Caramelized Onion and Broccoli Soup

Caramelized Onion and Broccoli Soup
(Ladies Home Journal 2013)

***Susan's Note:  I used broken lasagna noodles for the pasta, as that was all I had, and grated Babybel cheese on top.  This is delicious, like a French Onion Soup with broccoli.****

Prep   20 minsStart to Finish   50 mins

Ingredients

• 1/4 pound dry pasta, such as ditalini
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cups diced yellow onion
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry
• 1 head broccoli, cut into very small florets
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 cups beef broth
• Swiss cheese slices
• Cracked black pepper

Directions

1. Cook pasta in salted water until tender. Drain and set aside. In a 6-qt pot or Dutch oven melt butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until translucent, 5 min. Reduce heat to medium low and continue cooking onions, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and caramelized, about 15 min.

2. Increase heat to high and stir in sherry; cook 1 min. Add broccoli, bay leaves, salt, broth, and 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer and cook until broccoli is just tender, about 10 min. Add pasta and pepper to taste; spoon into bowls, then top each bowl with a slice of cheese.

Perfect Roast Chicken (by Ina Garten)

Ina Garten's Perfect Roast Chicken

***Susan' Note: I have made this meal countless times in the past few months, using a 3-4 pound organic whole chicken from Wegmans.  (Because of the slightly smaller chicken, I modify the recipe accordingly, using half a lemon and less garlic.)  I love using baby carrots, onions, and sometimes potatoes (I skip the fennel).  I do modify the temperature a bit - in my oven, I cook the 3-4 pound bird for 20 minutes at 460 degrees, then 40 minutes at 420 degrees.   I have used dried thyme in place of the fresh.  YUMMY!

Ingredients

1 (5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 large bunch fresh thyme, plus 20 sprigs

1 lemon, halved

1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted

1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced

4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks

1 bulb of fennel, tops removed, and cut into wedges

Olive oil

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots, and fennel in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 20 sprigs of thyme, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.

Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.

Anna's Perfect Green Soup (Readers' Digest)

Anna's Perfect Green Soup
(From Readers' Digest)

2 Tbs. Extra-virgin Olive Oil, plus more for garnish	1lb. Greens: Green Chard, Kale, Mustard Greens, or Beet Greens
2 Yellow Onions, chopped	14 c. Gently packed spinach (about 12oz.)
1 tsp. Salt, divided, big pinch of Cayenne Pepper	4 c. Vegetable Broth
1/4 c. Arborio Rice	1 Tbs. Lemon Juice, or more to taste

Heat oil in large skillet over high heat. Add onions and 1/4 tsp. salt; cook, stirring, until onions begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, add 2 tbs. water, and cover. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are greatly reduced and have a caramel color, 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine 3 c. water, remaining 3/4 tsp. salt, and rice in soup pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boel. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook 15 minutes. Trim ribs and tough stems from the greens and spinach; discard. Coarsely chop greens and spinach.

When rice has cooked 15 min. stir in greens. Return to a simmer; cover and cook 10 min. When onions are caramelized, stir a little greens' simmering liquid into them; immediately add them to rice along with spinach, broth, and cayenne. Return to a simmer, cover, and cook until spinach is tender but still bright green, about 5 min. more.

Puree soup in pot with immersion blender until perfectly smooth, or in regular blender in batches. Stir in lemon juice and garnish with olive oil.

Hearty Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash and Quinoa

Hearty Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash and Quinoa

**Susan's Note: This is delicious and comforting for a winter night.  NOTE: I did not steam the butternut squash, I roasted it for 40 min. at 425 degrees with a little olive oil.  I also omitted the olives.  Add a topping of sour cream to this soup and it gets even better.  I doubled the recipe and froze half to save for later!**

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded & chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 can (14 oz) petite diced tomatoes
• 2/3 cup uncooked quinoa
• 3/4 cup pitted and quartered kalamata olives
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

1. Steam the butternut squash until barely tender, about 10 minutes. Remove half of the squash pieces and set aside.
2. Steam the remaining squash until very tender, an additional 4 to 6 minutes. Mash this squash with the back of a fork. Set aside.
3. In a large saucepan set over medium-high heat, bring the chicken broth to a simmer.
4. Add chicken thighs, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
5. Transfer the chicken thighs to a plate and allow to cool. Pour broth into a medium-sized bowl.
6. Return the saucepan to the stovetop and lower heat to medium. Add olive oil.
7. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is starting to turn brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
8. Add minced garlic and oregano. Cook, stirring, for 1 additional minute.
9. To the saucepan, add tomatoes, butternut squash pieces, mashed butternut squash. Stir to combine.
10. Stir in reserved chicken broth and quinoa. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the quinoa turns translucent, about 15 minutes.
11. Shred the chicken with your fingers or a fork.
12. Stir the chicken, olives and pepper into the stew and simmer, uncovered, to heat, about 5 minutes.
13. Stir in parsley and serve.

Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables

***Susan's Note:  Quinoa is a seed full of protein, easy to cook (although messy if a toddler eats it).  After my friend Anya made this for me when I had my second baby, I tried it for myself and found it delicious!  My husband likes it with a little added oriental sauce from a jar (like General Tso's or Duck Sauce - just watch the MSG).   There are many variations including a cold salad here and a modified version of this recipe here.**

QUINOA Directions

You will need about 2 cups of liquid (water, vegetable broth or chicken broth) per 1 cup of quinoa.

1. Rinse quinoa in a mesh strainer if possible.

2. Put quinoa and cooking liquid in a medium pot and bring to a boil, then lower heat to simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes.  Turn off heat and remove from heat.

ROASTED VEGGIE DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425.

2. Chop a variety of veggies - whatever you wish.  I used baby carrots, onions, red bell pepper, yams, and yellow and green zucchini.  You want enough to be spread on a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet / jelly roll pan.

3.  In a blender, puree the following as a marinade for the veggies:
     5-6 garlic cloves
     5 tablespoons olive oil
     1-2 lemons and a little bit of the lemon rind from one lemon
     sea salt and pepper to taste

4. Toss veggies in a large Ziploc bag with this marinade and then spread on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray or coated with olive oil.

5. Bake at 425 degrees for at least 35 minutes.  Check on tenderness of veggies and add time if necessary.

Mix with quinoa and enjoy!

Pasta Chicken Broccoli Bake

Pasta Chicken Broccoli Bake
Southern Living Jan. 2013

***Susan's note: My mother-in-law made this for a holiday dinner and it was decadent.  Do not skip the 
topping!  The Ritz crackers (or you can use Late July organic crackers) add just the most delicious
touch.  I would probably make it with penne instead of tortellini to save a few calories.  I like that you 
can make everything ahead of time, keep the topping separate, refrigerate and bake the next day
when you are ready to eat it.*****

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter $
• 1/2 cup chopped sweet onion $
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper $
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups chicken broth $
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup (4 oz.) freshly shredded Parmesan cheese $
• 1/4 teaspoon salt $
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 (20-oz.) package refrigerated cheese-and-spinach tortellini
• 4 cups chopped fresh broccoli $
• 4 cups chopped cooked chicken $
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese $
• 15 round buttery crackers, crushed $
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted $

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Melt 1/2 cup butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add onion and next 2 ingredients, and sauté 5 to 6 minutes or until tender.
2. 2. Add flour, stirring until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Whisk in broth, half-and-half, and white wine. Reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring constantly, 6 to 8 minutes or until thickened and bubbly.
3. 3. Remove from heat; add 1 cup cheese and next 2 ingredients, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in tortellini and next 2 ingredients. Spoon into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.
4. 4. Stir together 1/2 cup grated cheese and next 3 ingredients. Sprinkle over casserole. Bake at 350° for 40 to 45 minutes or until bubbly.
5. Note: We tested with Buitoni Mixed Cheese Tortellini.

Southern Living
DECEMBER 2012

Baked Oatmeal

*****Susan's note: I found this recipe in the September 2012 issue of Readers' Digest. My husband was in love at first bite. ;)  I can see baking this for guests or holidays.

Baked Oatmeal
FROM Heidi SWANSON's book
Super Natural Every Day: Well-Loved Recipes from My Natural Foods Kitchen (Ten Speed Press)

2 cups rolled - not instant - oats
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
1/3 cup sugar or maple syrup
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
scant 1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt
2 cups milk
1 large egg
3 tbs unsalted butter, melted
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 ripe bananas, sliced into pieces
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, huckleberries, or mixed berries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, with rack in top third of oven. Butter an 8x8 inch baking pan.
2. In a bowl, mix together oats, half the walnuts, sugar (if using maple syrup, skip sugar), and baking powder. In another bowl, whisk together maple syrup (if using sugar, skip maple syrup), milk, egg, half the butter, and vanilla.
3. Arrange bananas in a single layer in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle 2/3 of berries over the top. Cover fruit with oat mixture. Slowly drizzle milk mixture over oats. Gently give baking dish a few whacks on counter-top to make sure milk moves through oats. Scatter remaining berries and walnuts on top. 
4. Bake 35 to 45 minutes, until top is golden and oats have set. Remove from oven; drizzle remaining melted butter on top. Serve with extra sugar or maple syrup.

 

Slow-Cooker White Bean Soup With Andouille and Collards

Slow-Cooker White Bean Soup With Andouille and Collards
****Susan's note: I made this with double the sausage, which was perfect.  Make sure you use a spicy sausage.  I also used a little less collards and more broth than called for.



Serves 6 Hands-On Time: 10min Total Time: 8hr 00m
Ingredients
1 pound dried white beans (such as cannellini or great Northern)
1/2 pound andouille sausage links, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 sprigs fresh thyme
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 bunch collard greens, stems discarded and leaves cut into bite-size pieces (about 8 cups)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
kosher salt and black pepper
olive oil and bread sticks, for serving
Directions
In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the beans, sausage, onion, celery, and thyme. Add the broth and stir to combine.
Cover and cook until the beans are tender, on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours (this will shorten total cooking time).
Twenty minutes before serving, discard the thyme stems, add the collard greens, cover, and cook until the greens are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the vinegar and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper.
Drizzle with the olive oil and serve with the bread sticks.
By Dawn Perry , Real Simple
March, 2011

Nutritional Information
Per Serving
Calories 393
Fat 8g
Sat Fat 4g
Cholesterol 28mg
Sodium 670mg
Protein 30g
Carbohydrate 51g
Sugar 4g
Fiber 14g
Iron 9mg
Calcium 212mg

Quinoa with Sweet Potatoes, Kale and Pesto

Quinoa with Sweet Potatoes, Kale and Pesto

From Real Simple September 2012

***Susan's Note:  My husband and I have been jumping on the kale bandwagon with this recipe.  It's delicious.  Even when, as my husband says, "it looks kinda gross" when reheating, when you taste it, it redeems itself in every way.  Do not omit the pesto or the walnuts - they make the recipe.  We have used both jarred pesto from Wegmans, or fresh refrigerated pesto from the dairy / sauce section.  If you find it difficult to cut raw sweet potatoes, as I do, go ahead and par-cook them in the microwave wrapped in saran wrap for a few minutes, then cool and cut.  

Serves 8| Hands-On Time: 30m| Total Time: 35m

Ingredients:

2  cups  quinoa, rinsed

1/2  cup  olive oil

3  small sweet potatoes (about 11/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

kosher salt and black pepper

1  medium red onion, sliced

2  bunches kale (1 1/4 pounds), thick stems removed and leaves cut into bite-size pieces (about 14 cups)

pesto and toasted walnuts, for serving

Directions

Cook the quinoa according to the package directions.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sweet potatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook, covered, tossing occasionally, until the potatoes begin to brown and soften, 6 to 8 minutes.

Add the onion to the pot and cook, tossing occasionally, until the sweet potatoes and onion are tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Add as much kale to the pot as will fit and cook, tossing frequently and adding more kale when there is room, until tender, 3 to 4 minutes.

Reserve half the quinoa and vegetables for tomorrow’s dinner. Serve the remaining vegetables over the remaining quinoa, topped with the pesto and walnuts.

Reheat and serve: Microwave the quinoa and vegetables in a microwave-safe dish covered with a damp paper towel on high for 2 to 3 minutes, tossing halfway through.

Nutritional Information

• Per ServingServing Size: 1 serving of quinoa dish, plus 1 tablespoon pesto and 2 tablespoons of chopped walnuts
• Calories 528

• Fat 32g
• Sat Fat 5g
• Cholesterol 5mg
• Sodium 416mg
• Protein 14g
• Carbohydrate 52g
• Sugar 5g
• Fiber 7g
• Iron 7mg
• Calcium 254mg

Provencal Summer Vegetable Bake

Provencal Summer Vegetable Bake
Family Circle Aug 2012

What you Need: 

• 2 medium sweet onions
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 15 ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 1/2 teaspoons herbes de Provence
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 large eggplant (about 1 pound), ends trimmed, halved lengthwise
• 3 large summer squash (combination of zucchini and yellow squash), ends trimmed
• 1/2 pound russet potatoes
• 3 plum tomatoes
• 4 ounces goat cheese 

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees . Peel and halve onions; cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a largesaute pan over medium heat. Add onions and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Cook 8 to 10 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in beans, 1/2 teaspoon of the herbes de Provence and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper. Pour mixture into bottom of a 9 x 13 oven-safe casserole.

2. Meanwhile, cut eggplant, squash, potatoes and tomatoes into 1/4-inch thick slices. (To speed things up, use a food processor fitted with a slicing blade or a mandoline.) Toss vegetables with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons herbes de Provence and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Arrange vegetables on top of onion-bean mixture in 1 layer; pack tightly.

3. Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove foil and crumble cheese on top. Bake 15 more minutes. Cool slightly and slice into 4 servings.