Poco-Cocoa

Allow me to bring you yet another sauceless pasta from the poco-cocoa kitchen. This one is so fresh and bright, with lots of lemon flavor and salty feta cheese. It’s very quick and easy…note to self: this is a great weeknight dish!

Yesterday was Justin’s birthday, and it was laid-back, easy-going, and lots of fun, just like him. We watched movies at home (Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World…which I do NOT recommend, it was horrible), took a nap, and walked to Whole Foods for dinner and dessert. Chad and Lindsay happened to be out and about nearby, and met us there for a leisurely meal. We talked, ate, talked, ate, and talked. Then Justin and I walked home in the cool night air, stopping at Waterloo Video to pick up Elizabethtown (I think we’re going to watch it later on tonight).

We also watched Friends With Money this weekend, which I had been wanting to see forever. It wasn’t the chick-flick upbeat comedy that I thought it would be, but it was still great. It was happy, sad, frustrating, and just plain real. I really enjoyed it.

The most interesting thing we did this weekend was finding a lost kitty. He was in the park near our home, crying constantly, acting skittish, following us around. After petting him a bit, we noticed that he was really skinny, and I asked Justin to call the number on his tag, just to make sure he wasn’t lost. He did, and it turns out he’s been missing for three weeks! His owner’s home was just a block away, but he somehow didn’t make it there. We carried him over and were so happy to see his reunion with his owner. The kitty (named Toonces) ran to his owner, and the owner was just breathless with excitement. It was great, and I’m so glad we made the phone call.

And now, the pasta.

Penne with Zucchini and Feta

• 8 ounces uncooked penne
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise an sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 cup vegetable broth
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2/3 cup (about 2 1/2 ounces) crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oregano, zucchini, and garlic; saute 3 minutes. Stir in broth, rind, juice, and pepper. Add drained pasta and cheese; toss well.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Cooking Light magazine.

I’m glad Justin picked out this recipe from our archives…I had forgotten how much flavor could be packed in such an easy recipe. Normally I would make my own pizza crust, but this time I opted for pre-made dough to save on time. Store-bought dough tastes a bit too sweet for me, but it’s still a good option. You can use any mixture of vegetables for this recipe…this time I left out the yellow bell pepper because I forgot to get one, and tossed dried basil with the veggies before roasting them instead of using fresh at the end.

The past two days have been fantastic…yesterday it was rainy and dark, my favorite kind of day. It was cool enough to wear jeans, and a bit too chilly for a tank top. Amazing for a September day in Austin. Of course today it’s sunny and warmer, but still only 89 degrees at the moment. I’m crossing my fingers that we’ll somehow get an autumn this year…

I finished another of Barbara Kingsolver’s books, High Tide in Tuscon. It’s a collection of essays, well-written and thought provoking. I’ve started on her second collection of essays, Small Wonder. I just love her writing.

Tonight I’ll be glued to the television for Project Runway, though the only person I’m really rooting for is Michael. He seems to be one of the only genuinely nice people on that show, and he’s super-talented to boot.

Okay, pizza time.

Roasted Vegetable Pizza

• 1 recipe pizza dough or 1 (10-ounce) can refrigerated pizza dough
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 carton cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
• 1 zucchini, quartered and sliced
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
• 3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)

Position one rack in top third of oven and one rack in bottom third; preheat oven to 425ËšF.

Roll out pizza dough and place on a heavy baking sheet. Press or stretch into a 9×13-inch rectangle. Brush with 1 teaspoon olive oil.

Toss tomatoes, peppers, zucchini and onion with remaining olive oil and dried basil, if using; arrange on a large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Place pizza crust on top rack in oven and vegetables on bottom rack. Bake until pizza crust is golden brown and vegetables are softened and brown in spots, about 13 minutes (vegetables may need a few minutes more).

Remove from oven. Sprinkle crust with cheese and top with vegetables. Top with fresh basil, if using, and bake until cheese is melted, just a few minutes more.

Makes 8 servings.

Source: No clue.