I’m sorry Mr. Blog. I have been entirely way too busy to share any new posts. I have some interesting new FUN projects at work! I’ve also had a death in the family and of course all the holidays. It’s been a lot to handle. Every day I had new blog post ideas swirling in my head…and this morning I was determined to make time.
First things first. I have to share my best recipe of the month (so far). I cooked this the other night for myself and Ryan. We were both stunned at the flavor and I was stunned with how easy (and low cal) it was. I added a few notes below. Also, I divided mine between two smaller casserole dishes. I have to give the credit to Cooking Light Dec. 2009. And shout out to Gary Vaynerchuk who gives wine advice for this meal (below the recipe).
Two Pepper Rigatoni and Cheese 
“This is a great basic recipe because there are many possibilities for variations with different pastas and cheeses. You can also use individual gratin dishes if you want a special presentation.” –Jeff Towle, Kingwood, Texas
Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup)
Ingredients
- 5 cups uncooked rigatoni (16 ounces uncooked pasta)
- 2 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups fat-free milk
- 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded fontina cheese
- 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped pickled jalapeño pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup sliced green onions (I omitted these)
- Cooking spray
- 2 (1-ounce) slices white bread (or premade bread crumbs)
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain well; place in a large bowl.
3. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add to pasta.
4. Add flour to pan. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add cheeses, stirring until cheeses melt and mixture is smooth. Stir in jalapeño and salt. Add cheese mixture to pasta, tossing well to coat. Stir in green onions. Spoon pasta mixture into a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
5. I skipped this step and just used premade bread crumbs. Place bread slices in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure about 1 cup. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Combine butter and breadcrumbs in a small bowl; toss until blended. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over pasta mixture. Bake at 375° for 15 minutes or until browned.
Wine note: Portuguese reds are ripping hot right now and Esporao is one of my favorite producers. Gorgeous on the nose with strawberries and pansies, the 2006 Esporao Reserva Red ($15) has a creamy character that will meld very well with this cheesy dish. Its jammy fruit will prevent it from clashing with the jalapeños, a concern when there is heat in a recipe. —Gary Vaynerchuk
Nutritional Information
- Calories:
- 408
- Fat:
- 12.8g (sat 7.8g,mono 3.3g,poly 0.6g)
- Protein:
- 19.2g
- Carbohydrate:
- 54.5g
- Fiber:
- 2.4g
- Cholesterol:
- 40mg
- Iron:
- 2.5mg
- Sodium:
- 550mg
- Calcium:
- 293mg
