Marty, Author at What the Forks for Dinner?

Pea Salad

Pea Salad …..you either love it or hate it! Me I’m a lover!!

Two recipes stand out in my mind…..one was my Mom’s. All of us have those recipes that Mom or Grandma made that we never learned, and that there wasn’t a recipe for.

My Mom’s Pea Salad was one of those. You always think you will ask, watch, have them teach you, and you never do. So, from experience if there is a family recipe you want to learn do it…..no time like the present.

My other Pea Salad love was from the Ponderosa Steakhouse. Now, I didn’t know this but Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses were started by Dan Blocker who was Hoss Cartwright on a TV show from the 60’s called Bonanza. The things you don’t find out writing a food blog…….huh!

Any whoo……if you don’t know how the Ponderosa works, it’s kinda like a buffet with steaks, you order your steak and they bring it to you, and while you wait you can go to the salad bar or their other food bars, they have soup, and dessert.

On the salad bar was their Pea Salad……lets just say I could eat it by the shovel full! There is no longer a Ponderosa in our area but the memory remains…..sigh!

Which bring me to how I cam to make this particular Pea Salad. The Ponderosa version had peas, bacon, and cheese ( I think….a little fuzzy on the cheese). Cruising Facebook there was a link to Martha Stewart and this Pea Salad recipe.

I followed the link and low and behold, it sounded like it could be a match for my beloved Pea Salad.

I really try to be original with my recipes, but I did this one as written……perfection!!!

Leave it to Martha Stewart to find the key to perfect Pea Salad…..use the peas frozen….I know right!

I always thawed my peas and after a day it was ……..I know this doesn’t sound appetizing, but kinda watery. By some magic of Martha, that does not happen when you start with frozen peas.

The recipe is pretty simple and comes together in a flash. I made it and took it to a Memorial day cook out and it was a hit. It was as close to the Ponderosa Pea Salad as I have every had.

Looking for a perfect Pea Salad look no further…….and thank Martha!

Pea Salad

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Author: Martha Stewart

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Ingredients

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1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound frozen peas (do not thaw)
1/2 small red onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
4 ounces bacon (about 4 slices), chopped
2 ounces aged white cheddar, shaved or coarsely grated

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Instructions

Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, and vinegar in a large bowl; season generously with salt and pepper. Fold in peas, onion, and parsley. Refrigerate at least 4 hours.
Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until browned and fat is rendered, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain and crisp.
Let salad stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. Gently fold in cheddar and bacon just before serving.

Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

Looking for a quick and easy meal? Roasted Red Pepper Pasta to the rescue!

Sometimes you get home from work and the last things you want to do is make dinner! You know I’m right……

This pasta is super duper easy, and will have you from stove to plate in a flash.

Roasted red peppers in a jar are a God send in the kitchen. No work ……all the flavor. Roasting red peppers is great when you have the time but when you don’t…..grab a jar.

Drain and chopped, the red peppers are added to walnuts, basil, a smige of sugar, and garlic. I also added a pinch of red pepper flakes for a touch of heat. Blend in a food processor, or blender. Leave it a bit chunky…..pesto like.

Angel hair pasta is one of my favorites. It cooks in just a few minutes, so when you want something easy it a good to go pasta!

Drain the pasta and give it a quick rinse, then toss with the red pepper sauce.

Garnish with the reserved red peppers and basil. Dinner is ready!!

Serve Roasted Red Pepper Pasta with some crusty bread and a salad and you have a quick easy dinner thats on the table in a flash.

Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

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Author: Marty Boyd
Yield: 6

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Ingredients

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1- 16 ounce jar roasted red peppers
3 tablespoon walnuts
1 tablespoon sugar
1 clove, smashed
1/4 cup basil leaves, plus more for garnish
1/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Pinch of red pepper flakes – optional
1 pound angel hair pasta
1/2 cup shaved parmesan cheese

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Instructions

Drain and chop the peppers, reserving 1/2 cup for garnish.
In a small skillet, toast the walnuts over moderate heat until golden, and let cool.
Transfer the peppers and walnuts to a blender. Add the garlic and basil leaves, blending until coarsely chopped. Add the olive oil and puree to a chunky pesto. Season with salt and pepper and red pepper flakes if using.
Cook pasta until al dente. Drain and cool slightly under running water. Transfer the pasta to a bowl and toss with the red pepper pesto. Season the pasta with salt and pepper. Top with the chopped basil, reserved red peppers and parmesan cheese. Serve at room temperature.

Vanilla Rum Bundt Cake

Memorial day is right around the corner……OMG…… what to take along?…. Vanilla Rum Bundt Cake!

I think bundt cakes are the bomb! I have made numerous bundt cakes for What the Forks For Dinner? Look around the site and try them all……

What makes them so great?? Well…..they are easy to make, easy to bake, they either need no frosting, or are good to go with a quick glaze.

With Memorial Day comes the start of summer. And the start of summer is the start of cookouts, potluck, and picnics. No matter the occasion, everyone wants dessert…..be the dessert Queen……..or King and bring a bundt cake.

Vanilla Rum Bundt cake is perfect to take to your Memorial Day party, picnic, cookout……

Moist cake studded with flecks of vanilla bean, and flavored with rum. I used white rum but you could try a flavored rum for that extra kick.

There’s a pretty steep price difference between vanilla extract and a whole vanilla bean — pod and all. In many cases where vanilla is called for, opting for the less expensive of the two is a wise choice. Vanilla beans would be wasted say in a batch of chocolate chip cookies, but in homemade ice cream, real vanilla beans make a world of difference.

But, here are times that the pretty black specs and flavor of vanilla beans are worth the splurge…….like Vanilla Rum Bundt Cake.

Vanilla beans also makes for a pretty Buttered Rum Glaze. Rich creamy butter, flavored with rum and those little specs of vanilla bean are melted together and then cooled. Add some powdered sugar and you have a glaze thats not only pretty, but super yummy!

For your next summer event, take along Vanilla Rum Bundt Cake and be speck-tacular!!

Vanilla Rum Bundt Cake

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Author: Marty Boyd
Yield: 12

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Ingredients

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Cake
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup light rum
1 vanilla beans, split lengthwise
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
Glaze
5 tbsp butter
1/3 cup rum
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scrapped out
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Grease and lightly flour a 10-inch fluted tube pan; set aside.
In a small bowl whisk together flour and baking powder.
In another small bowl combine milk and rum.
Using the tip of a sharp knife, scrape out seeds from vanilla bean. Stir vanilla seeds into milk mixture; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl of an electric mixer or stand mixer on medium to high speed beat butter for 30 seconds.
Gradually add granulated sugar and brown sugar, and beat for about 10 minutes , until light and fluffy.
Add eggs and egg yolk; beat for 1 minute.
Alternately add flour mixture and milk mixture to butter mixture, on low speed just until combined.
Pour batter into the prepared pan, and spread evenly.
Bake 45 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan for about 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan; cool completely on wire rack. Frost with Buttered Rum Glaze
To Make Glaze
In a small saucepan, heat the butter until melted. Add the rum, vanilla, and scrapping from vanilla bean. Cook over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes.
Remove the buttered rum from the heat and allow to cool for 15-20 minutes. Once cooled, whisk in the powdered sugar until smooth.