Tortellini Soup and Garlic Bread

Earlier this week I made the best tortellini soup. I’ve tried to make tomato and tortellini soup in the past, and I’ve got to say, it never worked out. The Tortellini need to be eaten day of otherwise they absorb the liquid as they’re in the fridge and turn into a mushy pasta. Not the case with this recipe.

I adapted the soup from The Eccentric Cook

1 package of cheese tortellini (in the pasta isle, not the fresh ones)

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 carrots, grated

1 onion, finely cohpped

about a cup of chopped/ sliced mushrooms

5 large sausages – cut into pieces ( I used boarhead)

1 can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes (the 14.5 oz)

1 can tomato sauce (about 14.5 oz)

about 5 cups chicken or vegetable broth

dried oregano

dried basil

garlic powder

onion powder

salt and pepper to taste

paprika, to taste

chili powder, to taste

2 dashes soy sauce

1 tbsp brown sugar

parmesan cheese

In a large pot, heat the oil and add the sausages, onion and carrots. Saute them until they get soft. Season with salt and pepper. After 7 minutes, add in the mushrooms. Stir occasionally. Sprinkle them generously with the oregano and basil, garlic and onion powders, and paprika and chili powder (if using). Cook for another 5-7 minutes.

Pour the broth and tomato cans on them. Bring the soup to a boil. Add more seasonings.

When it comes to a boil add in the brown sugar.

When the soup is simmering, add the beans and tortellini to the soup. Cook as long as the package indicates. Add soy sauce and stir until desired consistency is reached.

Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese on top and garlic bread

The garlic bread recipe I followed exactly, except I used more garlic, of course. The recipe was taken from Drizzle and Dip and is by far my favorite quick and easy garlic bread recipe.

• 1 loaf of ciabatta bread or a large baguette (2 small)
•  2 large tbsp butter softened to room temperature
• 1 tbsp of kosher salt
• a small handful of coriander leaves finely chopped (about 2 T), or dried oregano
• 5 cloves of garlic crushed
• 2 cups of finely grated Parmesan cheese (an d a bit extra to sprinkle over the loaf)
• (a squeeze of lemon juice if desired)

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Mix all of the above ingredients thoroughly to combine. Slice the bread loaf into desired slices, ensuring that you don’t cut all the way through. I like fairly thick slices. Spread the butter mix fairly generously between all the cut slices, without overdoing it, you don’t want to land up with dripping oil-soaked bread. Sprinkle the extra Parmesan over the bread and wrap in foil. Bake for 20 minutes and then open the foil and bake for a further 5 minutes to brown the loaf.

It was an amazing meal!

Ragu for Emergencies

This is my fool-proof recipe for ragu. At least it will be. This is the first time that I’ve made it.  But I am not disappointed.

Today started off a little slow for me. I didn’t really get out of my pj’s till noon, and even then it took a few cups of coffee to really get started. I had a short list to start off, and added to it slowly. First off, I had to make lunch, and enough for leftovers for dinner as well as Monday’s word lunch.  I also had to clean my tub for tonight’s bath, and lastly I had to vacuum (it’s been too long). So I did what any sane person would do. I started with something that was totally off the list!

In the end, I cleaned the kitchen, bathroom, vacuumed, and even took out the trash all in an hour. In the meantime, this ragu was bubbling away on the stove. It’s very simple, but very necessary, especially when there’s a chill in the air. (Granted right now it’s about 78 degrees in So. Cal but I’m a bit under the weather and that’s chilly enough for me!)

RAGU

• 1 lb ground chicken (organic if possible)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 can (standard 14.5 oz Heinz) of tomato sauce
• 3 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp cayanne powder
• 1 tbsp garlic powder, or two cloves garlic minced
• 1 cup sharp cheddar
• salt and pepper to taste
• pasta of your choice- cooked
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, to serve
• dried basil, to serve

Heat oil in a 4 quart pot- or dutch oven (I used my cast iron Lodge).

Add in the chicken and the onion and cook together for about 7 minutes. It doesn’t matter that the chicken isn’t cooked or the onion isn’t perfectly seared. Add in all seasonings aside from chili powder. Add in tomato sauce. Stir and bring to a boil.

Add in the chili powder with the oregano and simmer on low for 15 minutes.

Add in the sharp cheddar, and stir till barely melted. Add in cooked pasta of your choice and sprinkle with basil and parmesan cheese to serve.

Simple, and perfect!

Two for One Attempt

I’ve started my Master’s program on Tuesday, August 21. It has been extremely eye opening. For one, it’s a lot of reading and references that are necessary for my field, which I am totally new to. All the scientific articles I have to keep track of and the vocabulary that I have get down, immediately, for fluency checks. It’s a little daunting, but nonetheless, exciting, and I’m feeling VERY good odds about this challenge.

As you can imagine however, I’ve been very busy. Not only did I start school myself but my client started high school. And I’ve been trying to get a lay of the land there, making new friends, seeing how teachers do things over there, checking out the dress code and what’s deemed “appropriate”  (a lot!).

In any case this means that I have been neglecting my readers, as well as my stomach. Although the minimal posts will probably continue for a good two years (length of my lovely Master’s Program) I’ll try to give you what you rightfully deserve. Yums!

As the title might hint, I was going to try for two easy-peasy recipes. I thought to myself I could just use up all four of my chicken breasts into one recipe, but then I’d be eating the same thing for lunch for four days, and that’s not okay with me. Too boring, and I’m anything if not boring. So I thought, splitting up the recipes would be a great way to use up all four chicken breasts (by the time they go bad), and also entertaining my stomach during the week. The first, was a white chicken chili, and the second was a chicken piccata.

I quickly learned my time wasn’t that flexible. Therefore, I could only make one, the chili, before the other chicken sadly, went bad. Anyway, live and learn… now I know to make two recipes, same day, and not to squaller about with homework, and chores. Silly girl

White Chicken Chili

• 2 thin chicken breasts, organic
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 tbsp of olive oil, or any oil of your choosing
• 1 tbsp white wine
• 1 can of garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can of kidney beans, drains and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups of frozen sweet corn kernels (because I love me some corn)
• 1/2 block of cream cheese (use low-fat if you prefer, but I think those things are plain disgusting)
• 1 cup of chicken stock, low sodium**
• 2 tbsp course sea salt
• 1 tbsp freshly ground pepper, white or black (I used black to offset the creaminess of the corn)
• 1  tsp cumin
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1-2 tbsp chili powder (add more or less depending on your taste)
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• a dash of nutmeg

Boil chicken for 30 minutes. You might want to check it at 30 and add more time if your chicken is thicker, but I used the thinly sliced breasts at the market, so 30 minutes was just enough time*. Take out of the water and shred with two forks.

In a dutch oven, about 3-4 qts large, add in the oil and cook the onion. Cook for 5 minutes without stirring. When the onions have gotten some brown bits at the bottom of the pan (brown, but not quite burnt), add in the wine to deglaze the pan. Cook down for another 2 minutes then add the spices, salt and pepper.

 

 

Make sure the onions are coated in the spices before adding the chicken, beans, stock, corn, and cream cheese. Everything in one pot, how convenient for later clean up.

Stir to break up the half-block of cream cheese, then cover, cooking for 10 minutes. Uncover, and turn the heat up the med-high, and cook another 13 minutes or so, till some of the liquid evaporates.

Serve with my cilantro- lime rice, or any rice you’ve got prepared for a filling lunch. Or without any side, it’s delicious either way!

Yields roughly 4-6 servings, depending on hunger.

*Remember that we’ll be cooking it further with the rest of the ingredients so if it’s a little pink in the center it’s okay.

**This is a runnier chili because I like adding my own liquid to the dish depending on taste. If you like it thicker, add more beans, or use less stock, about 1/2 cup.

Peanut Butter & Banana Tiramisu

I was walking around the kitchen today and I noticed some very sad looking bananas. You know the type, all brown, sloppy looking, with a very ripe smell that suggests “mash me”.  I’ve made pudding with bananas before, bread and muffins as well, and I wanted to try something different. Also, I wanted to finish the jar of peanut butter that’s been looking at me from the corner.

So I decided to attempt this concoction. And it was amazing!

• 2 very ripe bananas
• 1 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup peanut butter
• amaretti cookies, roughly 12
• 3 tbsp amaretto liquor
• instant espresso (not coffee make sure it’s espresso), 2-3 tbsp, to taste
• 1/4 cup hot water
• cocoa powder, for dusting

Add the bananas to the bowl of a stand mixer. Add in the peanut butter and heavy cream, and whip up till stiff, about 3 minutes on medium speed.

To make the espresso necessary, simply add the amount of instant espresso that’s to your taste, the stronger the better, here, and pour hot water over. You don’t need a lot here, just about 3 tbsp.

Crumble two cookies per each bowl/ serving (I used a pint jar, 3 total).  Pour a tablespoon of amaretto liquor into each jar, over the cookies. It’s okay if it doesn’t soak in perfectly, or if it’s sitting on the bottom, that doesn’t matter. Add a layer of banana-peanut butter-cream, crumble 1 1/2 -2 cookies on top of that per serving.

Pour a tablespoon of espresso over the latest layer of cookie. Follow by the final layer of cream. Sprinkle cocoa powder on top and chill for up to 3 hours.

I covered mine up with the jar lids to compress everything together.

Homemade French Onion Dip

I’ve been craving dip for a long time now. While I usually go for ranch because it’s tangier, I wanted something nice and sweet. Luckily, Boyfriend loves French Onion dip so what better excuse to make some!

I used my own knowledge of caramelizing onions as well as some ideas from A Duck’s Oven. This recipe took a total of maybe an hour to make. Not including the 20 minutes or so it took to cool over afterwards. That, of course, is to taste. If you like warm dip, you’ll get to enjoy it sooner.

French Onion Dip

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 1/2 tablespoon butter
• 1 large onions, diced (I used yellow, you can use the same, or sweet onion)
• 3  garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup beer (I used Wild Blue)
• 3 tbsp ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 16 oz container sour cream
• Salt to taste
• paprika, to taste (I used about 2 tbsp)

Heat up a skillet with the olive oil. Wait for it to get nice and hot, on medium-high heat,  for about 5 minutes.  Add the diced onions and turn the heat down to low. Watch to make sure they don’t burn. After about 5-6 minutes stir the onions and add the butter.

Slowly cook the onions for 30-45 minutes, depending on how high your stove gets. Make sure it doesn’t get really brown, and burnt, but rather a light mocha color.

After it’s nice and caramelized, turn the heat up a little, and add the Worcestershire Sauce, garlic, and the beer. Make sure the liquid is simmering away for a good 10 minutes, if the heat is too high for this, lower it because you want the bitterness of the alcohol to burn away.

Stir the onions into the sour cream.

Add the peppers, salt, and paprika, stir to make sure it’s well incorporated. If chilling, place in fridge uncovered in same bowl for 20 minutes. Stir again before serving.

Books, and more Books

I ordered a few things from amazon this past week. While I can admit that I’m an avid Amazon shopper nothing gets me going than that big box waiting for me at my door. This time, I got a couple of cookbooks and a lovely crochet book. I’ve been meaning to start a sewing class as well so I can properly hem my pants and skirts to fit my unruly, long thighs. In any case, these three books are a start to a fun summer and fall season. As it’s California, we’re skipping through Spring. In fact, I believe last week, when we had 78 degree weather, was as close to Spring as we can get.

This was a great buy, and it accompanied my new Lodge cast iron skillet to my door. However, I do have to say I’m disappointed that there aren’t as many pictures. Only about 20 or so that are int he middle of the book. I would preferred a picture to every 3 recipes (it’s just the way that I’m used to flipping through cookbooks for a recipe to catch my eye). However, it had great reviews on amazon, and other sites, and the recipes actually look lovely. I’m excited to try them out.

I’ve been reading about this book for a while from a few bloggers I follow religiously.  It’s one of those go-to books when you’re buying too many lemons because they’re on sale, or pickles, or tomatoes, or berries for jam. Personally, I purchased this recipe to learn how to make my own buttermilk, cheeses, breads,  and jams (especially because here in California berry season is right around the corner, and fresh black-blueberry jam is on my to-do list this year).

I’m especially excited to make my own frozen pizzas!

Anyone that’s spoken to me for more than a half hour knows that I love to crochet. If I could I would knit, just because having both of those needles in my hands makes me feel powerful (scary, I know). However, I have to stick with the skills that I have now and worry about others later, so aside from making scarves and blankets I would love to learn other stitches to at least make those scarves look interesting and different. This is where this book comes in.

Easy steps like this, with red arrows and simple instructions, is how my crochet kingdom will happen!

Martha’s Cookie of the Month and Dinner

Martha Stewart Living for April came with a cookie of the month. That cookie was the Nutty Butters Cookie.  I’ve always wanted to make a peanut butter cookie and I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to do so. Although it’s been a while since I baked, and a while since I did much of anything (what with grad school applications and work) in the kitchen.

In any case, I got the baking bug, and I knew I had to give my kitchenaid another whirl. I’ve been itching to use it for a month or so, but never thought to use it aside from muffins. And those were better served by a mixing bowl with a fork (chocolate banana muffins). Still, today was my day, and I was able to make my these lovely cookies a reality.

Total time: 1 hr 15 min

makes: 24 delicious cookies

ingredients:

• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 1 cup plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• coarse salt
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup nut butter of your choice (I used peanut butter)
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (to match the butter)

Melt 1/2 stick butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add oats and cook, stirring, until toasted, 5 to 7 minutes. Spread oat mixture on a parchment-lined baking sheet, let cool.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt. Beat together remaining stick butter and the sugars with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Add egg, and beat until combined. Add nut butter, and beat on medium speed until well combined.

thick goodness

Add oat mixture and chopped nuts, and beat on low speed until combined. Add flour mixture, and beat until combined. Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls. Place cookies 1 inch apart on 2 parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until golden, 12-15 minutes. Let cook completely on baking sheets.

Along with these yummy cookies I made dinner, FoodNetwork Magazines: Light Scalloped Potatoes with Roasted Chiles served as my inspiration. I gave myself Friday’s as days to go crazy with the food, so I knew that since it was Saturday night it had to be a “lite” form of something, and potatoes are always my staple. Potatoes and chicken. This Saturday was no acception.

scalloped potatoes with roasted chiles and sticky lime chicken

For the potatoes:

• 1 medium poblano chile pepper
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish
• 1 medium onion
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 2 pounds new, yellow potatoes, sliced into discs
• 2 cans chicken stock (low sodium)
• 1/4 cup cream
• salt and pepper
• 1/3 cup Parmesan
• 1/3 cup grated pepper jack cheese

Starting with the chile: wash it and dry it off slightly. Turn a burner on for medium-high heat and place the Chile on the grate, as shown in the image. Make sure that you keep turning it every 2 minutes or so till it’s charred, and completely black. Place on a wet paper towel and cover. Let cool.

been charring for about 5 minutes

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly butter a baking dish. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, chicken stock, cream, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and pepper to taste and bring to a boil (I used more salt, and it was sea). Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring gently, until the potatoes are tender, about 10-12 minutes.

By this time the chile should be cooled. Skin it, under cold water if preferred, and pat dry. Slice into strips and then into cubes.

Arrange half the potato-broth mixture int he prepared baking dish in an even layer. Sprinkle with the poblano chile pieces and the pepper jack cheese. Repeat with another later of potatoes and the parmesan on top. Bake until bubble and slightly golden, about 35 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

delicious!

For the chicken:

• 4 skinless chicken breasts
• zest and juice of one lime
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
• pepper

As soon as the potatoes go into the oven lower the temperature to 375 degrees. Arrange the chicken in a shallow roasting pan. Put the lime zest and juice, honey, oil, garlic, and oregano into a small bowl and mix. Spoon the mixture over the chicken to coat completely.

Roast the chicken in the oven for 35-40 minutes, basting about halfway. Take the chicken out and serve with the potatoes, which should have rested for about 10-15 minutes by now. Add 1/4 cup port to the roasting dish to de-glaze, place back in oven. Turn the temperature up to 475 and cook for 4 minutes. Spoon over the chicken.