Linguini with Roasted Peppers, Kalamata Olives and PIne Nuts

INGREDIENTS:

4 Red and Yellow Peppers
2-3 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (cut in chunks)
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
three finger pinch of Sea Salt and course pepper
1/2 tsp Red Pepper flakes
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
Handful of fresh basil
1/2 cup kalamata olives pitted
1/4 cup pine nuts
12 ounces of linguini or other pasta

Directions:

Preheat boiler. Place peppers on a foil lined baking sheet  and broil turning to blacken and char all sides. Place peppers in a bag to steam for at least 10 minutes.

Remove skin from peppers. Slice off tops and remove seeds. set aside until ready to make sauce.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Place cheese into a food processor and grind. Place the peppers, garlic, seasoning, pepper flakes, olive oil and olives in the processor and pulse until slightly chunky. Place in a large serving bowl that will hold your cooked pasta.

Boil pasta until al dente and remove pasta with tongs to the serving bowl.  Add about 1/8 cup of the hot pasta water to the sauce and pasta and toss well. Add a bit more of the pasta water to the pasta if it seems dry.

Toss with the pine nuts and serve with additional cheese.

Note: I used grated cheese so I included with the other ingredients in the processor and did not process separately. Also this is a recipe that can be modified based on ingredients on hand. You could add pancetta or bacon for a little more flavor.

Adapted from the food blog "The Italian Dish"

Mexican Rice

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 medium white onion diced
• 1 1/2 cups rice
• 3 cloves finely chopped garlic
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup plain tomato sauce (I used El Pato Salsa De Chili tomato sauce)
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 4 tablespoons chopped parsley (optional)

Directions:
In a medium sauce pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add the oinion. Saute for 1-2 minutes until softenend. Add dry rice and cook with the onions for about 5 minutes or until rice become a golden brown color. Add the garlic to the rice and saute for one more minute.

Add in the broth and tomato sauce and cumin and parsley if using. Bring to a boil then cover the rice and reduce the heat to low and allow to cook for 20 minutes.

Cinnamon Jumbles

Ingredients:
1/4 cup crisco
1/4 cup butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup butter milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cinnamon sugar ( 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon)
raisins


Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Using a mixer, cream the Crisco, butter and sugar. Add the egg and mix on low for about 60 seconds. Measure the 3/4 cup of buttermilk and add vanilla to the buttermilk then set aside. Measure the 2 cups of flour into a bowl and then add the baking soda and salt. Mix gently then sift through a flour sifter or a strainer to remove any lumps.

To make the batter add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and mix until incorporated, then add 1/3 of the buttermilk/vanilla and mix just until incorporated. Repeat until dry and wet ingredients are incorporated.

Remove the mixing blade from the batter and place the bowl with the batter in a refrigerator for about 20 minutes. When the batter is cold place rounded teaspoons of batter about 2 inches apart on lightly greased baking sheet.

Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and add a raisin prior to baking.

Bake for 8-10 minutes at 400 degrees.

For cookies at 5,280 feet, you can fine-tune the recipe a bit more to help prevent excessive spreading and dryness while keeping them soft.

High-Altitude Cookie Version (Denver / 5,280 ft)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup Crisco
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 7/8 cup sugar (2 tbsp less than original)
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup + 1 tbsp buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• Scant 1/2 tsp baking soda (just under 1/2 tsp)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Raisins
• Cinnamon sugar:
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 390°F.
2. Cream Crisco, butter, and sugar until light.
3. Beat in egg, buttermilk, and vanilla.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt.
5. Gradually mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients.
6. Stir in raisins.
7. Drop dough onto ungreased or parchment-lined baking sheets.
8. Sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar.
9. Bake about 9–11 minutes, depending on cookie size.

What to Watch For

• If cookies still spread too much:
• chill dough 20–30 minutes before baking
• add another tablespoon of flour
• If they seem dry:
• shorten bake time slightly
• or add another teaspoon of buttermilk next batch

These adjustments usually produce softer, thicker cookies at Denver altitude rather than thin, overly crisp ones.