Rigatoni with Sausage, Artichokes, and Asparagus

I'd really recommend this one we made below. It was fabulous and easy. It came out of our Giada de Laurentis Everyday Pasta Cookbook, which I think Chris gave his mom at Christmas.

Rigatoni with Sausage, Artichokes, and Asparagus

6 servings

Anytime you add sausage to a pasta dish, you exponentially increase the number of people who are going to love it; by adding vegetables, you turn it into a complete meal, a win-win situation all around.

3/4 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, sliced, 2 tablespoons of oil -reserved

1 pound hot Italian sausage, casings removed

2 (8-ounce) packages frozen artichoke hearts

1 cup asparagus, trimmed and cut in 1-inch pieces

2 large garlic cloves, chopped1

3/4 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup dry white wine1

2 ounces rigatoni or other tubular pasta

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

1/3 cup chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cubed (optional)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil reserved from the tomatoes in a large, heavy frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned, breaking up the meat into bite-size pieces with a fork, about 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage to a bowl. Add the artichokes, asparagus, and garlic to the same skillet, and saute over medium heat until the garlic is tender, about 2 minutes. Add the broth, wine, and sun-dried tomatoes. Boil over medium-high heat until the sauce reduces slightly, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta in boiling water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta.Add the pasta, sausage, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese, the basil, and parsley to the artichoke mixture. Toss until the sauce is almost absorbed by the pasta. Stir in the mozzarella, if using. Season to taste with salt and -pepper. Serve, passing the additional Parmesan cheese alongside.

Triple Red Pork Stew

We made this one on Sunday: it was pretty darn hard but also pretty darn delicious.

I had to kind of butcher the pork shoulder because we bought like six lbs of it (that was the only way it was in the store). That was interesting and it reminded me of how on top chef they always talk about how somebody didn't know how to properly butcher. I definitely don't know how to properly butcher. Also our knives seriously need sharpening.

We got it out of cooking light, jan-feb 2009:

Yield
8 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup pasta and about 3/4 cup pork mixture)
Ingredients
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
2 pounds boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt), trimmed and cut into (2-inch) cubes
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups shiraz or other hearty red wine, divided
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, chopped
3 pounds tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and cut in strips (about 4 1/2 cups)
3 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
2 red bell peppers, cut in thin strips
4 cups hot cooked rigatoni pasta
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; sprinkle evenly over pork. Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Add half of pork to pan; sauté 4 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove pork from pan; keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil and pork. Reduce heat to medium. Add flour to pan; sauté 1 minute or until flour browns, stirring constantly. Add 2 cups wine to pan; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Return pork to pan. Stir in broth; bring to a boil.
3. Cover and bake at 350° for 1 1/2 hours or until pork crushes easily between your finger and thumb, stirring occasionally. Cool slightly. Remove pork from broth mixture using a slotted spoon. Bring broth mixture to a boil over high heat; cook until reduced to 1 1/2 cups (about 15 minutes). Return pork to broth mixture, and cook for 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
4. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until starting to brown, stirring frequently. Stir in garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, tomatoes, parsley sprigs, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf; bring to a simmer. Cook 30 minutes or until the mixture is thick, stirring occasionally.
5. Heat remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add bell peppers to pan; sauté 10 minutes or until wilted, stirring frequently. Increase heat to high. Add remaining 1 cup wine, and bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by half (about 7 minutes). Add tomato mixture to bell pepper mixture. Reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes or until thick, stirring occasionally. Discard parsley, thyme, and bay leaf. Stir sauce into pork mixture, and simmer an additional 10 minutes so flavors blend. Taste and adjust seasoning, if desired. Serve over pasta.
Nutritional Information

Seared Mahimahi with Edamame Succotash

Last night we made Seared Mahimahi with Edamame Succotash (in Cooking Light, Jan/Feb 2009). The edamame succotash was delicious and flavorful but the fish was pretty boring and needed a sauce. I'm always trying to eat more fish because of the omega-3s and all that but it's kind of hard to get fresh seafood when you're nowhere near big water.

I'd never really made anything with edamame before and it was pretty good and this recipe was easy (<30 min).


4 servings (serving size: 1 fillet and 1/2 cup succotash)
Ingredients
Succotash:
1 medium red bell pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/3 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
1/2 cup frozen shelled edamame (green soybeans), thawed
Mahimahi:
1 teaspoon olive oil
Cooking spray
4 (6-ounce) mahimahi or other firm white fish fillets
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
1. Preheat broiler.
2. To prepare succotash, cut bell pepper in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin side up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 15 minutes or until blackened. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 10 minutes. Peel and finely chop. Combine pepper, onions, and next 7 ingredients (through garlic), tossing to combine.
3. Combine corn and beans in a small microwave-safe bowl; cover with water. Microwave at HIGH 2 minutes; drain. Add corn mixture to bell pepper mixture; toss to combine.
4. To prepare mahimahi, heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Sprinkle both sides of fish with 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Add fish to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve with succotash.
Nutritional Information
Calories:
379
Fat:
9.4g (sat 1.5g,mono 5.5g,poly 1.6g)
Protein:
35.8g
Carbohydrate:
41.2g
Fiber:
8g
Cholesterol:
52mg
Iron:
3.7mg
Sodium:
537mg
Calcium:
84mg

Changed How Comments Show Up

I changed how comments will show up. Hopefully now they will go straight on the page so they're easier to see.

Also, I put it so the comments will get e-mailed to me, so I'll know when people comment.

So please comment so I know you're out there! Thanks :)

GOOD JOB ZOE!!!

I'm really glad you made curry with Manda. It's hard I think when you're starting to learn more stuff because there's just so much you don't know and it takes a while. For me it is totally worth the time and effort though when I have that delicious, healthy food- it enriches your body and soul. Maybe you can teach Tess too on the weekends, so you have somebody to learn with and make do the dishes :) Love, Suzanne

Moussaka

Chris is stirring the custard.

The kitchen is a mess :)

Last night we made Moussaka. It was a much better Moussaka than the ones we had made before (recipe below). We used about 1/2 as much butter as it called for and we used skim milk in the custard. We had never made a cheese custard before- so that was a new accomplishment for us. It took a while and we made a mess but it was fun!

FOR THE CASSEROLE
3 large eggplants (about 4 pounds)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large bunch Swiss chard, stems trimmed and leaves chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground lamb or beef
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs
1 medium all-purpose potato,
peeled and thinly sliced
FOR THE CHEESE CUSTARD
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
5 cups whole milk, at room temperature
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher salt
11/2 cups grated kefalotiri cheese or
1/2 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano mixed with 1 cup crumbled feta
2 large eggs plus 3 egg yolks
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450. Trim the eggplants and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange on 2 large foil-lined baking sheets; brush generously with 1/2 cup olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until soft, about 30 minutes.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat; add the chard and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until wilted, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a colander and let cool; squeeze out excess moisture and set aside.
Wipe the pot dry; add the butter and melt over medium-high heat. Add the onion; cook until golden, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute. Add the lamb, breaking it up into pieces, with the oregano, cinnamon, nutmeg, 2 teaspoons salt and pepper to taste; cook until the meat is slightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until the meat is cooked but still slightly pink, 1 more minute. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves; bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, lightly oil a 9-by-11-inch casserole dish and sprinkle with the breadcrumbs. Place the potato slices in the dish; pat dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
As the sauce continues to cook, make the cheese custard: Melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, cooking slightly to form a soft paste. Off the heat, whisk in the milk, nutmeg and 2 teaspoons salt. Return to the heat and bring to a boil, whisking. Remove from the heat again; stir in 1 cup cheese, cool slightly, then whisk in the eggs and egg yolks.
Reduce the oven to 350. Layer half of the eggplant on top of the potatoes. Cover with half of the meat sauce, then half of the chard. Repeat with the remaining eggplant, meat sauce and chard. Pour the custard sauce on top, then sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup kefalotiri cheese. Bake the moussaka, uncovered, until the custard is set and lightly browned, about 1 hour. Let rest 20 minutes before serving.

Milk Rice Bread

This is one of my favorite rice breads. It's really easy and scrumptious. It's out of Amazing Gluten-free Bread and Cakes from your breadmaker by Carolyn Humphries. I'd also highly recommend the book.

Sloppy Joes from Scratch

Hi! We made sloppy joes from scratch last night.

The recipe is below. It was definitely better than the can stuff. We didn't get ground pork (just did it with ground beef) like it said because they didn't have it at the grocery. Also, I used more like 2 tbs of olive oil (instead of 1/4 canola).

And I accidentally forgot to get tomato sauce (I was really sleepy yesterday) but we had some diced tomatoes and it turned out fine.

Ingredients
FOR THE SLOPPY JOES:
1/4 cup canola oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, deveined and diced
1 red onion, diced
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 cup red wine
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
24 slider rolls or sweet Hawaiian rolls
Directions
Prepare the sloppy joes: In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, combine the canola oil, bell peppers, jalapeno and onion; cook for 5 minutes. Add the beef and pork; cook thoroughly, breaking up the meat as it browns. Add the garlic. Depending on the amount of residual grease, you may need to drain some of the fat from the pan. Deglaze with the red wine, then stir in the remaining sloppy joe ingredients (except the rolls) and season with 1 tablespoon each salt and freshly ground pepper. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. If the sauce gets too thick as it simmers, add up to 1 cup water to adjust the consistency. Toast the rolls and set aside.

Chorizo Tacos with Lime Marinated Onions, Poblano Chiles and Yams

The picture of this one is below. It was delicious but quite spicy. I scratched my face after cooking and it was burning quite badly (does that happen to you too?). Also topping it with a little feta added a nice compliment.

Steak with Charred Onions, Zucchini, and Balsamic Vinegar

Hi! We made steak with onions and zucchini tonight. We were supposed to make it with filet mignon but we couldn't find any in our grocery so we just got a nice cut of beef. The zucchini and onions were delicious but we kind of over-cooked the steak because it was more thinly cut than filet mignon would have been. Also we used our mandolin slicer (Christmas present from Sarah- thanks!) to cut the onions and zucchini. The mandolin slicer helped us get the slices thinner than we would have been able to be hand.
So maybe I would make a recipe like this with the zucchini and onions as a side dish because they were great.
Chrisbear cooking

using the mandolin slicer

mandolin slicer (and a little bit of my bread machine)

Pizza with Tomato, Basil, Artichoke Hearts, Feta, Mozzarella

Tonight we made pizza with tomato, basil, artichoke hearts, feta, and mozzarella. It was delicious and we just kind of threw on things we thought would be good. We have a good sense of flavor profiles now :)

The crust was Arrowhead Mills Gluten Free Pizza Crust. It was quite good as far gluten free products go. It required only water and olive oil.

We haven't really made pizza before because of the gluten problem- but this one turned out great!

Chicken Soup with Dill, Aspargus, and Baby Peas

We made this for lunch today (see recipe in an earlier post). It was simple, delicious, and nutritious. I'd recommend it.

Braised Beef Shank with Coriander, Fennel and Star Anise

We made braised beef shank with coriander, fennel, and star anise. It was delicious!!! We couldn't find lamb shank at the butcher near us or Whole Foods so we went with beef shank instead. It had an interesting Asian flavor with a delicious port accent.

Here are the aromatics:

The meat after it was browned:

Cincinnati Five Way Chili

We made this one tonight. It's simple and quite good, which is something I like about chilies in general- they are nutritious, don't take too long, and don't make too many dishes.

Cincinnati Five-Way Chili

The phrase "five-way" refers to the number of accompaniments Queen City natives serve with their uniquely spiced chili.
Yield
6 servings
Ingredients

Cooking spray
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 pound ground sirloin
2 1/2 cups chopped onion (about 2 medium), divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup water
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons chili powder
3 tablespoons spicy barbecue sauce
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 teaspoons white vinegar
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can tomato puree
3 1/2 cups hot cooked spaghetti (about 8 ounces uncooked pasta)
3/4 cup (3 ounces) reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed, drained, and warmed (about 1 1/2 cups)
Oyster crackers (optional)
Preparation
1. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add turkey and sirloin to pan; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Add 2 cups onion and garlic; cook 5 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1 cup water and next 12 ingredients (through puree); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes. Place about 1/2 cup spaghetti into each of 6 bowls. Ladle 1 cup chili into each bowl. Top each serving with 4 teaspoons remaining onion, 2 tablespoons cheese, and 2 1/2 tablespoons beans. Serve with crackers, if desired.
Nutritional Information
Calories:
464 (29% from fat)
Fat:
14.9g (sat 6g,mono 5.1g,poly 2.1g)
Protein:
34.5g
Carbohydrate:
48.8g
Fiber:
7.2g
Cholesterol:
88mg
Iron:
5.4mg
Sodium:
870mg
Calcium:
189mg
Bill and Cheryl Jamison, Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 2008

Braised Lamb Shanks with Coriander, Fennel, and Star Anise

We're going to make this one this weekend too.

Braised Lamb Shanks with Coriander, Fennel, and Star Anise.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons fennel seeds
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
4 large lamb shanks (about 5 pounds)
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large white onion, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
10 garlic cloves, peeled
3 celery stalks, cut crosswise into 1 1/2-inch pieces
2 carrots, peeled, cut crosswise into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 small leek
3 cups ruby Port
4 cups low-salt chicken broth
4 cups beef broth
6 whole cloves
2 whole star anise*
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
Preparation
Mix coriander, fennel, and peppercorns in heavy small skillet. Toast on medium-high heat until aromatic and slightly darker, about 2 minutes. Transfer to spice grinder; process until finely ground. Rub each shank with 1 rounded teaspoon spice blend. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large wide pot over medium-high heat. Add shanks to pot. Cook until brown on all sides, about 20 minutes. Transfer to large bowl. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to same pot. Add onion and next 4 ingredients; sauté over medium heat until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add remaining spice blend and stir 1 minute. Add Port and simmer until liquid is reduced to 2/3 cup, about 15 minutes. Add both broths; boil until liquid is reduced to 3 1/2 cups, about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Return shanks to pot. Add cloves, star anise, bay leaves, and crushed red pepper. Cover pot with foil, then lid. Place pot in oven and braise lamb until tender, about 2 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Uncover and cool slightly. Place in refrigerator until cool, then cover and keep refrigerated. Rewarm in 350°F oven for 20 minutes before serving.)
Place 1 lamb shank on each of 4 plates. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce and vegetables over lamb and serve.
*Brown, star-shaped seed pods; available in the spice section of some supermarkets, at Asian markets, and at specialty foods stores. add your own note

Chicken Soup with Asparagus, Peas, and Dill

Here is the recipe for the chicken soup with aspargus peas and dill. It looks pretty easy, we'll let you know how it turns out.

Chicken soup with asparagus, peas, and dill

14 cups chicken stock
8 fresh dill stems (stripped of leaves) plus 3 tablespoons chopped dill leaves
1 1/2 lb asparagus, trimmed and thinly sliced diagonally, leaving tips intact
3 cups frozen baby green peas (1 lb; not thawed)
Preparation
Simmer stock with dill stems in a 4- to 5-quart saucepan, uncovered, until reduced to about 8 cups, 25 to 30 minutes. Discard dill stems. Add asparagus and peas, then bring to a boil, partially covered. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until asparagus is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in dill leaves and season with salt and pepper.