Zucchini, Chile and Red Onion Frittata

Meatless Monday is a popular thing amongst food bloggers but since I'm a little bit of a rebel and a lotta bit disorganized my readers get Meatless Wednesday which obviously doesn't have quite the same ring.  Actually Meatless Monday was launched in 2003 by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in an effort to get Americans to cut out meat one day a week.  It's now a world-wide movement and something I try to do in our house at least once a week.  You'd be surprised just how easy it is....even if you're a meat-a-tarian like me!  Check out the Meatless Monday website for some great recipes or just do a google search on Mondays and you'll find tons of food bloggers participating.

A frittata is one of our favorite meatless dishes.  I often make one just in an attempt to clean out the fridge on a Sunday afternoon or use up leftovers.  Anything can go into a simple frittata.  In this case it was a perfect way to use up some farmer's market zucchini.  The other ingredients I usually have on hand, but feel free to substitute whatever it is you have in your fridge.  Like the cheese for instance.  This called for white cheddar but I only had gruyere.  Adapt, I say!!  Throw together a simple green salad to go with this and you've got dinner!

Here's the recipe:

Zucchini, Chile and Red Onion Frittata

Williams-Sonoma

1 poblano chile 

8 large eggs

Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 

1/4 lb. white cheddar cheese, coarsely shredded 

1 Tbs. olive oil 

1 red onion, halved then sliced 

2 zucchini, cut into quarters lengthwise, then sliced crosswise 

Fresh cilantro, chopped

Using tongs or a long fork, hold the chile over the flame of a gas burner, turning it until the skin is evenly blistered and blackened. (Alternatively, place the chile on a baking sheet and broil, turning as needed and watching carefully to prevent burning.) Transfer the chile to a bag and let cool. Rub the charred peel off the chile. Cut the chile in half, remove the seeds and finely chop. 

In a bowl, combine the eggs, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Beat with a fork to blend. Mix in 3/4 cup of the cheese. 

In a 10-inch ovenproof fry pan, ideally nonstick, over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté until almost tender, about 6 minutes. Add the zucchini, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Mix in the chile. Pour the egg mixture into the fry pan, and gently stir to distribute evenly. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook until the eggs are almost set but still moist in the center, about 10 minutes. 

Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the frittata. Broil until the eggs puff, the center is springy to the touch and the cheese begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Using a flexible spatula, loosen the frittata around the edges. Slide the frittata onto a platter, and sprinkle cilantro over the top. Serve warm or at room temperature, cutting into wedges. Serves 4.

Greek Pasta

We have "garbage pasta" night at least once a week around here.  Not a very appetizing name, right?  I'm not sure why I started calling it that because it's not like I get shit out of the garbage, add some pasta and call it dinner.  No.  It happens either when I haven't been to the grocery story in a few days (and am too lazy to go before dinner) or there are leftover bits and pieces from several different dinners that need to be used up.  There is always something in your fridge that can be made into a pasta dish.

This particular night was one of those lazy nights, so I looked around the kitchen and found a few tomatoes on the counter and a package of spinach and a container of crumbled feta in the fridge.  Perfect.  I boiled a box of whole wheat corkscrew pasta, chopped the tomatoes and tossed those into a bowl with the feta.  I snipped some fresh oregano from the garden and added that to the mix, along with the juice from 1/2 a lemon (I always have lemons and limes because you need to buy limes for the Corona and the lemons are always right next to the limes, so......)  When the pasta is ready, I drain it and immediately put it back into the pan along with the fresh spinach.  Add a few tablespoons of olive oil and toss until the heat from the pasta starts to wilt the spinach.  Add the pasta and spinach to the tomato mix and season to taste with sat, pepper and red pepper flakes for a little kick.  Toss it all together and call it dinner.  But you might not want to call it "garbage pasta" in front of your family!

Roasted Sausages and Grapes

It's been a good week to be a Buckeye.  And considering the year we've had, it's about damn time!  First, we landed ourselves a pretty good football coach, although I've despised the guy until I knew he was going to be one of my own.  Hey, he kicked our ass in Glendale a few years ago when everyone was thinking Tressel would walk away with championship #2.  I've called him all kinds of very mature names over the past several years, but when he took that podium Monday afternoon in Columbus, I said, "Pass the Koolaid."  Welcome home, Urban!

And second, did you see that beat down we put on Duke last night?  To quote Coach K...."We've had our butts kicked and we've kicked some butts, but tonight my butt is really sore."  That was 40 minutes of near perfect Buckeye basketball.

So, like I said, it's been a good week to be a Buckeye.  Sayonara "Tattoo Gate".  Time to move on.

All of that sports talk was just to distract you from the picture of the Roasted Sausage and Grapes.   No matter how delicious that dish is, I couldn't find a way to style it to make it look that way!  I first saw this being made on The Barefoot Contessa and thought it sounded delicious.  Ina's friend, Johanna Killeen, of Al Forno Restaurant in Providence, RI was demonstrating the dish on the show and said it was the best selling item on their menu.  It had to be good, right?

While I couldn't quite wrap my mind around the combination of sausage and grapes (and roasted grapes, quite frankly, sounded mushy) I love anything involving sausage.  Errr.  Anyhoo.....this is de.  lish.  us.  And why has no one told me about roasted grapes before?  Not mushy.  Well maybe a little, but in a totally amazing way. I used a combination of red and black grapes (make sure you buy seedless) which worked perfectly because the red ones get a little softer than the black grapes so you get this great combination of crunchy and soft.  And while I know some people don't like spicy sausage, it's really these best counter to the sweet grapes.  Regular italian sausage works, but I'm just sayin.  And then there's the red wine and balsamic sauce.  Oh my.  This is slap-your-grandma good.  Serve this with some focaccia bread or some ciabatta to sop up every last drop.

Here's the recipe:

Roasted Sausages and Grapes

Johanna Killeen

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds Italian hot sausage
1 1/2 pounds Italian sweet sausage
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 to 6 cups (2 pounds) red or green seedless grapes, stems removed
2 to 4 tablespoons dry red wine, preferably Chianti
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Directions
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

Parboil the sausages in water to cover for 8 minutes to rid them of excess fat.

Melt the butter in a large heatproof roasting pan, add the grapes, and toss to coat. Over moderately high heat add the wine. Stir with a wooden spoon for a few minutes until the wine has reduced by half.

Using tongs, transfer the parboiled sausages to the roasting pan and push them down in the grapes so the sausages will not brown too quickly. Roast in the oven, turning the sausages once, until the grapes are soft and the sausages have browned, 20 to 25 minutes.

Place the roasting pan on top of the stove over a medium-high heat and add the balsamic vinegar. Scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the roasting pan, and allow the vinegar and juices to reduce until they are thick and syrupy. With a slotted spoon, transfer the sausages and grapes to a serving platter.

Pour the sauce over the sausages and grapes and serve immediately, accompanied with fresh bread.

This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.

Red Snapper with Leeks, Mushrooms, and Shallots

Remember me?  I've been crazy, super lazy busy lately.  Yeah, busy.  Seriously.  I swear my absence has had nothing to do with lack of motivation.  Just busy, busy, busy.  Doing really important stuff.  So when I was looking for an easy preparation for some red snapper the other night, I was thrilled when I found this in Jacques Pepin's new book, Essential Pepin.  His description said "quick and easy".and he meant it.  This is a big-reward, little-effort recipe and seriously delicious.

This requires the massive effort of chopping one leek, a red bell pepper, a few shallots and maybe a few mushrooms (if you're like me, you'll buy the already sliced ones!).  Throw all of those into a pan along with a few tablespoons of olive oil and a cup of white wine and cover it up and bring it to a boil.  Let it simmer for a few minutes then add your fish, cover it again and let it simmer until it's cooked through.  That will only take a few minutes depending on the thickness of your fish.

See.....quick and easy!  I served this with roasted potatoes, because I was too lazy busy to make mashed potatoes but that would have been really delicious!

Here's the recipe:

Red Snapper with Leeks, Mushrooms, and Shallots

Essential Pepin, by Jacques Pepin

Ingredients:
1 small leek, trimmed (leaving some green) split, washed, and thinly sliced (1 1/2 cups)
3 ounces mushrooms, cleaned and cut into julienne strips (1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup chopped shallots
1/3 cup peeled and diced red bell pepper (I was too lazy busy to peel it)
1 cup dry white wine (such as Chablis)   (I used a Sauvignon Blanc because that what I had in my glass)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 skin-on red snapper filets (about 5 ounces each)  halibut and mahi-mahi also work
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Directions:
Put all the ingredients except the fish and butter in a large stainless steel saucepan, cover and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and boil gently for 3 minutes.

Add the fish, cover and cook for about three minutes or until just cooked through.

Arrange the filets on each of four plates.  Add the butter to the liquid in the sauce pan and bring to a strong boil.  Divide the mixture among the plates, spooning both sauce and vegetables on top of the fish and serve.

Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage, Hazelnut and Brown Butter Sauce

It's officially Fall.  Southern Fall is not exactly like the Midwest Fall of my childhood.  Even though the calendar says it's officially Fall, what I consider to be Fall.....cool temperatures, turning leaves and boots.....doesn't happen in Alabama until November sometime!

That doesn't mean that I have to wait until November for Fall foods!  Like squash.  I love me some roasted butternut squash and I happened to have some staring at me on the counter this weekend.  I considered making soup, but we've had a ton of soup here in the last few weeks, plus I wanted to try something different.  I've never made ravioli and I have tons of sage in the garden, so this sounded perfect.

I guess I didn't technically "make ravioli".  I cheated and used wonton wrappers, but feel free to make your own pasta dough if you're a lot more ambitious than I am!  

This is relatively easy to pull together if you're a cheater like me.  Roast the squash and then mash it up.  I used a food mill, but a potato ricer would work great also.  You could probably even puree it in the food processor.  Then throw it in a pot over low heat to remove all the moisture.  Stir in the seasonings and you're ready to "make ravioli"!

Since wonton wrappers a a little larger, I used a small ice cream scoop for the filling.....a little more than a tablespoon.

Brush the bottom wrapper edges with an egg wash.

Place the top wrapper over the filling, flattening the filling and pressing out any air bubbles.  Seal the edges really well.....you don't want any gaps for the filling to seep out when you boil it.  That would be messy!  I sealed my edges with a fork to be on the safe side.  Sometimes I'm overly cautious.

Bring some generously salted water to a boil and toss in a few raviolis (don't crowd them).  When they rise to the surface of the water, they're done.  Remove them and toss them with the sauce (recipe below).

This is a perfect Fall dish.  The ravioli can be made ahead of time and frozen and then tossed direct from the freezer into the boiling water.  And this sauce comes together in five minutes.  Totally doable for an elegant weeknight dinner.  This would also make a great first course for your next dinner party.

Here's the recipe:

Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage, Hazelnut and Brown Butter Sauce

Bobby Flay

Ingredients


Ravioli:
2 butternut squash, halved and seeded
Pinch cinnamon
Pinch nutmeg
1 tablespoon finely chopped orange zest
2 teaspoons chipotle puree
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 sheets pasta dough, 12 to 14 inches long by 4 inches wide
2 eggs mixed with 2 tablespoons water
Chopped chives

Directions


Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Place squash on a baking sheet and roast until soft 30 to 40 minutes. Scoop out flesh and run though a food mill. Place the puree into a medium saucepan and cook over low heat until almost dry. Add the remaining ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste. Lay a sheet of pasta dough on a lightly floured work surface and distribute a heaping teaspoon-sized portion of the filling at least 2 inches apart. Use your fingertip or a brush to moisten the edges of the pasta sheet with the egg wash. Carefully place a second sheet of the pasta dough on top of the first and press with your fingertips to separate the rows of filling. Repeat with the remaining dough. With a ravioli cutter or pastry wheel, cut along straight lines on the vertical and horizontal to form each ravioli square. Press the edges closed with your fingertips to seal well. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Carefully drop in the ravioli and cook for about 5 minutes. Drain, plate and spoon butter sauce over and garnish with finely chopped chives.

Brown Butter Sauce:


2 sticks unsalted butter
1/4 cup coarsely ground hazelnuts
1/4 cup heavy cream
8 sage leaves, chiffonade
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Melt butter in a medium saute pan over medium high heat. Add hazelnuts and cook until the hazelnuts are golden brown. Add the heavy cream and cook for 1 minute. Add the sage and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Calzone Poppers

Try to ignore the fact that the pan is different in this picture than the rest of the post!  This photo was taken when I made these over Labor Day.

Before we get to the Poppers, you're going to have to indulge me for a few minutes of observations from my weekend sports watching.  

First of all, the college football game everyone is talking about around the water coolers this morning....Michigan and Notre Dame.  Ugh.  Poor hubs.  He had such high hopes for his beloved Irish this year.  Brian Kelly was supposed to return them to the promised land by bringing that high-powered offense with him from Cincinnati.  Unfortunately he also brought along his defense.  Do they even have a secondary?

He's been able to find solace in cheering for the Buckeyes the past several years, but that may not work out for him this year either.  We almost, and should have, got beat by Toodle-le-do.  Holy Toledo was that ugly.  If it weren't for untimely and costly penalties on their part, we'd be the Michigan of 2011.  Could be a long night in next Saturday's Cheater's Bowl.

And finally, I had to watch another inappropriate outburst from Serena Williams.  She's all rainbows and unicorns when she's kicking someone's tennis panties, but boy howdy does she get testy when the tables are turned.  Did you hear her tirade directed at the chair ump on the changeover?  Here's a thought, Serena.....learn these words... "I'm sorry.  I was WRONG."  Because, once again, you were.  Wrong for screaming out and celebrating a point that was not yet over, wrong for arguing with and attempting to intimidate the chair umpire because you don't know the rules, wrong for accusing her of being someone she wasn't, wrong for continuing to berate and belittle her on the changeover, and wrong for inappropriately and embarrassingly representing your country to the rest of the world on such an important and historic day.  And finally wrong for selfishly diminishing Sam Stosur's moment.  Because she deserved that moment for spanking your tennis panties 2 and 3.  You owe her and us an apology.  One that we'll never get because you did the same thing two years ago to Kim Clijsters and we never got an apology for that one either.  

Okay.  I'm finished.  On to the poppers.  These are a version of my mother's famous Calzone recipe and are perfect for you next game day party. 

Start with your favorite bread or pizza dough.

Bridgeford bread dough is the brand we've used for years to make the calzone.  It comes in packs of three frozen loaves.  I usually sit mine out first thing in the morning to thaw to be ready for dinner.  One loaf made about 16 poppers.   Sit the dough out to thaw and let it rise then punch it down before you start separating off chunks for the poppers.

I don't normally put pesto in the calzone, but I had about a half of a cup of my Lemon-Basil Pesto left from last weekend so I decided to use it up.  It's up to you if you add it or not.  They're perfectly delicious without it.

Fresh Mozzarella.   Last time I made them I used the small mozzarella balls but all I had were the larger ones this time.  I just cut them into small cubes.  Worked fine.

Pepperoni

And one clove of garlic to rub all over the dish you'll be baking them in.  I used a deep dish pie plate.

Why does my had look so fat?

Simply pinch off a generous chunk of dough.  You'll need enough to wrap around the pepperoni and cheese without any openings.

I put the cheese inside the pepperoni

Wrap the dough tightly around and make sure it's sealed well.

Here's one with the pesto.  I spread it on first then proceeded with the pepperoni and mozzarella.

Tuck them all into your dish (I had sprayed mine with cooking spray).  Brush on an egg wash (one egg, slightly beaten) and grate some fresh parmesan on top.  You can either pop these into a 350 degree oven now or cover and refrigerate to bake later.  Both work fine.  Bake for about 20 minutes until they are nicely browned on top.

I serve mine with a bowl of my favorite marinara sauce and watch them disappear.


Here's the recipe for my favorite pesto:

2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
2 cups basil leaves
1/2 cup parsley leaves
1/2 cup oregano leaves
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
juice and zest from one lemon
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

In a food processor, pulse the pine nuts with the basil, parsley and oregano leaves, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest and olive oil until combined.  Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano and pulse until smooth.  Scrape the pesto into a bowl and season with salt and pepper.  Can be stored in refrigerator tightly covered for up to two weeks.

Ricotta and Herb Stuffed Chicken

Shocking!  I'm not posting a dessert recipe.  It seems like that's all I've been posting lately, but the regular dinner stuff I've been cooking just doesn't seem post-worthy!  When it's this hot (it's been over 100 degrees for the past few days, but we finally got a little break today after a passing rain shower overnight!) I usually keep it simple....some fish and vegetables tossed on the grill.  But I made this chicken a few weeks ago and we loved it so much that I thought I would share.  I know the picture sucks, but the taste of the chicken more than makes up for it.

I did this with a whole chicken that I butterflied.....here's a video on how to do that yourself (it's simple), or you can always ask the butcher to do it for you.  Or even easier, you can simply do this with a few whole chicken breasts.....bone in, skin on, of course!   And you can even make the stuffing a day ahead and keep it in the fridge until you're ready making this a relatively quick weeknight dinner.

The smells this creates coming from you oven while it's baking are mouthwatering.  Actually smelled like lasagna!!  Oh, and don't throw that left-over filling away (I actually advise making extra!!).  Bake it in a separate dish and serve it on the side.  Dayum, is it good!

I adjusted the herbs also, based on what was in my garden.  I used chopped fresh basil, oregano, parsley and lemon thyme.  Use what you like.


Here's the recipe:

Ricotta and Herb Stuffed Chicken

Gourmet Magazine, July 2007

(The recipe is for two whole chickens, so adjust accordingly)

4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups whole-milk ricotta (preferably fresh; 2 lb)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (2 oz)
1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano
1/4 cup shopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 whole chickens (about 3 1/2 lbs each)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F with racks in middle and lower third.

Cook garlic in oil in a small heavy skillet over medium-low heat stirring occasionally, until golden, 2 to 3 minutes.  Transfer to a bowl and stir in ricotta, eggs, parmesan, herbs 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Take the butterflied chickens and spread them flat, skin sides up, in a oiled large 17- by 12-inch) shallow baking pan.  Gently slide your finger between skin and flesh of breast and legs of chicken to loosen skin (be careful not to tear skin).  Using a small spoon, slide 2/3 cup ricotta mixture under skin, using a finger on outside of skin to spread filling over meat of breast, thighs and drumsticks.  Tuck wing tips under like pictured above.  Stuff second chicken in the same manner.  Brush skin of chickens all over with oil (2 tablespoons) and sprinkle each with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Spoon remaining filling into oiled baking dish.

Bake chickens in middle of oven 30 minutes, then put dish of stuffing in oven on lower rack.  Continue baking until chicken is just cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of a thigh (through stuffing; do not touch bone) registers 170 deg. F and until gratin is puffed and golden, about 30 minutes more.  Let chickens rest 10 minutes, then cut each into quarters.  Serve with gratin.

Tomato and Mozzarella Salad

I'm sitting in DFW for the next four hours waiting for my flight to Madrid.  I know, I know.....I just got home.  For hubs and I,  May is travel month.  We just got back from Cabo with the children and now we're heading to Madrid with some friends for a few days then hopping on The World and cruising to Bordeaux to guzzle some wine for several days.  Then June 1, I'll be checking into Betty Ford!

Since all you'll see here for the next couple of weeks are pictures of old buildings, centuries-old grape vines, and drunk people, I felt like I should post a recipe.  And I'm gonna keep it simple...Tomato and Mozzarella Salad.  It is without a doubt hubs favorite thing on earth.  He became addicted when we lived in Germany and were within walking distance of an incredible Italian restaurant.  And since I ended up in tears every time I went to the grocery store because my German SUCKED, we ate at this restaurant A LOT!!!

When we returned to the States, I made it my mission to perfect tomatoes and mozz.  And in my world, I have.  This shows up on our dinner table in some form at least once a week.  Probably more in the summer when I can get fresh, garden tomatoes.  We eat this as a salad, tossed into pasta, on top of crostini....you name it.  When I'm pooped or just too lazy to accomplish anything brilliant in the kitchen, this is what I make.  It's also been known to make an appearance when fancy company shows up for dinner and it's always devoured.

The only trouble is, that it's sooooo hard to make!  NOT.   Obviously this is best in the summer, when all of the ingredients are fresh, but I find grape tomatoes in the winter are a great substitute.  I think they're the sweetest.  Simply combine tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese (I prefer the bocconcini, or small balls), fresh julienned basil.  Drizzle with olive oil to coat and a high quality balsamic vinegar  (hubs likes a lot of balsamic!).  Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and some hot chili flakes if you're feeling frisky!  Toss and let sit for at least 30 minutes so all the flavors can get to know each other.  Then do with it as you will!  Enjoy

It will be back to normal here in a few weeks, but in the meantime I'll be taking you along on my trip!

Grilled Sea Bass with Blood Orange Salsa

If you're unfamiliar with blood oranges, here's what Wikipedia has to say about them:

The blood orange is a variety of orange (Citrus sinensis) with crimson, blood-colored flesh. The fruit is smaller than an average orange; its skin is usually pitted, but can be smooth. The distinctive dark flesh color is due to the presence of anthocyanins, a family of pigments common to many flowers and fruit, but uncommon in citrus fruits.^[1] The flesh develops its characteristic maroon color when the fruit develops with low temperatures during the night.^[2] Sometimes there is dark coloring on the exterior of the rind as well, depending on the variety of blood orange.^[3] The skin can also be tougher, and harder to peel than other oranges.

While all oranges are likely of hybrid origin between the pomelo and the tangerine,^[4] blood oranges originated as a mutation of the sweet orange.^[5]

The only time I see them around here is during the Spring so as soon as they show up in the stores I grab them.  If you can't find them in your area, regular oranges will work in this salsa as well.  But if you're lucky enough to have them, try them out.  They're similar in taste to a regular orange but with a hint of raspberry and slightly more tart.  My favorite part, however, is that beautiful color.

These also make for some killer cocktails.  I've made these mojitos, which I love, but my favorite might be these margaritas.

I've also tried this salsa on snapper and it's fabulous.  I think any white fish or even chicken breasts would work.

So if you can find blood oranges in your area, definitely give them a go, but if not, as I said, all of these recipes can be made with regular oranges.  

Grilled Sea Bass with Blood Orange Salsa

adapted from Food Network

Ingredients:
2 Sea Bass Fillets
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper

Salsa:
2 Blood Oranges, peeled (white pith also removed) and sectioned
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, stem and seeds removed and finely diced
1 small shallot, finely diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:
Combine salsa ingredients, mix well and set aside:

If you are not familiar with how to peel and section an orange, here's a short video from Cooking.com

Bean and Pasta Soup

This week begins the best four week stretch in all of sports.  March Madness.  It may help that my team is currently #1 in the country (Go Bucks!), but I know tons of people that don't really follow college basketball all season and still get pumped up for the tournament.  It all starts this week with the conference tournaments which leads to "Selection Sunday" and then the real fun begins.  There is nothing better than that first weekend with games all day Thursday through Sunday.

If you're like us, we kind of block off those first four days and just veg out in front of the tube.  This soup would be a perfect thing to make for that weekend.  It's hearty, satisfying, full of flavor and easy to put together.  I used dried beans but you could just as easily use canned to save some time.

Hubs and I polished off an entire pot of this during the past week and I can see making this one again and again.

Here's the recipe:

Bean and Pasta Soup

King Arthur Flour

Ingredients:
2 cups of beans:  these can be whatever you want but a mised soup blend is colorful and fun  (I used dried beans and did a quick soak by covering beans with water, bringing to a boil and letting sit covered for a few hours)
Water to cover (2 to 2 1/2 quarts)  (Not necessary if you are using canned beans)
2 1/2 quarts stock (chicken, beef or vegetable)  (I used homemade chicken stock)
1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
1 to 2 cups grated carrots (I used one cup of already shredded carrots from a bag!)
1 to 2 cups chopped celery
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced (or more or less depending on how you feel about garlic)
1 pound plum (or other) tomatoes, skinned and chopped (I used one 28oz can of chopped tomatoes)
1 tablespoon fresh basil (or 1 tsp dried); or use a little oregano, marjoram, savory, etc., whatever smells or tastes good to you  (I used basil)
1 tablespoon fresh minced parsley
1 cup pasta or your choice, either small or broken in pieces (I used whole wheat farfalle)
1 pound sausage; sweet or hot or a combination, crumbled, cooked and drained (I used hot Italian sausage)

The night before you want to serve your soup, cover the beans with fresh water and let them soak until about 1 1/2 to 2 hours before your meal.  (Like I said, I did a quick soak or you can use canned beans)

Drain them, put them in a soup pot and add the stock.  Stir in everything else except the pasta and sausage, bring to a boil and let simmer until the beans are almost tender.

Add the pasta and sausage and cook until the pasta is tender.  Serve with a crusty loaf of bread.

FFwD - Short Ribs in Red Wine and Port (with Emeril Lagasse's Creamy Polenta)

I know, I know.....the glare off this picture makes your eyes hurt!  My big girl camera had a dead battery so I had to resort to my iPhone to get a pic.  I apologize to you and to Dorie because this picture doesn't begin to do these short ribs justice.  They were Ah.  Maze.  Ing. Period.

I also apologize for posting late but last week was major suckage.  The previous weekend I had made a quick trip to Ohio to see relatives which happens to include this little princess.  If you take a close look at that last picture of Miss Emma you can see in her eyes that she was not feeling well.  Which means that she wanted to be held all the time.

 

 

Which, just so happened, worked out well, because I always want to hold her all the time!  Needless to say, once I was back home in Alabama, I too didn't feel so well and wanted to be held all the time.  Didn't work out so well this time because A) no one wanted me on their lap and B) I was having a huuuuge (60 plus people) party at my house on Saturday.  Damn.

Now, I'm not exactly the "doctor" type.  I was raised that way.  As a child, if I complained about something hurting, I heard "Oh, it's a long way from your heart.  You'll be fine."  I know, right?  Turns out I never died, so I figure why waste time sitting in a doctor's office with a bunch of sick people??  Well, this week I didn't have time to "wait it out".  I had shit to do and so I bit the bullet and called the doc.  He gave me a shot in the ass and a few prescriptions and sent me on my way.  But not before he drew some blood just to make sure nothing else was going on.  Watever.  As long as I start to feel better NOW.

And I pretty much did by the next day.  Not perfect but well enough to get busy.  Around the middle of the day I get a text from the doc.  Before I tell you what it said, I have to tell you that this doctor also happens to be a personal friend.  If not, he never would have gotten away with texting me this...

"Hey.  I now know why you're such a bitch.  You have hypothyroidism and need treatment!"

WTF?  So I tell hubs and here's that conversation....

Hubs:  "There's a pill for that?"

Me:  "Hypothyroidism?  Sure."

Hubs:  "Uh, no.  One that won't make you a bitch?"

He's still knocked out cold on the floor.  Anyhoo, I texted doc back and asked if this was the reason I couldn't lose weight or was it still the wine's fault?  He said both.  I say that's a win-win.  I can take this pill, lose weight, and still drink wine?  Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Clause!!!

Back to the short ribs.  Hubs proclaimed these Top 5.  They were that good.  And so was the polenta.  I've made Emeril's polenta several times and it never disappoints.  The rules of FFwD don't allow me to give you the recipe for the short ribs (you'll have to buy the book "Around My French Table") but I can give you the recipe for the polenta.

Creamy Polenta

Emeril Lagasse

Serves 4 (large portions)

Ingredients:
4 cups water, plus more as needed
4 cups milk, plus more as needed
3 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups polenta
1/2 cup creme fraiche (I didn't have any in fridge this time so I used sour cream)
1/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions:
In a large saucepan, bring the water, milk and butter to a boil.  Add 2 teaspoons of salt to the water and whisk in the polenta.  Whisk constantly for 3 to 4 minutes to prevent lumps.  Simmer for 45 minutes, partially covered and stirring every 10 minutes, until the polenta is thick, smooth, and creamy.  Add the creme fraiche and Parmesan.  Check for seasoning and adjust consistence by adding milk or water to the polenta.  Polenta may be made up to 20 minutes ahead of time and kept covered until ready to serve.

Pioneer Woman's "Shrimpo de Gallo"

If you've never heard of The Pioneer Woman you need to crawl out from under that rock. The woman is everywhere.  Started with a blog that has turned into a movie starring Reese Witherspoon....which is kind of weird since PW has long red hair.  But whatever.  Reese Witherspoon, for the love.  I'm sure they'd cast Roseanne Barr to play me if there was ever to be a movie about moi.  Which their won't.

Anyhoo, I don't make a lot of recipes from her site (I visit mostly for the fabulous photography and the basset hound), but this one caught my eye....minus the hoakey name!  I mostly loved the ingredients and was already thinking about all the things I could do with it.  She included olives in hers and we all know how I feel about olives and she suggested using it as a dip.

The first time I made it I served it alongside fajitas.  Hubs started out putting it inside his fajita and then just started eating it all by itself.  And that's how we continued to eat the leftovers.  Like a salad.  It's that good.

So I decided I'd make it again for the Super Bowl yesterday.  Since it was nice outside, we fired up the pizza oven and pretended it was Spring.  As this sat on the counter beside a bowl of chips I had a brain fart and decided to include it in my last pizza.  So I spread some refried beans directly on the dough, topped it with a tad of shredded cheese, piled this on top with a little more cheese and popped it in the oven.  It was, hands down, everyone's favorite pizza of the night.  Which is why there is no pic of the actual pizza.  Gone before I could turn around!

And the best part is there's still some left over to eat as a salad for the rest of the week!

Here's PW's original recipe with my changes noted.  This is one of those that you can make your own.

Shrimpo de Gallo

The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients
1 pound Cooked Shrimp (tails Removed), Chopped
½ whole Red Onion, Diced Finely
½ cups Green Or Black Olives, Chopped (NOT happening!)
2 whole Tomatoes, Diced
2 whole Fresh Jalapeno Peppers, Minced
2 whole Avocados, Chopped (since these get brown and mushy so fast, I would serve these on the side to add as you eat it)
2 whole Limes, Juiced
Kosher Salt To Taste
2 cups Cilantro, Chopped


Preparation Instructions
Combine shrimp, red onion, olives, tomatoes, and jalapenos in a large bowl. Add lime juice to taste, then a dash of kosher salt. Add cilantro. Stir gently with a spoon, then taste on a tortilla chip so you’ll have an accurate gauge of the salt content. Add more salt and/or lemon juice if needed.

Chill until serving. Note that the avocado will brown if too much time passes, so if you want to make this ahead of time, leave out the avocado until just before serving.

Serve with tortilla chips!  Or Not!

So the weather this week has been atrocious here....rain, a little ice, temps dropped into the 30's.....all around yucky.  I know, I know.  If you're anywhere in the midwest you've got it much worse than we do, but it's all relative.  We're all ready for better days.

But until that happens, comfort food is the only way to get through this shizzle!  This dish not only satisfies that need, it would also be a great addition to your Super Bowl party.  I think you could even make the chili and the cornbread in separate dishes and they'd be equally delicious.  However, this way you have one less pan to wash.  Bonus.

The chili recipe has two secret ingredients that really makes it special.....a can of white beans that you puree to give it this incredibly smooth texture and the addition of a small bit of cream cheese at the end for a little zing and richness.  As I said, this would be good all on it's own served with the usual Mexican condiments.....tortilla chips, grated cheese, extra cilantro, scallions, etc.

And if you already have a favorite cornbread recipe (I live in the South.  EVERYONE has their own cornbread recipe!) go ahead and use that as the topping.  Whatever floats your boat, I say.

Here's to warmer weather and a Steeler's victory!!  Enjoy the game.

Here's the recipe:

White Chili with Cornbread

King Arthur Flour

Chili:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and chopped, about 3 1/4 cups chopped onion
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped into 1/2" to 3/4" pieces; about 1 1/2 cups chopped   pepper
1 small jalapeño pepper, diced; remove and discard seeds for milder chili
1 to 4 cloves garlic (to taste), peeled and minced
1 pound bag frozen corn, thawed; or 3 cups fresh or frozen/thawed corn kernels
2 cans (4 1/2 ounces each) chopped green chiles, undrained
5 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken or turkey meat, white and/or dark
1 can (15 to 19 ounces) white beans or cannellini beans, undrained
1 tablespoon ground cumin, or to taste
3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
3-ounce package cream cheese
1 to 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese, optional, for topping

Cornbread topping:
1 3/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 1/2-ounce can chopped mild green chiles, drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, optional
1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg

Directions:
1) To make the chili: Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion, peppers, and garlic, frying until the vegetables are soft and the onions are barely beginning to turn golden, about 10 to 15 minutes.

2) Add the corn, chiles, and chicken or turkey, stirring to combine.

4) Place the beans with their liquid in a food processor or blender, and process until smooth. Add to the pan with the meat and vegetables, stirring to combine.

4) Stir in the cumin and salt.

5) Simmer the chili slowly for 30 minutes, stirring frequently. While the chili simmers, make the cornbread topping, and start preheating the oven to 375°F.

6) In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, chiles, and fresh cilantro.

7) In another bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the milk, melted butter, and egg.

8) Pour the liquid all at once into the flour mixture, stirring quickly and gently until just combined. Set the batter aside while you finish the chili.

9) Add the cream cheese to the chili, stirring until it melts. Adjust the salt, if necessary.

10) Spoon the chili into a lightly greased 9" x 13" x 2"-deep pan. You'll need about 1" clearance between the chili and the top of the pan, to ensure the cornbread topping doesn't overflow. If your pan is shallower than 2", fill with chili until it comes no closer than 1" to the top. You may also divide the chili among individual serving dishes. The entire recipe makes about 8 cups of chili; if you use 2-cup capacity ramekins or bakers, spoon 1 cup chili into each.

11) Top the chili with grated cheddar cheese, if desired; then with the cornbread batter. For 8 individual ramekins or bakers, use 1/2 cup batter for each.

12) Bake the chili and cornbread for about 25 minutes, until the top is set and a toothpick inserted into the cornbread comes out clean. The individual servings will bake for about 20 minutes.

13) Remove from the oven, and serve hot or warm.

Yield: about 8 to 12 servings.