Giada's Pasta with Peas and Carrots {A Perfect Springtime Mac and Cheese}!

I had an absolute abundance of veggies on hand so I decided on a dish I've made a handful of times before, Giada's Pasta with Peas and Carrots. This is such a delicious dish and I think of it every spring because it is THE PERFECT springtime macaroni and cheese! If you are a macaroni and cheese fan and you love peas and carrots this is one recipe you simply MUST MAKE!

You need a pasta that is good for cupping peas and carrots, like orecchiette, shells, or farfalle. Any of those shapes will work, maybe even rigatoni. Then you need a bag an onion, a bag of frozen or fresh peas and lots of chopped up carrots. The cheeses of choice: cream cheese and Italian Mascarpone. You're well on your way to one delicious springtime meal.

I mean does it get anymore springtime than peas and carrots? This would also make a wonderful accompaniment to an Easter ham. Just saying.

If you love peas and carrots and are looking for another way to get them into your diet, try this recipe. highly recommend it! I've made it at least a handful of times and it's a hit each and every time! If you chose to use a veggie stock, you can make it vegetarian.

Pasta with Peas and Carrots

Recipe Adapted from Food Network

by Giada De Laurentiis

Serves 4-6

1 pound pasta (small shapes like farfallini or orecchiette)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, finely diced

4 medium carrots, peeled and diced into 1/2" pieces

1 cup chicken stock

2 cups frozen petite peas, thawed

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temp

8 ounces mascarpone cheese, at room temp

salt and black pepper

chopped fresh basil leaves, to garnish*

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally until soft, about 7 minutes. Add the carrots and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add the peas to the pan and cook for 2 minutes until the peas are warmed through and the carrots are tender. Stir in the cooked pasta. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cheeses. Stir until the mixture is incorporated and forms a sauce. Season with salt, to taste. Transfer to a large serving bowl and garnish with chopped basil.

 

Potato and Zucchini Enchiladas with Fiery Habanero Salsa

Some dishes are all about the finishing touches. Peanut butter topping, chunks of peanut butter cups, and whip cream sure do jazz up a plain bowl of vanilla ice cream. A ladle of homemade marinara and a grating of Parmesan cheese transform a bowl of pasta into something comforting and delicious. Enchiladas are a feast for the eyes with a spoonful of salsa and a good sprinkling of cheese, scallions, cilantro and avocado. It's always those finishing touches that make our eyes light up in anticipation. Those few extra minutes spent fussing over your dish, usually at the last minute, are often the most pleasing to the eye and palate.

These Potato and Zucchini Enchiladas with Fiery Habanero Salsa are just that! They draw your eye in with all their finishing touches. Fiery Habanero Salsa? Yes, it is hot, but the potato and zucchini filling is mild and goes a long way in toning down the heat. Plus, don't forget the added cheese will also help to tone the heat down as well.

I really can't say enough good things about this dish. The salsa is perfection. It's perfect balance of flavors, especially if you love all things spicy! I can see myself making batches of this salsa just to have on hand. The potato and zucchini filling is somewhat creamy and oh so delicious. I had a hard time keeping my spoon out of the bowl. Overall this is a truly wonderful dish. One that I will most definitely make again.

Potato and Zucchini Enchiladas with Habanero Salsa

Adapted from Good Food, Good Life

by Curtis Stone

Serves 4

3 ripe tomatoes (1-1/4 pounds total), cored

3 fresh Anaheim chiles (8 ounces total)

1/2 to1 habanero chile, seeded

7 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste 

10 fresh cilantro sprigs

3 garlic cloves, 1 whole (but peeled), 2 finely chopped

2 russet potatoes (about 1 pound total), cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 zucchini,cut into 1/2-inch dice (1-1/2 cups)

1/2 white onion, finely diced (1 cup)

8 corn tortillas

1 cup coarsely crumbled feta cheese

1 large or 2 small scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

1/3 sour cream

1 avocado diced

To make the salsa and filling, preheat the broiler.

Line a baking sheet with foil and put the tomatoes and chiles on it. Rub 1 tablespoon of the oil over the tomatoes and chiles and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil, turning as needed, until the tomatoes and chiles are tender and their skins have charred, about 10 minutes for the habanero, 15 minutes for the chiles, and 20 minutes for the tomatoes. When the chiles are done, transfer them to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside until cool enough to handle. When the habanero and tomatoes are done, transfer to a plate and let cool slightly, Peel, seed, and coarsely chop the chiles; set aside.

Meanwhile, remove the leaves from the cilantro and place the stems in a blender. Coarsely chop the leaves and reserve in a medium bowl. Add the whole garlic clove, the broiled tomatoes, habanero, and any accumulated juices to the blender and blend until smooth. Season the salsa to taste with salt. Set aside.

Heat a large heavy nonstock skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil, then add the potatoes and cook for about 5 minutes, or until they are beginning to soften. add the zucchini, onion, and the chopped garlic and saute for about 5 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Stir in the chopped chiles and 1/4 cup of the salsa and season to taste with salt. Set aside to cool.

To assemble the enchiladas, preheat the oven to 450F. Line a small baking sheet with paper towels.

In a small skillet, heat the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 tortilla to the pan and cook for about 20 seconds per side, or until just pliable. Using tongs, transfer the tortilla to the paper towel lined baking sheet to absorb any excess oil. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, layering them between paper towels.

Spoon about 1/3 cup of the potato mixture over the bottom third of one tortilla, then roll up, and place seam side down in a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.

Bake the enchiladas, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, or just until heated through. Reheat the remaining salsa.

Drizzle about 2/3 cup of the remaining salsa over the enchiladas, then sprinkle the cheese, scallions and reserved cilantro leaves over the top. Serve with sour cream and avocado and pass remaining salsa at the table to spoon onto plates when serving.

Theme: Finishing Touches!