Tomato Soup, etc.

It has been awhile since I have posted, but I am back in the kitchen after the busy holiday season and ready to tackle new recipes and taste new wine in 2009! This year will most likely emphasize budget-friendly recipes with some more extravagant meals thrown into the mix. I received a fantastic new cookbook for Christmas from my husband - Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites. So far, I have tried two recipes - a fantastic beef roast with spicy parsley tomato sauce and a hearty tomato soup with lemon and rosemary. I cannot wait to work my way through the whole book! In the meantime, I would highly recommend trying the tomato soup. This recipe definitely falls into the budget friendly category - it makes a large quantity of soup with only a few ingredients and can be easily frozen for future meals. Great to pack for lunches too.

Check it out on the Food Network website: Click here.

The thing I enjoy most about making soup is that I know exactly what ingredients are going in the pot - no preservatives, etc. My alterations to the recipe: I did not make the whip cream to dollop on top - I did sprinkle a little bit of fresh chopped rosemary and grated lemon zest on top, which added a fresh, bright taste to the soup. I also used a hand-held emulsifier instead of putting the soup in a food processor. I highly recommend investing in one of these gadgets if you make blended soups even a few times per year. Click here for an example of this product.

With crusty bread on the side and a glass of red table wine, this soup is perfect for a cold winter night!

Italian Wines

HaiVy (the other faithful Recipes, Wine, Entertaining blogger) and I have been on an Italian wine binge this month! We participated in two tastings - one, a lesson on Wines of Southern Italy and the Islands at France 44 and the other, a fantastic tasting put on by Solo Vino at Il Vesco Vino. We both agreed that this is the best and most affordable way to really get a good understanding of wines from a particular country or region! I'd like to highlight a few of my favorites from the tasting at France 44. I especially enjoyed this wine class because of the obscure varietals that we were introduced to!

De Angelis Lacrima Cristi 2006, Sorrento ($19.99): This was a well-balanced, earthy red. Perfect for pairing with fall comfort foods. Andrew and I enjoyed a bottle of this with walnut-crusted pork chops (see Cooking Light Magazine for the recipe - quick and easy!) and roasted buttercup squash. This would also pair well with lamb chops or veal.

Taurino Salice Salento, Campagnia ($15.99): I put three stars next to this selection! A blend of the Negroamaro and the Malvesia Nera varietals, I commented that this wine "full-bodied," "well-balanced" with a flavor profile that can be described as a "burst of berries with a hint of herbs." Campagnia is a region in the southwest of Italy - pair this with a regionally-based dish and your friends will be extra-impressed.

Layercake Primitivo 2006, Puglia ($16.99): Our teacher described this wine as "opaque and purple-colored with a nose of jammy black cherry and blackberry fruit, truffles, tar and spice." Made in the style of California Zinfandels, I described it as having a "berry, licorice, chocolate" flavor profile and "ripe and oaky." Either way, this wine made of 100% Primitivo grapes from 100 year old vines in the southeast region of Italy is a fantastic fireside wine. In my opinion, it is too big and juicy to pair with food, but perfect for sipping on a cold winter's night!

Salud! :)

Turkey Chili

Tried this yummy turkey chili tonight, recipe courtesy of Food Network. It was incredibly flavorful, probably because of the chipotle chile and adobo sauce, and the level of spice can be modified if you don't want it to be too spicy (I'd cut back slightly on the chili powder or only use half a chipotle chile). Plus, the recipe can be done in under 40 minutes, so no need to turn on the crock pot and wait!

Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1.5 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 chipotle chile en adobo, coarsely chopped, with 1 tablespoon sauce
1 pound ground turkey
1 (12-ounce) Mexican lager-style beer
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, with their juice
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Sliced scallions, cilantro sprigs, avocado, sour cream, grated Monterey jack cheese, and/or tortilla chips, for garnish, optional

Directions
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, salt, chili powder, and oregano and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and the chipotle chile and sauce; cook 1 minute more. Add the turkey, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and cook until the meat loses its raw color, about 3 minutes. Add the beer and simmer until reduced by about half, about 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes--crushing them through your fingers into the skillet--along with their juices and the beans; bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 15-20 minutes.

Ladle the chili into bowls and serve with the garnishes of your choice.

Cook's Note: A skillet's larger surface area reduces sauces faster than simmering in a saucepan.

Cheesy Crab Dip

I modified an old Pampered Chef recipe for this hot and tasty crab dip that we tried at wine club. Try this appetizer with a nice, buttery chardonnay!

ingredients
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2-cup mayonnaise
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 6 oz. can of crab meat, chopped
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Swiss and/or Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions with tops
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1 lemon
1 teaspoon Tabasco hot pepper sauce

directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine cream cheese and mayonnaise in bowl. Grate garlic into bowl using Microplane grater/zester; mix well.

2. Juice lemon to measure 1-tablespoon juice. Add crabmeat, cheese, green onions, bell pepper, lemon juice and hot pepper sauce to bowl; mix well.

3. Spoon crabmeat mixture into oven safe dish. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown around edges.

Yield: 3 cups (12 servings or 24 sample servings)

notes
The original recipe called for 8 oz. of imitation crab meat, but I think it's tastier with the canned crab meat that I found at Trader Joe's.

Also, I didn't have any Tabasco sauce, so I used a few drops of Sriracha sauce. Next time I would add even more because I didn't think there was enough of a kick.

Honey Tomato Bruschetta

At wine club last weekend, we had this delicious honey tomato bruschetta. It's really nice with a crisp sauvignon blanc.

The recipe is from Food and Wine magazine and you may recognize it from the cover of the magazine a couple months ago.

If you have trouble finding the clover and buckwheat honeys, try a local farmers market (I found mine at the St. Paul Farmers Market).



In this amazing appetizer, two types of honey serve two distinct purposes: Mellow, slightly spicy clover honey intensifies the sweetness of the tangy tomatoes as they slowly roast. After the bruschetta is assembled, a drizzle of robust buckwheat honey balances the creamy ricotta cheese.

ingredients
2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons clover honey
2 teaspoons thyme leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
12 baguette slices, cut 1/2 inch thick on the bias
1 cup fresh ricotta (8 ounces)
1 tablespoon buckwheat or chestnut honey
6 basil leaves, thinly sliced or torn

directions
Preheat the oven to 300°. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, toss the tomatoes with the olive oil, honey, thyme leaves, salt and pepper. Scrape the tomatoes onto the prepared baking sheet and turn them cut side up. Bake the tomatoes for about 1 hour and 25 minutes, until they begin to shrivel and brown. Let cool.

Preheat the broiler. Spread out the baguette slices on a baking sheet. Broil for about 30 seconds on each side, until the edges are golden brown.

Spread the ricotta over the baguette slices and top with the slow-roasted tomatoes. Lightly drizzle the tomatoes with the buckwheat honey, sprinkle with the sliced basil and serve with additional buckwheat honey on the side.

Pasta and a pan sauce....

Tonight I was all about a quick, easy, healthy meal - but I was craving carbs. My favorite thing to do when I need a combination like this is to whip up a pasta dish. Two pieces of equipment that you need: a pot to boil the noodles and a frying pan to make a quick sauce. For two people, I use two cups of pasta (whatever kind you prefer). Then, go crazy with whatever you have in the fridge to make your pan sauce! This is how I made tonight's pan sauce:

• Bake two chicken breasts for 15 minutes at 375 degrees
• Bring noodles to a boil
• 2 tbsp. oil and 1 tbsp. butter
• Add a handful of thinly sliced red onion to the pan, pinch of salt and pepper, cook until softened
• Add 1/4 cup chopped roasted red pepper and 1 tbsp. garlic, and 1 tbsp. capers saute for about 1 minute
• Add sliced, cooked chicken to the pan
• Add 1/4 cup of white wine (whatever you are drinking!), bring to a simmer and reduce for 1-2 minutes
• Add 1/2 bag of fresh spinach to the top of the pan, let sit 2 minutes or until wilted
• Add noodles right from boiling water to the pan (the starch from the wet noodles will thicken the sauce), toss
• Toss with fresh basil and serve

Again, this is what I had readily available to me - the onion was already sliced from a previous dinner, and I always keep jarred roasted red peppers, garlic and capers around to whip up quick pasta dishes like these. It's a gourmet dish with little fuss. Serve with some pinot grigio or your favorite white wine and you are good to go!

Sunday Dinners are Back!

Anytime that I am able to in the fall and winter, I spend my Sunday afternoons in the kitchen. It is one of my favorite things to do... I use the time to experiment with a new recipe or an old favorite. Sometimes, I throw a pot of sugo on the stove (sugo=pasta sauce) and let it simmer all day while I make other yummy treats. It was another fall-like weekend last weekend, and although I was out of town, when I returned home all I wanted was a home cooked "Sunday dinner." So, I pulled out a new Rachael Ray racipe and got to work. It took me about 45 minutes to make these dishes and they turned out incredible. Quick-cooking polenta is one of my favorite new dishes, especially as it is prepared in this recipe. It is so versatile! This is definitely a new favorite dinner menu in my house!!! Serve it with a salad and a bottle of Pinot Noir and you are good to go!

Italian Barbecued Chicken with Polenta (serves 4)

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts (on the larger side)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided
4 thick cut slices pancetta or bacon, chopped (note: I used two and it was the perfect amount!)
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (don't use the really nice stuff, it reduces so there is no need to)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup tomato sauce (one of the small cans)
2 cups chicken stock, divided (1/2 cup divided from 1 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup quick cooking polenta (I found this by the instant mashed potatoes)
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup grated Parmiginao Reggiano cheese
Torn fresh basil leaves


Preparation
Pre-heat the oven to 400°F.
Season the chicken liberally with salt and pepper, poultry seasoning and grill seasoning. Heat 2 tablespoons EVOO in a medium size skillet and brown the chicken a few minutes on each side to put some of its flavor and drippings into the pan. Transfer the chicken to the oven and roast for 15 minutes more, or until juices run clear. Meanwhile, add 1 more tablespoon of EVOO to the pan and cook the pancetta or bacon, if using, until crisp. Add the onion, garlic and rosemary, cook for 5 minutes, then add the vinegar, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce and 1/2 cup chicken stock. Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer 5 minutes more.
Bring the remaining 1 1/2 cups stock and milk to a boil, whisk in the polenta and season with salt and pepper. Whisk the polenta for 2-3 minutes until it thickens, stir in the butter and cheese, then remove from the heat.
Remove the chicken from the oven and turn in the barbecue sauce. Fill shallow bowls with polenta. Top the polenta with the chicken, spooning the extra sauce over the chicken and garnishing with some torn basil leaves.

(note: I poured the polenta on a large serving dish (it sets very quickly!), topped it with the chicken breasts and then poured the sauce over the chicken and tore fresh basil over the top - great presentation!)

Courtesy of http://www.rachaelray.com/