No dry, bland scones here: these cream scones are tender and fluffy and ultra flavorful! This particular version has dark chocolate chunks and freeze-dried raspberries mixed in, but the base recipe is ultra flexible to accommodate whatever flavors you happen to be craving! Compared to their butter-based counterparts, cream scones are a cinch to whip […]
No dry, bland scones here: these cream scones are tender and fluffy and ultra flavorful! This particular version has dark chocolate chunks and freeze-dried raspberries mixed in, but the base recipe is ultra flexible to accommodate whatever flavors you happen to be craving!
Compared to their butter-based counterparts, cream scones are a cinch to whip up with little more than flour, sugar, cream and a fork—no finicky cold butter, pastry blenders or stand mixers needed!
Trust me when I say these are not the dry, crumbly things you probably think of when you hear the word “scone”. Instead, these cream scones are tender and fluffy and chock-full of punchy freeze-dried raspberries and rich, dark chocolate.
I’d argue that cream scones are an entirely different beast, made with heavy cream rather than butter and/or buttermilk.
The high-hydration dough results in a super light and fluffy scone that’s worlds away from the dry, chalky pucks that often pass for scones (it’s sad, really). Trust me, you’ll be shocked at how not-dry these are. They’re almost more muffin-like than anything.
This sun dried tomato pasta is creamy, cozy, and a crowd-pleasing dinner idea! This recipe is simple to make with maximum wow-factor.
You know those recipes where people rave and only you know the secret that it’s actually easy to make? That’s the case with this Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Pasta! There’s major wow-factor but this pasta comes together in under 30 minutes. Earthy, fruity sundried tomatoes lend a meaty quality to this vegetarian pasta, which is bathed in a Parmesan cream sauce. We couldn’t stop raving about each bite!
Ingredients in sun dried tomato pasta
This sun dried tomato pasta comes together in about 30 minutes, with only one ingredient to chop. That’s right, all you need to do is mince garlic! Otherwise, it’s a matter of simmering up a simple sundried tomato cream sauce and boiling a pot of pasta. Here’s what you’ll need:
This sundried tomato pasta recipe works with any type of pasta noodle, but we like it best with short cut pasta. Short cut pasta makes it easy to get perfect distribution of sundried tomatoes, spinach, and bites of chewy pasta. However, you’re welcome to make it with long noodles too! Here are a few varieties we’d recommend:
The most important part of this sun dried tomato pasta recipe? Cook your pasta to al dente. Al dente means “to the bite” in Italian, and signifies to cook until it’s tender with a small white speck inside when you bite into a piece. There’s nothing worse than soft, rubbery pasta. Here are a few tips for the perfect al dente pasta:
Boil the pasta a few minutes less than indicated on the package instructions. Often package instructions make for overcooked pasta.
Start taste testing early. Start taste testing and stop cooking when the pasta is just tender but you can still see a small white speck inside.
Tips for making sun dried tomato pasta
Besides cooking your pasta to al dente, here are a few things to note about this sundried tomato pasta:
If the pasta finishes before the sauce, drain and stir with a drizzle of olive oil. This prevents the pasta from sticking to the pan.
You’ll add flour as a thickener after simmering the sauce. A standard cheese or cream sauce starts with a roux, a mixture of flour and butter that thickens cheese sauces. This sauce is a little different: it does contain flour as a thickener, but you’ll add it at the end of simmering.
For a gluten-free version, use cornstarch and GF pasta. There are lots of great brands of gluten-free pasta these days, made from gluten-free flour or legumes like chickpeas.
Protein adders
This sundried tomato pasta is a delicious vegetarian pasta that’s filling and satisfying! However, if you want to add protein it’s very easy to add the following:
Sundried tomato pasta tastes the best the day it is made. But unlike many pasta recipes, this one tastes great as leftovers! Store leftovers for up to 3 days refrigerated. You can reheat them in a skillet on the stove, adding a splash of milk to keep the sauce creamy. Or you can simply eat it cold (it’s still good!).
Start a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and boil until al dente (check a few minutes before the package instructions indicate). When cooked, drain the pasta. If it finishes before the sauce, toss with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking.
Meanwhile, heat a large saute pan or saucepan over medium low heat. Melt the butter, then add the garlic and thyme and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute until the garlic is lightly browned and fragrant. Add the milk, heavy cream and Parmesan cheese and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the cheese has melted and it thickens slightly. Add the sun dried tomatoes, spinach, and salt and cook 2 to 3 minutes more, until the spinach is wilted.
In a small bowl, mix the flour with 2 tablespoons water. Pour it into the pan with the sauce, then stir until it thickens. Cook 2 minutes more.
Add the drained pasta and stir to combine. Stir in a few grinds of fresh ground black pepper if desired. Serve immediately. Leftovers last refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Category:Main dish
Method:Stovetop
Cuisine:Vegetarian
Diet:Vegetarian
Keywords: Sun dried tomato pasta, sundried tomato pasta, creamy sun dried tomato pasta
This tomato bisque recipe is tangy and creamy! This classic soup makes a tasty lunch paired with bread or grilled cheese.
Here’s a cozy, creamy soup that works in nearly any season: try Tomato Bisque! This vibrant puree melds bright tomatoes, garlic and aromatic vegetables with a touch of creamy for a rich, silky body. It’s pure and simple, perfect with a hunk of crusty artisan bread or a grilled cheese sandwich. Here’s how to make a simple tomato bisque!
Ingredients in tomato bisque
A bisque is a creamy pureed soup that’s French in origin. A traditional bisque uses ground seafood shells as a thickener, like ground lobster or shrimp shells, and heavy cream to add richness. There are also vegetable-based bisques that are blended and thickened with cream, like butternut squash, red pepper or tomato.
While it sounds fancy, a tomato bisque is simple to make: it’s essentially a French-style creamy tomato soup. Here are the ingredients you’ll need:
Butter or olive oil
Yellow onion
Carrot
Celery
Garlic
White wine vinegar (or white wine)
Fire roasted diced tomatoes (or San Marzano or best quality tomatoes)
Vegetable or chicken broth
Sugar and salt
Heavy cream
Use fire roasted or best quality tomatoes
The key to this tomato bisque recipe? The quality of the tomatoes. Low quality canned tomatoes have a bitter, flat flavor that can’t be compensated with extra seasoning. If you can find fire roasted tomatoes, they have a pure, developed flavor with less simmering time. Here are a few notes on finding best quality tomatoes:
Fire roasted tomatoes are a type of canned tomato that’s cooked over an open flame before canning. It makes the flavor beautifully sweet out of the can, instead of acidic like many canned tomato varieties.
Where to get them? This type of tomatoes are becoming pretty easy to find in grocery stores in the US; they’re sold by several brands (Muir Glen is a favorite of ours). Look in the canned tomatoes section.
What if you can’t find them? Substitute the best quality canned tomatoes you can find and increase the simmer time by 10 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar if the flavor still seems bitter.
Tips for tomato bisque
This tomato bisque recipe is simple to make: you’ll sauté the vegetables, add tomatoes and broth and simmer, then puree the soup and add cream. Here are a few pointers:
Sauté the vegetables until tender. It’s important to make sure the vegetables are tender before adding the tomatoes so they’re not crunchy in the final soup.
A standard blender works best (vs a stick blender). We used to love the convenience of an immersion blender (aka stick blender), but it doesn’t get the soup nearly as creamy of a texture.
Don’t skimp on the cream. The cream brings a rich, thicker texture and a luxurious mouthfeel. It’s absolutely essential!
Ways to serve it
Pureed soups like tomato bisque are delicious: but they’re not a meal in themselves! You’ll need to add some protein to make a filling meal. Here are a few ideas:
In a medium pot, heat the butter or olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and sauté for about 6 to 8 minutes, until the onions are tender and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the white wine vinegar and cook until evaporated.
Add the tomatoes, vegetable broth and salt and bring to a steady simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes. Carefully transfer to a blender using a ladle, then blend until creamy (or an immersion blender). Stir in the cream.
Serve immediately, garnished with a drizzle of olive oil or cream and chopped or thinly sliced basil. Leftovers store refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for 3 months.
Notes
*If you can’t find fire roasted tomatoes, use the best quality tomatoes you can find (San Marzanos are also a flavorful variety). Simmer for an additional 10 minutes, then taste and add a teaspoon or so of sugar if the flavor tastes bitter.
**If you have it on hand, substitute ¼ cup white wine and cook until all of the wine evaporates.
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