Tag: Entre

White Bean Rosemary Pasta Soup

A delicious,healthy, easy to make soup with lots of beans and pasta with a delightful rosemary garlic broth. P.S. The conchiglie pasta captures the beans.

 Ingredients

1 medium sweet onion chopped

1 cup fine diced carrots

1 cup fine diced celery or 3 stalks

3 T olive oil

2 cans cannellini beans drained and washed

1 can garbanzo beans drained and washed

5 cups vegetable broth* or chicken broth

1/3 cup crushed tomatoes – Pomi Crushed if available

6 rosemary stems tied*

1/4 t crushed red pepper

1 1/2 cup Conchiglie* shells or large shell pasta.

Salt and pepper

Directions

In medium sauce pan sauté onions, carrots, and celery in olive oil for about 5 minutes.

Add 2 cups of broth, beans, rosemary, and crushed red pepper. Cook over medium high heat for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add 3 cups of broth and pasta. Bring to boil and simmer for 12-15 minutes.

Remove rosemary stems.

Serve with toasted rosemary bread or sourdough for dipping and a green salad.

Notes

* We use Swanson’s ® vegetable broth when we are having a vegetarian meal. It does not have a heavy carrot influence.

* I love Rosemary. Most people would use 1 or 2 stems.

* Conchiglie shells are usually hard to find in our grocery stores but are preferred in this soup. The on-line stores have them or use large shells.

 

 

Shrimp Quesadillas with Corn Salsa

Ingredients

Salsa

1/2 cup fresh sweet corn

1/2 Serrano  chili chopped fine

2 T shallot

1/2 lime juiced

1 T olive oil

Pinch of salt

Quesadillas

1/3 pound medium shrimp

1/2 cup sweet corn

1/2 Serrano chili fine chop

3 T cilantro chopped

1/8 t cumin

1 lime juiced

2 cups Queso Fresco or Mexican blend cheese shredded

Pinch of salt

2 large taco shells

Directions

Salsa

Add ear of sweet corn to boiling waster and blanch for one minute. Remove and dip in cold water. Cut corn from cob and place in small bowl. Add chili, cilantro, and shallot and combine, Add lime juice and olive oil and mix. Add salt mix and refrigerate for couple hours for flavors to meld. Serve with shrimp  quesadillas.

Quesdilla

Peel and devein shrimp then poach for 1 minute. Remove and place in iced cold water and remove to small bowl. If using fresh sweet corn, blanch it for 1 minute and dip it into cold water. Cut corn from cob and place it in shrimp bowl. Add cilantro, chili, salt, and cumin in bowl with 1 lime juiced. Let the flavors blend for 30 minutes. Drain the liquid from the shrimp mixture.

Place large skillet on medium high heat. Add 1/4 teaspoon of olive oil and spread it around with spatula. Place taco shell in pan and heat until bubbles form, turn shell and heat until bubble appear.  Add 1/2 shrimp mixture and 1/2 cheese and cook until cheese melts. Fold taco shell over mixture like an omelet. Remove from pan and cover. Cook second taco and the plate and serve the quesadillas with corn salsa.

Note: When using Queso Fresco I cover the taco with shrimp and cheese mixture with a lid because the cheese melts slower than for example a Monterey Jack Cheddar combination.

 

 

Almond Crusted Dover Sole Recipe

Ingredients

8 Dover Sole filets

1 egg beaten

1/2 cup panko

1/2 cup almonds chopped

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese shredded

2 t thyme

1 t salt

1/2 t pepper

4 T olive oil

2 T butter

Lemon slices

Directions

Oven warmed to 170 and shut off prior to frying sole.

Add 1 T water to beaten egg and set aside. Chop the almonds to small chunks in mini-food processor. Add chopped almonds, panko, Parmesan, thyme, salt, and pepper in large rimmed dish and combine.

Dip sole in egg wash and then in panko almond mix. Firmly pat mix to fish and place on wire rack.

Heat 2 T olive oil and 1 T butter on medium high heat in large skillet. When hot add 4 fillets and cook about about 2 minutes per side. Remove to serving platter and place in pre- warmed oven. Wipe skillet with paper towel then add remaining olive oil and butter, bring up to heat. Add 4 pieces of sole, cook about  2 minutes per side. Remove to platter and serve with lemon slices.

Note: Sole filets can be very small so I serve 2 per person. A hot skillet prevents the breading from absorbing oil during frying stage

Serves 4

 

Juicy Chicken Mushroom Mozzarella Burgers

Ingredients

1 1/2 pound ground chicken breast

1/2 pound Cremini mushrooms sliced

1/2 pound shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 t thyme

1 t salt

1/2 t pepper

3 T olive oil

Ingredients

Heat 1 T olive oil over medium high heat. Add mushrooms and toss to coat then cook until moisture is evaporated. Remove from heat, cool, and fine chop.

Add ground chicken, chopped mushrooms, shredded mozzarella, thyme, salt, and pepper and  combine. Divide mixture into 4 piles and shape into patties.

Heat 2 T olive oil in non-stick large skillet over medium heat and fry patties  5- 7 minutes per side until thoroughly cooked.

Serve on large buns topped with mayonaise, slices of avacado, and lettuce.

 

 

Meatloaf Recipe

An easy to make meatloaf that is delicious as an entre and leftovers make a tasty sandwich.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pound 85% hamburger

1 large onion medium chop

2 garlic cloves minced

2 T olive oil

3 slices bread crusts removed

1/3 cup milk

1/3 cup beef broth

2 eggs

1 T Worcestershire Sauce

2 t garlic salt

1/2 t pepper

3/4 cup barbecue sauce or ketchup

Directions

Oven 350º F  Parchment paper covered baking dish

Cut off bread crusts and soak in milk beef broth mixture.

In skillet add olive oil over medium low heat, add garlic and onions. Cook until translucent  about 7-8 minutes; remove from heat and cool.

Combine in mixing bowl ground beef, bread mixture, onion mixture, Worcestershire sauce, garlic salt, pepper, and eggs. Mix ingredients together with hands until incorporated. Transfer to baking dish and form into loaf. Cover with sauce of choice.

Bake 50-60 minutes or until reaching an internal temperature of 160º  using a quick reading thermometer.

Serve hot with smashed potatoes.

 

 

 

 

Shrimp Coconut Curry

Ingredients

Brine Solution

1/4 cup kosher salt

2 T brown sugar

1 T soy sauce

4 cups water

1 cup ice cubes

Curry

1 1/2 pound large shrimp shells removed, deveined, brined, and dried.

1 T  butter

2 T olive oil

2 gloves garlic minced

1 container Maya Kaimal Coconut Curry Simmer Sauce*

1 red pepper chopped

1 serrano chili seeded and diced

2 T olive oil

1 15 ounce can small baby corn cut into 1 inch pieces

1/2 cup of water

3 T cilantro chopped

Lime wedges

Optional

Naan bread

Directions

Brining Step

Add salt,sugar, and soy sauce to water and mix until salt and sugar dissolved.  Add shrimp and ice cubes to brine. Brine 15-20 minutes. Remove shrimp, shell, devein, and dry.

Curry

Add butter and olive oil to large skillet over medium high heat and add garlic. Cook a couple of minutes until fragrant then add shrimp. Cook a few minutes and turn over and finish cooking on other side until light pink and opaque. Remove to plate and set aside. Add olive oil to small Dutch oven or large skillet. Add Serrano chili and red pepper. Cook 4-6 minutes over medium heat. Lower heat and add curry sauce,shrimp with juices and baby corn,simmer a few minutes until shrimp is heated. If sauce becomes to thick add water and mix.  Serve over Jasmine rice or quinoa with cilantro and lime wedges.

*Maya Kaimal has refrigerated and shelf stable sauces. I use the refrigerated sauces. Our Costco carries a double package of their Vindaloo Indian Simmer Sauce and Coconut Curry Simmer Sauce in the refrigerated section.

 

 

Kids Favorite Sloppy Joes

Ingredients

1 pound 85% lean hamburger*

1 medium yellow onion chopped fine

Pinch of salt

1 can Campbell’s chicken rice soup

1/2 can beef broth

1 T catsup

2 T Dijon mustard

1 t  Worcestershire sauce

Salt and pepper

6 pretzel buns

 

Directions

Add salt and brown hamburger and onions in large skillet over medium high heat. Drain hamburger. Add remaining ingredients and cook for 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning. Serve on pretzel buns.

* More flavorful than 90% lean burger.

Chicken Breasts Smothered in Cherry Tomatoes

Ingredients

Brine  Solution

1/2 cup Kosher salt

1/4 cup brown sugar

4 cups water

2 bay leaves

 

2 chicken breasts skinless halved

Salt and pepper

2 T olive oil

2 shallots fine chopped

4 garlic cloves minced

1/2 t crushed red pepper

1/2 cup dry white wine to deglaze

1 cup cherry tomatoes

1 t Herbes de Provence

1 lemon half

Chopped parsley

Parmesan cheese

Directions

Add salt, sugar, and bay leaves to water. Add chicken breast  and brine for 30 minutes to one hour.

Heat skillet with olive oil on medium high heat. Remove chicken from brine, dry, and pound to 1 inch. Cut in half, salt and pepper both side. Place in skillet and cook until golden brown about 6 minutes per side. Remove breasts to plate and set aside. Add shallot,garlic, and red pepper  to pan; saute until soft not brown. Deglaze the pan with white wine.  Add cherry tomatoes and Herbes de Provence and bring them up to simmer. Add chicken breast and juices on plate back into mixture. Cook until tomatoes pop and chicken is cooked, about 12-15 minutes. Adjust seasoning, juice lemon, add Parmesan. Serve over quinoa or pasta.

 

Sweet Corn Risotto

Ingredients

4 cups Swanson Chicken Cooking Stock

3 cups water

2 T olive oil

2 T butter

1 medium sweet onion fine chopped

2 cups arborio rice

1 cup dry white wine

Salt and fresh ground black pepper

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup fresh cut sweet corn kernels

1/8 t nutmeg

Directions

Bring the chicken stock and water to simmer in saucepan. Keep the broth warm on low heat.

Place butter and olive oil in 4 quart sauce pan and melt over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft. Do not brown. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently until translucent 3-4 minutes. Add white wine and stir until it is absorbed. Add 2 cups of warm broth stirring  until liquid is absorbed about 9-11 minutes. Add 1 cup broth stirring occasionally until absorbed. Do not let bottom of pan get dry. Add 1/2 cup broth, corn, and nutmeg. Stir until absorbed. Continue adding broth until rice is al dente about another 10-15 minutes.  Stir in cheese and adjust seasoning.

 

 

Alaska Halibut Fish Sticks

Ingredients

2 pounds of halibut*

8 T butter melted in small bowl

2 cup Ritz or Town crackers crushed

3/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated

1 t Italian Seasoning

1  t salt

1 t pepper

1/8 t cayenne(optional)

Directions

Heat oven to 400º Aluminum foil cooking sheets

Mix crushed crackers, Parmesan, and seasonings in large rimmed bowl.

Skin and dry the halibut. Cut halibut into 3/4 wide pieces. Dip into butter and then coat with cracker Parmesan mixture. Press the coating firmly onto the fish. Place on baking rack place on baking sheet and do not crowd. Bake 15-20 minutes until fish flakes and crust is golden brown. Remove and serve. Maybe served with lemon garlic mayonaise sauce or tartar sauce.

Note:
If you like heat add 1/8 t of cayenne. We enjoyed our fresh caught halibut and salmon last night. Halibut fish sticks and curry honey glazed salmon with grilled asparagus, potato salad, and for dessert fresh raspberries with lime sorbet.

*If halibut is too expensive cod can be substituted