Cravings

When I was pregnant, there was only one thing I craved - apple juice. Yes, that sounds kind of weird but whenever it was an option, I wanted apple juice. I sought it out. The only thing I've craved post-pregnancy has been orzo salad. How weird is that? I've just really been in the mood for it lately so I finally made some this week and it was delicious.

This is the recipe I chose and I would make it again but I might use mozzarella next time. I love feta but I love mozzarella, too. I also went to two different stores and both were out of fresh basil so I used a little bit of dried basil instead and that worked just fine. I also used baby spinach as I prefer that over arugula.

• Dressing: 
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/3 cup olive oil
Salad:
• 12 ounces orzo pasta
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
• 4 tablespoons thinly sliced chives or green onions
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1 cup arugula or baby spinach, coarsely chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• ½ cup pine nuts, toasted (heat them in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, tossing often until golden)

1. For the dressing, whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, honey and oil. Season to taste with a bit of salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. For the salad, cook the orzo in the chicken broth until tender according to package directions. Drain well but do not rinse. Let the pasta cool to room temperature, tossing often so it doesn't stick together (stir in 1-2 tablespoons of the dressing if the pasta is overly sticky). Toss the cooled pasta with the tomatoes, chives or green onions, basil, and arugula or spinach.
3. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and stir to coat the ingredients with the dressing. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Sprinkle the feta and pine nuts over the top and toss lightly. Serve at room temperature.

Lentil soup

I have had my eye on a lentil soup recipe for awhile and, finally, made it this weekend. It took a trip to the bulk bins at Whole Foods to find some of the ingredients but I'm not complaining. I will gladly accept any excuse (or recipe) that takes me to Whole Foods.

Lentil Soup

1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup celery, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, diced fine
1 large carrot, diced
1 1/2 cups lentils, washed
56 oz veggie stock
2-14 oz cans of diced tomatoes (fire roasted)
Olive oil
1/4 cup millet
1/4 cup amaranth
1/4 cup flax seed
1/4 cup quinoa
1 Tbs lemon juice
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp dried ground marjoram
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

Heat stock pot on medium heat and add olive oil. Add onion, celery, garlic and carrot to post, cooking until onion is soft but not brown, stirring occasionally. Add the rest of the ingredients (except the balsamic vinegar) to the pot and stir to combine. Turn heat to low and simmer on stove for 1 hour. When the soup is finished add 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, stir and serve.

Peach Cobbler

The dark spots are where I got heavy-handed with cinnamon/sugar mixture.

 

Yesterday we had company over in the evening which meant I spent 5-6 hours in the kitchen yesterday afternoon. Seriously. I made way too much food but Joe says the best dish of the evening was my peach cobbler. I doubled the recipe which I won't do in the future because I can't imagine peeling 16 peaches ever again. (Even when blanched to more easily remove the skins it was not my cup of tea.)


Peach mixture ingredients
8 fresh peaches - peeled, pitted and sliced
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Topping ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter - chilled and cut into small pieces
1/4 cup boiling water

Mix together
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Combine peaches with peach mixture ingredients. Toss evenly to coat and pour in a 2 quart baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes.
3. Combine topping ingredients in a bowl and stir in water last until just combined.
4. Remove peaches from oven, drop spoonfuls of topping over them. Sprinkle entire cobble with sugar/cinnamon mixture and bake for about 30 minutes.

A new take on PB&J

Peanut butter & jelly bar

Yesterday I made these peanut butter & jelly bars, a Barefoot Contessa recipe. (Ina Garten is my go-to source for most recipes. She never lets me down!) My husband can't stop eating them, has requested I make another batch for his office and a friend requested the recipe so I thought I'd share.

1/2 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large eggs at room temperature (I used 2 large because that's all I had)
2 cups creamy peanut butter
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 cups raspberry jam (18 ounces)
2/3 cup salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking pan.

With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light yellow for about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the vanilla, eggs and peanut butter and mix until well combined.

In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture. Mix just until combined.

Spread two thirds of the dough in the prepared pan. Spread the jam evenly over the dough. Drop small globs of the remaining dough evely over the jam. Don't worry if all the jam isn't covered; the dough will spread when it bakes. Sprinkle with the chopped peanuts and bake for 45 minutes until golden brown. Cool and cut into small squares.

Mediterranean Tuna-Noodle Casserole

My church regularly sends out emails for help with meal requests and I try to help out whenever possible. A recent request came my way and noted "no chicken or shellfish." I assumed the rest of the meals might be red meat heavy so I looked for alternatives and found a delicious Martha Stewart recipe for Mediterranean Tuna-Noodle Casserole. The recipe makes enough for two dishes so it was perfect to make one for us and one for someone else's freezer. It earned our seal of approval and a spot on our meal rotation so I thought I'd pass it along.

1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for baking dishes
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pound wide egg noodles
2 red bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), thinly sliced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
5 cups whole milk
4 cans (6 ounces each) tuna in olive oil, drained*
1 can (14 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained and thickly sliced
5 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil two 8-inch square (or other shallow 2-quart) baking dishes. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook noodles until 2 minutes short of al dente; drain, and return to pot.

Meanwhile, in a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium. Add bell peppers; season with salt and pepper. Cook until crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Gradually add milk, stirring until smooth. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a simmer.

Remove from heat; add mixture to noodles in pot, along with tuna, artichoke hearts, and scallions. Season with salt and pepper, and toss. Divide between prepared baking dishes, and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until golden and bubbling, about 20 minutes.

*Instead of four cans in oil, I used two in oil and two in water.

Mmm...good

I made a fantastic breakfast yesterday that will definitely be a favorite in our household. The recipe came from Food Network Magazine.

Sourdough Strata with Tomatoes and Greens
8 plum tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cups whole milk
8 large eggs
10 ounces Italian fontina cheese, grated (about 3 cups)
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1-pound loaf sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 8 cups)
4 cups chopped greens, such as kale, spinash or arugula

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Toss the tomatoes with the thyme, olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper in a bowl. Spread on a baking sheet and roast, stirring once or twice, until the tomatoes are slightly dried and browned in spots, 1 hour to 1 hour, 15 minutes. Cool completely.

2. Whisk the milk, eggs, fontina, 3/4 cup parmesan, the cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a large bowl. Add the bread cubes and greens and toss to coat. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish, then top with the roasted tomatoes. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

3. The next day, preheat the oven to 350. Sprinkle the strata with the remaining 1/4 cup parmesan and bake, uncovered, until golden brown and almost set, about 45 minutes. Turn off the oven, but keep the strata inside 10 minutes before serving.

So easy, so good

I have been wanting to make this Barefoot Contessa pasta dish for awhile...I'd say maybe a year and a half or more but it has actually taken me that long to find truffle butter - seriously. Our local Whole Foods has now started stocking it and so we had this super simple meal tonight with garlic rolls and salad. Joe proclaimed it to be the best pasta he's had in the last year so I thought it would be blog-worthy.

Kosher salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 ounces white truffle butter
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (8.82-ounce) package Cipriani tagliarelle dried pasta or other egg fettuccine
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
3 ounces Parmesan, shaved thin with vegetable peeler

Add 1 tablespoon salt to a large pot of water and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, in a large (12-inch) saute pan, heat the cream over medium heat until it comes to a simmer. Add the truffle butter, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, lower the heat to very low and swirl the butter until it melts. Keep warm over very low heat.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 3 minutes, exactly. (If you're not using Cipriani pasta, follow the directions on the package.) When the pasta is cooked, reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta. Add the drained pasta to the saute pan and toss it with the truffle cream mixture. As the pasta absorbs the sauce, add as much of the reserved cooking water as necessary to keep the pasta very creamy.

Serve the pasta with chives and shaved Parmesan.

Company is calling!

I have had little opportunity to cook lately so when I found out our friend, Alex was going to be in town, I decided the best place for dinner was our place. I turned to the Barefoot Contessa for some help and found a recipe for chicken with morels. This French dinner was a nice departure from what we usually eat during the week - frozen pizza. Below is the recipe.

1 ounce dried morels, soaked for 30 min in 3 cups of very hot water (I made the mistake of grabbing the package without looking at the price...afterall, how expensive can an ounce of mushrooms really be? Gasp!)
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour, for dredging
1/4 cup clarified butter
1/3 cup chopped shallots (2 large)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
1 cup Madeira wine
1 cup creme fraiche
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Lift the morels carefully from the hot water in order to leave any grit behind in the liquid. Rinse a few times to be sure all the grittiness is gone. Discard the liquid and dry the morels lightly with paper towels. Set aside.

Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Dredge them in flour and shake off excess. Heat half the clarified butter in a large saute pan and cook the chicken in 2 batches over medium-low heat until browned on both sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to an ovenproof dish.

Add the rest of the clarified butter to the pan along with the shallots, drained morels and garlic. Saute over medium heat for 2 minutes, tossing and stirring constantly. Pour the madeira into the pan and reduce the liquid by half over high heat, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the creme fraiche, cream, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Boil until the mixture starts to thicken, 5 to 10 minutes. Pour the sauce over the chicken and bake for 12 minutes, or until the chicken is heated through.

Caramelized Onion Lasagna

I received an email from my friend, Amber yesterday suggesting that I should try this recipe and report back to her. Not only did it sound good, it just so happened I had nothing planned yet in the way of meals. So tonight we had Caramelized Onion Lasagna from EatingWell.

I was a little worried that my sauce didn't turn out exactly right but you would have never known that to taste it. The results were delicious; however, it took quite a bit of effort. In fact, this was more effort than I have been used to these days in the kitchen. But if you have some extra time, this is very appetizing.

8 ounce(s) pasta, lasagna noodles, whole wheat
3 tablespoon oil, olive, extra virgin
3 large onion(s), sweet, thinly sliced
4 medium mushrooms, portobello, gills removed, diced
1/2 cup(s) wine, red, table
1 teaspoon salt
pepper, black ground, to taste
4 cup(s) spinach, baby
2 cup(s) cheese, ricotta, fat-free
1/2 cup(s) basil, fresh, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon oil, olive, extra virgin
3 tablespoon flour, all-purpose
2 cup(s) milk, lowfat (1%)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 ounce(s) cheese, crumbled Gorgonzola
1/3 cup(s) nuts, walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup(s) basil, fresh

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

2. Cook noodles until not quite al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package directions.

3. Drain; return the noodles to the pot and cover with cool water.

To prepare onion filling:
1. Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown and very soft, about 25 minutes. (If they begin to stick, add water 1/4 cup at a time to release them and prevent burning.)

2. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until just beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add wine and 1 teaspoon salt and continue cooking until most of the liquid is absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in pepper.

To prepare spinach filling:
1. Place spinach, ricotta, basil and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor and process until smooth.

To prepare white sauce:
1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and stir until bubbling, about 30 seconds.

2. Gradually whisk in milk and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Cook, whisking, until the sauce has the consistency of thick gravy, about 1 minute.

3. Add Gorgonzola and gently whisk until it is melted. Remove from the heat. (The sauce will continue to thicken as it sits.)

To prepare the lasagna:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

2. Drain the noodles and spread out on a kitchen towel. Spread 1/2 cup white sauce in the prepared pan.

3. Place a layer of noodles over the sauce. Spread half of the spinach filling over the noodles and top with one-third of the onion filling. Evenly spread 1/2 cup white sauce over the onions. Repeat with another layer of noodles, the remaining spinach filling, half the remaining onion filling and half the remaining white sauce. To finish, top with a third layer of noodles, spread the remaining onion filling over the noodles and then spread or dollop the remaining white sauce on top. Sprinkle with walnuts and basil.

4. Bake until hot and bubbling, about 30 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Eggplant Cacciatore Sandwiches

Cooking and trying new recipes has been sporadic at best these days but I did make a new vegetarian recipe tonight, courtesy of Rachael Ray, that was definitely blog worthy!

One 16-ounce loaf frozen garlic bread, split lengthwise
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 large eggplant (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut into cubes
4 ounces cremini mushrooms, coarsely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
Salt and pepper
3/4 cup white wine
2 teaspoons fresh oregano, chopped
One 14.5 ounce can stewed tomatoes-drained and coarsely chopped, juices reserved (I used diced)
4 ounces thinly sliced provolone cheese

1. Bake the garlic bread according to package instructions; keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, in a large, heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add the eggplant and cook, stirring ocassionally, until almost tender, about 7 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and cook until they release their liquid and begin to brown, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper.
3. Stir in the white wine and cook, scrapping up any browned bits, until the liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add the oregano and the tomatoes with their juices and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
4. Preheat the broiler. Halve the garlic bread crosswise. Divide the eggplant mixture among the 4 pieces and top with the provolone. Broil until the cheese is melted.

My proudest moment

My Christmas present this year was a Dutch oven. (Yes, I now consider myself a full-fledged adult for being genuinely giddy over a kitchen pot.) Anyway, since I already have it, I decided to use it to make beef burgundy. I didn't use the Julia Child recipe because, frankly, it's practically longer than the last book I read. I made the dish along with a side of mashed potatoes and I am so proud of the results. (Recipe from Food Network Magazine.)

6 strips of thick-cut bacon, chopped
2 1/2 pounds flat-iron or tri-tip beef, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 medium carrots, diced
2 medium onions, diced
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
1 4-inch piece celery stalk
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 cup brandy
2 cups burgundy, cotes du rhone or other dry red wine
2 cups beef stock
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup pearl onions, peeled
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup quartered button mushrooms

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Heat a 6-to-8-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add the bacon and cook until lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon to a large plate, leaving the drippings in the pot.

2. Pat the beef dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper. Add the beef to the pot in a single layer (do this in batches); sear for 3 to 5 minutes, turning to brown all over. Transfer with a slotted spoon to the plate with the bacon.

3. Add the carrots and onions to the pot and cook until softened and slightly browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, make a "bouquet garni": Tie the thyme, bay leaf, garlic, parsley and celery together with twine (nestle the garlic in the celery stalk).

4. Return the bacon and beef to the pot. Add the flour and stir for a few minutes until the meat is coated. Stir in the tomato paste. Add the brandy and cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the red wine; cook until reduce by half again, about 10 more minutes. Add the stock and bouquet garni; bring to a low boil. Stir gently, then cover and transfer to the oven; cook until the meat is tender and cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour 30 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the pearl onions and cook until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and 1/4 cup water; cook until the water evaporates and the onions are browned, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms; cook until slightly softened and golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; set the skillet aside.

6. Remove the meat from the pot with a slotted spoon. Let the sauce sit for a few minutes, then skim the fat and discard. Return the meat to the pot. Add the pearl onions and mushrooms; heat through. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with parsley. (For better flavor, make the dish a day ahead.)

Plum Cake

Yesterday I made this plum upside-down cake. It turned out very well...I love the taste of the cake and then the plums on top are very sweet and some a little tart. Joe said it was the best tasting cake he's ever had...but I think he tells me that a lot about other things! Who knows...

Shrimp Tacos

Last night we had shrimp tacos. They were so good we will definitely be having them again. I would say that Joe is probably not the hugest fan of shrimp. He will eat it but he would never order it at a restaurant or ask to have it. But he must have complimented this meal a 100 times last night and even called from work today to tell me again how great it was.

The recipe comes from Real Simple.

1/4 cup fresh orange juice (I used store bought)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons sour cream
Kosher salt and black pepper
1/4 small cabbage (8 counces), shredded
1 cup corn kernels (from 1 to 2 ears, or frozen and thawed)
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
8 small flour tortillas, warmed

In a large bowl, whisk the orange and lime juices, sour cream, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add the cabbage, corn, and jalapeno and toss to combine. Let sit, tossing occasionally, for 10 minutes. (I made my slaw an hour or so in advance and let it sit in the fridge and it was great.)

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the shrimp with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook until opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes.

Serve the shrimp with the tortillas and the slaw.

Granola Girl

After last week's cake, I decided maybe I should try my hand at something a little healthier so yesterday I made granola bars. The recipe comes from the Barefoot Contessa's latest book. They were a little hard for me to cut into bars without falling apart (maybe I should have let them set longer) but they are very good!

2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup shredded coconut, loosely packed
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup honey
1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup chopped pitted dates
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8x12 inch baking dish and line it with parchment paper.

Toss the oatmeal, almonds and coconut together on a sheet pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the wheat germ.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees.

Place the butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for a minute, then pour over the toasted oatmeal mixture. Add the dates, apricots and cranberries and stir well.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Wet your fingers (or spoon!) and lightly press the mixture evenly into the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until light golden brown. Cool for at least 2 to 3 hours before cutting into squares. Serve at room temperature.

A Cookies and Cream Kind of Day

My friend Laura recently made this cake. It looked so good so I decided that it would be my very first DH project (DH = Deseperate Housewife). It's far from perfect. The top layer was a little too crumbly and I ran out of frosting as I was icing the sides but it still looks okay and if it tastes okay - even better! Here's the recipe.

Menu Plan Monday

Monday: Fettuccine
Tuesday: Beef Tex-Mex Stir Fry
Wednesday: Black Bean & Corn Casserole
Thursday: leftovers
Friday: Pizza

Black Beans and Corn Casserole
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped red or green bell pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup corn, fresh or frozen
8 corn tortillas
4 cups grated Cheddar cheese
sour cream for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm oil. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce, salsa, oregano, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir in beans and corn.

In a lightly sprayed or oiled 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish, spread one-third of the bean mixture evenly over the bottom of the dish. Lay 4 tortillas on top slightly overlapping. Add another one-third of the bean mixture and half of the cheese. Add 4 more tortillas, remaining bean mixture and top with remaining cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until bubbly, about 10 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Cut into squares and serve with sour cream.

Crustless Spinach Quiche

Monica asked for this recipe so I thought I'd share it for everyone. It turned out to be a very easy and very good breakfast.

2 large eggs
1 cup cottage cheese
4 green onions
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup whole milk (I used skim)
1/2 package (5 ounces) frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/4 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
2 to 3 drops Tabasco sauce

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, whisk egg. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Spread into a lightly sprayed or oiled 9-inch glass pie plate. Bake until set and bubbly, about 55 minutes. (Mine took much less time.) Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Cut into wedges to serve.

Mmm...

We had Spinach Enchiladas tonight and I was quite pleased with the results. Below is the recipe:

1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup sliced green onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (10 ounce) package of frozen spinach, thawed,
drained and squeezed dry
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
10 (6 inch) corn tortillas
1 (19 ounce) can enchilada sauce

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and onion; cook for a few minutes until fragrant but not brown. Stir in spinach and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and mix in ricotta cheese, sour cream and 1 cup of Monterey Jack cheese.

In a skillet over medium heat, warm tortillas one at a time until flexible, about 15 seconds. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the spinach mixture onto the center of each tortill. Roll up and place seam side down in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Pour enchilada sauce over the top and sprinkle with the remaining cup of Monterey Jack.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven until sauce is bubbling and cheese is lightly browned at the edges.

A healthy night

I'm always on the lookout for tasty vegetarian options and try to make sure we have a vegetarian night at least once a week. Joe gave extra kudos to tonight's selection.

Quinoa and Black Beans

1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned.

Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with vegetable broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes.

Stir frozen corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated through. Mix in the black beans and cilantro.

Risotto that rocks

I've always loved risotto but have never made it until tonight. Sometime during dinner Joe said, "Your risotto rocks." Why thank you very much. Below is the recipe.

Sweet Potato Risotto

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
salt and black pepper
2 small sweet potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into 1/4 inch peices
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup grated Parmeasan (2 ounces)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes.

Add the rice and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring frequently, until absorbed.

Measure 3 1/2 cups of water. Add 3/4 cup at a time and cook, stirring occasionally and waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding the next. It should take 25 to 30 minutes for all the water to be absorbed.

Stir in the parmesan and oregano.

For more variations go here.