Three Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 pound spaghetti
• 1/2 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced, oil reserved
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 can (28 oz) whole peeled tomatoes
• 1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved

Preparation:

1. Cook spaghetti until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water (or do what I do and use heavy whipping cream instead of the pasta water). Return to pot.
2. Heat 2 tbsp sun-dried tomato oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes; cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add canned tomatoes, with juice, and sun-dried tomatoes. Simmer gently, breaking up canned tomatoes, about 15 min.
3. Add cherry tomatoes; simmer about 10 minutes.
4. Add to pasta. Season with salt and pepper. Toss, adding pasta water (or whipping cream) as necessary.

Makes a lot of pasta and the leftovers are great, too.

Wild Rice Soup

(Courtesy of Best of Byerly's Cookbook)

"This is Byerly's #1 most popular recipe! It's elegant, rich and a meal in a bowl - Minnesota style. Serve it with fresh fruit and crusty rolls or crackers."

Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons margarine or butter
• 1 tablespoon minced onion
• 1/2 cup flour
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups cooked wild rice
• 1/3 cup cooked diced ham (I actually used bacon instead of ham)
• 1/2 cup finely shredded carrots
• 3 tablespoons chopped slivered almonds
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry (optional - I generally leave it out)
• 1 cup half-and-half
• Snipped fresh parsley or chives

Preparation:

1. Melt butter in saucepan; saute onion until tender in melted butter. Blend in flour; gradually stir in broth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; boil and stir 1 minute.
2. Stir in wild rice, ham, carrots, almonds, and salt; simmer about 5 minutes.
3. Blend in half-and-half and sherry; heat to serving temperature. Garnish with parsley.

Variation:

• Chicken Wild Rice Soup. Reduce chicken broth to 2 1/2 cups. Substitute 2 cups cubed, cooked chicken for ham. Omit salt. Substitute 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated skimmed milk for the half-and-half. Prepare as directed.

Four Cheese Bow Tie Pasta

Ingredients:

• 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes
• 1 package bow tie pasta
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 1/3 cups grated Romano cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup crumbled blue or Gorgonzola cheese
• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

Preparation:

1. Drain tomatoes, reserving 1 1/4 cups juice; set aside. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
2. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper until smooth; gradually add milk and reserved tomato juice. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat.
3. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, sauce, and reserved tomatoes. Stir in the cheeses and parsley; toss gently. Place in a greased 3 1/2 qt. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 375 for 30-35 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

YIELD: 12 SERVINGS

Sausage and Zucchini Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 pound seasoned ground sausage
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 (28 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
• 2 (14 ounce) cans beef broth
• 2 medium zucchini, diced or sliced (about 2 cups)
• 2 small carrots, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 4 large mushrooms, sliced
• grated Parmesan cheese for garnish

Preparation:

1. Crumble and cook sausage and onion in large saucepan over medium heat until sausage is browned. Drain off any drippings.
2. Add remaining ingredients except cheese; simmer, uncovered, over low heat about 40 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
3. Garnish with cheese.
4. Refrigerate leftovers.

Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• Hamburger buns

Preparation:

1. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
2. Add the ground beef to the skillet. Cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until it is not longer pink, 6 to 8 minutes.
3. Stir the tomato sauce, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce into the beef mixture in the skillet. Simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes.
4. Season the mixture with more salt and pepper, as desired. Spoon onto the buns and serve immediately.

Planning Ahead:

• Sloppy Joe mixture keeps in the freezer for up to three months. Freeze individual portions, then defrost as needed.

Courtesy of Great Food Fast by Martha Stewart

A Fall Favorite...

Fancy Mac!!

Pat and I love, love, love this recipe this time of the year. It is great comfort food... maybe only somewhat healthy but certainly hearty. Cheese. Mmmm....

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

· 1 (7 ounce) can chipotle chilies in adobo sauce

· 1 tbsp. butter

· 2 cloves garlic

· ½ c. finely chopped green pepper

· ¼ c. finely chopped onion

· 1 (14 ounce) can of diced tomatoes and chilies

· 4 c. cooked macaroni

· 2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

· 1 c. low fat cottage cheese

· 1 c. milk

· ¼ c. parmesan cheese

· 1 egg, lightly beaten

· Bread crumbs

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set aside 1 tbsp. adobo sauce from can and remove 2 chilies; finely chop to measure 1 tbsp. Melt butter in a stock pot on medium-high heat. Add chopped chilies, onion, bell pepper, and garlic; cook 4 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and cook 30 seconds. Reduce heat to medium and add tomatoes. Cook 3 minutes or until thickened. Add reserved 1 tbsp. adobo sauce, pasta, and remaining ingredients—stir to combine. Spoon pasta into a prepared baking dish (2 quart) and top with bread crumbs (if desired). Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Black Bean & Cheese Enchiladas with Ranchero Sauce

I am starting to realize that most of the recipes that I post include black beans and come from the Cooking Light Magazine. Hmmm.... either way, here is another great one that we just tried last night. Pat, Dan, and I loved it.

Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Serves: 6 (according to Cooking Light [i.e., normal] portion sizes.... 3-4 according to Pat portion sizes:)

2 dried ancho chilis, stemmed and seeded (I did not use these, I just used ancho chili powder)

2 c. water

2 tsp. olive oil

1 c. chopped yellow onion

5+ cloves garlic

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

2 c. vegetable broth

2 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano

2 tbsp. tomato paste

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tbsp. fresh lime juice

1/8 tsp. ground red pepper

1 (15 ounce) can of black beans, rinsed and drained

2 c. shredded Mexican cheese

3 thinly sliced green onions, divided

12 (6 inch) corn tortillas

6 tbsp. sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 400 degree.

2. Combine chilies and 2 c. water in a saucepan; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes. Drain chilies in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1 c. cooking liquid. (I totally omitted this entire step and used extra veggie broth and ancho chili powder.... I could not find dried ancho chilies)

3. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add onion; saute 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium; add garlic and salt. Cook 5 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally. Add broth and next 3 ingredients (through cumin); cook 8 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.

4. Pour onion mixture into a blender; add chilies and reserved liquid (this is where I added the ancho chili powder... and I just dumped a bunch in and didn't measure it and about a cup of veggie broth). Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow the steam to escape); secure lid on blender. Place a towel over the opening in lid. Blend until smooth; stir in lime juice and red pepper.

5. Combine the beans, 1 c. cheese, and half the green onions in a bowl. Spread 1/2 c. sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon 3 tbsp. bean mixture down center of each tortilla; roll up. Please, seam-side down, in prepared dish. Pour remaining sauce over filled tortillas. Top with the remaining cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Sprinkle with remaining green onions, serve with sour cream.

Sirloin Skewers with Grilled Vegetable Couscous and Fiery Red Pepper Sauce

Another great one courtesy of Cooking Light. Pat and I made this last Tuesday, and we both loved it (i.e., Pat loved the steak and I loved the couscous)!

Pepper Sauce:

4 red bell peppers

1/2 c. fresh cilantro leaves (I omitted this and it was still excellent)

1/4 c. olive oil

3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp. coriander

1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. caraway seeds

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper

Couscous:

1 c. water

1 c. chicken broth

2 c. uncooked couscous

8 oz. eggplant, cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick slices

8 oz. squash, cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick slices

8 oz. zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick slices

4 green onions, trimmed

cooking spray

Skewers:

1 1/2 lb. top sirloin steak, cut into 1 inch cubes

3/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1. Preheat broiler.

2. To prepare the pepper sauce, cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place bell pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined backing sheet; flatten with hand. Broil for 12 minutes or until blackened. Place in a paper bag, and fold to close tightly. Let stand for 20 minutes. Peel. Place pepper and the next 8 ingredients (through red pepper) in a blender, and process until smooth.

3. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

4. To prepare couscous, combine 1 c. water, broth, and bay leaf in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Stir in couscous; cover. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Fluff with fork; discard bay leaf.

5. Arrange eggplant and next 3 ingredients (through green onions) on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 3 minutes on each side or until vegetables are tender and well marked. Remove from heat; coarsely chop vegetables. Combine 1/2 c. pepper sauce, couscous, and chopped vegetables in a large bowl; toss gently. Keep warm.

6. To prepare skewers, thread beef onto 12 (7 inch) skewers. Lightly coat beef with cooking spray, and sprinkle with black pepper and 1/2 tsp. of salt. Place skewers on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 8 minutes or until desired degree of doneness, turning once. Serve with couscous mixture and remaining sauce.

Yield: 6 servings

Grilled Stuffed Jalapenos

Hands on time: 30 min. Total time: 30 min.

The rich creamy combination of bacon, cream cheese, and cheddar is a nice foil for the muted spice of grilled jalapeno peppers. This recipe is a healthy, fresh alternative to the popular breaded and fried version. If making these poppers for a party, you can stuff the peppers, cover, and chill. Then grill just before your guests arrive.

Ingredients:

• 2 slices center-cut bacon
• 1/2 cup (4 oz) fat-free cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup (4 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup (1 oz) shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup minced green onions
• 1 tsp fresh lime juice
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 14 jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
• Cooking spray
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tbsp chopped seeded tomato

Preparation:

1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
2. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, drain on paper towels. Crumble bacon. Combine crumbled bacon, cheese, and next ingredients (through garlic) in a bowl, stirring to combine. Divide cheese evenly and fill the pepper halves. Place peppers, cheese side up, on grill rack or grill grate coated with cooking spray. Cover and grill peppers 8 minutes or until bottoms of peppers are charred and cheese mixture is lightly browned. Place the peppers on a serving platter. Sprinkle with cilantro and tomato. Yield: 14 servings (serving size: 2 pepper halves).

Courtesy: Cooking Light, July 2011.

Egg pasta, used for ravioli

We used this for the zucchini raviolis, but could also be manipulated otherwise. 

Ingredients

3 eggs

10.5 ozs flour

Directions

Pour flour on working surface and make a fountain with a hole in the middle of the flour. Break the eggs into the middle of the fountain. Gently beat the eggs inside to absorb the flour. While beating the eggs, add a little flour at a time with the tip of the fork. When all the flour is mixed and you have a dough consistency, knead the dough by pressing and folding gently with your hands. Now, work the dough with palm of your hands – holding with the left hand and pressing with the right, then fold the dough over and turn. Repeat this process for 5 minutes. Let the ball of dough sit for 30 minutes in the fridge. Roll the dough out with a rolling pin into a long rectangular shape, careful not to roll to wide for the pasta machine. If you do not have a pasta machine, continue to roll with the rolling pin until you reach the desired thickness. Don’t rush the process in the pasta machine – start on the thicker pasta setting and put the dough through the machine numerous times (changing the setting each pass), patiently reaching the desired thickness. Each time you will need to sprinkle flour on the pasta to keep it from sticking to the machine. Cut the dough into long rectangular pieces. Fold the dough in half to find your starting point. Prepare the filling by mixing egg, cooked eggplant and parmesan. Place the filling in leaving one finger between each filling and one finger along the edges. Brush the pasta with egg white to hold the dough together. Fold the dough over to make edges meet. Begin on one end pressing firmly with fingers in the middle then work to the edges in order to assure there is no air left inside the pasta. Use a pasta cutter to cut the ravioli. Sprinkle some flour on the surface and remove the ravioli using a spatula so they don’t stick.

Fried Zucchini Flowers

Ingredients

5 zucchini flowers

flour as needed

1 c ice cold sparkling water

¼ c parmesan

1 pinch of salt

1/3 c olive oil

smoked mozzarella optional

Directions

Combine the salt, ice cold sparkling water and parmesan in a bowl and mix well. Add some flour and mix well, keep adding until you feel you’ve reached the right consistency for the batter mixture. Clean and slice the zucchini flowers.  Add a piece of smoked mozarella in the middle of the flour.  Dip each slice into the batter and place in a pan with a few table spoons of olive oil over medium heat and fry for a couple of minutes on each side until the batter turns a golden brown color. Remove from the heat and place on a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.

CHICKEN THIGHS MARINATED IN BALSAMIC VINEGAR

We had pork instead, but the marinade is where its at!

Ingredients

3 CHICKEN THIGHS

1/8 CUP BROWN SUGAR

1/8 CUP BALSAMIC VINEGAR

1/8 CUP APPLE VINEGAR

ROSEMARY

SALT

Directions

In a large bowl wisk the sugar into the 2 vinegars adding the Rosemary and 2 pinches of salt

Place into the bowl the chicken and marinade for at least 2 hours

Pour the chicken and marinade into a skillet over a low fire.  Cook until the marinade reduces and has carmelized.

Zucchini Ravioli

Raviolis were super delicious, and Fabio's home was gorgeous. A roman princess who lives upstairs (the apartment is a block away from the top of the Spanish steps) used to own his apartment too, and his bedroom and dining room used to be hers. She left a couple busts and the chandelier for him-- How nice! The trellis just behind me in this picture to the right opens up from the dining room and has an incredible view. We were too distracted with eating the food we just cooked to even notice, but we made great friends with our fellow cooking mates. Good company, good food, good wine and lovely surroundings just made it a FABIOLOUS day.

Made with egg and flour dough, will have to find recipe later.

Chef Fabio made a video on how to make the perfect Zucchini ravioli.  

Pici with Aparagus, Cherry Tomatoes and Bread Crumbs

Ingredients

A BUNDLE OF ASPARGUS

1 CUP CHERRY TOMATOES

6 TBS EXTRAVERGIN OLIVE OIL

1 GARLIC GLOVE

½ CUP PARMAESAN

3 SLICES OF LEFT OVER BREAD

3 SUN DRIED TOMATOES

SALT

Directions

WASH YOUR ASPARGUS,CUT OFF THE BOTTOM AND KEEP THE TIPS AND THE MIDDLE PART OF THE STEMS.

BOIL IN SALTED WATER THE MIDDLE PART FOR 20 MINUTES THEN MAKE A PUREE IN THE BLENDER.

BOIL THE TIPS SEPARATELY FOR 10 MIN

MAKE BREADCRUMBS - PUT IN A FOOD PROCESSOR YOUR LEFT OVER BREAD( IF YOU DON’T HAVE BAKE IT)WITH A GARLIC GLOVE,3 SUN DRIED TOMATOES AND A PINCH OF SALT.

IN A SKILLET WITH EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL AND GARLIC PLACE YOUR CHERRY TOMATOES AND COOK THEM UNTIL THEY ARE NEARLY CARMELIZED (15 MIN )

BOIL YOUR PICI UNTIL THEY FLOAT. PLACE THEM IN THE SKILLET WITH THE TOMATOES, ADD THE ASPARGUS PUREE , A LADEL OF BOILING WATER, PARMAESAN AND REMOVE ONTHE HEAT UNTIL THE LADEL OF BOILING WATER MELTS THE PARMAESAN AND MAKES A NICE CREAMY SAUCE

SERVE IN YOUR PLATE SPRINKLING THE BREAD CRUMBS ON THE TOP, A DIZZLE OF EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

AND FLAKES OF PECORINO CHEESE

Zucchini Croquette

Thank you Chef Fabio! His other recipes are found on his website here. Yummm. 

Ingredients

1 CUP CHOPPED ZUCCHINI (steamed or fried, as you prefer)

SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE

2 EGG YOLKS

½ CUP PARMESAN CHEESE

GRATED LEMON ZEST

BREAD CRUMBS.

Directions

Mix together all the ingredients and let refrigerate for at least half an hour in the fridge.

Shape it in medium balls

Roll them one by one in the egg white, a little wisked, then in the bread crumbs.

Place them into a baking pan with a little olive oil and let it cook warm oven (325) for about 20 minutes, until golden crisp.

Zesty Vegetable Dip

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup (4 oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix
• 1 tbsp dried minced onion
• 1 tbsp dried parsley flakes
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• Assorted raw veggies

Preparation:

1. In a small bowl, combine the first eight ingredients until well blended. Cover and refrigerate for two hours. Serve with veggies.

Makes 2 cups

Linguine with Sausage and Peppers

This classic Italian combination is made light and bright with turkey sausage and bell peppers. Arugula gives the dish a peppery taste. Courtesy of Martha Stewart's Great Food Fast.

Ingredients:

• Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
• 1 pound (box) linguine
• 1 pound turkey sausage, casings removed
• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 4 yellow or red bell peppers, ribs and seeds removed, thinly sliced
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 cups arugula, torn

Preparation:

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the linguine until al dente according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1 1/2 cups of the pasta water; return the pasta to the pot.
2. Meanwhile, cook the sausage and 2 tbsp water in a large covered nonstick skillet over medium until the fat renders, about 5 min. Uncover; raise the heat to medium-high. Brown the sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, about 7 min.
3. Add the garlic, bell peppers, and 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water; cook until the peppers soften, about 6 min. Add 3/4 cup of the past water and the butter; swirl to combine.
4. Transfer to the pot. Add the arugula; season with coarse salt and ground pepper. Toss; add more pasta water as desired. Serve immediately.

Cashew Chicken

Look for hoisin sauce and rice vinegar in the Asian food section of the grocery store. Although ingredients vary, hoisin is generally made with soybeans, chiles, and spices. It's used as a seasoning at the table and in cooking. Courtesy of Martha Stewart's Great Food Fast.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 scallions, white and green parts separated, each cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 3/4 cup raw cashews (4 ounces) toasted (see note below)

Preparation:

1. In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with the cornstarch until the chicken is coated; season with 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper
2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tbsp of the oil over medium-high heat. Cook half the chicken, tossing often, until browned, about 3 min. Transfer to a plate.
3. Add the remaining oil and chicken to the skillet along with the garlic and the white parts of the scallions. Cook, tossing often, until the chicken is browned, about 3 min. Return the first batch of chicken to the pan. Add the vinegar; cook until evaporated, about 30 seconds.
4. Add the hoisin sauce and 1/4 cup water; cook, tossing, until the chicken is cooked through, about 1 min. Remove from the heat. Stir in the scallion greens and cashews. Serve immediately over rice, if desired.

Toasting Cashews:

Spread the cashews on a baking sheet, and toast in a 350 oven until golden and fragrant, about 10 min.

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 30 min

Total Time: 30 min

Summer Fun Food

Chicken Tostada Salad- W.S. Food Made Fast Weeknight Meals

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

· 2 cups of rotisserie or other cooked chicken, shredded

· Lime zest and juice from 2 limes

· I clove garlic, minced

· Salt and pepper

· 2/3 c. olive oil

· 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

· 2 cups of corn, fresh is best… others will do

· 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced (or one can diced tomatoes)

· 4 canned green chilies, diced

· 1 head Romaine lettuce, cut into bite sized pieces

· 4 corn tostadas

Preparation

In a bowl, whisk together the lime zest and juice, and garlic with ½ teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Slowly whisk in the oil. Transfer 3 tbsp. of the vinaigrette to a large bowl and add the beans, corn, tomatoes, and chilies; mix gently. Reserve the remaining vinaigrette. Let the salsa stand for at least 10 minutes, or until the flavors have blended.

Add the lettuce to the reserved vinaigrette and toss to coat. Divide the tostadas and lettuce among 4 plates. Spoon the salsa over the lettuce, top with the chicken and serve.

Balsamic Chicken and Peppers

This particular recipe reminded me of summer.

Serves 4

Cook time: 30 minutes start to finish

Cook's tip: roasted potato wedges go well with this dish. Cut russet potatoes into wedges and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast in a 375 oven until tender, about 30 min.

Ingredients:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or thighs (about 1.5 pounds total weight)

Salt and pepper

4 tbsp olive oil

1 seeded and sliced red bell pepper

1 seeded and sliced yellow bell pepper

1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup fresh basil, minced

1 tbsp fresh thyme, minced

Directions:

1. Cook the chicken. Season generously with salt and pepper. In a large frying pan over medium high heat, warm 2 tbsp of the oil. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, until golden brown, about 7 minutes total. Transfer to plate.
2. Cook the vegetables. Add the remaining 2 tbsp oil to the same pan over medium high heat. Add the bell peppers and onion and saute until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute.
3. Finish the chicken. Add the vinegar and half each of the basil and thyme and stir, scraping up the browned bits on the pan bottom. Return the chicken and nay juices from the plat to the pan, spooning the peppers over the chicken. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the chicken is opaque throughout, 2-3 minutes. Stir in the remaining basil and thyme and season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Serve.

Courtesy of Williams Sonoma Weeknight Food Made Fast Cookbook

Hurry to Have Some Curry!!

Pat and I love this recipe... healthy and flavorful! Watch the zucchini carefully, as it tends to overcook quickly :)

Green Curry Chicken with Zucchini

Ingredients

· 2 medium zucchini or 2 long purple Asian eggplants

· 1 ½ cups unsweetened coconut milk

· 2-3 tablespoons green curry paste

· ¾ pound chicken breast, cut into large chunks

· 1 ½ cups chicken broth

· 2 tbsp. fish sauce

· 1 tbsp. brown sugar

· 6 to 8 lime leaves, torn or cut in half (recipe says optional- I say a must!)

· A handful of fresh Asian or Italian basil leaves, plus basil sprigs for garnish

Preparation

1. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and the crosswise into 1-inch chunks, set aside. In a medium saucepan or heavy skillet, bring ¾ cup of the coconut milk to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until it begins to thicken and becomes fragrant. Add the curry paste and cook 2-3 minutes, pressing and stirring to dissolve it into the coconut milk. Add the chicken and cook 2 minutes more, tossing to coat it with the sauce.
2. Add the remaining ¾ cup of coconut milk, chicken broth, zuchinni, fish sauce, sugar, and about half of the lime leaves, and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to maintain a lively simmer and cook, stirring now and then, until the chicken is cooked and the zucchini is tender but still form, 8 -10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining lime leaves and the fresh basil leaves. Garnish with a few sprigs of fresh basil and serve hot or warm with brown rice.

Quick and Easy Egg Bake

Ingredients:

• 9 inch deep dish pie crush (I just bought the frozen Pillsbury ones at the grocery store)
• variety of veggies, meat, and cheese (think omelet combinations)
• Egg Mixture (mix together with wire whisk or mixer)
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup half and half
• 1/2 cup mayo
• 2 tbsp flour
• dash of hot sauce (optional)

What to do:

1. Cook pie crust according to directions. Add veggies, meat, and cheese. Gently pour in egg mixture and shake a little to make sure egg settles to the bottom.
2. Cook 45-60 min at 350. Top will be browned and eggs won't jiggle when finished.

Make ahead directions:

• Bake according to directions, cool halfway, cover with foil, and freeze. Pull out in fridge night before. Bring to room temp day of. Reheat for about 30 min at 350.

Herbed Butter Steaks

Ingredients:

• 4 steaks doctored up however you like (Carl always uses olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, salt and pepper and lets them marinate for at least 15 minutes)
• 3 tbsp butter at room temperature
• 2 tbsp fresh chives, snipped
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, minced

Directions:

1. Combine in a small bowl butter, chives, rosemary, pinch of salt and pepper.
2. Cook steaks to your liking.
3. Top with butter and herb mixture.

Side Notes:

Enjoy with a nice glass of red wine preferably on a deck.

Grilled tomatoes go well as a side dish. Just slice up some tomatoes, season with salt and pepper and throw on the grill for a few minutes on each side until just tender.

Found in Williams Sonoma Weeknight Cookbook

The Barefoot Contessa's Perfect Roast Chicken

Perfect Roast Chicken

From The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook 1999

(source: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/perfect-roast-chicken-recipe/index.html)

Prep Time:

20 min

Inactive Prep Time:

20 min

Cook Time:

1 hr 30 min

Level:

Intermediate

Serves:

8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 (5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large bunch fresh thyme, plus 20 sprigs
• 1 lemon, halved
• 1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted
• 1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
• 4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1 bulb of fennel, tops removed, and cut into wedges
• Olive oil

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots, and fennel in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 20 sprigs of thyme, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.

Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.