Penne with Sugar Snap Peas

This dish had potential. The snap peas have a really nice, slightly sweet, but refreshing flavor. I think we might have ruined it by using whole wheat pasta… yes, I know it’s healthy, but it’s just too meaty for me. Regular pasta has a much thinner texture. We’ll definitely try this one again, especially since snap peas are in season right now, but no more whole wheat pasta.

Also, we doubled the garlic (no surprise there – we do that alot), and planned on adding some grape tomatoes, which would have been a good addition, but we forgot. Oops.

Penne with Sugar Snap Peas

Makes 4 servings. Recipe from Epicurious.

INGREDIENTS
1 lb sugar snap peas, trimmed and strings discarded
1 lb penne
1 medium garlic clove, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/2 cup) plus additional for serving

DIRECTIONS
Cook sugar snaps in an 8-quart pot of boiling salted water 2 minutes, then transfer 1 cup sugar snaps to a colander and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Transfer cooled sugar snaps to a cutting board. Cook sugar snaps remaining in pot until tender, about 2 1/2 minutes more, then transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Measure out and save 1 cup cooking water, reserving remaining water in pot.

Return cooking water in pot to a boil and cook pasta until al dente, then drain in colander. While pasta is cooking, cut 1 cup sugar snaps (on cutting board) crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Purée half of sugar snaps from bowl, half of garlic paste, 2 tablespoons oil, 1/4 cup cheese, and 1/4 cup saved cooking water in a blender (use caution when blending hot liquids), then force purée with a rubber spatula through a medium-mesh sieve into a large bowl. Purée another batch in same manner, forcing through sieve into bowl, and add cut sugar snaps.

Toss hot pasta with sugar snap sauce and, if necessary, enough of remaining 1/2 cup saved cooking water to thin sauce to desired consistency, then season pasta with salt and pepper.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Buttercream

Whoops, another sugar craving. I needed to bake something. But what? Flipping through some of my old recipes usually helps. I came across a recipe for my mom’s Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake, something that sounded scrumptious but honestly I could never remember actually eating, let alone baking. Since cake takes far too much effort, a quick conversion to cupcakes sounded like a good idea.

These were the first cupcakes I’ve baked with eggs & butter since the whole love of cupcakes began. And honestly, they were too dense for me. I like my cupcakes light and airy – the kind of cupcakes that you eat one and wonder where it went. These, you definitely know where it went. That doesn’t mean they weren’t delicious – the taste made me feel like I was eating a cookie and a cupcake and a cake all at the same time. If I made them again though, I might try modifying one of my vegan cupcake recipes to mimic the same flavors, but without the density. That and I’d use mini chocolate chips. The big ones might be fine for a full cake, but they tend to take over the cupcake.

I topped these with a brown sugar variation on Swiss Meringue buttercream, and it was delicious. The rich flavors of the brown sugar pair perfectly with the toasty notes of the oatmeal and cinnamon. It’s more rustic with the brown sugar, and couldn’t have been more perfect.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Buttercream

Makes 12 cupcakes.

INGREDIENTS
7/8 cup boiling water
1/2 cup quick oatmeal
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg (slightly beaten)
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 cup chocolate chips (mini would work best)

Frosting:
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into tablespoons

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350?F. Line muffin tin with cupcake papers.

Pour boiling water over oatmeal. Let stand for 10 minutes until absorbed. Add margarine and stir until melted. Add brown sugar, white sugar, and eggs. Mix well.

Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and cocoa powder. Add to sugar mixture and mix well. Stir in most of chocolate chips, saving approximately 1/4 cup.

Distribute 1/4 cup batter into each muffin cup. Sprinkle a few remaining chocolate chips on top. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool 2 minutes, then remove from pan and allow to cool completely on rack.

For frosting, in a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a pan of simmering water, whisk together egg whites, sugar, and salt. Cook, whisking constantly, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch. Transfer to the clean bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium speed until fluffy and cooled, about 15 minutes. Raise speed to high; beat until stiff peaks form. Reduce speed to medium-low; add butter, 2 to 3 tablespoons at a time, until fully incorporated. Spread or pipe onto cooled cupcakes.