second project, and really beginning what will be a long dedication to reviving the childhood favorites (bonding over community, family, and food), I have a few short and easy recipes based on my mother's cooking and her Italian roots.

These dishes were all served up just after Christmas during a dinner party with my best friends (Sarah, Diane, Bianca) from across the country. Nothing beats a long night of sharing with friends over the dinner table, a nice glass of wine, and.... a fort!! (Toni kindly built us girls an epic blanket fort!)

Happy Campers

Toasted Bruschetta

Ingredients

* 1 Fresh Italian Loaf (whole wheat if available)
* 4-6 Tablespoon of Vegetable Oil
* 5 Roma Tomatoes, diced
* 2 Garlic Cloves, minced and crushed
* 2 Fresh Basil Leaves, chopped
* 2 t, Dried Oregano
* 1 t, Dried Parsley Flakes
* 1 T, Good Quality Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
* 2 t, Freshly Ground Pepper
* 1 t, Freshly Ground Pink Himalayan Sea Salt (or salt of choice)

Direction

1. In a medium bowl, add together all the ingredients except the loaf and vegetable oil. Mix well and set aside.
1. Slice loaf into 1 in slices. Heat a cast iron (or heavy bottomed) pan over medium heat. Place olive oil in a dish and brush lightly on each side of each slice as your lie them on the pan. Toast for approximately 1 minute on each side, or until crispy and golden.
3. Lay out your toasted bread and top each with a large spoonful for the tomato mixture. Each immediately & Enjoy!

Easy Vegan Pesto Pasta

Ingredients

* 1 T, Tofutti Vegan Cream Cheese
* 1 Bundle Fresh Basil Leaves (approximately 8-15 leaves, depending on moisture content)
* 1/2 C, Pine Nuts
* 1/3 C, Good Quality Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
* 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
* 1 T, Freshly Ground Pepper
* 1/2 T, Freshly Ground Pink Himalayan Sea Salt (or finely grained salt of your choice)

Directions

1. Add together all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until well combined. Pesto should be almost smooth, just a bit chunky. If too moist, add a few extra basil leaves and a handful of pine nuts. If too dry, add an extra tablespoon of olive oil. Easy as that. Eat with crackers and wine, or add to pasta. Enjoy!


And just for good measure, if you're mouth was watering over the pictures, I wanted to present to you...

"Bianca's" Asian-Flare Creamed Corn

Aka. PETA's creamed corn recipe.

Its awesome, and easy, try it.


So if any of you have a family recipe, even if its not that good, just something unique to your childhood, maybe made by an aunt, a cultural recipe made on holidays.... I'd love to hear about it! Just a general recipe outline (even if it includes meat, dairy, eggs, etc; all the better to work with) would be awesome... and OF COURSE, the story behind it, the most important part.

I want to hear from you, let's share :)

Peace&Love

Cure That Cold: Garlicky Pasta

Garlic has been recognized for its medicinal health benefits for over 5,000 years. So, naturally, whenever I feel that scratching my the throat, along the warm tea with lemon & ginger, a garlic pill is in order. Better yet, up that garlic pill and go for the more delicious equivalent: garlicky pasta.

Here's a quick recipe to try at home, whether for infection-fighting purposes or simply because you're craving pasta but with little money to spare. This dish is surprisingly smooth and light, with the only bad side being some potentially potent breath. Don't worry, your partner will understand upon trying it themselves!

Garlicky Pasta

Ingredients
* 1/2 package whole wheat pasta
* 10 cherry tomatoes, halved
* 10 cloves garlic, roughly minced
* 1/4 C & 1 1/2 T, good olive oil
* 1 t & 1 t, raw pink Himalayan sea salt
* 1 T & 1 t, pepper
* 1 clove garlic, roughly minced

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place 1/2 package of whole wheat pasta in a large pot of boiling water and cook according to package directions.
3. In a large bowl, toss together halved tomatoes with 1 1/2 T olive oil, 1 t salt, and 1 t pepper, mixing well. Place tomatoes on baking sheet and put in oven to bake roast.
4. Now for the (more difficult) fun part! You'll smell like garlic for a while, but its a good thing! To really get the juice out of the garlic, you have one of two options. Either use a garlic press and press the hell outta them, or use the flat end of the knife (plus a little sprinkle of salt) and squeeze on the minced garlic until it begins to release its juices, repeat a few times. Place pressed garlic in a small dish and set aside.
5. In a large frying pan, heat remaining 1/4 cup olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and set to low heat, simmering until about a minute after it becomes fragrant (don't let the garlic brown).
6. As the garlic cooks, drain pasta well. Add pasta to the frying pan once the garlic has become fragrant.
7. Remove tomatoes from the oven and toss them in with the pasta, mixing well on low to avoid any browning.
9. Add remaining 1 t salt and 1 T pepper, mixing well. Remove the pan from the heat.
10. At this point, I like to add some extra fresh, uncooked garlic for the added health benefit, so I threw in the additional minced garlic clove after pressing it thoroughly. Feel free to also add fresh herbs of your choice. Enjoy!

A few notes about Garlic:
* Garlic has been shown to reduce cholesterol levels and blood pressure
* It has also been studied for its ability to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke, particularly through reducing the risk of blood clots
* Garlic's antibacterial effects have been recognized for hundreds of years and is still used as a home remedy for fighting off colds

Peace&Love