Recipe | Creamy Mushroom Pasta

Family Features - Memories made and recipes shared are the trademarks of a successful holiday gathering, and this year, you can host your way to a practically perfect party with delicious dishes that resonate with the flavors of the season.

If you and your family enjoy mushrooms dishes or you are looking for a cozy meatless meal to impress holiday guests, then this recipe is for you.

This could be a family-favorite in your house. Start your meal with a main course that looks and smells as good as it tastes. Creamy Mushroom Pasta Nests deliver that festive flavor with a robust blend of breadcrumbs, earthy mushrooms and a homemade sauce crafted with Violife Just Like Cream Cheese. Developed to capture the taste of dairy cream cheese, it’s designed to be enjoyed by everyone at the table this holiday season as a non-GMO solution free from dairy, soy, nuts, gluten, preservatives and lactose.

Serve with a fresh tossed salad and warm bread for a memorable meal.

Visit ViolifeFoods.com to find more holiday-worthy recipes.

Creamy Mushroom Pasta Nests

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4

Marinade:

• 2          tablespoons olive oil
• 3 1/2    ounces hoisin sauce
• 2          tablespoons sesame oil
• 1          tablespoon garlic chili paste
• 2          tablespoons black and white sesame seeds
• 1          teaspoon harissa paste

Breadcrumbs:

• 1          tablespoon Violife Plant Butter
• 1/2       cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1          tablespoon fresh rosemary
• 1          teaspoon dried garlic

Pasta:

• 17 1/2 ounces mushrooms, roughly sliced
• 2          tablespoons olive oil
• 10 1/2 ounces fresh spinach
• 1          package Violife Just Like Cream Cheese Original
• 17 1/2 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
• 1          teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 1/2    ounces Violife Just Like Parmesan Wedge, grated

1. To make marinade: Whisk olive oil, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, garlic chili paste, sesame seeds and harissa paste. Set aside.
2. To make breadcrumbs: In frying pan, heat plant butter. Add breadcrumbs, rosemary and garlic; saute 3-5 minutes until golden. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. To make pasta: Saute mushrooms in olive oil 5-7 minutes until golden. Add spinach, 2-3 minutes, and pour over marinade. Add cream cheese and whisk until creamy.
4. Boil pasta according to package instructions. Sieve and reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, adding to pasta sauce. Whisk constantly until combined.
5. Using tongs, make small nests in pasta, place on plates and pour creamy mushroom sauce on top.
6. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs, red pepper flakes and grated Parmesan.

New smoke detector law goes into effect on January 1 in Illinois

Residential fires were responsible for 97 deaths in Illinois last year. In nearly 70% cases, the loss of life happened in homes without a working smoke alarms.

Photo illustration: Николай Егошин/Pixabay

SPRINGFIELD -- In two weeks, Illinois' updated Smoke Alarm Law goes into effect across the state. The new provisions, which applies to homes built before 1988, require any smoke alarm being installed within a single or multi-family home be replaced with models that have a sealed, non-removable 10-year battery.

"With a long-term 10-year battery smoke alarm, there is no need for battery replacement, saving the average homeowner between $40-$60 in battery costs over the life of each alarm," says Phil Zaleski, Executive Director for the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance. "At the end of the 10-year life cycle, the smoke alarm will automatically alert the homeowner to replace the alarm."

He added that, "While many people deactivate their older model smoke alarms or remove the batteries while cooking, the 10-year model is not a cooking nuisance and has a 15-minute silencer button.

Zaleski said in a release that required model is "very affordable with the current retail price being about $15 and as low as $10 if you buy them in bulk."

A quick on search on Amazon today shows 10-year, tamper-proof models retailing as low as $13 each. Order a six-pack, and the price drops to $8.33 each.

Passed in 2017, Public Act 100-0200 required all Illinois homes to have a smoke alarm with the extended-life battery by the first of next month. The bill states that "Every dwelling unit or hotel shall be equipped with at least one approved smoke detector in an operating condition within 15 feet of every room used for sleeping purposes. The detector shall be installed on the ceiling and at least 6 inches from any wall, or on a wall located between 4 and 6 inches from the ceiling."

To avoid ‘false alarms’ from the new detectors, they should not be placed within 15 feet of a stove or within 3 feet of bathrooms because of the humidity to avoid tripping the alarm.

Alarms already installed in dwellings are exempt if the manufactured date is less than 10-years old on date of inspection, does not fail testing, and is in proper operating condition. Residents or landlords replacing smoke detectors that are not hardwired in the home must do so with the new 10-year model. Homes with hardwired systems or systems connected to remote monitoring services are also exempt.

There were 97 residential fire deaths in Illinois in 2021, and nearly 70% of those deaths happened in homes without a working smoke alarm, according to Margaret Vaughn, Illinois Fire Safety Alliance and Illinois Fire Association government affairs director.

According to the bill, homeowners without an updated alarm will get a 90-day notice to install a sealed battery model. After that, they can be fined up to $100 every 30 days until the correct alarm(s) are installed. Also, homeowners and landlords should note the law makes it a Class B misdemeanor to not have a working smoke detector installed as required.