Gayle and Mike and Steve came over for dinner a couple of weeks ago. I indicated early on in my blogging that I love to experiment on them and they do keep coming back. I usually only experiment with one dish. This night I tried 3 new dishes! Well, they were all on the same page in the Food Network magazine and one was a salad so I thought it would be OK. There are 2 things I will do differently next time. I won't do the salad again because nobody liked it. It called for chayote, which is a mild Mexican squash. I found one at the local Mexican store. I thinly sliced the chayote, and avacado and some radishes and then tossed them in a nice lime vinegrette. I'm not sure what we all didn't like but I think it was the chayote. Anyway, not a keeper.
The other thing I will do differently next time is not invite anybody over because I ended up with one enchilada for leftovers! I did have leftovers of the beans because I made extra.
These two recipes are well worth the time and effort to make them. They are super yummy!
Bon appetite and stay well until next time!
Chicken Enchiladas Suizas
serves 6
2 skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
3 to 5 sprigs fresh cilantro, plus more for topping (optional)
Kosher salt
2 pounds plum tomatoes
1 or 2 serrano chile peppers. temmed
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plu 1/2 cup for frying
1 large white onion; 2/3 dices, 1/3 sliced into rings
1/2 Mexican crema or sour cream, plus more for topping (optional)
12 corn tortillas, preferably white
3/4 cup crumbled queso fresco
1. Put the chicken in a medium pot with 3 cups water, the broth, garlic, bay leaves and cilantro; season with salt. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and gently simmer, turning the chicken as needed, until cooked through, about 30 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate to cool. Discard the bay leaves and cilantro and reserve the broth and garlic.
2. Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Put the tomatoes and chilies on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil, turning, until charred, about 12 minutes. Wrap in the foil to catch any juices, then cook slightly. Peel the chiles and transfer to a blender with the tomatoes and collected juices. Remove the garlic from the broth, add to the blender and puree until smooth.
3. Heat 2 tablspoons vegetable oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the dices onion and cook, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Increase the heat to medium high and stir in the tomato-chile puree and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until the sauce is thick, about 15 minutes. Sir in the 3 cups of the reserved borth and bring to a simmer. Partially cover and cook about 20 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon salt; keep the sauce warm.
4. Discard the chicken skin and shred the meat. Toss the chicken with the crema and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Soak the sliced onion in a bowl of cold water while you prepare the enchilades.
5. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spread 1 cup of the tomato-chile sauce in a 9 by 13 inch baking dish. Heat 1/2 cup vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry a tortilla until puffed, about 15 seconds per side, turning with tongs. Quickly spoon 2 tablespoons chicken onto the tortilla, roll it up and put seam-side down in the baking dish. Fry and fill the remaining tortillas, arranging them side by side in the dish.
6. Pour 2 cups of the tomato-chile sauce over the enchiladas and top with the queso fresco. Bake until warmed through, about 20 minutes. Drain the sliced onion and scatter over the enchiladas. Divide among plates and top with more cilantro, sauce and crema, if desired.
Creamy Black Beans
serves 6
1 pound dried black beans, rinsed and picked over
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, halved and seeded
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano, preferably Mexican
Kosher salt
Queso fresco and fresh cilantro, for topping (optional)
1. Soak the beans in a pot of water overnight. Drain.
2. Heat the oilve oil in the pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, jalapeno and cumin and cook, stirrin occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add the oregano and the beans, then add enough water to cover (about 9 cups). Increase the heat to medium hight and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low, partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are just tender, about 3 hours.
3. Add 2 teaspoons salt and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is mostly absorbed, about 45 minutes. Season with salt. Let sit 15 minutes before serving; top with queso fresco and cilantro, if desired.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Blue Cheese Burger Kabobs
Now I like blue cheese as much as the next guy. I feel a little blue cheese goes a long way. But Randy loves loves loves blue cheese. Not only does he drown his salad in the blue-cheesiest dressing he can find, he then tops it with blue cheese crumbles.
So, when I saw this recipe, I knew I had to make it for Randy. Kabobs are fun and they are pretty easy to do and usually you can do them ahead. The only problem with these is that they are basically meat balls and I don't think that you can form them tight enough to keep them together, or in other words, keep them from falling off the skewer. About half of mine fell off so I just left them on the gril and they cooked just fine. Sure ruined the presentation though! Next time I will either make them as patties, or use a tray of some type to keep them on.
Bon appetite and stay well until next time!
Blue Cheese Burger Kabobs
4 servings
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons dry red wine or beef broth
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1 cup coarsely chopped parsley (half of a small bunch)
1 lb ground sirloin or 85% lean ground beef
2 oz coarsely crumbled blue cheese
1 small red onion, cut in 12 wedges
12 large cremini mushrooms
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 hamburger buns, split
2 cups arugula
blue cheese wedges (optional)
1. In large bowl combine garlic, wine, worchestershire, parsley, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Add meat; mix well. Gently stir in crumbled blue cheese until just combined. Form meat into 12 meatballs. Cover and chill at least 1 hour.
2. On four 12-inch presoaked skewers, thread meatballs, red onion, and mushrooms. Brush onion and mushrooms lightly with olive oid and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. For charcoal grill, place kabobs on greased grill rack directly over medium coals. Grill, uncovered 14 to 16 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. (160 degrees), carfully turning once halfway through grilling. Add hamburger buns and grill the last 1 to 2 minutes until toasted. For a gas grill, preheat grill; reduce heat to medium. Cover and grill as above.
4. Serve kabobs with buns, arugula and blue cheese wedges.
Calories: 571
So, when I saw this recipe, I knew I had to make it for Randy. Kabobs are fun and they are pretty easy to do and usually you can do them ahead. The only problem with these is that they are basically meat balls and I don't think that you can form them tight enough to keep them together, or in other words, keep them from falling off the skewer. About half of mine fell off so I just left them on the gril and they cooked just fine. Sure ruined the presentation though! Next time I will either make them as patties, or use a tray of some type to keep them on.
Bon appetite and stay well until next time!
Blue Cheese Burger Kabobs
4 servings
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons dry red wine or beef broth
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1 cup coarsely chopped parsley (half of a small bunch)
1 lb ground sirloin or 85% lean ground beef
2 oz coarsely crumbled blue cheese
1 small red onion, cut in 12 wedges
12 large cremini mushrooms
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 hamburger buns, split
2 cups arugula
blue cheese wedges (optional)
1. In large bowl combine garlic, wine, worchestershire, parsley, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Add meat; mix well. Gently stir in crumbled blue cheese until just combined. Form meat into 12 meatballs. Cover and chill at least 1 hour.
2. On four 12-inch presoaked skewers, thread meatballs, red onion, and mushrooms. Brush onion and mushrooms lightly with olive oid and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. For charcoal grill, place kabobs on greased grill rack directly over medium coals. Grill, uncovered 14 to 16 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. (160 degrees), carfully turning once halfway through grilling. Add hamburger buns and grill the last 1 to 2 minutes until toasted. For a gas grill, preheat grill; reduce heat to medium. Cover and grill as above.
4. Serve kabobs with buns, arugula and blue cheese wedges.
Calories: 571
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Mushroom-Stuffed Zucchini Boats
It is fall now and it is my favorite time of the year. How do I know it is fall when I live in the high desert? Well, we are past Labor Day and that to me means that summer is over, therefore it is fall! Also, I no longer have my air conditioner going in the car on my way to work at 7:30 each morning. My fall decorations are starting to come out. And, oh yes, it's that time of year where we start locking our cars here in Southern Utah. Now, you may be thinking that it is high season for car thefts or vandalism of cars but no. Here, in late summer early fall, we lock our cars because we fear somebody will leave a zucchini in them!!
When we lived in Livermore, California we always had a garden. I loved going out and picking tomatoes or cucumbers and other fresh vegies. Since moving to St. George, we have not had a garden. Until this year. I finally wore Randy down and he put two 4 X 4 boxes in the side yard. Unfortunately we were late in getting the plants in and we really didn't know what to plant. So, our success was minimal. We did get some good New Mexico chilies and some awesome cucumbers, some green onions and 1 crookneck squash. And, I'm taking a class at the college next week to learn what to do to get fresh vegies to grow year-round!
So even though my zucchini plants did not produce, Jen, my oldest daughter (by 15 minutes!)came to the rescue and brought me down some from her garden when she visited over Labor Day. This is a great recipe that we have done numerous times over the years and I hope that you enjoy it.
Bon appetite and keep well until next time!
Mushroom-Stuffed Zucchini Boats
(serves 4)
4 large zucchini, halved lengthwise
4 slices French bread, crusts removed
1/4 cup milt
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
1 garlic clove, smashed and chopped
1 large onion, sliced and cooked
1/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese
salt and pepper
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Use spoon to hollow out zucchini shells. Chop zucchini flesh and set aside.
3. Place zucchini shells in saucepan containing salted, boiling water. Cook 4 minutes. Place saucepan under cold, running water to stop cooking process. Drain and dry zucchini shells. Arrange in greased baking dish.
4. Soak bread in milk for 3 minutes. Remove bread from bowl and squeeze out excess milk. Set bread aside.
5. Heat olive oil in frying pan over high heat. Add chopped zucchini flesh and season well. Cook 6 minutes over medium heat.
6. Add mushrooms and garlic; season and cook 7 minutes.
7. Mix in bread, then add cooked onion. Mix again and cook 3 minutes.
8. Divide mixture between zucchini shells and sprinkle with cheese. Cook 18 minutes in oven.
Calories: 184
When we lived in Livermore, California we always had a garden. I loved going out and picking tomatoes or cucumbers and other fresh vegies. Since moving to St. George, we have not had a garden. Until this year. I finally wore Randy down and he put two 4 X 4 boxes in the side yard. Unfortunately we were late in getting the plants in and we really didn't know what to plant. So, our success was minimal. We did get some good New Mexico chilies and some awesome cucumbers, some green onions and 1 crookneck squash. And, I'm taking a class at the college next week to learn what to do to get fresh vegies to grow year-round!
So even though my zucchini plants did not produce, Jen, my oldest daughter (by 15 minutes!)came to the rescue and brought me down some from her garden when she visited over Labor Day. This is a great recipe that we have done numerous times over the years and I hope that you enjoy it.
Bon appetite and keep well until next time!
Mushroom-Stuffed Zucchini Boats
(serves 4)
4 large zucchini, halved lengthwise
4 slices French bread, crusts removed
1/4 cup milt
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
1 garlic clove, smashed and chopped
1 large onion, sliced and cooked
1/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese
salt and pepper
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Use spoon to hollow out zucchini shells. Chop zucchini flesh and set aside.
3. Place zucchini shells in saucepan containing salted, boiling water. Cook 4 minutes. Place saucepan under cold, running water to stop cooking process. Drain and dry zucchini shells. Arrange in greased baking dish.
4. Soak bread in milk for 3 minutes. Remove bread from bowl and squeeze out excess milk. Set bread aside.
5. Heat olive oil in frying pan over high heat. Add chopped zucchini flesh and season well. Cook 6 minutes over medium heat.
6. Add mushrooms and garlic; season and cook 7 minutes.
7. Mix in bread, then add cooked onion. Mix again and cook 3 minutes.
8. Divide mixture between zucchini shells and sprinkle with cheese. Cook 18 minutes in oven.
Calories: 184
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Pina Colada Scallop Brochetts, Almost-Famous Chicken Lettuce Wraps
I'm so excited about the response I had to starting my blog! Emails, messages on facebook, personal comments from co-workers! Makes me glad I finally did this! And, most of you get the concept. I post a recipe and you make it. That's not the case for my friend and former boss Alan, who asked me to send him some of that "good cooking"! Alan lives in Manhattan so actually cooking a meal is indeed a concept!
We moved to St. George in April of 2003. For the first 6 years, the 3 girls, the grandkids and a husband would coordinate a weekend and come visit and we would treat them to a show at the Tuacahn Ampitheatre. Tuacahn is in a beautiful red rock canyon and the shows are Broadway shows. It was always a great weekend of theater, shopping and good food. That was until last year. With the grandkids getting older, then 12, 10, 10, 6 and 4, their summer schedules were packed and they didn't make it down. Randy and I still went but it just wasn't the same. This year everybody except Jill and Kirsten were able to come. We missed them terribly! The show we saw was Crazy For You. Great singing and dancing.
So, I asked Jen and Denise if they had any special requests for dinner and Jen requested scallops. I have a great recipe that I have done a number of times so I decided on that. A couple of things to consider regarding this recipe. First get the largest scallops you can because they are easier to skewer. As you wash them, make sure you remove the "feet." On most scallops you will find a "foot" on the side about the size and shape of a fingernail. It is chewy so needs to be removed. The other thing you need to do is oil the grill well. You can't just spray the grill, you must put plenty of olive oil on a folded paper towel and liberally coat the grill so the scallops don't stick.
I needed another dish to go with the scallops. P F Chang's is one of my favorite restaurants but we don't have one here. My favorite thing to order when we do go is their chicken wraps. Food Network magazine came up with their Almost-Famous Chicken Lettuce Wraps knock-off so I did that as well.
If I'm doing a recipe for the first time I always get out little bowls and chop everyting up and get it ready before I start. I also get every ingredient I'll need out so that it is handy. I would do that for this recipe every time I do it! It is a little work but is well worth it.
So, here we go with the recipes!
Bon appetite and keep well until next time!
Pina Colada Scallop Brochettes
Large zip-top bag
Oil
wood or metal skewers
12 large sea scallops
1 can (10-ounce) frozen Bacardi pina colada mix, thawed
1/2 cup light Bacardi rum (can leave out if you prefer)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 onces fresh pinapple wedges, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup shredded coconut (can leave out if you prefer)
1. In a large zip-loc bag, combine scallops, thawed pina colada mix, rum, pepper, garlic and salt. Squeeze air out of bag and seal. Gently massage bag to combine ingredients. Marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
2. Set up grill for direct cooking over medium heat. Oil grate when ready to start cooking.
3. Remove scallops from marinade, discard marinade. Alternately thread pinapple and scallops onto skewers. Skewer scallops through the sides so that the tops and bottoms are facing out.
4. Spread toasted coconut on a plate and set aside.
5. Place brochetts on hot, oiled grill and cook 4 to 5 minutes per side or until scallops are opaque and cooked through.
6. Remove from grill and immediately press both sides of brochettes into toasted coconut. Serve hot.
Almost-Famous Chicken Lettuce Wraps
For the chicken
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, diced.
For the stir-fry sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sause
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch
For the noodles
2 bundles cellophane noodles
Peanut oil for frying
For the stir-fry
4 tablespoons peanut oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced peeled ginger
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
4 scallions; 2 minced, 2 cut into 1-inch pieces
Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 pound shitake mushrooms, stemmed and diced
3/4 cup diced water chestnuts
Small lettuce leaves, for serving
Soy sauce, chili paste and/or hot mustard for serving
1. Prepare the chicken. Whisk the egg white, cornstarch and rice wine in a bown. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minute.
2. Make the stir-fry sauce. Whisk 1/3 cup water, the oyster, hoisin and soy sauces, the rice wine and sesame oil in a bown, then whick in the cornstarch until dissolved.
3. Fry noodles: pull the noodles apart into sections. Heat 3/4 inch peanut oil in a medium saucepan until a deep-fry thermometer registers 380 degrees. Working in batches, press the noodles into the oil with a spatula until they puff 5 to 10 seconds. Drain on paper towels.
4. Make the stir-fry: heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook stirring, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons peanut oil to the skillet; when almost smoking, stir in the garlic, ginger, jalapeno and minced scallions, then add 1/2 teaspoon salt and the sugar and stir-fry 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, water chestnuts and scallion peices and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add the stir-fry sauce and chicken and cook 1 minute.
5. Make a bed of noodles on a platter and top with the chicken misture. Serve the noodels and stir-fry with lettuce leaves and soy sauce for dipping.
We moved to St. George in April of 2003. For the first 6 years, the 3 girls, the grandkids and a husband would coordinate a weekend and come visit and we would treat them to a show at the Tuacahn Ampitheatre. Tuacahn is in a beautiful red rock canyon and the shows are Broadway shows. It was always a great weekend of theater, shopping and good food. That was until last year. With the grandkids getting older, then 12, 10, 10, 6 and 4, their summer schedules were packed and they didn't make it down. Randy and I still went but it just wasn't the same. This year everybody except Jill and Kirsten were able to come. We missed them terribly! The show we saw was Crazy For You. Great singing and dancing.
So, I asked Jen and Denise if they had any special requests for dinner and Jen requested scallops. I have a great recipe that I have done a number of times so I decided on that. A couple of things to consider regarding this recipe. First get the largest scallops you can because they are easier to skewer. As you wash them, make sure you remove the "feet." On most scallops you will find a "foot" on the side about the size and shape of a fingernail. It is chewy so needs to be removed. The other thing you need to do is oil the grill well. You can't just spray the grill, you must put plenty of olive oil on a folded paper towel and liberally coat the grill so the scallops don't stick.
I needed another dish to go with the scallops. P F Chang's is one of my favorite restaurants but we don't have one here. My favorite thing to order when we do go is their chicken wraps. Food Network magazine came up with their Almost-Famous Chicken Lettuce Wraps knock-off so I did that as well.
If I'm doing a recipe for the first time I always get out little bowls and chop everyting up and get it ready before I start. I also get every ingredient I'll need out so that it is handy. I would do that for this recipe every time I do it! It is a little work but is well worth it.
So, here we go with the recipes!
Bon appetite and keep well until next time!
Pina Colada Scallop Brochettes
Large zip-top bag
Oil
wood or metal skewers
12 large sea scallops
1 can (10-ounce) frozen Bacardi pina colada mix, thawed
1/2 cup light Bacardi rum (can leave out if you prefer)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 onces fresh pinapple wedges, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup shredded coconut (can leave out if you prefer)
1. In a large zip-loc bag, combine scallops, thawed pina colada mix, rum, pepper, garlic and salt. Squeeze air out of bag and seal. Gently massage bag to combine ingredients. Marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
2. Set up grill for direct cooking over medium heat. Oil grate when ready to start cooking.
3. Remove scallops from marinade, discard marinade. Alternately thread pinapple and scallops onto skewers. Skewer scallops through the sides so that the tops and bottoms are facing out.
4. Spread toasted coconut on a plate and set aside.
5. Place brochetts on hot, oiled grill and cook 4 to 5 minutes per side or until scallops are opaque and cooked through.
6. Remove from grill and immediately press both sides of brochettes into toasted coconut. Serve hot.
Almost-Famous Chicken Lettuce Wraps
For the chicken
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, diced.
For the stir-fry sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sause
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch
For the noodles
2 bundles cellophane noodles
Peanut oil for frying
For the stir-fry
4 tablespoons peanut oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced peeled ginger
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
4 scallions; 2 minced, 2 cut into 1-inch pieces
Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 pound shitake mushrooms, stemmed and diced
3/4 cup diced water chestnuts
Small lettuce leaves, for serving
Soy sauce, chili paste and/or hot mustard for serving
1. Prepare the chicken. Whisk the egg white, cornstarch and rice wine in a bown. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minute.
2. Make the stir-fry sauce. Whisk 1/3 cup water, the oyster, hoisin and soy sauces, the rice wine and sesame oil in a bown, then whick in the cornstarch until dissolved.
3. Fry noodles: pull the noodles apart into sections. Heat 3/4 inch peanut oil in a medium saucepan until a deep-fry thermometer registers 380 degrees. Working in batches, press the noodles into the oil with a spatula until they puff 5 to 10 seconds. Drain on paper towels.
4. Make the stir-fry: heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook stirring, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons peanut oil to the skillet; when almost smoking, stir in the garlic, ginger, jalapeno and minced scallions, then add 1/2 teaspoon salt and the sugar and stir-fry 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, water chestnuts and scallion peices and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add the stir-fry sauce and chicken and cook 1 minute.
5. Make a bed of noodles on a platter and top with the chicken misture. Serve the noodels and stir-fry with lettuce leaves and soy sauce for dipping.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Pistou Soup
So, I'm starting a blog. Not a blog about my life and what's happening. A food blog. Will there be stories about my life and what is going on in my life? Yes, as it relates to the food and recipes I blog about. The reason I'm starting this blog is because I love to cook and I often have friends and family want a copy of a recipe and this way I can just direct them to my blog and they can get a copy.
There are a couple of other reasons as well. I find myself with 50 cookbooks, 40 Cuisine at Home magazines and I now subscribe to Food Network magazine. I could never find the recipe I wanted so several years ago I started a binder. Pretty soon I needed a second binder and then a third. So my binders are working great. All the recipes are in plastic sleeves and tabbed so that all the side dishes are together, all the soups are together etc. I now find that I'm going to need a 4th binder and for now, I'm drawing the line at 3. So, while over half of the recipes in the binders are recipes I've actually tried and like, many I've not tried so I want to start weeding out those that don't pass the muster and only add recipes that I have tried and like. So my thought was that if I start a blog and commit to trying these recipes, I'll actually get it done. It worked when I set a goal to organize and paint each room in the house over 2 years ago and worked this year with my "projects" when I told myself that I couldn't buy or start anything else until I completed everything I had already started, and not finished, or had purchased and not started. Was it perfect? No! But I got really close and I can actually see the bottom of my guest bedroom closet!
I fancy myself to be a pretty good cook and so is Randy. Not Food Network kind of good cook mind you. But, I often experiment on friends and family, particularly Gayle and Mike and our friend Steve. They keep coming back so I must be doing something right!
Many of you know that I work for the Biggest Loser Resort at Fitness Ridge and might assume that the only thing I ever cook is something that would be offered at the resort. Au contrair! While I do like everything that the kitchen offers, I don't hold back when it comes to my cooking at home. Bring on the cream, butter, you name it! You won't see many desserts in my blog however. We just don't eat many desserts. But, when I do fix a dessert, I go fully leaded! I don't eat a ton of chocolate, compared to my daughter Jen, but I do get a piece of chocolate each time I purchase fabric at my favorite quilt store. Hummmmm, maybe that explains why I have enough loose fabric to make about 8 scrappy quilts!
You won't read "when I was growing up" at any time in my blog. Those who know me well know that my Dad, Ole Joe, now 87, refuses to grow up so his kids, grandkids and now great-grandkids are refusing to grow up until he does! This last weekend one of my girls said "we don't really ever grow up, we just learn how to behave in public"!
It's highly unlikely that you see a recipe for liver and onions, one of the only things I can think of that I won't eat. Annette and I were just talking about an evening when we were kids when she came over for dinner and Mom served liver. Annette ate the entire dinner with a clothes pin on her nose! While I really like eggplant, you probably won't see that in my blog either as Randy does not like it so I don't cook it unless he is out of town. Well, now there's a possibility. I wonder where he could go??
So, let's get to the food. When I received the last Food Network magazine, I went through it and cut out all the recipes I was interested in. Randy then picked it up and was thumbing through it. He came to a recipe and said that I obviously hadn't read this particular recipe or I would have cut it out. The name of Pistou soup and the picture didn't inspire me. Once I read the recipe I agreed that it was a good one. He said he was going to make it the next night. I was quite surprised because there isn't any meat in this soup and he rarely cooks anything that isn't red meat.
I came through the door the next afternoon to the heavenly scent of this soup cooking. While there isn't any meat, it is a very hardy soup. And the leftovers are wonderful! Feel free to use any pasta that you want and any combination of beans that you want.
Bon appetite and keep well until next time!
Pistou Soup
Serves 4
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 carrots, halved lenghtwise and thinly sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 to 3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato past
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 pound green or yellow wax beans
1 small zucchini or yellow summer squash (or both)
1 15-ounce can white beans or chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup broken spaghetti or other small pasta
3/4 cup store-bought pesto
Grated parmesan cheese and crusty bread, for serving (optional)
1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and onion and cook, stirring constantly, until the onion is lightly browned, arout 5 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato paste and 1 tablespook salt and cook 1 more minute. Add 7 cups water, cover and bring to a boil. Uncover, reduce the heat and simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and petter.
2. Meanwhile, trim the green beans and zucchini and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Stir into the prepared broth along with the beans and spaghetti. Simmer until the pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes.
3. When ready to serve, whisk 1/3 cup pesto into the soup. Ladle into bowls and top with the remaining pesto. Sprinkle with parmesan and serve with bread, if desired.
Per serving: 479 calories
There are a couple of other reasons as well. I find myself with 50 cookbooks, 40 Cuisine at Home magazines and I now subscribe to Food Network magazine. I could never find the recipe I wanted so several years ago I started a binder. Pretty soon I needed a second binder and then a third. So my binders are working great. All the recipes are in plastic sleeves and tabbed so that all the side dishes are together, all the soups are together etc. I now find that I'm going to need a 4th binder and for now, I'm drawing the line at 3. So, while over half of the recipes in the binders are recipes I've actually tried and like, many I've not tried so I want to start weeding out those that don't pass the muster and only add recipes that I have tried and like. So my thought was that if I start a blog and commit to trying these recipes, I'll actually get it done. It worked when I set a goal to organize and paint each room in the house over 2 years ago and worked this year with my "projects" when I told myself that I couldn't buy or start anything else until I completed everything I had already started, and not finished, or had purchased and not started. Was it perfect? No! But I got really close and I can actually see the bottom of my guest bedroom closet!
I fancy myself to be a pretty good cook and so is Randy. Not Food Network kind of good cook mind you. But, I often experiment on friends and family, particularly Gayle and Mike and our friend Steve. They keep coming back so I must be doing something right!
Many of you know that I work for the Biggest Loser Resort at Fitness Ridge and might assume that the only thing I ever cook is something that would be offered at the resort. Au contrair! While I do like everything that the kitchen offers, I don't hold back when it comes to my cooking at home. Bring on the cream, butter, you name it! You won't see many desserts in my blog however. We just don't eat many desserts. But, when I do fix a dessert, I go fully leaded! I don't eat a ton of chocolate, compared to my daughter Jen, but I do get a piece of chocolate each time I purchase fabric at my favorite quilt store. Hummmmm, maybe that explains why I have enough loose fabric to make about 8 scrappy quilts!
You won't read "when I was growing up" at any time in my blog. Those who know me well know that my Dad, Ole Joe, now 87, refuses to grow up so his kids, grandkids and now great-grandkids are refusing to grow up until he does! This last weekend one of my girls said "we don't really ever grow up, we just learn how to behave in public"!
It's highly unlikely that you see a recipe for liver and onions, one of the only things I can think of that I won't eat. Annette and I were just talking about an evening when we were kids when she came over for dinner and Mom served liver. Annette ate the entire dinner with a clothes pin on her nose! While I really like eggplant, you probably won't see that in my blog either as Randy does not like it so I don't cook it unless he is out of town. Well, now there's a possibility. I wonder where he could go??
So, let's get to the food. When I received the last Food Network magazine, I went through it and cut out all the recipes I was interested in. Randy then picked it up and was thumbing through it. He came to a recipe and said that I obviously hadn't read this particular recipe or I would have cut it out. The name of Pistou soup and the picture didn't inspire me. Once I read the recipe I agreed that it was a good one. He said he was going to make it the next night. I was quite surprised because there isn't any meat in this soup and he rarely cooks anything that isn't red meat.
I came through the door the next afternoon to the heavenly scent of this soup cooking. While there isn't any meat, it is a very hardy soup. And the leftovers are wonderful! Feel free to use any pasta that you want and any combination of beans that you want.
Bon appetite and keep well until next time!
Pistou Soup
Serves 4
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 carrots, halved lenghtwise and thinly sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 to 3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato past
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 pound green or yellow wax beans
1 small zucchini or yellow summer squash (or both)
1 15-ounce can white beans or chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup broken spaghetti or other small pasta
3/4 cup store-bought pesto
Grated parmesan cheese and crusty bread, for serving (optional)
1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and onion and cook, stirring constantly, until the onion is lightly browned, arout 5 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato paste and 1 tablespook salt and cook 1 more minute. Add 7 cups water, cover and bring to a boil. Uncover, reduce the heat and simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and petter.
2. Meanwhile, trim the green beans and zucchini and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Stir into the prepared broth along with the beans and spaghetti. Simmer until the pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes.
3. When ready to serve, whisk 1/3 cup pesto into the soup. Ladle into bowls and top with the remaining pesto. Sprinkle with parmesan and serve with bread, if desired.
Per serving: 479 calories
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