Ravioli with a Fresh Tomato Sauce

Tags

cheese, Dinner, fresh, mushrooms, pasta, quick, ravioli, sauce, tomato, vegetarian

This is a quick work night dinner or busy weekend lunch that you can make to use up the last of this season’s tomatoes. I am sad that winter is coming but looking forward to fall foods… I can’t wait for soups, chowders, and root veggie hash. Mmmm!

Ravioli with a Fresh Tomato Sauce

• 2 servings of fresh cheese ravioli
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 5 leaves of basil, sliced very thinly
• 1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 small onion, chopped
• Olive oil
• Parsley, chopped, to garnish
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Prepare the ravioli per package instructions. In a skillet, heat up about 1 tbsp. olive oil and sauté the mushrooms, garlic, and onion until tender. Add the tomatoes and warm through. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in the basil. Place al dente ravioli on plates; top with sauce and garnish with chopped parsley. Serves 2.

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Ham and Havarti Pizza with Onions and Apples

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apples, cheese, Dinner, ham, havarti, Italian, onions, pizza, quick

These little pizzas are a snap to throw together one a busy work night. Buy the flatbreads so you don’t have to make crust. Even your kids can make these. And the salty/sweet combo is amazing.

Ham and Havarti Pizza with Onions and Apples

• 3 oz thinly sliced deli ham
• 1/3 cup Havarti cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced onions
• 1/2 tart apple, thinly sliced
• 1/2 tsp fresh thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 2 flatbreads

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Place the two flatbreads on a pizza stone. In a small bowl, add the onions, thyme, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Toss to combine. Spoon evenly over flatbreads. Take the thin apple slices and lay evenly over the onions. Roll the ham into a cigar and slice thinly. Sprinkle ham over apples. Top with the cheese. Bake until cheese is melty and slightly browning. Serves 1 or 2 with a large side salad.

Chicken Taquitos

Tags

chicken, Dinner, flautas, food, Mexican, Supper, taquitos

Who doesn’t love taquitos (also known as flautas)? I can eat them in astonishing quantity. That’s why this recipe only makes 12; more than enough for two people. Don’t be put off by the large amounts of spices. They won’t over power it, I promise.

Chicken Taquitos

• 2 to 3 boneless chicken breats
• 1 1/2 tbsp lemon pepper (with no salt added)
• 1 1/2tbsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2tbsp onion powder
• 1/2 stick butter
• 12 small corn tortillas

Coat chicken on both sides with all spices. Put slices of butter on chicken. Bake on about 400 degrees until tender. Cook and tear into pieces. Soften the corn tortillas by frying them in hot oil for about 5 seconds per side. Drain on paper towels. Roll the meat up in corn tortillas and fry or bake.

Carne Asada

Tags

asada, carne, Dinner, food, gluten free, grill, marinade, Mexican, steak, summer, Supper

I am always on the lookout for a new, yummy Mexican dish. This one fits the bill. It was super easy to make and full of flavor. Thanks Rufus for the inspiration.

Carne Asada (adapted from Rufus)

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Juice from two limes
• Juice from 1/2 a lemon
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 chipotles packed in adobo, rinsed and diced
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 pound flank or skirt steak

Combine the first 8 ingredients. In a ziploc bag or a small glass dish, marinade the steak for 4 to 6 hours.

Grill to desired doneness. Serve thinly sliced (against the grain) in corn tortillas with cilantro, avacado, black olives, sour cream, and cheese.

Ginger Chicken

Tags

Asian, chicken, Dinner, food, ginger, main, Supper

I’m always on the lookout for a tasty recipe for chicken. This one is pretty good. The ginger and garlic flavor is very nice. Serve over rice.

Ginger Chicken

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• chopped scallions and sesame seeds for garnish

Cut the chicken up into bite-sized pieces. In a bowl, whisk the soy sauce, mirin, honey, ginger, and garlic together. Add in the chicken and allow to marinade for at least 30 minutes.

In a skillet, heat the vegetable oil. Add a single layer of chicken to the pan. You will probably have to fry the chicken in two batches. The single layer allows for good browning. When all the chicken is cooked, garish with the scallions and the sesame seeds.

If you wanted to make a glaze for the chicken, you could make the marinade again, substituting the fresh garlic and ginger for powdered. Then add to the empty skillet and reduce over high heat until syrupy. Toss the chicken in the glaze. 

Kentucky Hot Brown

Tags

Dinner, food, hot brown, Kentucky, Supper, texas toast, turkey

This recipe is artery clogging, greasy, cheesy, delicious, and Southern. It looks daunting to create but really isn’t that hard. Though it may be a Kentucky recipe, the average Kentuckian does not serve this daily. It is reserved for those special moments like the Derby or a trip to Keeneland (who has a great hot brown I am told).

The Kentucky Hot Brown (from the Brown Hotel, Louisville, KY)

• 4 tbsp butter
• 4 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 16 oz. heavy cream
• 1/2 Cup pecorino romano cheese, plus enough to garnish
• Salt  and pepper to taste
• 14 oz. sliced roasted turkey breast
• 2 slices of Texas Toast, prepared according to package directions
• 4 slices of crispy bacon
• 2 tomatoes, sliced in half

In a two-quart saucepan, melt butter and slowly whisk in flour until combined and forms a thick paste (roux). Continue to cook roux for two minutes over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Whisk heavy cream into the roux and cook over medium heat until the cream begins to simmer, about 2-3 minutes. Remove sauce from heat and slowly whisk in Pecorino Romano cheese until the Mornay sauce is smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

For each Hot Brown, place two slice of toast in a cast iron skillet and cover each piece of bread with 7 ounces of turkey. Take the two halves of the tomato and set them alongside the base of turkey and toast. Pour the Mornay sauce to completely cover the dish. Sprinkle with additional Pecorino Romano cheese. Place entire dish under a broiler until cheese begins to brown and bubble. Remove from broiler, cross two pieces of crispy bacon on top (oops! my bacon is hidden by cheese sauce), sprinkle with paprika and parsley, and serve immediately.

Cheddar Baked Potatoes

Tags

cheese, Dinner, food, potatoes, Southern, Supper

This is one of my family’s favorite recipes. There are rarely any leftovers. The soup and cheese combine to make a gravy of sorts that is just divine. I hope you try these potatoes. They will surely be worth your time.

Cheddar Baked Potatoes

• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 4 medium baking potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick (about 4 cups)
• 1 1/2 cups (or more) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

In a bowl, combine soup, pepper, and paprika. In a greased 2 qt glass baking dish, arrange potatoes in overlapping rows. Sprinkle cheese over potatoes. Spoon soup mixture over cheese. Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes at 400 degrees. Uncover and bake 10 minutes or until fork tender. Serves 6 (or 4 large servings).

Oven Roasted Tomatoes

Tags

Dinner, food, Italian, roasted, Supper, tomatoes

Last time I went to the grocery, I bought a carton of baby tomatoes for my salad. But during the week, I just wasn’t feeling tomatoes on my salad. Weird, I know. Rather than let them go to waste, I roasted them to use on my Mushroom Pesto Pizza. They were very tasty and I can imagine using them with pasta, shrimp… the combinations are endless.

Oven Roasted Tomatoes (adapted from Ina Garten’s recipe)

• 1 carton of baby tomatoes, halved
• 4 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Arrange the tomatoes on a foil lined sheet pan, cut sides up, in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle the garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper over the tomatoes. Roast for 20 minutes, until the tomatoes are concentrated and beginning to caramelize. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Quick and Easy Pizza Crust

Tags

bread, crust, Dinner, food, Italian, pizza, Supper

I used to make pizza crust with the pre-packaged crust mix. It was a little too hard and dry. This version is very nice. The best part is that it is so quick to make. No time spent rising. I am so glad that AllRecipes posted this recipe. I plan on this being my go-to crust from now on.

Quick and Easy Pizza Crust

• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 1/2 cups bread flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in flour, salt and oil. Beat until smooth. Let rest for 5 minutes.

 

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a round. Transfer crust to a lightly greased pizza pan or baker’s peel dusted with cornmeal. Spread with desired toppings and bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let baked pizza cool for 5 minutes before serving. Makes one 12 inch pizza crust.

Spiced Eggplant with Couscous Salad

Tags

couscous, Dinner, eggplant, food, Mediterranean, spicy, Supper, vegetarian

I have previously mentioned my work friends- the Vegetarian and the Gluten-Free nurses. The more I get to know them, the more I am curious about the foods they eat and their attitudes about food. I have also started to evaluate my own opinions about food.

I was raised in a household where my father insisted dinner was not dinner if meat and potatoes were not on the table. So there was meat every night. Potatoes most nights. If not potatoes, then maybe macaroni and cheese or rice. Meat and starch = well balanced meal. And there is something to be said for this meal choice. My father is a farmer who worked 12 hours outside. He didn’t have to worry about calories packing on the pounds. But now that he is older (the big 50!), he has asked my mother to cook a little different. More vegetables and fish and a general decrease in the amount of food cooked. He has found that he packs on the pounds faster than he can work them off. I hope that never happens to me (but something tells me it will).

This food blog has totally changed how I see food. I am more aware of every bite I put in my mouth. Every ingredient I use. The cause and effect of everything. It has made me try to eat healthier and embrace other’s eating traditions. Hence today’s recipe. I had never cooked eggplant before. It worked out pretty good, though people who don’t like squash won’t like the eggplant.

Spiced Eggplant with Couscous Salad (inspired by a Bonappetit Jan 2012 recipe)

• 1/2 cup olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
• Zest of half a lemon
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more
• 2 medium eggplants (9–10 ounces each), halved lengthwise
• 1 box pearled couscous (I used the roasted garlic and olive oil flavor)
• 1/2 cup pitted green olives, halved
• 1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup craisins
• 1/3 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 cup almonds, sliced or chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350°. Stir 1/4 cup oil, next 7 ingredients, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a small bowl for spice mix. Score flesh of each eggplant half with 1/2″-deep diagonal crisscrossing lines, spacing 1″ apart (do not cut through skin). Drizzle 1 Tbsp. oil over cut side of each half, allowing it to soak in. Season lightly with salt. Brush or spoon spice mix over, dividing evenly. Place eggplants, cut side up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until soft and very tender in center, 50–60 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook couscous according to package directions. Stir in olives, onion, currants, parsley, cilantro, pistachios, and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let stand for at least 30 minutes for flavors to meld.

Serve eggplant warm or at room temperature. Place an eggplant half on each plate. Spoon some couscous salad and a dollop of yogurt alongside. Garnish with cilantro if desired.