Tuscan Tomato White Bean Soup

I found this in the September issue of Food Network Magazine.  I know it's not exactly soup season but this will utilize some herbs from the yard and it's getting into tomato season around here.

3 tbsp. olive oil plus more for drizzling
1 large onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, smashed
Kosher salt
2 tbsp. tomato paste
2lbs. tomatoes, chopped
2 15oz. cans no salt added white beans, drained and rinsed
1 quart low sodium vegetable or chicken broth
1 sprig rosemary plus 1 tsp. chopped leaves
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes plus more for sprinkling
4 C. cubed ciabatta bread, about 4oz.
1/2 C. shredded mozzarella

Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add the onion, 3 garlic cloves and a pinch of salt.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, 5 minutes.  Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, 1 minute.  Add all but 1/2 C. of the chopped tomatoes, the beans, broth, 1 C. water, the rosemary sprig, 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes and 1/2 tsp. salt.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium and simmer 20 minutes.

Discard the rosemary sprig.  Working in batches, transfer the soup to a blender and puree until smooth.  Season with salt.  Return to the pot and cover to keep warm.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Heat the remaining 2 tbsp. olive oil and 2 garlic cloves in a small skillet over medium heat.  Cook, stirring occasionally until lightly browned, 5 minutes.  Toss with the bread, chopped rosemary, mozzarella, and a pinch each of salt and red pepper flakes on a baking sheet.  Bake, stirring occasionally, until the croutons are golden, about 10 minutes.  Top each bowl of soup with the croutons, some reserved tomatoes and reserved olive oil.

Per serving: Calories 472, Fat 18g, Cholesterol 15mg, Sodium 721mg, Carbs 58g, Fiber 11g, Protein 21g.

Sweet Potato Salad with Candied Nuts

I saw this in the Kraft Food and Family Magazine I get for Fall 2014.  The photo is beautiful and I bet the salad is delicious.  I am not really ready for Fall but if there is one thing I have learned, the seasons rarely wait until I am ready!

1lb. sweet potatoes, about 2, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 C. Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
1/2 C. pecan halves, divided
1/4 C. sugar
1 pkg. spring lettuce mix
1/2 C. thinly sliced red onions
1/4 C dried cranberries

Heat oven to 425 degrees.

Toss potatoes with cheese and 2 tbsp. dressing; spread onto a rimmed baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until tender, stirring after 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, spray a separate baking sheet with cooking spray.  Cook nuts in small skillet on medium heat 3 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring frequently.  Add sugar; cook on high heat 4 minutes or until sugar is dissolved and evenly coats nuts, stirring constantly.  Spread immediately onto prepared baking sheet separate into small pieces with a fork.  Cool completely.

Blend 1/4 C. nuts with remaining dressing in blender until smooth.  Combine remaining nuts with remaining ingredients in large bowl.  Add dressing mixture, mix lightly.

Buttermilk Cheddar Bacon Bread

Sure, I start getting my "fallish" cooking magazines and it is finally getting fairly summery here.  Don't get me wrong.  It's been warm and beautiful here but it hasn't been "dog days of summer" warm.  I think we're going to get a taste of it this week.

2 1/4 C. flour
1/4 C. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 egg
1 C. buttermilk
1/4 C. butter, melted
8 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1 C. shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 C. chopped fresh chives

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl.  Whisk egg, buttermilk, and butter in a separate bowl until blended.  Add to flour mixture along with the bacon, cheese and chives; stir just until moistened.

Spoon into a 8x4 inch loaf pan sprayed with cooking spray.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cook in pan 15 minutes.  Remove to wire rack, cool completely.

Note: Wrap this loaf tightly and it will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Party Chicken Salad

I am picky about chicken salad or tuna salad.  I like to know every ingredient and there are some things that in my humble opinion do not belong in salads.  My mother in law who passed away recently loved the chicken salad from Egg Harbor which is a local breakfast/lunch restaurant so I am posting this and will make this in her honor.  It's not exactly the recipe from Egg Harbor and I will probably sub something for the curry powder but I am sure it is going to be delicious on some marble rye, or a pretzel roll or a ciabatta roll...can you tell I like bread?

1 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup sour cream 1 teaspoon curry powder 1 small apple, finely chopped 1 tablespoon lemon juice 4 cups cooked chicken breasts, shredded 1 cup chopped celery 1 cup seedless green grapes, halved 1/2 cup chopped pecans 1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice, undrained 1. Mix mayonnaise, sour cream, and curry powder in a bowl until smooth. 2. Toss apple and lemon juice in a large bowl. Stir in chicken breast meat, celery, green grapes, pecans, and pineapple. Pour mayonnaise mixture over chicken; toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.

Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas

Quesadillas are a staple in my family's menus.  We make them with plain cheese, cheese and chorizo, cheese and chicken, cheese and carnitas....the list goes on and on.  I am planning to try these while the fresh sweet corn is still plentiful.

2 teaspoons olive oil 3 tablespoons finely chopped onion 1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 (10 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1/4 cup salsa 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 2 tablespoons butter, divided 8 (8 inch) flour tortillas 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided 1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onion, and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in beans and corn, then add sugar, salsa, and pepper flakes; mix well. Cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. 2. Melt 2 teaspoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Place a tortilla in the skillet, sprinkle evenly with cheese, then top with some of the bean mixture. Place another tortilla on top, cook until golden, then flip and cook on the other side. Melt more butter as needed, and repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.

Chicken Souvlaki and Tzatziki Sauce

I am a huge fan of Green food.  This seems easy enough.  We'll make this soon I am sure and I will report back!

2 tablespoons lemon juice1/4 cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken

breast halves - cut into bite-sized pieces

Sauce:

1 (6 ounce) container plain Greek-style yogurt

1/2 cucumber - peeled, seeded, and

grated

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons white vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

1 pinch salt

6 wooden skewers, or as needed

1.	Combine 1/4 cup olive oil, lemon juice, 2 cloves minced garlic, oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large resealable bag. Add chicken, coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
2.	Mix yogurt, cucumber, 1 tablespoon olive oil, vinegar, 1 clove minced garlic, and 1 pinch salt together in a bowl. Refrigerate tzatziki sauce for flavors to blend, 1 to 2 hours.
3.	Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate. Soak wooden skewers in a bowl of water for about 15 minutes.
4.	Remove chicken from marinade and thread onto the soaked skewers. Discard unused marinade.
5.	Cook the skewers on the preheated grill, turning frequently until nicely browned on all sides and chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 8 minutes per side. Serve with tzatziki sauce.

Portobello Mushroom Burgers

So, you just invited your vegetarian friend over to grill, what to serve, what to serve?  This sounds good to me and I am a big fan of red meat but I like portobellos too.

4 portobello mushroom caps
1/4 C. balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tbsp. minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
4 slices provolone cheese

1. Place the mushroom caps, smooth side up, in a shallow dish. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, basil, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour over the mushrooms. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes or so, turning twice.
2. Preheat grill for medium-high heat.
3. Brush grate with oil. Place mushrooms on the grill, reserving marinade for basting. Grill for 5 to 8 minutes on each side, or until tender. Brush with marinade frequently. Top with cheese during the last 2 minutes of grilling.

Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken

I saw this on allrecipes.com  I have a tiny bit of cilantro left on my plant.  I think this might become a staple here...Chris and I love Tex/Mex.  I am going to get corn tortillas to go with this.

1 16oz. jar salsa
1 package dry taco mix
1 lime, juiced
3 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro (I will probably go a little light on this)
3lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast halves

1. Place the salsa, taco seasoning, lime juice, and cilantro into a slow cooker, and stir to combine. Add the chicken breasts, and stir to coat with the salsa mixture. Cover the cooker, set to High, and cook until the chicken is very tender, about 4 hours. If desired, set cooker to Low and cook 6 to 8 hours. Shred chicken with 2 forks to serve.

Garden Special Recipe

This recipe is from a friend of Chris and makes a great base for spaghetti sauce, salsa or just about any other tomato based product.

Use one quart EACH of chopped celery, chopped onions, and sweet green pepper, along with 4-6 quarts of skinned, chopped tomatoes. Cook the celery, onions, and peppers in 1/2 quart of water for 10 minutes. Then add tomatoes, 2 Tbs. of sugar and 3 Tbs. salt and bring back to a boil. Put into jars with lids and hot water bath the quarts for 30 minutes or the pints for just 20 minutes.

Please note, your going to need one pretty big pot!  LOL