Dinner for Four: Cheesy Rolls and Sauteed Vegetables on Penne

Hello avid reader!

Thanks for being here :) 

Today's meal was yet another event of Improv Cooking with my favorite lovely ladies of T3 :)     

 The First Recipe: Sauteed Vegetables on Penne (single serving)

• 1 oz pasta
• 1/4 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tbsp cheese
• 1/4 tbsp canola oil
• 1/4 cup mixed Mushrooms, Peas, Cucumber, Zucchini, and Spinach

The First Process: 

1. Boil enough water to fill 3/4 of a pot. 
2. Cook pasta as desired. 7-8 minutes should produce al dente pasta. 
3. In a small saucepot, combine and heat butter and cheese. Stir frequently. 
4. In a pan, heat the oil. 
5. Saute mixed vegetables in heated oil. 
6. Strain pasta and mix with cheese. 
7. Top with vegetables.

The Second Recipe: Cheesy Roll (single serving)

**Almost cheating, but we do what we can**

• 1 wheat roll
• 1 tsp cheese
• 1/4 tbsp butter

The Second Process: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176.7 degrees C).
2. Cut roll open, but not all the way through. 
3. Put half of the cheese and all of the butter inside. 
4. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top. 
5. Bake for 5 minutes. 
6. Enjoy!

The Calories: 

Pasta: 100 calories

Cheese: 37 calories

Butter: 50 calories

Oil: 30 calories

Vegetables: 15 calories

Roll: 76 calories

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TOTAL: 308 calories

What went right: 

         For a very satisfying meal, I'd say we did a great job with everything. The pasta and vegetables and rolls were perfect and worked quite well together. 

What went wrong: 

         The cheese sauce was a bit less creamy than I would have preferred, but it still tasted wonderful. 

What I would do next time: 

         Use a different cheese. 

Overall, a great meal and a lot of fun in the kitchen with my amazing friends :)  

German Apple Cake

Guten tag und willkommen! 

This post was inspired by my want to make a cake today and an abundance of apples in the fridge. The recipe comes from pinterest, and it's one I've wanted to make for a long time just so I could try it. 

While the cake was cooling, I sent a photo to a couple friends in Germany, and one asked why he'd never seen something like it before. To be honest, I was wondering the same thing, since I'm German and Austrian by blood. I did a little research on the topic, assuming it has a German name. Lo and behold, the recipe I found is an adaptation of Weiner Apfelkuchen. Now that I've found a more traditional recipe, I will definitely be trying that as well, despite the traditional sugar and fat content.

A German Apple Cake is essentially four layers. 

The Recipe: Layer 1: The Cake

• 1.5 cups Flour
• 3/4 cup Sugar
• 1 stick Butter
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 3/4 cup Milk
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

The Process: Layer 1

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Blend all cake ingredients and pour into desired pan. (I used a glass casserole dish. The original recipe recommends a 9 x 13 baking dish. Next time I make this dish, I would like to use a shorter dish, because it took a very long time for mine to bake.)

The Recipe: Layer 2 

• 3-4 Apples, peeled and thinly sliced

The Process: Layer 2

1. Lay the apples on the cake layer in your desired pan/dish. Be sure to cover the whole area. (Mine covered a much larger area.)

The Recipe: Layer 3

• 1 cup Butter
• 1 cup Flour
• 1 cup White Sugar

The Process: Layer 3

1. Combine the three ingredients in a small bowl. It will be very crumbly even after mixed. 
2. Spread over the apples (Layer 2). 

The Recipe: Layer 4

• 1.5 tablespoons White Sugar
• 1.5 tablespoons Cinnamon

The Process: Layer 4

1. In a small bowl/plate, combine the Cinnamon and Sugar. 
2. Carefully sprinkle this on top of the whole of Layer 3. 
3. Bake for about 40 minutes. (Mine took much longer! Be sure to watch and test to see when your cake is finished.)

The Calories: 

Flour- 1138 calories

Sugar- 589 calories

Butter- 2430 calories

Eggs- 147 calories

Baking Powder- 2 calories

Milk- 65 calories

Vanilla- 6 calories

Apples- 380 calories

Cinnamon- 2 calories

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TOTAL: 4759 calories

Yes, this seems bad. However, the cake that I made is very very thick, meaning half a slice is about all you need to be full, as it is extremely rich. Assuming the cake is about 10 servings (which would change if you made a thinner, larger cake), each serving is 475.9 calories. Admittedly, this is not a healthy cake. 

What went right:

          The cake was magnificently delicious, and even more delicious after it was refrigerated. 

What went wrong:

          Because I used such a thick pan, baking took a long time, and I don't think I completely finished baking it by the end, because the middle was slightly soft. This did not make it taste any worse, but altered the texture. I would like to try making it in a different pan and see if that makes it better. 

Would I make this in college:

           This is one of those cakes that takes a very long time to make by yourself, but would be fun and easy to make with a group of people because there are so many tasks that can theoretically happen all at once. Therefore, I would make this cake as a Month Birthday Cake for sure, but not necessarily just for the sake of making a cake. 

What would I do next time:

          Like I said, I would like to try the more traditional version of this cake, and try making it in a different pan. 

Overall, this cake was delicious, but not healthy. 

So......

The workout that accompanies this cake is an elliptical workout. In one hour, I burned 500 calories by doing an interval workout that alternated between 9, 11, and 13 crossramp, with 1 resistance. Essentially, I did high knees for an hour. It was easier than it sounds; once you get into a rhythm, it's easy to hold it even when the crossramp increases. 

Geneissen!!

Sauteed Vegetables in Penne Rigatoni

Hey pasta lovers!

This dish was inspired by my want for sauteed vegetables and my mom's want for pasta...yay for collective efforts!

Since it was first made, I have also been able to make the dish in college, as it uses a single pan, and really any combination of preferred vegetables.

The Recipe: Sauteed Vegetables in Penne Rigatoni

• 3 carrots, sliced
• 1 cup green beans
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 box Penne Rigatoni pasta 
• 1/4 tbsp butter
• Salt
• Pepper
• Water

The Process: 

• Boil 1-2 inches of water in a covered, stove-top pot.
• Once the water is boiling, cook pasta for 7-9 minutes on medium to low heat, depending on your stove. 
• Heat a stove-top pan on high. 
• Once the pan is heated, allow the butter to melt on the pan, turning the pan to help the butter spread. 
• Turn the heat to medium. 
• Add carrots, salt, and pepper.
• Allow to cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute. 
• Add green beans, and mix the pan with a spatula by folding it over itself multiple times. 
• Allow to cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute. 
• Add mushrooms, and mix the pan with a spatula by folding it over itself multiple times. 
• Allow to cook for 5-7 minutes, checking and turning the mix periodically. 
• Once the pasta is finished cooking, strain it and allow it to cool slightly. 
• Once the vegetables are finished cooking, remove the top of the pan, and turn off the heat.
• Once the pasta is cooled, serve it into bowls (should be 2-4 servings). 
• Once the pasta is in bowls, top it with vegetables as desired. 
• If desired, sprinkle cheese on top of the vegetables (at most 1 tsp). 
• Enjoy!

The Calories: 

Pasta: 800 calories

Carrots: 50 calories

Green Beans: 77 calories

Mushrooms: 68 calories

Butter: 25 calories

Salt/Pepper: insignificant calories

Water: 0 calories

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TOTAL: 1020 calories

This sounds like a lot, but if split between two people, that's only 510 calories each for two portions. If split between three people, 340 calories. If split between four people, 255 calories. 

What went right: 

        The pasta was a nice al dente, the vegetables cooked well, and the combination of ingredients worked in happy harmony. 

What went wrong: 

         Personally, I think the dish is carb-heavy. It would be nice to balance the carbs by altering the vegetable ratio, but in this case it might need some meat to ensure it is still just as filling. 

What I would do next time: 

         It would be good to try the dish with other seasonal vegetables, like a squash and pasta medley, or try varying the pasta:vegetable ratio and adding meats like sausage or chicken. 

Would I make this in college: 

        Oddly enough, I already have! I didn't make the dish as it is, but I held a pasta party and made pasta with marinara sauce for my dorm building, and sauteed vegetables for those who were Gluten Free. It's a very simple, quick dish to make, and leftovers are easy to keep and reheat. 

Overall, a quick, easy, healthy meal. No complaints :) 

Garlic Sesame Croutons

Hey Food Fans!

I know it seems strange that I'm making croutons, but I promise they were part of a fantastic salad! Plus, I got to use an old roll that we otherwise would have had to throw away.

The Recipe: Garlic Sesame Croutons

• 1 sesame roll, cut into small cubes
• 1/2 stick of butter
• Pepper
• Garlic Salt

The Process: 

• Melt the butter onto a pan
• Put the pepper and garlic salt into the melted butter
• Cook the roll cubes in the pan, moving them around so they take in more of the solution
• Cook until the solution has dissipated and the croutons have browned. 
• Cool on a rack for about 10 minutes. 
• Enjoy!

The Calories:

Sesame Roll: 220 calories

Butter: 405 calories

Salt and pepper: 10 calories

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TOTAL: 635 calories

Divided by 30, this means each crouton is about 21 calories. 

What went right: 

          They are very delicious and addictive. My family enjoyed eating them on their own before the salad was finished. I must say, they make a great snack. 

What went wrong:

          Nothing! So tasty, all natural croutons. 

What I would do next time: 

          It would be fun to try in a tomato soup or to make garlic bread. I would also like to try some different flavors, like making bacon in the same pan and then sprinkling them with cheese. 

Will I make this in college:

         Yes for sure. They're so delicious, only take a few minutes to make, and probably cheaper than buying croutons. They're also a great way to use stale bread. 

Overall, a delicious, useful little thing to know!