With a personal goal to try new things and push the limits of my cooking, I found a fun inspiration. It seems that Ancient Fire Wines and I have something in common; neither one of us are big pasta eaters. Now that’s not to say we don’t like pasta; we just couldn’t eat it every day. Ancient Fire Wines wrote a blog called Light & Easy Pasta Bake, and it looked wonderful. Now, I didn’t have all the ingredients in the house to make Jason’s pasta dish so I started scheming my own. It is such a fun thing to be able to take a risk and try something new, especially with cooking. You know the flavors you like and usually have a general idea of what tastes good together. That’s when the magic happens: trying combinations you have never tried before and coming up with something tremendous.

Now, just like Jason’s, my wife loves, loves, loves pasta! It’s very funny to read his blog and find these commonalities. It’s also fun to note that every once in awhile we like to make our wives happy and cook a little pasta. This dish is, according to my personal critic (my wife), one of the best pasta dishes I have made to date. Her exact words were, “You can make this any time!” And you  know, when momma is happy, we’re all happy. It’s a simple dish I threw together with random ingredients, and then we devoured. I am learning a great lesson in cooking. You have to take the things that are not your favorite ingredients (in this case, pasta) and find a way to make them their own. I am not a fan of red tomato-based sauces (I prefer cream white sauces). Also, I am a carnivore by heart, so almost any dish that is loaded with meat, I can take it a long way. When you try this dish be prepared for an amazing delight.

Italian Sausage & Linguini

Serves 2

Ingredients

1/4 Box Pasta, uncooked

1 Small Onion, chopped

2 Tablespoons Butter

2 Italian Sausage Links, casing removed

1 Cup Button Mushrooms, sliced

1/4 Cup Olives, chopped

1 1/2 Teaspoons Italian Dressing Seasoning Blend (I used Good Seasons brand)

1 Cup Half & Half

Shredded Parmesan Cheese

1 Green Onion, diced

3 Slices Tomato, diced

Directions

1. Cook linguini to directions on the box.
2. In a large skillet, saute onions in butter until lightly opaque on medium-high heat.
3. Crumble sausage and cook until no longer pink (about 5 to 7 minutes).
4. Add mushrooms and cook for 1 more minute.
5. Stir in olives, Italian dressing mix, and half & half.
6. Bring to a boil; then simmer for 10 minutes or until sauce thickens.
7. Add tomatoes and mix in right before serving (you don’t want to cook them, just warm them up)
8. Serve and garnish with green onions and Parmesan.
9. Enjoy!

Wow! This past Saturday evening, some friends, my wife, and I experienced an exemplary evening of the Manly Housewife’s credo of “good food and good friends,” and you may now add to that “great wine!” All the group being nearby residents, we took a short little trip out to a quiet little winery called LightCatcher, just outside the community of Lakeside, that we had been hearing good reviews about. It was truly one of the best dining experiences we have had in the last couple of months. In these ever-increasing days of the busy, always-on-the-run lifestyles we lead, it’s a rarity when you just slow down and MAKE the time to just discover a new-to-you local establishment and spend some quality time with some of your best friends. This night was such a night.

As you enter the doors to the winery, you are immediately surrounded by a comfortably elegant tasting room and gift shop, filled with unique wine corks, wine-inspired memorabilia, and all the accompaniments of excellent wine. A delightfully jolly gentleman named Terry welcomed us to the winery from behind the tasting bar and made all of us feel instantly at ease. All the winery’s available wines can be taste-tasted for between $2 to $3 each (some for 3 for $5). Some of the people in our group are not avid wine drinkers, and Terry, also owner and host of the establishment, was wonderful at expertly and thoroughly explaining the different wines offered and assisting in the selection of wines that matched each person’s unique taste preferences (e.g., “sweet,” “dry,” and even “crisp,” as one of our group requested of him).  Each of us in our group of friends sampled 3 different wines and found ones to fit our palates. Here are the wines that we taste tested:

Donnie & Elizabeth

1. 2008 Jackrabbit Merlot – “Fruit forward and spicy,” according to the menu description; however, this was our least favorite of our trio. We felt it would be decent with a steak but not just as a good sipping wine.
2. 2008 Texas Roads Remuda Red – “Softer, easy drinking blend of Cabernet Sauvingnon and Merlot.” We enjoyed this wine very much and felt it would be great for sipping while enjoying a good book.
3. 2005 LightCatcher Cabernet Sauvignon – “Deep plum, raspberry, cherry, raisin, oak, and spice.” This is an amazing wine, our favorite of the three we tested. We liked it so much, we ordered a bottle to enjoy with dinner. The complex flavors blended well and could be enjoyed as a sipping wine or during a bubble bath. My wife’s first impression of this was, “This wine is doing something good to my tongue!”

Marci & Donna

1. 2008 Happy Cat Semi-Sweet White Wine – “Tropically fruity blend that is floral and pretty.” This was their least favorite wine (probably more about the name association alone, due to Marci’s dislike of house cats LOL!).  Both sweet wine lovers, this wine would probably be fine for someone with a more “evolved” palate, but for new wine enthusiasts it was a bit too dry.
2. 2008 Texas Kiss Rose’ – “Cranberry, watermelon, red raspberry” – Both agreed this was the favorite wine, and this was the one they ordered to drink with dinner.
3. Happy Dog Sweet Red – “Delicious Cherry, Blackberry & Spice”  This was also positively received by both. This is a great, sweet, light-tasting table wine that goes well with a spicy dinner.

Alberto & Veronica

1. 2008 Texas Roads Hummingbird – “Sauvignon Blanc, round and smooth with the flavors of apple, pear, and butterscotch.”
2. 2007 LightCatcher Bobcat – “Syrah/Mouverdre/CabFranc blend, light bodied and fruity.”  This bottle was chosen for dinner and enjoyed down to the last drop!
3. 2008 Texas Kiss Rose’ (reviewed above and high ranking by our group).

After the tasting, we were escorted into the the cool, candlelit  bistro, aging-barrel room to enjoy dinner. The wines we ordered were delivered to the table. We slowly savored our wine and sampled the available trays of Greek olives, served in warmed rosemary and orange- infused olive oil, which were utterly delicious! LightCatcher offers and ever changing menu, based on the current wines available and taking in-season produce into consideration. Glancing over the menu, we all found selections that appealed to each one of us: the carnivore (me), the fish lover (my wife), the comfort-food traditionalists, the risk taker, and the almost vegetarian. . .

Even though LightCatcher offers an eloquent setting and tranquil atmosphere (not one screaming child in the place!), dishes are served family style and, as our varying first courses arrived, we felt comfortable passing them around the table so everyone could share. Listed below are the appetizers we enjoyed and shared:

Warm French Brie. Roasted garlic, shallots, butter served with toasted focaccia (This was delectable and artfully prepared; it was probably the only appetizer that was completely finished. Everyone wanted another bite of this one.)

Warm Spinach Artichoke Spread, served with toasted pita wedges. (Good, but unremarkably unique.)

Texas 1015 Onion Rings with a smoked paprika aioli sauce. (This dipping sauce my wife an I loved; others did not care for it.)

Zorba Flatbread – Fresh Spinach, mozzarella, blue cheese, pine nuts, and lemon (As delicious as this was, the overabundance of gooey, melted cheese was a bit overpowering; it was much like a lemon-tasting, deep-dish pizza.)

LightCatcher offers a slate of Second Course options, which include some wonderful-sounding salads, incorporating dried fruits, nuts, seeds, and cheeses, but we all elected to pass on this course and head directly to the main courses. Again, we all tried to order different selections, not to be a pain in the fanny to our server, but so that we would have the opportunity to share with our dining companions and get a better over-all review of the menu offerings. We were not disappointed by our selections, featured in the pictures below:

Chargrilled Marinated Flank Steak, lemon gouda orzo, sauteed’ cherub tomatoes and a grilled half peach. (This was the most perfectly prepared flank steak I have ever had; although I, sheepishly, admit to not touching my pasta or veggies.)

Andouille-Stuffed Roasted Chicken, Boursin-jalapeno-chipolte grits served with tempura green beans. (This was a meal meant for, and enjoyed by, a queen! Wow! What robust, smoky flavors! Many of us kept nabbing “green bean French fries” from this plate while its “owner” was occupied.)

Grilled Salmon with asparagus cream sauce, peas, roasted fingerling potatoes, cucumber and shallots. (I am not the biggest fan of salmon but for the sake of review, my wife MADE me try this dish. This particular salmon was perfectly prepared, firm fleshed and tasted fresh out of the ocean. I would order this for myself when we go back!)

Chicken Fried, Thin-Cut Beef Ribeye Steak served with mashers, garlic cream gravy, broccolini and carrots. (One of our dedicated carnivores ordered this and his only comment was “freakin’ awesome!” This is high praise coming from this particular individual who tends toward a critical review on anything resembling Chicken Fried Steak, since he’s had it in some of the best restaurants in Texas. This dish looked and smelled wonderful and had even the almost-vegetarian at our table wishing she would have ordered that!)

Chargrilled Hand-Cut Beef Tenderloin 8-oz Fillet served with Mashers, roasted sweet onion with butter sauce. (Meat was superior quality and butter-soft, perfectly cooked and gone in minutes from all the sharing that went on!)

The main courses were simply brilliant, each in its own right. How the small  kitchen staff delivered such diverse selections so masterfully prepared in such a quick time left us all impressed and astounded.  Most of us had almost finished our wines when the call came for desserts. Almost just like Texas Hold ‘Em, we were all, save one, in!

Peach Bread Pudding with Warm Sangria Better Sauce

Peach Cobbler with very homemade crust and fresh peaches

Key Lime Pie with Mango Sorbet and Toasted Macadamia-Nut Britttle 

In conclusion of this Out ‘n About with The Manly Housewife Gang, all I can say is that we have definitely found a new hometown favorite in the LightCatcher Winery! There wasn’t a moment of our time there that we didn’t feel comfortable and happy and indulged. Every single one of the staff was professional, courteous and extremely proficient at his or her respective job.  The LightCatcher wines are stellar and far and away more than we expected to discover in our own backyard. The atmosphere is cozy and welcoming, with a touch of elegance and grandeur that makes one feel special for the evening. We will definitely be returning for one of their Sunday night jazz sessions. LightCatcher Winery & Bistro gets the seal approval from the entire Manly Housewife Team!

Please be sure to check out their website at http://www.lightcatcher.com/ and see their Facebook Page.

They are located close to Azle, Texas outside of Fort Worth.
6925 Confederate Park Road, Fort Worth, TX 76108

Lately, I have been putting in a lot of time with all the work I do and have not cooked as much as I like. On my way home after yet another long day, I called my beautiful wife to ask if she wouldn’t mind whipping something together for dinner. The conversation played out as it always does: I say, “Can you make dinner?” To which she replies,  “What do you want me to make?” I say, “Whatever you want.” And then she says what she always says,  “I don’t know what I want.” What’s funny is that we have that same conversation any time we go out to eat. To be fair, it’s true that my wife doesn’t cook often; however, whenever she does, it always comes out wonderful and yet it’s usually a type of fare I tend to stay away from. Given free reign, she will most likely make some sort of pasta dish since I don’t cook pasta often and because she loves it. Last night she did a brilliant job of putting together a wonderful, hearty meal, and here it is for your pleasure.

Simple Linguini & Meatballs

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 Bag Italian-Style Meatballs

1 Jar Home-made Tomato Sauce or Store-Bought Equivalent

1 Tsp Oregano

1 Tsp Onion Powder

1 Tsp Garlic Powder

1/4 Pound Fresh Mushrooms

Salt & Pepper to taste

1 package Linquini Pasta

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to directions on package (ensure that you salt the water); when pasta is done, transfer to a bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
2. In a large skillet over medium high heat cook the meatballs according to package directions (Usually about 8 to 10 minutes).
3. Add jar of tomato sauce to meatballs.
4. Spice it up with oregano, onion powder, garlic powder and salt & pepper.
5. Serve over cooked pasta and with garlic bread.
6. Enjoy!

Life was crazy last night with so many things going on that I didn’t have time to prepare a dinner. So I am going to share with you my favorite thing in the world that my wife makes. This is simply a brilliant recipe that will feed a crowd. She does not cook often, but when she does, watch out, because she can put together some fabulous dishes. The first time I had this dish was at her parents’ house when we were just dating. I am not a shy person, but, remember, I’m not a big pasta eater. My parents raised me that it is impolite not to try everything on your plate, because someone took the time to make those items. I have always believed it to be proper manners and, when presented with unfamiliar fare, I just try to dig in and endure. However, I was surprised and delighted after trying this dish. The flavors meld together perfectly, to make a symphony of flavors that make you want to sip up all the juices at the end. Make sure you eat this with a good garlic bread and a glass of wine. The leftovers will keep for about a day in the fridge, so you can take them for lunch the next day. Now my wife thinks I deprive her some, because she could eat pasta for all three meals every single day. I am not that inclined; however, if you’re having a family get-together and want a good power-meal, trust me, this will do the trick!

Elizabeth’s Seafood Linguini

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 Cans of 6.5-oz Chopped Clams in Clam Juice

2  Bottles of 8-oz Clam Juice

1 package of Dry or Fresh Linguini Pasta

1 Pound Fresh or Frozen Mussels

? Pounds of Fresh Shrimp

1 Large Onion

6 Cloves Garlic

3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon Dried Parsley

1 Teaspoon Oregano

1 Teaspoon Basil

Salt & pepper to Taste

Directions:

1.  Finely chop onion.

2.  Mince garlic.

3.  Add oil to skillet turn to medium-high heat.

4.  Add onions and garlic; cook until transparent, using caution not to burn.

5.  Open cans of clams; reserve juice for later use.

6.  Add reserved clam juice to onion-garlic mixture.

7.  Add herbs to mixture and stir until blended.

8.  Add mussels and cook for five minutes.

9.  Add shrimp and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

10.  Add cooked pasta to a large bowl and top with skillet mixture; toss to combine.

11.  Serve with a good white or zinfandel wine and garlic toast.

12. Enjoy!

Last night’s dinner was a fun escapade for me. I am not the biggest pasta eater; however, pasta is one of my wife’s favorite things. That girl could eat pasta and seafood for every meal of the day. I dabble with cooking pasta every now and again to keep the sanity in our marriage, but I really have to step out of my comfort zone to make a dish that we can both enjoy. I am notorious for eating the toppings of a dish and leaving a majority of the pasta on the plate. It’s funny that I like cream sauces, and I like some red sauces, but I just can’t get into the combination of the sauces and pasta. If anyone has a pasta dish they think I could eat, let me know.; I’d love to have the recipe. Now, antipasto? I love that! Give me a plate of meat and a few veggies and I’m in. . . .

So back to last night’s dinner. . . .  For me to eat pasta, I have to give it a Manly Housewife twist. Put something in the pasta to really set the dish off. I didn’t feel like making sauce, so I needed something that would carry as much flavor as a sauce but be a lot less heavy. My answer: Italian sausage, and it worked great. The flavor really carried the dish, and I ate most of my pasta.

Italian Sausage & Pasta

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 Italian Sausage Links

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Dash of Red Pepper (optional)

1 Clove Garlic, minced

½ Small Yellow Onion

¼ Red Bell Pepper

¼ Yellow Bell Pepper

¼ Orange Bell Pepper

2 Green Onions

1 Bunch Linguini Pasta

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

1. Cook linguini to package directions, and drain (for two people I usually use about ¼ of the contents).
2. Remove the casings from the Italian sausage and discard.
3. Add 2 tablespoon of olive oil to a large frying pan, and heat to medium-high heat.
4. Add Italian sausage and with a wooden spoon began to break it down to small pieces.
5. Cook sausage until almost brown; then and add garlic and red pepper and stir for 3 minutes.
6. While sausage is cooking, chop peppers and yellow onion into long strips; add to pan with sausage, and cook until seared well.
7. Add pasta to pan and stir to combine.
8. Top with finely chopped green onions

We had one of those nights when there was little time to cook, and we needed to throw something together quickly. My wife and I were heading to our niece’s preschool graduation. I don’t remember having one of these when we were kids; is this a new fad or are these something that have been happening for awhile? I don’t have anything against these, mind you; I just don’t see the point. Of course the kids looked cute and responded with funny comments when asked what they wanted to be when they grow up. The answers ranged from, “a mommy” to one child saying, “a paleontologist.” I had to look up how to spell that, and a preschool graduate was using it in a sentence. Toward the end of the ceremony, which lasted and hour and half, the kids were stir crazy and practically needed to be duct taped to the seats they were so antsy to run around. I guess all in all this was for the parents’ benefit and not so much for the kids. I am still lost as to the point of the whole thing. . .

On with making the quick, eat-’n-run-out-the-door dinner. Before I got married, Ramen noodles were a staple dietary item in my cabinets. Loving to cook even back then, they were inexpensive and very versatile. I couldn’t just eat plain Ramen all the time; I had to add a little of this and a little of that. I found one cool secret that I still use to this day: Ramen noodles make the most fabulous stir-fry noodles ever. Break out a pan (in my case, a wok), and throw in some stir-fry meat, add a package of frozen vegetables, ramen noodles with the seasoning packet, and Wallah! Instant stir-fry!

Almost Instant Stir-Fry

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 Pound Stir-Fry Meat (thinly sliced steak, ground beef, or thinly sliced chicken breast)

1 Package Shrimp-Flavor Ramen Noodles

1 Bag Frozen Mixed Vegetables (I use a red potato and sugar snap pea mixture)

Directions

1. In wok or sauce pan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and turn to medium high heat.
2. Add meat and stir-fry until meat is almost cooked through (about 5 minutes).
3. Add vegetables, Ramen noodles, and spice pack to meat and stir-fry for approximately 5 minutes.
4. Serve in a bowl with chopsticks and enjoy.

Summer is here! Now is the time to start breaking out those fantastic
light dishes that you have been craving since fall. The night before
last, we decided to dip into our personal stash of recipe cards and
see if we could find a golden gem we had forgotten about. We did, and
it’s a simple recipe that even the amateur cook could make easily. You
should see our recipe stash. It’s full of torn-out magazine articles,
printed recipes, and cookbook pages that through the years of
hand-me-down cookbooks with tattered bindings. We really should hire a
librarian to help better organize these recipes, but I think sometimes
half the fun is finding something you had forgotten you had. It’s like
finding a $5 bill in the pocket of those old jeans hanging at the back
of the closet.

We are also known for just logging into some of our favorite online
food sites and picking a random recipe and going for it. What a great
way to get some fantastic recipes and try something new. It’s always
nice to have that recipe around that doesn’t take a lot of work and
combines some of our favorite flavors. Lets dig in.

Paprika Shrimp with Mango and Avocado Salsa
Serves 4

Serve over a bed of Orzo Pasta

Ingredients
2 Avocados
1 Mango
1/2 Lime or 1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
3 Green Onions
Olive Oil
1/4 Teaspoon Sugar
1 Pound Large Shrimp
2 Teaspoon Paprika
1 teaspoon Louisiana Hot Sauce
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Cumin

Directions
1. Place oven rack 4 inches from the broiler and heat on high.
2. Cook orzo to the directions on the box (1/2 box will serve 4)
3. Dice the mango.
4. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, the avocado,
diced green onions, and lime juice to the mango and combine.

5. In a medium bowl combine the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil, 1teaspoon salt, paparika, cumin, and hot sauce and stir well.

6. Add shrimp to hot sauce mixture and toss to coat.

7. Arrange shrimp on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil until shrimp are cooked through, about 4 minutes.

8. Serve with Mango Avacado Salsa