Broccoli Cheddar Pockets

I found these on a whim last week while desperately searching for something new and easy to try for dinner. We grabbed ingredients on the way home (thank you, premade bread dough), and within an hour were pulling these out of the oven. A few bites later, Dan the Man declared these broccoli-cheddar pockets had made it to his top ten list of favorite meals.

Of course if you had time you could certainly make your own dough from scratch, but I was pleased with these results. We brainstormed future fillings like pepperoni and mozzarella, ham and cheddar, or spinach and feta.

Based on a recipe from LaurasSweetSpot.com.

Ingredients (makes 8 pockets)

• 3-4 small broccoli crowns, chopped into small pieces (about 4 cups)
• 8 oz grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 4 Tbsp sour cream
• small handful fresh chives, chopped
• Vegetable oil, for brushing (vegetable oil spray works fine too)
• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• 2 (11-ounce) tubes refrigerated French bread dough
• 1 large egg

Directions

1. Bring a saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook 1 minute. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool; pat very dry. 
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Brush or spray baking sheet with vegetable oil.
3. Mix broccoli, cheddar, sour cream, and chives in a bowl until combined. Squeeze the mixture together to compact it.
4. Use a little bit of flour to lightly dust your work surface.
5. Cut each tube of dough into four pieces. Roll each piece out and fill with broccoli mixture. Fold and secure each pocket, then place seam-side down on the baking sheet.(Check out these excellent step-by-step photos if you have never made these before!)
6. Beat egg in a small bowl. Add 1 Tbsp water and mix well.
7. Brush each pocket with egg wash. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese

Whenever I used to make macaroni and cheese, the boys in my family would cover it with hot sauce. Once sriracha came into our lives, it became the new mac and cheese topping. It sort of bugged me until I accepted that they just loved spicy food.

So I am sure you can imagine how excited I was to try this recipe when I stumbled upon it. Thank you to Budget Bytes for this lovely recipe to which my family is now addicted!





Ingredients

• 1 lb cut pasta (spirals and penne are both good here)
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 1 cup milk
• 4 oz cream cheese (1/2 brick)
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 4 oz can sliced jalapenos
• 4 oz can diced green chiles
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Once pasta is added to boiling water, begin cheese sauce. Heat medium-sized stockpot over medium heat. Add milk, cream cheese, and Parmesan. Whisk until cream cheese has softened and mixture has combined.
3. Turn heat to low. Add sour cream, jalapenos, and chiles, continuing to whisk until combined. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
4. Once everything is done cooking, turn heat off. Drain pasta. Return to its own pot. Pour cheese sauce over top of pasta. Stir well. Add shredded pepper jack cheese and stir well until pepper jack has melted. Serve immediately.

Sweet Potato & Brown Rice Risotto

 I was intrigued by this beautiful Beet Risotto on ktmade.com, but by the time I got around to making it, my beets had gone bad. Instead of tossing the idea, I totally revamped it using a sweet potato left over from a previous recipe. 

This recipe is perfect for those who have dairy sensitivities or are vegan. This risotto is a lot different than my normal risottos: it is creamier and a little sweeter (because of the coconut milk), and definitely better as a side dish than a main dish, but tastes great as leftovers. I encourage you to give it a try if you are looking for a fun twist on risottos.

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped into small pieces
• 3 cups vegetable broth (split use)
• 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
• 15 oz. can coconut milk (do not strain)
• 2 cups medium- or long-grain brown rice
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Heat medium size stockpot over medium heat.
2. Add oil, then garlic and onion. Cook until onion has softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Reduce heat slightly if necessary to avoid burning. Add sweet potato and 1 cup of the vegetable broth. Cover and cook until sweet potato has softened (pierce-able with a fork), about 5 minutes.
4. Reduce heat to medium low. Add vinegar, rice and coconut milk. Stir well. Cover and let cook, stirring two to three times, until most liquid has been absorbed.
5. Add the other 2 cups of vegetable broth, stir well, and recover until most of the liquid has been absorbed and rice is cooked.
6. Uncover, turn heat to low, and let rest of liquid cook off – about 2-3 minutes.
7. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.

Chicken Enchiladas for the Soul

This recipe is a Dan-the-Man original. We bought all the ingredients for simple burritos but as evening came around, he felt the urge to create something a little sassier. His title for these beauties? Chicken enchiladas for the soul.

If you skim through this recipe, you will notice the 'soul' part comes from the fact that the chicken is slow cooked on your stovetop for about three hours. Don't try to circumvent this: it is really essential to developing the great flavor in this dish. Instead, pick a day when you have the whole afternoon at home so you can enjoy the process!

Ingredients

• olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin seed
• 4-5 boneless chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1/4 cup Mexican spice blend
• 2 cups water
• good quality hot sauce to taste (optional but strongly recommended)
• 1 can pineapple rings, juice strained

• five 10" flour tortillas
• 8 oz. shredded cheddar
• salsa and/or sour cream, for serving

Directions

1. Place a deep skillet over medium-high heat.
2. As pan is heating up, add olive oil and cumin.
3. Once cumin starts to sizzle, place chicken thighs in skillet. Sear thighs for about a minute on each side.
4. Add red wine and stir well.
5. Add Mexican spice blend, water, hot sauce, and pineapple rings.
6. Cover skillet. Reduce heat to low.
7. Let cook, undisturbed, for 3 hours.

To assemble enchiladas:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Strain chicken and pineapple. Return to skillet.
3. Shred chicken with a fork.
4. Warm tortillas in the microwave (about 20-30 seconds for the pile).
5. On a clean surface, lay out your tortilla. Scoop some chicken-pineapple mixture onto the lower half of the tortilla. Sprinkle cheese on chicken, then roll up tortilla, burrito-style.
6. Place each in a lightly oiled 13x9 pan.
7. Bake at 350 degrees until cheese browns.
8. Serve with salsa and/or sour cream for dipping. We enjoyed ours alongside yellow rice.

Bacon, Tomato, and Corn Chowder

This is a variation on my traditional corn chowder recipe. On the Artistic Eatables Facebook page, we were having a discussion about our favorite hearty meals. My boss from where I used to work reminded me of this wonderful alternative to corn chowder.

Of course, don't let the bacon deter you if you are a vegetarian. It can be made sans meat by omitting the bacon. It still has a wonderful, different kind of flavor due to the addition of tomatoes! I encourage you to give it a try.

Ingredients

• 1 lb bacon, cut into small pieces
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 8 small potatoes (I used new red potatoes), chopped into small pieces
• 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes (juice will be used)
• 4 vegetable bouillon cubes
• water
• 1 lb frozen corn
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
• milk
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Heat large stockpot to medium heat.
2. Cook bacon until somewhat crispy. Put cooked bacon into a bowl; set aside.
3. Pour out most of bacon grease. Place stockpot back over heat.
4. Add olive oil and butter.
5. Cook onion until translucent.
6. Add potatoes, bouillon cubes, and tomatoes and their juice. Cut tomatoes into small chunks using a pair of kitchen scissors.
7. Add enough water to cover vegetables. Cook until potatoes are done.
8. Add corn. Cook until corn is heated.
9. Turn heat to low. Add in cheese, a little at a time, stirring so it melts without clumping.
10. Remove from heat. Add as much milk as you like, until it has thinned the soup to your desired consistency.
11. Season with salt and pepper.
12. Serve, topping each bowl with cooked bacon. Enjoy!

Baked Spaghetti

Why not?

My husband really enjoys baked pasta dishes. Recently he made the comment that, if it can be done with every other type of pasta, why not spaghetti? I couldn't argue.

As of late I have really enjoyed flexible recipes. Some of you may have noticed how less specific my recipes have gotten. It reflects a couple things. One is that my style of cooking is pretty flexible. I rarely do things the same way each time. The other thing it reflects is my hope that you will not be deterred from trying a recipe just because you are missing one ingredient. Likewise, if you'd rather avoid vegetables for some reason, just leave them out. The point: don't let barriers stop you from making good food for yourself and your family! I really hope you try this recipe out, and that you enjoy it.

Ingredients

• 1 lb dried long pasta (spaghetti, fettuccine, or linguine are all good choices)
• olive oil
• your choice of vegetables, chopped into bite size pieces (I recommend onion, bell pepper, and mushroom)
• 1 regular size jar of pasta sauce
• 1-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• pinch of dried oregano

Directions

1. Drizzle a little olive oil into a 13x9 baking dish and spread around to coat. Set aside.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions.
3. While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. 
4. Add your vegetables and saute until they have softened.
5. Add jar of pasta sauce and turn heat down to low.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
7. Once pasta is cooked, drain and return to pot.
8. Stir in vegetable-sauce mixture to pasta.
9. Pour pasta into oiled baking dish. Cover with shredded mozzarella. Sprinkle the dried oregano over top.
10. Bake pasta at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
11. After the 20 minutes has passed, turn your oven up to Broil. Broil for 2-3 minutes, watching carefully, until cheese has browned. Remove immediately.
12. Let cool for up to five minutes before serving.

Chickpea, Potato, and Kale Soup

My friend Jonah, of the Jonah's Fish Chowder recipe fame,  came to visit a few weeks ago with a lovely surprise for me from his local farmers' market. It included oyster mushrooms, wedges of different cheeses, and a large bunch of chard. Since then, I've been daydreaming about leafy greens. (I know, that probably puts me in the category of food dork, but I'm okay with that.)

This is a variation on a soup that I used to make a long time ago. I love the combination of chickpeas and potatoes, and also how flexible the recipe is. Feel free to throw in other aromatics like carrots or celery with your onions; replace the kale with swiss chard; or even add some ground sausage to the mix.

Ingredients
(for gluten-free recipe, omit bouillon or use a gluten-free bouillon)
(for dairy-free or vegan recipe, omit parmesan cheese when serving)

• olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1/4 tsp dried whole thyme
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 bay leaves
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 4-6 red potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 8 cups water, divided use
• 3 tsp vegetable bouillon (or 3 bouillon cubes)
• two 15 oz cans of beans, drained and rinsed (I used one can of chickpeas and one of pink beans)
• 3/4 bunch fresh kale, rinsed well and chopped
•  parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in large stockpot over medium heat. Add onions, thyme, smoked paprika, and bay leaves. Add salt and pepper. Cook until translucent.
2. Add potatoes and 4 cups of the water. Cover and let sit until water comes to a boil. 
3. Reduce heat to low and stir in bouillon. Add the other 4 cups of water, and place kale on top of other ingredients. Return cover to pot and let the kale start to steam. 
4. After about 5-7 minutes, add beans, stir well, and return cover to pot. Cook for another 10-15 minutes, then turn heat off. Let sit, uncovered, for a couple minutes, then check flavors. Add more salt and pepper as needed.
5. Serve with a side of parmesan cheese, for sprinkling, if desired.

Tomato, Basil, and Mozzarella Sandwiches

I've heard lots of different names for this fabulous combination: Margherita and Caprese are both popular titles for tomato, basil, and mozzarella together in a dish. The red, white, and green symbolize the colors of the Italian flag, and the name was given to honor Queen Margherita of Italy.

I was immediately attracted to Beth's recipe on Budget Bytes, which featured this famous medley. After a few alterations, I was ready to give it a try. My biggest concern was to preserve the crispiness of the bread. By grilling the sourdough on its own, it is protected from absorbing too much vinegar and keep the stability of the sandwich intact.

Prosciutto isn't necessary to enjoying this sandwich, but Dan the Man highly recommends it! The saltiness goes wonderfully with the creamy fresh mozzarella.


Ingredients

• loaf of fresh sourdough Italian bread, thickly sliced
• butter (for grilling)
• vine ripe tomatoes, sliced across into rounds
• ball of fresh mozzarella, sliced
• fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
• balsamic vinegar (for drizzling)
• olive oil (for drizzling)
• freshly ground pepper 
• small package of prosciutto (optional)

Directions

1. Heat up frying pan or griddle to medium heat.
2. Butter both sides of Italian bread slices. Grill both sides of each piece until crispy; remove from heat.
3. Assemble sandwiches from the bottom up: tomato, mozzarella, basil, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, a drizzle of olive oil, and freshly ground pepper. Top with a few slices of prosciutto, if using.
4. Slice sandwiches in half and enjoy immediately!

Polenta with Fresh Tomatoes, Basil, and Shallots

Polenta is cooked cornmeal. Translation: a great dinner option for those who are avoiding wheat or other products with gluten.

Polenta can be purchased pre-cooked, usually in a package whose shape resembles a giant pill. Or, you can go the old fashioned route and buy cornmeal, cooking it according to directions that are usually written on the back of the box.

Try out this dinner meal alongside grilled chicken, or as a vegetarian option accompanied with some greens. Ours cooked up crispy on the bottom and smooth inside. You can mix it up by adding parmesan cheese to the polenta before you bake it, or changing the toppings to your liking.



Ingredients

• 2 cups cornmeal
• olive oil
• 4 plum tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 bunch fresh basil, roughly chopped
• 1 large shallot, sliced (or can substitute 1 medium red onion)
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cook cornmeal according to package directions. (usually a 1:1 ratio with water)
3. Coat glass 8x8 baking dish with olive oil.
4. Spoon cornmeal into pan and top with tomatoes, basil, and shallots.
5. Drizzle olive oil on top of vegetables and add salt and pepper.
6. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until shallots are tender.

Tabbouleh

Tabbouleh is a Middle Eastern dish made from bulgur wheat. Bulgur is a hearty grain high in fiber and protein, with a chewy texture. Tabbouleh was first introduced to me by my former boss Karen, who served it on top of salad greens. The combination of different textures and flavors stuck in my mind. I've written the American version of the dish (which highlights the bulgur itself) versus the Lebanese version, which is heavy on the parsley and mint. I encourage you to try this! It's definitely out of the ordinary for some people, so serve it with something familiar, such as cold shrimp on the side.


Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 cup bulgur wheat
• water
• 1 tomato
• 1/2 European / English cucumber
• small bunch fresh mint leaves AND/OR fresh parsley leaves
• 4-6 oz. feta cheese, block or crumbled
• lemon juice
• olive oil
• salad greens, if desired

Directions

1. Cook bulgur wheat according to package directions. (Mine was 1 cup dry bulgur to 2 cups cold water.)
2. Once bulgur is cooked, place saucepan in fridge and let cool for 10-15 minutes.
3. While bulgur is cooling, chop tomato, cucumber, mint/parsley, and feta into small pieces.
4. Scoop bulgur, tomato, cucumber, and mint/parsley into a large bowl, stir well, and refrigerate for another 10-15 minutes.
5. Remove from fridge. Add feta and stir well.
6. Add a drizzle of olive oil. Add lemon juice to taste. Stir well and serve immediately as main dish, or atop salad greens.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Soup

Sometimes I get inspired by food. It happens at random. The orange of a beautiful sweet potato is what did me in this time. I chose this recipe from Kalyn's Kitchen for its simplicity, high nutritional value, and staying power.

Friends joined us and we made up some fresh guacamole, enjoying it with tortilla chips as an appetizer. This soup came next, along with some fun beverages that fit the evening's theme. One friend commented that the soup 'surprised' him. Although he watched it being prepared, the finished product was not what he expected.

Here is the recipe with my alterations. You can purée more or less depending on your preference for a creamier or chunkier soup. Also, the scallions seem unnecessary, like a garnish, but they add another layer of texture (crunchy) that deserves to be included.

Ingredients

• olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 2 large sweet potatoes, chopped into small chunks
• two 15 oz cans black beans, rinsed
• 4 cups water
• juice from 1/2 lime
• 1 bunch scallions, sliced

Directions

1. In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium heat.
2. Cook onion and garlic until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Add cumin, cinnamon, and generous amounts of salt and pepper. Stir well.
4. Add sweet potatoes, black beans, and water. Cook until sweet potatoes are very tender.
5. Remove a little less than half the mixture and purée using an immersion blender or regular blender. Return to pot and heat until soup is hot throughout.
6. Add lime juice and stir well. 
7. Remove from heat and stir in scallions. Serve with bread or tortilla chips.

Easy Scallops with Lemon Juice

We had scallops the other night paired with the Leek & Lemon Risotto that I posted earlier in the week. I recommend eating them as part of the same meal, or even with the scallops served right on top of the risotto.

Scallops are pretty easy to overcook. Seafood more than any other meat I tend to rely on time, rather than a color, to determine doneness.

Do yourself a favor and treat yourself with these delicious scallops. With a short grocery list and simple directions, they're likely to please any seafood lover.


Ingredients

• 1 lb sea scallops
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1-2 Tbsp olive oil
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes.
2. Coat pan with butter and olive oil.
3. Add scallops and squeeze half the lemon juice on top. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Cook until scallops are browned on bottom, about 30-45 seconds.
5. Flip scallops, add rest of lemon juice and more salt and pepper if desired.
6. Remove from heat when scallops are browned, about another minute. They should be warm inside but not rubbery, and easy to cut with a fork.

Leek & Lemon Risotto

Imagine yourself on a villa in Tuscany, enjoying crusty bread, perhaps a glass of wine, and a dish of a warm, creamy risotto.

Minus the villa, you can recreate this scene yourself with a dish my best friend used to make when we were in college. She loved risotto and the combination leek and lemon stuck in my mind.

Risotto is an amazing dish because it is a chameleon, accommodating whatever you put in it. I've had mushroom risotto, red pepper risotto, and a multitude of others. But no matter your seasonings, the slow process allows the rice to absorb more broth, and therefore more flavor. You can make it with any short grain white rice, but I've found it works best with Arborio rice: this rice is the reason for such a creamy consistency. Luckily it's easy to get: I found a bag at my local grocery store.

Trust me, don't rush this process. In the past I've tried pouring all six cups of broth in at once and it was an utter failure. You don't get the creaminess if you go too fast. If you start to get impatient, channel your inner Italian on that villa and relax as you stir.

when slicing leeks, use only the white part

Ingredients

• olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/2 medium white onion, sliced and roughly chopped
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 2 leeks, thinly sliced
• 2 cups short grain rice, such as Arborio rice
• 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• zest of 1 lemon (grated)
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 - 1 cup parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Heat stockpot over medium-low heat.
2. Add olive oil and swirl to coat.
3. Add garlic, onion, and shallot. Cover and cook 4-5 minutes, until softened and translucent.
4. Add leeks. Return cover to pot and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
5. Add rice, stirring constantly. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
6. Pour in 1/2 cup stock and continue stirring. When stock is absorbed, add another 1/2 cup stock. Continue this process (and the constant stirring to avoid sticking on bottom of pot) until all stock is used and rice is cooked. Don't rush this part! It will take about 20-25 minutes.
7. Turn off heat. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Sweet & Sour Meatballs

These meatballs were a total experiment. Besides preparing them in a different kitchen, I've never made meatballs by measuring anything other than the beef and eggs. These were spiced very plainly and that's something I would change in the future: perhaps grated ginger in the meat would add a nice flavor to the mix.

My other challenge was that the sauce in this recipe didn't become, well, saucy. I always struggle with thickening sauces and this one was no different. It turned out kind of thin but still packed a great flavor. If you are good at thickening sauces, you may want to work a little more with some cornstarch to thicken this one before the last step.

This is adapted from a recipe by the Pioneer Woman.

Ingredients for Meatballs

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• a few shakes each of salt and pepper
• flour
• olive oil for frying

Ingredients for Sauce

• 3 cups beef broth
• 3 Tbsp soy sauce
• 3/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 2 bell peppers (one green, one red),  cut into large chunks
  
• 1 fresh pineapple, cut into small chunks

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine beef, onion, eggs, breadcrumbs, and salt and pepper. 
2. Form meat into golf ball sized meatballs.
3. Pour some flour into a small bowl. Roll each meatball in flour.
4. Heat large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add a generous amount of olive oil.
5. Fry meatballs (in two batches).
6. While meatballs are cooking, whisk broth, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and cornstarch in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
7. Once all meatballs are done, set them aside in another bowl. Pour oil / fat out.
8. Return hot frying pan to stovetop over high heat. Add peppers and cook for about one minute.
9. Add pineapple and cook for another minute.
10. Pour sauce into frying pan. Let boil, then reduce heat to low and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
11. Add meatballs and serve immediately over rice (as a main dish) OR place meatballs in a crockpot (I used a 5-qt. crockpot) and pour pepper-pineapple-sauce mixture over top. Set heat to warm and enjoy throughout the evening as an appetizer.

Beef and Barley Soup

I've been craving a beef based soup lately, and several sources have reminded me of the great combination of beef and barley. I decided to give it a whirl, following Budget Bytes' recipe most closely.

The best parts about this soup: by cooking the stew meat first, everything was flavored with its drippings; because the barley's starch began to break down and thicken the soup, no thickening agent was needed to make this almost stew-like; and finally, adding the potatoes in at the end prevented them from getting too mushy. It is an all around hearty winter soup.

Ingredients (makes 5-6 servings)

• olive oil
• 1 lb stew meat, cut into small pieces
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 3-4 cloves garlic, diced
• 4 small stalks OR 2 large stalks celery, sliced
• small bunch carrots, sliced
• pinch dried thyme leaves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 small package (about 10 oz) white mushrooms, sliced
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 6 cups beef stock (I used Better Than Bouillon's beef base in 6 cups water)
• 1 cup dried barley
• 1 lb small red potatoes, chopped into bite size pieces

Directions

1. Heat a small amount of olive oil in large stockpot over medium heat. Add stew meat and cook until browned. Transfer to separate bowl and set aside, leaving drippings in stockpot.
2. Drizzle more olive oil into stockpot. Add onions and garlic and cook until onions have softened.
3. Add celery, carrots, thyme, and bay leaves. Cook for 4-5 minutes, adding a splash of water if vegetables start to stick or burn.
4. Add mushrooms. Continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes.
5. Clear a little spot and add tomato paste. Cook until paste heats up, then gradually stir it into juices and vegetables.
6. Add cooked meat back into stockpot, along with beef stock and barley. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover; simmer for 40 minutes.
7. Add potatoes and simmer, covered, for another 10-15 minutes.

Greek Calzones

I love anything relating to bread, carbohydrates, or flour. Yum.  When my friend Lindsay sent me a link to this new twist on calzones (which are traditionally made with ricotta, mozzarella, and your choice of meat), I couldn't resist.

To "Greek" it up, they've replaced the mozz with feta cheese, which is quite a bit saltier, but don't fear if you're not into what some would consider weird cheeses. The feta is just to give a little saltiness to the otherwise creamy filling of ricotta and spinach. If you don't like feta, consider some of the alternatives I've listed below in my Comments section. 

I love the inclusion of spinach to this recipe, which is surprisingly nutritious but also adds a nice chewy texture that the cheese just can't cover on its own.

Recipe altered slightly from the version on Delish.com

Ingredients

• olive oil for baking sheet
• 1 batch pizza dough
• 10 oz. box frozen spinach, thawed, drained, and patted dry
• 15 oz. ricotta cheese
• 3-6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
• pinch of dried dillweed
  

 Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine spinach, ricotta, dill, and as much feta as desired.
3. Split pizza dough into four even pieces. Flatten out into large circles.
4. Spoon equal amounts of cheese mixture onto one half of each circle. Fold dough over and press to close. 
5. Place each calzone on a raised-edge cookie sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until crust is golden.
6. Let cool at least 5 minutes before eating. Serve with desired sides.

Comments

Even with patting the spinach dry, the filling was still quite wet, presumably from the ricotta. You may choose to cut a slit in the top of the calzone so the moisture can escape there; otherwise it might try to leak out the sides.

We ate our calzones plain but I think I would have enjoyed them more with a side of marinara sauce, even though it wouldn't fit with the Greek theme.

Next time I'd also like to try these with some different additions in the filling: perhaps chunks of artichoke hearts, chopped kalamata olives, or even diced sundried tomatoes. If you choose to add something salty, just reduce the feta a little bit to balance out the flavors.

Mushroom, Olive, and Caramelized Onion Pizza

Sometimes we go back to basics. It is cool out; I want the house to be warm with the smell of bread baking and cheese melting. I love using pizza as an excuse to clean out the fridge and finding new combinations of flavors. 

For a long time I didn't like olives at all; now I know that I prefer those that don't come out of a can. Kalamatas are known for their strong salty flavor and beautiful deep purple color. How can you resist purple?

This pizza features the salty and sweet combo. By caramelizing the onions, they cook down and marinate in their own sugars, browning and sweetening up perfectly. I added mushrooms but feel free to add whatever you've got handy; ham might taste good on this too.

Ingredients (makes 1 pizza)

• 1 batch pizza dough
• 1/2 onion, halved and sliced
• 1/2 package white mushrooms, sliced
• about a dozen kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
• cornmeal for sprinkling the pizza stone/pan
• pizza sauce or spicy marinara sauce
• 2-4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
• parmesan cheese (freshly grated if possible)

Directions

1. Prepare pizza dough about 2 hours ahead of when you'd like the pizza to go in the oven. Be sure to allow it to rise in a draft free location. If your house is cold, warm the dough bowl.
2. Caramelize onions over medium-low heat. (Cover them, and add a splash of water if you need more steam. Other than that, leave them alone, stirring occasionally. You will see them become translucent, then eventually brown as they cook in their own sugars.)
3. About 15-20 minutes before baking time, preheat oven to 450 degrees. (If you're using a pizza stone, this should preheat too.)
4. When oven is preheated and onions are caramelized, remove pizza stone from oven. Sprinkle stone liberally with cornmeal to prevent sticking. Stretch dough onto stone. Top with sauce, mozzarella, mushrooms, olives, and onions. Sprinkle with a generous amount of parmesan cheese.
5. Bake at 450 degrees for 12-15 minutes, until crust is golden.

Wild Mushroom Soup

I've photographed a moon crater!

Not really, but I did win the mushroom lottery.

This week, I was gifted with delicious wild edible mushrooms. The most interesting one was the giant puffball. It was the size of a volleyball, and from reports I've received, that is a "normal" size puffball.

What do you do with an enormous puffball and approximately one-and-a-half quarts of beautiful wild, flavorful mushrooms? Make soup!

I developed this recipe to work with mushrooms from the grocery store if you don't have a mushroom fairy-godmother like I do. For the puffball, you'll want white, starchy mushrooms like button mushrooms, although you'll probably need to trim the stems. For wild mushrooms I suggested porcini mushrooms but any tan mushrooms will work, even baby bellas.

By using the mushroom puree to thicken, this recipe stays pretty healthy, but more importantly has a prominent but not overbearing mushroom flavor. The fresher the mushrooms, the better this soup will taste. And by fresher, I mean as close to home as possible. Regardless of the source of your mushrooms, be sure to wash them well before cooking.

Ingredients (serves 4)

for a vegetarian recipe, be sure to use vegetable stock instead of beef stock.

for a vegan recipe, use vegetable stock and replace the butter with olive oil.

for a gluten-free recipe, use gluten free stock.

• 6 Tbsp butter (divided use)
• 1/2 medium immature giant puffball, chopped, or 2 packages white mushrooms, sliced
• 1 lb or so wild mushrooms, sliced, or porcini mushrooms, sliced
• 5 cups beef or veggie stock (divided use)
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried thyme (use less if ground thyme)

Directions

1. Melt 3 Tbsp butter in a large stockpot over medium heat.
2. Add puffball / white mushrooms and stir.
3. When mushrooms are browned, add 1 cup of the stock.
4. Simmer over low heat 5-10 minutes.
5. Pour into a separate mixing bowl and puree using an immersion blender. The mixture will be somewhat thick.
6. Return saucepan to medium heat. Melt remaining 3 Tbsp butter.
7. Add onion, garlic, and thyme. Saute until onion is translucent.
8. Add wild / porcini mushrooms. Stir well and cook for about 5 minutes.
9. Add remaining 4 cups of stock and cook until liquid begins to bubble, about 4-5 minutes.
10. Turn heat to low. Stir mushroom puree into soup and cook for another minute.
11. Serve with bread or rolls.

Comments

If you make this recipe vegan (replacing the butter with olive oil), you may need to season with salt and pepper. However, with beef stock it was perfectly seasoned for us.

The soup was light but fairly filling. We had it for lunch with some rolls and everyone seemed satiated. I was pleased that because of the lack of cream or milk, the mushroom flavor stood out. After all, why eat mushroom soup that doesn't taste like mushrooms?

Pesto Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic

What do you do with a bunch of big, beautiful tomatoes that are given to you, before they take over your kitchen?

This is the first of two recipes working to solve that "problem". I roasted chunks of tomatoes and minced garlic right in my cast iron frying pan, allowing the whole mixture and pan to heat up as the oven did. Everything timed out perfectly so the tomatoes were done roasting at the exact moment when they were needed for the pasta. It's an easy recipe that has a lot of flavor, since roasting vegetables is the best way to bring out their best qualities.

Ingredients

• olive oil
• 2 large tomatoes, cut into chunks
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb cut pasta (such as penne or ziti)
• 3-4 spoonfuls basil pesto, or more to taste (I like Classico's pesto)

Directions

1. Turn on oven to 425 degrees.
2. Drizzle olive oil in an oven-safe dish or pan. Add chopped tomatoes and garlic, stir quickly to coat, then place in oven while oven is still preheating.
3. While tomatoes are roasting, boil water and prepare pasta according to package directions.
4. Drain and rinse pasta; return to pan.
5. Add pesto to your desired taste.
6. Remove tomatoes from oven. Add to pasta and serve immediately alongside a chunk of crusty bread.

Indian Burgers

This meal was based on another great recipe from Penzey's, submitted to their catalog by Melinda Peters.

This is a great recipe if you're looking for something to mix up a normal burger. The curry flavor is very subtle and smells great while cooking.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 slice onion, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. curry powder
• 1 tsp. cilantro
• crunchy peanut butter, for topping (optional but recommended)
• hamburger rolls

Directions

1. Heat frying pan over medium heat. Cook onion for 2-3 minutes, then add garlic and cook for another minute. Pour onion and garlic into a medium-sized bowl and leave pan on the burner.
2. To the onion-garlic mixture add beef, curry powder, and cilantro. Mix together well and form into patties.
3. Cook patties to your liking. With about three minutes left in cooking time, add a spoonful of peanut butter to the top of each burger and allow it to melt.

 Comments

The idea of peanut butter on a burger sounded pretty strange but tasted really good. With the peanut butter topping, the meal was pretty filling. We enjoyed the burgers with cole slaw.