Warm Skirt Steak Salad

ingredients:

1 pound skirt steak or flank steak
12-15 cherry tomatoes
12-15 sweet yellow tomatoes
1 bunch asparagus, cut in half
2 shallot, finely chopped & divided
3-4 garlic cloves, smashed and roughly chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup blue cheese or gorgonzola cheese

a Bag of you favorite salad mix

directions:

Preheat the oven to broil. 

Place the steak on a parchment-lined baking sheet along with the tomatoes, asparagus, shallot and garlic.  Cover everything with olive oil and salt and pepper.  Place the steak and veggies on the top rack of your oven.  

 

After about 7 minutes, flip the steak over and continue to cook for another 5-7, depending on how you like your steak cooked.  

Remove from oven and let rest for 15 minutes or so.  You want it to cool slightly more than a normal "resting" time, so the lettuce doesn't completely wilt.  

While that is resting, fill a serving bowl with the bag of salad.  Dress with your favorite oil and vinegar or other salad dressing.  I used a balsamic vinegar and the other shallot, along with some salt and pepper. 

Slice the steak against the grain, and place on top of the salad.  Add tomatoes and other veggies.  Top with the blue cheese/gorgonzola.  

ENJOY!!

adapted from a recipe I saw on pinterest, cheeky kitchen

Tortilla Meatball Soup

Ingredients



2 jalapeño peppers
1 red bell pepper
2 ears corn on the cob
4 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut into 1/2-inch-thick strips
Cooking spray
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
6 garlic cloves, minced and divided
1/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 pound ground sirloin
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
2 cups (3/4-inch) cubed red potatoes
1 cup (1/2-inch-thick) slices carrot
3 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

1. Preheat broiler.


2. Cut jalapeños and bell pepper in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Arrange corn on baking sheet with peppers. Broil 4 to 6 minutes or until blackened, turning corn once. Place peppers in a paper bag; fold to seal. Let stand 15 minutes; peel. Mince jalapeños, and coarsely chop bell pepper. Cut corn kernels from cobs. Set aside.


3. Place tortilla strips in a single layer on a baking sheet; lightly coat with cooking spray. Broil for 3 minutes or until golden brown, turning after 2 minutes. Set aside. *Watch these! I burned 300 of  them*


4. Combine 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 garlic clove, panko, and the next 3 ingredients (through chipotle chile) in a large bowl, and gently mix until just combined. With moist hands, shape the meat mixture into 24 meatballs (about 2 tablespoons each).


5. Place a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add meatballs to pan; sauté for 8 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove from pan. Add onion, potatoes, and carrot to pan; sauté 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining 5 garlic cloves; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add peppers, broth, and 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes or until vegetables are almost tender, stirring occasionally. Return meatballs to pan. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and corn; return to a simmer. Cook 10 minutes or until meatballs are done. Ladle 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 6 bowls; top each serving with 4 teaspoons Monterey Jack cheese, 2 teaspoons cheddar cheese, and 4 teaspoons cilantro. Top evenly with tortilla strips.

*I added an additional chipotle pepper, chopped, in the soup as well as the meatballs*


Julianna Grimes, Cooking Light


OCTOBER 2011

Lemon-Basil Pasta

I love a good lemon sauce. It goes with so many of my favorite foods, fish, chicken, pasta... Bacon.

I love basil - I could eat it with toast and butter everyday. But my family is looking for something a bit more substantial for dinner.

In one of my lemon sauce moods, I threw in the basil and crisped up some bacon - and Wa-lah. Dinner was served.

Here's the basics for the sauce:

1 Lemon, juiced and zested & another lemon for a fresh squeeze over the top in the end

4 T butter

4 T olive oil

A handful of Basil leaves

Crumbled Bacon

Parmesan Cheese, grated or shredded for topping.

Cook up some Pasta & reserve some water. (I used linguine)

Over a low heat, melt butter. Combine olive oil and slowly add lemon juice and zest. Making sure to stir between each addition.

Pour the sauce over the linguine - this is where you add some reserved pasta water if you feel the noodles are sticking. Just add a tablespoon at a time - you don't want to water the sauce down. Then sprinkle in the chopped basil. Stir to evenly combine.

Spoon portions into a pasta bowl, and top with more fresh basil, bacon and parmesan cheese. And squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice over the top for a fresher tasting pasta.

Try it as a light dinner with some crusty bread. Or add a grilled chicken breast or your favorite fish to make it more substantial.

Enjoy!

Fajita Panini

Last Christmas I got a panini press. It's been ok - just trying to figure it out with as less mess as possible.

I also got/get the Food Network Magazine - It's been ok - just trying to figure that out with as less mess as possible, too. In each magazine they have little booklets that you can remove. In each booklet are 50 recipes - all focused on one thing such as, pasta sauce, pizza, after-school snacks, summer drinks, burgers, etc... (If I could just get these little booklets, and forget the magazine, I would!)

So, in their October 2010 magazine, Food Network inserted their booklet on..... 50 PANINI!

It totally rekindled my love for panini.

Last night I made Fajita Panini -

Yes. Fajita Panini.

I followed their instructions - which are so simple.

1. Brush the inside of a split sub (I used a crusty loaf of bread) with olive oil.

2. Fill with sliced grilled chicken (I used rotisserie chicken), sauteed peppers and onions, and shredded pepper jack cheese (I used sliced pepper jack).

3. Press and cook until golden.

So your list of ingredients looks something like this:

-- Sliced Chicken Breast (Rotisserie, Grilled, or even that kind you can find in the frozen section in the grocery store that's already cooked, you just reheat, do you know what I mean?)

-- Sliced Onions & Peppers (I used half of a red onion, a quarter of both red & green peppers)

-- Pepper Jack Cheese (sliced, shredded or slivered :))

-- Bread of Choice

-- olive oil for brushing

Then:

Heat your panini press. I heated mine to about 350 degrees. (if you are cooking on the stove, preheat a skillet with butter or oil to medium low. Add your sandwich, then press a heavy pan on top to weigh it down. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side -- that's all from FN Mag)

Sautee your onions and peppers in a little bit of olive oil (i used butter, yum), about 5-8 minutes.

It's really all about assembly after that. Put as much chicken, onions, peppers, cheese as you like. Press it like a panini and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until cheese is melty.

I think next time I will put another slice of cheese on it - and I had cilantro, which I totally forgot to put on it. But I think it would have been so good in it, too.

Hope you enjoy this as much as we did!!

I'm calling this one Salad Pasta...

...instead of Pasta Salad :) Pretty Clever, huh?

A few months ago, a friend of mine made a pasta salad from a recipe on the back of a (gasp!) Simply Pasta box... That gasp! is tongue in cheek - who am I to judge where someone gets a recipe, as long as it is good! And it was. Good, that is.

I've tried to find that recipe a few different times. And when all else failed, I just made up my own. So here is my version of that recipe,

Salad Pasta

4 oz Gemelli Pasta, cooked and cooled

a couple of handfuls of Romaine lettuce (I used half of a bag of salad)

1 cup of cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

4 oz fresh mozzarella, cubed

1 small can of black olives or Kalamata olives, sliced

your favorite dressing - i used a Kraft sun-dried tomato vinaigrette (one of our favorites for pasta salad), my friend used a jar of basil pesto and it was delicious!!

I also sauteed some chicken breasts in olive oil, minced garlic, salt and pepper and a few splashes of balsamic vinegar. Then sliced them and served alongside the salad pasta.

Penne with Beef and Arugula

This is a recipe from Food Network Giada De Laurentiis, that was send to me from Aubrey, my favorite
San Diego dwelling person. This is delicious, healthy (to my standards, if using a lean cut of beef, whole grain wheat pasta). This will be a regular in our home. I love it, thanks Aubrey!

1 (1-pound) New York strip steak
1 teaspoon herbs de Provence (I don't have this, so I used Montreal Steak seasoning)
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
1 pound penne pasta (I use Whole Grain Wheat Pasta)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for steak and pasta water
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for steak
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 cups chopped arugula
 
Season the steak with salt and freshly ground black pepper, herbs de Provence, and minced garlic. In a skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Cook steak about 7 minutes per side. Remove the meat from pan and let it rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the steak. Set aside.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of pasta water.
In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, fresh herbs, and 3/4 cup olive oil. In a large bowl toss the pasta with half of the salad dressing and the reserved pasta water. Add the arugula and steak, more dressing, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, as needed. Toss, Serve

Makes 4 servings
Recipe and Photo: Food Network, Giada De Laurentiis

Incredible Potato-Bacon Torte

This dish was simply incredible!! This was the best, flakiest pie crusts I have ever made. It was super easy,  just about as much work as any 'add water' pie crust you would buy at the store. I would suggest that you try it!  A nice, hearty lunch when served with a green salad, or a light dinner when it's warm outside.  This is seriously yummy!!

Ingredients:
4 strips bacon
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 Pie Crusts, recipe follows
3 medium baking potatoes, peeled
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese
1 egg yolk, whisked with a splash of water

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
In a skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until just crispy. Drain on paper towel lined plate and set aside. Crumble the bacon when cool to the touch.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the thyme and cream over low heat to a bare simmer. Turn off the heat and let steep for about 5 minutes. Remove the thyme sprigs.
Remove the pie pan from the refrigerator. Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise and then finely slice the potatoes. Working in circles, arrange the potato slices in the pie crust, stopping to season each layer with salt, pepper, and about 1/4 of the crumbled bacon. Continue layering until the pie pan is nearly full. Top with an even layer of the cheese and gently pour cream around and over the entire pie, allowing it to seep down between the potato slices. (You may not use all the cream.)
Roll out the remaining disk of refrigerated dough. Cover the pie with the dough and crimp the edges closed. Brush the top and edges of the crust with egg wash. Make a few slits in the center of the top crust, for the steam to escape, and put the pie pan on a baking sheet. Bake the torte until the crust is browned and crispy and the potatoes are cooked through, about 50 to 60 minutes. If the crust edges get too brown, cover them with some strips of aluminum foil. Remove the pie from the oven and let rest at least 15 minutes before cutting into wedges and serving.
Pie Crust:
1 cup butter (2 sticks), cubed and chilled
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
8 to 10 tablespoons ice water
Put the butter, flour, and salt in the food processor, and pulse lightly just until the mixture resembles wet sand. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing briefly after each spoonful of water. Keep adding water until the dough just begins to gather into larger clumps. Transfer equal amounts of the dough into 2 resealable plastic bags and pat each into a disk. Let rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Remove 1 of the disks from the bag to a flour coated surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a 10-inch round. Gently fit the rolled dough into a 9-inch pie pan, and refrigerate while you prepare the torte ingredients.
Yield: 2 (9-inch) pie crusts
Recipe: Melissa d'Arabian, Food Network, 10 Dollar Dinners
Photo: Flickr

Capellini with Tomatoes and Basil

I made this for dinner lastnight and it was really fresh and yummy. Very fast! It takes only 2 minutes for the pasta to cook, and about 10 for the sauce. This is perfect for those pints of fresh, sweet cherry tomatoes you can pick up at your local farmers market for a couple of bucks. Although, even using store bought, waxy, out of season regular cherry tomatoes, it was really good. I made some meatballs on the side, since I reside with wolves, but this would be a great meatless dinner. Enjoy!
This recipe serves 6.

Ingredients

Kosher salt
1/2 cup good olive oil, plus extra for the pot
2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
4 pints small cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
18 large basil leaves, julienned
2 tablespoons chopped fresh curly parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 pound dried capellini or angel hair pasta
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Extra chopped basil and grated Parmesan, for serving

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons of salt and a splash of oil to the pot.
Meanwhile, heat the 1/2 cup of olive oil in a large (12-inch) saute pan. Add the garlic to the oil and cook over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, basil, parsley, thyme, 2 teaspoons salt, the pepper, and red pepper flakes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to soften but don't break up.
While the tomatoes are cooking, add the capellini to the pot of boiling water and cook for 2 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the pasta water.
Place the pasta in a large serving bowl, add the tomatoes and Parmesan and toss well. Add some of the pasta water if the pasta seems too dry. Serve large bowls of pasta with extra basil sprinkled on top and a big bowl of extra Parmesan on the side.
Recipe and Photo, Ina Garten

Chicken Stuffed with Prosciutto and Fontina

                                        
I have made this dish many times and its delicious, quick and easy. I have played with the ingredients and added different herbs, or used whatever cheeseI had on hand. Whatever change I have made, it has been really good. Here is the recipe as written, by Paula Deen. The only problem that I had with it, is the original recipe states to cook the chicken on the stove top the entire time.  I found that it took much longer than stated to cook, sometimes drying out. So to remedy this, I start by cooking it on Med- High in a heavy cast iron skillet. After it's nice and seared, I turn down to Med-Low for about 10 minutes.Then,  I place the whole skillet in a 350 oven and let it finish cooking. About another 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of your breasts (haha) and the thickness.

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 (4-ounce) piece imported Italian fontina cheese
2 slices imported prosciutto
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup sliced portobello mushrooms
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 bunch baby arugula
1/2 fresh lemon, juiced

Directions
Preheat oven to 350
Place each piece of chicken between 2 sheets of waxed paper and pound them thin with a mallet, the flat of a large knife, or a rolling pin. Trim the rind from the cheese and cut it into 2 thick sticks.
Wrap each stick with a slice of prosciutto and place in the center of each flattened chicken breast. Roll the chicken breast around the prosciutto and cheese to make a sausage shape and secure with toothpicks or butcher's twine. Season the rolls with salt and pepper.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a heavy skillet. Quickly brown the chicken rolls over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to low, and scatter the mushrooms into the pan, sprinkle with wine and rosemary. Cook, turning the chicken rolls frequently, about 10 minutes. *At this point, I would place the whole pan in the oven and bake until chicken is finished, about 10-15 minutes*
When the first bit of cheese begins to seep out, the chicken is done. Remove it from the pan to a cutting board at once. Cut each of the rolls at an angle into 6 slices. Cover to keep warm. Reheat the pan juices, swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
To serve arrange the chicken and mushrooms on a bed of arugula leaves tossed with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. Warm the pan juices and strain them over the chicken
Recipe and Photo: Paula Deen, Food Network

White Bean Chicken Chili

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups diced, cooked chicken meat
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 cups good chicken stock
1 (18.75 ounce) can tomatillos, drained and chopped
1 (16 ounce) can diced tomatoes- I use roasted, diced tomatoes
1 (7 ounce) can diced green chiles
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed- I use fresh cilantro instead
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (15 ounce) can white beans- I use white kidney beans
2 ears fresh corn, husked and cut from cob- I use 1 cup of frozen corn when I cant get fresh
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1-2 whole jalapeno's, sliced
1 small red or green bell pepper, chopped, optional

Ideas For Garnish:
sliced limes
sour cream
shredded cheese, my favorite is Jack
thin baked corn tortilla strips
avacado slices
thin sliced green onions

Heat oil, and cook onion, bell pepper (if using) and garlic until soft.
Stir in broth, tomatillos, tomatoes, chilies, jalapeno slices and all spices, (except fresh cilantro, add this at the very end).
Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.
Add corn, chicken, and beans; simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with garnish choices

Chicken Scampi from Spain

This is the last of my fav's from the Holidays. I don't have a picture of it.. but it is beautiful, healthy and o-so delicious. This is a recipe from my sister in law, Cristy, who prepared it for our lunch one day. Cristy got this recipe while living in Spain. This recipe is very lemony. This is not a problem for me, because I happen to think there is no such thing as too much lemon. But You may want to add the lemon juice a little at a time to suit your taste.

1 Chopped onion
5 Garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup Olive oil
4 tbs Butter
3 Chicken breasts, chopped to bite size pieces, uncooked
Juice of 3 lemons
12 Mushrooms, sliced
4 Tomatoes chopped
salt and pepper
Cooked Penne Pasta enough to feed 4-6

In a large skillet, heat olive oil and butter. Add onions and mushrooms. saute until onions are translucent and mushrooms are a bit browned. Add garlic and saute for 45-60 seconds, do not let burn. Add Chicken and cook until no longer pink. Add tomatoes, juice of 3 lemons and salt and pepper to taste.
Serve over pasta
Serves 4-6

Spicy Tuscan Soup

This is so good. This is also called Zuppa Toscano.. at Olive Garden

1 lb Spicy Breakfast Sausage
1 Shallot, minced
1/2 Stick Butter
2 Slices Bacon, cooked to crispy, crumbled and set aside
3 Garlic cloves, minced
3 Whole Medium Potatoes
1 Can White Kidney Beans (Cannellini beans)
1 1/2 Quarts Good Chicken Stock
1 Small to Medium Bunch Kale, chopped
1 Cup Half and Half
Salt and Pepper
Parmesan cheese, if desired for garnish

Brown sausage to almost completely cooked in a Dutch oven. Drain, and set aside. In the same Dutch oven, melt butter and cook shallots until translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Slice Potatoes lengthwise, and then slice in half moon shape slices. Add Chicken broth to shallots and garlic. Add sliced potatoes and sausage. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Add beans. Simmer 10 more minutes until potatoes are tender. Add kale and cream. Cook another 5 minutes until Kale has wilted. Sprinkle crisp bacon on top, as well as some parmesan cheese. Serve. 4-6 servings

Penne with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

                                           
This is what I made for dinner lastnight. This recipe is going in my "I fix all the time" book. It was FABULOUS. The recipe does not call for pine nuts, but I had them so I added about 1/4 cup to the food processor to complete the pesto. Yum Yum Yum. I served this with Chicken Breasts marinated in Italian salad dressing and grilled as well as crusty garlic bread. My 2 year old ate the pesto with a spoon!! So good!

12 ounces penne pasta
1 (8.5-ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil - I used about 3/4 of the jar
2 garlic cloves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
I added about 1/4 cup of pine nuts, because I like traditional pesto
I also added about 4 tbs. olive oil, the pesto was too thick and dry otherwise
Directions
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, blend the sun-dried tomatoes and their oil, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts, salt and pepper, to taste, and basil in a food processor and blend until the tomatoes are finely chopped. Transfer the tomato mixture to a large bowl. Stir in the Parmesan.

Add the pasta to the pesto and toss to coat, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper and serve.

Giada DeLaurientiis, Food Network

Summer Salad with Garlic-Chili Shrimp

Okay, well I know it's not summer anymore, but the thermostat is still reaching 70+ here in California, we still have beautiful produce, and I'm always looking for a complete meal worthy salad. This is what I made for dinner lastnight, along with Pioneer Womans Easy Seseme Noodles. Delicious!!

Shrimp:

1 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce *I couldnt find this sauce, so I used 1 ts. Sriracha Chili Sauce, mixed with 2 minced garlic cloves and a few dashes of white rice vinegar and I wouldnt change it, it was yummy*

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon
2 pounds uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Salad:
2 ears of corn, husked
3 small tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
1/3 English hothouse cucumber, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise
1 large avocado, halved, peeled, pitted, cut into thin slices

4 cups (loosely packed) mixed baby greens
Dressing:
3 teaspoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (such as Asian)
2 tbs. olive oil
*I added a dash of ground ginger and 1 small minced garlic clove*

Toasted sesame seeds for garnish *I would also add some almonds or chow mein noodles or raw ramen noodles for a crunch, it was lacking texture* Add to the salad.

For Shrimp:  Mix chili-garlic sauce, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in large bowl. Add shrimp and toss to coat. * I did this an hour 40 min prior to marinate*

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large nonstick skillet over med-high heat until hot. Add half of shrimp and sauté until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Using tongs, transfer shrimp to plate. Add 1 tablespoon oil to same skillet. Add remaining shrimp and sauté until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer shrimp to plate and cool.

Cut corn from husks. In same pan used to cook the shrimp, saute the corn until brown. Add to salad.

Dressing:  Whisk 2 tablespoons oil, lime juice, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, salt, pepper and sesame oil in medium bowl.

Top the salad with the shrimp, and dressing and toss, serve. Made 4 servings.
Bon Apetite

Lemon Chicken Soup

It got down to a bone chilling 64 degrees here in California yesterday, ha! Coming from Colorado I have to laugh at the weather forecast here. Today we are having a "Serious Weather Warning, in fact it was even broadcast during the first 5 minutes of the Today show. It's raining and the wind is blowing, scary!

Anyway- I woke up yesterday craving soup and sniffling from a cold we are trying to fight off.. so here is what I made for dinner. Play with the lemon's in this recipe if you aren't sure you like a strong lemon flavor. I do, and so I used 2 lemons in mine and added a slice on top. but I'm just wierd.

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 Tbs Olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
1 dried bay leaf
1 (2-inch) piece Parmesan cheese rind, optional * I used a handful of shredded parm cheese
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
1 celery stalk, sliced in 1/4 inch pieces
1/4 cup minced onion
1 cup small pasta. I used whole wheat pasta circles
2 cups diced cooked rotisserie chicken, preferably breast meat
1 cup grated Romano cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt
Black Pepper

Directions
In a large stockpot, saute in 1 Tbs olive oil- carrots, celery, onion and bay leaf. Stir and saute until onions turn transparent and veggies start to get tender.
Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, and parmesan rind, if using, bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn the heat down and let simmer for 8 minutes.
Add the pasta and cook until the pasta is tender, for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken and heat through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and the parmesan rind and discard. Stir in 1/2 of the cheese and the parsley. Season with salt, to taste. Ladle the soup into serving bowls and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
adapted from a Giada DeLaurientiis recipe, Food Network

Asparagus and Shiitake Risotto

My husband requested risotto a few nights ago. I got a little nervous, just thinking about it - I watch Hell's Kitchen! But after searching a few of my favorite web sites for one that sounded delicious, I took a deep breath and began the process.
I used the Asparagus, Artichoke, and Shiitake Risotto from Smitten Kitchen
I totally bought the artichokes, expecting to use them... but, um, sorta -- well, messed them up. So, we went without! I really didn't miss any flavor in the risotto, thankfully.
I have found that with any new recipe, especially if it intimidates you, is to take your time! Read each instruction and follow it to a 'T'!

Asparagus, (minus the Artichoke) and Shiitake Risotto
Adapted from Gourmet, May 2003

Makes 4 main-course servings.

5 cups chicken broth (40 fl ounces)
1 cup water
1 pound thin to medium asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inches long pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
3/4 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice (10 ounces)
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 ounces (1 cup) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Bring broth and water to a boil in a 4-quart pot. Add asparagus and cook, uncovered, until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer asparagus with a slotted spoon to a large bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking, then drain and pat dry. Keep broth at a bare simmer, covered.

Heat oil with 1 tablespoon butter in a 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then saute mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a bowl.

Cook onion in 2 tablespoons butter in saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine and cook, stirring, until absorbed, about 1 minute.

Ladle in 1 cup simmering broth and cook at a strong simmer, stirring, until absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue simmering and adding broth, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently and letting each addition be absorbed before adding next, until rice is just tender and looks creamy, 18 to 20 minutes. (Save leftover broth for thinning.)

Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup cheese, remaining tablespoon butter, and salt and pepper to taste. Gently stir in asparagus, artichokes and mushrooms, then cover pan and let stand 1 minute. If desired, thin risotto with some of remaining broth. Serve immediately with remaining cheese on the side.

fancy pants baked potato

I got this idea from Emeril, but I did mine completely different and it turned out great. His called for cooking in a bath of chicken stock or some kind of liquid. Nah, who has time for all that business. I was off to an hair appointment, after all! Can't be late to such important things. This is what I did:
Preheat oven to 400. Wash 3 red potatoes. (I only needed 3, and I happened to have red. I'm sure any would work fine)
Slice them carefully and DO NOT slice all the way through. Melt 3 tbs butter. 1 for each potato. While butter is melting, mince 2 garlic cloves and about 1 tbs of parsley. Add the garlic and parsley to the melted butter, along with salt and pepper. Brush potatoes with the mixture, making sure to get in each nook and cranny. Yum.
Brush the tops with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake at 400 for an 30 minutes covered, and 30 minutes uncovered. They came out soft inside, and crispy and delicious outside. I love that you can play with your favorite ingredients and herbs and make these however your family prefers.

Tilapia with Green Beans, Corn & Pesto

3-4 Tilapia fillets
salt and pepper
1 T olive oil
1/2 lb green beans (i used frozen green beans, about 2/3s of the bag)
1/2 bag frozen corn
2 green onions, sliced thin
store-bought pesto


heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat
season fish with salt and pepper
place fish in skillet and cook on one side for 4-5 minutes (until golden brown)

flip the fish, scatter the green beans and add 3/4 cup water. cover and let cook for another 5 minutes. the vegetables should be tender and the fish opaque throughout.

place the fish on plates, leaving the green beans and adding the corn. cover and let cook another 2-3 minutes. finally, stir in the pesto and green onions. (ok, i only added the green onions after i plated the kids food...)

serve the fish and vegetables with an additional dollop of pesto.

---seriously, i made this meal in about 15 minutes, from start to finish. super easy, super fast and super delicious. my husband told me a few times how good it was, especially with that pesto! a great summer meal!

adapted from real simple, august 2008

Warm Goat Cheese Salad

Ina Garten does this fried goat cheese.. and its delicious. So I took her recipe and added my own salad ingredients.. it turned out awesome! I served this with grilled chicken breast. I only did 4 fried goat cheese cubes, so you'll have to adjust the recipe to your family size.

Fried Goat Cheese:
Seasoned dry bread crumbs. I use a mixture of dry seasoned bread crumbs and panko bread crumbs. I like the texture this creates.
1 egg, beaten
sliced goat cheese, about 1/2 inch thick, well refrigerated.
1 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. butter
Dip the sliced cheese in the egg. Remove and roll in bread crumbs. Put on a rack and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
Heat olive oil and butter in a skillet to medium-medium high, until just under smoking. Add the goat cheese and cook each one quickly, until browned on outside, but not melted on inside. Remove and drain.
For the salad I grilled red peppers, onions and asparagus. I arranged the salad using baby spinach, but mixed greens would be better I think. I made a dressing using olive oil and lemon juice, salt and pepper. This was very easy and very good for our hot, California summer nights!

chicken salad

4 split (2 whole) chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on

2 tbs. olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup good mayonnaise

1 tbs. whole grain Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1 cup small-diced celery (2 stalks)
1 cup green grapes, cut in 1/2

1/2 cup toasted, sliced almonds

*and a note: If my husband wasn't allergic to onions, I would have thrown in a green onion or two..

It is so easy to make this salad using either regular boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or canned chicken. I'll tell ya though.. the roasted chicken adds a whole world of flavor.. you will never get that from canned or boneless/skinless chicken. It's well worth it, I promise.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the chicken breasts, skin side up, on a sheet pan and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside until cool.
When the chicken is cool, remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin and bones. Cut the chicken into a 3/4-inch dice. Place the chicken in a bowl; add the mayonnaise, Dijon, tarragon leaves, celery, grapes, almonds, 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and toss well.

adapted recipe from Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa, Food Network