Tuesday, February 3, 2015

“Spaghetti Carbonara with Spinach” & A “Carrot Cake Cocktail” For A Delicious "Wordless Tuesday"


Welcome to “Wordless Tuesday!” Where there are no stories just a fabulous and delicious recipe or two….. 



This creative take on Spaghetti Carbonara, the egg-rich pasta dish from Rome, includes healthy and tasty greens and no cream. In Italian fashion, complete the meal with fresh winter fruit and a “Carrot Cake Cocktail.” Today is also Carrot Cake Day, so should I make carrot cake? Healthy carrot muffins? I could, of course, but this cocktail was way more fun.

“Spaghetti Carbonara with Spinach”



Ingredients:
4 oz. of bacon or pancetta, chopped
1 large shallot, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
8 to 10oz. dried spaghetti or angel hair pasta
1 bunch Spinach or other hearty greens, chopped
4 to 5 (8oz.) button mushrooms, cleaned & sliced
3/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
2 eggs

Directions:
Place a large nonstick fry pan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon or pancetta and sauté until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the shallot and stir for 2 minutes. Add the wine and boil, stirring to scrape up the browned bits, until reduced by half, about 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat.



Bring a large pot three-fourths full of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta, stir well and cook for 5 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until the pasta is al dente, about 5 minutes more.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat the eggs with a fork. Mix in mushrooms and cheese and a generous amount of pepper.

Remove 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water and reserve. Drain the pasta. Reheat the bacon/pancetta mixture briefly, and then remove from the heat. Add the pasta and spinach to the fry pan. Gradually whisk 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water into the egg mixture. Add the egg mixture to the fry pan and stir until it coats the pasta and is creamy, not wet and runny. If the egg mixture does not become creamy, set the pan over very low heat and stir constantly just until it becomes creamy, watching carefully (do not boil). Immediately remove the pan from the heat. Mix in enough of the remaining 1/4 cup pasta cooking liquid to form a silky texture.

**Quick tips: To prevent overcooking, this will cause curdling, take the fry pan off the heat before mixing in the egg mixture. Then, only if necessary, cook over very low heat and stir constantly just until the eggs start to thicken.




Finish your meal with a fresh winter fruit salad.

Wine Pairing: This pairs well with rich, medium-bodied white wines.


                     



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"Carrot Cake Cocktail”

Makes: 2 glasses or more….


Ingredients:
10 Baby carrots
4 oz. Cream or half & half
2 oz. Vanilla vodka
2 oz. Spiced rum
1 oz. Irish cream liqueur
2 oz. Butterscotch liqueur or sauce (recipe follows)
Pinch of sea salt
Pinch of cinnamon
2 Tablespoons easy cream cheese frosting (recipe follows)
1 Tablespoon finely chopped walnuts

Easy Cream Cheese Frosting:
2 Tablespoons cream cheese, at room temperature
1 Tablespoon powdered sugar
1 Teaspoon vanilla

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly until the sugar has dissolved.

Butterscotch Sauce: (only use if can not find butterscotch liqueur)
1/2 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup heavy cream
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 Teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of sea salt

 
Directions:
Melt the sugar in a pot over a low to medium flame. Do not walk away. When the sugar has completely dissolved, remove it from the heat and add the heavy cream. The mixture will bubble up. Return to a low heat, add the butter, vanilla and salt and stir until all lumps are gone and the sauce is a light golden brown.

Prepare the glasses by dipping the rims into the cream cheese frosting and immediately rolling them around in the chopped walnuts. Place in the refrigerator to set while you assemble the rest of the cocktail.

Add the carrots and cream to a blender and puree until the carrots are completely broken down. Add the liquid to a cocktail shaker along with the vodka, rum, Irish cream liqueur, 2 tablespoons of butterscotch sauce, sea salt and cinnamon. Fill with ice and shake vigorously. Pour through a strainer into the prepared cocktail glasses.

Till Next Time……… 

Copyright © 2015 “Family Plus Food Equals Love” All Rights Reserved

14 comments:

  1. Oh my word, Dottie! The Spaghetti Carbonara looks so darn good I could jump into the screen!!! However, I am diving into that Carrot Cake Cocktail!!! I bet even Bugs Bunny wouldn't get it away from me!!!

    Thank you so much for sharing, Dottie...Happy Carrot Cake Day!!!

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    1. Dear Louise,
      Thanks for your visit...Spaghetti Carbonara is one of my favorites. My mom would make hers years ago with cream which was delish, but not very healthy. This recipe has no cream and the pasta water with the eggs and cheese makes it creamy. Isn't the Carrot Cake Cocktail fun? I didn't want to miss the day and I was too tired to bake a cake, so I thought of this drink..It looks so pretty with the nuts all around the rim. So glad that you liked this post and thank you for your comment..Hope that you have a good week, rest up...
      Dottie :)

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  2. Afternoon Dottie ,
    Happy Carrot Cake Day to you , we love Spaghetti Carbonara at my house , I will try your recipe .
    Love the Carrot Cake Cocktail , I will make it for hubby to see how he likes it (giggling) Never knew an Italian that didn't like a good cocktail .

    Your post was great as usual and I do so hope you are staying indoors as much as possible .
    Here's wishing you a great week ahead . Thanks for sharing
    ~Nee~ :)

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    1. Good evening Nee,
      Thank you so much for your lovely comment. Spaghetti Carbonara is a big favorite in my house now and when I was growing up. Yes, this recipe does not contain the cream, so it is a little more healthy than with the cream. But just as yummy...I know what is better than a cocktail or a glass of wine to unwind at the end of your day. This Carrot Cake Cocktail is fun to look at as well as drink. Hope that your husband likes this one..Thanks for visiting and I am inside most of the time...it is too cold to go out and too snowy...Now they expect more snow on Thursday and maybe the weekend. Enjoy your week too, dear friend..
      Dottie :)

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  3. Hey I like your healthy twist to carbonara. I am a big fun of spinach: healthy, easy to prepare and very versatile, they are always on my shopping trolley.
    And your carrot cocktail is really original! Really nice!
    It is good to use vegetables in so many different ways. I am trying to eat more of them now as with the cold weather, like everyone else, I always catch some sort of bugs. Most of them come from my children. I find that probiotics help.
    Keep warm Dottie. Over here is cold too but no snow so far xx

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    1. Hi Alida,
      Thanks, I like this version of Carbonara, love spinach and it is very healthy. You can even use kale if you like. Being Carrot Cake Day, I thought I would share this recipe for a delish cocktail. You can't say no to that...I agree, Alida love to use veggies in other ways that what we are used to. Your children pick up "bugs" from school, I guess..just like here in the States. Probiotics sounds like that helps you. Thanks for your comment and you too stay warm. It is really cold and more snow is coming on Thursday, and then the weekend. It feels like I live in the Arctic, Brrrrrrr...Be safe and have a good week..feel well...
      Dottie :)

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  4. Dear Dottie, That spaghetti looks just wonderful!!! I can taste it from here!
    The carrot cake cocktail sounds delish too. I do love carrot cake!
    Please stay safe and warm and be careful it is soooo slippery out. I am so looking forward to spring. xoxoxo Catherine

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    Replies
    1. Dear Catherine,
      Thank you for your comment..yes I agree I love this Carbonara. Wish I had more of it. Very tasty and good for you too. The cocktail is so delicious, it really hit the spot and tastes like real carrot cake. Glad that you like these recipes. Thank you Catherine, I plan on not going out...I get Peapod delivered so I do not have to go to the store. That would be all I would need is to walk with my cane and slip on the ice and snow..As much as I love the snow, Spring is sounding good to me too! You as well be careful, be safe and keep warm...I think we are in for more snow..Have a good and blessed rest of the week.
      Dottie :)

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  5. Wow! Carrot cake cocktail? Really creative! And wonderfully delish, I'll bet. Fun, fun drink. Love the spinach in the spaghetti carbonara, too -- haven't seen that before and love the idea. A+++ on both of these!

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    1. Hi John,
      Thank you for your comment and stopping by. You are the cocktail person, so coming from you this is a complement. Yes, the Carbonara is really a good healthy dish especially with the spinach or if you prefer Kale. So glad that you enjoyed these two recipes. Have a great rest of the week. Now have to get to your blog, I see a White Russian, my favorite.
      Dottie :)

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  6. I love the idea of a carrot cake cocktail...I love sweet drinks so this right up my alley. Your carbonara pasta sounds fantastic too Dottie. I haven't had pancetta in quite some time...what a delicious treat! :D

    Have a wonderful weekend. xo

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    1. Hi Tammy,
      Thanks for visiting and for your comment. So happy that you liked these two recipes. The Carrot Cake Cocktail is really a fun one and so delicious. Just hits the spot. I like the flavor of pancetta mixed in the carbonara. It seems it gives it another level. You to Tammy dear, have a great and blessed weekend too!
      Dottie :).

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  7. I like your addition of spinach and mushrooms…I'll do that the next time I prepare carbonara. Thanks for the delicious idea.

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    1. Welcome Karen,
      Thank you for your comment...Have a good weekend.
      Dottie :)

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