Borscht

This is the recipe I made for book club, which I loved!  I found it on a blog called Natasha's Kitchen.  I think she might live out west near some of you.  This is the soup we discussed that is very deep red because of the beets - looks like a crime scene!

I didn't add the dill because I didn't have any, and sometimes I am iffy on dill.  I made it again this weekend because I was sick.  It is packed with vegetables and very hydrating, also delicious.  Great soup!

Ingredients:

• 3 medium beets, peeled and grated (use gloves to avoid staining your hands)
• 4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 8 cups chicken broth + 2 cups water
• 3 medium yukon potatoes, peeled and sliced into bite-sized pieces
• 2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 celery ribs, trimmed and finely chopped
• 1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 4 Tbsp ketchup or 3 Tbsp tomato sauce
• 1 can white cannelini beans
• 2-3 Tbsp white vinegar, or to taste
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 large garlic clove, pressed
• 3 Tbsp chopped dill

Instructions:

1. Peel and grate the beets.  Heat a large soup pot over medium heat and add 2 Tbsp olive oil.  Add grates beets and saute 10 minutes, stirrling occasionally until beets are softened.
2. While beets saute, peel and chop potatoes and carrots.  Finely dice celery, onion, and red pepper.
3. Add 8 cups broth and 2 cups water.  Add potatoes, carrots, and bay leaves to pot.  Cook for 10-15 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork.
4. While potatoes and carrots are boiling, heat a large skilled over medium heat and add 2 Tbsp olive oil.  Add chopped onion, celery, and bell pepper.  Saute, stirring occasionally until softened and lightly golden, 7-8 minutes.  Add 4 Tb ketchup and stir fry for 30 seconds, then transfer to pot with beets and potatoes.
5. Add 1 can of cannelini beans, drained and rinsed, 2-3 Tbsp white vinegar, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1 pressed garlic clove, and 3 Tbsp chopped dill.  Simmer at least 2-3 minutes, or until ready to serve.  Serve with sour cream.

Grilled Vegetable Flatbread Pizza

The perfect lunch-when you have an extra minute, or have a "Make Your Own Pizza Night" with this as a recipe for Mom and Dad and all the regular pizza ingredients for the kids.  Thanks again, Our Best Bites.

Ingredients

·       2 8-9 ounce Flatbreads

·       Nonstick Olive oil or canola spray

·       1 zucchini small-medium, sliced diagonally in thin pieces

·       3 slices red onion horizontally sliced, keep rings intact

·       1 Pinch Kosher Salt

·       Black Pepper

·       4 Tablespoons Pesto

·       4 Tablespoons Ricotta Cheese part skim

·       1/2 Teaspoon Garlic minced

·       2 Teaspoons Lemon Juice fresh squeezed

·       2 Tomatoes sliced thin

·       4 Ounces Mozzarella Cheese fresh, sliced thin

·       2-3 Tablespoons basil fresh, chopped

·       2 Teaspoons Balsamic Vinegar

Instructions

1.             Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.             Place flatbreads on a baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes.

3.             Remove from the oven.

4.             Heat a large indoor grill pan (or outdoor grill) to medium heat.

5.             Lightly spray one side of the zucchini and onion rings and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

6.             Grill the zucchini and onions oil side down for 3-5 minutes or until grill marks appear.

7.             Spray the other side with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, flip the vegetables and cook an additional 3-5 minutes.

8.             While vegetables are cooking, combine pesto, ricotta, garlic and lemon juice in a bowl.

9.             Spread the mixture on baked flatbreads, layer the zucchini, onions, tomatoes and mozzarella on the flatbreads.

10.          Return the flatbreads to the oven for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

11.          Sprinkle with basil and balsamic vinegar and serve.

Sheet Pan Fajitas

Guys... Just made these for the fam + Mike's brothers and they were a MAJOR hit!

Thank you Our Best Bites!

1 1/2-2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and sliced
1 large onion, sliced
2 large bell peppers (or 3 small/med ones), sliced
**I added half a head of cauliflower to add bulk since I was feeding so many people and it was delicious.**
3–4 tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 limes for squeezing
handful of cilantro

optional for serving: sour cream, guacamole/avocado, tortillas, rice and beans, etc.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Have a large sheet pan ready (cover with foil or parchment for easy clean-up). 

Place sliced chicken, onions, and peppers in an extra large mixing bowl.  Drizzle on oil and all seasonings. Toss to coat.   

Spread chicken and pepper mixture out evenly on baking sheet and place in oven.  Bake for 20-30 minutes (closer to 20 with convection) until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.  If desired, place under broiler for a quick minute to brown. 

Remove from oven and if desired, sprinkle cilantro over everything and give it a big squeeze of fresh lime juice (you might not need fresh lime if you used True Lime, but I say never enough lime.)

Serve with tortillas and traditional fixings, or over a bed of salad or veggies or rice and beans, etc. 

Indian Green Curry Chicken

I got this recipe from a friend who is married to an Indian man.  My whole family really enjoys this recipe!

2 C cilantro
1/2 C mint
2 jalapenos
1 Tb fresh ginger
1/2 C water

Puree the above ingredients to create a chutney. Set the chutney aside.

1/4 C canola oil
1.5 Tb cumin seeds
1 Tb coriander seeds
3 Tb pressed fresh garlic
1.5 C diced red onion
1 Tb salt
2 C plain yogurt
3 lbs chicken thighs, bone in
3 C basmatti rice

Heat oil in a heavy, shallow pan for one minute. Add cumin and coriander seeds and allow to sizzle for about 30 seconds.  Add the fresh garlic and diced red onions and saute for about three minutes.  Add salt. 

Turn off the heat, and after 2-3 minutes, stir in 1 C of the yogurt.  Add chicken thighs, stir, reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook for at least 25 minutes, stirring regularly.  If you cook this lower and slower the meat will be more tender.  Remove from heat and let the curry cool for about 20 minutes. 

Transfer chicken to a separate bowl, and remove the chicken from the bone, being careful not to shred the chicken.  Discard the bones and return the chicken pieces to the curry. 

Stir in the mint-cilantro chutney and the remaining C of yogurt.  About 15 minutes before serving, bring curry to a boil at a medium heat.  Turn the heat down and simmer for 10 minutes or until well mixed.  Serve over rice. 

Chicken and Chickpea Tagine

Guys, this is so, so tasty!  I made it for the first time tonight and the family loves it too, which is saying a lot!

I found this recipe on NYT Cooking.

INGREDIENTS
2 TB corn or canola oil
2 TB butter
1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt
Pinch nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Pinch cayenne
1 1/2-2 Cups chopped tomatoes (canned are fine)
4 Cups chickpeas (canned are fine, drain and rinse first)
1/2 C raisins or chopped, pitted dates
1/2 vanilla bean
8 chicken thighs
Chopped cilantro or parsley leaves

PREPARATION

1. Put oil and butter in a large skillet or casserole, which can be covered later, and turn heat to medium high. When butter melts, add onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it softens, 5 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, a large pinch of salt and spices. Cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, raisins and vanilla, and bring to a boil. (If mixture is very dry, add about 1/2 cup water.) Taste, and add salt as necessary.
2. Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt, and nestle them into sauce. Cover, and 5 minutes later adjust heat so mixture simmers steadily. Cook until chicken is very tender, 45 minutes to an hour. Taste, and adjust seasoning. Then garnish, and serve with couscous.

Lemon Chicken with Broccoli and Bow Ties from Food Network

This is one of our favorites! From Ina Garten.

Ingredients:

For the chicken:

3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4 lemons)
3/4 cup good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 pounds boneless chicken breasts, halved and skin removed


For the salad:

8 cups broccoli florets (4 heads)
1/2 pound farfalle (bow tie) pasta
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Zest of 1 lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

For the chicken, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and thyme. Pour over the chicken breasts in a nonreactive bowl. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight.

Heat a charcoal grill and cook the chicken breasts for 10 minutes on each side, until just cooked through. Cool slightly and cut diagonally in 1/2-inch-thick slices.

Meanwhile, for the salad, cook the broccoli for 3 minutes in a large pot of boiling salted water. Remove the broccoli from the water with a slotted spoon or sieve. Place in a large bowl and set aside.

In the same water, cook the bow-tie pasta according to the package directions, about 12 minutes. Drain well and add to the broccoli.

In a small saute pan, heat the butter and oil and cook the garlic and lemon zest over medium-low heat for 1 minute. Off the heat, add 1 tablespoon salt, 3/4 teaspoon pepper, and lemon juice and pour this over the broccoli and pasta. Toss well.

Add the chicken, pine nuts and Parmesan to the broccoli and pasta and toss well.

Pesto Baked Rigatoni

HEALTHY PESTO BAKED RIGATONI

Author: Pinch of Yum

Serves: 8-10

 

INGREDIENTS

For the pasta:

• 1 lb. whole wheat rigatoni
• 2-3 cups chopped heirloom tomatoes
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup shredded cheese of choice (I used Asiago)
• pesto (recipe follows)
• -I usually add bacon

For the pesto:

• 2 cups spinach
• 1 cup kale
• 1 cup basil
• ¾ cup almonds or pine nuts
• ½ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup Parmesan or Asiago cheese
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 large cloves garlic
• juice of 1 lemon (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. While the water is boiling, chop up the tomatoes - I just cut the little ones in half. Add the past to the water and cook according to package directions.
2. While the pasta is cooking, place all the pesto ingredients in the food processor until smooth. You may have to push the spinach down periodically to get everything moving. I had to do this in two batches because my food processor is very small. You should end up with 2 heaping cups of pesto.
3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss the cooked noodles with the chopped tomatoes, pesto, and enough water to make it a little saucy. Transfer to a 9x13 baking dish and sprinkle with the cheese. Cover loosely with well-oiled aluminum foil and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

I stole this recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction.  It makes a warm, yummy breakfast with protein and whole grains.

Ingredients:
Muffins
2 large, overripe bananas, mashed
1/4 C honey or pure maple syrup (I used honey)
1/4 C packed dark brown sugar
1/2 C plain Greek Yogurt
1 large egg
1/3 C unsweetened almond milk (or any kind of milk)
1/2 C creamy peanut butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 C white whole wheat flour (or whole wheat pastry flour, or a mix of whole wheat & regular)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Optional
1/3 C mini chocolate chips (I added these)
1/4 C creamy peanut butter, melted

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425.  Spray muffin pan with nonstick spray and lightly dust it with flour, or use paper muffin liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk the mashed bananas, honey, brown sugar, yogurt, egg, and milk together until combined.  Whisk in the peanut butter and vanilla extract until smooth and thick. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and chocolate chips together (if using).  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and lightly whisk until combined.  Try not to overstir the muffin batter or your muffins will have a tough (not soft) texture. Stir as little as possible until no flour pockets remain.

Fill the muffin cups practically all the way to the top. Between 3/4 full and all the way full. See photo above for a visual.  Bake for 5 minutes at 425F degrees. Keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350F and continue to bake for 12 more minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Drizzle muffins with melted peanut butter if desired. Muffins stay fresh at room temperature for 3 days. Muffins without peanut butter on top freeze well, up to 3 months.

Vegetable Lasagna

• From cooking Light
• 
  
• Ingredients:
• 
  
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 3/4 cup sliced mushrooms
• 3/4 cup chopped zucchini
• 1/2 cup sliced carrot
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1 (26-ounce) bottle fat-free tomato basil pasta sauce
• 2 tablespoons commerical pesto
• 1 (15-ounce) carton part-skim ricotta cheese
• Cooking spray
• 6 hot cooked lasagna noodles (about 6 ounces uncooked), cut in half
• 3/4 cup (3 ounce) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Prep:

Preheat oven to 375º.

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and the next 4 ingredients (mushrooms through onion); cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add pasta sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.

Combine pesto and ricotta in a small bowl. Spread 1/2 cup tomato mixture in the bottom of a 8-inch square baking dish or pan coated with cooking spray. Arrange 4 noodle halves over tomato mixture. Top noodles with half of ricotta mixture and 1 cup tomato mixture. Repeat layers, ending with noodles. Spread remaining tomato mixture over noodles; sprinkle with mozzarella.

Cover and bake at 375º for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes.

Notes: To make ahead, assemble as directed; stop before baking. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature; bake as directed. For easy cleanup, assemble in a disposable 8-inch aluminum-foil pan. If you're making for a gift, deliver uncooked with baking instructions.

Winter Fruit Salad with Pomegranate

Possibly my favorite fruit salad ever. No extra frills, just an amazing combination of delicious fruit and their yummy juices.

1 pomegranate
2 oranges
2 grapefruits
2 crisp apples (such as fuji or honeycrisp)
1 ripe yet firm pear
1 tbsp. sugar (I don't usually even do this)

Slice the pomegranate in half, from the crown halfway to the bottom. Use your fingers to break the two halves apart, then squeeze the halves over a large bowl to release the seeds and juices. Don't worry about getting all the seeds out; just get as many as you can easily without pulling out the membrane. Squeeze out as much juice as possible. Remove any bits of membrane from the bowl.

For each orange and grapefruit, slice a little off the top and bottom. Using a serrated knife, go around the fruit and cut off the skin and white pith. Holding the fruit in one hand and working over the fruit bowl, carefully cut the segments out from between the membranes. Be sure to cut only until you reach the middle of the fruit. Squeeze the remaining membrane over the bowl to release all the juice.

Cut the apples and pear into slices and toss with the other fruits. Add the sugar if desired and toss well, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Salmon with Couscous Pilaf

Salmon with Couscous Pilaf

·      1 pound carrots (about 6 medium) quartered lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick diagonally

·      1 cup couscous (uncooked)

·      ½ slivered almonds

·      ½ cup raisins

·      ¼ cup chopped fresh mint

·      1 tablespoon olive oil

·      coarse salt and ground pepper

·      4 skinless salmon fillets (6 to 8 ounces each) –I leave the skin on and peel it off when it’s cooked.  It gives you all those extra healthy fats

·      lemon wedges for serving

1. Preheat oven to 450 F.  In a 9x13 pan, mix together carrots, couscous, almonds, raisins, mint, oil 1 1/4 cups water, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

2. Place salmon fillets on top of couscous mixture; season generously with salt and pepper.  Cover pan with foil; bake until fish is opaque throughout, 30 to 35 minutes.

3. Transfer fish to plates.  Fluff couscous with a fork; serve with fish and lemon wedges.

Mediterranean Chicken (or Shrimp) Stew

Also from the Great Food Fast cookbook. Trying to put some of my favorites from random cookbooks on here for quick reference so I don't have to take my bulky cookbooks to Boston! Yummy Mediterranean flavor. We liked it best doing half chicken and half shrimp. You can also replace the chickpeas with cannellini beans.

"Creamy polenta provides a wonderful counterpoint to this hearty stew. (See previous post for recipe). To time everything right, brint the water to a boil while the chicken is browning, then add the polenta to the water when beginning step three of the chicken recipe."

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds chicken, cut into 3/4-inch chunks (or shrimp)
coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
3 tsp. olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (15.5 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 plum tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (2 cups)
2 tbsp. chopped pitted kalamata olives (about 5)
1 tsp. white-wine vinegar
1/3 c. chopped fresh parsley
polenta (see previous post), for serving

Season the chicken with 1 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tsp. of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes.  Transfer to a plate.

Reduce the heat to medium-low; add the remaining tsp. oil to the skillet. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add the chickpeas and 1 c. water. Bring to a boil; cook until the liquic is reduced by half, about 2 minutes.

Add the tomatoes; cook over medium heat until starting to break down, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the olives, vinegar, and chicken along with any accumulated juices to the pan; toss until warmed through, about 1 minute. Stir in the parsley. Serve over polenta.

Asian Slaw with Ginger-Peanut Dressing

From onceuponachef.com

 

Ingredients

For the Dressing

• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter (I like Skippy Natural No Need to Stir)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha sauce (Thai hot sauce - optional)
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 large garlic clove, minced

For the Slaw

• 4 cups prepared shredded coleslaw
• 2 cups prepared shredded carrots
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced into bite-sized pieces
• 1 cup cooked and shelled edamame
• 2 medium scallions, finely sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped salted peanuts (or you can leave them whole)
• 1/2 cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro
• Sometimes I throw in some chicken

Instructions

1. Make the dressing by combining all of the ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir until the peanut butter is dissolved. Set aside.
2. Combine all of the slaw ingredients in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss well. Let sit at least ten minutes so vegetables have a chance to soak up the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (I usually add a bit more salt.) Serve cold.

Zucchini Almond Burritos

zucchini almond burritos

3 cups chopped zucchini
1/3 c chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup frozen corn
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup salsa
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup sliced almonds
oregano, cumin and basil to taste
salt and pepper

cheese
sour cream
avocado
tortillas

in a skillet, sautee veggies and spices in oil until nicely softened. add salsa and beans and heat thoroughly. add almonds. fill tortillas with mixture and top with cheese, avocado, etc.