Winter Minestrone from Ina Garten

I knew I wanted to make a big pot of soup this week to combat the frosty chill in the air, so I pulled down some of my favorite recipes to see where inspiration would strike. As I was flipping through chicken soups, vegetable soups, and various takes on chili, I remembered that my mom just saw an Ina Garten episode on the Food Network where she made a minestrone and stirred pesto in at the end. Knowing my love of pesto (evidence here), Mom told me about it, and I thought this week was the perfect time to give it a try.

Let me tell you, it’s a keeper – heading straight to the top of the favorites box.  This is a minestrone that is chock full of great veggies and not too heavy on what I would see as the fillers – beans and pasta.  The carrots hold a bit of their firmness, while the butternut squash melts away to a sweet creaminess in your mouth. The beans and greens give it a heartiness, but at the same time, the broth keeps it light. And the finish of pesto just brings the soup to life as you stir in basil, garlic, and parmesan.

If you’re looking to try out a new soup as this winter is (hopefully) winding down, I highly recommend this one – Ina Garten’s Winter Minestrone.

A couple of notes: I did substitute chopped kale greens instead of the baby spinach. I prefer the flavor and texture of kale and have always thought of it as a perfect complement to butternut squash.  Also, I used my own homemade chicken stock which has some salt in it, so I didn’t use quite as much salt as the recipe calls for.

(And the picture is from the Food Network website; we gobbled ours up before I thought to get a photo!)

Silky Mocha Pie

After a couple of posts with nice, healthy recipes, how about today we go with chocolate pie? Don’t mind if I do!

As we were going stir crazy in the house last week, listening to branches crack and fall under the weight of the ice and watching cars slide down the road, there came a time when I needed chocolate. Rich, creamy, pure chocolate is all that would do. So I thought, okay, I can’t get to the grocery store, what do I have in the house to make something fantastic that will lift all of our spirits?

Pie was the answer. Oh, who am I kidding, pie is always the answer! I can easily make a pie crust using pantry staples that we always have on hand. (My go-to is Ina Garten’s Perfect Pie Crust.) Now for the custard filling. Milk? check. Eggs? check. Sugar, vanilla, and dark chocolate? Check, check, and check. At the last minute, I also decided to stir in some coffee granules to go in a more mocha direction, and because I like different textures, some toasted pecans on top for crunch. I used almond milk, but of course, you can use regular. Regular milk may thicken faster than the almond milk; if it gets too thick, just add a splash more milk.

The Hubby and I shared the last piece last night, and I was so sad to see it end. What will I do without my nightly treat of smooth, melt-in-my-mouth chocolate and crunchy pecans? Make another mocha pie, that’s what!

Silky Mocha Pie

• 1 Pie Crust, store-bought or home made
• ½ cup White Sugar
• ½ cup Brown Sugar
• ¼ teaspoon Salt
• ¼ cup Cornstarch
• 2 cups Almond Milk
• 4 Egg Yolks
• 6 ounces Dark Chocolate, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 tablespoon Instant Coffee Granules
• ½ cup toasted Pecans, chopped

Fit pie crust into pie pan or tart pan and bake according to package or recipe directions. Let cool completely.

In medium sized sauce pan, mix together white sugar, brown sugar, salt, and cornstarch.

In separate bowl, whisk together milk and egg yolks until well combined. Stir into sugar mixture in pan. Cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly, just until a boil is reached.  It should thicken quickly at this point. Once it thickens enough to coat your spoon, remove from heat and stir in chocolate, vanilla, and coffee until all chocolate is melted and custard is smooth.

Pour into pie shell and chill for at least 2 hours. Top with toasted pecans before serving.

Menu Monday – #8

I actually have it pretty easy this week. I’m getting out of the house for two nights! The Hubby and I have tickets to a show one night, and then some friends and I are having a girls’ night! I’m not usually this much of a social butterfly, but after being trapped in the house because of all the ice last week, I’m relishing the chance to get out! Until then, it’s business as usual, and I’ve got some yummy meals planned.

MONDAY

Minestrone and Fresh Baked Oatmeal Bread

TUESDAY

Pork Chops and Rice

WEDNESDAY

Pasta with Butter-Roasted Tomato Sauce and Homemade Meatballs

THURSDAY

Date Night – Dinner and a Show!

FRIDAY

Girls Night Out!

Ice, Ice, Baby

Well, the typical Tennessee winter storm rolled in with a fury this week. Snow, you ask? Nope. Ice, ice, and more ice.

The schools have closed for the week, the grocery store is out of milk and bread (why people feel like these are the things they need most, I’ll never know), and there is a press conference at least twice a day with city officials telling us to just stay off the roads.

Needless to say, I haven’t gotten a whole lot done, especially not fun DIY projects, recipe testing, or blog writing. We’ve mostly been ice sledding, building couch forts, and listening to branches crack outside praying that they don’t hit the house. So today I just leave you with a few pictures from our icy wonderland and promise to get back to our regularly scheduled program next week.

 

Rope Wrapped Lampshade

I’m definitely a can’t sit still kind of person. Just like my Little Guy, I always have to have my sticky little fingers in something. Even when I know I need to take some time for myself and just sit and relax, I still have to be multitasking in some way. As long as I can keep my hands busy, I’m happy.  That’s why I like easy little projects that I can do inside while I’m having my “me time”.

This lampshade is one of those easy projects.  I do love wrapping things in rope and twine (see my how-to for twine wrapped wine bottles here), and when I was gifted some plain jane bell-shaped lamp shades from the 90’s, I immediately ripped off the old fabric to get down to the bones.  I decided to try wrapping rope around the shade to get that organic look that I love.

I grabbed my hot glue gun and got to work.  I started by applying a thin line of hot glue all the way around the top ring and attaching the rope. From there, I wrapped it around, applying glue to every other spoke on the lamp shade to adhere the rope. All in all, it was pretty easy and took a couple of hours. My shade used two 50-foot spools of quarter inch sisal rope from the hardware store.

I love how it turned out; it’s the coolest lampshade! I also discovered that upside-down it makes an amazing basket! And, for when the weather gets warmer, I’m thinking about getting a light kit to make the shade into a free-hanging fixture for our patio.

Menu Monday – #7

The Hubby has to work late all week, so being down a set of hands, I’m going to make it easy on myself. That means utilizing meals I can mix up ahead and then just throw in the oven (meatloaf), pulling out the crock pot (BBQ chicken), and relying on meals that really take no time to prepare (sausage and peppers over pasta).

MONDAY

Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches and Fries

TUESDAY

Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, and Peas

WEDNESDAY

Asian Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Stir Fried Vegetables and Rice

THURSDAY

Chicken Sausages with Onions and Peppers over Pasta

FRIDAY

Leftovers!

Black Bean & Quinoa Sliders

I’m not a vegetarian, but when there’s meatless food that tastes this good, I easily could be.

This is a recipe I developed while experimenting with some ideas for easy, healthy lunches for the days that I’m busy around the house, and I could not be happier with these sliders. We had these for dinner one night last week, and then I ate the rest for my lunches (except for a couple which I gave to my mom to try!).

The texture came out perfect – crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The black beans give the sliders a hearty creaminess and the quinoa almost pops in your mouth. Garlic, green onion and cumin add the punch of flavor that you just can’t beat.

I served my sliders on mini ciabatta buns with avocado, and loved them! Then my mom said she put hers in a pita pocket with a smear of hummus, so I tried that and loved them even more! I will definitely be making another batch to have for my lunches next week. Don’t worry Mom, I’ll bring you some too!

Black Bean and Quinoa Sliders

• ½ cup uncooked Quinoa
• 1 cup Water
• 1 can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 Green Onion, diced
• 2 cloves Garlic, rough chopped
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Cumin
• 1 Egg, beaten

Cook quinoa in the water according to package directions. Let cool. (This can be done ahead.) Place in large bowl.

Pulse black beans, green onion, and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. Place in bowl with quinoa. Add salt and cumin, mix well. Stir in beaten egg until combined.

Using your hands (wet hands can help if the mixture is too sticky), form patties of your desired size. I used a 2” ice cream scoop to make slider size patties.

Place patties on a parchment lined baking sheet. Refrigerate at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 475⁰. Bake for 12 minutes, then flip patties and bake another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

This recipe makes 9 slider sized patties.

 

Butternut Squash and Asparagus Lasagna Rolls with Cauliflower Sauce

Do you ever get an idea in your head, and you just can’t let it go until you do something with it? For me, it happens all the time, and almost always has something to do with food.  I’ll think about flavor combinations and twists on old favorites and practically obsess about an idea until I just have to get what I need from the store and make it happen. Does it always come out just as I had imagined? Um, no. Does it always come out edible? Sadly,the answer is still no. But I keep trying, and this one here, this one was a success!

I started thinking about butternut squash, asparagus, and pancetta a while ago. I knew I wanted to put them together, and finally, I decided to go with a lasagna roll. I’ve always loved putting different flavors and textures together in a lasagna, and rolling the individual pasta sheets always makes for such a nice presentation.

I was stuck on the sauce. Alfredo? Brown butter sage? Both good options, but instead I chose to give a new one a try. These days you can’t spend any time on Pinterest without seeing ten different versions of a cauliflower sauce, so why not jump on the bandwagon? I looked at several recipes and came up with my method below, but by no means should I take credit for inventing cauliflower sauce. Thanks to everyone who came before me!

I will say, oh my goodness that sauce is good! I wanted to just eat it right out of the blender. It’s very similar to an alfredo sauce. Even the Hubby liked it! Of course, after I told him what it was, he renamed it “al-fraud-o sauce”. He’s so clever.

All kidding aside, this is one yummy dish. The sweet butternut squash, the salty pancetta, and bright asparagus all wrapped in al dente pasta and topped with a light, creamy sauce. Fantastic.

 

Butternut Squash and Asparagus Lasagna Rolls with Cauliflower Sauce

Cauliflower Sauce

• 1 head Cauliflower, cut into florets
• 3 cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth
• 2 cloves Garlic, halved
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/8 teaspoon Pepper
• 1/4 cup Butter, melted

Lasagna Rolls

• 3 cups Roasted Butternut Squash (about half a butternut squash)
• ½ pound Asparagus, diced
• 4 ounces diced Pancetta
• 12 Lasagna Noodles

For the cauliflower sauce – Bring chicken broth to a boil in a medium sized pot. Reduce to simmer, add cauliflower and garlic and cook, covered for 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cooked cauliflower and garlic to a blender. Reserve ¼ cup cooking liquid. Blend slightly, then add salt, pepper, reserved liquid, and melted butter and blend until pureed. Set aside.

For the lasagna rolls – Mash or puree roasted butternut squash to desired consistency. Add a bit of liquid if needed.  I like mine thick, so I just mash it. Set aside.

Cook pancetta over medium high heat for 5 minutes, then add diced asparagus and cook another 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Set aside.

While cooking pancetta and asparagus, cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain and lay out on a greased baking pan so they don’t stick.

Spread each noodle with the butternut squash, leaving a ½ inch border at one end. Top with pancetta and asparagus, dividing evenly among the noodles. Roll each noodle starting with the end opposite the ½ inch border.

Coat an 8×10 pan with non-stick spray. Spread ½ cup of cauliflower sauce in bottom of pan. Place each lasagna roll, seam side down, in the prepared pan. Top evenly with remaining cauliflower sauce.

Bake uncovered at 350⁰ for 20-25 minutes.

Menu Monday – #6

This week is all about cleaning out the freezer! Let’s call it a jump start on my spring cleaning. My meal planning for the week is using left-over ham and a big ham bone that has been taking up space, as well as some bratwursts and pork chops I got on sale a couple of weeks ago. Bonus – my grocery bill this week will be nice and low!

 

MONDAY

BBQ Pork Chops and Mac ‘n Cheese

TUESDAY

Ham and Lentil Soup with Cornbread Pudding

WEDNESDAY

Spaghetti and Meat Sauce, Garlic Bread, and Salad

THURSDAY

Leftovers

FRIDAY

Brats and Fried Potatoes

Chicken and Mushroom Pasta in a Sun-Dried Tomato and White Wine Sauce

 I love going out eat, having a nice dinner, and then coming home inspired to try and recreate what I just had. That’s what this pasta dish is – my version of one of my favorite dishes from a chain restaurant we pop into every once in a while.

The original dish has a garlic cream sauce, but since the cream won’t work for me, I’ve re-worked it to be dairy free. I make a sauce using garlic, chicken broth, and white wine which comes out so light and tasty. I love the distinct flavor of sun-dried tomatoes and didn’t want to add too much to take away from what I might consider to be the star of the dish.

This is one of those comforting pasta dishes that I can’t get enough of, and since I cut out the heavy cream, I feel pretty good about it, but for all you cream and cheese lovers, a splash of cream and a handful of Parmesan at the end would probably be quite fabulous.

A fairly simple ingredient list makes a snap to put together (especially if you go ahead and cook your chicken and mushrooms in advance), and easily works as one of our busy weeknight meals.

Side note: The day I made this for the blog, I was out of parsley! As soon as I make it again, I’ll retake the picture and update it. For now, we have a no-parsley picture, but it does make a difference in the dish!

Chicken and Mushroom Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato and White Wine Sauce

• 8 oz container of White Mushrooms, quartered
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 2-3 cloves Garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons Butter
• 4 tablespoons Flour
• 1 ½ cups Chicken Broth
• ¾ cup White Wine
• ½ teaspoon Salt
• ¼ teaspoon Pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Parsley
• ½ cup diced Sun-Dried Tomatoes
• 2 large or 3 medium cooked Chicken Breasts, diced
• 1 pound pasta, cooked and drained according to package directions, reserve ½ cup pasta water
• Freshly grated Parmesan for serving, if desired

Sauté mushrooms in olive oil 5 minutes, or until done. Set aside.

Melt butter over medium high heat in large pan with high sides. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add in flour, and stir constantly for 1 minute until there are no lumps.

Slowly whisk in broth and wine. Stirring constantly, cook for 3-4 minutes until thick and creamy.

Stir in salt, pepper, parsley, and sun-dried tomatoes. Simmer sauce for another minute.

Add cooked pasta, chicken, and mushrooms. Toss to combine. Stir in reserved pasta water to thin sauce a bit if needed.

If desired, serve topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.