Thunder Roads Colorado Magazine Volume 10 - Issue 12 | Page 19

Tasty Recipes All of these recipes have been kitchen tested and biker approved. CREAMY WALNUT PASTA When I make this dish I look for black walnuts, they add a little more flavor than regular walnuts. 1/3 cup chopped walnuts, lightly toasted 2 Tbs butter 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried) 3/4 cup cream 4 oz blue cheese, Stilton or Gorgonzola, crumbled pinch pepper 4 cups medium-size shell pasta 2 Tbs chopped fresh parsley In large skillet, toast walnuts over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes or until fragrant. Add butter and thyme; cook for 30 seconds. Add cream, blue cheese and pepper; simmer over mediumlow heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until slightly thickened and cheese is melted. Meanwhile, in large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender but firm; drain well and return to pot. Add about 1/3 of a cup of the pasta water to the sauce and cook until thickened. Drain the pasta, add sauce; toss to coat. Serve sprinkled with parsley. ITALIAN CHOPPED SALAD 4 tsp red wine vinegar 1/4 tsp salt, plus more for seasoning 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning 3 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil 3 cups finely chopped romaine lettuce (from 1/2 head) 3 cups finely chopped radicchio (from 1/2 large head) 1/2 cup drained canned white beans, rinsed and patted dry 8 oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves, drained and chopped Whisk the vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper in a large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in the oil to blend. Add the lettuce, radicchio, beans, and sun-dried tomatoes. Toss to coat. Season the salad, to taste, with more salt and pepper, and serve. I started making this recipe when I was told that the only kind of meatloaf my husband would eat was Italian Meatl oaf. This was invented by my Brother-in-Law when he was a young man. After I made it the first time, I realized that this is one giant cheese stuffed meatball. Italian Meatloaf 1 lb ground beef 1 lb Italian sausage 1 cup bread crumbs 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese 1/4 cup finely minced white onions 1 tsp oregano, chopped 2 tsp basil, chopped 1 tsp ground black pepper 1 tsp parsley 2 tsp garlic 1 egg 1 Tbs olive oil 1 cup diced cheddar cheese Mix all ingredients in mixer or by hand. Press mixture out 3/4 inch thick on cutting board in the shape of a rectangle. Drop Cheddar cheese chunks in the center leaving about 1 inch space for sealing Roll up the rectangle sealing all edges and pushing the air out of the center. Press and roll on cutting board to remove any air and to seal all edges. If you see any edges of the cheese chunks push them in toward the center of the loaf with your finger and seal the hole. Note: You can freeze the loaf at this point. I hard freeze the loaf and then use my vacuum sealer to seal it tight. Place loaf in pan and cover with spaghetti sauce. Bake covered with foil in a 375° for 45 minutes. Remove foil and cook for 15 - 20 minutes more or until a meat thermometer reads well done (180°). Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving. CHOCOLATE TWINKIE TORTE This is a dessert I remember from my childhood. I found myself describing the recipe to Patrick a few weeks ago and he couldn’t believe it. I dug this recipe up out of some family recipes. It is definitely not good for you, but OH MY, it is GOOD! 10 Twinkies, cut in half lengthwise 2 cup chocolate chips 5 Tbs water 5 Tbs sugar 6 eggs, separated 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans 1 pint whipping cream, whipped Chopped walnuts or pecans to garnish Line a 9 x 13 inch pan with twinkies, filling side up. Melt chocolate over low heat, add water and sugar, and then egg yolks, one at a time. Beat well after each addition. Stir in nuts. Fold in well-beaten egg whites. Pour mixture over twinkies. Top with whipped cream and garnish with nuts. Refrigerate overnight. Would you like to have your recipes appear in the magazine? Just email us at [email protected] and we will try them out and might just print them here! Make sure you include a little history of the recipe and where you got it from. www.thunderroadscolorado.com September 2015 Thunder Roads Magazine® Colorado 17