White beans add protein and creaminess to the bake, while the flavor profile is deepened with umami forward ingredients like marinara sauce, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and ample smoked mozzarella – definitely give you a cheese pull at serving! I top off the pasta with panko breadcrumbs which turn golden and toasty after the bake while offering a crispy textural contrast to the bite. Garnish with peppery arugula which lifts up the overall flavor profile with a bracing freshness.

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Cheesy White Bean Pasta Bake

Serves: 4-6
Prep time: 10- 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 -50 minutes
Total time: 60-65 minutes

Ingredients:

• Salt, such as Diamond Crystal

• 1 pound tube pasta, like rigatoni

• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 cans cannellini beans, drained

• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

• 1 (32-ounce) jar of marinara sauce, such as Rao’s

• 1 cup panko

• 1 pound smoked mozzarella, shredded, divided

• Wild or baby arugula, for serving

Method:
Step 1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Heat a large pot of salted water over high-heat. Cook pasta until al dente, about 2 minutes less than package instructions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water and let cool to warm.

Step 2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large heat-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and cook until tender, 3-4 minutes. Add beans, sun dried tomatoes, ½ teaspoon of salt and stir until the beans are coated in the onion mixture, 1 minute more. Stir in marinara, bring to a simmer then turn off the heat and allow the flavors to meld until the pasta is ready. Taste and season with more salt as needed.

Step 3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine 1 cup of panko, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 2 tablespoons of olive and stir until the crumbs are coated in oil. Add the pasta water to the marinara jar, cover and shake vigorously.

Step 4. Add the pasta, pasta water, and half of the shredded cheese to the skillet and stir until the sauce is coating all the pasta. Top the mixture with the remaining cheese, top the cheese with the breadcrumbs.

Step 5. Place the skillet in the oven and bake until the breadcrumbs are turning golden and the cheese has melted, about 10 minutes, rotating the skillet half way through. Remove from oven, top with arugula and serve.

I love the idea of an espresso martini but I don’t really have a taste for vodka. In my house, we love mezcal and tequila so we decided to revamp the concept of an espresso martini to suit our taste. We used my favorite See’s Candy treat as inspiration and created an espresso martini that mirrors the flavors of a chocolate covered cherry. We kept the espresso and Kahlua and swapped the vodka for mezcal. We added the essence of cherry with Luxardo liqueur and Disaronno which not only acts as the simple syrup, bringing in the sweetness, but also adds an almondy depth that accentuates the cherry flavor.

I think it’s a perfect cocktail option to serve at your New Years’ gathering, especially if you’re like me and have a hard time making it to midnight. Instructions are below but you can also find it on my website.

CHEERS! Hope you all have a safe and happy New Year!

Ingredients:

• Luxardo or maraschino cherry (optional) , for garnish

• 2 ounces mezcal

• 1 ounce espresso

• 1 ounce Luxardo

• 1/2 ounce coffee liqueur, such as Kahlúa

• 1/2 ounce Disarrono

• Ice

• 3 whole coffee beans (optional), for garnish

Method:

Step 1. Add 1 luxardo cherry, if using, to the bottom of martini glass.

Step 2. Fill a cocktail shaker with 2 ounces mezcal, 1 ounce espresso, 1 ounce Luxardo, 1/2 ounce Kahlúa, 1/2 ounce Disarrono, and ice.

Step 3. Place the lid on the shaker and shake vigorously, until the metal on the shaker feels cold to the touch, about 30 seconds.

Step 4. Strain the mixture into the glass and garnish with coffee beans, if using.

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“A traditional Filipino dish at parties and special occasions. This recipe makes enough to bring to a potluck and easily cuts in half if you’d like to serve it for dinner.”

Pancit Bihon on Food52

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“Very similar to the Indian dish rasam, sinigang requires simmering tamarind bulbs and/or tamarind concentrate in water then straining out the pulp. What’s left is a delicious tangy broth base used to build the stew.

When I was growing up, my family ate sinigang often at my dad’s house, but we never made it from tamarind paste — I thought the only way to make sinigang was from the pre-made seasoning packet you can buy in the Asian food market. Brands like Knorr or Mamasita are popular household names and they make it easy to have sinigang on a weeknight. After you cook the aromatics and the tomatoes, add the packet and the water, bring to a boil, cook all your vegetables and seafood in the broth, then serve with cooked rice.”

Sinigang on thekitchn

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While typically served for breakfast, this deeply savory chicken porridge is perfect for a cozy dinner as well.

Lugaw (Arroz Caldo)

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