Crispy Chicken Cutlets with Tomato Butternut Stew

I love tomatoes, and any kind of squash. The "hard" or winter squashes are my favorites, so I look for new ways to enjoy them. I found this on the Food Network, on Anne Burell's show. YUMMMMM!! The chicken, however, is my own, if you can claim something this simple.

Crispy Chicken Cutlets

4 chicken breast cutlets
1 cup plain panko
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp dried italian herbs
1 egg, beaten
olive oil for cooking

Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Dip chicken in egg and dredge in the panko/cheese/herb mix. Saute until golden brown on either side, about 4 minutes each side.

Tomato Butternut Stew

1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and small dice

1 large can crushed tomatoes

1/2 yellow onion small dice

3/4 cup water

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 cup Israeli couscous (pearl couscous) prepared separately

Red pepper flakes

salt and pepper

olive oil

In a large open pan, saute onion in oil for 3 minutes, add red pepper (to taste), salt, pepper and garlic. Saute for 3 more minutes until very fragrant. Add squash and water, stir and bring to a low boil. Cover for 6-9 minutes until squash is fork tender but not mushy. Add tomatoes, bring to a simmer. Add cooked couscous, bring back to a simmer and serve.

 

 

Tuscan Lemon Muffins

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon grated lemon rind

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 large egg, lightly beaten Cooking spray 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

 Preheat oven to 375°.

Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients (through salt); make a well in center. Combine ricotta and next 5 ingredients (through egg). Add ricotta mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.

 Place 12 muffin-cup liners in muffin cups; coat with cooking spray. Divide batter among muffin cups. Sprinkle turbinado sugar over batter. Bake at 375° for 16 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in pan on a wire rack.

Balsamic Steak with Fruit Salsa

This was so easy, and it makes following doctor's orders to actually eat some red meat every week (UGGG!!!!) fairly simple.

1 pound flank steak, trimmed of most visible fat
S&P
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar (I really like Newman's Own Organic, its pretty affordable and not heavy and syrupy)
1 1/3 cup chopped apples (I used Granny Smith, don't use the "delicious" varieties) 2 apples
1 cup chopped pear or 1 pear
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 tsp sugar (or less to taste)
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon (or more to taste)

Preheat broiler, trim meat. Score surface in a diamond pattern. Season with S&P and brush with balsamic. Broil 3-4 inches from the element (top rack) for around 14 minutes, flipping once and repeating the seasoning process. Let steak stand for 5 minutes before slicing to serve.

Chop apples and pears, throw in a bowl with 2 tbsp balsamic, sugar and cinnamon. Stir well, and refrigerate until serving.

Top sliced steak with 2 tbsp salsa, serve with a vegi of your choice (see below) and bread.

I serve this with my favorite side dish, sauteed garlic spinach. If this got easier, it would be falling off a log!

1 bag spinach, washed
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp sea salt

Heat oil in a large, lidded pan. Add garlic, cook for 1 minute. Add spinach and salt, stir to coat spinach. Top with lid and let steam for 2 minutes. Remove lid and stir until all spinach is wilted.

I admit it! One of my favorite things is French Onion Soup!!!!!

Seriously! I love cooked onions, I love soup, plus cheese? Seriously! This one, to me. is much less salty than ANYTHING I have ever gotten in a restaurant.

3 tbsp butter
3 Spanish onions, halved and sliced thin
1 white onion, halved and sliced thin
1 medium shallot, sliced thin
3 tbsp minced garlic
2 small tenderloin or sirloin fillets
salt and pepper
1 bay leaf
1 2 inch Parmesan rind
32 oz beef broth
32 oz beef stock
EVOO if needed
Italian bread
provolone cheese

Melt butter in a large soup pot. Coat fillets with pepper and a small amount of salt (I use coarse sea salt) brown on both sides, to VERY medium rare. Remove from pot.  Add onions, shallot, garlic and bay leaf. Stir frequently until soft. Add Parmesan rind and liquids. Bring to a full rolling boil. Reduce to a hard simmer and cook for at least 2 hours. To serve, ladle into oven safe mugs. Turn broiler on to low. Toast bread lightly under the broiler. Place toast over soup, top with sliced provolone, put under broiler until melted and bubbly. Serve with salad on the side, we had cornichons(another of my obsessions) and these crazy green olives my Dad HAD to have.

Creamed Spinach with baked Eggs and Bacon

I found the beginnings for this from my beloved Doctor, who told me last week "more iron, more protein". So when I saw this in Rachael Ray I said, YES. Of course I tweaked it a little!


Serves 3 (you could stretch and add 2 more eggs to serve 4)

6 slices bacon (I use thick cut Smithfield bacon)
6 eggs
2 bags fresh spinach
1/2 onion, diced fine
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 small block (3 oz?) cream cheese
1/2 cup heavy cream (I cheated and used fat free half and half)
salt and pepper
FRESH nutmeg, grated into spinach and on top of eggs
Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 400. Place bacon on broiler pan and cook until crisp, turning several times.

In a large skillet, heat bacon renderings or olive oil. Add onion and garlic, cook for 4 minutes. Add pepper (and salt if desired). Add spinach slowly to wilt, add half a bag at a time, turning with tongs frequently. When all the spinach is added and wilted, drain the pan carefully of most of the liquid. Add cream cheese and stir until melted, then ass cream and nutmeg. Cook for 4-6 minutes until thick and bubbly. With the back of a spoon, make 6 indentations in spinach, add eggs into holes. Sprinkle with Parmesan and nutmeg. Put skillet in oven for 10 minutes for runny eggs, 15 for firm. Scoop 2 eggs into a bowl with spinach and serve with bacon on the side. We used french bread to sop up the sauce. Hot sauce could be added to the spinach!

Cheesy Wild Rice, Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

This one is SO easy, yummy and nutritious.

1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 can cream of chicken soup (98% fat free)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp poultry seasoning
black pepper to taste
1 1/2 lbs cooked chicken breast, chopped
1 bag frozen broccoli pieces
1 cup diced onion
2 small boxes (3 servings each) quick cooking wild rice
8 oz shredded cheddar

Heat oven to 400
Prepare rice according to package directions. In a large bowl, blend first 6 ingredients well. Add chicken, broccoli, onion and rice. Mix well. Pour into large baking dish, top with shredded cheese. Bake for 25 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Lunch at Henry's. Thanks to The Hungry Lady

My parents and I along with one of our best friends had a fabulous time. As ALWAYS Henry's delivered super fast, super fresh and delicious food. My Mom and our friend Lynn each had the amazing BLT, I had half of a Bacon Burger with bleu cheese and my Dad played it "holy" with a grilled chicken sandwich (no cheese no bacon, why bother?). AS always, he stole half my fries. If you haven't eaten at Henry's, do yourself the favor, the food is wonderful, affordable and the service is terrific. I even have enough money on my gift certificate for another lunch, with my honey!  And oh, have the fries, and the bacon! LOTS of bacon.

Henry's is located on Devine Street, at the old Tiffanie's Bakery. They are open for lunch and dinner, have a full bar and a great outdoor eating area. They also have a pool tables and enough TV's for even my ADD.

Trust me, get the BACON!

Not so basic baked Spaghetti and Meatballs

My Dad LOVES Spag and Balls, as I always call it. The not so basic part of this is I do make my own tomato sauce/gravy/red sauce.  It really isn't hard at all, just takes a little time.

Sauce:

12 Roma tomatoes
3 cups vegi stock
5 cloves garlic, whole
1/2 cup fresh basil
1/4 cup fresh rosemary
Salt and pepper

Throw all ingredients in a large pot or crock pot. Cook on medium low until tomatoes begin to break up. Use an immersion blender to blend all ingredients to a smooth sauce.

Heat oven to 350.
Boil 1 box spaghetti rigati (the one with ridges) or regular

Heat 4 cups spaghetti sauce in a large pot.

take 3/4ths pound ground beef. Mix with 1 egg, 1/2 cup panko, 1 Tbsp minced garlic and 1 tsp dried Italian Herbs. Form into small, bite sized balls. Drop meatballs into hot tomato sauce. Add 1 cup ricotta cheese and stir to melt cheese.

Put cooked, very al dente spaghetti in a large baking dish. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Add sauce and meatballs. Stir to coat pasta. Top with more mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake until cheese is melted and bubbly.

GrandmaPolly's Vegi Soup

This is almost my  Grandmommy's recipe, I use beef broth rather than water. Either way its yummy! I usually make this when I'm feeling under the weather, like today.

1 lb ground beef (I use 93% fat free)
1 large can diced tomatoes, drained
1 medium white onion, diced
3 tbsp minced garlic
4 small Yukon Golds, diced small (actual dice size)
48 oz beef broth
1 large bag frozen mixed vegis
1 bag frozen soup mix vegis (usually has okra, limas, corn)
salt and pepper
olive oil

In a LARGE soup pot, heat oil. Add ground beef and break up. Let cook for about 5 minutes, add onion and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes. Add all vegis. Add beef broth, stir and cover. Let cook 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste (remember, potatoes really soak up the salt). Serve blazing hot with cornbread.

The easiest bread ever, unless you buy it!

This white bread recipe is the easiest I have ever found. You don't have to let the bread rise, preheat the oven or fuss with it. I used my stand mixer with the dough hook. You can do it by hand, just mix in a bowl then knead for 3-4 minutes.

2 packages yeast
1/4 cup honey
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
6 3/4 - 7 cups flour
1 egg, beaten

Place 2 1/4 cups warm (105-115 F) in a bowl, sprinkle yeast in and whisk.
Blend in honey, oil and salt.
Mix in flour, 1 cup at a time, until a soft dough forms. If using the mixer, dough will pull away from the bowl.
Knead for 3-4 minutes on a floured board, or in the mixer.
Divide dough between two greased pans. Brush beaten egg on top.

Place bread pans on a cookie sheet into a cold oven.. Set for 375. Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden brown and hollow sounding when knocked on. Remove bread from pans and place on a wire rack to cool.

Ropa Vieja, "Old Clothes"

Ropa Vieja is one of Cuba's national dishes. You could serve this on a big split roll as a sandwich, or over rice as I did. This takes less than 5 minutes to prepare for the slow cooker. Cook on low for 7-8 hours, then shred.

3 pound bottom round roast
2 cans tomato sauce
5 cloves garlic
3 tbsp minced garlic
1 large sweet onion, sliced
3 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp black pepper
1/2 bottle Guinness (my touch)

Trim ends of garlic, slice onion. Place in bottom of slow cooker with 1 can tomato sauce and seasonings. Place roast fat side down. Top with remaining sauce and Guinness. Cover and cook on high for 7-8 hours. Shred and serve.

Yellow rice

1 cup jasmine rice
2 cups water
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp turmeric

Follow directions for cooking rice, the kind I use says put everything in the pot, bring to a boil, stir and cover. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Uncover and cook for 5 minutes more until dry.

Crispy Chicken Cutlets with Carrot and Garbanzo Salad

I thought I had posted this, but an email from one of my favoite friends, Becca Franklin Joy (her married name describes her!) reminded me that I hadn't. Here goes!

Crispy chicken cutlets

4 chicken breast cutlets (if they aren't on sale then buy boneless, skinless and pound thin)
2 cups panko
1 egg
2 tbsp italian herbs
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese

Green "oil"
1 cup each basil, thyme, mint, parsley
Olive oil
3 cloves roasted garlic

Heat olive oil in a large skillet to medium high. Dry cutlets, dip in egg, coat with panko/herb/cheese mixture. Fry on both sides until done, about 3 minutes per side. Top with Green Oil

For topping, add all ingredients to a food processor ( a mini works best) blend until chunky.

Carrot Garbanzo Salad

Carrot Salad

 

3 cups matchstick carrots (I buy the bagged ones)
1 can drained garbanzo beans
2 tsp lemon zest
¼ cup mayo
½ cup vinegar (I use red wine vinegar)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp curry powder

 

Mix all in a bowl, chill until dinner is served. I will add raisins occasionally for sweetness.

 

 

My All Time Favorite Fall Dinner

With the coming of fall, nothing signals the change of seasons like this meal. Pork Tenderloin cooked in Sauerkraut, served with Mashed Potatoes and Boiled Beets.

1 large pork tenderloin
1 large bag sauerkraut (I used Boars Head)
1 tbsp caraway seeds
3 large russet potatoes
2 cans quartered beets


Heat oven to 350. Brown tenderloin on all sides in a skillet. Place in a large glass or corning wear baking dish (don't use metal, it will react with the sauerkraut)
Dump kraut all around pork, sprinkle with caraway seeds. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Peel and cut potatoes into 1 inch cubes. Place in a large pot of boiling water. Boil until fork tender. Drain and mash with butter, salt and pepper.

Drain beet juice into sauce pan. Bring to a low boil. Add beets and cook until hot.

Remove pork from pan, slice into large chunks. Serve with potatoes, kraut and beets. Applesauce is another great addition.

Inspired by my sweetheart, Bean with Bacon Soup

My boyfriend Doug told me he liked good old Campbell's Bean with Bacon Soup a lot. I said to myself, I can make it fresh and better, and I was right. I might tweek it next time and crisp up the bacon a little before adding it to the soup.

2 cups navy beans
water
6 slices uncooked bacon, diced
3 small carrots, minced
3 stalks celery, minced
1 onion, minced
1/2 teaspoon thyme
2 -4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (4 ounce) can tomato paste
1 dash ground red pepper
4 cups vegi broth
4 cups water with 2 packets Goya Ham Stock
1 tsp red wine vinegar
7 drops liquid smoke
pepper

Soak beans overnight and discard water.

Place all ingredients EXCEPT wine vinegar, liquid smoke and pepper in a large kettle.

Simmer until beans are tender, around 3 hours.

Puree 2 cups of soup and return to pot.

Add wine vinegar and liquid smoke.

Mix well.

Taste; add pepper to taste.

I didn't add salt, since there is bacon, vegi stock and ham flavor

 

truely old school: Borscht

I found this twist on traditional Borscht, and just love it. Omit the sour cream if you want to keep it kosher.

3 tbsp olive oil
2 lbs beef stew meat, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
4 bay leaves
2 quarts beef stock
2 large onions, diced
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 medium fresh beets, roasted, peeled and shredded
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 small can tomato paste
juice of 1 lemon
1 handful fresh dill, minced
1 handful fresh parsley, minced
salt and pepper to taste
Sour cream to serve

Heat oven to 425. Scrub and trim beets. Slit peels in several places. Wrap in tin foil. Roast for 45 minutes. Put in large plastic ziplock bag and seal. Allow to steam in the bag for one hour. Rub beets roughly with paper towels to peel. Shred with food processor or a box shredder. (Do this while the soup is cooking)

In a large pot, heat the oil on high for 30 seconds, add the beef and bay leaves and sautee  until browned. Pour in stock and reduce heat.

Add the onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Simmer on low for 2 hours. Do not let soup boil. Add the beets and cabbage and cook for another hour.

Spoon in tomato paste and sprinkle lemon juice in. Add a little hot water if soup is too thick. Stir in parsley and dill. Taste, season with salt and pepper. Serve in shallow bowls topped with sour cream with crusty bread.

Grilled flank steak and fab twice baked potatoes (with BACON)

I was thinking comfort food for the USC football game, steak and potatoes right? As always, I threw a few twists in :) The combo of regular baking potato and sweet potato is lucious, and throw bacon in? Oh yeah!!

Flank Steak

1 lb flank steak, trimmed and room temp
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp grill seasoning (I used McCormick Montreal Steak)
1 tsp Worcestershire pepper blend

Mix spices, use half on one side.

Heat grill or grill pan medium high. Place steak seasoned side down, rub remaining spices on exposed side. Grill 4 minutes on each side. Place in hot (425 degree) oven for 8-10 minutes until done.

Polly's Twice baked potatoes
makes 6 servings

2 large russet potatoes
1 large sweet potato
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar
1/2 cup crumbled bacon
2 tsp butter
pepper and salt to taste

Wash and pierce potatoes, wrap in foil, bake at 350 for 1 hour.
Cut potatoes in half, scoop out almost all potato with a spoon, leaving a "boat"
Mash potatoes, cheese, bacon and butter in a bowl until smooth, add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon back into potato skins and return to oven (already hot from steak) for 15 minutes until cheese is melted and everything is hot through.

Chicken with lemon and olives with amazing yellow rice

OK, I admit it, I am a fan of Dr. Oz. Yesterday he had Andrew Weil and Deepak Chopra on, aka the New Age Triumvirate. I did pick up a few things, including their idea for the perfect anti-dementia spice blend. Theirs was 1 part turmeric, 2 parts dried sage and 3 parts ginger. Well, I hate sage, so I dumped it for this rice. This cut the sodium in a boxed rice mix by so much its crazy! The chicken is an old, and east favorite. I served with zucchini.

Chicken with lemon and olives

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut in half, pounded to 1/4 inch thick
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp flour
1/2 white onion, diced fine
2 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 cup white wine (I used a pinot)
1 and 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 hands full green olives with pimentos
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1 1/2 lemon
4 lemon slices

Heat skillet over medium high, add oil. Dust pounded chicken with flour. Sautee on both sides until lightly browned. Place in warm oven.

Add onion and garlic to pan and cook for 2 minutes. Deglaze with wine, cook for 2 more minutes. Add broth and turn up to high heat until boiling hard. Add zest, juice and olives. Cook until reduced by half. Add back chicken and juices. Serve over rice, top with lemon slice and sauce.

Yellow Rice, my way

1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp turmeric
1 tbsp ground ginger

Rinse rice and add to broth and salt, add spices. Bring to a boil, reduce to low and cover. Cook for about 18 minutes until cooked through. This is good with almost anything!! I will be making chicken and rice soup with the leftover!

Nothing to do with food!

If you know me, you know music is one of the most important things in my life. My "big brother" Bobby's band Weaving the Fate is about to drop their national debut. They are amazingly talented, and I am blessed to have Bobby Dread in my fambly. If they come to your town, do yourself a favor and see them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCShIZRig7c

Old Fashioned YUMMY!

How many ways are there to make chicken? Probably as many as there are chicken and road jokes. I was intrigued by this one when I saw the Hellman's ad in Southern Living. I had to try it. And what goes best with sort of fried chicken? Mac n Cheese! I threw in some broccoli to make it all "healthy"

Oven Fried Cheesy Chicken

1/2 cup Hellman's (I used the reduced fat kind with Olive Oil)
1/4 cup Parmesan
1 1/2 cups italian Panko (or regular italian breadcrumbs)

Heat oven to 425
Mix mayo and cheese, dredge chicken in the mixture, then roll in bread crumbs. Place in baking dish (sprayed with Pam) Bake for about 20 minutes until chicken is cooked through.


Polly's Mac n Cheese

1/2 box elbow macaroni (or other small pasta)

3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
1/2 cup half and half
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup skim milk
2 tbsp dijon mustard
2 tsp minced garlic
1 cup shredded mozzarella
3 cups shredded SHARP cheddar
pepper

Oven to 425
Over medium heat on stove:
Melt butter, whisk in flour to make a roux, let cook for 2 minutes, whisk in mustard and garlic. Add cream and whisk to incorporate. Whisk in broth, let cook for 2 minutes. Add skim milk and whisk final time. Add the cheeses, 1 cup at a time stir constantly until smooth and blended. Add pepper and stir.

Add a small about to baking dish to cover bottom. Add cooked, drained pasta (I under cook by 1 minute) Carefully stir in remaining cheese until it is totally mixed. Bake at 425 for about 20 minutes until very bubbly and brown.

Mangia!!

Serious taste of fall

Roasted, Curried Butternut Squash Soup

This is a family favorite! If you want to make it totally vegan, use vegi stock and soy milk.

1 large butternut squash
1 small butternut squash
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp fresh curry powder

4 cups chicken broth
1 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 cup half and half (I always use organic, but that's just me)
low fat Greek yogurt

Heat oven to 400
Slice squash down the middle and seed. Clean and toast seeds if you want. Place squash in a baking dish, spread with olive oil and sprinkle curry all over. Roast for one hour uncovered and 30 minutes with foil on top. Let cool totally. I cover mine tightly with the foil and refrigerate overnight.

Carefully peel away outer peel and dice squash into 1 inch cubes
Place in soup pot with broth/stock to cover and garlic. Bring to a boil. Puree in the pot with an immersion blender, or transfer carefully to a food processor in batches. When all the lumps are blended out return to burner and heat to a low boil. Add remaining broth to make a thick soup. Add half and half and cook for 1 minutes. Ladle into shallow bowls and top with a dollop of Greek yogurt.

Chili and Potatoes, can you ask for more?

I get to this point in September, and I am ready for fall! Certain meals, like chili, scream fall to me. One reason I like chili is its easy and simple to make your own. This time, I used leftover homemade tomato soup, but try this one over a hot baked potato, topped with cheddar cheese.


2 pounds ground beef (I use 93/7)
1 large can diced tomatoes
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 cup tomato juice
1/2 large onion, diced
3 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin

Mix everything together in a crock pot and cook on high for 6 hours.

Ladle over hot baked potatoes and top with lots of sharp Cheddar cheese. 

Chicken Picatta, minus tons of fat and sodium

This is one of my classics, people ask for this! I love Chicken Picatta, I used to order it all the time, but it was always so This time I decided to add artichoke hearts, another favorite. Serves 4

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut in half
1 egg
1 tbsp dijon mustard
2 cups panko
1 cup grated Parmesan

2 cups reduced fat, low sodium chicken broth
1 cup dry white wine (or use more broth)
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 shallot, sliced very thin and chopped
8 baby artichoke hearts chopped
2 tbsp capers, drained
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp dijon
zest of one lemon
fresh ground pepper

Trim and halve the chicken, place under parchment and pound out until almost totally flat. Whisk egg and mustard, mix panko and cheese. I put each mixture in a pie pan to make things simple. Dredge chicken in egg than panko, place oil in large hot skillet, followed by chicken. Cook on each side for 3 minutes. Chicken will be ready to flip when it releases cleanly. When chicken is finished, remove from the pan and keep warm. (I pop into a 100 degree oven)

Deglaze pan with wine, cook for 2 minutes, add broth. Wisk in mustard. Add garlic and shallots. Cook until reduced by half, about 6 minutes. Add lemon juice, zest, capers and artichokes. Let cook for another 2-3 minutes. Spoon sauce over chicken breasts.

I served this with rice pilaf and zuchinni. Most of the time, I simply place it on a bed or orzo and spoon lots of sauce over it.

New Chicken Casserole (with lots of vegis)

On Thursday night, I didn't feel like cooking so takeout was the order of the day. I ended up with Chicken and Asparagus Lasagne, and it was heav and gloppy, tasting only of beschemel sauce. I decided I could do better! Don't worry about using the cream soups, this makes 8 servings, at least. I'm hoping even my non-vegi loving honey will like this!

1 can Cream of Asparagus soup
1 can Cream of Onion soup
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp poultry seasoning
3 tbsp dijon mustard
salt and pepper (lots of pepper)
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped fine
1/2 can artichoke hearts, sliced
3/4 lb asparagus chopped
1/2 box bow tie pasta ( I got the kind with added protein)
1 cup bread crumbs
1 cup extra sharp cheddar, finely grated

Preheat oven to 375. Boil water and cook pasta until very al dente( for bow tie this is about 9 minutes) Blend first 5 ingreds together in a large bowl with salt and pepper. Chopp chicken, celery, onion, artichoke and onion, dump into bowl. Stir well. Drain pasta well, add to bowl. Place in large casserole dish, cover with bread crumbs. Bake 20 minutes until bubbly. Top with cheese, bake 10 more minutes. Mangia!

Spaghetti and Meatballs, my way

I LOVE Spaghetti and Meatballs, and I figure if you are going to eat this dish, make it fab! Homemade sauce and meatballs with a surprise make a good dinner really special.

Tomato Sauce

10 large vine ripe tomatoes (I used good fresh John's Island Toms)
1 head garlic
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 large sweet onion
1 cup good red wine (or chicken stock)

Cut the top off the garlic, drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil and bake at 400 for 3o minutes, until fragrant

In a large soup pot, or crock pot, throw tomatoes (quartered), basil, onion (quartered), wine and garlic cloves popped out of their skins. Cook until tomatoes explode and start to break down, 1 hour. Puree with inversion blender or place in blender in small batches, 

Special stuffed meatballs

1 lb Ground beef (I use 93/7 fat mix)
2 tbsp pesto
2 tsp minced garlic
s&p
fresh mozzarella, cut into cubes the size of a small dice

Preheat oven to 400. Blend beef, pesto, garlic and seasoning together in a bowl. To make meatballs, take a portion of meat mixture (about the size of a ping pong ball) and flatten in your hand. Put the mozz in the center and fold the beef around the cheese. Place on broiler pan. Bake until meat is cooked, and cheese is starting to ooze, about 12 minutes.

Toss noodles of any kind with sauce, top with meatballs. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

ICE CREAM!!

I admit it, I love ice cream. My all time favorite is from back in Cincy, an amazing place called Graeter's. Their double chocolate chip flavor could inspire me to commit mayhem, chips bigger than a silver dollar. It is available at Krogers, and now Earth Fare, but at 5 bucks a pint its pricey (but WORTH IT!!) I decided to make my own ice cream, and even better sorbet. About 4 years ago my mom and I bought a Cuisinart Fro-Yo, Ice Cream and Sorbet maker. Pop the cylinder in the freezer over night, blend up our brew and freeze away. It takes about 30 minutes in the machine, then another hour in the freezer for solid consistancy. Mangia!!

Fruit Sorbets

The easiest things you can make in this gizmo.

1 quart berries of any kind
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
4 tbsp lemon or lime juice

Bring sugar and water to a low boil to dissolve sugar. Add corn syrup. Allow to cool.
Blend strawberries and juice until pureed. Pour through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth.
Combine strawberry puree and simple syrup. Chill for 1 hour. Pour into ice cream machine according to directions. Freeze for 30 minutes until soft serve in texture. Freeze for 1-2 hours until firm. 

That's the basic. I went on  to do many more types of sorbet, keeping to the basic proportions. Some winners were Lemon Basil*, Blackberry Mint, Watermelon Mint, Lemon Thyme* and Mango.
For the Lemon (or other juice based sorbets) the recipe is a little different.
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups lemon juice
1 tbsp lemon zest

Make the simple syrup, cool. Combine with citrus juice and herbs, add to ice cream maker.
Note for the herbs: You can choose to finely chop the herbs and leave them in the sorbet, or leave them whole and steep the flavors in the fridge for an hour then remove before freezing.

Now for the fun stuff!!

Orange Sherbet (this was a request)
Combine 3 cups whole milk with 1 can frozen OJ concentrate, thawed. Add 2 tbsp sugar. Blend until smooth. Freeze as usual.
Can be made with all flavors of frozen drink concentrates. Adjust sugar to taste.

Decadent Chocolate Ice Cream (and I do mean decadent)

1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/3 cups heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup cocoa
2 large eggs
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla
8 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine (I used Hershey's Special Dark bars)

In a saucepan combine milk and cream along with the vanilla bean. Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Remove vanilla bean.

Combine the sugar, cocoa, eggs and egg yolk in a bowl. Measure out 1 cup of hot milk and stir into bowl at a rapid pace. You may use a hand mixture for this process (known as tempering). Stir the chopped chocolate into the remaining milk and stir until totally melted. Stir in egg mixture and cook slowly, stirring constantly, until mixture resembles a pudding consistancy. Pour into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Make sure plastic is touching the surface of the mixture. Refrigerate until cold, then add to ice cream machine.

Vanilla can be made using this same recipe, just omit the cocoa and chopped chocolate. Another variation is to add chopped peppermint candies to the mix while it is in the ice cream maker. Add 1/2 tsp peppermint extract to the milk mixture.

mmmmm, SPICY faux Pho

As anyone who knows me well knows, I am not a fan of fish. At ALL! When I found this recipe, I decided to give it a shot. A veg? Replace the chicken broth and chicken with veg broth and firm tofu. If you don't like extra spicy, halve the red curry paste and Sriracha! Trust me, this is SPICY!

3 cups fat free, low sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2  cups shredded chicken breast (I got a rotisserie one from the grocery)
1/2 cup grated carrot (I got pre-cut carrots)
1/2 cup thinly slice snow peas
2 tsp Sriracha (hot Vietnamese Chili Sauce)
2 tsp low sodium soy sauce
2 inch piece of ginger, peeled

3 oz uncooked wide rice sticks (or vermacelli if you can't find rice sticks)

1 tbsp lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

Bring forst 9 ingredients to a boil in a large soup pot.  Bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add rice sticks; cook 3 minutes. Drain.

To serve: Place 1/4 of the noodles in each bowl. Discard ginger from soup and add lime juice, stir. Divide broth and vegis into the four bowls, top with herbs. Enjoy!

A Trip to Greece, again

Can't afford airfare to Athens, plus the recent unrest making you question a visit at all? Try these flavors for an instant trip to the land where logic was invented.

Greek Chicken, Rice Salad and Tzatsiki

2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut in half
1 lemon zested
2 tbsp fresh oregano chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice

Place trimmed chicken in a large ziplock bag, add seasonings and marinate at least 30 minutes.

Grill over medium high heat until cooked through.

Rice Salad

1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
2 cups water
1 tsp salt

1/2 cup each: chopped celery, chopped cucumber, diced tomato, kalamata olive
1 cup feta cheese
2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
zest of one lemon
2 cups prepared feta salad dressing

Rinse rice until water runs clear. Bring water, rice and salt to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer for 18-20 minutes. Fluff and immediately place in fridge for 20 minutes

Place all remaining ingredients in a large bowl, except for rice and dressing. When rice has cooled, mix all together. Finish with salt (not much!!! You have feta and olives in this) and pepper


Tzatsiki
I like my tzatsiki to be pretty chunky, if you like a fier texture, blend in food processor.

2 english (or hothouse) cucumbers, peeled and diced
small cup non fat Greek yougurt
1 cup full fat Greek yougurt
zest of one lemon and juice
2 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients and chill until serving. Serve with warm pita.

New twist on a classic

Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese. Sounds as plain and simple as possible right? Try a few twists on these standards to elevate them from plain old boring to fun and new.

Soup
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
28 oz can diced tomatoes
24 oz box strained tomatoes
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp dried Italian herbs
1 cup vegi broth (or chicken if that's what you have on hand)
3 tbsp half and half
salt and pepper to taste

In a large soup pot, combine tomatoes, garlic, herbs, broth and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. reduce and let simmer for 5 minutes. Add half and half, stir well. Serve hot.

Grilled Cheese sandwiches

per sandwich
2 slices of bread (white or wheat)
2 slices American cheese
1 thin slice procuitto (broiled)
mayo
Softened butter

Heat cast iron pan over medium heat

Spread bread with mayo, layer cheese slices with procuitto. Spread the outside of bread with butter, grill until cheese melts.

Taste of India

Roasted Chicken Breasts with Orange, Cardamom and Turmeric along with Aloo Gobi

Vegetable Oil
Salt and freshly gound pepper
1 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 shallot, minced finely
2 cloves garlic, minced finely
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 orange, zested and juiced
1 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp garam masala
2 bone in chicken breasts with skin

Preheat oven to 500 degrees
In a small bowl, combine butter and seasonings. Make a pocket under the skin, place half the butter mixture under the skin. Repeat with the other chicken breast.

Place on broiler pan. Roast until chicken is 160 degrees, approximately 25 minutes. Allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.

Aloo Gobi

2 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1 tbsp ground corriander
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 cup chicken broth or vegi broth
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1tsp cumin seeds or ground cumin
1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
2 yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
sea salt
2 tbsp freshly minced cilantro
1 tbsp butter


Ginger Garlic Paste
1/2 cup peeled garlic cloves
1/2 cup peeled sliced ginger
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Place in a food processor, blend into a paste.

In a large pot, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the cumin and cook for 30 seconds.
Add the wet masala (paste), cook until paste thickens, about 2 minutes.

Add cauliflower and potatoes, stirring to coat. Add salt and broth. Cover and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove lid, still and cook until vegis are cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in butter and cilantro.

Grilled Chicken Salad with Raspberry Tarragon Dressing

This is what the French call a "Salad Compose" or an arranged salad. To me, this has all the taste groups, sweet, savory, salty and yummy! Serves 4.

1 12 oz bottle raspberry vinaigrette
1/4 cup chopped green onion
2 tsp fresh chopped tarragon

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 fennel bulb, cut in half
2 heads Bibb lettuce, torn
1/2 english cucumber, sliced
1/2 cantaloupe, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
1 cup blackberries
4 oz crumbled Gorgonzola
1/2 honey roasted sliced almonds

Mix first 3 ingredients together. Set aside 1/2 cup and refrigerate. Place remainder in a large plastic bag with chicken and fennel, seal and chill up to 2 hours. Grill on an outside grill on medium high or grill pan indoors.

Meanwhile, divde lettuce and next 3 ingredients onto 4 plates. Thinly slice chicken and fennel, place on salads. Drizzle with remaining dressing. Top with berries, cheese and almonds. Serve immediately.

All over the world, on a plate

Last night was kind of a crazy mixture of cuisines: South American Chicken and Avacado Salad served on Arepas if you have the time, or english muffins, German Hot Slaw and Curried Rice Salad. Somehow it worked.

Arepas with Chicken and Avacado

3/4 cup shredded cooked chicken

1 ripe avocado

1/2 cup minced onion sauteed

2 tsp minced garlic sauteed

3-4 tablespoons mayonnaise

Splash of lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Peel and mash avacado with lemon and mayo, until smooth. Add chicken, garlic and onion mix well. Add s&p to taste. Serve with Arepas or English Muffins.

If you so desire, here is a link to making Arepas

http://southamericanfood.about.com/od/breads/r/arepasbasic.htm

Hot Slaw

1/2 head each green and purple cabbage, shredded

4 thick bacon slices

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp celery seeds

1/8 tsp cayenne

2 tsp salt

1 tsp freshly ground pepper

Hot pepper vinegar on the side (if you want)

In a deep pot, boil 3 1/2 quarts water. Add cabage and cook for 4-5 minutes. Drain well.

In a large deep skillet cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon draining on paper towels, reserving fat in the pan.

Deglaze pan with vinegar (stand back while stirring) Add celery seed and cayenne. Add cabagge to the pan and stir very well, coating all the cabbage with dressing. Heat until cooked through. Serve with chopped bacon on top.

Curried Rice Salad

1 cup Jasmine rice (or basmatti) cooled al dente

3/4 cups mayonnaise

1 tbsn curry powder, more or less to taste

1 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1 cup raisins

1/2 cup red onion, diced fine

salt and pepper to taste

Blend all ingredients, chill until ready to serve. The longer is sits, the deeper the color will be.

A yummy creamy Italian kiss, Risotto Primavera

One of my all time favorite foods is risotto, usually just with garlic, onions and Parmesan, but I am always happy to try new versions. Risotto can be intimidating, but it is actually easy. My two biggest tips? You dont HAVE to heat your liquid, and you dont have to stir non stop. Just give it a good stir every 4-5 minutes.

Olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 48 oz box chicken broth (low sodium please!)
1/2 large onion, chopped fine
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 bunch asparagus, chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 cup Romano cheese
1/2 cup fresh mozzarela cubed small
1 tbsp lemon juice
black pepper to taste

Heat oven to 400. Toss tomatoes and salt in olive oil to coat. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until tomatoes burst, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

In a dutch oven or large sauce pan, heat olive oil (to coat the bottom) over medium high. cook onion and garlic until fragrent and onions are translucent. Add rice and stir to coat rice in oil. Add vinegar and cook for 1 minute. Add 1 cup liquid (I usually pour until rice is covered) stir. Stir once or twice until all liquid is absorbed. Add more liquid to cover and repeat. Add chicken, When adding liquid for the third time, add vegi and mozzarela. Stir more frequently to keep cheese from burning. When liquid is absorbed, check rice, it should be al dente. Add Romano cheese and pepper, stir one final time. Serve topped with tomatoes and more Romano.

Happy Birthday!

This post is purely me being silly. I want to wish a huge happy birthday to one of my most favorite authors and friends James DMac McCallister. If you don't know DMac, get ye to Loose Lucy's in Five Points! I love you brother, here is a sweet treat!

Guess now I should start baking!

2 1/2 cups AP flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa (plus 1 tsp)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 1/3 cup vegi oil
3/4 cup buttermilk (room temp)
2 tbsp red food coloring
1 tbsp white vinegar
1/2 tbsp vanilla

Cream cheese frosting
4 cups powdered sugar
8 oz cream cheese
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 305, line cupcake tis with paper liners

In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa and salt. In a seperate bowl, mix eggs ad oil. In a large measuring cup mix buttermilk, food coloroing, vinegar and vanilla. Alternating the two wet, add to the dry mix. Mix until battter is smooth. Fill cupcake papers 3/4 full.  Bake 22 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. (13-14 if using mini cupcake pans)/ Let cool completely before frosting!

Combine all frosting ingreds in a mixing bowl and blend until smooth. Place in piping bag, aka a large ziplock bag. Clip a small corner off and pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes. Garnish with colored sugar and mint leaves if desired.

Enjoy! And not only on your birthday!

Chicken Tabbouleh, SOOOO YUM!

I found this in one of my favorite magazines, Cooking Light. It is creamy and filling. The original called for chicken thighs that were cooked at the time. I dislike dark meat poultry, plus I like shortcuts, so I used shredded rotisserie chicken from Publix. They were running low and only had BBQ and Mediterranean I decided Med was a little more conducive to this recipe.This is a calcium, protein and fiber powerhouse. My sweet meat and potato loving, no "hippie food" father cleaned his plate so  Enjoy and Mangia!

1 1/4 cup water
1 cup bulgur wheat, rinsed (I got mine in the bulk section at Earth fare)
1tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
2 rotisserie chicken breasts, shredded and with skin removed
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper*
3 cups seeded chopped tomatoes (see note)
1 cup chopped parsley
1 cup chopped mint
1 cup chopped green onion (I only used the green part)
1 tsp minced garlic (or double, I did)
1/4 cup tahini paste (at Publix it is with the Kosher food)
1/4 cup plain, low fat Greek style yougurt
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp water

Combine water, oil, salt and bulgur in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil, reduce heatand let simmer for 10 minutes (leave it alone!)  You are looking for an almost dry, but not totally dry texture. Remove from heat, fluff and let cool for 10 minutes.

While bulgur is cooking
 De-skin and shredd chicken, place in large bowl
Quarter and seed tomatoes, roughly chop.
Chop parsley, mint and green onions.
Toss all above with garlic in large bowl. Add pepper

In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, yougurt, lemon juice and water.

When bulgur is cooled, add to bowl, stir well. Add Tahini mixture and stir well. Makes 4 large servings
* PLEASE use fresh cracked black pepper, first of all it tastes better, second, it increases metabolism. Buy one of the pre filled grinders at the grocery.  They are under 5 dollars and the taste is SOOOO much better than the pre ground stuff.

Note: seeding tomatoes is as easy as falling off a log! With a sharp knife quarter the tom, place each quarter "flat" down and slice away core. Scoop out seeds with your fingers or the knife. Slice remainders and chop. Why do this? The seeds make recipes watery.

Catering done easy and an amazing dinner

After a weekend of take out and left overs, I was back in the cooking saddle today, and having a blast. I started out the day doing the food for a meeting and ended up the day creating a new favorite. Enjoy and mangia!

So simple and easy! Blend goat cheese, lemon zest and fresh rosemary with a little olive oil, pipe onto endive leaves.

Homemade pimento cheese. My tweek? White and yellow cheddar cheeses, rinsed pimentos, Hellmans mayo, lemon juice and a tiny bit of cayenne.

Spiced mixed nuts. 1/2 teaspoon each cumin, cayenne and cinnamon. 3 tablespoons brown sugar. 4 tablespoons unsalted butter. 4 cups mixed nuts.                                                                 Bake nuts in a 425 degree oven until fragrant. Melt butter and add sugar and spices. Toss nuts with melted butter mixture.   

Chicken with Green Olives, Lemons and Artichokes

4 chicken cutlets

1 egg

2 tablespoons Romano cheese

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup green olives, chopped

3 tablespoons artichoke tapanade or finely chopped hearts with garlic added

3 tablespoons scallions (green part only)

1 lemon, sliced

handful parsley chopped

Whisk together egg and cheese with a little water. Dredge chicken in mixture. Immediately saute in olive oil.

Remove cooked chicken, keep warm. Deglaze pan with chicken broth. Add olives, lemons, artichoke and scallions. Cook until reduced, add chicken back to the pan with any juices that have collected. Finish with parsley.

I served over couscous to soak up the sauce.

A fun twist on Greek Avgolemono Chicken

• 1 pound carrots, cut into 1 1/4-inch pieces, or 3 cups baby carrots
• 1 pound (3-4 medium) yellow-fleshed potatoes, such as Yukon Gold, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1 1/4-inch-wide wedges
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
• 1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 15-ounce can artichoke hearts, rinsed and quartered if large
• 1 large egg
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh dill
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

 

1. Spread carrots and potatoes over the bottom and up the sides of a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Arrange chicken on top of the vegetables. Bring broth, wine, garlic and salt to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour over the chicken and vegetables. Cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours on high or 4 to 4 1/2 hours on low.
2. Add artichokes to the slow cooker, cover and cook on high for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk egg, egg yolks and lemon juice in a medium bowl.

3. Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a serving bowl using a slotted spoon. Shred chicken. Cover and keep warm. Ladle about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid into the egg mixture. Whisk until smooth. Whisk the egg mixture into the remaining cooking liquid in the slow cooker. Cover and cook, whisking 2 or 3 times, until slightly thickened and sauce reaches 160°F on an instant-read thermometer, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in dill and pepper. Return chicken and vegetables to the sauce and warm back through, 5 minutes. Serve over couscous or orzo.

Simple Mexican made easy. My take on fajitas

I was in the mood for Mexican tonight so I threw this together. The general concensus was yumm-o.

1/2 pound flank or skirt steak, thinly sliced
1/2 sweet onion thinly slices
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp grill seasoning

1/2 avocado chopped
1 tomato chopped and seeded
1 cup shredded queso blanco
sliced olives
sour cream
tomatillo salsa
flour tortillas (warmed)

toss meat and onions with spices, cook until done

layer meat mixture on tortilla top with cheese and whatever

toppings you like. Roll and enjoy!

Steamed Lemon Pudding

This is so easy and so tasty. I admit to my anglophile ways and have a pudding steamer. I just pop the batter in the sealed container and use the crock pot as a water bath.

Ingredients

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 tablespoon lemon zest, grated

3 eggs, separated

1 stick butter, melted

1 cup milk

1 tablespoon confectioners sugar

Directions

1. In a bowl combine sugar, flour and salt. Stir in lemon juice, lemon zest, egg yolks, butter and milk.
2. In another bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold gently into lemon mixture.
3. Pour into prepared bowl and cover tightly with aluminum foil (secure with an elastic band).
4. Place bowl in Crock-Pot® slow cooker and pour in enough water to come 1 inch up sides of bowl.

5. Cover and cook on High for 4 to 5 hours or until topping is set and light and fluffy. Sift icing over sponge before serving.

mmmmm soup in summer? yes!

Well I was craving good summer vegis so i came up with this soup. I hope you enjoy it, I served it with home made buttermilk bread.

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 sweet onion chopped
1 48 oz container low sodium chicken broth (or vegi)
1 cup leftover chicken chopped finely
2 cups each chopped tomatoes (seeded), okra (in one inch pieces), silver queen corn and lima beans
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp dried italian herbs
pesto for serving


In a large dutch oven or soup pot, heat olive oil, cook garlic and onion until translucent
add all vegis, cook for 3-4 minutes. In a pinch use frozen vegis and canned tomatoes (no extra flavors added)
add chicken broth (or vegi) s&p and herbs
stir well, heat until boiling, cook at least 30 minutes

Spoon into bowls, top with a spoonful of pesto just before serving.


The bread is from the classic James Beard on Bread cookbook. I won't reproduce the recipe here because of copyrights, but I'm sure it can be found on the 'net (or ask me privately) I made it this morning, and one tip! The recipe says it makes one loaf, but it rose SOOO much on the second rising that I regretted not dividing the dough. This bread has a fabulous tangy flavor that has me wanting more. I seved it with lots of good Irish butter (thanks Sarah Collier)

Tweeks on two classics

Hi all! Dinner was yummy, and I am happy to share the "recipes" As you can see, I was not really in a cooking mood, but always in the mood for cheese!

Polly's Grilled Cheese

2 slices of your favorite bread, I used Captain John Durst's Classic Sandwich
2 slices tomato, very well drained
1 slice procuitto, broiled
2 slices American cheese, yes, the Kraft stuff!
mayo

Spread bread with mayo, layer on cheese, toms and procuitto.
Spray skillet with olive oil spray, grill sandwiches until cheese is melted.

Blue Cheese Cole Slaw

1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 tablespoons celery seed
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 bag slaw mix
2 carrots, grated
1/2 cups chopped sweet onions
1 1/2 cups blue cheese, crumbed
Combine all ingredients in a very large bowl. Stir well to coat. Refrigerate until chilled. Serve cold.

The original recipe calls for bell peppers. You will soon find that I never use them, in anything! I'm allergic, thaks to a family trait. Feel free to add them if you want. I would add 1 thinly sliced and seeded.