Smoky Bow Tie Pasta with Brussel's Sprouts, Chorizo and Raisins

As the days shorten, I start to prepare more substantial meals for my family. Soups, stews and pastas move in to take the place of lighter summer fare. The pasta I am featuring today was developed for the McCormick Go4Gourmet promotion and they are sponsoring this post.

McCormick herbs and spices have long been a mainstay of my pantry. They are readily available and I know from experience that they are dependably fresh and of top quality. Equally important is the company's ability to communicate with its customers. They keep coming up with  fantastic new recipes and spice blends that the adventurer in me simply can't resist. So, I watched with interest when McCormick launched a challenge called Go4Gourmet. You can imagine how thrilled I was when they asked me to create a recipe for the current round. My recipe had to include chorizo, Brussel's sprouts, smoked paprika and chicken stock.

The ingredients I received for the challenge included a jar of McCormick's smoked paprika. I planned to use it as the flavor base for my recipe. I thought it would work well with the Spanish chorizo and allow me to create a one-dish meal that was filling, earthy and vaguely old-world, but without ties to a specific cuisine.

You'll need a large skillet and a 5 to 6-quart pot to make this family meal. The sausage is browned and the Brussel's sprouts are braised in a broth that develops a vague smoky sweetness as it simmers. While it bubbles away, water can be brought to a boil for the pasta. The dish can be on the table in about 45 minutes. Be sure to serve it with lots of crusty bread and a large chopped salad.

Smoky Bow Tie Pasta with Brussel's Sprouts, Chorizo and Raisins...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
6 to 7 ounces Spanish chorizo, cut in 1/4-inch dice
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup golden raisins
2 cups 1 (14.5-oz.) can reduced sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
12-ounces bow tie pasta (farfalle)

Directions:
1) Heat butter in a large (12-inch) skillet. Add smoked paprika and diced chorizo. Saute until fat is rendered, about 5 minutes.
2) Add Brussels sprouts, salt, and pepper to skillet and saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Add raisins, chicken stock and liquid smoke. Lower heat and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until sprouts are tender when pierced with a knife, about 15 minutes.
3) Meanwhile, cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup pasta water, and shake dry, then return it to pot. Add sprout mixture, including liquid, to pasta and toss to combine. If mixture appears dry, moisten with some reserved pasta water. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

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Coffee-Toffee Cookies + Puro Fairtrade Coffee

I was recently sent this unique gift package from Puro Fairtrade Coffee. If you are not aware of Puro or how Fairtrade works, let me quickly say that the Fairtrade mission is to produce better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world. The video on the Puro website explains how the organization aims to support producers of goods such as coffee, cacao and vanilla and ensure they are paid fairly for the goods they produce.

This is the Fairtrade vision:

Our vision is of a world in which justice and sustainable development are at the heart of trade structures and practices so that everyone, through their work, can maintain a decent and dignified livelihood and develop their full potential.

To achieve this vision, Fairtrade seeks to transform trading structures and practices in favour of the poor and disadvantaged. By facilitating trading partnerships based on equity and transparency, Fairtrade contributes to sustainable development for marginalized producers, workers and their communities. Through demonstration of alternatives to conventional trade and other forms of advocacy, the Fairtrade movement empowers citizens to campaign for an international trade system based on justice and fairness.

When Puro Fairtrade Coffee asked me to review their product, I was delighted. I had expected to receive a pound of coffee, but, instead, received this lovely gift assortment. If you’d like to learn more about Puro Fairtrade Coffee, their website has an excellent collection of videos about coffee production and distribution, together with a lot more information about the coffee brand and it’s origins. The company makes no direct sales to consumers and this promotion is about increasing brand awareness. Once I'd read that, I, of course, had to make a sweet nibble to accompany the first pot of coffee I brewed.

I made a pot of Puro Noble to begin my taste test. It is described as a rich and lively medium roast brew that has hints of hazelnuts and fruit. It was a perfect afternoon pick-me-up and to keep with the coffee theme, I served it with coffee-toffee cookies that are wonderful in their own right. I have many more days of fine roast coffee to look forward to and while I can't share all of them with you, I can share the coffee-toffee cookies that I made to go with my first cup. Here is the recipe.

Coffee-Toffee Cookies...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of America's Test Kitchen

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
1 tablespoon hot water
10 tablespoons melted butter
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup toffee chips

Directions:
1) Adjust two oven racks to upper and lower middle positions. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2) Whisk flour, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl.
3) Place espresso powder and hot water in a large bowl and mix until powder dissolves. Whisk in butter and sugar until incorporated. Whisk in eggs and vanilla until smooth. Gently sir in flour mixture with a rubber spatula until a soft dough forms. Fold in toffee chips.
4) Working with 2 tablespoons of dough at a time, drop cookies 2-inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
5) Bake cookies until edges are set but centers are still soft and puffy, about 16 minutes, switching and rotating baking sheets halfway through baking time. Let cookies cool slightly on baking sheets. Serve warm or at room temperature. Yield: 24 cookies.

I was sent samples of Puro Fairtrade Coffee, but there was no obligation to review the product and all views posted here are my own.

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National Soyfoods Month

This sponsorship is brought to you by the Soyfoods Association who we have partnered with for this promotion.



April is National Soyfoods Month so it’s a great time to learn more more about soyfoods and how they can be incorporated into everyday meals and snacks. You'll find that protein and fiber packed soyfoods will help you maintain a healthy weight by reducing the fat grams and calories that are found in your daily diet.

The Soyfoods Association of North America (SANA) is the group that distributes information about the health benefits and nutritional advantages of soy food products. They develop recipes and tips that make it easy to incorporate soy into your daily meals and snacks. 

Soy products, once relegated to vegetarian diets and food preparation, have come of age and are now enjoyed by a much larger community. Dishes made with soy are recognized to be healthier and just as easy to make as more conventional protein sources.

If you are interested in easy ideas that will help make your life healthier, you can start the day with a breakfast smoothie that is made with berries and creamy WESTSOY Soymilk. You can find the recipe, here.

If you need a snack to tide you over to your next meal, you might want to try a gluten free SOYJOY bar or a small package of  Honey Roasted Soy Nuts.  The soy nuts are really delicious and could become addictive. 

When mealtime rolls around  the SANA website has some wonderful recipes that will help you make healthier meals. I've  been experimenting with using soy milk in some of my recipes and the Scalloped Potatoes you see below came from a recipe on their site. I know you will enjoy them. The recipe can be found here.

Follow the SoyFoods Association on Twitter at @SocialSANA

Follow the SoyFoods Association on Facebook



                       Scalloped Potatoes - Recipe



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