One Pot Pasta

Surprise! There is another sister! I made a cameo on the blog a little over two years ago with my recipe for Spicy Corn Chowder. Finally, I am privileged enough to post. I hope you enjoy my recipes. As a college student I try to find meals that are fun, easy and make great leftovers. And this one hit the spot. And so without further ado One Pot Pasta.

Servings: 4

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 lb. Pasta

1/2 package Andouille Sausage, sliced thin

1/2 Large Onion chopped

1 14.5 oz. Petite Diced Tomatoes

1 teaspoon Basil

2 cloves Garlic minced

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 cups spinach chopped

1/4 cup Parmesan

Instructions

• In a large stock pot or dutch oven over medium high heat saute onions until soft. Add sausage, pasta, tomatoes, basil, garlic, and 2 1/2 cups water; season well with salt and pepper to taste.
• Bring to a boil reduce heat and simmer, until pasta is cooked through and liquid has reduced, about 10-12 minutes. Stir in spinach and Parmesan.
• Serve immediately.

Adapted from Damn Delicious

Thai Coconut Soup

After having a baby I am always on the lookout for quick recipes that don't require much chopping. This one is a winner! I combined a few different recipes to make it work with the ingredients I had on hand. This came together super fast and Michael and I were pleased. I'll be keeping the ingredients on hand to put this together in a pinch!

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 onion cut in thin half moons
1/2 teaspoon jalapeno, minced
1 1/2 tablespoon freshly minced ginger
1/8 teaspoon cumin
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 packages ramen noodles broken up (don't use seasoning)
1 cup cooked shredded chicken
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons cilantro

Heat oil in a medium soup pan then add onions and cook until soft. Add jalapeno, ginger and cumin and cook until fragrant.

Add chicken broth, coconut milk, and salt. Bring to a boil.

Add noodles and chicken and turn down to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes or until noodles are soft.

Add lime juice and cilantro and add salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

You could sub a package of ramen noodles with chopped bok choy, red pepper or shredded carrots. Just put those in with the broth and let them cook until soft.

Minestrone Soup

Minestrone Soup is probably one of my favorite soups.  Even though it is October, it doesn't fell like fall quite yet.  Yesterday I decided  like I would pretend like it was cool enough to make soup.  I already had all the ingredients on hand, so I got to work chopping all the vegetables.  It turned out to be a perfectly tasty, comforting, and nourishing bowl of soup.

1 lb sausage (I used a sweet chicken sausage)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups carrots, chopped
2 small zucchini chopped
2 cans diced tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup small pasta
1 can kidney beans, drained
2 handfuls spinach, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

1. brown sausage in a frying pan.  When halfway cooked, add onion and carrots and cook until sausage and vegetables are cooked through.

2. In a large pot add sausage and vegetables, tomatoes, and broth.  Add zucchini and pasta.  Cook until pasta is almost cooked through and zucchini is tender.

3. Add kidney beans, spinach, and seasonings.  Simmer for 5-10 minutes.  Serve!

Fried Rice

Fried rice is one of my go to meals when all I have are a few scraggly vegetables left in the fridge.  I pretty much always have rice and eggs on hand and have started picking up ham steaks when the go on sale to keep in my freezer for this very purpose.  You can switch this up with different vegetables and types of rice depending on what you like and have on hand.  This is one of my favorite combinations.  I bet bean sprouts or a bell pepper would be awesome in this.  Once I added some purple cabbage and while it tasted good, it turned the ham and rice purple!  I don't think I will do that again.  One trick is using cold rice, since it isn't quite as sticky, making this is a good meal to use up leftover rice.

4 1/2 cups cooked rice (1 1/2 cups uncooked).  I usually use brown rice, but any kind will work.
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped ham
3 cloves minced garlic
1 onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
1 small head broccoli, chopped (I even peel and chop up the stem)
1 zucchini, chopped
1-2 green onions, sliced
2/3 cup frozen peas
2-3 eggs
1 cup fresh
Soy sauce to taste
Fresh cracked pepper

1. Heat oil in a large frying pan.  Add chopped ham and cook, stirring occasionally until ham is lightly brown.

2. Add onion, cook for a couple minutes, then add garlic and carrots and cook for another couple minutes.  Add the rest of the vegetables, except the peas.

3. In a separate small frying pan, scramble the eggs, breaking them into smaller pieces.

4. When vegetables are slightly tender, add rice, eggs, green onions, and peas to large frying pan.  Stir everything together.  Season with soy sauce and pepper and cook until rice is hot.  Enjoy!

Variations: Add 1 cup fresh pineapple, chopped.  Instead of scrambled eggs, top each serving with a soft fried egg.

Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce

My husband and I are in the midst of moving so posting is a bit spotty right now.  Luckily, we've found an apartment so I have time to post a recipe I've been meaning to post for a while now.  Jen loves these lettuce wraps and has been asking me to post them.  Today is the day!

For some of you, Sriracha sauce, hoisin sauce and rice vinegar may not be kitchen staples, but trust me they make a lot of Asian food taste more delicious.  If you decide to buy them, I recommend getting them at an Asian market.  They tend to be much cheaper there than at your every day grocery store.  And keep in mind they last a long time and you don't need much in your recipes, so it's a great investment.  Plus, once you try this peanut sauce, you'll know you need these ingredients on hand.  This peanut sauce is that good.  And don't try to make it without the Sriracha.  Believe me, I've tried it.  It was highly disappointing.

Lettuce Wraps
Serves: 6 people

2 lbs. ground turkey
1/2 tsp. salt
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs. fresh ginger, minced
3 green onions, sliced
1 - 8 oz. can water chestnuts, coarsely chopped
3/4 c. cabbage, minced
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 tsp. rice vinegar
2 tsp. hoisin sauce
1 tsp. Sriracha sauce
3 tbs. cilantro, chopped
1 head green leaf, Boston Bibb or iceberg lettuce, washed and separated into individual leaves
(You can use any of these.  Boston Bibb is my favorite since it's soft enough to fold without breaking.  It is also the most expensive.  Iceberg is fairly traditional, but it breaks too easily for my taste.  Green leaf was a happy, cheaper compromise for me.)

Brown turkey with salt.  Add garlic, ginger and cabbage when the meat has stopped producing so much liquid.  Cook until the meat is no longer pink.

Add green onions and water chestnuts.  Mix all together and cook for a minute.

Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce and Sriracha sauce.  Stir until combined and cook for about 3 minutes for it all to incorporate.

Mix cilantro in when ready to serve.

Eat on a lettuce leaf with peanut sauce drizzled on.


Peanut Sauce

1 tsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs. fresh ginger, minced
6 tbs. water (or chicken broth)
5 tbs. hoisin sauce
1/2 c. peanut butter (I do creamy, but crunchy could be good too.)
1 tbs. Sriracha sauce
1 tbs. brown sugar
1 tbs. lime juice

Saute garlic and ginger in olive oil until fragrant.

Add in water, hoisin sauce, peanut butter, Sriracha, brown sugar and lime juice.  Cook until everything is combined and smooth.

Add more water if the sauce is too thick.  It should be smooth and thick, but still able to drizzle.

Peanut sauce adapted from kolpona.com 

Tortellini with Red and White Sauce

I'm not an avid Trader Joe's shopper.  But every now and then I go there and pick up some of their divine yogurt, produce and tortellini.  They have the best price for tortellini that I've seen.  It's a fun treat for us that we only have every once in a while.  I found this easy recipe on Simply So Good and adjusted it so there was less cream, no wine and a few more seasonings.  It is quick, easy and delicious.  It's a great throw together meal that tastes like it was way more work than it actually is.  I love meals like that.  

Tortellini with Red and White Sauce

White Sauce
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups half and half
Salt and pepper to taste

Red Sauce
1tbs. olive oil
1 can Italian style diced tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 tbs. butter
Salt and pepper to taste

1 package tortellini


In a small saucepan, heat chicken broth until it is simmering.  Let it simmer until it is reduced to about 1/4 cup.  Mix in cream and add salt and pepper to taste.  Keep warm on the stove, stirring once in a while to keep a skin from forming on top.

In another saucepan heat olive oil and then add the canned tomatoes.  Once that whole mixture is warm add the garlic, oregano, basil and butter.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Let simmer for about 10 minutes, or until everything is ready.  I've let mine simmer for up to 45 minutes with no problems.  I actually like mine better the longer it simmers, but the goal with this meal, is generally a fast meal!

Cook the tortellini according to the package.

Add drained tortellini to cream sauce and simmer on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes.

Serve in a bowl with the red sauce spooned on top.  It is also divine with fresh basil, parmesan cheese and sautéed zucchini.

Note: The cream sauce is rather thin.  If you'd like it thicker, whisk a few teaspoons of cornstarch into the half and half and then gradually whisk that mixture into the chicken broth.  

Adapted from Simply So Good

Asian Chicken with Peanut Noodles and Cucumber Sambal

The first time I ate this, Valerie made it for me at the end of a really long day.  I loved pretty much everything about it!  The fresh vegetables made this a refreshing meal and it is full of so many flavors and colors.  The chicken is tender and flavorful, the vegetables are slightly pickled, yet still crisp, and the noodles are lightly coated in a delicious peanut sauce.  It is slightly sweet, sour, a tiny bit spicy, and nutty all at the same time.  This week I kept thinking about how good this was, but I was worried that it only tasted so good, because I was so hungry the first time I ate it.  I made it again, and loved it just as much the second time around.

Cucumber Sambal
1 large cucumber, diced
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 of a large red bell pepper, diced
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt

Chicken and Peanut Noodles
3 tablespoons brown sugar, divided
2 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 chicken breasts
2/3 package of whole wheat spaghetti noodles
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons sriracha sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
cilantro, for garnishing

For the cucumber sambal, toss everything together and chill until ready to serve.

For the chicken, combine 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, olive oil, and salt.  Slice the chicken and toss to coat the chicken with the sauce and let it sit for a few minutes minutes.

While the chicken is resting, turn a pot of water on to boil.

In a small sauce pan, combine broth, peanut butter, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, vinegar, lime juice, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, ginger, sriracha, and sesame oil.  Heat until it reaches a gentle simmer, stirring often.  Let it simmer for 3-4 minutes.

Cook the chicken in a frying pan on medium high heat, a couple minutes per side.  Depending on how thin you sliced your chicken, it should cook fairly quickly.

While chicken is cooking, add noodles to boiling water and cook according to package directions.

When the noodles are finished, drain and toss with peanut sauce.

Top the noodles with chicken, cucumber sambal, and serve.  Enjoy!

Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.


While writing this post, I remembered how good this was, and  had to take a break to go eat some of the leftovers.  Asian food is a totally appropriate morning snack, right?  Good, I'm glad you are with me on that.

Black Bean Burgers

Growing up, I didn't like meat very much.  I didn't care for the taste or texture much.  I've recently learned to appreciate well prepared meat and cook with it most days a week.  And while I've never had a desire to be a full on vegetarian, I like having meatless options.  Especially ones as flavorful, satisfying and healthy as this one.  This is not a gross vegetarian burger.  Even my meat loving Dad loves this recipe.  It's cheap and delicious.  Oh and they freeze beautifully.  You can pop them in the microwave or on the stove and heat them up in a jiffy.  But usually we eat them all before they make it to the freezer.

 

This call for cooked brown rice, so plan accordingly.

Black Bean Burgers

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 jalapeno, minced

1 1/2 tsp. cumin

1 - 15 oz. black beans, rinsed and drained

1 1/4 cups brown rice, cooked

3 tsp. lime juice

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 - 1 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Cilantro Lime Mayo:

1/2 cup mayo (or sour cream or plain yogurt if you prefer)

3 tsp. lime juice

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped

1/4 tsp. pepper

For the Burgers:

Sauté the onion until soft.  Add the jalapeño and cumin and cook for 2 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for one more minute or until fragrant.

This part you can either do by hand, which is what I usually do, or with a food processor if you have one.  I've tried using a blender before and wouldn't recommend it since it tends to get stuck in the small base and underneath the blades.  But who knows, your blender might be better.  I'm going to give instructions to do it by hand.

In a medium sized bowl throw the onion mixture, black beans, rice, lime juice, salt and pepper in all together.  Squish all together with your hands.  You want chunks of beans still, but squished enough that it will hold together.  Starting with 1/4 cup bread crumbs mix in breadcrumbs until it is firm enough to form patties.  Stir in cilantro.  

Form into patties.  Depending on the size you want, it can be anywhere from 4-8 patties.  I usually make them on the smaller size.  Put them on a pan or plate, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.  This and the breadcrumbs really do make a difference.  They won't hold up nearly as well when cooking without this step.

Heat 1 Tsp. of olive oil on medium heat.  When sizzling, add burgers and cook 4 minutes per side and a nice crust forms.

For the Cilantro Lime Mayo:

Mix all ingredients together.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Serve burgers on whole wheat buns with avocado, tomato, greens and cilantro lime mayo.  

Adapted from http://cuisinenie.blogspot.com/2010/07/black-bean-burger-recipe-with-cilantro.html 

Spicy Corn Chowder

Our younger sister made this corn chowder and declared it blog worthy!  She loves all things creamy and this hit the spot.  She was kind enough to make it for our parents and they put their stamp of approval on the recipe.  This recipe is a keeper!

Ingredients

·         2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

·         2 stalks of celery, finely chopped

·         1 medium onion, finely chopped

·         1 jalapeno, finely chopped, (remove some or all of the seeds and membrane if you don't like the heat)

·         4-8 strips of bacon cooked and crumbled

·         3 cloves garlic, minced

·         2 (14-oz.) cans chicken broth

·         3 tablespoons all purpose flour

·         1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels

·         8 oz. softened cream cheese

·         1 cup milk

·         1/2 teaspoon salt

·         1/4 teaspoon black pepper

·         1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

1.       Place olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute celery, onion, and jalapeno until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and bacon; cook for another 3 minutes. Whisk the broth and flour together in a liquid measuring cup or bowl until no lumps remain, then add to the pot. Gently stir in the corn and chicken. Bring to a low boil and reduce heat to a gentle simmer.

2.       Whisk together the cream cheese and milk in a large bowl until smooth (I recommend softening the cream cheese in the microwave to make it easier to whisk)

3.       Whisk the cream cheese/milk mixture into the soup along with the salt, pepper, and cheddar cheese. Simmer on low until ready to serve

Side Note: I have not tried this, but I imagine that if you substitute bacon grease for the olive oil grease it would be delicious, because um, bacon!

Basil Coconut Curry Chicken

This is a recipe I have made several times and it is full of flavor!  It falls into the category of Americanized Asian food,   I simplified the process from the original recipe and it still turned out great.  Whatever you do, don't omit the jalapeno.  If you take the seeds out, it will only add flavor, not heat.

3 chicken breasts
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno finely chopped (removed the seeds if you can't take the heat)
1 tablespoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried ginger
1 can coconut milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon basil


1. In a small bowl stir together curry, salt, pepper, and chili powder.  Cut chicken into chunks and toss with seasoning blend.

2. Heat oil in a frying pan and add chicken, onion, garlic, jalapeno, basil, and ginger.  Cook until onion is translucent and chicken is cooked through.

3. Whisk coconut milk and cornstarch together, until there are no lumps.  Add to skillet, reduce heat and cook for 2-3 minutes until it is slightly thickened.

4. Serve with hot rice and veggies.

Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Lime Chicken

On Monday I started a new job that keeps me much busier!  I'm still here and will post, but Jen may be taking the lead for a while while I make lots of costumes.

I don't repeat recipes very often.  I love trying new things too much.  But this one has quickly become a favorite that I repeat at least once a month (which is a lot for me).  This recipe stems from my mother-in-law, who is a fantastic cook.  My husband loves this dish and soon after we got married he requested this recipe from his mother so I could make it.  I too have fell in love with it!  So simple, easy and delicious!

Lime Chicken

4 chicken breasts, boned and skinless
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 T. olive oil
2 limes juiced and zested
1/2 c. butter

Pound the chicken until it is tender and the same width in all places.  (I don't have a meat tenderizer, so I improvise and use the handle of the large knife I use to cut the chicken.  I know, fancy.)  Cut into bite sized pieces.

Heat oil in medium sized skillet until sizzling hot (on my stove I turn it to medium high).  Once the pan is hot, slide the chicken in the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Sauté for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown on all sides.  Check to see if the middle is done.  By this point mine is usually done, but if it is not done, turn heat down to low and cover and cook until the middle is white.

Once chicken is done, remove from pan and keep warm.  A bowl covered in tin foil should work.

Add lime juice to skillet now on medium low.  Cook until just boiling.  Add butter and cook until sauce turns opaque.  Add lime zest and spoon over chicken.

Enjoy!

Note: If you don't thaw your chicken before cooking, I highly recommend doing so.  I have recently become a convert to thawing chicken.  It produces much tender chicken.  It does take a little planning, but is so worth it.

Butternut Squash, Spinach, and Penne Pasta

I love me a good one pot meal, and this one is probably my favorite.  When butternut squash goes on sale in the fall, this is one of the first things I make.  The butternut breaks down just a bit and combines with the broth and starches from the pasta to create a silky sauce.  It isn't a super saucy dish, but it also isn't dry.  Pair this with a salad, some fresh fruit, and maybe crusty bread and you have a great meal!

1 onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound Italian sausage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 cups chicken broth
12-16 oz penne pasta (I always use whole wheat)
1 butternut squash, peeled and diced
3 cups baby spinach, roughly torn or chopped
1 teaspoon dry sage
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese for serving

1. In a large pot, add sausage, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper.  Cook over medium heat, breaking up the meat into small piece, and cook until sausage is cooked through, 5-7 minutes.  Scrape the mixture onto a plate and return pot to the stove.

2. Add the chicken broth and pasta and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Stir in butternut squash and simmer until squash and pasta are almost tender.  If it starts to get dry add more broth or water.

3. Add spinach, sage, cheese, and sausage mixture and cook for another minute or two, until spinach is wilted and cheese is melted.

4. Serve in shallow dishes and garnish with fresh Parmesan.

Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Lentil Tostadas

I found this recipe on a blog that no longer exists, The Lovely Cupboard.  Actually now that I think of it, perhaps my mom found it.  Either way, we made it for dinner together one night and loved it!  Lentils are cheap, healthy, filling and delicious.  This could make for a great college student meal because of all those factors (hint to my little brother).  If you think lentils are weird, this is a great starting point.  The lentils are infused with so much flavor you won't even think about the fact that you're eating lentils.  Try it.  You may like it!

Lentil Tostadas

2 cups water or chicken broth (I use broth)
1/2 of a large onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 cup cilantro
1 cup dried lentils
1 Tbs. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
2-4 Tbs. lime juice (I like 4, but some may not like lime as much as I do)
3/4 tsp. salt

Bring water or chicken stock to a boil.
In the olive oil saute the onion until it starts to soften then add garlic. Cook until the onion is translucent and you can smell the garlic. Mix in the cilantro.
Once water has boiled, add lentils, cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper and onion mixture to the pot. Allow to boil for 2 minutes, then reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, for 40 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Remove lentils from heat. Drain any excess liquid from the pot. Add the lime juice and salt. (Do not add these before cooking or they will cause the lentils to harden.)

Mash about 1/4 of the lentils against the side of the pot and stir with the whole lentils. This makes it spread easier on the tostada shells.
Spread on tostada shells or warmed corn tortillas. Top with avocado, chopped tomato, corn and lettuce.

Garden Pasta

My cousin Emily introduced me to this idea.  You pretty much top your pasta with your garden, hence the name.  The vegetables below is what I usually use, but feel free to change it up.  I like this as a meatless meal, but I have added some chicken when I feel the need for some protein.  The butter adds a richness to the pasta and the Parmesan adds this subtle saltiness.  Yum!  This is kind of a no recipe meal, but I'll write it down, so you can enjoy this pasta goodness.

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 onion
3-4 carrots
1 green bell pepper

1 red bell pepper
2 zucchinis
1 yellow squash
2-3 cloves garlic
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can corn
4-6 tablespoons butter
Angel hair pasta (I like whole wheat angle hair)
Parmesan cheese for serving

1. Start by slicing, chopping, or dicing all the vegetables.

2. Heat the oil in a large skillet to medium heat and add the onion and carrot.  Saute for a few minutes until they are just starting to soften.

3. While the vegetables are cooking, boil water and cook the pasta.

4. Add the garlic and saute for just a minute and add the rest of the fresh vegetables.  Cook until they are starting to soften.

5. Drain pasta, reserve a small amount of the pasta water.  Toss the pasta with a little bit of olive oil to keep it from all sticking together.

5. Add the un-drained tomatoes and drained corn.  Stir heat until heated through.  Add butter and stir until melted.  Add a couple teaspoons of the pasta water to the vegetables.  The starch in water adds a silkiness to the sauce.

6. Serve angel hair topped with vegetables and Parmesan.  Enjoy!

Lasagna Soup

Jen made this first with a friend and told me how much she liked it.  I knew I had to try it.

When I invited friends over for dinner the other day I thought this would be the soup to make.  I love making soup for company because I can make it in the morning or the night before and it still tastes delicious when it's reheated.  Perfect since I don't get home from work until close to 7 pm.

I confess, I had never made it before I served it to my guests, but luckily it turned out great!  I have a serious addiction to trying new recipes, even when I have company over.  Some call me brave for doing so.  I just say I'm a slave to my addiction for new food and flavors.  But really, this recipe seemed pretty safe!  All the ingredients are normal.  It's just lasagna in a bowl.  How could that go wrong?  And it didn't.  In fact, it went very, very well.  I'll be making this again.

(I forgot to take pictures of the soup all assembled, so you'll have to forgive only process photos for now.)

Lasagna Soup
Serves 6

Soup:
3/4 pound Italian sausage
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced Italian style tomatoes, undrained
2 bay leaves
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil or 2 tablespoons dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 pound shell or other noodles, cooked and drained

Cheese topping:
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil or 1 1/2 teaspoon dried basil

In a large pot, add the Italian sausage and cook over medium heat, breaking the pieces up with a wooden spoon or spatula while it cooks. After about 3-4 minutes, add the onion. Cook the sausage and onion together, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is cooked through and the onions are soft, about 5-7 minutes. Drain any excess grease, if desired.

Stir in the garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes and tomato paste. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the diced tomatoes with their juices, bay leaves and chicken broth. Add the basil, if using dried (if using fresh basil, add it in the next step).

Bring the soup to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste and the fresh basil, if using.

For the cheese mixture, in a small bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and basil. Set aside.

To serve the soup, add a scoop of cooked pasta noodles to a bowl. Top with a ladle or two of soup and dollop with a generous spoonful of the cheese mixture.

Note: Do not cook the noodles in the soup or store them together.  According to Jen, the noodles get huge and weird.  It's worth it to keep them separate.  

Cheese Mixture

Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.  I added more tomatoes and less broth, halved the meat and eliminated the sprinkling of mozzarella on top.

Chicken Gyros

I love quick, tasty meals for a good weeknight dinner.  I whipped this up a couple weeks ago after work and loved the flavors.  It was full of fresh flavors and slightly different from what I normally make.  The cucumbers are fresh, the yogurt tangy and creamy, and and the chicken tender and flavorful.  The combination of flavors will not leave you disappointed.  I fed a few people with it and they all gave it a thumbs up.  While I don't think it is authentic, it sure was tasty!

Chicken Gyros

For the Tzatziki sauce:
1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt
1 cucumber peeled and seeded
2 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
salt and pepper
squeeze of lemon juice
Olive oil

For the chicken:
3 cloves minced garlic
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
3-4 tablespoons plain greek yogurt
1 tablespoon oregano
Salt and freshly cracked pepper
2-3 chicken breasts

To Assemble:
Pita bread
Diced fresh tomatoes
Thin red onion slices
Feta cheese

1. To make the Tzatziki sauce, shred the cucumber with a large holed grater.  Wrap the cucumber in a paper towel to squeeze out as much water as possible.  You will be amazed at how water comes out and how much it shrinks.  Mix the shredded cucumber with yogurt, garlic, vinegar, salt and pepper, and lemon juice.  Lightly drizzle with olive oil.  This sauce can be made in advance and tastes better if you can let it refrigerate for at least 20-30 minutes.

2. For the chicken, mix all the ingredients except the chicken together in a bowl.  Add chicken chunks and toss in the marinade until the chunks are coated in the sauce.  You can lett it marinade for an hour, but I just heated up a skillet on medium high heat and dumped the chicken and sauce into a hot skillet sprayed with cooking spray.  Saute the chicken for a few minutes on each side, until cooked through.

3. Warm pita bread in the oven or microwave.  Top with chicken, tzatziki sauce, diced tomatoes, sliced onions, and feta cheese.

Substitutions:  I have substituted apple cider vinegar for the red wine vinegar and it has turned out great.

Slightly adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Tamale Pie

I don't want to call this Mexican food, because it isn't.  I love real Mexican food, but the fake "Mexican" food I grew up on, has its own place in my heart.  This is a great quick meal that mixes up quick and bakes in one dish.  While it bakes, you can put together a green salad, cut up some fruit, and sit down to a great meal.  A friend asked me for this recipe to make for a boy she was trying to impress.  They made this together for their first date and now they are married!

Tamale filling:
1 pound ground beef
1 bell pepper any color
1 onion
2 cloves minced garlic
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can black beans
1 can corn (or 1 cup frozen corn)
1 can diced green chilies
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 tablespoon cumin
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 small can sliced olives (optional)
1/4 cup salsa
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cornbread topping:
Recipe below

Toppings:
Avocado
Sour cream
Salsa

1. Dice onion and bell pepper.  Brown hamburger in a skillet, breaking up into pieces with a spatula as it cooks.  When hamburger is partially brown, add onion and bell pepper until onion is translucent and meat is cooked through.

2. Mix remaining ingredients (except cheese) together.  If it doesn't look saucy enough, add the 1/4 cup salsa.  Spread in a 9x13 pan.  Sprinkle cheese on top.  Pour on cornbread topping* and bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cornbread comes out clean.

3. Serve with avocado, sour cream, and salsa.

*I think it is too much to pour all the cornbread batter on top, so take out enough to fill a mini loaf pan and bake it alongside the tamale pie in the oven.  The mini loaf is usually baked after 15-20 minutes, depending on the oven.

Cornbread topping:

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour (I generally use half white, half wheat)
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
1 beaten egg
1 cup milk

1. Mix together dry ingredients.

2.  Add wet ingredients and mix until just combined.

Tamale Pie started as my mom's recipe, that I have adapted over the years.  Cornbread recipe is slightly adapted from here.

Bay House Pizza

My husband and I received a pizza stone for our wedding. Well, three to be precise. One went to my sister and we kept two - you know, in case we have a party and need two. That's reasonable, right?  

Anyway we've made homemade pizza a few times since then and are learning to master cooking on a pizza stone. The first few times we used cornmeal on the bottom of the pizza dough and tried to push it onto the stone from a cookie sheet. It was really messy. Cornmeal everywhere. And the pizza usually ended up in really weird shapes or folding on itself. Not awesome when you're sliding it onto a sizzling hot surface. The next time we decided to make pizza I decided it was time to splurge on some parchment paper. It made things so much easier and cleaner. Parchment paper is worth it, even if you only use it for this. Trust me.

Now for the name of the pizza. The ingredients don't necessarily scream bays or oceans, there's no seafood on this pizza. But we call it Bay House pizza because the flavors remind us of this amazing pasta we had at the Bay House restaurant in Lincoln City, Oregon, on our honeymoon. That place was so good, we went twice in the five days we were there. The pasta had a smoked tomato sauce with basil, scallops, thinly sliced garlic and Kalamata olives. The flavors were beyond amazing and we still dream of that pasta. And their cantaloupe sorbet.

I first made the pizza just with the tomatoes simply because I had some that needed to be used. But it didn't have as much flavor as I wanted. I saw a handful of chopped Kalamata olives leftover from our salad and decided to try a bite with the olive. That was exactly what it needed. It had become Bay House pizza on accident. A very happy accident that we will keep repeating.

Bay House Pizza

Crust (from Simply So Good)

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 3/4 teaspoons Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon Instant or rapid-rise yeast

1 1/2 cups water

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt and yeast.  Add water and mix until combined.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 12 - 24 hours.

Slow Roasted Tomatoes:

Put 3 c. cherry tomatoes in a loaf pan and toss with 2 tbs. olive oil, 3 tsp. balsamic vinegar, and a pinch each of salt, pepper and garlic.  Bake in oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until burst.  Refrigerate, if needed, until ready to use.

This is a great thing to do when your tomatoes are about to go bad and you don't want to waste them. Once their roasted they can live in your fridge for about a week. What a great way to extend tomatoes shelf life! Plus they are delicious!

Pizza Toppings:

1/2 c. olive oil
2 tsp. oregano
4 tsp. basil 
4 cloves of garlic thinly sliced
1 1/2 c. mozzarella cheese (I used an Italian blend of Asiago, Mozzarella, Provolone, Romano, Parmesan, and Fontina)
1/4 c. finely chopped red onion
1/2 c. coarsely chopped Kalamata olives
3 c. oven roasted cherry tomatoes

When ready to make pizza, preheat pizza stone to 500 degrees for 1 hour.

Generously flour a piece of parchment paper a little wider than your stone.  The dough is very sticky and will stick if not floured well.  

Divide the dough into two pieces.  This will make 2 medium sized pizzas.  

Roll dough out with a floured rolling pin to desired size (just make sure it will fit on your pizza stone)

For each pizza brush on ¼ c. olive oil.  Sprinkle with 1 tsp. oregano, 2 tsp. basil (or put fresh on at end) and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.  Evenly distribute the sliced garlic cloves over both pizzas.

Sprinkle cheese on, you can use more or less as desired.

Sprinkle on the red onion, olives and tomatoes.

Carefully put pizza and parchment paper onto the stone and bake for 10 minutes or until bottom is golden brown. Slide out the pizza and parchment paper onto a cookie sheet or cutting board. Enjoy!

If you want really awesome instructions on how to cook a pizza go to Mel's Kitchen Cafe. This page tells you how you can bake this without a pizza stone. If you don't have a stone yet, I highly recommend paying the bit of money for one. They make pizza so much better! You can even reheat pizza on it by putting the pizza on the stone in a cold oven and letting the pizza and stone warm up together at 350 degrees. Take it out when it's warm and it will be much better than if you heated it in the microwave!

Chili

Whenever I make chili, I never find a recipe with exactly what I am looking for.  This recipe is a combination of several recipes.  This chili has vegetables, a variety of beans, a little spice with a subtle sweetness.  It is healthy comfort food and an economical meal at its finest.  This makes a lot of chili, which is good for sharing and it also freezes great.  The last time I made it, I shared it with a group of friends and then froze the rest in individual containers.

1 lb ground turkey (can also use lean ground beef)
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow onion
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 cans diced tomatoes
1 small can tomato sauce
1 can diced green chilies
1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can great northern beans
2 tablespoons brown sugar

1. Dice the bell peppers and onion.  In a large skillet brown ground turkey, breaking it up into small chunks.  If it starts to stick, add a little olive oil.  When the ground turkey is partially browned, add the onion and peppers.  Continue to cook until onions are translucent and turkey is cooked through.

2. In a large pot, add meat and vegetables and remaining ingredients.  Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Serve with cornbread, garnish with cheese, sour cream, diced onion, cilantro, and whatever else sounds good.

Variations-
If you would like a spicier chili (which I generally do), increase the red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper to taste.
You can also brown the meat and veggies and then add everything to a crockpot set on low for up to 6 hours.

Sausage and Lentil Soup

There is a chain Italian restaurant in Utah called Carrabbas that serves a sausage and lentil soup.  I had never tried the original, but I tried making a copy cat recipe about six or seven years ago.  This recipe was my first introduction to lentils that actually taste good!  Since then I have made it several times and each time I have made some adjustments until it is my own.  A few months ago I tried the original soup and Carrabbas and I think mine is much better!  This soup is quite healthy as it is full of vegetables, fiber, and protein from both the sausage and lentils.  In fact, lentils are the second highest source of plant protein.   This soup is flavorful, slightly spicy, and warms your soul.

Ingredients:
4-5 carrots
3-4 celery stalks
1 large onion
1 Tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves of garlic
1 pound hot Italian sausage*
8 cups chicken broth
2 cups dried lentils
3 cans tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf

Optional:
2 cups lightly packed spinach roughly chopped
2 medium zucchinis, chopped

1. Dice carrots, celery, and onion.  Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium high and cook carrots, celery, and onion until they start to soften.  Mince garlic and add it to the pan.  Saute until vegetables are almost tender.

2. In a large stock pot add sauteed vegetables, broth, lentils, tomatoes, and seasonings.  Simmer for about 30 minutes or until lentils and tender.

3. While  the soup is simmering, brown sausage in the same frying pan you used to saute the vegetables. Set aside.

4. When the lentils are tender puree approximately 1/3 of the soup in the blender and return to the pot.  If you have an immersion blender, you could use that instead.  If desired, add the sausage, zucchini, and spinach.  Simmer for 5-10 minutes until the zucchini is soft, remove the bay leaf, and serve.  I like serving this with crusty bread and a green salad.

This makes a lot of soup.  It tastes even better the next day and freezes great for a busy day.

*I highly recommend using a good quality sausage.  It will really make your soup.  My favorite sausage is the hot Italian pork sausage from Sprouts.  It is reasonably priced and the soup tastes so much better than if you use a cheap sausage.  Just remember, garbage in, garbage out.