Minestrone Soup

Since the weather started cooling off, I've been in the mood for SOUP. Every lunch and dinner, all I want is soup, soup and more soup.

Minestrone has always been a favorite of mine, but I've never made it! I finally decided it was high time that I did.

So on a lazy Sunday afternoon, I made a batch of this for work day lunches. It is SO delicious and I know that it freezes beautifully. Make a few batches for your fridge, and then put a few more in your freezer. To thaw from your freezer, just put on your countertop overnight. In the morning, just put it in your refrigerator to store until you are ready to heat it up. This soup is hearty, flavorful and just so comforting.

So get yourself a slice of fresh Italian bread and a bowl of this hot soup and watch the bright red-orange leaves float to the ground outside your window.

Ingredients
Adapted from Epicurious.com, originally from Gourmet Magazine, March 1993

1/2 pound (about 1 1/4 cups) dried white beans such as Great Northern, picked over and rinsed 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 pound pancetta (Italian cured pork belly, available at Italian markets and specialty foods shops) or sliced lean bacon, chopped (I used bacon)
1/3 cup olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 large carrot, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 rib of celery, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 garlic cloves, chopped fine
2 zucchini, scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch dice (I used one very large zucchini)
1/4 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 pound boiling potatoes
4 cups shredded green cabbage (preferably Savoy) (I omitted)
1/2 pound kale, rinsed, drained, stems discarded, and the leaves chopped (about 6 cups)
a 28-ounce can tomatoes, chopped coarse and drained well
4 1/2 cups chicken broth (preferably low-salt)
2-3 springs rosemary, chopped (I added this)
2-3 springs thyme, chopped (I added this)

Directions

In a large bowl let the white beans soak in enough water to cover them by 2 inches overnight or quick-soak them. Drain the white beans, in a saucepan combine them with enough water to cover them by 2 inches, and simmer them, uncovered, adding more water if necessary to keep them barely covered, for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until they are tender. Add the salt and simmer the white beans for 5 minutes more. Remove the pan from the heat and let the white beans stand, uncovered.

In a heavy kettle cook the pancetta in the oil over moderate heat, stirring, until it is crisp and pale golden, add the onion, and cook the mixture, stirring, until the onion is softened. Add the carrots, the celery, and the garlic and cook the mixture, stirring, for 4 minutes. Add the zucchini, the green beans, and the potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch dice, and cook the mixture, stirring, for 4 minutes. Add the cabbage, kale, rosemary and thyme and cook the mixture, stirring, until the cabbage is wilted. Add the tomatoes and the broth and simmer the soup, covered, for 1 hour.

Drain the white beans, reserving the liquid, in a blender or food processor purée half of them with 1 cup of the reserved liquid, and stir the purée and the remaining white beans into the soup. Simmer the soup, uncovered, for 15 minutes, thin it if desired with some of the remaining reserve liquid, and season it with salt and pepper. The soup may be made 3 days in advance and kept covered and chilled, or frozen. Reheat the soup, thinning it with water as desired.

Salmon En Papillote

Salmon en Papillote is something that I've been meaning to make for a long time, but just haven't gotten around to. I definitely thought the hardest part about making this was trying to get the parchment paper to stay folded around the salmon! So, it was pretty easy. Perfect for a weeknight.

The result of this recipe was a super flavorful, very moist salmon fillet with a decidedly Mediterranean feel. Also, with the addition of fresh veggies and herbs, you have yourself quite a nice dinner all in one "Papillote."

Ingredients
Adapted from RecipeZaar

1/2 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small carrot, julienned
1/2 lemon
1 tomato, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
5 tablespoons white wine
1-2 (3 1/2 ounce) salmon fillets
light feta cheese
salt & freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Combine the onion, garlic, tomato, carrots and thyme in a bowl with the wine. Lightly squeeze lemon half over the onion mixture and mix together. Slice 2-3 thin pieces of lemon and set aside. Season the salmon with salt and pepper and place in a bowl and pour over the marinade. Leave for 5 minutes.

Lay out 1 large sheet of baking parchment on a baking tray and put a piece of salmon in the center. Spoon over the marinade and cover the fish, top with lemon slices and fold the paper to make a packet. Place in a dish and bake for 15 minutes or until fish is opaque in the center and flakes easily. Open the pouch, sprinkle feta cheese over the fish and serve.

Oven Roasted Chickpeas

I've seen this recipe time after time around the internet. A healthy snack that tastes great. So I decided to give in and try them once and for all.

I thought they were really good! A light, crunchy snack that will take away the hunger pangs without ruining your diet. I had no problem getting them nice and crunchy when I let them sit in the oven after turning it off. I also did not use any oil to save some calories/fat. For seasoning, I just used a bit of salt and some herbs de Provence after they came out of the oven. The seasoning doesn't stick great to the dry chickpeas, but it gave them a subtle flavoring that was perfect for me. But if you want them more seasoned, I'd imagine some oil would do the trick. Overall I thought this was a great little snack.

Ingredients
Adapted from AllRecipes.com

1 12 oz. can chickpeas, drained
kosher salt
herbs de Provence

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Pat chickpeas dry with a paper towel and spread on a foil lined baking sheet (without any cooking spray or oil). Roast for about 40-50 minutes, tossing them once or twice during baking time to prevent them sticking to the foil. After they are slightly crunchy on the outside, turn off the oven and let them sit in the oven for about an hour or two. After this, they should be very crunchy.

Put chick peas into a bowl and sprinkle with salt and herbs de Provence to taste. I used about 1 tsp. of each. Toss to combine and serve or store for later snacking.

Salmon with Lemon Ginger Sauce

I found this recipe at Mon Petit Peche Mignon when I was looking for a new salmon recipe to try. I think this recipe pushed me from an "I don't like salmon" kind of girl to an "I like salmon" girl. This was a great recipe. As per the comments on the blog, I cut the sauce recipe in half and even then I still had a ton of sauce! But the sauce was so good, I'm glad I had a lot. But I definitely suggest cutting the sauce in half if you are only making one or two filets. This recipe was fresh, light and healthful. I really enjoyed it and will certainly be making it again.
Ingredients
Source: Mon Petit Peche Mignon

Skin on salmon filets (however many you need; I just used one for myself)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
juice of one lemon
1 cup chicken stock
1-2 tbsp chopped fresh ginger (I used 1 tsp. ground ginger as that was all I had on hand)
1/4 tsp Tabasco sauce (I omitted)
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
4 tbsp cold water
1/4 cup milk
salt and pepper
handful of fresh cilantro or chive (I used thyme)
Directions
Prepare Salmon as you normally would. I preheat oven to 425°F, coat a baking dish with cooking spray and place salmon, skin-side (or skinned-side) down, in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with a bit of low sodium chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper, cover with foil and bake until opaque in the center and starting to flake, 15 to 25 minutes, depending on thickness.

To make the sauce, heat olive oil in a medium saucepan, add onion and cook until onion starts to get translucent. Add lemon juice and continue cooking 1 minute over low heat. Pour in chicken stock, Tabasco, ginger, and season well. Bring to a boil. Mix cornstarch with water in a small dish and then stir into sauce and cook for 1 minute over low heat. Add milk- if your milk is cold, spoon some of the hot sauce into it before adding to the pot so that it does not curdle. Bring to a quick boil, then remove from heat. Throw a handful of cilantro or other fresh herb into the pot and stir to distribute.

Correct the seasoning and spoon generously over salmon.

Couscous with Butternut Squash and Sage

I found this recipe on foodgawker and thought it would be a great side dish for dinner. I was excited about it because I love the squash/sage combination but didn't really think to put it with couscous. But turns out, it works out SO well! It was a really hearty side dish that was totally healthy (after I doctored the original recipe at least). This is one that my husband and I both liked very much and will certainly be making again.

Ingredients
Adapted from Oui, Chef

1 cup couscous
1 1/2 cups water or chicken stock (I use a combo. of both)
1 small butternut squash, halved, peeled, seeded and cut into bite size cubes
4-6 fresh sage leaves, minced
1 small shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Arrange butternut squash on sheet in a single layer, spray with a bit more cooking spray and top with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until squash is very tender.

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring water or stock to a boil. Add shallot, garlic, couscous and sage. Stir once, cover and set aside for about 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, remove cover from saucepan and fluff the couscous with a fork. Add cooked butternut squash. Stir everything together gently and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon

Confession: I decided I wanted to make this after having watched the movie Julie & Julia. After seeing this movie, I was totally inspired to make a Julia Child's recipe since I've never done so and the beef bourguignon looked like something I could actually handle.

This was simply really, really, really good beef stew (well, in my case a venison stew since I used venison). It was certainly much more complex then the beef stew that I usually make in the crock pot. It required careful timing and a good deal of prep work, but it certainly was a very manageable recipe. But I honestly have to say that my favorite part of the whole recipe was the brown braised onions. OH MY GOSH. Amazing is all I have to say. Those onions were melt in your mouth, perfectly cooked, flavorful perfection. I found myself picking the onions out of the stew to eat them by themselves. Yum.

But this really was a great recipe. I had a lot of fun making it, especially knowing how many other people have made it before me. Oh, and of course I skipped the mushrooms in this. Because we all know how I feel about mushrooms.

I found the link to the recipe on Pantry Raid and instead of typing the whole thing out, I'll just link you to the PDF so you can see the recipe right out of the book, and so I don't mess anything up by typing it. Enjoy!

Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon

Brown Braised Onions

Julia Child's Brown Braised Onions

I thought these needed a post to themselves. They were amazing in Beef Bourguignon, but they are also just a perfect side dish to I'd say just about any meal. They are just so amazing that I can't even describe how amazing they are. Did I mention they are amazing?! :)

And since this is a Julia Child's recipe, I'll link right to the PDF from the cookbook. Enjoy!

Brown Braised Onions

Oven Poached Salmon with a Creamy Dill Sauce

This was a recipe I decided to try because it just looked really flavorful for being healthy. Like I said before, I'm not a huge salmon fan but it really is a healthy fish so I want to try and incorporate it into my diet as much as I can.

This was really a great recipe. I was surprised at how much I liked it honestly. It couldn't be much easier to make and the result was a super flavorful fish fillet that didn't taste too "salmon-ey".

I chose to top the fish with a creamy dill sauce that worked out wonderfully and really complimented the flavors of the fish. I will definitely be making salmon this way again.
Ingredients
Source: Eating Well
Salmon
1 pound salmon fillet, cut into 4 portions, skin removed, if desired (I used one fillet, skin on)
2 tablespoons dry white wine (I used low sodium chicken stock)
Kosher Salt and Freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot, (1 medium)
Lemon wedges, for garnish
Dill Sauce
1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise (I omitted)
1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt (I used Greek)
1 tbsp low fat sour cream (I added this)
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill, or parsley
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a 9-inch glass pie pan or an 8-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.

Place salmon, skin-side (or skinned-side) down, in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with wine. Season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with shallots. Cover with foil and bake until opaque in the center and starting to flake, 15 to 25 minutes, depending on thickness.

Meanwhile, to make the dill sauce combine mayonnaise (if using), yogurt, sour cream, scallions, lemon juice, dill (or parsley) and pepper in a small bowl and mix well.

When the salmon is ready, transfer to dinner plates. Spoon a little dill sauce over the salmon and serve with lemon wedges.

Stained Glass Pappardelle

We all have those recipes that sit in our archives for ages. Ones that we really want to make but for some reason never get around to. Well this is that recipe. This was posted on Good Things Catered literally over a year ago, but I hadn't forgotten it. It is much too pretty to forget.

So on the last Saturday before my 2010 diet starts I finally decided to make this. First of all I have to say that I love the basic recipe for the pasta dough from this recipe. For some reason I found it much easier to work with then my other recipe. Also, I didn't make the dough in a food processor like the recipe suggested. I'm one of those rare people who don't believe they need a food processor so I just did the old mound of flour on the counter top with a well for the egg mixture technique. This of course worked fine, but I'm going to keep the food processor instructions since most of the world has a food processor.

I just think this pasta is beyond impressive. Visually, this pasta is just so interesting that it makes it much more appealing then regular pasta. If you want a pasta to impress, this is most certainly it.

*Note - I served this pasta with some Alfredo Sauce I had leftover which was great. However, Good Things Catered has a Parmigiano-Reggiano Cream Sauce Recipe which looks just delicious!

Ingredients
Source: Good Things Catered

2 1/4 c. sifted all-purpose flour, divided
1 small pinch salt
4 large eggs
2-3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small bunch of fresh parsley, leaves picked

Directions
-In bowl of food processor, add 2 c. flour and salt.
-Pulse to combine.
-Add eggs and olive oil and process until dough comes together fully, about 10-12 seconds.
-Remove top from processor and pinch dough with fingertips. You want a moist dough, but if it's too sticky, add flour 1 Tbsp at a time and process until dough is moist, but not sticky to the touch, should take an additional 30 seconds.
-Turn dough out onto well floured surface and knead for about 1 full minute, or until no streaks of flour remain and dough has come together cohesively.
-Turn dough into a ball and place on surface, under glass bowl for 30 minutes to let dough rest.
-After dough is rested, setup pasta roller.
-Divide dough in half.
-Roll half of pasta through thickest setting, fold in thirds, and then roll again.
-Repeat this rolling through thickest setting about 8 times or until pasta is completely uniform.
-Slowly decrease pasta roller width and take down to the thinnest setting.
-After you roll through the thinnest setting, set dough out on counter, sprinkle half of dough with small pieces of parsley leaves, fold other half of dough on top of parsley and press over to remove air pockets.
-Roll this through the pasta rollers one more time and set aside.
-Repeat rolling process with second half of dough.
-Take dough halves, cut into 12-16 inch sheets, fold each sheet and cut with a sharp knife into 1-inch strips, length wise.
-Place cut pasta out onto floured baking sheet to dry (15-20 minutes)while you bring large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
-Once water has come to rolling boil, pick all pasta up at the same time and drop into water.
-Boil until al dente, about 1 1/2 - 2 minutes, depending on thickness.
-Drain pasta, reserving some pasta water, and place into desired sauce.
-Use pasta water to add to sauce, as desired.
-Plate and serve immediately.

Makes about 1 lb.

Smoked Salmon Pinwheels

Remember Jimmy? Well after I made Jimmy so many apple pies this past autumn, he graciously gave me a whole (huge!) smoked salmon that his son caught in a local lake as "payment" for a belly full of pie.

I absolutely love smoked salmon which is weird because I'm not a huge salmon lover. But that flaky smoked fish is just so delectable...I usually just eat it straight out of the freezer bag. I was just more then grateful that Jimmy was nice enough to give me this fish...I've been munching on it ever since.

So when New Years Eve came around and we had our annual office party, I really wanted to make something that incorporated the smoked salmon so Jimmy and the rest of the fish-lovers that work with me would be able to enjoy it as much as I have over the past few months. After searching around online I found a few recipes for Smoked Salmon Pinwheels and sort of combined two recipes to make my own version.

These were just delicious. When I say they went like hotcakes I mean it. One batch was gone before I had time to slice up another. My co workers were totally impressed and just raved over them. These were a delicious little appetizer that are sure to wow your guests.

Ingredients
Adapted from: Betty Crocker & Taste of Home

1 8oz package reduced fat cream cheese
2 tbsp reduced fat sour cream
2 green onions, chopped
aprox. 1 cup smoked salmon
1/2 cup fresh spinach, rinsed and dried
6 8" flour tortillas
Juice of half a lemon (don't get every bit of juice out of the lemon, just a slight squeeze will do)
1 tbsp (aprox. 3 springs) fresh dill weed, chopped
kosher salt
freshly ground peppper

Directions
Soften cream cheese in microwave on 30 second intervals until soft and easy to stir. Add sour cream, green onions, lemon juice, dill weed and salt and pepper to taste. Spread about 1/4 cup cream cheese mixture on each tortilla. Over the cream cheese, sprinkle on a generous layer of smoked salmon. Over that, spread spinach leaves. Roll tortilla tightly and, if necessary, use more cream cheese mixture to secure edges. Wrap tortilla "roll" in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours but no more then 24 hours. When ready to serve, cut tortilla into aprox. 1 inch pieces and serve on a tray, cut side up.

Twice Baked Potatoes with Tarragon

I made this recipe along with my Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding for Christmas dinner. This recipe paired perfectly with the beef and was such a wonderful diversion from a traditional mashed or baked potato. This is also a wonderful side dish that you can make a few hours ahead. You can get the potatoes ready in advance (filling and all), set them aside for a bit, and then put back in the oven right before you are ready to serve. If you are wanting a "different" potato dish to serve, I urge you to try this.

Ingredients
Source: Williams-Sonoma Bride & Groom Cookbook, page 180

4 medium russet potatoes (I used 5)
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup milk
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
3 Tbsp crème fraiche or sour cream (I used sour cream)
1/3 cup chopped fresh tarragon (I used a bit less then this)

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prick the potatoes with a fork and rub with olive oil and sprinkle with 1 tbsp water. Wrap each potato in aluminum foil and bake for at least 1 hour or until the potatoes are fork tender. Remove the potatoes when ready and unwrap. Leave the oven on.

when the potatoes are cool enough to handle, halve them lengthwise. Scoop out flesh into a saucepan and set the skins aside. Mash the flesh with butter, milk, and salt and pepper to taste. Reheat over low heat and stir in the Crème fraiche or sour cream. Remove from heat and stir in the tarragon.

Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip with the mashed potato mixture. Pipe mashed potato mixture into each potato skin until filled evenly to the top. If you don't want to use a pastry bag, you can also fill the potato skins using a spoon. Place the filled potatoes on a baking sheet and bake until golden on top, about 15 minutes. Serve at once.

Whole Wheat Crackers with Herbs

If you're a regular reader of my blog I don't think I need to say that this is not exactly a healthy eating blog. I love to make really rich foods which is something I've gotten to be comfortable doing over the years. But it's completely caught up to me and my husband. So with the new year upon us and a trip to the beach a mere two months away, I'm really making an effort to eat "cleaner" and not so, uh, fatty.

So one of the first things I decided to make were these whole wheat crackers for my husband and I to bring to work during the week. I wanted to make them instead of buy them to avoid all the preservatives and other "unknowns" that are in store bought crackers.

These were very simple to make and you undoubtedly have everything for them in your pantry already. The base to this cracker is very simple and you can add whatever herbs and spices you want to make them your own. I chose this combination because I had all these herbs in my fridge but feel free to add whatever herbs you'd like.

These are great little crackers that are perfect to snack on during the day.

Ingredients
Adapted from Allrecipes

3 1/4 cups 100% whole wheat flour, I use King Arthur
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup water
kosher salt for sprinkling
2-3 springs fresh thyme, minced
5-6 fresh sage leaves, minced
2-4 sprigs rosemary, minced

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a medium bowl, stir together the whole wheat flour, 3/4 tsp teaspoon salt and minced herbs. Pour in the olive oil and water; mix until just blended.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough as thin as possible - no thicker than 1/8 inch (the thinner the better). Place dough on an ungreased baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and mark squares out with a knife, but don't cut through. Prick each cracker with a fork a few times, and sprinkle with salt.

Bake for at least 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until crisp and light brown. Baking time may be different depending on how thin your crackers are. When cool, remove from baking sheet, and separate into individual crackers.

Haricots Verts with Herb Butter

Well it's hard for me to believe that Christmas has come and gone for another year. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday that was filled with family, friends and of course, really good food!

I actually hosted two Christmas dinners this year (one for my parents and one for my in-laws), so in the next few days I will be posting some of the recipes I made.

I for one am VERY happy to not be posting a sweet recipe today. I have really found a love of baking but boy am I getting sick of Christmas Cookies, candies, bars, etc....so I'm glad to say that this recipe for haricots verts was simply wonderful. I trimmed and cleaned the green beans two days before serving, and kept them in a zip top bag with a damp paper towel. I also made the herb butter two days before as well. This worked perfectly, as the beans were fresh and crisp when I served them and the butter of course kept well in the fridge.

Not only did this side dish taste great, it was a lovely accompaniment to my Beef Wellington and really dressed up the plate. This is one that I will most certainly make again.

Ingredients
Source: Epicurious - Orignially from Gourmet, November 2007

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons finely chopped tarragon
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 lb haricots verts or other green beans, trimmed

Directions

Stir together all ingredients except haricots verts with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl until combined well.

Cook beans in a large pot of boiling salted water (1 tablespoon salt for 6 quarts water), uncovered, until crisp-tender, about 6 minutes, then drain. Toss with herb butter.

Notes: Herb butter can be made ahead and chilled, covered, 3 days or frozen, rolled into a cylinder in plastic wrap and kept in a sealed bag, 1 week. Haricots verts can be trimmed 1 day ahead and chilled in a sealed bag lined with paper towel (I did this two days ahead with no problems).

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Stuffed with Cream Cheese

This is a recipe I came up with when I felt totally uninspired for dinner one night. I had bacon and cream cheese on the verge of going bad in the fridge and wanted to use them up. My husband and I were happily surprised with how this came out. The bacon added so much flavor to the chicken breasts while the creamy cheese in the center was a wonderful addition. This is a meal I'm definitely making again.

Ingredients
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts pounded thin
3 oz light cream cheese
4-6 fresh sage leaves, minced
1 small shallot, minced
4-6 slices bacon
salt
pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a baking dish with non stick spray. In a small bowl, add the cream cheese and warm in microwave for 30 second intervals. After each 30 seconds, stir the cream cheese until it's completely smooth. Add sage, shallots, salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine. On the bottom of both chicken breasts, spread a liberal amount of the cream cheese mixture and "roll" chicken up and secure with toothpicks. Wrap 2-3 slices of bacon around each chicken breasts and secure bacon to chicken in necessary. Place in baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 1 hour, removing foil after 45 minutes. Remove toothpicks and serve.

Penne Pasta with Creamy Pumpkin Sauce

I've literally had this recipe in my drawer for over a year. I wanted to make it last year but my husband hates pumpkin everything (and he's not that picky...so when he doesn't like something I try to avoid it) and I just never got around to making it.

However, a few weekends ago he went up to hunting camp so that was the perfect opportunity for me to make this.

This was an easy dish to put together, and came out great. The pumpkin flavor was so nice and the creamy sauce just lent itself so nicely to the penne pasta. And honestly, the leftovers tasted almost better then the day I made this. It might take me another year to make this, but I will definitely make it again!

Ingredients
Source: Martha Stewart

12 ounces penne rigate (ridged), or other short pasta
Coarse salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary (I used dried)
3-4 leaves fresh sage, minced (I added)
1 can (15 ounces) pure pumpkin puree
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar (I omitted)
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for garnish (optional) (I omitted)

Directions

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 2 cups pasta water; drain pasta and set aside.

In pasta pot, heat oil over medium. Add rosemary and fry, stirring, until starting to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer rosemary to a paper towel, leaving oil in pot.

Carefully (oil is hot and will spatter) add pumpkin puree, garlic, half-and-half, Parmesan, vinegar, red-pepper flakes, and 1 cup reserved pasta water to pot. Stir sauce until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add pasta to sauce, and toss to coat. If sauce is too thick, add some reserved pasta water. Season generously with salt. Serve pasta sprinkled with fried rosemary and, if desired, more red-pepper flakes.

Saltimbocca alla Romana

This meal is one of me and my husband's favorites. It's quick, easy and a perfect weeknight dinner. It's a great departure from our "traditional" chicken or beef dinners which is always a welcome treat. All of the flavors work perfectly together, and you a left with a tender, flavorful and absolutely delicious meal.

Ingredients
Source: Williams-Sonoma Italian Cookbook, page 64

4 veal cutlets, about 5oz. each (I used 3)
8 thin slices prosciutto
16 fresh sage leaves
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lb spinach, stems removed and leaves well rinsed and chopped (I omitted)
salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Juice of 1 lemon

Directions
Place each veal cutlet between 2 pieces of parchement paper and set on a work surface. Using a rolling pin, roll to an even thickness of about 1/4 inch. Remove the top sheet of paper and cut each cutlet in half. (I omitted these first steps because my cutlets were already very thin).Arrange a slice of prosciutto on each cutlet half, folding it to fit if necessary, and top the prosciutto with 2 sage leaves. Secure with toothpicks, threading them through the layers. Repeat with remaining cutlets.

In a large saute pan over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and saute until softened but not browned, 1-2 minutes. Add the spinach and saute until the spinach is wilted and all of its rinsing water has evaporated, 5-7 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving platter and keep warm (I omitted the spinach portion of this meal, since my husband and I don't like it).

Just before serving, in a saute pan large enough to hold the veal in a single layer, melt the butter over medium heat until it foams. Add the veal, proscituto side down, and cook until lightly browned on one side, about 1 minute. Using a spatula, turn and cook on the second side until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Add the lemon juice to the pan and season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

Arrange the veal on top of the spinach and remove the toothpicks, Sertve at once, placing 2 pieces of veal and a portion of the spinach on each individual plate and drizzling with the sauce.

Tomato & Goat Cheese Tart

This tart exudes summer. The freshness of the tomato and basil is balanced by the rich puff pastry shell and the goat cheese works perfectly with all the flavors described. In addition, the caramelized onions add a wonderful smoothness. This tart would be the perfect addition to any summer party. My husband and I both enjoyed this tart very much, and I will definitely be making it again!

Ingredients
Source: Ina Garten

1 package (17.3 ounces/2 sheets) puff pastry, defrosted
Good olive oil
4 cups thinly sliced yellow onions (2 large onions)
3 large garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons dry white wine
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves (I used herbs de Provence instead)
4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, plus 2 ounces shaved with a vegetable peeler
4 ounces garlic-and-herb goat cheese (recommended: Montrachet) (I used plain goat cheese)
1 large tomato, cut into 4 (1/4-inch-thick) slices
3 tablespoons julienned basil leaves

Directions

Unfold a sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll it lightly to an 11 by 11-inch square. Using a 6-inch wide saucer or other round object as a guide, cut 2 circles from the sheet of puff pastry, discarding the scraps. Repeat with the second pastry sheet to make 4 circles in all. Place the pastry circles on 2 sheet pans lined with parchment paper and refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium to low heat and add the onions and garlic. Saute for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are limp and there is almost no moisture remaining in the skillet. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the wine, and thyme and continue to cook for another 10 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned. Remove from the heat.

Using a sharp paring knife, score a 1/4-inch-wide border around each pastry circle. Prick the pastry inside the score lines with the tines of a fork and sprinkle a tablespoon of grated Parmesan on each round, staying inside the scored border.

Place 1/4 of the onion mixture on each circle, again staying within the scored edge. Crumble 1 ounce of goat cheese on top of the onions. Place a slice of tomato in the center of each tart. Brush the tomato lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with basil, salt, and pepper. Finally, scatter 4 or 5 shards of Parmesan on each tart.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. The bottom sheet pan may need an extra few minutes in the oven. Serve hot or warm.

Dill and Cheddar Cornbread

I had a bunch of beautiful fresh dill from the farmers market that proved to be too much for my batch of Dill Pickles (that's another post!), so I was looking for a way to use it before it went bad. Then I was watching Barefoot Contessa on TV and Ina was making this delicious looking cornbread along with some braised short ribs. I thought this would be the perfect thing to make with my fresh dill.

I really loved this cornbread. I'm a huge fan of dill and that along with the sharp cheddar and moist corn bread was a perfect combination in my book. However, I do feel obliged to mention that my husband just said it was "weird"...so I don't think he loved it as much as I did. I think that he was surprised with the flavor of the dill in such a traditional corn bread. Either way, I can assure you that if you like dill you will love this cornbread! A perfect addition to a Sunday dinner.

Ingredients
Source: Ina Garten

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups milk
3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease the pan
8 ounces aged extra-sharp Cheddar, grated, divided
1 cup minced fresh dill

Directions

Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and butter. With a wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the dry until most of the lumps are dissolved. Don't overmix! Mix in 2 cups of the grated Cheddar and the dill, and allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking pan.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with the remaining grated Cheddar. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and cut into large squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Stuffed Zucchini

With an abundance of fresh zucchini growing in my garden, I am always looking for creative ways to prepare it. This recipe is extremely easy so it is perfect for weeknight cooking. The ricotta dresses up the zucchini without overwhelming the flavor. In addition, I use reduced fat ricotta so it's really not that bad for you. This can easily be served as a vegetable or a side and is wonderfully flavorful!

Ingredients
Source: Williams-Sonoma Bride & Groom Cookbook, page 157

4 Zucchini (I used 2)
Olive Oil for greasing
1 cup fresh ricotta (I use reduced fat)
1/4 Grated Parmesan
1 tbsp. flour
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
Pinch of ground cayenne pepper (I omit)
Pinch of grated lemon zest (I omit)
2 tbsp. freshly grated pecorino romano or parmesan
Leaves from 1 large spring fresh basil
2 small garlic cloves, minced (I added)

Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the whole zucchini and reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer the zucchini just until tender, 10-15 minutes. Drain and let cool.

Preheat the broiler (I just set the oven to 400 degrees and use the top rack). Lightly oil a large baking pan or sheet. In a bowl, stir together the ricotta and 1/2 cup Parmesan with the flour, salt and black pepper to taste, the cayenne, lemon zest and minced garlic. Slice the zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a small spoon. Place the zucchini in the prepared baking pan. Season with salt and pepper and fill with the cheese mixture to form soft mounds. Sprinkle with he pecorino romano cheese. Place under the broiler until the cheese is warm and starts to brown slightly, 5-10 minutes. Remove from the broiler, chop the basil leaves, and sprinkle on top. Serve warm.