Saturday, May 31, 2008 at 08:30 PM

Rachel Ray Saves the Day

I’m happy to report that Rachel Ray’s Tomato, Basil and Cheese Baked Pasta was a hit! Mal’s parents raved about how wonderful it tasted! Mal’s dad even said that he felt like he was on “vacation” because the night was so enjoyable! :) I’m so glad that they had a nice evening with us. 
The night began with a cocktail each. Mal, his step-mom, and I enjoyed a glass of Chardonnay, while Mal’s dad had a vodka martini with olives. While we drank our cocktails and chatted, Mal and I cooked dinner for his parents. Like all of Rachel Ray’s recipes, the meal was fast and easy to cook!
Here’s the Tomato, Basil and Cheese Baked Pasta hot out of the oven… mmmmmm, I love broiled cheese! 

Dinner with the future in-laws… 
The four of us split a bottle of cabernet sauvignon with dinner. I drank a good-sized glass… probably about 4 ounces. We also served French bread. I sopped-up my tomato-basil-cheese sauce with 2 small pieces. 
My portion of pasta was very filling! I typically want seconds of really delicious meals, but I was so full, I couldn’t even think about eating more pasta. 
My glass of wine…
Salad with dinner included lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, and green peppers. I served the salad with a homemade dressing. Our good friend, Jacky (hi, Jacky!) gave us a salad dressings cookbook as part of a shower gift, so, of course, tonight was the perfect occasion to test one out. I made a Classic Dijon Vinaigrette. It was delish!!!
Classic Dijon Vinaigrette
From Salad Dressings by Jessica Strand
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 medium garlic glove, minced
3 tsps Dijon mustard
Pinch of sugar
3 tsps fresh lemon juice
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp mined fresh thyme
3/4 cup virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a medium bowl, combine balsamic vinegar, garlic, mustard, and sugar. With a fork, stir into a paste. Add the lemon, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme. Whisk in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Classic Dijon Vinaigrette keeps refrigerated for 1 month.
After dinner, we enjoyed more conversation, and some French vanilla coffee and Newman’s Fig Newmans. 
What a nice evening! I’m off to read in bed. Good night, all! 

Posted by: Tina 7 comments

Posted in: recipe

7 Comments on “Rachel Ray Saves the Day”

  1. #1 magpie Reply to this comment
    on May 31st, 2008 at 10:17 pm

    Glad the meal turned out well!

    Thanks for the dressing recipe; I’m always looking for new ones :)

  2. #2 Kath Reply to this comment
    on Jun 1st, 2008 at 4:14 am

    What a lovely evening!!

  3. #3 hk Reply to this comment
    on Jun 1st, 2008 at 5:23 am

    so glad it was a fun night, looks great :)

  4. #4 romina Reply to this comment
    on Jun 1st, 2008 at 5:24 am

    It LOOKS like it was a hit!! Delish!!

  5. #5 Cassie Reply to this comment
    on Jun 1st, 2008 at 5:29 am

    What a great evening! And that meal looks fabulous- I love some f Rachel ray’s recipes. And I bet the leftover pasta will make a fabulous lunch! Sometime I prefer pasta the next day – is that weird?

  6. #6 VeggieGirl Reply to this comment
    on Jun 1st, 2008 at 7:44 am

    HOORAY!! Sooo glad that Rachael’s recipe was truly “yum-o,” and that you enjoyed your evening :0)

  7. #7 Maqui Pills Reply to this comment
    on Aug 21st, 2009 at 2:15 pm

    I just wanted to leave a quick comment to thank you for your post! I really like your blog site!!! Would you mind terribly if I put up a backlink from my site to your site? Keep up the great work!

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