Laura’s Baked Rigatoni

05/26/2015 by Laura Leave a Comment

“Life is what happens while your busy making other plans.” We both have a lot going on, leaving very little time for this piece of my heart. I will get back to regular posting soon, and I promise to end the year with a bang! Meanwhile, I want to share this quick and easy casserole with you. It saved us from expensive takeout Monday night.

After spending the weekend pruning, planting, mowing, trimming, mulching and composting, neither of us were anxious to grocery shop and then cook. After digging through the pantry and the refrigerator, we came up with this version of baked rigatoni. Not your typical Memorial Day fare, but a great week night meal. This recipe makes about 8 servings; enough to freeze for a future “I don’t feel like cooking” dinner. Enjoy!

Laura’s Baked Rigatoni

1 package Rigatoni, Ziti or Penne dry pasta (about 12 ounces) – cooked al dente, drained and cooled

1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce, about 24 ounces

1 can diced tomatoes, drained, about 14 ounces

1 large red bell pepper, chopped

1 sweet yellow onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

8 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced

1 small eggplant, diced into 3/4″ cubes

2 lbs. Italian Chicken sausage

1 12 ounce package mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

salt and pepper

2-4 tablespoons of olive oil

Prepare the pasta al dente, according to package directions. Do not overcook. Drain the pasta and let it cool in the colander.

Prepare a large baking dish / casserole by lightly spraying with oil. Pre-heat the oven to 350′.

Heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet, over medium high heat. Add the onions, garlic, bell pepper and eggplant. Saute about 10 minutes, until vegetables are softened. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add another Tablespoon of oil to the pan and sauté the mushrooms, about 6 minutes, until soft. Transfer the mushrooms to the mixing bowl. Add the last Tablespoon of oil to the pan and brown the sausage thoroughly. Remove the pan from the heat and let the sausage cool down a bit. Transfer the sausage to the mixing bowl. Add the cooled pasta, diced tomatoes, pasta sauce, Italian seasoning and mozzarella cubes to the mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly. Taste for salt and pepper and add accordingly.

Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Top with the grated parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and bake until bubbly, about 40 minutes. Remove the foil and cook another 10 minutes.

Enjoy with crusty bread and a crisp green salad.

Thanks for visiting. Have a wonderful evening.

Laura

In memory of our beautiful kitty, Phoebe.

Italian Wedding Soup

10/24/2014 by Laura 1 Comment

As I say goodbye to the best summer ever in the Pacific Northwest, I try to convince myself there are benefits to the cooler weather. I replace my t-shirt with my favorite sweater, my flip-flops with my awesome purple suede boots, and snuggle into a bed fitted with soft flannel sheets and a fluffy down comforter. Drifting off to sleep, I dream about SOUP! Not July’s cold, fruity, melted popsicle like soup but hearty, hot, fill your belly, warm your soul, go on to live another day kind of soup! Butternut Squash Soup, White Bean and Kale Soup, Lentil Soup, Beef and Barely Soup, Chicken Noodle Soup (always on hand in the freezer for unplanned cold or flu), and soups I have yet to invent, soups from foreign lands, made with spices, beans and grains I have never tried. I snap out of my pre-winter doldrums and find myself almost giddy with excitement. I have stock to make, bones and veggies to roast, broth to clarify, beans to soak, and recipes to research. Where’s my tureen? I think I need a new stock pot! “Dave, I’m heading to Restaurant Supply, I’ll be back in an hour”!

It has been pouring heavy, bone-chilling rain all week. We’ve had a fire three nights out of five. I finally made time to make a pot of soup. I absolutely love Italian Wedding Soup. I have no idea when or where I first had it, but I always order it when it’s on the menu! I love the combination of the rich broth, the little one-bite meatballs and the strong, bitter greens, traditionally endive. In researching recipes, I learned this soup has nothing to do with weddings. Per Wikipedia, the term “wedding soup” is a mistranslation of the Italian language phrase “minestra maritata (“married soup”),” which is a reference to the fact that green vegetables and meats go well together. As you can imagine, there are hundreds of variations of this soup. My version is a combination of Whole Foods and Ina Garten’s recipes tailored to what I had on hand.

For the Meatballs

1 pound ground chicken

1 pound ground chicken Italian sausage

1 cup fresh white breadcrumbs

3 cloves minced garlic

4 tablespoons fresh minced parsley

2 tablespoons fresh minced oregano

1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

2 eggs

2 tablespoons of milk

salt and pepper to taste

Mince the garlic, parsley and oregano. Place the meats, breadcrumbs, grated cheese, eggs, milk, garlic and herbs in a large bowl and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Add a little more milk if the mixture is too dry and not sticking together. Add a few more bread crumbs if the mixture is too wet and falling apart. Make a “test” meat ball. Warm a skillet over medium heat. Add a little olive oil to the skillet. Fry the test meatball until done, about 4 minutes on each side. Taste the meatball and adjust the seasoning. Proceed making small meatballs with the remainder of the meat. The chicken mixture is a little sticky. Dampening your hands with cool water will help. Place the meatballs on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 350′ to set the meatballs. Set aside until ready to add to the soup.

For the Soup

1 cup diced onion

1 cup diced carrot

1 cup diced celery

3 cloves minced garlic

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup dry white wine

3 quarts rich chicken stock – I used the new Pacific Foods Organic Bone Broth – It’s as close to homemade stock as you can get!

1 14.5 ounce can fire roasted, organic diced tomatoes

16 ounces small pasta, I used mini-shells

16 ounces baby kale, or chard, or spinach or endive or any combination

salt and pepper

1/2 cup freshly grated Percorino Romano cheese

Sauté the onions, carrots, celery and garlic in the olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot, about 5-7 minutes. Add the white wine and stir. Add the stock and tomatoes. Bring to a slow simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Add the meatballs and continue to simmer slowly. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil and prepare the pasta. Cook about 5 minutes, drain and add to the soup.*** Return to a slow simmer. Stir in the grated cheese. About 5 minutes prior to serving, add the greens. Cook just until the greens slightly “melt” into the soup. Ladle into soup bowls. Garnish with additional grated cheese and a little minced parsley.

***Both of the recipes I referenced instruct you to cook the pasta in the soup. NEVER do that with any pasta. You will end up with a big, cloudy, sticky mess. As a matter of fact, it is often best to keep the pasta out of the soup entirely, until ready to eat. Just place a little pasta in the bowl and then pour the hot soup over it when ready to serve.

Build a big roaring fire, pour yourself a glass of Pinot Grigio, and hunker down with your hot bowl of soup. We’ve got about 5 more months of this!

Have a great evening,

Laura

More from IFBC – An Awesome Turkey Burger and Getting the Shot, Regardless of the Light!

10/08/2014 by Laura Leave a Comment

One of my favorite presentations at IFBC was Todd Coleman’s. Todd is the Creative Director at Tasting Table and former executive food editor of Saveur magazine. Todd is a bit of a rebel, which is probably why I liked him so much! You know the type, go for it and beg for forgiveness later, but only if absolutely necessary. One of my bosses used that exact phase to describe both my strengths and weaknesses when asked for a pre-employment personal reference. Todd hasn’t really followed a traditional career path. I am not sure he even had a specific goal in mind when he entered the CIA. One thing is for sure, he has explored, touched, and mastered every aspect of food related creativity! Though he did not speak to it, I sensed a willingness to take risks, a strong sense of confidence and an innate ability to listen to your gut, without letting the “I can’t, I shouldn’t, what if, or but” get in the way! Though it may get you in a whole lot of trouble when you are younger, once that fearless determination is coupled with a little experience and knowledge – look out! Todd’s amazing career, as an editor, chef, producer, photographer, videographer and who knows what next is just such an example of someone who refused to follow the rules and created a few of his own along the way!

I’ve had a few photography classes, but I am still very much a beginner. Every class I’ve had has stressed the importance of natural light. So, imagine my shock (and delight) when Todd pulled a flashlight and a piece of foil out of his pocket! iPhone photo in a dark restaurant? No problem! Place the foil opposite the object and bounce the flashlight light off the foil! While this is an extremely simplified summary of his point, it’s still pretty accurate. My purse just got 10 pounds lighter and my restaurant companions just let out a big sigh of relief.

Todd presented many photos from his portfolio as well as a recent video filmed for Tasting Table. I did not take any photos during his presentation as I was engrossed in watching, listening and learning. He has a style all his own. Check his work out at Todd Coleman Photography. You will recognize many of the photos! A lot of the photos included in his presentation were taken at night with artificial light. This was really thrilling to me as I have been dreading the quickly approaching dark Seattle winter days. For plated food shots, Todd suggested dropping lights down to the level of the food, rather then lighting from above. I tried it with this burger. What do you think? Can you tell this was taken at 8pm with artificial light?

The turkey burger was inspired by the BBQ Turkey Sliders served at the Butterball presentation at the IFBC conference. The sliders make a great party appetizer and will probably make an appearance at our house on Super Bowl Sunday or New Year’s Eve! It took me a while to convince Dave to try a turkey burger and much to his surprise, he really liked it!

For the Turkey Burger

1 pound ground turkey, we used organic ground turkey

1 egg

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/4 cup bbq sauce (plus 1/4 cup more for basting), we really like Organicville – no sugar or corn syrup

lettuce leaves

sliced tomatoes

sliced cheese, we used organic white cheddar

bbq buns for burgers, or King’s Hawaiian Rolls, split, for sliders

Place the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Form the mixture into 12 small patties if making sliders, or 3-4 patties if making burgers.

Warm a grill pan or skillet over medium heat. Oil the skillet to prevent sticking. Cook the burgers until lightly browned on one side, flip, baste with bbq sauce. Repeat. Complete cooking until temperature on a meat thermometer reaches 165′ – the temperature required for thoroughly cooked poultry. Place a slice of cheese on each patty. While the meat rests, lightly toast the buns. To assemble, place a lettuce leaf on the bun, sliced tomatoes, and then the turkey patty. Enjoy!

Have a wonderful evening,

Laura

MSLS Chicken Picatta

08/18/2014 by Laura 1 Comment

It’s been a week of great sun light at dinner time, allowing us to update older posts with better photos! Today’s update is one of our favorite “go to” meals: Chicken Picatta. We typically have the ingredients on hand, and can get this on the table in about 45 minutes. Our recipe has evolved over time, and our favorite version is posted here. It is a saucier version than most, as it goes very well with pasta.

For the Chicken Picatta – 4 servings

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

flour for dredging – about 1/2 – 3/4 cup

salt and pepper for seasoning

olive oil and canola oil for sauteing

1 lemon – 1 tsp. zest, then juice the lemon

12 ounces chicken stock

12 ounces white wine

1/3 cup capers with about 1 tablespoon of juice

8 slices of prosciutto or speck, cut into 1/2 inch wide strips – our favorite is LaQuercia Speck Americano*

fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Pasta – we usually use Penne

Grated parmesan cheese for serving

Put the flour in a large zip lock bag, season with salt and pepper. Place one chicken breast half in the bag of flour. Make sure the chicken is coated with the flour on both sides, before you start pounding it. That will prevent the chicken from sticking to the bag. Pound the chicken breasts to about 1/4″-1/2″ thickness. The main goal is uniformity in thickness so they cook evenly. Yes – that is a rubber mallet. I find it very useful for pounding cutlets.

Cover the bottom of the sauté pan with about 1/4 cup of olive oil and 2 Tablespoons of canola oil . Heat the pan over low flame. Add the chicken breasts. Season with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken on both sides. You are only browning at this stage, the chicken will complete cooking in the sauce. Remove from pan and set aside on a plate. There will be a lot of oil left. It is an integral part of the sauce.

Add about 1/3 cup of flour to the sauté pan. (Use the flour left from the dredging and pounding the chicken.) Whisk the flour and oil together to make a light rue. Once the rue comes together, whisk in the white wine. The mixture will thicken. Continue to stir and simmer about 3 minutes.

Add the chicken stock, lemon juice, lemon zest, prosciutto and capers. Adjust the lemon to your taste by adding more zest or juice. Continue whisking and bring sauce to a light simmer. Let simmer for about 5 minutes before adding the chicken back to the pan. Taste the sauce and add additional salt and pepper if needed.

Add the chicken breasts back to the pan. Spoon to sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle with a little parmesan. Continue to simmer until cooked through – approximately 20 minutes.

Start the water for your pasta when you place the chicken back in the pan.

Serve with pasta on the side and grated parmesan cheese.

*As with all my posts, things I point out as a favorite are truly a favorite. I have neither been paid nor asked to endorse any of the products I recommend.

Grilled Pesto Rubbed Chicken, Caprese Salad and Summer Squash

08/06/2014 by Laura 1 Comment

I love the emails I receive every Monday morning from Saveur with Simple Weeknight Meal suggestions. This weeks Pesto-Rubbed Chicken grabbed my attention as I had both pesto and a chicken on hand. It’s still too hot to cook inside so knowing I could make this dish on the grill was a huge bonus. I did not make the Panzella salad suggested with the recipe, but I did throw together a quick Caprese salad with fresh garden tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella. I grilled yellow summer squash and zucchini to serve alongside. It was a quick and flavorful meal. I will be turning the leftover chicken into amazing pesto chicken salad sandwiches. Stay tuned!

for the Pesto-Rubbed Grilled Chicken

1 whole chicken, 3-4 pounds – I chose to spatchcock it as it is so easy to grill that way!

4-6 ounces pesto, any flavor you like. My recipe is here.

My pesto is traditional Pesto Genovese. This preparation would be amazing with roasted red pepper pesto!

olive oil

salt and pepper

Loosen the skin on the chicken. Add the pesto under the skin and spread evenly with your hand. Work your way around the chicken until all the meat under the skin is covered with pesto. Rub the both sides of the chicken with about 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Season generously with freshly ground salt and pepper. Rub the remaining pesto on the outside of the chicken. Heat the grill to 450′. Place the chicken on the grill skin side down. Cook for about 20 minutes. Turn and cook another 20 minutes. Insert a thermometer to test for doneness. It should be at least 165″ in thickest part. Let chicken rest 10 minutes and then cut into serving pieces.

for the Caprese Salad

fresh garden heirloom tomatoes, sliced into serving sizes

fresh mozzarella, sliced into serving slices

fresh garden basil, torn

fresh cracked pepper and coarsely ground salt

very good quality fruity olive oil. My favorite is California Olive Ranch Arbequina

lettuce “cups” for serving

Layer the tomatoes, cheese and basil in the lettuce cups. Drizzle with olive oil. season with the salt and pepper. I also make this with fresh burratta frequently throughout the summer.

for the Grilled Summer Squash and Zucchini

Slice the squash into thick slices. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Grill on each side about 5 minutes, being careful not to over cook. Remove from grill, let rest. Slice for serving. Drizzle the squash with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar or glaze. Season with salt and pepper.

We had an amazing visitor while we were grilling this meal. A beautiful Peregrine Falcon decided to hang out for awhile in a cedar tree in our yard. He was absolutely stunning!

Manicotti with Three Sauces

08/03/2014 by Laura 1 Comment

We were watching the food channel the other night; Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, I think. As we tuned in at the end of an episode, we caught a glimpse of a cannelloni with three sauces. Dave, my nephew and I all commented that it looked really good. The three sauces pesto, béchamel and marinara were layered on the cannelloni to represent the Italian flag. So when the daily conversation turned to “what shall we make for dinner” I decided we would give it a whirl. I had homemade pesto and marinara in the freezer and béchamel sauce only takes a couple of minutes. We took a quick survey of the pantry and only needed a few things. I usually use spinach and mushrooms in my filling, but since it is August and there are zucchini piled high in the veggie drawer, I decided that would be the “green” in the filling. I think my nephew went home one day too soon!

For the Manicotti

1 – 1 lb. chub of Italian Chicken Sausage

3/4 cup finely diced onion

4 cloves of fresh garlic, minced

3/4 cup of small dice zucchini

2 Tablespoons freshly chopped Italian parsley

2 Tablespoons freshly chopped basil

salt and pepper

olive oil for sautéing

1/2 cup dry white wine, to deglaze the pan

1 1 lb. container whole milk ricotta

2 eggs

3/4 cup of mozzarella, finely diced

(I like diced over shredded as you get little gooey cheese puddles in the filling!)

1/4 cup grated parmesan

12-16 manicotti tubes, boiled according to package directions

For assembly and serving

2/3 cup of prepared pesto

2 cups prepared marinara sauce

1 cup béchamel sauce

Add 2-3 tablespoons olive oil to a large sauté pan and heat over medium heat. Add the sausage and break up the chunks while cooking. Add in the zuchinni, onion and garlic and continue to cook until the vegetable are soft and the meat is browned. Add the white wine, stir and let simmer about 5 minutes until the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from stove, pour into a large mixing bowl and let cool.

While the meat and vegetable mixture cools, prepare the manicotti. Boil for about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside until ready to stuff.

In a small bowl, mix together the ricotta, eggs, diced mozzarella and parmesan. Add to the cooled meat and vegetable mixture and mix well. Prepare a baking dish by lightly oiling it.

Fill the pasta tubes. I used a very small spoon to stuff them. When we finished Dave said “we should have used a pastry bag”! Of course we should have used a pastry bag….what was I thinking?

Lay the filled tubes into the baking pan. Heat the oven to 350′. Add 3-4 Tablespoons of water to the baking pan and cover tightly with foil. Bake about 20 minutes and remove from oven.

While the pasta is baking, warm the marinara sauce in a small pan on the stove, prepare the béchamel sauce and pesto.

Basic Béchamel Sauce

4 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup finely diced onion

2 cloves finely minced garlic

1/3 cup Wondra flour

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1/4 cup grated parmesan

salt and pepper.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until the vegetables are soft. Whisk in the flour to make a light roux. Slowly add the milk and continue to simmer until thickened. Add the cheese, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. In a small bowl, mix about two tablespoons of béchamel into the 2/3 cup of pesto.

Remove the pasta from the oven. Layer the sauces on to the pasta in the desired fashion. My choice was three separate “sections”. You certainly could layer marinara, then béchamel and then pesto, one on top of the other. Return the pasta to the oven, uncovered and bake another 10 minutes. Garnish with grated cheese and freshly chopped Italian parsley, and touch up the sauces, if needed.

Buono appetiteo!

Grilled Tandori Style Chicken

07/29/2014 by Laura Leave a Comment

After a few days of drenching rain,* we are back to our unusually hot temperatures in the mid eighties. Needless to say, if anything is getting cooked, it is being cooked outside on the grill! Our conversation, shortly after breakfast last Sunday, turned to what we would make for dinner. It went something like this:

Dave: “Have you thought about your dinner?”

Me: “No, have you”?

Dave: “No, not really”.

Me: “What about salmon”?

Dave: “We just had that. What about Chicken Parmesan”?

(We haven’t had salmon for weeks and Dave always wants chicken parmesan)

Me: “We just had spaghetti with Bolognese Sauce”.

Dave: What about hot dogs”?

Me: “Eeeeuuuuuwwwwwhhhh”!

(Dave frequently suggests hot dogs. I am happy with one or two a year, preferably at a baseball game with a very cold beer!)

And so it goes… This conversation is typical of most days when we are trying to figure out what to make for dinner.* My mom and I have said to each other, at least 100 hundred times, that coming up with what to cook, is harder than the actual cooking!

My current source of inspiration is the garden. I had lots of cucumbers and tomatoes ready to be eaten. That led me to tabouli (Lebanese) salad, which spring boarded me to tandoori (Indian) chicken and riata. The bonus of this international meal would be leftovers for lunch all week! A quick search on the internet for tandoori marinade led me to David Lebovitz Tandoori Chicken recipe. My version is below. Since it was late in the day, and since I had all the spices on hand in the “ground” version, I did not start with whole spices. Toasting and grinding whole spices would definitely intensify the flavor of the dish. We served the chicken with our version of raita, tabouli salad and grilled naan.

for the Tandoori Chicken

6 whole chicken legs (that means the thighs are attached)

1 cup whole milk Greek yogurt

1/4 t. saffron threads

1 T. boiling water

3/4 t. coarse salt

1 t. ground cumin

1 t. ground coriander

1 t. ground cinnamon

1/2 t. paprika

1 t. turmeric

1/2 t. garam masala

1 1/2 t. chili powder

1 t. fresh ground black pepper

juice of one fresh lime

1 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger – about a 2 inch piece

4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced

Trim the excess fat from the chicken legs. Score the legs and thighs by making 3 deep angular cuts into the meat. (Most recipes call for skinless chicken. I did not remove the skin.) Place the chicken in a large zip lock bag. Soak the saffron threads in the boiling water for a minute. Place the yogurt in a small mixing bowl. Add the saffron and water, the spices, ginger, garlic and lime to the yogurt. Mix well. Pour the mixture over the chicken. Seal the bag and let marinate in the refrigerator a minimum of four hours, preferably overnight. Remove the chicken from the bag and place on a very hot grill. Cook until done, about 35-40 minutes, turning every 8-10 minutes.

Laura and Dave’s “Raita” Cucumber Cooler

This may not be traditional raita but it is our version and we love it.

2-3 cucumbers, peeled, sliced in half, seeded and chopped

1 small, sweet onion, peeled sliced into fourths and then sliced thinly

1 cup whole milk Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon of salt

paprika for garnish

Please the cucumbers and onions in a bowl. Add the salt and gently stir. Let stand for about 15 minutes. Drain the excess water. Gently stir in the yogurt. Garnish with paprika. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

for the Tabouli Salad

Since it was late in the day and I did not want to boil grains for 40 minutes in a hot kitchen, I used a tabouli salad mix. I added lots of fresh, chopped tomatoes, cucumbers and parsley from the garden. I also added extra olive oil and fresh lemon juice. I am anxious to make this salad with quinoa, a diversion from the traditional bulgur wheat.

*As always, I am grateful for the much-needed rain, a life with choices and plentiful food to eat.

Greek Style Salad and Chicken with Herbs

06/20/2014 by Laura 1 Comment

Here in Seattle, I can visit a different neighborhood Farmers Market everyday of the week from early June through late September. I visited the Lake City Farmers Market yesterday afternoon. It was my first visit to this particular market, and my first “summer” market shop. Needless to say, I got a little excited and a bit carried away. I found many late spring treasures: last of the season asparagus, fava beans, English shelling peas, green garlic, garlic ramps, farm fresh eggs and farmstead feta cheese. There were also some early summer things from the warmer, Eastern part of the state: cucumbers, peppers and even a few tomatoes. I had no immediate plans for anything I bought. I just knew it would all be wonderful.

Quickly surveying what was available from my garden, the chicken breasts I thawed earlier in the day, and my haul from the market, I decided on a Greek Salad and grilled chicken for dinner.

Dave was at rehearsal and not around to help me with photos, so I had not really planned on posting this meal. I took a few shots along the way that turned out fairly well, and since the meal was really delicious, I decided to share it after all.

Like I mentioned earlier, I had originally planned to throw the chicken on the grill for a few minutes. Once the chicken breasts were on the plate and liberally seasoned with olive oil, chopped oregano, lemon zest and salt and pepper; they just seemed to say “roll me up and sauté me”! Ok then, that’s what I did and I will definitely do it again. Next time, I will hold back a little feta from the salad and include that in the center as well as the herbs.

Roll the chicken from the longer edge. Tie with kitchen twine or secure with toothpicks. Heat a sauté pan over medium heat. Add a little olive oil to the pan. Sauté the chicken breasts on all sides, until done…about 10 minutes. Deglaze the pan with a squeeze of lemon juice and a little white wine. Slice the chicken into rounds and serve with the pan drippings and the Greek Salad.

Laura’s Greek Style Salad – adjust the ingredients and proportions to your personal taste

Cucumber, peeled, quartered and sliced

Red bell pepper, chopped into bite size pieces

Purple onion, quartered and then thinly sliced

Pitted kalamata olives

Feta cheese, cut into cubes

Cherry tomatoes, halved

2 Tablespoons fresh oregano, coarsely chopped

Fresh cracked pepper and freshly ground salt

Juice of one lemon

Good quality, fresh, peppery olive oil

Chop all ingredients and place in a bowl. Gently mix with your hands. Add the lemon juice and enough olive oil to coat the vegetables. (Olive oil to lemon juice ration is typically 3 to 1.) Adjust the seasoning. Chill until ready to serve. I plated the salad on butter lettuce leaves.

I harvested our first of the season tomatoes this week! Having a ripe tomato this early is a big accomplishment in Seattle! I took a chance and planted earlier than usual this year. Luckily, the weather has supported that decision with mild temperatures and alternate days of rain and sun.

Rigatoni with Sausage, Eggplant, Mushrooms and Tomatoes

03/26/2014 by Laura Leave a Comment

One of my favorite resources for quick, weeknight meals is Saveur Magazine’s weekly email of Simple Weeknight Meals. Sourced from previously published recipes, they often call for ingredients that you probably have on hand. Today’s recipe, inspired by traditional pasta alla norma, is a great example. I made a couple of modifications to suit our taste. You could easily omit the sausage to make a hearty, vegetarian pasta dish.

pasta alla norma Laura, inspired by Saveur Magazine, Oct. 10, 2013, Rigatoni with Eggplant, Tomatoes, and Spicy Sausage

For the pasta

1 medium eggplant, cut into ¾″ cubes

5 tbsp. olive oil

12 cremeni mushrooms, sliced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 tsp. crushed red chile flakes

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. ground spicy Italian sausage, we like Isernio’s Italian Chicken Sausage

1 (28-oz.) can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes, undrained and crushed by hand

16 fresh basil leaves, torn by hand

8 oz. rigatoni

2 – 4 oz. Pecorino Romano or parmesan, grated

Heat oven to 500°. (Yes that is correct.) Put eggplant and mushrooms into baking dish and drizzle with 2 tbsp. oil. Toss to combine and season with salt and pepper. Bake, turning occasionally, until soft and caramelized, about 20 minutes. Turn oven down to 325′.

Roasting the eggplant and mushrooms at this high temperature brings out a wonderful rich, smoky flavor.

Heat remaining oil in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add chile flakes and garlic and cook, stirring, until garlic softens, about 3 minutes. Add sausage and cook, using a wooden spoon to break up into small pieces until browned, 16–18 minutes

Add tomatoes and half the basil, season with salt, and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until just al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain pasta and transfer to tomato sauce. Stir in reserved eggplant and mushrooms and toss to combine. Stir in remaining basil and season with salt.

Transfer the mixture to the baking dish you roasted the eggplant and mushrooms in. Top with grated cheese. Bake at 325′ for about 15 minutes. Serve with a tossed green salad and a big bold Chianti.

South Beach Diet Thai Style Turkey Meatball Lettuce Wraps

01/17/2014 by Laura Leave a Comment

I have made these 3 times so far….each time getting a little better! I am finally happy with this version. I first saw the recipe when it was delivered to my mailbox from Kaylyn’s Kitchen, http://www.kalynskitchen.com/. Kaylyn has fabulous low-carb, South Beach Diet recipes. I have changed up the recipe to suit our taste, and to increase the fiber by adding flax meal. I also prefer to bake them, rather than fry them, as they are very soft. I hope you enjoy them as much as we have!

For the Meatballs

2 pounds lean ground turkey

1 Tablespoon finely minced garlic

1 red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 jalapeno, finely minced

2 Tablespoons fresh grated ginger root

2 Tablespoons sesame oil

2 Tablespoons rice vinegar

1 Tablespoon of soy sauce

1 egg, beaten

2/3 cup ground flax meal

Combine all the ingredients above in a large mixing bowl. Mix well. If time permits, chill for 20-30 minutes.

Scoop the meatballs into 1 inch balls. Place on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking oil. Bake 20 minutes at 350′, making sure internal temperature of meatballs is 160′.

For the Dipping Sauce

1/3 cup of Fish Sauce

1/3 cup of rice vinegar

2 Tablespoons of sesame oil

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 Tablespoons of soy sauce

Mix all together, set aside until ready to use.

For the Lettuce Wraps and Garnishes

1-2 heads of Butter Lettuce, washed and leaves separated

1 cucumber, seeded and sliced

1 bunch of green onions, sliced

1 bunch of mint, chopped

1 bunch of cilantro, chopped

1 lime, cut into wedges

To Serve

Place one to two meatballs in a leaf of lettuce. Garnish with cucumber, mint, cilantro, and onion. Add a couple spoonful’s of dipping sauce. Roll up like a burrito. Enjoy!