Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Rosa Pasta

This one's for you Jen. I have to admit that when I give you all these recipes, I hope that they taste good to you. When I cook I usually do not follow a recipe so the measurements are never exact, so recreating a dish isn't always an exact science. I encourage you to adjust any seasoning to your own personal tastes.
This is one of those recipes that came from looking in my fridge in deperation as to what to make for dinner one night and perfecting a Grandpa Gordie specialty. Loron said that whenever his dad was in charge of the cooking he would toss together some bacon, canned tomatoes, and macaroni noodles. So here is a gussy-upped version, and it is one of my kids favorites.

Ingredients
Angel Hair Pasta -- boil in salted water
1 lb bacon, cut into small pieces and cook.
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 shallot--minced (use a small white onion instead if you need to)
2 cloves of garlic -- minced
10-12 diced mushrooms
artichoke hearts -- chopped, optional
black olives-- finely diced, optional
1/3-1/2 C chopped fresh basil (dry can be substituted, use s TBSP or two)
1/4--1/2 C cream
1 TBSP butter
salt and pepper

In a saute pan cook bacon. Drain on papertowels and set aside. Remove bacon fat from pan and add onions, garlic, and mushrooms. Cook until all of the liquid is gone from the mushrooms. Add tomatoes. Cook until most of the liquid from the tomatoes has evaporated. Add bacon and basil, and anything else you would like at this point. Let simmer for a couple of minutes. Add cream and butter and let simmer, don't let it boil. The butter just helps to make the sauce have a nice smooth consistency. Season as desired with salt and pepper. Toss with pasta. Great topped with shredded parmesan and toasted pine nuts. Also good with grilled chicken tossed into the mix. Ciao!

Friday, January 9, 2009

I am feeling a little Soupy today.


I love soup! I could eat it everyday, if Loron would let me! But his man appetite, doesn't think soup everyday is very satistfying. So here is my hommage to soups. I try to cram veggies wherever I can and my kids usually like all of these. Enjoy!

California Pizza Kitchen's Sedona White Corn Tortilla Soup

I wish that we had a California Pizza Kitchen in Reno, but this is second best!

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 small corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch squares
1 1/2 tablespoons garlic, minced
2 tablespoons onions, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons jalapeno peppers, minced
2 cups white corn kernels
1 1/2 lbs ripe tomatoes, chopped
1/3 cup tomato paste
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 1/2 cups water
1 quart chicken stock
Garnishes
24 corn tortilla chips
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Directions
1Over medium heat, fry tortilla squares in olive oil until they begin to crisp and turn a golden yellow. Add garlic,onion and jalapeno; cook 1 to 2 minutes, until onion becomes translucent.
2Add half the corn along with all other ingredients (except garnishes), reserving other half of corn to be added at the end.
3Bring the soup to a low, even boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove soup from heat.
4Use a hand-held propeller blade processor to process in batches to the consistency of a course puree. You can also process in batches in a blender. Return the soup to the burner and add the reserved corn.
5Bring the soup to a boil once again being extremely careful to avoid scorching or burning the soup.
6To serve, garnish with blue corn tortilla chips, cilantro and sharp Cheddar cheese.

Italian Stoup

2 links Italian sausage
2 C cheese tortellini -- cooked
1 small onion-- finely diced
2 cloves of garlic -- minced
1/2 C matchstick carrots
1 rib of celery -- finely diced
1 C zucchini-- large dice
2 lg cans of diced tomatoes
1-2 C chicken broth
1 can cannelli beans
2 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp sugar
2 TBSP dried basil
1 TBSP dried oregano
1-2 tsp dried ground thyme
salt and pepper
fresh basil
parmesan

In a saute pan cook up sausage links, let drain on paper towel. Let cool and then cut into thin round slices.
In a large stock pot add a couple tablespoons of olive oil and saute onions, garlic, carrots, and celery. Just before they are finished add the zucchini.
Add sausage, tomatoes, beans, and seasonings. Let simmer so that the flavors all come together (1/2 hr)
While the stoup is simmering cook up tortellini in salted water until al dente (still a little firm). Add tortellini to stoup. Garnish with fresh chopped basil and shredded parmesan cheese. Delicious served with fresh french bread or breadsticks...ooh I have a good recipe for that too, I will add that one soon.

Butternut Squash and Pear Soup

Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter
1 medium/large onion, diced
1 medium butternut squash peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 pears, peeled and chopped into roughly 1-inch pieces
1-quart low sodium chicken stock, or enough to cover
1 tsp ginger
Heavy cream
Salt, freshly ground black pepper and granulated sugar
Directions
In a saucepan melt the butter over medium-high heat, and add and sweat the onions. Add pears and squash and sweat those too a bit. Pour in the stock, enough to submerge solids. Add ginger and bring to a simmer and cook until squash is fork tender about 15 to 18 minutes. Puree with immersion blender or pour into a food processor. Add a touch of cream and season, to taste. Serve with chopped chives if desired.

Thai Shrimp Soup

Ingredients
1 14-1/2-ounce can chicken broth
1 small zucchini, cut into matchstick-size pieces (about 1-1/2 cups)
1 green onion, bias-cut into 1-1/4-inch slices (2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1-1/2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel or lime peel
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
12 ounces small shrimp, peeled and deviled
1 14-ounce can coconut milk
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons toasted shaved coconut
Directions
1. Bring broth to boiling in a saucepan. Add green onion, ginger, lemon peel, and crushed red pepper. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add zucchini. ( I don't add the zucchini earlier because then it gets overcooked and mushy!)

2. Add shrimp. Simmer, uncovered, for 1 to 3 minutes or until shrimp is opaque. Add coconut milk. Heat through (do not boil). Ladle into bowls. Top with cilantro and coconut. Serve immediately. I tried to make this ahead of time and serve it at a dinner and the zucchini was then over cooked and the shrimp became tough. So sorry this is not a make ahead recipe, but it is so delicious and light! You could probably substitute chicken if shrimp isn't your favorite. Give it a try!

White Bean Chili

Ingredients
1 onion -- finely diced
2-3 cloves of garlic minced
2 TBSP olive oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4-5 cans beans, either great northern or navy
4-5 C chicken broth
2 small cans diced green chiles
1/4 C salsa verde (optional)
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground oregano
salt and pepper
1/2-1 C sour cream (light works just as well)
cilantro
cheese
limes

Cook chicken, either grill or boil, and cut up. In a large stockpot saute onions and garlic in the olive oil. Add all remaining ingredients dow to salt and pepper. Let simmer for at least 20 minutes or put in a crockpot and let it simmer all day. Just before serving mix in xour cream, use as little or as much as you prefer. Add some lime juice. Ladle into bowl and garnish with chopped cilantro, cheese, and if wanted more lime. Also good with diced avocados, tomatoes, and lime tortilla chips. This is a family favorite. I even won a chili contest with it...ok it was just a little church contest, but it is still tasty!!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium white onions, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 jalapenos, seeded and minced
3 ripe medium tomatoes, chopped
1 quart chicken stock
1 tsp cumin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Canola oil, for pan-frying
8 corn tortillas, cut into 1/8-inch-thick strips
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken (great time to use a rotissiere chicken)
2 avocados, halved, pitted, peeled, and diced
1 cup shredded Jack cheese, optional
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
1 lime, cut in wedges, for serving
Directions
Place a stockpot over medium heat and coat with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the onions, garlic, jalapenos, and tomatoes; cook, stirring for 15 minutes until the vegetables are cooked down and pulpy. Pour in the stock, season with salt and pepper and cumin, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 1-inch of canola oil in a skillet over medium-high flame. When the oil begins to smoke, add the tortilla strips in batches and fry until they are crisp on all sides. Remove to a paper towel-lined platter and sprinkle with salt while they are still hot.

Ladle the hot soup into 4 soup bowls and put a pile of shredded chicken on top of each. Top with the diced avocado and fried tortilla strips (and cheese if using). Garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Seafood Pan Roast

Thanks to Jacque Foster for introducing this fabulous soup to us! This is one of those things you think about and crave all of the time! Its also super simple even though it has a laundry list of ingredients.


SERVES 1
Ingredients

1/4 teaspoon butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1 dash Tabasco sauce
2 tablespoons white wine
1 tablespoon seafood cocktail sauce
1/4 cup clam juice
6 ounces shrimp, peeled and deveined and/or crab
3/4 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon butter
Directions
1 In large pan over medium heat, melt butter. Add salt, white pepper, celery seed, paprika, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tobasco, white wine, cocktail sauce and clam juice.
2 Add seafood, stir and bring to a full boil. Add half-and-half and simmer on low until you serve.
3 Place butter in bottom of deep bowl, pour in pan roast, sprinkle with paprika and serve.
The recipe is shown as a single serving because thats how they do it in the restaurant in a double boiler.

Try this one it is soooo goood!!!