Thursday, October 22, 2009

Scallion-Chicken Noodles

Yum yum. That's all. Scallion-Chicken Noodles If you need this to go farther, bump up the chicken to 1 lb or thereabouts - however much came in your package. I also substitue canola oil for the peanut oil. Don't balk at the 1 cup of green onions. It doesn't take as many as you think. Enjoy.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Beets in Vinaigrette

We have had a lot of beets from both the CSA and our own garden. This recipe for Beets in Vinaigrette is my favorite way to eat them so far. Substitute orange juice for the vinegar for another delicious variation.

Stacked Turkey Quesadillas

Someone stop me! I'm a posting machine this afternoon! Here is a favorite from my Pampered Chef Cookbook. No need to stick to the quantities listed.

Stacked Turkey Quesadillas

1 med bell pepper, sliced into rings
1 medium onion, sliced into rings
Vegetable oil
½ tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
3 flour tortillas (ww wraps from Trader joes are great!)
12 oz deli turkey
1 ½ c. co-jack cheese
2 T + 1 tsp snipped fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 400F. Heat oil in skillet. Add bell pepper, onion, chili powder and cumin; cook and stir until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat. On baking stone, layer 1 tortilla, half of the turkey, ½ cup of the cheese, 1 T of the cilantro and half of the vegetable mixture; repeat layers. Top with the remaining tortilla. Brush top lightly with oil. Bake 12-14 minutes or until cheese is melted and top begins to brown. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup cheese and 1 tsp cilantro. Continue baking 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted. Cut into wedges.

Full of Beans Salad

I really like this recipe for Full of Beans Salad. I hope you do too.

Smothered Beans with Leeks and Collard Greens

This is what we're having for dinner tonight with the leeks and collard from the farm. This is also good for lunch the next day.

Smothered Beans with Leeks and Collard Greens

1 cup dried Great Northern beans (or use 1 can of great northern or cannellini beans)
1/4 cup dried pinto beans
1 quart water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced leeks (about 2 large)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, divided
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 pound collard greens, chopped
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped

Sort and wash beans; place in a large saucepan. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; cover and let stand 8 hours. Drain beans. Add 1 quart water and return beans to pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes. Cool. Drain beans in a colander over a bowl, reserving cooking liquid; set beans aside. Add enough water to cooking liquid to equal 3 cups; set aside.Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add leeks, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until leeks are tender. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer leek mixture to a large bowl; add greens. Toss well to combine.Place half of greens mixture in bottom of Dutch oven; top with beans. Spread remaining greens mixture over beans. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Pour reserved liquid over greens. Cover and simmer over medium heat 1 hour or until beans are tender, stirring once. Uncover and stir in tomatoes; simmer 10 minutes.

Salmon Club Sandwiches

It's also salmon season in the Pac NW. I served this to a friend's family and after dinner they told me they felt like they'd been out to eat at a restaurant. A restaurant with good service I hope!

SALMON CLUB SANDWICH

6 tablespoons mayonnaise5 tablespoons minced fresh basil1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
3 tablespoons olive oil1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice4 5- to 6-ounce skinless salmon fillets (each about 3/4 inch thick)
8 bacon slices1 small red onion, sliced
4 ciabatta rolls8 tomato slices8 lettuce leaves

Mix mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons basil and lemon peel in small bowl to blend. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)

Mix remaining 3 tablespoons basil, olive oil and lemon juice in large glass baking dish. Add salmon to oil mixture; turn to coat. Cover; chill 1 to 4 hours.Cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Using tongs, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Add onion to drippings in skillet. Sauté until onion is tender and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill fish until just opaque in center, about 3 minutes per side (or bake in 350 degree oven). Slice ciabatta rolss and grill bread just until golden, about 2 minutes per side (or toast on low broil in the oven or even the toaster). Spread mayonnaise mixture over 1 side of bread slices. Top each of 4 bread slices with 2 bacon slices, 2 tomato slices, 1/4 of onion, 1 salmon fillet and 2 lettuce leaves. Cover with remaining bread slices.

Makes 4 servings

Curried Rice, Bacon, and Cabbage Pilaf

This is a new favorite at our house. We've had a lot of cabbage from our CSA so I've had to expand my repetoire of 2 cabbage-using recipes. You can use olive oil instead of the butter called for in this recipe for Curried Rice, Bacon, and Cabbage Pilaf

Pork Chile Verde with Posole

It's tomatillo season in Western Washington! Got some? Put 'em to good use in this hearty and oh-so-delicous Chile Verde. This does take at least 2 - 2 1/2 hours to make - but it's one of those where you just get it going in the midafternoon and then you can walk away until dinner time. Worth the trouble and provides great leftovers.

Pork Chile Verde with Posole

1 pound tomatillos, husked and washed
2 lbs boneless pork, cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
flour, for dredging
2 T canola oil
1 onion, chopped
2 Anaheim or poblano chiles
2 jalapenos, cored, seeded and chopped
2 green bell peppers, cored, seeded and chopped
3 garlic cloves (or 1 ½ tsp pre-chopped garlic)
1 ½ c canned hominy, drained
½ c chopped cilantro leaves
1 T dried oregano
2 tsps ground cumin
3 c. chicken stock

Salsa

2 plum tomatoes, cored and diced
½ small red onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
¼ red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1 T chopped fresh cilantro
1 T lime juice
salt and pepper to taste
Liquid hot sauce (optional)

Preheat the broiler. Set the tomatillos or green tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and slide them under the broiler. Cook, turning often, for 5 to 8 minutes, or until they are charred. Set them aside to cool.

Chop the tomatilllos reserving all juices.

Sprinkle the pork with the salt and pepper. Dust it with flour.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the pork in batches and brown it on all sides. Remove the pork from the skillet and transfer to a soup pot.

Using the same skillet, turn the heat to medium and add the onion. Cook it for 10 minutes, stirring often, until it is soft. Add the Anaheim or poblano chiles and jalapeno and bell peppers. Cook, stirring often, for about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Transfer to the soup pot.

Stir in the hominy, cilantro, oregano, cumin, stock and the tomatillos and their juices. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, partially covered, for 1 ½ hours, or until the pork is tender. Serve hot in deep bowls, with the salsa.

Meanwhile, make the salsa

In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, bell pepper, cilantro and lime juice. Ad salt, pepper and hot sauce to taste. Set aside.

When ready to serve, pass the salsa to accompany the pork chile verde.

Pasta Piselli (or Pasta with Peas)

Another simple-looking dish when served, this will surprise your diners.

Pasta Piselli

1 lb pasta (mini penne or penne)
5 slices bacon, diced
1 ½ c thinly sliced yellow onions
2 t chopped garlic (not dry powder)
2 c. green peas (thawed if frozen)
½ extra virgin olive oil
1 ½ t. salt
½ tsp pepper
½ c. grated parmesan (not Kraft in the green bottle, use the good stuff!)
2 T chopped fresh basil
2 T chopped fresh flat-leaf/Italian parsley
1 t. chopped fresh thyme


1. Heat skillet, med-hi, add bacon and cook ‘till golden.
2. Add onions and garlic, cook 4 minutes
3. Add peas and olive oil, cook 2 minutes, lower heat to med-low . Add salt and pepper. Start water heating. Cook pasta (keep peas mixture med-low this whole time stirring once in a while).
4. Combine pasta and peas. Add cheese and herbs. Toss gently to coat. Serve immediately.

Note – If you have the time start the bacon/pea mixuture and let it cook on low for up to an hour. When the Italians make this, they put the peas in a piece of crockery and stick in the side of the wood burning oven in the morning and leave it there all day.

Pasta with Lentils and Kale


Don't be deceived by this photo - this looks too healthy and simple to be delicious right? Like so many dishes, this looks plain, but is so flavorful!! My kids will ask: "Mom, do we have kale? Do we have lentils? Can we have Lentils and Kale for dinner?" And then cheer when I agree. Try this.