CSA Share Week 18

Three new dishes we attempted this week and they were all a great success!  The fagottini were something we have thought of attempting for years and we finally tried.  We learned of the pasta "cheat" in using wonton wrappers through a pumpkin ravioli recipe that we adore.  I'm sure to be making that recipe in the coming weeks.  The Pepper and Collard recipes I stumbled upon in my effort to find new, creative uses for these vegetables.

We have sweet potatoes, cabbage, and kohlrabi leftover.  I already have an excellent recipe to try tonight with kohlrabi and turnips, which I believe we will receive in our share today.

Week 18 Bounty:

Photo courtesy of Scotch Hill Farm, Broadhead, WI

Sweet potatoes 
Tomatoes
Bright Lights Chard 
Zucchini
Cilantro
Cabbage
Bok choi
Kohlrabi
Peppers

Spicy Greens Mix 

Collards 

Meal #1: parsley, chard
Fagottini con pera e prosciutto

Pear and Prosciutto Pasta

We enjoyed this dish with a side of braised chard with butter. This is based on one that we remember from the Veneto region in Italia.  We attempted to find a recipe online to no avail.  We only found one recipe that used pear and prosciutto, but felt that it was nothing like the simple dish that we enjoyed.  So we worked off of that recipe and created our own.  It was delicious, maybe not exactly the fagottini of our memories but wonderful just the same.  

fagottini pasta

Package of wonton wrappers
Small bowl of water
1/2 cup (4 oz) ricotta cheese
1/2 cup (4 oz) pears, peeled, seeded and small-diced
1/2 cup (4 oz) prosciutto chunks, small-diced
1 tbsp. Italian parsley, minced
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. dried orange peel
4 Tbsp butter
2 tsp sage
Combine the parsley black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and orange peel in a small container. Then combine ricotta, pears, prosciutto, and seasoning blend. Place wonton wrappers on clean surface and, one at a time, drop one tsp of prepared filling onto wonton. Use bowl of water to wet your finger and trace the outer edge of the wonton. Then purse the sides together into a small pasta "bag," or fagottini, as shown above. Boil pot of water and cook fagottini for 2-3 minutes. While waiting to boil, add butter to a frying pan. Cook butter until slightly browned. Then use a slotted spoon to transfer fagottini to the frying pan. Toss pasta gently with sage. Cook in pan as desired or serve immediately.

Meal #2: bell peppers, onions, garlic, parsley, thyme, sage
I roasted all 15 or so red and green bell peppers that we had.  I used about one cup for this recipe and froze the rest into cubes for future use. It is a wonderful recipe that even the kids loved.
Roasted Red Pepper and Herb Pasta with Shrimp
2 red bell peppers
8 ounces uncooked fettuccine
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons shaved fresh Parmesan cheese
Preheat broiler. Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 15 minutes or until blackened. Place in a paper bag; fold to close tightly. Let stand 20 minutes. Peel and chop; set aside. Cook fettuccine according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well. Set aside; keep warm. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and garlic to pan, and cook for 4 minutes or until the onion is tender, stirring frequently. Add shrimp to the pan, and cook for 2 minutes. Add bell peppers and 1/4 cup lemon juice to the pan, and cook for 4 minutes or until the shrimp are done and half of the liquid has evaporated. Add chopped parsley and the next 5 ingredients (through 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper) to the shrimp mixture. Remove pan from heat. Combine cooked fettuccine and 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large bowl; toss well. Add shrimp mixture, tossing gently to coat. Top each serving with cheese. * Recipe from Gale Moody, Woodstock, Georgia, Cooking Light 

Oven Roasted Green Beans
1 1/2 pounds green beans
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Trim the ends of the green beans and add to a large bowl. Toss with the extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper and spread out evenly on a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast, stirring once halfway through, until lightly caramelized and crisp tender, 12 to 15 minutes.
Meal #3: collard greens, spicy greens, onion
Lentil and Green Collard Soup
I used the collard greens and spicy greens and made a double batch of this so that we had extra for the freezer.  I had cut down on the water as someone suggested, so it was a thick soup.  I also think this would be great atop some brown rice.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup dry red lentils, rinsed and drained
6 cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch collard greens - rinsed, stemmed and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/3 cup lemon juice
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, stir in onion and salt; cook until softened and translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in lentils, and cook for 1 minute. Pour in water, then bring to a boil over high heat, then turn heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add collard greens, and cook until wilted, about 10 minutes. When the lentils are tender, stir in the collard greens and season with cumin, cinnamon, and garlic; allow to simmer 10 more minutes. Stir in lemon juice before serving. * Recipe from Farah Momtaz at allrecipes.com

Other Uses: zucchini, cilantro, tomatoes, bok choi
Zucchini(Squash) Flaxseed Bread
We made this back in June/July and loved it so much we brought it back.  I made them into muffins this time.  Baked them at 350 for about 25 minutes.  
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups shredded zucchini (about 2 medium zucchini)
1 cup vanilla low-fat yogurt
1/2 cup egg substitute
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cooking spray
3 tablespoons chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours, granulated sugar, and next 7 ingredients (through nutmeg) in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Spread zucchini onto several layers of heavy-duty paper towels; cover with additional paper towels. Press down firmly to remove excess liquid. Combine yogurt, egg substitute, oil, and vanilla in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in zucchini. Add zucchini mixture to flour mixture, stirring until well combined. Pour batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle batter with 3 tablespoons walnuts. Bake for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove bread from pan; place on wire rack. * Recipe from Cooking Light 

Cilantro, washed, chopped and put in freezer bags.  

Bok choi, washed, chopped and blanched in boiling water for 2-3 minutes.  Put in freezer bag.

Tomatoes were washed, stemmed and seeded and pureed.  Frozen into cubes.

CSA Share Week 12

We have had a very busy and unusual week.  There is a kindergartener in our family!  I am working with him through a virtual school, so our schedule is in a major upheaval.  That while managing a toddler and helping out friends with two other toddlers makes for quite the challenge to properly use all of these vegetables.  I do not like to waste anything, and so far have not.  

I managed to used most of this share in the first evening with the spaghetti sauce.  It's been helpful to make larger portions of everything and eat more leftovers.  That way I am not standing in the kitchen as many days of the week.  It may not work every week, but it has been a huge relief this week!

Still do have cabbagettes leftover, but I have plans for those...


Week 12 Bounty: 

Photos courtesy of Scotch Hill Farm, Broadhead, WI

Carrots
Tomatoes
Radishes
Eggplant
Cabbagettes
Summer Squash
Bell Peppers
Hot Peppers
Sweet corn
Broccoli
Ice Box Melon



Meal #1: onions, garlic, green bell pepper, tomatoes, oregano, basil, parsley, carrots, eggplant, squash, radishes
I have made this in years past and I love to add whatever extra vegetables I've got.  This time around it was carrots, eggplant, radishes (with greens) and squash.  I cheated, too.  I have small children who won't eat chunky sauce.  So I cut everything into sizable chunks and threw it all in the blender.  Then I cooked it for 3 hours on low in the slow cooker.  It is really absolutely delicious.  


Stephanie's Freezer Spaghetti Sauce
4 onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup vegetable oil
16 cups chopped tomatoes, seeds squeezed out
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons dried basil
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
In a slow cooker saute together the onion, garlic, green pepper, and vegetable oil. Cook until onion is transparent. Add the chopped tomatoes, oregano, basil, parsley, sugar, salt, and ground black pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 hours on low heat. Stir frequently. Let sauce cool. Pour sauce into quart size freezer containers. Store in freezer. When ready to use sauce, stir in can of tomato paste. [I only did 1/8 c sugar and 1.5 Tbsp salt, and after having made this with pasta would double the tomato paste] * Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com by Stephanie Lane

Meal #2: broccoli, garlic scapes
Stir-fry with Broccoli and Chicken
Bunch of broccoli, florets diced (I diced them quite finely and also used the leaves, but ground them in the Magic Bullet with some olive oil so the kids would eat them)
1-2 tablespoon canola or olive oil
1 tablespoon diced garlic scapes
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce, to taste
2 large chicken breasts, but into bite-size pieces
Cashews
6 servings of cooked brown rice
Rinse the broccoli and trim the ends. Heat the oil in a preheated wok or skillet on medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the finely chopped garlic. Stir-fry briefly until it is aromatic, then add the chicken. Cook until they appear fully cooked on outside, then add broccoli and salt. Stir-fry briefly, then add the soy sauce. Stir-fry for another minute and then add the cooked rice to mix and serve. 

Meal #3: sweet corn
Corn on the cob and burgers 

Other uses: ice box melon
This melon was the most delicious melon we've ever had.  My son couldn't stop eating it.  We're not quite sure what it was.  It looked like watermelon on the outside and had the same seeds.  But the meat was orange.  And it was so juicy.  

CSA Share Week 10

Halfway through our 20 week share and I must admit, we're behind on our vegetables now.  Vacation messed up our great rhythm.  So now I play catch up.  We've got plenty of Healing Cabbage Soup in the freezer, so we only used half the head of cabbage and used the other half for coleslaw.

This was a great week with fantastic weather here in southern Wisconsin.  The perfect temperature and a nice amount of rain and sunshine.  We made a lot of our favorite things, much of it now frozen to be enjoyed during the winter months.  The Black Bean Chili is a staple at our house.  The Ligurian Stew is something we made a few years ago that was delightful.  These two and the Healing Cabbage Soup are fine to freeze and use at a later date.  

Have not yet used chard, beets and summer squashes.


Week 10 Bounty:

Photos courtesy of Scotch Hill Farm, Broadhead, WI

Cabbage
Chard
Red onion
Watermelon 
Tomatoes
Basil
Beets
Green Bell Peppers
Hot Pepper
Summer Squash - patty pan and madga




Meal #1: cabbage, onions, garlic, tomatoes
Healing Cabbage Soup
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
6 quarts water
8 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 head cabbage, cored and coarsely chopped
2 cup Italian-style stewed tomatoes, drained and diced
2 cups quinoa
In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic; cook until onion is transparent, about 5 minutes. Stir in water, bouillon, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then stir in cabbage. Simmer until cabbage wilts, about 10 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and quinoa. Return to a boil, then cover and simmer 15 to 30 minutes, stirring often. Done when quinoa is tender but still chewy and white spiral-like threads appear around each grain. Serves 16. *Recipe adapted from JGCase at allrecipes.com

Meal #2: tomatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, parsley
I boiled the tomatoes for 30 seconds and peeled them.  I squeezed seeds and juice out.  Then they were pureed with the bunch of basil from the share.  I used this in place of the Italian tomatoes.

Ligurian Fish Stew
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Kosher salt
3/4 cup white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
1 (28-ounce) can crushed or pureed Italian tomatoes(recommended: San Marzano)
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus extra for garnish
1 1/2 pounds whitefish fillets, halibut, cod or arctic char, skinned and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Crostini:
1 (1-pound) loaf ciabatta or rustic bread, trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch thick slices
Olive oil, for drizzling, plus 3 tablespoons
1 garlic clove, halvedFor the stew: In a 6-quart, heavy bottomed stock pot or Dutch oven, heat 1/3 cup of oil over medium-high heat. Add the carrot, onion, and garlic. Season with salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 to 8 minutes. Turn the heat to high. Add the wine and scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, water and red pepper flakes. Reduce the heat and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 18 to 20 minutes. Season the fish with salt and add to the stew. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 5 to 8 minutes. Season the stew with salt, if needed. For the Crostini: Put an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Arrange the bread slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake until light golden, about 12 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes. Rub the warm toasts with the cut side of the garlic. Ladle the stew into serving bowls and garnish with parsley. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle a few red pepper flakes on top. Serve with the crostini. *Recipe from Giada De Laurentiis at food.com

Meal #3: green bell peppers, onions, garlic, hot pepper
Vegetarian Black Bean Chili
3 cans black beans
2 red, yellow or green bell peppers
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
5 to 6 medium-sized garlic cloves, minced

1 onion, diced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon lime juice
two 4 oz. canned diced green chiles (substitute depends on the level of spice you desire: I used 2 tsp of finely diced hot pepper, this week's was HOT - it made my skin burn for hours after chopping)
2 teaspoons dried basil (or 1 tablespoon fresh basil)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste
1/2 cup tomato puree
Heat oil in skillet. Add garlic and all other seasonings, lime juice, bell peppers, and chiles. Sauté over medium heat until peppers and chiles are tender (about 15 minutes). Add sauté to beans and tomato puree. Simmer covered over low heat for about 20 min., stirring occasionally. Serve with dollop of light sour cream, sprinkle of cheese, or without any toppings. We served with taco chips. *Recipe from FitSugar.com. 

Other uses: onions, cabbage, watermelon, blueberries
Sweet Restaurant Slaw
1 (16 ounce) bag coleslaw mix (or a fresh head of cabbage shredded)
2 tablespoons diced onion
2/3 cup creamy salad dressing (we use an oil based mayo)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds
Combine the coleslaw mix and onion in a large bowl. Whisk together the salad dressing, vegetable oil, sugar, vinegar, salt, and poppy seeds in a medium bowl; blend thoroughly. Pour dressing mixture over coleslaw mix and toss to coat. Chill at least 2 hours before serving. * Recipe from Allrecipes.com by Sandi Johnson

Summer Fruits Salad
Watermelon balled or cubed tossed with rinsed blueberries.  Delicious!

Recent Favorites

 These are the best of what we've made lately.  The pot roast was to die for.  The wedding soup is yummy (I did double the pasta and added more liquid).  The fruit salsa sounds weird, but it won us second place in an appetizer competition (for the second year in a row!). 

V's Crock Pot Bottom Round Roast 
3 lbs boneless bottom round roast  
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 
1 tablespoon brown sugar 
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 
1 cup dry red wine 
2 cups beef broth 
1 large onion, coarsely chopped 
2 large carrots, coarsely chopped 
kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
Place chopped onion and carrots in bottom of crock pot. Season all sides of the roast liberally with the kosher salt and ground pepper. Place roast on top of onions and carrots, fat side down. Combine mustard, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, beef broth and red wine in a separate bowl and pour over roast. Set crock pot to low and cook for 3 hours. After 3 hours, turn the roast onto one side and cook for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, turn the roast on the next side and cook 20 minutes, repeat until the roast has the fat side on the bottom again.  Cook for about 2 more hours usually 6 hours total. The roast is done when it shreds easily with a fork. (Cook time can vary depending on size of roast and size of crock pot.)  You can remove meat, add a bit of cornstarch to thicken sauce to gravy.  Also, mushrooms are a wonderful addition.

* Recipe by VLizzle at Food.com.


Crock Pot Italian Wedding Soup
1 lb lean ground beef
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 cup breadcrumbs  
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped  
1 teaspoon oregano  
1 teaspoon basil  
1/2 teaspoon salt  
1/2 teaspoon pepper  
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated  
6 cups chicken stock  
1 cup boneless cooked chicken breast (baked or boiled and chopped into shreds)  
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped  
1/2 cup carrot, finely chopped  
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped  
2 cups escarole or 2 cups spinach, torn into small pieces  
2 bay leaves  
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder  
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper  
1/4 cup pastina pasta or 1/4 cup acini di pepe pasta  
parmesan cheese, for serving
Meatballs: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together. Form into very small balls (I get approximately 90 meatballs from 1 pound ground beef. I bake mine on a nonstick cookie sheet and turn them half-way through the cooking time). Bake about 10-15 minutes, until the meatballs have browned but are still soft (watch closely). Remove from oven and drain on paper towel, if necessary. Soup: Place all of the ingredients, except the pasta and escarole or spinach, into the crock pot with meatballs. Cook on low for 8 hours (Add pasta and escarole or spinach during the last hour of cooking and salt to taste, if necessary). Remove bay leaves. Top each serving with grated parmesan or romano cheese.Note: The meatballs must be prepared before being put into the crock pot (make them the night before and put them in the refrigerator, or even keep a batch in the freezer. I basically prepare as much as I can in advance so all I have to do is just put it all in the crock pot in the morning).
* Recipe by Lainey6605 at Food.com.

Annie's Fruit Salsa & Cinnamon Chips
2 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 Golden Delicious apples - peeled, cored and diced (I did not peel)
8 ounces raspberries
1 pound strawberries
2 tablespoons white sugar (I did not add this)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor (I used apricot)
10 (10 inch) flour tortillas (whole wheat)
butter flavored cooking spray
2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar  
In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, Golden Delicious apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat one side of each flour tortilla with butter flavored cooking spray. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Spray again with cooking spray. Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture.
* Recipe by Ann Page from allrecipes.com.

Potato Soup

YUMMY!  And perfect for a cold winter's day!  I used a recipe on allrecipes.com and changed it up a bit.  It was enough for two meals for our family of four (which probably only counts as three based on the little appetites).

6 bacon strips, diced
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
heaping 1/3 c whole wheat flour
2 tsp salt
1.5 tsp dried basil, thyme or Italian mix
1/2 tsp pepper
6 c vegetable broth
4 large potatoes, cubed
2 c milk
dash cayenne pepper
Garnish: cheese and minced fresh parsley
In large pot saucepan, submerge potatoes in water and boil until soft.  Remove  and drain potatoes and mash, being sure to mince skins.  In same saucepan, cook bacon until crisp. Drain, reserving 2 tablespoon drippings. Set bacon aside. Saute onion and garlic in the drippings until tender. Stir in flour, salt, basil and pepper; mix well. Gradually add broth. Bring to boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes, milk and cayenne; heat through but do not boil. Garnish with bacon, cheese and parsley.

Freezer Spaghetti Sauce

It has been far too long since I've posted something.  Yes, my family is still eating.  We got behind this summer with vacations and have barely been able to keep up with our vegetable farm share.  Most days we look at what veggies need to be eaten (and what can be frozen to use later) and we build a meal around that.  This is one exceptional recipe that we used recently.  Even my picky son, who won't eat "spaghetti & meatballs" with jarred tomato sauce, loved this.

Stephanie's Freezer Spaghetti Sauce
4 onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup vegetable oil
16 cups chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons dried basil
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
In a slow cooker saute together the onion, garlic, green pepper, and vegetable oil. Cook until onion is transparent. Add the chopped tomatoes, oregano, basil, parsley, sugar, salt, and ground black pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 hours on low heat. Stir frequently. Let sauce cool. Pour sauce into quart size freezer containers. Store in freezer. When ready to use sauce, stir in can of tomato paste. [I only did 1/8 c sugar and 1.5 Tbsp sugar, and after having made this with pasta would double the tomato paste]
* Recipe from allrecipes.com by Stephanie Lane

Summer Vegetable Ratatouille

Thursday, June 29, 2010
We had a lot of vegetables piling up from our farm share and this was the perfect way to use them.  I used the slow cooker and threw it all in.  I added 1 cup of vegetable stock and two cans of garbanzo beans per recommendations on AllRecipes.com.  We served it on whole wheat cous-cous.  It was good, but a bit bland for our taste so we added some Creole spice to give it some kick.  Very good, but a lot of work in the prep - took over an hour to chop everything.

Summer Vegetable Ratatouille
2 onion, sliced into thin rings
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium eggplant, cubed
2 zucchini, cubed
2 medium yellow squash, cubed
2 green bell peppers, seeded and cubed
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 chopped red bell pepper
4 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
4 sprigs fresh thyme
salt and pepper to taste
Heat 1 1/2 tablespoon of the oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft. In a large skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and saute the zucchini in batches until slightly browned on all sides. Remove the zucchini and place in the pot with the onions and garlic. Saute all the remaining vegetables one batch at a time, adding 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet each time you add a new set of vegetables. Once each batch has been sauteed add them to the large pot as was done in step 2. Season with salt and pepper. Add the bay leaf and thyme and cover the pot. Cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and parsley to the large pot, cook another 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Remove the bay leaf and adjust seasoning.
* Recipe from AllRecipes.com by Rani

Tortellini al brodo

Saturday, June 12, 2010
This is a traditional Italian Christmas dish that we enjoyed with friends there a few years back.  I had always thought of making it.  I used a few recipes that I found and took a little from all of them.  Of course, this dish is best made from scratch, but it's not easy...

Tortellini al brodo
4 cups chicken stock
1.5 cups tortellini
2 teaspoons Parmiggiano Reggiano, freshly grated
2 teaspoons lemon juice
few dashes of parsley
Salt and pepper to taste (I also used a bit of Sale Roma (a favorite we got in Italy) and French Four spice (from Penzey's Spices)
Heat stock to a boil and cook the tortellini. Add lemon juice, salt, pepper, parsley and other spices.  Ladle into bowls, grate cheese on top. Serve immediately.

Orecchiette coi Broccoletti & Sauteed Fish with Radishes and Leeks

Friday, June 11, 2010
We were on vacation for a couple weeks and then spent time cleaning out the fridge/freezer to make way for our upcoming Community Supported Agriculture deliveries (a variety of fresh vegetables and herbs delivered weekly and fresh off a local farm). 

This is our first year having a share from a farm.  We received our first delivery yesterday.  Our radishes and leeks were from our CSA and that dish was one of our favorite fish creations that we have ever had.  We also had a delicious salad with nasturtiums - edible flowers!

Yesterday we also went strawberry picking and came home with 6 quarts (picked 7, but we ate that before we left!).  We have saved some for eating at home and today made the rest into Strawberry Jam.  It took some time to find a highly rated recipe that didn't have more sugar than strawberries.  We haven't tested it yet and I'm not sure that it gelled, but it looked and tasted good before freezing. 

Strawberry Jam
2 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled
4 cups white sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
In a wide bowl, crush strawberries in batches until you have 4 cups of mashed berry. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, mix together the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Stir over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to high, and bring the mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil, stirring often, until the mixture reaches 220 degrees F (105 degrees C). Transfer to hot sterile jars, leaving 1/4 to 1/2 inch headspace, and seal. Process in a water bath. If the jam is going to be eaten right away, don't bother with processing, and just refrigerate.
~ Water bath is about 10-15 minutes in boiling water for those that don't know.
 ~ To test for jelling Place three plates in a freezer... after about 10 minutes of boiling place a tsp of the liquid of the jam onto the cold plate. Return to freezer for a minute. Run your finger through the jam on the plate... if it doesn't try to run back together (if you can make a line through it with your finger) it's ready to be canned!
* Recipe from allrecipes.com.

Orechiette coi Broccoletti
1 pound broccoli florets
1/2 cup salted ricotta, grated (we don't use fresh and think it's almost as yummy).
2 cloves of garlic, minced
A small bunch parsley, minced
1/2 cup grated cheese, either all Parmigiano or half Parmigiano and half Pecorino Romano
1/4 cup olive oil
Pepper to taste (salt should not be necessary)
1 pound orecchiette or other short firm-walled pasta, e.g. farfalle (butterflies or bow ties)
Set a pot of salted water to boil. Meanwhile, wash the broccoli florets and break them up into fairly small pieces. When the water comes to a boil, throw in the pasta, stir it, and add the broccoli. While the pasta and broccoli cook, mince the parsley and the garlic, and sauté them gently in the oil, in a large skillet. Do not let the garlic brown. When the pasta is still a minute or so shy of being done, drain it and transfer the pasta-broccoli mixture to the skillet (it should still be a little moist, so don't shake all the water out of it while it's in the colander). Stir in the ricotta, season the pasta with pepper to taste, and continue cooking over high heat until the pasta's done, stirring vigorously. Transfer the pasta to a serving dish, dust it with the grated Parmigiano, and serve.
* Recipe from Kyle Phillips, About.com

Sauteed Trout with Radishes and Leeks
4 Tbsp butter
1/4 c minced shallots
2 leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced
2 bunches radishes, cleaned and sliced
2 Tbsp olive or vegetable oil
4 lake trout fillets (we had cod in the freezer, so we used that)
floru seasoned with salt and pepper
chopped fresh chives
Heat butter in skillet over medium flame; add shallots and leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender.  Raise heat, add radishes, and cook quickly until barely tender; set aside. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high flame. Dredge fish fillets in flour, shake off excess flour, and place in hot pan.  Cook about 3 minutes per side.  Remove to a serving dish or individual plates and top with radish mixture.  Sprinkle with chives and serve immediately.  Makes 4 servings.
*Recipe from From Asparagus To Zucchini - Leah Caplan, The Washington Hotel

Ligurian Fish Stew with Crostini

Wednesday, May 12, 2010
I was checking out another recipe when I stumbled upon this one.  And what a lucky stumble it was!  This is fantastic!  I only used half of the red pepper flakes as suggested in many of the comments.  I don't think it would have been too spicy with all of them, but it was great with only half. 

Ligurian Fish Stew with Crostini
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Kosher salt
3/4 cup white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
1 (28-ounce) can crushed or pureed Italian tomatoes (recommended: San Marzano)
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus extra for garnish
1 1/2 pounds whitefish fillets, halibut, cod or arctic char, skinned and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 (1-pound) loaf ciabatta or rustic bread, trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch thick slices
Olive oil, for drizzling, plus 3 tablespoons
1 garlic clove, halved
In a 6-quart, heavy bottomed stock pot or Dutch oven, heat 1/3 cup of oil over medium-high heat. Add the carrot, onion, and garlic. Season with salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 to 8 minutes. Turn the heat to high. Add the wine and scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, water and red pepper flakes. Reduce the heat and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 18 to 20 minutes. Season the fish with salt and add to the stew. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 5 to 8 minutes. Season the stew with salt, if needed. For the Crostini: Put an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Arrange the bread slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake until light golden, about 12 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes. Rub the warm toasts with the cut side of the garlic. Ladle the stew into serving bowls and garnish with parsley. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle a few red pepper flakes on top. Serve with the crostini.
* Recipe from FoodNetwork.com by Giada De Laurentiis

Pumpkin Penne & Mom's Dressing

Monday, April 10, 2010
We had leftover dressing from my mom's house this past weekend, but nothing to go with it.  I had pulled this recipe a while back and thought it sounded interesting - Pumpkin Penne.  It was a good combination of flavors.  The only problem was that my son (who doesn't like cake and pie) did not like this pasta dish! 

Pumpkin Penne
1 - 12oz. box whole-wheat penne
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
1.5 c low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup fat-free evaporated milk
1 - 15oz. can pumpkin
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Fresh parsley, chopped
1.5 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated
Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain and return to pot, covering to keep warm. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat oil on medium.  Add shallots; cook and sitr until tender, about 3 minutes.  Whisk in broth, evaporated milk, pumpkin, spice, salt, and pepper.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low.  Simmer, uncovered, for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Toss pasta with sauce. Spoon into bowls and top with parsley and cheese.  Makes 6 cups. 
* Recipe from Parents November 2009 magazine

"Spaghetti" Pie with Turkey Meatballs

Wednesday, April 28, 2010
We had some extra jarred tomato sauce left from before we started making most things from scratch.  So we decided to do a semi-traditional American "spaghetti."  We didn't use spaghetti, though, because Greysen has trouble eating it.  So we used rotini, seasoned tomato sauce, parmesan and the following Turkey Meatballs and made it a baked dish.  Everyone loved it.

Turkey Meatballs
6 Servings
1 1/2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 large egg
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
2 pounds ground turkey
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups chicken broth
In a medium bowl, mix together 1/2 cup bread crumbs, the onion, egg, parsley, parmesan and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Add the turkey and mix until combined. Place the remaining bread crumbs in a shallow bowl. Roll the meat mixture into eighteen 1½-inch balls, then roll in the bread crumb mixture to coat. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, about 8 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low; add 1/2 cup chicken broth and cook until the liquid is absorbed. Add the remaining chicken broth in 1/4-cup increments until the meatballs are cooked through and all the broth has been absorbed, about 20 minutes.
* From Everyday with Rachel Ray - Debi Mazar & Gabriele Corcos

Greek Chicken Pasta

Thursday, April 15, 2010
So I haven't been cooking up a storm lately - Allen is working a lot and I had a nasty infection that left me with not enough energy to cook.  So it's been frozen pizza, canned chili and some yummy chicken quinoa soup from the freezer.  I'm finally getting back to normal. 

I thought this recipe sounded very interesting and similar to something I've had before.  I was right - it was delicious!  I did manage to kind of char the top under the broiler, but it was still tasty.  Greysen ate well and my visiting mother-in-law even went back for seconds!  I did use our heart-healthier options and cut up the chicken and artichoke smaller so that it was kid friendly.

Greek Chicken Pasta
2 c uncooked penne pasta (used whole grain)
1/4 c butter, cubed (used 3 Tbsp Earth Balance, 3 Tbsp flaxseed meal)
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 c all-purpose flour (used wheat flour)
1 can (14.5 oz) reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 c cubed rotisserie chicken
1 jar (7.5 oz) marinated quartered artichoke hearts, drained
1 c (4 oz) crumbled feta cheese
1/2 c chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1/3 c sliced pitted Greek olives
2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
Cook pasta according to package.  Meanwhile, in a large ovenproof skillet (I didn't have one, so I used a skillet and transferred it to a corningware dish - probably could have done the stovetop cooking in that as well) - melt butter. Add onion; saute until tender.  Stir in flour until blended; gradually add broth.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.  Stir in the chicken, artichoke hearts, cheese, tomatoes and olives.  Drain pasta; stir into the pan. broil 3-4 in. from the heat for 5-7 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.  Sprinkle with parsley. 
* Recipe from Taste of Home magazine Apr/May 2010

Spring Garden Fritatta

Wednesday, April 7, 2010
The Spring Garden Fritatta was our choice this week for "kid's night."  It was fun for Greysen to help with and it looked so delicious and colorful.  We don't have the special fritatta pan so it became Spring Garden Scramble for us.  We could have cut the recipe in half and made it in omelette form.  This was fantastic!

Spring Garden Fritatta
6 eggs, beaten
1 Tbs. lemon zest
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/3 lb. fontina cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 Tbs. finely chopped fresh chives
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more, to taste
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more, to taste
7 tsp. olive oil
3/4 cup diced yellow onion
1 Tbs. minced garlic
1 1/2 lb. zucchini, cut lengthwise into ribbons 1/8 inch thick (I did bite-size chunks to be kid-friendly)
1 cup peas
In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, lemon zest, Parmigiano-Reggiano, fontina, parsley, 2 Tbs. of the chives, the 1 1/2 tsp. salt and the 1/4 tsp. pepper; set aside. In the deep half of a frittata pan over medium heat, warm 2 tsp. of the olive oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Transfer the onion mixture to a small bowl. In the deep half of the frittata pan over medium-high heat, warm 2 tsp. of the olive oil. Add half of the zucchini and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and just tender, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a separate bowl. Warm 2 tsp. of the olive oil in the pan and cook the remaining zucchini, stirring in the peas during the last minute of cooking. Return all the zucchini to the pan and add the onion mixture. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the egg mixture. Cook, using a rubber spatula to lift the cooked edges and allow the uncooked eggs to flow underneath, until the eggs are almost set, 7 to 8 minutes.  Meanwhile, in the shallow half of the frittata pan over medium-low heat, warm the remaining 1 tsp. olive oil. Place the shallow pan upside down on top of the deep pan and flip the frittata into the shallow pan. Cook, covered, until the eggs are completely set, about 7 minutes. Invert the frittata onto a plate and let stand for 5 minutes. Garnish with the remaining 1 Tbs. chives and serve. Serves 8.
* Recipe from Williams Sonoma.

March 1-14, 2010

Wednesday 3/3 - Once again, Oscar Mayer Naturals hot dogs and Hodgson Mills pre-packaged Mac N Cheese - we were going to do cooked and buttered carrots, but we got home late after visiting my cousin and their new baby at the hospital so we ate raw carrots while we cooked.

Sunday 3/7 - Risotto Primavera - very unusual, not what I expected at all. Good, but a bit too much lemon for my taste. Wouldn't do it again - keep searching on the risottos. Barbeque Ribs are not a favorite of mine - I don't enjoy the ketchup flavor of the barbeque sauce. But Allen loves them, so he cooked them and he enjoyed them!

Tuesday 3/9 - Bacon & zucchini pasta - a recreation of a favorite from Italy. Still scrumptious - this was perhaps our best attempt yet. Perfectly crispy bacon and nicely done zucchini.

Thursday 3/11 - Crockpot mushroom barley soup - fairly easy and delicious - definitely one to do again, although next time I would add carrots - could also add sirloin bites.

Friday 3/12 - Gnocchi pesto - the gnocchi is time-consuming, but well worth the effort. Homemade pesto - didn't have quite enough basil so I added thyme. Yummy! Cod with lemon brodetto was delicious - Greysen inhaled it! This is a rarity!

Baked Risotto Primavera
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup short- or medium-grain brown rice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 14-1/2-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth or 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
8 ounces asparagus, ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces (2 cups)
1 cup sugar snap peas or snow peas, trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup diced red bell pepper (1 medium)
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese (3 1/2 ounces)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1-2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or ovenproof high sided skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in rice and garlic; cook, stirring, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in wine and simmer until it has mostly evaporated. Add broth and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and transfer to the oven. Bake until the rice is just tender, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Shortly before the risotto is done, steam asparagus, peas and bell pepper until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Fold the steamed vegetables, Parmesan, parsley, chives, lemon zest and pepper into the risotto. Serve immediately.
*Recipe from EatingWell.com from FoodNetwork.com.

Pasta con Zucchini e Bacon
Serves 7-8
1 box pasta, any kind
12 ounces bacon, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
2 pounds zucchini, (about 2 large/4 small), diced
1/2 to 1 cup reserved pasta water
1 cup very loosely packed, finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Coarse salt and cracked black pepper to taste
Cook the pasta according to directions. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot and set aside. While pasta is cooking, in a large sauté pan, add the bacon and cook until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crispy. Add the zucchini and cook until it starts to soften (covering with a lid will expediate). Place the cooked pasta over low heat. Add the reserved pasta water, cooked bacon, zucchini and the grated cheese. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Sophisticated Mushroom Barley Soup
1 cup boiling water
1 package (1/2 oz) dried wild mushrooms, such as porcini
2 tbsp vegetable oil or butter
3 onions, finely chopped
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cracked black peppercorns
1 1/2 lbs button mushrooms, sliced
2/3 cup pearl barley
7 cups vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup soy sauce
In a heat proof bowl, combine boiling water and dried mushrooms. Let stand for 30 minutes, then strain through a fine sieve, reserving liquid. Chop mushrooms finely and set aside. In a skillet, over medium heat, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil. Add onions and cook, stirring for 3 minutes, until softened. Add garlic, salt and peppercorns and cook for 1 minute. Transfer mixture to slow cooker stoneware. In same pan, heat remaining oil and cook button mushrooms over medium-high heat just until they begin to lose their liquid. Add dried mushrooms, toss to combine and cook for 1 minute. Transfer mixture to slow cooker stoneware. Add barley, reserved mushroom soaking liquid, stock, bay leaf and soy sauce. Cover and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours or on High for 3 to 4 hours. Discard bay leaf.
*Recipe from Kelly Rossiter at Planet Green

Potato Gnocchi with Pesto
You can make the gnocchi up to 8 hours in advance and refrigerate them until 1 hour before cooking.
1 or 2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves (didn’t have quite enough so added ½ c fresh thyme)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more, as needed
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 2/3 lb. baking potatoes
Kosher salt, to taste, plus 2 tsp.
2 eggs, beaten
About 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, or as needed
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for serving
In food processor or blender/magic bullet, add garlic and process until minced. Turn off, add pine nuts and pulse a few times to chop. Add basil and pulse a few times to chop coarsely. Then add the 1/2 cup olive oil and process until a smooth, moderately thick paste forms, stopping to scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the cheese and season with salt and pepper. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pesto for the gnocchi. Transfer the rest to a storage container, top with a thin layer of olive oil, cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 1 week. In a large saucepan over high heat, combine the unpeeled potatoes with salted water to cover by 1 inch, cover the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, about 30 minutes. Drain the potatoes and rinse with cold running water until they are cool enough to handle. Peel the potatoes and return them to the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, shaking the pan often, to evaporate the excess moisture, about 2 minutes. Press the warm potatoes through a ricer or rub them through a coarse-mesh sieve into a bowl. Stir in the eggs and the 2 tsp. salt. Gradually stir in enough of the flour to make a soft dough, taking care not to add too much. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead gently a few times until it is smooth, adding just enough flour to prevent sticking. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Lightly flour a rimmed baking sheet. Using floured hands, transfer 1 portion of the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Using your palms, roll the dough to make a rope about 3/4 inch in diameter. Cut the rope into 1-inch lengths and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add half of the gnocchi and simmer until they rise to the surface, then cook 1 minute more. Using a skimmer, carefully transfer the gnocchi to a warmed serving bowl and cover to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining gnocchi, then scoop out 1/2 cup of the cooking water and discard the remainder. Add the pesto and about 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking water to the gnocchi. Toss gently, adding more water as needed to make a creamy sauce. Serve immediately and pass cheese at the table. Serves 4 to 6.
*Recipe from Williams-Sonoma Comfort Food, by Rick Rodgers (Oxmoor House, 2009).

Cod with Lemon Brodetto
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, diced
2 lemons, juiced
1 lemon, zested
2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
4 (4 to 6-ounce) pieces cod or salmon
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Warm the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and saute until tender, about 7 minutes. Add the lemon juice, zest, and broth. Bring to a simmer, and keep warm, covered, over low heat.
Warm the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over high heat. Season the fish pieces with salt and pepper. Sear until a golden crust forms, about 4 to 5 minutes on the first side. Flip the fish and continue cooking until medium-rare, about 2 minutes more depending on the thickness of the fish.  Add the tablespoon chopped mint to the Lemon Brodetto and divide between 4 shallow dishes. Place a serving fish in each. Serve immediately.

February 1-14, 2010

Tuesday 2/2 - Saffron risotto - wasn't my favorite. Maybe a little overdone, but I wasn't fond of the flavor. Will have to try different kind of risotto next time. Asparagus wrapped in Chicken Breast with Mushrooms was a great recipe. Easy and yummy with great veggies wrapped inside. (Sorry, I can’t find the chicken and asparagus recipe. I will keep looking)

Wednesday 2/3 - Oscar Mayer Natural hot dogs are the best. Heated in pan with box of our favorite pre-packaged mac ‘n cheese from Hodgson Mills. And sweet potato pancakes. Surprisingly not a hit with Greysen, but we thought they were yummy.

Thursday 2/4 - Walnut pesto pasta was scrumptious. Definitely one to make again. Even Greysen loved it! And dessert of Molten Lava Cake was killer!

Friday 2/5 - Veggie shepherd's pie - another that I would do again, although we agreed that it is not good leftover. The parsnips on top are wonderful when crispy and fresh and go well with the bottom bean portion. Again, Greysen loved this!

Sunday 2/6 - Black Bean Chili was another hit with everyone! Yummy veggie version that rivaled our favorite canned Amy's Organic Black Bean Chili.

Tuesday 2/9 - Chicken & potatoes - Great chicken and flavors, but we should have cut the potatoes smaller. Minty eggplant was tasty, but we decided to alter the recipe and bake it so that it got crispy.

Thursday 2/11 - Salmon & beurre blanc was OK. Not outstanding, but certainly not bad. But the mashed potatoes with dill & carrots was TO DIE FOR - we all LOVE THIS DISH and it will be made again.

Risotto alla Milanese (Saffron Risotto)
Serves 4
1 pint chicken stock or broth
1 shallot or ½ small onion, finely chopped
6 Tbsp unsalted butter
12 oz Italian rice (Arborio)
6 Tbsp red wine
1 sachet (envelope) saffron powder or ½ tsp saffron threads, pounded
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Bring stock to a low simmer. Put the shallot and 4 Tbsp of butter in saucepan, sauté until soft and translucent, then add the rice and stir until well coated with fat. Pour in the wine, boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, and then pour in scant 1 cup of hot stock. Cook until nearly all the stock has been absorbed and then add another 2/3 cup of the stock. The risotto should cook at a steady, lively simmer. About halfway through cooking (risotto takes about 15-18 minutes to cook), add the saffron dissolved in a little stock. When the rice is ready – it should be soft and creamy, not mushy or runny – taste and adjust the seasoning. Take off the heat and mix in the rest of the butter and 2 tablespoons of the parmesan. Serve immediately, with the rest of the parmesan.
*Recipe from The Concise Gastronomy of Italy.

Sweet Potato Pancakes
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoons cinnamon
Pinch nutmeg
2 cups milk
4 teaspoons melted butter, plus more for greasing skillet
2 whole eggs
1 sweet potato, cooked until tender, peeled and pureed
Pecan butter, recipe follows
Maple syrup, for serving
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix together and whisk until smooth. Cook batches in buttered skillet on medium high temperature until bubbles form on the surface, then turn over and cook until dark golden brown. Serve with pecan butter and maple syrup.
*Recipe from Joseph's on FoodNetwork.com.

Pasta with Walnut Pesto, Sausage, and Broccoli Rabe
Serves 4
1/2 cup walnuts
2 cups basil leaves, loosely packed
1 small clove garlic
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3/4 cup olive oil
1 pound rigatoni
4 sweet Italian sausages (about 1 pound), casings removed
1 bunch broccoli rabe, tough stem ends trimmed and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup fresh ricotta cheese
Preheat oven to 300°. Spread walnuts on a baking tray, and toast until golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Cool completely. Combine 1/4 cup nuts, basil, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in the bowl of a food processor. Process and, while motor is running, drizzle in 1/2 cup olive oil to form pesto; set aside. Chop rest of nuts, and set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; cook rigatoni until tender. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. When oil is hot, add sausage and cook, breaking up meat, until brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer meat to a small bowl, and leave 1 tablespoon fat in pan. Return skillet to heat, and add rest of olive oil. Add broccoli rabe; cook until just crisp, about 2 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water, cover skillet, reduce heat to medium, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspooon pepper; return sausage to pan to heat through. Toss cooked pasta with pesto; season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide among 4 plates, and top each with sausage and broccoli rabe, a dollop of ricotta cheese, and chopped walnuts.
*Recipe created by Frances Boswell from O, The Oprah Magazine

Molten Lava Cake
6 oz. Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate (or use your favorite 70% dark chocolate bar)
6 oz. Butter (diced, room temperature)
3 Eggs
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
1/3 cup Flour
Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt chocolate on low flame in a bain-marie (double boiler). When melted, take of flame, and stir in diced butter, until it melts. In another bowl, beat eggs and sugar, until it starts to whiten. Stir in melted chocolate and then the flour. Butter 4 individual ramekins, and pour in chocolate batter. Cook for about 10 minutes. Tip ramekins upside down onto dessert plates and serve. Voilà!
* Recipe was passed on from my mom

Shepherd’s Pie
1 cup millet
1 large parsnip, peeled and diced
1/4 tsp. sea salt
2 Tbsp. minced parsley
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 clove garlic
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 cups cooked red beans
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Rinse and drain millet. Put into a pot with the diced parsnip and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil, add salt and cover pot. Simmer on a low heat for 35 minutes. Mash millet, adding the minced parsley. While the millet is cooking, you can prepare your bean and vegetable mixture. Warm the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Sauté the onion and garlic for about 30 seconds. Add the thyme, carrot, celery, sweet potato and sea salt and continue to sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Drizzle in about 1/3 cup of water and cover pan. Let the veggies cook until tender, about 7 minutes. Add the beans and tamari and continue to simmer for several minutes. Place the vegetable and bean mixture into a casserole dish and top with the creamed millet. Drizzle olive oil on top and place under a hot broiler for about 5 minutes until sizzling and lightly browned on top. Keep at least 6 inches away from the heat source to avoid burning. Alternatively, you can put into a hot oven for about 15 minutes.
*Recipe created by Aine McAteer found on Oprah.com

Vegetarian Black Bean Chili
3 cans black beans
2 yellow or green bell peppers
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
5 to 6 medium-sized garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon lime juice
two 4 oz. canned diced green chiles (or 1-2 medium-sized minced Anaheim or poblano chiles)
2 teaspoons dried basil (or 1 tablespoon fresh basil)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste
1/2 cup tomato puree
Heat oil in skillet. Add garlic and all other seasonings, lime juice, bell peppers, and chiles. Sauté over medium heat until peppers and chiles are tender (about 15 minutes). Add sauté to beans and tomato puree. Simmer covered over low heat for about 20 min., stirring occasionally. Serve with dollop of light sour cream, sprinkle of cheese, or without any toppings. We served with taco chips.
*Recipe from FitSugar.com.

Garlic-Rosemary Roasted Chicken and Potatoes
Serves 6–8
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
4 large cloves garlic, minced, plus 1 whole head garlic
2 Tbsp. finely chopped rosemary plus 3 sprigs rosemary
1 (5- to 6-pound) whole chicken (large roaster)
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 1/2 pounds baby new potatoes, scrubbed clean
Preheat oven to 400°. Prepare a large roasting pan with a rack. Position oven rack to lower third shelf. Combine butter, minced garlic, and chopped rosemary. Set aside. Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle cavity of bird liberally with salt and pepper. Stuff with garlic head and rosemary sprigs. Rub chicken on all sides with half the butter mixture. Season with plenty of salt and pepper. Place chicken on prepared rack and roast 30 minutes. Toss potatoes with remaining butter. Arrange potatoes around chicken and baste bird with drippings. Continue to roast another 50 to 60 minutes, basting occasionally. Temperature of chicken should read 180° when meat thermometer is placed between leg and thigh. Remove chicken from oven and allow to rest 15 to 20 minutes before carving.
*Recipe from O, The Oprah Magazine

Marinated Eggplant with Mint
4 to 6 side-dish servings
1.5lb sm purple or white eggplants (about 3), trimmed and cut lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slices
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
5 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh mint
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Toss eggplant with 1 teaspoon salt in a colander set over a bowl, then let drain 30 minutes. Rinse eggplant, then drain, pressing gently on eggplant to extract any excess liquid. Pat dry. Whisk together vinegar, sugar, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Stir in garlic and mint. Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then fry eggplant, about 8 slices at a time, until cooked through and pale golden, about 1 minute per side. Transfer eggplant as fried to paper towels to drain, then transfer to a large shallow dish, overlapping slices slightly. Spoon some of vinegar mint mixture over each batch. Marinate eggplant, covered and chilled, at least 8 hours. Cooks' note: Eggplant can be marinated up to 24 hours.
*Recipe from Gourmet on Epicurious.com.

Pan Seared Salmon & Beurre Blanc (White Wine Butter Sauce)
4 four-ounce salmon filets
1 tablespoon olive oil
to taste salt and pepper
2 tablespoons onion, minced
½ cup white wine
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ pound whole butter, cut into pieces
¼ teaspoon salt
pinch white pepper
Season salmon filets with salt and pepper and set aside. To a heavy bottomed skill over moderately high heat add olive oil, place salmon filets boned side down, or skinned side up. This makes it easy to serve the more attractive side of the fish to the diner. Cook for 2 minutes, turn and cook for 2 more minutes. Using your finger touch the fish, if fish is firm it should be cooked through and still moist. Place fish on plate or platter and top with Beurre Blanc and chopped fresh parsley or dill and additional lemon wedge.

In a small saucepan over medium heat add 1 tablespoon butter then the onion and cook for 1 minute stirring, do not brown. Add wine and lemon juice and reduce mixture until almost dry. Reduce heat to very low and begin adding chilled butter a few pieces at a time whisking constantly and adding more butter as previous butter melts, season with salt and pepper. Strain sauce through mesh strainer and serve immediately.
*Recipe from WSBT-2 website.

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Carrot Flecks and Dill
2 heads of garlic (rubbed with olive oil and roasted at 350ºF until soft, about 40 minutes) (we used store bought jar of roasted minced garlic)
1 C. chopped carrot (about 2 med. carrots)
6 C. chopped potatoes (about 2-3 pounds)
1/2 C. buttermilk
1/2 stick of butter (4 Tbs.)
2 Tbs. fresh chopped dill
Tons of salt and pepper (to taste)
Take the roasted garlic cloves out of their garlic paper and mash them altogether in a bowl, with a fork. Steam the carrot and potato together, about 15-25 minutes depending on how small you cut them. You can warm the buttermilk, and butter so that it isn’t cold going into the potatoes, but if you plan to serve them immediately, they’ll still be hot enough if you just add room temp. butter and buttermilk. So, however you do it, mash the buttermilk, butter, dill, mashed roasted garlic, salt and pepper into the potatoes and carrots. Taste for seasoning, adjust if you need to.
*Recipe from Figs With Bri (http://figswithbri.com)

January 16, 2010 – Fondue Night

Our first endeavor came at a Fondue Night party with friends. We made the following Polenta with Mushroom Ragu (we created it ourselves combining other recipes that we found). We were Runner Up in the appetizer competition!

Polenta with Mushroom Ragu
3 cups water
1 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon finely chopped basil
¼ cup freshly Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces any mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup dry Marsala
1/2 teaspoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a saucepan. Slowly pour in a continuous stream of cornmeal, stirring constantly. Add the salt. Reduce the heat to low and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the polenta begins to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 20 minutes. Shut off the heat and stir in the basil and cheese. Working quickly, grease 13x9x2 with olive oil and pour in cornmeal mixture, spreading it out over the whole surface. Let the polenta set and cool for 1 hour. When the polenta has cooled completely, cut into small squares. Grease a baking sheet and arrange them on the sheet, leaving space around each one so that the edges can crisp. Bake on the top rack in the oven for 15 minutes, or until browned.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and onion. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper and sauté until the juices evaporate, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until the mushrooms are golden brown, about 2 minutes longer. Decrease the heat to medium-low. Add the Marsala. Cover and simmer until the Marsala has reduced by about half, about 5 minutes. Stir the flour and remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a small bowl to form a paste, then stir the paste into the mushroom mixture. Cover and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir the parsley into the ragu. Season the ragu, to taste, with more salt and pepper. Arrange the polenta squares on a platter. Serve the ragu on the side or spoon some on each square.