Category Archives: MAIN DISH RECIPES

ITALIAN CHICKEN GRAVY OVER POLENTA

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I hate to make this confession just as some of you might be perusing my site for the first time. But it’s said that “the truth shall set you free”, so here goes. I often get inspiration for new dishes from leftovers. (Wow – it feels really good to get that off my chest!) So now that I have scared half of you who are reading my blog for the first time, I need to tell you that this recipe is no exception.

So, when trying to figure out how best to serve some left-over Creamy Garlic & Rosemary Polenta (recipe on this site) a couple evenings ago, I decided that it would make a great base for some type of Italian inspired sauce or gravy. But I definitely didn’t want to overpower the taste of the savory polenta. What I wanted was a sauce or gravy that enhanced the flavors in the polenta. So I began to formulate just what it would take to make this happen. I thought for sure that using some of the same ingredients, in this case garlic, rosemary, and chicken stock would make a great beginning. I also felt that chicken breast meat would be perfect for the protein component. So I went on line to research recipes that included these ingredients. What I found was a great recipe from Rachael Ray that, with just a few changes here and there, would work perfectly. So the following recipe is the result.

Now I know what some of you are thinking. Patti, you look in your refrigerator and see leftover possibilities. I look in my refrigerator and often see little Tupperware containers whose contents closely resemble science projects. Well dear readers, over the years I too have created specimens that would make even the most inventive chemist envious. But as I’ve grown older, I have tried harder to use those last bits of this and that in a creative way. Left over taco meat? How about using the seasoned meat in a nice egg scramble for breakfast? Left over chicken? Cut it up and make a chicken Caesar salad. Left over pizza? Cold for breakfast. Duh!

And again, confession time. If I know darned well that I am never going to use that last bit of whatever, I throw it away immediately! I force myself to ignore my mother’s voice in my head that says “honey, you know there are starving children around the world who would do almost anything to eat those last 2 tablespoons of creamed peas!” Sure they would, mom. Especially after the peas would have to have been flown half way around the world to reach the starving children in the first place! (Where do mothers come up with this stuff?)

So, as a mother, grandmother, and great grandmother – I am formally giving you permission to leave your guilt behind and throw away any leftover food that you know in your heart of hearts will never pass anyone’s lips. (And no, good intentions don’t count towards sainthood or mother of the year status when you really know the food is not going to be eaten and you save it anyway.)

But if you do have a leftover that is reasonably likely to be eaten, do save it. Just give a little thought when you decide how best to serve it to your family. Change it up a bit so that no one guesses that you are serving them leftovers. Your family will be happy, and better yet, your mother will be ecstatic!

  • ½ c. small pieces dried porcini mushrooms, about ½-oz.
  • 2 c. chicken stock
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces   
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 T. flour, divided   
  • 2 T. extra virgin olive oil   
  • 1 T. unsalted butter
  • ½ onion, finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, minced   
  • 6 sage leaves, chopped
  • ½ tsp. fresh thyme leaves
  • ½ tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
  • ¼ c. dry white wine
  • 2 T. chopped fresh Italian parsley, garnish
  • Place the dried mushroom pieces and stock in a small pan over medium heat. Simmer gently until the mushroom pieces are soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Set aside.  Sprinkle the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the flour. Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and brown on all sides. (Add a little more oil if necessary.) Remove cooked chicken to a plate; set aside.  Add the butter to the pan. When the butter foams, add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, sage, thyme, and rosemary; cook for about a minute. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons flour and cook for about a minute before adding the wine. Whisk in the rehydrated mushrooms and stock, being very careful not to include any grit that may have collected at the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer, add the cooked chicken, adjust seasoning, and cook until thick, about 3-4 minutes. OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
    Best served over polenta sprinkled lightly with fresh parsley.

CURRIED CHICKEN AND ROMAINE SALAD

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So what do you do when you have one half of a cooked chicken breast, and one raw chicken breast in your refrigerator? Well you know you can’t serve the raw chicken breast as is, so that means you have to cook it. But then, how are you going to serve the chicken once both pieces are staring at you wondering what’s to become of them? Well – since you are currently on a salad binge, you make up a recipe for chicken salad. Or at least that’s what I did last evening.

While I love a good chicken salad with grapes as one of the ingredients, I didn’t happen to have any in the fridge yesterday. And because I was too lazy to put on my lipstick and drive the arduous 3½ miles to our local grocery store, I decided to explore other avenues for flavor enhancement. That’s when I remembered one of my favorite chicken casserole recipes that features curry powder in the sauce. So I thought, why not add some curry powder to my salad dressing? I didn’t want to add too much so I started out with just ¼ teaspoon. That didn’t taste like quite enough, so I added another eighth of a teaspoon. Perfect! So that’s why I wrote the ingredient amount below as a heaping ¼ teaspoon.

Whenever I serve something to Mr. C. for the first time, I usually preface my remarks about the recipe with “if this new concoction is horrible, we can always go out for pizza”. But last evening, because I had already sampled the salad (adjusting seasoning you see) I didn’t even bother to offer an out. I knew he would love the salad. And I was right!

So if you too are ever faced with what to do with leftover chicken, and the chicken itself is not offering up any inspiration, may I suggest this salad as a quick and easy solution. Because if I do say so myself, it’s just darned delicious.

And although the chicken breasts couldn’t communicate their approval of how they were being served last evening, I’m sure had they been able, they would have been proud to be such an integral part of this new main dish salad. (And yes, I am as guilty of anthropomorphism as the next gal!) After all, I still believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. So how could you expect me not to presume to know what chicken breasts are thinking?  Duh!

  • ½ c. light mayonnaise (I use Best Foods “Light” mayonnaise)
  • 1 T. fresh lemon juice (don’t even think about using that bottled “stuff”)
  • pinch seasoned salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • heaping ¼ tsp. curry powder
  • 2 c. chopped, cooked chicken breast meat*
  • 1 lg. stalk celery, chopped
  • 2 green onions, finely minced
  • ½ c. slivered almonds, toasted
  • 1 lg. heart of romaine lettuce, chopped into bite size pieces

Whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, seasoned salt, black pepper, and curry powder. Stir in the chicken, celery, green onions, and toasted almonds until well combined. Add the lettuce and stir until all the lettuce pieces are coated with the dressing. Serve immediately. Serves 2-3.

*If you don’t have any cooked chicken on hand, cut 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast in half lengthwise, sprinkle lightly with seasoned salt and pepper, and fry in a small amount of olive oil just until done. Allow to cool, then cut into bite size pieces.

CHEESEBURGER SALAD WITH BACON AND AVOCADO

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If you have been following my blog, you already know that I am not a gourmet. I am however, a gourmand.* (Not always proud of that classification, but if the shoe fits, etc. etc.) And as a true and faithful gourmand, some of the food I am passionate about is as common as a cheeseburger. But as I get a little older, some of the foods I used to eat with nary a concern for calories or nutritional content, have turned against me in the form of digestive problems and additional weight. (Simply not fair!)

So, in trying to still be able to wholeheartedly enjoy my favorite foods, I have been working on recipes that mimic certain foods, but are healthy, less caloric, and easy to prepare. And since a good bacon, avocado, and cheese hamburger is still one of the foods that make life worth living for both of us, I decided to try putting all the ingredients associated with our favorite burger into salad form. And by golly, both Mr. C and I felt totally satisfied after eating one of these salads last evening. We absolutely did not miss the bun, or the mayonnaise sauce in the least. The salad had way more veggies than a real burger, but regardless, the flavor of a good burger came through in every bite. And of course, this new recipe fulfilled my desire to provide you all with more recipes containing ground beef.

So give this recipe a try. It’s a very nice change of pace from a taco salad, while still being a snap to prepare.

*Gourmand – a lover of good food who often eats too much.

  • 4 slices thick lean bacon, chopped
  • 1 lb. very lean ground beef
  • ½ red onion, very thinly sliced, divided
  • ¼ c. ketchup
  • 2 tsp. yellow mustard
  • 2 tsp. Montreal Seasoning
  • 1 lg. heart romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
  • 1-2 lg. dill pickles, diced
  • 1 Hass avocado, cubed
  • ½ c. grated sharp cheddar cheese

Fry bacon until crisp in a large skillet. Remove cooked bacon to paper towels to drain. Set aside. Pour off as much bacon grease as possible from pan. Brown the ground beef in the same skillet over medium heat. Add half of the sliced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the ketchup, mustard, and Montreal Seasoning; stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning.

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To assemble: Place lettuce on 2 large dinner plates. Add some of the meat mixture (I usually have extra meat when I make this salad). Then top with tomato, pickle, remaining red onion, avocado, cheese, and the cooked bacon. Serve immediately. No additional dressing required.

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TÖLTÖTT KÁPOSZTA (HUNGARIAN MEAT AND RICE STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS)

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There are several ingredients seemingly indigenous to Hungarian cuisine that are among my favorites. I love the flavor of paprika, adore sour cream and dill, and think caraway is fabulous. So when I can prepare a dish that contains all of these favorites, I know I am going to be in culinary heaven.

So when I decided I wanted to update my 40 year old recipe for stuffed cabbage rolls, I kept each of these ingredients in mind as I concocted my new version of this Hungarian classic.

While I was at it, I also wanted my cabbage rolls to be low in fat and reasonably easy to prepare. And to be made with fairly inexpensive ingredients. I also wanted a dish that even people like my husband, who are not as fond of cruciferous vegetables as I am, to be able to enjoy the dish and even look forward to eating it again.

So this recipe is my take on Töltött káposzta. And for all of you out there who have lovely Hungarian grandmothers who would be deeply offended by my use of sour cream in the sauce rather than as just a garnishment, who would not be caught dead not including sauerkraut or smoked pork shank in their version, I humbly offer my apologies. But as in all things, it’s really just all about me. And of course, what can you expect from a person who has only French and German blood running through her veins? Remember: not everyone is lucky or smart enough to be born with a Hungarian grandmother. (Next time around, I will be smart enough to get my request in early for an Italian mother and a Hungarian father. Or visa/versa would be fine too.)

If you need more apology than the aforesaid, please ask your grandmother to contact me personally! Speaking of which, don’t hesitate to “leave a reply” if you like a recipe or want to share some insight into the recipe with me. If your comment is not too derogatory, I will gladly add your comment to the blog for all the world to see. Thanks and I hope you enjoy this recipe. Oh, and also – Happy Spring! Yea sunshine!

  • 1 small head green cabbage
  • ¼ c. long grain rice
  • 1 c. water 
  • 1 T. vegetable oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • ½ tsp. marjoram
  • ½ tsp. caraway seeds
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper  
  • 3 T. sweet Hungarian paprika, divided (and yes, use real Hungarian paprika)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 lb. ground pork*
  • 1 lb. ground beef*
  • 1 small can (14-oz.) chopped skinless tomatoes plus juice (canned Italian tomatoes are the best)
  • 1 c. sour cream, plus more for passing at the table
  • fresh dill weed, garnish, opt.

Remove core from cabbage with a paring knife. Place whole head in a large pot filled with boiling, salted water. Reduce heat and simmer the cabbage until leaves are softened enough to pull off individually. Then using a pair of tongs, gently remove the leaves as they become tender and set aside to drain/cool. (Don’t worry if you tear a leaf. It will mend during the baking process. Well, it won’t really mend, but once anyone takes a bite, believe me, no one will notice any tiny presentation imperfections!) Save the cabbage water for use later on in the recipe.    

Meanwhile place the rice and 1 cup of water in a small covered pan and bring to a boil.  Stir, reduce heat, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, remove lid, and set aside to cool. (If you have leftover rice, by all means use it.)  

While the cabbage leaves cool, place the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and gently sauté for about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Remove pan from heat and set aside to cool. When cooled, add the marjoram, caraway seeds, salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon of the Hungarian paprika, and the eggs. Mix thoroughly. Add the partially cooked rice, ground meat, and combine just until the spice/onion mixture is evenly distributed throughout the meat. (Clean hands are your best tool for this process. Note: take your rings off first!) Place a handful of the meat mixture inside each cabbage leaf and wrap up like a burrito. Place folded side down in a lightly greased deep sided casserole or baking dish.

In the empty frying pan (I hate to make more dishes dirty than necessary), whisk together the tomatoes, remaining 2 tablespoons of paprika, 1 cup sour cream, salt and pepper to taste, and 1 cup of the reserved cabbage cooking water. Pour over the cabbage rolls and tightly cover the pan with foil. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 90 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 45-60 minutes or until the sauce is almost gone. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes before serving with a nice rustic bread, baked Yukon gold potatoes or garlic mashed potatoes, and additional sour cream and fresh dill as garnishes.

*If you want to use another pound of ground beef instead of ground pork – go for it. You could also substitute ground chicken or turkey with wonderful results.

 

CHICKEN POT PIE – HAVE IT YOUR WAY!

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I just couldn’t decide which recipe for chicken pot pie I liked the best. So I decided to share my three favorite recipes (Chicken Pot Pie, Chicken and Parmesan Pot Pie, and Chicken, Broccoli, and Cheddar Pot Pie) and let you peruse the ingredient list for yourself. Of course you could fix all three at once, but I would suggest just starting with one. After all, these babies are loaded with calories. (I’m not proud of this you realize. It’s just a matter of fact!) So why am I posting these recipes tempting you to be naughty? Because my dear friends, there’s a time and a place for comfort food. (To my thinking, it’s anytime and anyplace!) But even a foodie hedonist like myself, can’t advocate eating comfort food all the time. (I would of course if I were 25 and still had the metabolism of a pigmy shrew. But alas those days are long gone. Sigh…)

So once in a while, when Mr. C and I have been particularly good, I reward us with a comfort food. And isn’t that the way it should be? A little reward here and there to act as an incentive for good behavior? I know it always works well for our cats after we’ve trimmed their toenails. So I figure if it’s good enough for our kitties, it should be good enough for us! And then, of course, there are those times when life gets a little rough. You know. Like when your favorite sports team loses a game, or your favorite TV show gets preempted by a presidential debate. Rough times for sure!

So when you too need a little comforting, bake yourself up one of these pies. They really are quite easy to build and absolutely fool proof. And if you are wondering why I mainly bake a big pot pie rather than a couple smaller ones, it’s my nod to being good. It’s much easier for me to cut myself a reasonable portion from a large pie, than to have a large individual pie in front of me that fairly demands to be eaten right down to the last crumb. That, and it’s a lot easier to build a large pie than several small ones. (The real reason is the latter, but the first reason sounded so virtuous, I just had to include it!)

CHICKEN POT PIE

  • 1 c. chicken broth
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced  
  • ¼ c. unsalted butter
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • 1 medium carrot, chopped
  • 1 medium potato, cubed
  • 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1 c. milk
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/8 tsp. granulated garlic
  • ¼ rounded tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
  • ¼ rounded tsp. ground sage
  • ¼ tsp. ground savory  
  • ½ c. frozen petite peas
  • 2 T. chopped fresh Italian parsley
  • 1 recipe Pie Crust (recipe given below)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 T. milk

Pour chicken broth into a small sauce pan. Add the chicken and cook only until the chicken is almost cooked through. Turn off heat. With a slotted spoon, remove chicken pieces to a small bowl. Set aside. (The chicken will finish cooking as it cools.) Reserve the broth.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and mushrooms. Sauté until the onion is soft. Whisk in the flour and cook for a couple of minute. Add the reserved chicken broth and whisk to blend. As the sauce starts to thicken, add the milk, salt, pepper, granulated garlic, rosemary, sage, and savory. Add the reserved chicken and peas and cook until heated through. Remove from heat and stir in the parsley. Adjust seasoning.

Butter a shallow casserole dish*. (I use a 9×11-inch casserole dish.) Pour the filling into the dish and smooth the top. Set aside while you prepare the crust.

CHICKEN AND PARMESAN POT PIE

  • 1 c. chicken broth
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
  • ¼ c. unsalted butter
  • ½ onion, chopped
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 4-6- mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1 c. whole milk
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ tsp. dried sage
  • ½ tsp. dried thyme
  • ½ c. frozen petite peas
  • 1 c. finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 2 T. chopped fresh Italian parsley
  • 1 recipe Pie Crust (recipe given below)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 T. milk

Pour chicken broth into a small sauce pan. Add the chicken and cook only until the chicken is almost cooked through. Turn off heat. With a slotted spoon, remove chicken pieces to a small bowl. Set aside. (The chicken will finish cooking as it cools.) Reserve the broth.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and mushrooms. Sauté until the onion is soft. Whisk in the flour and cook for a couple of minute. Add the reserved stock and whisk to blend. As the sauce starts to thicken, add the milk, salt, pepper, sage, and thyme. Add the cooked chicken and peas and cook until heated through. Remove from heat and stir in ¾ cup of the Parmesan cheese and the parsley. Adjust seasoning.

Butter a shallow casserole dish*. (I use a 9×11-inch casserole dish.) Pour the filling into the dish and smooth the top. Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. Set aside while you prepare the crust.

CHICKEN, BROCCOLI, AND CHEDDAR POT PIE

  • 1 c. chicken broth
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced  
  • ¼ c. (½ stick) unsalted butter
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • 1 medium carrot, chopped
  • ½ crown broccoli, cut in small pieces
  • 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1 c. milk
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1½ c. grated sharp cheddar cheese
  • 2 T. chopped fresh Italian parsley
  • 1 recipe Pie Crust (recipe given below)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 T. milk

Pour chicken broth into a small sauce pan. Add the chicken and cook only until the chicken is almost cooked through. Turn off heat. With a slotted spoon, remove chicken pieces to a small bowl. Set aside. (The chicken will finish cooking as it cools.) Reserve the broth.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrot. Sauté until the onion is soft. Add the broccoli and sauté for 2 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook for a couple of minute. Add the reserved stock and whisk to blend. As the sauce starts to thicken, add the milk, salt, and pepper. Add the cooked chicken and cook until heated through. Remove from heat and stir in the cheddar cheese and parsley. Adjust seasoning.

Butter a shallow casserole dish*. (I use a 9×11-inch casserole dish.) Pour the filling into the dish and smooth the top. Set aside while you prepare the crust.

*Please note: If you prefer individual pot pies, just follow the directions except use smaller casserole dishes or ramekins. Then simply roll the pie crust to the appropriate size for the dishes you are using. Also, if you wish to freeze your pot pie(s), do so before baking. Then remove from freezer about 30 minutes before you stick it or them in the oven.

PIE CRUST

  • ½ c. (1 stick) cold unsalted butter
  • 1 1/3 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • 3 T. ice cold water

Cut the butter into 16 pieces and place in the bowl of your food processor with the sharpest blade you own. (The first time I made this I used the dull blade. Bad mistake. The cold butter just laughed at the blade and nothing really happened. So I swapped it out for the one I use when I’m pulverizing ingredients, and life got a lot better!) Add the flour and salt. Pulse about 10-15 times or until the mixture looks like small peas. With the processor running, add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Process until the dough begins to look like it might want to clump together. (The only way I know to make sure the dough is ready to form a decent ball, is to use my fingers and pinch a bit of the dough. If the dough ingredients feel like they might be growing fond of spending time together, I call it good!). Sprinkle a little flour on a pastry cloth or clean, dry surface. Pour the mixture on the floured surface and form it into a ball. Roll the dough out until it is about 1-inch on all sides larger than the casserole dish containing the filling. Gently set the crust on the filling. Tuck the pastry edges into the dish. With a paring knife, make several cuts, or steam vents, in the pastry. In a small bowl whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon milk. Brush the pastry lightly with the egg glaze. (You will have extra glaze. I cover the bowl, add more eggs the next morning, and enjoy a nice dish of scrambled eggs. Frugal? Who me?) Bake the pot pie in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 45-50 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. Remove from oven and let sit about 10 minutes before serving.

RICOTTA CHEESE GNOCCHI IN A GORGONZOLA CREAM SAUCE

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I believe most of you already know that I absolutely adore pasta and sauces. And why not? They are part of the five main food groups along with coffee, chocolate, and bacon. So of course I love them. They also happen to be the main reason I am filled to the brim of slimness. But that’s another story better held for another day.

Because today, I want the spotlight to be shining directly on this dish, which includes both a fabulous pasta which can be served with a variety of sauces and an incredible cream sauce which can be paired with a multitude of various pasta shapes. (See – it’s really not just all about me all the time!)

The gnocchi recipe is from Chef Geoffrey Zakarian. The sauce, well it’s a combination of recipes I have been preparing for years. But this time, the sauce was unbelievably delicious. And the gnocchi? Well let’s just say that if Mr. Zakarian walked in my home today, I would be down on my knees kissing his feet! OK, maybe I exaggerate about kissing his feet. But I would probably become so effusive with my complements that he would prefer if I just kissed his feet than to listen to any more of my verbal barrage. (I’m sure some of you feel the same way about my written ramblings.) But I digress…..

But truly, this is the sort of dish you would expect to be served in an excellent Italian restaurant. The gnocchi are like little soft pillows of flavor. The sauce is creamy and so tasty. And when garnished with toasted walnuts, it even has that crunch we all so dearly love.

So next time you want to treat your family and friends, fix this recipe and watch everyone at your table roll their eyes or gently sigh in response to the amazing flavors and textures in this pasta dish. And believe me, if I can make this gnocchi, you can too. All it takes is a little leap of faith in yourself. And of course it doesn’t hurt that it’s about the easiest and fastest pasta to make. No pasta machine required. Just a bit of extra flour, a pair of hands that don’t mind getting a little covered in flour, and a sharp knife or pastry scraper. And preparing the sauce? Very simple. Just have all your ingredients ready when you begin your sauce. You don’t want to be chopping parsley or toasting walnuts at the last minute. Have fun with this recipe and happy eating.

Gnocchi:

  • 1 (15-oz,) container whole milk ricotta cheese
  • ½ c. finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1½ T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 lg. eggs
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1¼ c. unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • semolina flour, for dusting 

Combine the ricotta cheese, Parmesan, olive oil, eggs, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the all-purpose flour in 3 parts, stirring after each addition. Dust a work surface (I use a pastry cloth) with plenty of flour. Scoop the dough out of the mixing bowl, and with floured hands, knead about 4 times before gently rolling into a ball. Cut into 4 quarters using a floured pastry scraper or a sharp knife.Roll the first wedge of dough into a dowel shape about 5/8-inch in diameter. Cut the “dowel” into 5/8-inch pieces. Place the gnocchi on a semolina or regular flour dusted baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Set aside.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAWhen your sauce is ready, cook the gnocchi in boiling salted water for about 2 minutes. (The gnocchi will float to the top of the water when it’s done.) Transfer the cooked gnocchi directly into the pan with the sauce using a flat headed strainer or a slotted spoon. (Be sure not to crowd your pan. When I cook the gnocchi I divide the tiny little pillows of dough in half. And since the gnocchi only take a couple of minutes to cook, and your pot of water is still hot, there is no problem with the first set just languishing in the lovely sauce while the second set cooks. (Save a small amount of the pasta water in case your sauce is too thick.)Note: Uncooked gnocchi can be frozen for up to 2 weeks.

Gorgonzola Cream Sauce:

  • 1½ c. heavy whipping cream
  • 1/8 tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • smidgen* cayenne pepper
  • 5-6 oz. crumbled Gorgonzola cheese – not the creamy or dolce (sweet) kind
  • ¼ c. finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • 3 T. chopped Italian parsley, divided
  • ½ c. chopped toasted walnuts, opt.

Pour the cream, salt, pepper, and cayenne into a heavy pan, bring to a simmer, and cook until it reduces by almost a half, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix in Gorgonzola cheese, stirring gently until almost melted.  Stir in most of the parsley and the Parmesan cheese. Carefully toss in the cooked gnocchi. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with a little of the pasta cooking water.

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Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with walnuts and the remaining parsley. Serve immediately.

*For accuracy in measuring a smidgen, pinch, or a dash of something, get yourself a set of measuring spoons. They are ever so helpful. Plus being cute as can be. What I did one year was buy several sets and tied them into the bows of Christmas packages for my girls and other family members. And of course, kept a set for myself.  

 

SHRIMP AND FRIED TOFU PAD THAI

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The other evening I had just an overwhelming hankering for Pad Thai. But having never made it before, I had to go to the internet for help. I only knew that whatever else the dish contained, mine had to have bite sized pieces of shrimp, crispy cubes of fried tofu, and of course rice noodles.

One of the first recipes I found was from Jennifer Steinhauer. I added, subtracted, and generally had my way with her recipe, but the basic ingredients she used became the backbone for the recipe you find below.

Jennifer’s recipe, as did almost all the other Pad Thai recipes, called for tamarind paste. Now I live on an island with just one humble grocery store. And granted, our store does its best with the limited space it has, but I didn’t even bother looking for tamarind paste. So I researched substitutions. Apparently equal parts of fresh lime juice and brown sugar is close enough for practical purposes. (And in my case, practical purposes includes not having to drive all over the region looking for tamarind paste!)

So there is no tamarind paste in my recipe. And as far as my taste buds can tell, the basic flavor of a good Pad Thai sauce has not been jeopardized by the absence of this quintessential Pad Thai ingredient. (Plus from everything I read about tamarind paste, it’s a pain in the patootie to work with! And frankly, I no longer have the time or patience for high maintenance ingredients!)

So if you too love Pad Thai and would like to serve it at home, give this recipe a try. It has lots of wonderful flavor without being too loaded with fat or salt. And it’s a one dish meal. And if there’s any phrase I’m beginning to like more and more, it’s “one dish meal”. Of course in my case, that one dish should be a big old salad, not a plate of noodles. But one simply must listen to one’s own hankering every so often. How else are we to keep our souls alive if we neglect our bodies wishes all the time? Perhaps I should research that subject on the internet. (I’ll let you know if I find an answer that still allows me to eat Pad Thai once in a while!)

  • 8 oz. stir-fry rice stick noodles (the noodles are almost fettuccine-width)
  • ½ block firm tofu
  • 2 T. cornstarch, or more as needed
  • 1 T. sesame oil
  • 1 tsp. chili oil
  • 2 T. fish sauce
  • 1 T. granulated sugar
  • 1 T. brown sugar
  • 2 T. fresh lime juice
  • pinch crushed red pepper flakes
  • ¼ c. water
  • 2 T. canola oil
  • 2 small garlic cloves, finely minced  
  • 2 tsp. minced ginger
  • ½ small carrot, grated
  • 1/3 c. finely chopped red bell pepper, opt.
  • 2 c. chopped baby spinach or shredded Napa cabbage
  • ¾ – 1 lb. uncooked large (16-20) shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cut into thirds
  • 2 lg. eggs
  • 4 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1-2 c. bean sprouts
  • 1/3 c. chopped salted peanuts
  • 2 T. sesame seeds, opt.  
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges

Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add the rice noodles; let stand for 8 minutes or until the noodles are soft but firm. (Basically al dente.) Rinse under cold water; drain well. Set aside.

Meanwhile, cut drained tofu into 1/4-inch slices and coat with cornstarch.  Combine the sesame oil and chili oil in a medium frying pan. Bring oil to medium heat and fry the tofu until both sides are a nice golden brown. Remove from pan and drain on a paper towel. When cool cut into bite size pieces. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the fish sauce, granulated sugar, brown sugar, lime juice, crushed red pepper flakes, and water; set aside.

Set a wok or large fry pan over high heat for 1 minute, then add the canola oil and heat until the oil shimmers. Add the garlic, ginger, carrot, red bell pepper, and spinach; sauté for 30 seconds. Add the shrimp and sauté until almost cooked through, 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add the noodles to the pan and stir-fry for 1 minute. Pour in the fish sauce and toss to coat the noodles. Cook until the noodles are hot, then push them to one side of the wok/pan and scramble the eggs in the remaining space. Add the reserved shrimp mixture, fried tofu chunks, green onions, bean sprouts, and half the peanuts. Toss to mix. Garnish with the remaining peanuts, sesame seeds, and lime wedges. Serve immediately.

 

 

BOLOGNESE SAUCE (RAGÙ ALLA BOLOGNESE)

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Once in a while I have an “aha moment”.  And usually when this happens I wonder why in the world I didn’t think of this (whatever it might be) sooner! Well one of those “aha moments” occurred this last week when I was preparing Lasagna Bolognese. I had prepared the red sauce for the lasagna and was giving it a taste to make sure the seasoning was correct, when it hit me that this easy sauce, with the possible addition of a grated carrot and a stalk of celery, would be perfect over al dente spaghetti. Add a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, and Bob’s your uncle!

And yes, I have other recipes for spaghetti sauce, but this particular recipe uses very simple ingredients, doesn’t take all day to simmer, and always turns out wonderfully. Plus it freezes beautifully.

Now I know what those of you who are Italian sauce experts will be thinking when you look at the list of ingredients. (And yes, I can read minds!) Where are all the rest of the herbs usually in a recipe for ragù, like thyme, rosemary, Italian seasoning, for example? And what about wine? Where’s the wine in this recipe? Well the answer is quite simple really. Additional herbs are simply not necessary. And frankly, wine can sometimes make an Italian red sauce taste too acidic.

Now don’t get me wrong, I sometimes use wine in my sauces, but this one just doesn’t need it. Neither does it need any sugar, especially if you use canned Italian tomatoes. And then, even if the sauce is a slight bit acidic, a tablespoon or two of butter right at the end takes care of the problem in a second. (I really do try to stay away from additional sugar if at all possible.)

So next time you want a hearty Italian meal that your entire family is sure to like, make up a big old batch of this sauce, boil up some spaghetti (al dente of course) and grate up some Parmesan cheese. Serve with a simple green salad, and perhaps some garlic bread, and you have a recipe for success. And of course, since you didn’t pour any wine in your sauce, you should have plenty to pour in your glass. And if this sauce doesn’t fairly scream out for a nice rich cabernet, pinot noir, or Sangiovese as an accompaniment, I’m not the proud owner of “Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking” by Marcella Hazan. And I’ve got my copy right in front of me as I write!

  • 1 T. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 lb. bulk Italian sausage (either chicken or pork)
  • ½ c. chopped onion
  • 1 small carrot, grated
  • 1 stalk celery, very finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 (28-oz.) can chopped or diced tomatoes (Italian tomatoes preferably)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • pinch crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ c. loosely packed fresh basil chiffonade*
  • 1-2 T. butter, optional

In a large covered sauce pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the sausage, chop it into small pieces as it cooks, and sauté until nicely browned. Add the onion, carrot, and celery; sauté until the onion is soft and translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, oregano, salt, and pepper.  Stir to combine ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes.  When the sauce is done, remove from heat, remove bay leaf, add basil, and adjust seasoning. If the sauce tastes acidic, add butter 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavor.  (Even better if made a day or two ahead.)

Please note: This is a very thick and chunky sauce. If you prefer a more “saucy” sauce, add a small can of tomato sauce along with the chopped or diced tomatoes.

*Chiffonade (pronounced “shif-oh-nod”) is a knife technique used for cutting herbs and leaf vegetables such as lettuce into thin strips or ribbons. To chiffonade leaves of basil, stack the basil leaves and roll them into a tube. Then carefully cut across the ends of the tube with your knife to produce fine strips.

 

ROASTED MUSHROOM LASAGNA WITH BÉCHAMEL SAUCE

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Since I knew I was going to have a large crowd (41) for last Sundays JazzVox concert, I decided to fix a big ole Italian meal. Complete with appetizers – Caponata Alla Siciliana, Marinated Goat Cheese, and Crab and Artichoke Dip. (I didn’t get a picture of the Crab and Artichoke Dip, so I am going to have to make it again very soon before I can post the recipe. Oh the sacrifices I must make for this blog!) Followed by Lasagna Bolognese, vegetarian Roasted Mushroom Lasagna with Béchamel Sauce (this recipe), romaine salad with Italian Salad Dressing (soon to be published), and Herb and Garlic Focaccia (again – soon to be published). And for dessert, Italian Dream Cake and Glazed Italian Lemon Cookies. Look for the cookie recipe in the near future also.

And for those of you who are looking at the menu and saying to yourself “is this woman crazy making all that food”, I offer a simple response. Yes she is! I mean – yes I am!

But if you are going to lavish food on 41 hungry people, 10 of whom are teenagers, you simply need to fix a large quantity with multiple choices. And what better dish or dishes to feed a large crowd than lasagna? Now granted, lasagna is not a quick dish to prepare.  But none of the steps taken individually are difficult to construct. It’s just that there are a stinkin’ lot of steps! (I sound like I’m trying to persuade you not to make this lasagna, but that’s not the case. But, I’m also not going to lead you down a primrose path! (For those of you who are too young to know the meaning of “being led down a primrose path”, it means “being led to a life of ease and pleasure”.) Or as Lemony Snicket* would define it “being in and out of the kitchen in less than 30 minutes”. Simply not going to happen!)

But if I do say so myself, it is time well spent. The lasagna is creamy, herby, and full of mushroom flavor. And it’s vegetarian. So next time you need or want a veggie main dish, give this lasagna a try. It’s just really, really good.

*For a wonderful read that contains more vocabulary words and definitions (some real, some just for the circumstance) than your average grade school English primer, check out one of Lemony Snicket’s books in the charming children’s series “A Series of Unfortunate Events”. If all of the 3 R’s could be taught in such a delightful way, there would be a lot more children achieving than left behind. And if Lemony Snicket were telling you about this recipe, he would undoubtedly tell you not to make this dish. That you should try a recipe that was simpler and quicker to prepare. That you should fix a dish that you knew you would like. That you would be upset with the final product. But then, he tries with all his might to dissuade youngsters from reading his books too if all they like are happy endings. (His books never have a happy ending!) But unlike his books, this recipe does have a happy ending. It’s called a happy mouth. Enjoy!

  • ½ onion, coarsely chopped
  • 2 lbs. mixed mushrooms (cremini, button, Portobello, shiitake) sliced between ¼-inch and ½-inch thick
  • 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 8 T. unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 T. finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • ½ c. flour
  • 6 c. milk (whole milk is best)  
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp. white pepper or black pepper to taste (white pepper actually has a sharper flavor than black)
  • 1 lb. lasagna noodles* (I like Culinary Circle Authentic Bronze-cut Lasagna noodles)  
  • 1 c. grated Pecorino Romano cheese
  • 1½ c. grated mozzarella cheese 
  • 1½ c. grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 T. chopped Italian parsley

Place the onion and mushrooms on a large low sided baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil. Cut 2 tablespoons of the butter into small pieces and place on top of the mushrooms. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Using your hands, toss the vegetables together until they are evenly coated with the oil, butter chunks, and seasonings.

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(Before the mushrooms are roasted.)

Place in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and browned. (Turn once during the baking process to ensure even browning.)  Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the fresh rosemary. Stir. Set aside.

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(After the mushrooms are roasted.)

Meanwhile to prepare your béchamel sauce, melt the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute of until the garlic gives off its aroma. Whisk in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes or until the roux starts to turn a delicate golden brown. Slowly whisk in the milk and bring to a slow boil, stirring the entire time. Boil for one minute as the sauce continues to thicken. Remove from heat and whisk in the salt and pepper. Set aside. Reserve 1 cup of the béchamel sauce. (This will be spread on the lasagna half way through the baking process.)

Before cooking the noodles, have all the other ingredients prepped and ready to go. Cook the noodles in boiling salted water until al dente (firm to the bite). Drain the noodles and run under cold water. Drain again.  

To assemble:  Spread ½ cup béchamel sauce in a buttered 10×16-inch baking pan.  Arrange 1/3rd of the lasagna noodles over the sauce. Spread half of the roasted vegetables over the noodles, followed by half of each kind of cheese, then half of the béchamel sauce. Repeat, beginning with another third of the noodles, remaining roasted veggies, and remaining half of each cheese, except the Parmesan. Save out about a quarter cup. Layer on the remaining noodles. Carefully cover the pan with foil that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil; spread the reserved 1 cup béchamel over the top and sprinkle with the reserved quarter cup of Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the lasagna is bubbly and lightly browned on top. Remove from oven, lightly cover with the foil you used earlier, and allow the lasagna to sit about 15 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with the parsley just before cutting into portion sized pieces.

*Hint: when deciding how many noodles to cook, spread the bottom of your pan with a single layer of uncooked noodles. Triple that number and you have just the right amount. (Seems too easy, doesn’t it?)  

 

ITALIAN MEATLOAF

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We recently purchased half of a Highland* cow together with Mr. Cs sister Katie and her husband Rick. When we received our quarter of the beef, we had 34 – 1 lb. packages of very lean ground beef among all the other cuts. Now that’s a lot of ground beast! Our beef had been packaged exactly as Rick and Katie’s. So at Christmas time when they were visiting for the holidays, Katie asked me what I planned to do with all the ground beef? Since I happen to really love ground beef, I answered that I already had several recipes that called for ground beef. But when I looked through my recipes, I realized I didn’t actually have that many. So I thought about my favorite cuisine – Italian. What about an Italian meatloaf, I thought to myself? So I set about figuring out a recipe.

Now the one thing that meatloaf absolutely must be is moist. If it is dry and has the consistency of sawdust, you might as well use it as a doorstop! So in order to offset the leanness of the beef, I added an equal part of pork Italian sausage. (You could use chicken Italian sausage, but the meatloaf would not be quite as moist.) And the recipe turned out to be very good. Absolutely moist and full of the Italian flavors that we so dearly love. And the topping, which is basically a simple marinara sauce, is a nice alternative to the usual ketchup and brown sugar variety.

So if you want a new slant on meatloaf, give this recipe a try. It is a wonderful way to prepare a large meat dish using 2 fairly inexpensive cuts of meat. Plus planned-overs can be used in a number of different ways – sandwiches, cut up in small squares to use as “meatballs” for spaghetti, or crumbled on a pizza, to name just a few.

So however you serve this dish, your family and friends are bound to like it. And for your young children who think of meatloaf as a boring alternative to “real” food, like McDonalds hamburgers, for example, don’t call it meatloaf. Call it something fun like Monday Moo Meat or some other fun name depending on whatever night you are serving it to your family. Then serve it with a potato dish like Oven Roasted Steak Fries with Fry Sauce (on this site) and carrot sticks, and your kids will love it. Or they might possibly think you have slipped over the edge. That could also happen! (I always felt it was better for my children to think of me as slightly crazy rather than as your average boring mother type! I succeeded too!)

*Highland cattle are a Scottish breed. They have long horns and long wavy coats that are black, brindle, red, yellow, white, silver or dun colored. And, this is the hard part, they are just stinkin’ cute! But, as cute as they appear, they are raised primarily for their meat. So as long as I stick to thinking of these darling critters in terms of small white packages that live in my freezer, I’m OK.

  • 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ onion, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 T. Italian seasoning, divided
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ c. minced fresh parsley
  • 1 c. finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 T. milk
  • ½ c. Italian style dry bread crumbs
  • 1 lb. bulk Italian sausage* (pork or chicken)
  • 1 lb. lean ground beef
  • 1 (8-oz.) can tomato sauce

Heat the oil in a small fry pan. Add the onion and fry until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for one minute. Take all but 2 tablespoons of the cooked onion and garlic out of the pan and place in a large mixing bowl.  Set the pan, complete with contents aside. 

To the bowl with the cooked onion and garlic, add one of the tablespoons of Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, parsley, Parmesan, eggs, milk, and bread crumbs. Stir until thoroughly blended. Add the Italian sausage and gently stir until completely blended. (I use the meat serving fork from my set of tableware to help break up the meat as I stir it into the other ingredients. I find it to be the best tool for the job.)  Add the ground beef and do the same. Pat into a lightly greased 9X13-inch baking dish. 

Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, add the tomato sauce, remaining 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, and a pinch of kosher salt and pepper to the pan with the 2 tablespoons onion and garlic. When the meatloaf has baked for 25 minutes, remove it from oven and slather on the sauce. Return the meatloaf to the oven and bake an additional 15 minutes or until the meatloaf reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees. (If you don’t have an instant-read thermometer, ask Santa for one next Christmas. They are the best thing to hit the culinary tool parade since high temperature spatulas!) But seriously, the meatloaf should be done after about 40 minutes. So don’t panic if your kitchen does not contain an instant-read thermometer. I didn’t have one until about 3 years ago, and I’ve been making meatloaf for a heck of a lot longer than that!    

*If you don’t happen to have bulk Italian sausage around, you can add 1 teaspoon of fennel seed and ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes to either plain ground pork or bulk breakfast sausage and achieve a good enough replacement.