This one is a family favorite! I like to do this one when we have guests...they always want the recipe. The original recipe is from Bon Appetit...I have tweaked it to my tastes and reduced the fat/calories. Serve with a big leafy green salad and homemade garlic bread...yumm-o!
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed***
2/3 cup dry white wine
1 14 1/2-ounce can diced peeled tomatoes with juices
1/2 cup half & half
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
4 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
1 pound penne pasta
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving at table
Melt butter with oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until golden brown and tender, about 7 minutes. Add sausage and sauté until golden brown and cooked through, breaking up with back of spoon, about 7 minutes. Drain any excess drippings from skillet. Add wine to skillet and boil until almost all liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes with juices and simmer
3 minutes. Add half & half and whipping cream; half and simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in 4 tablespoons parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. (Sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain pasta; transfer to large pasta bowl.
Bring sauce to simmer. Pour sauce over pasta. Add Parmesan cheese and toss to coat.
***I prefer to use turkey or chicken Italian sausage.
"Blessings, just like flowers can bloom and blossom among the weeds" - Emily Camden...a blog all about family, friendship, food and faith.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Balsamic Skirt Steak
This is so easy and tasty! Even my picky eater liked it.
4 lbs skirt steak
Marinade
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup Worcershire sauce
2 shallots, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
Combine all marinade ingredients in food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Pour marinade over steak in a large container with a lid. Marinate steak in the refrigerator 3-4 hours.
When ready to grill the steak, preheat grill to medium high. Remove steaks from marinade and remove excess marinade from steaks (use a knife to scrape off).
Grill streaks 4-5 minutes per side. Remove from grill and let steaks rest 5-7 minutes.
To serve - slice steaks thinly against the grain.
4 lbs skirt steak
Marinade
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup Worcershire sauce
2 shallots, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
Combine all marinade ingredients in food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Pour marinade over steak in a large container with a lid. Marinate steak in the refrigerator 3-4 hours.
When ready to grill the steak, preheat grill to medium high. Remove steaks from marinade and remove excess marinade from steaks (use a knife to scrape off).
Grill streaks 4-5 minutes per side. Remove from grill and let steaks rest 5-7 minutes.
To serve - slice steaks thinly against the grain.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Simple Tomato Sauce
This is my favorite plain jane, simple tomato sauce! The flavor is so pure and clean...I love it! it is also the base for so many tasty sauces (and even a soup). It freezes beautifully too...Enjoy!
Simple Tomato Sauce
2 lbs ripe Roma tomatoes or 2 cups good quality canned whole Roma tomatoes*
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1/3 cup celery, minced
1/3 cup carrots, chopped
salt
If using fresh tomatoes, blanch in boiling water 30 seconds or so. Remove tomatoes with a slotted spoon and peel skins.
In a large dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Saute onions until pale golden brown. Add celery and carrots. Saute vegetables another 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes and their juices to pot. Break up tomatoes with back of wooden spoon. Add a generous pinch of salt and stir. Simmer sauce for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Remove sauce from heat and add additional salt to taste.
Your sauce is ready to serve at this point, but I prefer to puree the sauce with my immersion blender (food processor works great too).
Now comes the fun part...add a few tbsp of pesto (see recipe below)...add a 1/2 cup cream or half & half, some fresh Parmesan and some fresh basil...now you have delish tomato basil soup. Add some garlic, red wine and fresh oregano, thyme and rosemary for a bold red sauce (simmer a additional 30 minutes). Add some pesto, stir and ladle over homemade meatballs and spaghetti...yumm-o!
Below is my friend Dawn's pesto recipe...it is awesome! Thanks so much for sharing!
For the sauce I served earlier tonight, I added 1 1/2 frozen cubes of Dawn's pesto and stirred until cubes melted.
Dawn's Pesto
Process 1/4 olive oil, 2 c. loosely packed basil, 2 tbs. pine nuts, 2 cloves garlic, and 1 tsp. salt in a blender until smooth. Stir 1/2 C. freshly grated Parmesan cheese and 2 tbs. Romano. Sometimes I need to add more solids depending on the moisture in the basil. Spoon into ice cube trays and freeze 24 hours. I like to transfer 3 cubes in a ziploc snack bag, then place a few snack bags in a gallon sized bag.
**** If you use canned tomatoes (which is fine...sometimes all you can find are crappy tomatoes), make sure to buy imported Italian whole Roma or plum tomatoes.
Simple Tomato Sauce
2 lbs ripe Roma tomatoes or 2 cups good quality canned whole Roma tomatoes*
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1/3 cup celery, minced
1/3 cup carrots, chopped
salt
If using fresh tomatoes, blanch in boiling water 30 seconds or so. Remove tomatoes with a slotted spoon and peel skins.
In a large dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Saute onions until pale golden brown. Add celery and carrots. Saute vegetables another 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes and their juices to pot. Break up tomatoes with back of wooden spoon. Add a generous pinch of salt and stir. Simmer sauce for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Remove sauce from heat and add additional salt to taste.
Your sauce is ready to serve at this point, but I prefer to puree the sauce with my immersion blender (food processor works great too).
Now comes the fun part...add a few tbsp of pesto (see recipe below)...add a 1/2 cup cream or half & half, some fresh Parmesan and some fresh basil...now you have delish tomato basil soup. Add some garlic, red wine and fresh oregano, thyme and rosemary for a bold red sauce (simmer a additional 30 minutes). Add some pesto, stir and ladle over homemade meatballs and spaghetti...yumm-o!
Below is my friend Dawn's pesto recipe...it is awesome! Thanks so much for sharing!
For the sauce I served earlier tonight, I added 1 1/2 frozen cubes of Dawn's pesto and stirred until cubes melted.
Dawn's Pesto
Process 1/4 olive oil, 2 c. loosely packed basil, 2 tbs. pine nuts, 2 cloves garlic, and 1 tsp. salt in a blender until smooth. Stir 1/2 C. freshly grated Parmesan cheese and 2 tbs. Romano. Sometimes I need to add more solids depending on the moisture in the basil. Spoon into ice cube trays and freeze 24 hours. I like to transfer 3 cubes in a ziploc snack bag, then place a few snack bags in a gallon sized bag.
**** If you use canned tomatoes (which is fine...sometimes all you can find are crappy tomatoes), make sure to buy imported Italian whole Roma or plum tomatoes.
Super Tasty Spinach Salad
This salad is great with steaks, fish, chicken or all on it's own for "Meatless Mondays"! It is actually an amalgam of two of my fave salads...got bored one night and decided to marry the two recipes and boy do I love the resulting recipe...Enjoy!
2 lbs baby spinach, washed and dried
1 granny smith apple, cored and cut into matchsticks
1/2 cup dried cherries or craisins
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped coarsely***
Dressing
2/3 cups sugar
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup white vinegar
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
4 1/2 tsp onion juice (in the spice isle)
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup olive oil
Combine all dressing ingredients in a cruet or glass jar with tight fitting lid. Shake well to combine thoroughly and refrigerate until ready to serve.
In a large bowl combine spinach, apples, cherries/craisins, blue cheese and walnuts. Sprinkle with fresh cracked pepper. Re-shake dressing to combine. Add dressing and toss salad to coat.
*** Toast walnuts in a dry skillet over medium high heat until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
2 lbs baby spinach, washed and dried
1 granny smith apple, cored and cut into matchsticks
1/2 cup dried cherries or craisins
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped coarsely***
Dressing
2/3 cups sugar
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup white vinegar
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
4 1/2 tsp onion juice (in the spice isle)
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup olive oil
Combine all dressing ingredients in a cruet or glass jar with tight fitting lid. Shake well to combine thoroughly and refrigerate until ready to serve.
In a large bowl combine spinach, apples, cherries/craisins, blue cheese and walnuts. Sprinkle with fresh cracked pepper. Re-shake dressing to combine. Add dressing and toss salad to coat.
*** Toast walnuts in a dry skillet over medium high heat until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
Chipotle Apple Grilled Chicken
I have to start by telling you I have become a brining convert! I have always turned my nose up at brining...too clique like and food fad for my tastes, until....One of Chris' UT (Hook Em) buddys online talked about Sweetwater Spice Company "baths"....Holy Cow!!! LOVE it!
You can brine the chicken and serve as is, basted with your fave bbq sauce (or try my recipe below),served with sauce on the side...you know my motto - whatever makes you happy!
1 bottle Sweetwater Spice Company Chipotle Apple BBQ bath***
1-2 lbs chicken breasts (depending on how many you are feeding)
2 cups bbq sauce (I like Stubb's Original)
1/2 cup apple sauce
1-2 tbs minced chipotle peppers in adobe sauce***
Follow the directions on bottle of bbq bath for brining chicken breasts. While chicken is brining, combine bbq sauce, apple sauce and chipotle peppers in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a low boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Stir occasionally and simmer until ready to grill chicken.
Preheat grill. When ready add chicken breasts and grill 10-15 minutes, or until cooked through. Baste chicken with sauce last 5 minutes of grilling. Serve with additional sauce at table. Enjoy!
*** Chipotle peppers are optional. My kiddos like with plain bbq sauce.
*** Find Sweetwater Spice Co products at Whole Foods.
You can brine the chicken and serve as is, basted with your fave bbq sauce (or try my recipe below),served with sauce on the side...you know my motto - whatever makes you happy!
1 bottle Sweetwater Spice Company Chipotle Apple BBQ bath***
1-2 lbs chicken breasts (depending on how many you are feeding)
2 cups bbq sauce (I like Stubb's Original)
1/2 cup apple sauce
1-2 tbs minced chipotle peppers in adobe sauce***
Follow the directions on bottle of bbq bath for brining chicken breasts. While chicken is brining, combine bbq sauce, apple sauce and chipotle peppers in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a low boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Stir occasionally and simmer until ready to grill chicken.
Preheat grill. When ready add chicken breasts and grill 10-15 minutes, or until cooked through. Baste chicken with sauce last 5 minutes of grilling. Serve with additional sauce at table. Enjoy!
*** Chipotle peppers are optional. My kiddos like with plain bbq sauce.
*** Find Sweetwater Spice Co products at Whole Foods.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Texas Sheet Cake
Chocolate Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs plus 2 yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup sour cream
8 ounces semisweet chocolate , chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup cocoa powder
Chocolate Icing
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup toasted pecans*** ,chopped (nuts are optional...I prefer the taste of pure unadulterated fudgy chocolate cake)!
For the cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 18- by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet (aka jellyroll pan). Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in large bowl. Whisk eggs and yolks, vanilla, and sour cream in another bowl until smooth.
2. Heat chocolate, butter, oil, water, and cocoa in large saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk chocolate mixture into flour mixture until incorporated. Whisk egg mixture into batter, then pour into prepared baking pan. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer to wire rack.
3. For the icing: About 5 minutes before cake is done, heat butter, cream, cocoa, and corn syrup in large saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Off heat, whisk in confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Spread warm icing evenly over hot cake and sprinkle with pecans. Let cake cool to room temperature on wire rack, about 1 hour, then refrigerate until icing is set, about 1 hour longer. (Cake can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.)
The most important thing to know about Texas sheet cake...FROST it as soon as you remove it from the oven!!! This insures a fudgy, moist sheet cake.
***Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant (2-3 minutes)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs plus 2 yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup sour cream
8 ounces semisweet chocolate , chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup cocoa powder
Chocolate Icing
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup toasted pecans*** ,chopped (nuts are optional...I prefer the taste of pure unadulterated fudgy chocolate cake)!
For the cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 18- by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet (aka jellyroll pan). Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in large bowl. Whisk eggs and yolks, vanilla, and sour cream in another bowl until smooth.
2. Heat chocolate, butter, oil, water, and cocoa in large saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk chocolate mixture into flour mixture until incorporated. Whisk egg mixture into batter, then pour into prepared baking pan. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer to wire rack.
3. For the icing: About 5 minutes before cake is done, heat butter, cream, cocoa, and corn syrup in large saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Off heat, whisk in confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Spread warm icing evenly over hot cake and sprinkle with pecans. Let cake cool to room temperature on wire rack, about 1 hour, then refrigerate until icing is set, about 1 hour longer. (Cake can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.)
The most important thing to know about Texas sheet cake...FROST it as soon as you remove it from the oven!!! This insures a fudgy, moist sheet cake.
***Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant (2-3 minutes)
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Vegetable Curry
I have a new summer fave...this amazing curry from Clean Eating Magazine!!! I have made my tweaks to the original recipe and hope you enjoy this dish as much as I do!!!
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small sweet onion, chopped
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1" cubes
2 small zucchini, cut into 1" cubes
2 handfuls baby carrots, cut into 1/2" coins
1 generous handful of spinach, torn into big pieces
4 Roma tomatoes, chopped roughly
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp curry powder***
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup green lentils
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper
3 cups vegetable stock
plain kefir or greek yogurt
whole wheat naan or pita bread
Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven or stock pot over medium high heat. Add onion and saute until onions just begin to brown, about 3 minutes. Add eggplant, zucchini and carrots. Stir and continue to saute for another 10 minutes, until vegetables soften and become golden brown in spots. Add spinach, tomatoes and garlic and saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add curry powder, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, garlic powder, lentils and vegetable stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes, until vegetables are soft and lentils are tender. Taste and adjust salt & pepper if necessary.
While curry is simmering, brush naan/pita bread with olive oil and grill or broil to warm through.
Ladle curry into bowls and drizzle with a couple tbsp kefir or a dollop of yogurt and serve with naan or pita on the side.
*** I use Morton & Bassett brand curry powder. It is slightly spicy, sweet & smoky in flavor.
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small sweet onion, chopped
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1" cubes
2 small zucchini, cut into 1" cubes
2 handfuls baby carrots, cut into 1/2" coins
1 generous handful of spinach, torn into big pieces
4 Roma tomatoes, chopped roughly
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp curry powder***
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup green lentils
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper
3 cups vegetable stock
plain kefir or greek yogurt
whole wheat naan or pita bread
Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven or stock pot over medium high heat. Add onion and saute until onions just begin to brown, about 3 minutes. Add eggplant, zucchini and carrots. Stir and continue to saute for another 10 minutes, until vegetables soften and become golden brown in spots. Add spinach, tomatoes and garlic and saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add curry powder, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, garlic powder, lentils and vegetable stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes, until vegetables are soft and lentils are tender. Taste and adjust salt & pepper if necessary.
While curry is simmering, brush naan/pita bread with olive oil and grill or broil to warm through.
Ladle curry into bowls and drizzle with a couple tbsp kefir or a dollop of yogurt and serve with naan or pita on the side.
*** I use Morton & Bassett brand curry powder. It is slightly spicy, sweet & smoky in flavor.