Butternut Squash and Mushroom Lasagna

Pasta carbonara, pizza Margherita, and a fresh panzanella salad.  I love classic Italian dishes, but sometimes I like to experiment.  I had to make a vegetarian dish for a dinner with friends, so I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to take a new look at lasagna, traditionally interweaving layers of pasta, ricotta, ragù, béchamel, and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

But let’s take a step back. Many of you might be remembering that dire lasagna from church potlucks – soggy pasta and waterlogged ground beef.  I recall separating the pasta and pulling out clumps of tacky ricotta, while trying to remove the cracked fluted edges of noodle from the top layer.  Please, try not to associate frozen lasagna with a freshly made version – it’s not even comparable.

The key to this lasagna is the pasta, which lends a wonderful texture and coarseness to the dish.  Its chewy, dense consistency reminds me of traditional Italian pastas, perfectly al dente with a slight bite.  What I love about this dish is it’s combination textures from creamy ricotta, silky butternut squash, and an earthiness from the crimini mushrooms.  The luscious combination of ingredients can stand up to one another, and among all the flavors I can still pick out subtle hints of nutty parmesan.

This recipe is inspired by one I found in an old copy of Bon Appétit.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup salted butter
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 pound crimini (baby bella) mushrooms, diced (about 3 cups)
• 2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 5 1/2 cups)
• 1 14-ounce carton vegetable broth
• 4 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped and divided
• 4 tablespoons fresh sage, sliced and divided
• 3 15-ounce containers whole-milk ricotta cheese
• 4 cups mozzarella cheese, grated and divided
• 2 cups Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated and divided
• 4 spring onions, finely chopped
• 4 large eggs
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• 2 9-ounce package lasagna noodles.  (My favorite brand is Rustichella d’Abruzzo Lasagne all’uovo These noodles need to be boiled before being layered into your lasagna.  The original recipe calls for no cook noodles if you want to take out a step)

Method

1. Melt butter into a large skillet over medium-high heat.  I recommend using a skillet with high sides so you can use one pan for all your steps – heads up you’ll need to simmer your squash and noodles in vegetable broth so pick a larger pan than you might think.
2. Add onions and sauté until soft, about 8 minutes and season with salt and pepper.
3. Add garlic and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
4. Increase heat to high; add mushrooms and cook until tender, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and then transfer the mushroom mixture to a bowl and set aside until you’re ready to assemble the pasta.
5. In the same skillet, add squash, broth, 3 tablespoons thyme, and 3 tablespoons sage. Cover and simmer over medium heat until squash is just tender, about 6 minutes. Uncover and cook until squash is very soft but still retains shape, about 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.
6. Skim the squash from the skillet and set aside.  Don’t worry if it starts to fall apart a little, and discard the thyme and sage.  Keep any vegetable broth left over in the pan.
7. Add 4 cups of water to the broth and bring to a low boil for your pasta sheets.
8. While your broth comes to a boil, mix ricotta, 2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, spring onion, and remaining 1 tablespoon thyme and 1 tablespoon sage in large bowl.
9. Mix in eggs and season to taste with salt and pepper.
10. Once your broth is at a low boil, place pasta in broth and let simmer for 3 min.  Once slightly softened, you can turn off the heat and begin to assemble your lasagna.
11. Brush 13x9x2-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with oil. Spread 1 cup ricotta mixture over bottom. Arrange 3 – 4 noodles on top (I usually cut a few so I can cover the entire dish). Spread 13/4 cups ricotta mixture over noodles. Arrange 1 1/3 cups squash mixture over. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mushrooms and 1 cup mozzarella. Top with 3 noodles, then 1 3/4 cups ricotta mixture, half of remaining squash, 1/2 cup mushrooms, and remaining 1 cup mozzarella. Repeat with noodles, 1 3/4 cups ricotta mixture, remaining squash, and remaining mushrooms. Top with 3 noodles. Spread remaining ricotta mixture over; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.
12. Cover with oiled foil.
13. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake lasagna, covered, 35 minutes. Uncover; bake until heated through, about 25 minutes longer.
14. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
15. Serve with a fresh arugula salad!

Rosemary Tomato Basil Soup

Tomato basil soup paired with a stringy mozzarella grilled cheese sandwich is a classic.  It’s been copied and modified a million times over and I still think the traditional rosemary scented soup and crunchy buttered sandwich makes any Tuesday night a little more special.

Soup should really be considered it’s own food group.  I pride myself in being the sole person to order a warm tortilla soup in the middle of Houston summer, or chilled cucumber-melon bisque when it’s 20 below.  (I happened to have both melon bisque and puréed corn chowder with chili oil at my wedding.)  There’s something about soup I find utterly addicting.  The combination of flavors, the variety of textures, and most importantly the crunchy garlic croutons, crispy bacon, or fresh herbs that get delicately placed on top and slowly sink into the silky, savory bisque.

The roasted, sweet tomatoes combined with the tangy bite of rosemary sourdough bread soothes the soul and takes the edge off a brisk day.  The bread gives this soup a thick texture with a mouthy richness I often find missing in perfectly velvety broths.  Aromatic sweet basil with hints of mint and pepper brighten the flavor and offer you a taste of summer just when you think fall has taken over.

Ingredients

• 3-4 tablespoons good olive oil
• 3 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
• 2 cans stewed tomatoes, 28oz
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp. salted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 tbsp. Italian seasoning
• 4 large slices of sourdough rosemary bread
• 3/4 cup light whipping cream
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 cup fresh basil
• Freshly sliced mozzarella cheese for topping
• Basil for garnish

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss together the tomatoes, 2 tbsp. olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the tomatoes in 1 layer on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes.
2. In a heavy bottomed stockpot over medium heat, sauté the onions and garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
3. Add butter and red pepper flakes and sauté for 10 minutes on medium heat.  Onions should become transparent but should not brown.
4. Add stewed tomatoes, canned tomatoes (including juice), salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning in a large saucepan on medium heat.
5. Bring to a simmer.
6. Roughly tear the bread into smaller pieces and add to the pot.  I break up the bread so it’s easier to spoon out and purée.
7. Next you’ll puree the soup in small batches, so I usually remove it from the heat and let it cool a little before I begin this process.  The soup should still have texture and not be completely smooth.  The soup will not be nearly as enjoyable if it’s perfectly silky in texture.
8. Carefully puree, along with the basil leaves in small batches. You can use a blender, food processor, or better yet, one of those handy hand-held food blenders, right in the pot.  If you use a blender BE CAREFUL!  The heat will force the top off the blender and you’ll be cleaning soup off your ceiling for weeks, or you’ll burn your hands so just fill it up half way and pulse it gently.
9. Return to saucepan and add cream and milk, while stirring, over low heat.
10. Garnish with basil leaves, mozzarella cheese and serve with a warm slice of sourdough bread.

For a healthier version, leave out the butter and replace the cream with non-fat milk.  Enjoy!

Capellini with Arrabbiata Sauce and Grilled Chicken Breast

I can’t bring myself to buy jarred pasta sauce when it takes less than 10 minutes to make it from scratch.  It just doesn’t compare to the bright flavors of freshly made pasta sauce – and it’s not just better tasting it also better for you.

The simplest, and most authentic marinara is a quick sauce, seasoned only with onion, garlic, pepper, and, if you like, basil or oregano. The pieces of tomato are left chunky, and the texture of the finished sauce is fairly loose.  It’s that easy. Toss with your favorite pasta and you’re weeknight meal is a quick trip to Italy!  Once you have this base, with just a few adjustments, you can make a range of sauces from a few simple ingredients.

Today we’re making Capellini with arrabiata sauce.  This dish’s name – arrabbiata – comes from the Italian word for “angry” because of the spicy tomato and red pepper.  The sweet tomatoes balance the heat from the peppers and will awaken any palate.  The salty, charred flavor from the grilled chicken offsets the heat and adds an element of texture to this luscious bowl of pasta.  No need for take out tonight, make a large bowl of pasta for your family and I promise you’ll go to bed with full bellies and a full wallet. 

Ingredients

• 4 skinless boneless chicken breast
• 1 packet Capellini pasta (angel hair)
• 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 5 cloves garlic, finely diced
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 can diced tomatoes, 8 oz.
• 2 cans stewed tomatoes, 16 oz.
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 tbsp. Italian Seasoning
• 2 tbsp. red-hot chili pepper (use more or less depending on the level of heat desired)
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1 tbsp. Fresh Italian parsley, roughly chopped
• Handful of fresh basil, roughly chopped

Chicken seasoning

• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. Italian Seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Method

1. Place large pot of water on stove to boil for the pasta.  Once it boils lower it to a simmer until everything else is ready.  The pasta only takes 4 minutes to cook so it’s the last thing you want to do, but you want to have the water ready to go.
2. Place skillet on medium heat and add olive oil.
3. Saute onion, garlic, salt and pepper for about 5 minutes.  You want the onions to turn opaque; you don’t want them to brown.
4. Add diced tomatoes, stewed tomatoes and tomato paste.  Stir in Italian seasoning and red-hot chili peppers and return to a low simmer.
5. Carefully spoon out about half the mixture and place it in a food processor.  You can also use a blender but be careful and hold the lid down tightly since the heat will want to push it up.
6. Blend half the sauce and add it back into the skillet.  This will add richness to the sauce while still keeping some texture.
7. Add Parmigiano-Reggiano and lower heat to low.  Now it’s chicken time!
8. Turn grill on medium~high (350 degrees)
9. Mix chicken spices in a small bowl and sprinkle on top and bottom of chicken breast
10. Spray hot grill with PAM and place chicken over direct heat.
11. Close lid and cook for approx. 6 minutes, then flip and cook another 6 minutes with the lid closed.  Chicken’s done at 165 deg. There is no rare or med rare for chicken. You have to cook it done every time! Try not to prick the breast much, it will make the juices run out and cause it to be dry.
12. Remove chicken from grill and let it rest while you cook the pasta.  Don’t slice immediately; wait until you’re ready to serve.
13. Return water to a boil, salt water (1 tbsp. salt) and add pasta.
14. Stir well and let boil for 4 minutes.  Start the 4 minutes as soon as you drop in the pasta.
15. While pasta cooks, add parsley and basil to the sauce.
16. Drain well and reserve a cup of pasta water to add to the sauce.  This thin pasta is very delicate and will turn to mush if you over cook it.
17. Add drained pasta directly into sauce and stir.  Add some of the pasta water if needed; it will help loosen the sauce if it gets too thick.
18. Fill a large bowl with a healthy serving of pasta and top with sliced chicken breast.

Diverti!

Dry Rubbed Seared Salmon

It’s officially springtime, and with Easter passing I’m beginning to go through my lighter dishes to go with the change of seasons.  I get giddy thinking about fresh grilled corn on the cob, summer salads full of fresh veggies, pears, apples and toasted nuts, and most of all the selection of fresh fish in the local market.  One of my all time favorites is salmon, however, one badly cooked salmon can turn me off for months, so I have to choose wisely when I dine out.  The dry, chalky taste of overcooked salmon is one of the most devastating things you can be met with at the dinner table.  Similar to a burnt cookie, overcooked pasta, or a hockey puck steak, overcooked salmon is a major offense in my book.  But when it’s done well, you’ll want to have it every day of the week.  The beauty of salmon is that it can pick up a variety of flavors, teriyaki, garlic, white wine and butter, and its meaty texture lends itself to a variety of cooking methods.  I don’t recommend cooking Dover sole on the BBQ, but a salmon can stand up to this summer time classic.

The delicate crispy, golden crust that forms on the outside is a perfect contrast to the juicy, meaty flesh.  It’s a symbol of summer and health, and gets you on the track to looking stunning in your new summer swimsuit.

Perfect pan-seared salmon demands on a very hot pan. Use a heavy cast-iron skillet, which heats evenly. Warm the pan before you add the oil – either extra light virgin olive oil or vegetable oil; this trick allows the pan to get it really hot without burning the oil. A preheated pan also requires less oil.  Once you master this method you’ll be able to whip up a gourmet dinner in less than 10 minutes – golden brown outside and tender inside.   I like to serve salmon with a fresh mixed green salad with a tangy vinaigrette, a refreshing contrast to the rich, yet delicate fish.

Ingredients

• 2 6 oz. salmon fillets (skin on) one per person
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, coarse grind
• 1 tsp. lemon pepper
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 2 tbsp. extra light olive oil
• 2 tsp. fresh parsley, finely chopped

Method

1. In a small bowl, mix garlic powder, rosemary, thyme, seal, pepper, lemon pepper, and ginger.
2. Brush the salmon with olive oil on all sides.
3. Take the spice mixture and generously coat both sides of the salmon.
4. Set a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. When a drop of water skitters on the surface, add the oil.
5. Tilt the pan to coat the bottom evenly and heat until the oil is almost smoking, about 30 seconds.
6. Place the salmon skin side up in the cast iron skillet.
7. Cook until golden brown on the bottom, about 4 minutes.
8. Turn the salmon and cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes on the other side.
9. Then lower heat to medium, place lid over skillet to trap heat and finish cooking an additional 2-3 minutes.
10. With a minute to go, add a tbsp. of butter and let is melt in the pan, spoon it over the top of the salmon right before you turn off the heat.
11. To check if the salmon in ready, stick a thin knife in the thickest part and gently look at the color inside.  It should be juicy and barely turning opaque.  If you over cook the fish it will be extremely dry and very white in color.
12. When salmon is cooked enough to eat safely it will lose its translucency and become opaque. It should also flake easily when tested with a fork.
13. Serve with a fresh salad and enjoy your very healthy yet tasty dinner!

Roasted Butternut Squash and Ginger Carrots

Piping hot out of the oven, or room temperature on a sizzling summer day, roasted veggies serve as a perfect side dish to just about anything.  The variety of flavors you can unearth from diverse spices and oils allow you to adapt your dish to go perfectly with a roast chicken, seared salmon, or simply grilled steak.

The irresistible crunchy, caramelized edges, warm tender center, and rustic quality remind me of Italy.  There’s a time and place for perfectly cut vegetables, but it’s not in my kitchen.  The more time I can spend enjoying the food and less time prepping the better, especially on a busy weeknight. No need to stress yourself over perfect knife cuts – I know chefs everywhere are cringing over that statement – but honestly, as long as they’re all about the same size they will cook evenly and that’s all you need.

The fresh, clean tang of ginger contrasted with the sweetness of the carrots help brighten their natural flavor.  Garlic slowly warmed in the oven with a coating of healthy olive oil; mixed with the deep, creamy earthiness of butternut squash is a blissful combination.  The two together were simply flawless, and set side by side with a grilled steak and you’ll feel like you’re in paradise (or an Italian vacation in the middle of Tuscany).

Garlicky Butternut Squash

Ingredients

• 2 large butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp. extra light olive oil
• 1 tbsp. black truffle infused olive oil
• 1 tsp. coarse ground salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, coarse ground
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400°F
2. Wash and peel squash, and cut it into bite size squares.
3. Place squash in a glass baking dish and drizzle with extra light olive oil.  Extra light olive oil has a higher burning temperature so I find it better for roasting.  Due to valuable antioxidants and ability to help lower total cholesterol, I always use extra light olive oil as a substitute for butter, shortening and other vegetable oils.
4. Sprinkle with garlic, salt, ground black pepper and crushed red pepper and mix with a spoon until the squash is evenly coated with oil and seasoning.
5. Cover with foil and bake for 30 mins
6. After 30 mins, remove foil and continue baking for 10 minutes
7. Just before removing he dish from the oven, turn the broiler on high for a few minutes
8. Watch the oven, as the broiler will be hot and will burn the squash if left unattended.  It goes quickly, all you’ll need is 2-3 mins.  Once the butternut squash gets a slight golden color to the edges remove from oven and let cool for 5 mins before serving.

Ginger Carrots

Ingredients

• 8 large carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 inch piece of ginger, grated
• 2 tbsp. extra light olive oil
• 1 tsp. course ground salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper, course ground
• 2 tbsp. water
• 1/4 chicken bullion cube

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400°F
2. Place all the squash in a glass baking dish and drizzle with extra light olive oil.  Extra light olive oil has a higher burning temperature so I find it better for roasting.  Due to valuable antioxidants and ability to help lower total cholesterol, I always use extra light olive oil as a substitute for butter, shortening and other vegetable oils.
3. Sprinkle with garlic, salt and ground pepper and mix with a spoon until the squash is evenly coated with oil and seasoning.
4. Cover with foil and bake for 30 mins
5. After 30 mins, remove foil and continue baking for 10 minutes
6. Just before removing he dish from the oven, turn the broiler on high for a few minutes
7. Watch the oven, as the broiler will be hot and will burn the squash if left unattended.  It goes quickly, all you’ll need is 2-3 mins.  Once the butternut squash gets a slight golden color to the edges remove from oven and let cool for 5 mins before serving.

Chinese Meatballs with Udon Noodles

I didn’t grow up eating meatballs; they were very foreign to me.  I was raised on Italian Bolognese, shepherds pie, and bacon sandwiches.  Yes, bacon sandwiches are just as they sound, toasted bread, ketchup, and bacon.  I simple, peasant style dish originating in the UK, and often called the “hangover cure”.   But that isn’t on today’s menu.  Today we’ll be having a much healthier meal, but just as satisfying.    OK, back to the meatballs.

My idea of meatballs was a dense, dry rock of unseasoned meat, or if you want to get even classier, those artificially tasking Chef Boyardee meatballs swimming in a thin copper red sauce – a far cry from a basic tomato sauce.  I can’t remember where or when this happened, but I eventually got over my fear.  The variety of flavor combination you can get from one simple dish never leaves you bored.  Italian, Swedish, Irish, Spanish… each culture has their own take and I urge you to try them all, and make some of your own.  Now you don’t hear of a “Chinese meatball” very often, but why not?  I incorporated all the same flavors you get in a stir fry and toss it with some Japanese udon noodles and you have a perfect fusion of flavors and textures.

Once you pop these in the oven and the aroma will envelope your kitchen.  And on those stressful days where you want the comforting flavors on Chinese takeout, you can spare the menu and the cost and whip this up in under 30 mins and you can rest easy you fed yourself a well-balanced meal.   A Rachel Ray recipe I found a few years ago inspired this dish.  The original is delicious but I wanted to switch a few things up and make it easier to cook on a school night. The original recipe can be found at the following link.  Chinese Spaghetti and Meatballs by Rachel Ray

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground pork
• 1 egg
• 2 cups panko bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
• 3 scallions finely chopped
• 1 2-inch piece of fresh ginger root, grated
• 4 cloves garlic, grated
• 2 tablespoons Tamari (dark soy sauce)
• 2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, 1 tbsp for the meatballs and 1 for the noodles, available on the Asian foods aisle of market
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. salt (you’ll have plenty of salt from the soy sauce)
• 1 pound udon noodles, you can find them on the Asian foods aisle or substitute with spaghetti
• 2 beef bullion cubes
• 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
• 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, available on the Asian foods aisle of market
• 1 zucchini, julienned
• 1 yellow zucchini squash, julienned
• 1 scallion, finely sliced for garnish
• 3 tbsp. cilantro, roughly chopped for garnish

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375°F.
2. Place a large pot of water with bullion cubes on to boil for the noodles. The bullion helps flavor the noodles without overpowering your palate with soy sauce.  When it comes to a boil.  Lower it to a simmer until you put the meatballs in the oven, then it’s time to bring it back up to a boil and cook your udon noodles, don’t worry, I’ll let you know when to come back to these.
3. Place the pork in a mixing bowl along with an egg, five-spice powder, scallions, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame seed oil, salt, pepper, and panko breadcrumbs.
4. Mix gently but thoroughly with your hands.  If you use a spoon you will likely over mix the meat and you’ll end up with tough, dry meatballs.
5. Form 1 1/2-inch balls and place on a baking sheet.
6. Brush the meatball with extra light olive oil and roast for 15 mins.
7. Now that the meatballs are in, bring your water back up to a boil.
8. Follow the directions on the noodle package.
9. While the noodles and meatballs cook, julienne the squash and zucchini and set aside for garnish.  Roughly chop a good handful of cilantro and thinly slice 2 scallions for your garnish.
10. When your noodles are ready, drain and return to pan.
11. Toss noodles in 2 tbsp. olive oil and 1 tsp. sesame seed oil.
12. When the meatballs are ready, remove from oven and assemble your dinner.
13. Begin by placing noodles at the bottom of your bowl.  Add meatballs and slices of zucchini.
14. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, scallions and cilantro.
15. Enjoy!

Flip’s Spiced Chicken Sausage Soup

I came back from a business trip with a box of tissues, cough drops, and a sore throat that wouldn’t pass.  By day 4 I developed a hacking cough so I eventually gave in and went to the doctor.  Well, there I was, 2 ear infections and bronchitis and my other half had just left for New Zealand for 2 weeks.  I was miserable.  After a hot shower and a little dusting off, I decided to end my pity party and headed to the store for some key ingredients.

With all my congestion I wasn’t able to taste anything.  I know, my worst nightmare.  So, the traditional chicken noodle soup was going to need a little kick.  I made a twist on the original with a little heat and some Italian sausage.  It’s as if gumbo and chicken noodle soup had a child.  On day 1 I wasn’t really able to taste it, but it did have a great combination of textures from soft vegetables and tender meatballs swimming in a warm, silky broth.  I figured I’d let it stew overnight before adjusting the spice, in hopes my taste buds would make a quick recovery.  Thanks to some antibiotics, prescription strength cough syrup and decongestants, I woke the next morning to the fragrant bouquet of rosemary and Italian sausage seeping through the house.  Ok, I’ll admit it, I had it for breakfast.  I just couldn’t resist!!  The hint of spice and cumin, mixed with the expected aroma of thyme, rosemary and soft tender chicken was a welcome home.  By the end of day 2 I feel like a new person.  It has everything I needed in one bowl to fight back, who can ask for more than that?

I packed up my weeks worth of lunches, and as long as I stop sneaking into the refrigerator for another bowl it should last me until Tuesday.

Ingredients

Stock

• 4lb. raw chicken
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
• 1 large carrot, roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp. cumin
• 1 tbsp. thyme
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 tbsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. peppercorns
• 1 bullion cube
• 1 gallon cold water (enough to cover the chicken and all the contents)

Soup

• Homemade stock (above)
• Chicken from stock, shredded
• 2 tsp. cayenne
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 1 tbsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely diced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 3 large carrots, chopped
• 2 handfuls baby potatoes, quartered
• 5 Italian sausages, casing removed
• 1 bullion cube
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 tsp. ground pepper
• Salt to taste
• Cilantro for garnish
• Parmesan cheese for garnish

Method

1. Wash raw chicken with cold water and remove giblets
2. Place in large stockpot and add onion, celery, garlic, bay leaves, cumin, thyme, rosemary, salt, peppercorns, and bullion cube.  Don’t worry about chopping anything nicely, this is just to flavor the stock and it will all be strained out when the stock is ready.
3. Fill pot with water until chicken and all contents are fully covered
4. Place on stove on high and bring to a boil
5. Once boiling, bring heat to low and simmer for 2-2½  hours.  The longer to simmer the better the flavor.  You can always make the stock the night before and let it sit overnight in the fridge.  Then you can strain it in the morning and you’re ready to make your soup.
6. Remove chicken and strain stock
7. Place stock back on stove and turn off heat.  Let sit for 10 minutes and then skim some of the extra oil off the top.  No need to go crazy, just skim some of the extra.
8. Let the chicken cool about 15 minutes. Carefully remove and discard skin and bones and shred chicken with a fork.
9. Sprinkle shredded chicken with cumin, paprika, and cayenne pepper.  Mix spices into chicken and return to stockpot.
10. In a  sauté pan, cook onions and garlic in a tbsp. of olive oil.  Sauté on medium~high until slightly golden (about 7 mins).
11. Add onions and garlic to stock along with celery, carrots, and potatoes.
12. Use the same sauté pan for the sausage.  Remove sausage from casing and drop small bite size balls into pan and cook until slightly golden.
13. Remove sausage from heat and add directly into stock.
14. Add bullion cube and tomato paste, stir and let simmer.
15. Let soup simmer on medium~low for 1 hour, taste and add salt/pepper if necessary.
16. Serve and sprinkle with cilantro and Parmesan cheese.

I ran out of Parmesan so decided to try it with a little French feta crumbled on top.  Let me say, it’s worth trying!  The salty bite was perfectly balanced with the warm spice of the soup.

Huevos Con Chorizo (Eggs with Mexican Chorizo)

Breakfast for dinner!  We all love it.  Pancakes, eggs, waffles.  Whatever it is, it always seems to taste better at night.  One of my long time favorites, scrambled eggs.  It was recently improved upon with the addition of a truly heavenly ingredient… c-h-o-r-i-z-o.  Delicious!  Soft, fluffy, gentle pillows of eggs mixed with salty, spicy chorizo.  The two balance one another our perfectly.  The Mexican spices turn this from an ordinary morning meal to a delectable dinner ready for any night of the week.

I love making this on a stressful, long day (one of those when you think it’s Thursday and it’s only Tuesday).  It helps me relax and settle down after stressful meetings, non-stop emails, long calls and conversations that seem to go round and round in circles.  It warms me to the core, and yet doesn’t leave me feeling overly full.  It’s a little but healthy and a little not (all in moderation right?)

It honestly takes 10 mins to make, from removing the eggs from the fridge to sitting down and digging in.  So save this for a busy night and end your day with ease and happiness with huevos con chorizo.

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs (3 per person)
• 10 oz. Mexican pork chorizo
• 1/3 cup heavy cream (you can substitute milk if you want a lighter version)
• 1 tsp. salt (remember, the chorizo also has a lot of salt)
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. butter
• 4 slices of sourdough bread (or whatever is your favorite)
• 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced

Method

1. Thinly slice a jalapeño and then set aside for garnish
2. In a medium bowl whisk together eggs, cream, salt, and pepper.
3. Heat 2 medium skillets on the stove on medium heat.
4. In one pan place the Chorizo (no oil or butter needed, just the meat).
5. In a separate pan, melt the butter and olive oil on medium heat.
6. When the butter melts, add eggs and lower heat to medium low.  Continue to mix with a wooden spoon before the eggs begin to set.  This will give you creamy, British style eggs, not traditional American scrambled eggs.  British style eggs are moist, fluffy and delicate.  In other words… perfect!
7. While the eggs cook, gently stir the chorizo until cooked through.  Watch out, it might spatter so I recommend wearing an apron (I know, but after I ended up with dots of red grease all over my grey cashmere sweater I decided an Apron was much-needed).
8. Stir the eggs continuously for about 5 minutes; it’s a similar method to making risotto.  You don’t want to let the eggs set like they do when you make American style eggs.  (If you turn the burner up too high the eggs will cook faster, but you will end up with very watery, soggy tasting eggs. So be sure to keep the temperature at medium-low).
9. Remove the pan from the heat when you think they’re almost ready.  If you wait until they’re done you’ll be left with dry eggs.  Remove from heat when about 1 min from being ready.
10. Add chorizo and stir gently.
11. Toast a slice of your favorite bread.
12. Place eggs and chorizo mixture over toast, top with a few slices of jalapeño and enjoy!

Some people like really soft scrambled eggs, other people like really dry scrambled eggs. Just keep gently stirring the eggs until they look like what you think the perfect consistency is.  But I STRONGLY urge you to try them this way; I promise you won’t go back.

Asian Barbecue Chicken Wings

This may sound crazy, but it wasn’t until about 3 months ago that I had my very first chicken wing.  How I went almost 30 years of my life never having enjoyed these marvelous, spicy, tender chicken tenders we call Buffalo wings is beyond me.  I blame it on my British heritage.  I guess you could say growing up eating Shepard’s Pie and beans on toast had its drawbacks, but English mince pies make up for all that.  But I’ll get into those at a later date.

I fashioned this recipe after I my boyfriend went grocery shopping… something he rarely does unattended – as he usually comes home with extra bags of Cheetos puffs, tortilla chips and ice cream.  This time he came home with a bag of frozen wings – I’m not sure how he wandered into this section, by guess was he was looking for corn dogs.   I never buy frozen meat, but decided I’d give this a try since he was so excited over his discovery.   I think he was more excited by how cheap they were than anything else… you can’t really beat $6 for a 4lb. bag of chicken.  We started by looking up recipes online, but inevitably all of them consisted of at lest 3 things we didn’t have.  So, we made it up.  I have to admit I was happily surprised and since then we’ve already made then 4 more times.

You’re probably thinking chicken wings aren’t in your diet, since they’re traditionally fried and then glazed in a thick sauce.  The great this about these is they’re baked!  They come out just as crispy and juicy with less than half the calories.  You also have complete control over the type of sauce and how much you add.  I like this BBQ based sauce, it keep them healthy and they have a great tangy, Asian flair.

Ingredients

• 4 lbs. frozen chicken wings
• 1 1/4 cup BBQ sauce (I use Stubbs spicy BBQ sauce but feel free to use your favorite.)
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
• 3 tbsp. honey
• 1 tbsp. dried onion
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tsp. Habanero pepper sauce (I recommend using a hot sauce that’s not vinegar based, but one that lists chili as the first ingredient.  Depending on level of heat, add more or less)
• Fresh carrots (side)
• Fresh celery (side)
• Ranch dressing (dip)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375°F
2. Lay frozen chicken wings on a shallow baking pan in a single layer.  The pan I use has a rim around the edge to catch the juices.
3. Place in oven to bake for 50-60 mins.  Check the wings every 20 mins and drain the extra fat from the pan.  Turn wings over 40 mins into cooking.  I’ll increase the heat 10° to 385°F for the last 5-10 minutes to get a little extra crisp.
4. While the chicken bakes, it’s time to make the sauce
5. In a small bowl mix all ingredients: BBQ sauce, soy sauce, honey, dried onion, garlic powder, sesame seeds and Habanero pepper sauce.
6. Mix with a fork and taste.  You’ll likely want to adjust some of the levels of hot sauce and honey to suit your own taste.  The combination above is my favorite, but you can pay around and make your own combinations too.
7. When the chicken in cooked through with a nice golden crust, remove from oven.
8. Place in a large bowl and pour half the sauce on the wings.
9. Shake bowl lightly until the sauce covers all the pieces, add more sauce as needed.
10. When the wings ready, I like to sprinkle on some extra sesame seeds.  It looks fancy and I love the taste!!
11. Serve with fresh carrots, celery and ranch dressing.  Any extra sauce can also be serves as a dipping sauce.

I hope you enjoy these healthy wings.  They’re a great alternative to spending lots of money at a local restaurant, and baking the wings helps keep you in shape for spring, or hopefully a fun vacation!  After making these at home I doubt I’ll ever have wings out again.  Half the price and all the flavor!

Hummus with Homemade Pita Chips

Hummus is one of my go to’s when organizing my list for party snacks.  It’s far healthier than the traditional ranch dip (although that does have it’s place at times) and packs huge flavor in a small bite.  It’s also an impeccable match for vegetables, breads, chips…. pretty much anything you like to dip.  It’s one of those dishes that will leave you with a perfectly clean bowl and happy, full stomachs after every party.

Hummus is a Middle Eastern spread or dip made with chickpeas, which are also known as garbanzo beans.  By themselves, I’m definitely not a fan, in fact, I hate them.  I pick them out of soups and salads, and toss them away without the littlest thought.  I find them mealy, dry and flaky and have no need for them.  But all blended up in the food processor with some other goodies and they make a fantastically good dip!  I can’t resist the creamy deliciousness that makes simple pita turn into a delicacy.  Serve it with some olives and a glass of wine and you’ll feel like you’re on a Greek vacation… ok, maybe that’s a slight exaggeration but it will make your ordinary Tuesday something special.

Ingredients

• 2 cans garbanzo beans, drained
• 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tsp. sesame seed oil
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice, about 1/2 lemon
• Handful fresh cilantro

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line baking tray with foil, and spread the pine nuts out
3. Once oven is preheated, toast pine nuts for 10 mins.  Keep your eye on them; if your oven runs hot or it’s touchy, you’ll want to check on them after 6-8 minutes to make sure they don’t burn.  You can also do this in a dry skillet on medium heat.
4. Once they turn golden remove from oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes
5. Add all ingredients with the exception of 1 tbsp. pine nuts and cilantro to the food processor.  The reserved pine nuts will be your garnish
6. Pulse on high for 30 seconds until mixture is well blended
7. Add cilantro and pulse a few more times until cilantro is incorporated
8. If the mixture is too thick, add a little more water or olive oil, this is the time to taste it to see if the salt and spices are at the right level.  Add a little more salt if needed but be careful, you can’t take back
9. Scoop hummus into serving bowl and garnish with the remaining pine nuts and a little olive oil
10. Serve with chips, pita bread, jicama, or carrots…. Anything you like to dip!

If you’re feeling like really treating yourself, you can make homemade pit chips to go with your hummus.  They beat the ones from the store any day.

Ingredients

• 1 bag fresh pita (white or whole wheat)
• 4 tbsp.
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Preheat heat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Cut pita bread into 8 wedges
3. Pour olive oil into a bowl and brush pita chips with olive oil on both sides.
4. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. Arrange pita chips on baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown