We are having leftover Vegetable Not-sagna pasta. Boy was it good. I just love that dish. I will post the recipe.
Have a great day!!
He's precious!!
Cats do need wet food in order to be healthier; they don't drink enough water so wet food boosts them in the water dept. BUT, you're already a saint to take care of him and I know $ is not growing on trees so if dry is in the cards, dry is what he'll eat. Cats live on dry, it's just not the best thing for them and can extend their life some.
If you want to make the dry more appealing, you can buy a bottle of the cat gravy they sell it mush it up some for him. Even nuking it with some water and mushing it up will make it a little more appealing and get more water into him.
Hmmm, cat gravy, eh? I will definitely look into that. Since we are now feeding him twice a day, I wanted to stretch that cat food so that's what I bought the dry. Do you happen to know if I can find the gravy at Target, or do I have to go to Petco or somewhere like that?
Vegetable Not-sagna Pasta Toss
1 pound curly pasta (recommended: campanelle or cavatappi by Barilla)
Coarse salt
1 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium zucchini
12 cremini or baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt and pepper
1 roasted red pepper, drained, pat dry, quartered lengthwise then thinly sliced
2 tablespoons butter
2 rounded tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup vegetable or chicken stock
1 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon grated fresh nutmeg, eyeball it
1 1/2 cups part skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, a couple of handfuls, plus some to pass at the table
1 cup fresh basil leaves, about 20 leaves
Heat a pot of water to a boil for pasta. Salt boiling water and cook pasta to al dente. Heads up: reserve a ladle of the hot cooking water just before you drain pasta.
Place the frozen spinach on a plate and microwave to defrost it according to your microwave's directions. Place defrosted spinach in a clean kitchen towel and wring out the liquid.
Heat a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Halve the zucchini lengthwise then thinly slice into half moons and add to the pan along with the mushrooms. Cook 2 to 3 minutes then add onions and garlic to the pan. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper. When the onions are tender, about 5 minutes, add defrosted spinach, separating into small bits as you handle it, and the roasted red peppers and toss to heat through. Transfer veggies to a dish and return skillet to stove top. Add remaining 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil and the butter. When the butter melts into extra-virgin olive oil, add 2 rounded tablespoons of flour and cook a minute or so, then whisk in stock and milk. Bring to a bubble and thicken the sauce, reducing it 2 to 3 minutes. Season the sauce with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Slide vegetables back into sauce.
Place the part-skim ricotta in a large shallow bowl and combine with a ladle of boiling, starchy pasta cooking water. Stir to combine then add in a couple of handfuls of grated cheese.
Drain pasta and toss with cheeses. Add half the vegetables and sauce to pasta and toss to combine. Tear or shred basil and toss into pasta. Adjust seasonings. Top bowlfuls of Vegetable Not-sagna with remaining veggies in sauce and pass extra grated cheese at the table.
Two points:
1. I know this looks like a lot of work, but it really isn't.
2. It will look like a LOT of cheese sauce, but once you get it tossed, it's just right
Probably my CRS, but I sure don't remember you moaning about him! Sorry to hear, that he's not making the best decisions!
Wow, y'all are going to have such a great time!!!
Woohoooo! That's really good news about Kyle getting his first "client"!!! Way to go Kyle!
