Roasted Root Vegetable Salad

 This past weekend we went to a friend's house and I helped her make this salad to serve for dinner. She invited a few guests over and we had fun chopping and roasting veggies together in the kitchen.  The weather has finally turned a little bit cooler and this salad was the perfect introduction to fall.  It features all those delicious veggies that beg to be used this time of year- butternut squash, parsnips, turnips and carrots.  The veggies are roasted in the oven with some shallots and then mixed with a delicious vinaigrette.
  
This salad was a definite favorite at dinner.  It is a nice side dish and is so delicious!
Here is the recipe for Roasted Root Vegetable Salad 

Ellie Krieger's Shepherd's Pie

 I have a confession to make- up until last week, I had never, in my life, made Shepherd's Pie.  I don't remember ever eating it before.  My mom never made these types of dishes growing up.  I've never been a "meat & potatoes" type eater, so it just never  was something I was interested in making.

 2 things changed that for me- Pie Week and Comfort Food Fix: Feel-Good Favorites Made Healthy by Ellie Krieger.  

  Ellie Krieger's recipes never, ever disappoint and I like that she uses a combination of cauliflower and potatoes for the mashed topping.    I made a few changes, like using lean ground turkey instead of lean ground beef, but that is just because of my personal taste preferences.

I actually put this together on a Saturday night and then covered it and put it in the fridge, so I could just pop it in the oven after church on Sunday and we wouldn't have to wait too long for a hot meal to be ready.

My family really liked this meal, (it is a meal in itself), and I was pleasantly surprised by how flavorful and fun it was.  While we were eating it, we took turns telling stories about how this dish might have gotten the name Shepherd's Pie.  For your sake, I won't repeat any of those stories.  :D

Here is the recipe for Ellie Krieger's Shepherd's Pie
* I used 94% lean ground turkey
* I used chicken broth
* I added 1/2 cup of celery to the veggies
* I added a few splashes of Worcestershire sauce to the filling
* I added some garlic powder, salt & pepper to the mashed potato/cauliflower topping and used an extra Tablespoon of butter

  

Veggie Burger

   I found this recipe in a magazine.  I tore it out and of course, could not, for the life of me, remember what magazine I tore it out of.  Luckily for me, this recipe is all over the internet, so I felt okay about not remembering the specific magazine where I found this in the first place.  I had never heard of The Counter, but from what I've gathered it is a burger place.  There were lots of rave reviews about this Veggie Burger and now I know the reason why.  

I really like how easy this recipe is and the fact that it contains wholesome ingredients. Sometimes Veggie Burgers are full of fillers and wierd things, but not these ones!  The flavor and texture are wonderful.  I made these the day before I cooked them and they were delicious.  My friend who came over for lunch to enjoy these with me, liked them so much that she made them for her family as well.  

Veggie Burger from The Counter

 recipe by executive chef Marc Boussarie

2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, small dice

3 each garlic cloves, minced

2 carrots, grated

1 yellow squash, grated

1 green zucchini, grated

1 ½ cups rolled oats, (instant is fine)

¼ cup cooked black beans

2 tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon black pepper

2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

1, In a large skillet, heat the olive oil until almost smoking, Add the onions and lower the heat to medium. Mix and then add the garlic. Cook until tender and soft.

2, Add the carrots, squash and zucchini and season. Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes until soft and hot. Add the black beans, egg, paprika, parsley and oats.

3, Take off heat and mix. Place in a bowl and let rest for 1 to 2 hours.  (or overnight)

4, Form veggie patties to desired size and place in flour to lightly coat.

5, Place a large skillet on the stove on medium high heat,  add olive oil, and when hot place patties. Flip the burger when golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes and cook the other side the same.

    

Hearty Vegetable Stew

It has cooled down a little bit around here the past week or so, and that means it is okay for me to make soup and/or stew more often. My husband doesn't really enjoy either of these, but he really doesn't like them in the heat of summer. Now that it is September, it is officially soup/stew season. Even though it will probably warm back up soon. (Fine with me!) The calendar says September and Fall, so soup and stews are on the menu.

As soon as I saw this stew in Everyday Food Magazine, I knew I would make it. It is easy. It is quick. And it is full of veggies. I loved this even though it was so simple. It had great flavor and my family really liked it too.

Hearty Vegetable Stew
Everyday Food Magazine September 2011

2 Tablespoons olive oil
3 carrots, thinly sliced
3 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, diced medium
salt and pepper
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
2 14 oz cans diced tomatoes
1 bunch kale, stems removed, leaves chopped
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 sprigs thyme

In a large, heavy pot, heat oil over medium. Add carrots, celery and onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots soften, about 5 minutes.

Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, kale, beans, thyme and 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce to a rapid simmer and cook until slightly reduced, 15 minutes.

Carrot Soup with Animal Croutons

My husband doesn't really enjoy soup, especially in the summer. I think soup is delicious anytime of year, but I try to stay away from it in the hot summer months. When school starts, for some reason I feel like it should start to cool down outside. But, here in Georgia, it doesn't really work out that way. It is still in the 90's during the day. It's wierd. For me, summer and school don't go together.

Besides all that- I saw this cute soup in a magazine I have had for years and decided it would be a fun one to try on a night when my husband wasn't home for dinner. Nothing too complicated at all going on here. My kids helped me make the croutons and were nibbling on them before we sat down to eat. They tasted really good in the soup. This was a yummy tasting soup with lots of flavor. My kids and I loved it. My husband didn't realize that he ate the leftovers because I turned them into pasta sauce. Nothing compares to making 2 dinners out of 1!

Carrot Soup with Animal Croutons adapted from Good Things for Kids from the editors of Martha Stewart Living Magazine

1 Tbls unsalted butter
1 medium leek (white and pale green parts), rinsed well and finely chopped
12 medium carrots (about 2 pounds) peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
6 cups homemade or reduced-sodium chicken broth
ground nutmeg
1/2 loaf rustic bread, cut into 1/2-inch slices (about 5)
2 Tbls olive oil
salt and pepper
1/4 cup greek yogurt

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add leek; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add carrots, broth, and a pinch of nutmeg; bring to a boil over medium high. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover, and simmer until carrots are tender, about 30 minutes. Let cool slightly.

2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut out bread using small animal shaped cookie cutters; transfer to a baking sheet. Brush both sides of bread with oil. Bake, turning croutons, halfway through, until golden brown, about 9 minutes.

3. Working in batches, transfer carrot-broth mixture to a blender or food processor; puree until very smooth. Return to saucepan; season soup with salt and pepper. Serve in shallow bowls. Spoon greek yogurt over top; swirl into soup. Top with animal croutons.

Thai Summer Slaw

This Thai Summer Slaw from Cooking Light is summer perfection. It combines napa cabbage, zucchini, yellow squash, cucumber, bell peppers, carrots, radishes, jalapeno, and green onions in a light, slightly spicy dressing. It is crunchy, flavorful and completely delicious.

I was planning on making this for a potluck dinner that we were going to attend, but I forgot to buy a lime. I debated going ahead and making it with lemon juice instead, but I decided to wait, buy the lime and follow the recipe. I'm glad I waited! I don't think lemon would have given the dressing the right flavor.

The day I was planning on making this for dinner, I prepped all the veggies (the photo above) and the dressing and kept them in the fridge until I was ready to serve it. Cutting all the veggies took a little bit of time, but getting that out of the way earlier in the day really made this a fast and easy dish to serve. I grilled some tuna steaks to serve along with it and it was a really great dinner.

Here is the recipe for Thai Summer Slaw
* I only added a 3/4 tsp of sugar to the dressing

Roasted Salmon and Lentils

On the Saturday that my brother was visiting we had all sorts of baseball and softball games and pictures to go to. Then came the rain. It started in the morning and didn't stop. My daughter stood out on the baseball field in the pouring rain for about 10 minutes and then they cancelled the game. The rest of the days games were cancelled as well.

I was already planning to make this dish for dinner on that night, but the rain and thunderstorms made it even more satisfying. I found some French Green lentils at Earthfare- aren't they pretty? The look like pretty little pebbles. And they have a really unique texture and flavor. It is very subtle, but if you look for it, you can taste feel the difference from your normal brown lentils.

The lentils are cooked with the onion, carrot and celery to give some nice flavor and then the veggies are diced and served alongside the lentils. The salmon is roasted and tops off the dish.

We accompanied this with a nice green salad and it was a complete meal. Perfect for a rainy night. Very comforting.



Roasted Salmon and Lentils from Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan
1 cup lentils du Puy (French green lentils)
1 clove (I omitted this because I didn't have any whole cloves)
1 small onion
1 medium carrot, trimmed, peeled, and cut into 4–6 pieces (I used 2 carrots)
1 celery stalk, trimmed and cut into 4–6 pieces (I used 3 stalks of celery)
1 bay leaf
3½ cups chicken broth, vegetable broth, or water
Salt
1 1¼-pound piece salmon fillet, cut from the thick center portion, skin on, at room temperature
Olive oil
Freshly ground pepper
Chopped fresh parsley and/or snipped fresh chives, for garnish (optional)

Put the lentils in a strainer, pick through them, and discard any bits of stone that might have escaped the packers; rinse under cold running water.

Turn the lentils into a medium saucepan, cover them with cold water, bring to a boil, and cook for 2 minutes; drain the lentils in the strainer. Rinse the lentils again and rinse out the saucepan.

Press the clove into the onion and toss the onion, carrot, celery, and bay leaf into the pan. Pour in the broth, stir in the lentils, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a steady simmer and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the lentils are almost tender. As the lentils cook, skim off the dark foam that rises to the top.

Season with salt and cook until they’re tender, 5 to 10 minutes more.

While the lentils are cooking, center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil.

Place a strainer over a large measuring cup and drain the lentils, reserving the broth; set the pan aside. Pick out the vegetables and discard the clove and bay leaf; if you’d like to serve the carrots, celery, and onion with the lentils (I always do, although they are very soft), cut them into very small dice. Rinse out the saucepan.

Put the salmon on the foil-lined baking sheet, rub a little olive oil over the top, and season with salt and pepper. Slide the baking sheet into the oven and roast the salmon for about 12 minutes, or until it is firm on the outside and still pink and just the tiniest bit jiggly at the center (nick the thickest part with a slender knife to test). If the salmon is done before you’ve finished the lentils, cover it lightly with a foil tent and leave it on the counter to rest.

Meanwhile, put ¾ cup of the cooked lentils into a food processor (a mini-processor is fine) or blender and add ½ cup of the reserved broth. Whir for a minute or so, until the lentils are reduced to a puree, then scrape the puree and the remaining cooked lentils back into the saucepan. Pour in another ½ cup broth, add the diced vegetables, if you kept them, and season with salt and pepper as needed. (You can make the lentils to this point and keep them, covered, at room temperature for a few hours or in the refrigerator overnight.)

Return the saucepan to medium heat and cook, stirring, only until the lentils are warmed through again.

Divide the lentils among four warm shallow soup plates. Slice the salmon into 4 portions and place a piece in the center of each plate. Drizzle the salmon and lentils very lightly with olive oil, dust the top of the fish with parsley and/or chives, if you’d like, and serve immediately.

Curried Cauliflower Soup

When we were in Miami, we walked through the Lincoln Road Mall at least once a day. There are so many fun shops, restaurants, art galleries, etc. there.
I had to go in Williams-Sonoma one day, just to look around. Side note- did you know that Williams-Sonoma is now selling grains and lentils and stuff like that? I was so excited when I saw quinoa, red lentils and even black lentils in stock there.
Anyway, I started talking to the woman working there and she told me about this soup. She had made it the day before during a cooking demonstration and also at home, so I took the recipe card and decided to make it when I got home. We kept talking and talking and then I noticed my husband had left his spot outside the store where he was watching people, so I had to run out and try to find him!

Spring has officially arrived here in Georgia- we've got gorgeous weather, lots of pollen and my roses are blooming! Every once in awhile we still have a rainy day and I made this last week on a very rainy day. It was perfect.
Since I added the spices and herbs to the soup it isn't the most pleasant color to look at, but we tried to spiff it up with some of the yogurt and cilantro garnish.
I didn't follow the recipe exactly- I made few changes, like I usually do and they are noted below.

Have you ever been to the Lincoln Road Mall? Do you love Williams-Sonoma?

HERE is the recipe for Curried Cauliflower Soup

* I used less oil to start the soup and the extra veggies used for garnish, probably only 2 Tablespoons all together and used canola oil

* I just added the spices and herbs to the soup, no cheesecloth

* I didn't add as much oil as called for to the yogurt garnish

* I didn't completely puree the soup

Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club- Notes of Citrus, Lime-Spiked Black Bean Dip

This month's Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club's theme was Notes of Citrus, which was chosen by Jamie.

I love citrus and the beautiful flavor it can give to any dish, savory or sweet.
I chose to make a dip this time around, which was very quick and easy to throw together. My life has been so extremely busy the past couple of weeks, so this was the perfect thing for a superfast, after-school snack.
Now, unfortunately for me, I didn' t realize the picture was so bad until I started editing photos late last night. SO, I apologize for how this dip looks. Keep in mind that it is pureed black beans and go over to Cooking Light to see a better picture of this dip. It has to be the angle.

Oh well, moving on- the dip was delicious and only contained a few ingredients.
I went ahead and pureed the cilantro, garlic and green onions in with the black beans, which made this even easier. I found some organic blue corn tortilla chips that we dipped in it, but cucumber slices, and carrot sticks were also really tasty. This would also be a really great spread for a sandwich or wrap.

Check out what the other members of the Supper Club chose to contribute below and go see how the other citrus-y parts of this menu turned out!

Jamie - -Mixed Lettuce, Pear and Goat Cheese Salad with Citrus Dressing

Val - - Blood Orange Sangria

Sandi - Lemon Sage Chicken

Mary Ann (me) - Lime-Spiked Black Bean Dip

Jerry -Braised Fennel with Orange

Roz- Nathan's Lemon Cake

Lime-Spiked Black Bean Dip from Cooking Light
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

Place beans in a food processor, and pulse until almost smooth. Combine the beans, carrot, and the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring until well blended. Let stand 30 minutes. Serve with baked tortilla chips.

Collard Green & Black-eyed Pea Soup

Finally, the weekend is in sight and there might be a moment of relaxation. I can't wait.

At New Years', I cooked up a huge amount of fresh Black-eyed Peas and used some in both these Southern Egg Rolls and this Good Luck Dip. I still had quite a bit of them left, so I froze them in a Ziploc bag and decided to give myself some time to find another way to use them.

Somehow, I came across this soup and it looked really inviting. My kids like collard greens and have told me that they are easier to chew than kale. Collard greens are something that I have learned to like too and so I decided to give this soup a try.

I didn't use the bacon because I didn't have any and don't really like cooking it. The soup did not lack flavor at all. It was delicious. It was one of those nights when my kids just gobbled it down and I couldn't believe my eyes. I was so happy. No bribery had to happen to get them to eat this dinner.

The leftovers have made for a couple of really great lunches for me this week. I love it when that happens.

Recipe for Collard Green & Black-eyed Pea Soup
* I just topped the soup with a little shredded cheese
* I omitted the bacon

Garbanzo Beans and Greens & Herb-Marinated Pork Tenderloins

Wow- what a crazy busy couple of days I have had. And tomorrow is my son's b-day, so it is going to continue.

I wanted to share these 2 recipes, even though both of the pictures are horrid. That's what happens sometimes when there is no natural light and you put things in the fridge until the next morning and then try to get a picture! Oh, well. Just trust me when I say that these were both fabulous.

I served the garbanzo bean dish on a weeknight it was delicious. Really easy too.

I served the pork tenderloin a few days after Christmas, when we had company over. Pork loin is an easy one to serve to a crowd and this Barefoot Contessa recipe was wonderfully easy and tasty.

Sorry this is a just a quick post, but I have b-day stuff to organize!



Garbanzo Beans and Greens from Cooking Light Magazine

2 center-cut bacon slices
1 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 1/2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
2 (15-ounce) cans organic chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
4 cups chopped fresh kale
1/2 cup plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt
4 lemon wedges (optional)

1. Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan using a slotted spoon, and crumble. Add 1 cup carrot and chopped onion to drippings in pan, and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt, cumin, and red pepper; cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in chicken broth, 1 cup water, and beans; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add 4 cups kale to bean mixture. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until kale is tender, stirring occasionally. Ladle about 1 1/4 cups bean mixture into each of 4 bowls, and top each serving with 2 tablespoons yogurt. Sprinkle with bacon, and serve with lemon wedges, if desired

Herb-Marinated Pork Tenderloins from Ina Garten- The Barefoot Contessa

• 1 lemon, zest grated
• 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4 to 6 lemons)
• Good olive oil
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  
• Kosher salt
  
• 3 pork tenderloins (about 1 pound each)
• Freshly ground black pepper

Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, mustard, and 2 teaspoons salt in a sturdy 1-gallon resealable plastic bag. Add the pork tenderloins and turn to coat with the marinade. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag. Marinate the pork in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours but preferably overnight.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Remove the tenderloins from the marinade and discard the marinade but leave the herbs that cling to the meat. Sprinkle the tenderloins generously with salt and pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large oven-proof saute pan over medium-high heat. Sear the pork tenderloins on all sides until golden brown.

Place the saute pan in the oven and roast the tenderloins for 10 to 15 minutes or until the meat registers 137 degrees F at the thickest part. Transfer the tenderloins to a platter and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Carve in 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices. The thickest part of the tenderloin will be quite pink (it's just fine!) and the thinnest part will be well done. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm, or at room temperature with the juices that collect in the platter.

Marrakesh Stew

I know I am a complete wierdo, but I totally crave things that are chock full of vegetables. This stew practically jumped out at me from the pages of EveryDay Food a few weeks ago. It was a cold day, so the thought of a hearty vegetable stew really made me happy. Carrots, eggplant, butternut squash, potatoes, tomatoes and chickpeas- what a healthy, delicious combination.

I am always a little bit skeptical when cinnamon is called for in a savory recipe, but with the cumin, coriander and cayenne, the cinnamon really played a nice part in the flavor here. It worked well with everything else that was going on in this dish.


Now, this stew is not beautiful to look at, but it is wonderfully spiced and delicious. I warned my family not to make any comments about how this looked, but to give it a chance and try it first, and they were all pleasantly surprised at how tasty it was.

This makes a lot of stew, so I have a large ziploc bag of it in the freezer, along with the leftover Israeli couscous mix, just waiting for a busy night a couple weeks from now, when I can just put the frozen stew on the stove and have an instant dinner. I love it when there is enough of something leftover that it can be dinner again in a couple of weeks!

Marrakesh Stew from Everyday Food Magazine

Serves 8 * Active time: 10 min. * Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients:
1 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, diced large
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon allspice
4 large carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
3 3/4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2 small eggplants, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 can (15.5 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained


In an 8-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes.
Add spices, and cook until fragrant, 2 minutes.
Add carrots, potatoes, and squash and season with salt and pepper.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 5 minutes.
Add tomatoes and broth- vegetables should be completely covered by liquid; add water to cover if necessary.
Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

Add eggplant, stir to combine, and simmer until eggplant is tender, 20 minutes.
Stir in chickpeas, season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook until chickpeas are warmed through.


*I served this over the Harvest Grains Blend from Trader Joe's- a combination of Israeli couscous, orzo, and red quinoa.

Midwinter Minestrone

I can't believe that we are snowed in! I really thought when I moved from Utah back to Georgia we were leaving the snow behind, which was just fine with me.
But, the snow started to fall last night and when we woke up this morning, there was a nice blanket of snow on the ground. Luckily, they had already cancelled school, so we got to sleep in.

I have the perfect thing for a cold, snowy day like today-Rachael Ray's Midwinter Minestrone.

This recipe comes from Rachael Ray's new cookbook, Look + Cook. This cookbook contains more photos than her normal cookbooks and showcases some of the steps of the recipe, so you can look and see if you are proceeding with a certain recipe correctly. This particular recipe is also posted on many of Rachael Ray's websites. And it is one that she has made on at least one of her shows.

This was the first recipe I wanted to try from the book because I absolutely love minestrone and love to try different takes on it. It starts out with some cubed pancetta, which I found out a couple weeks ago really gives soup a great flavor. I used about 1/2 of the pancetta called for in the recipe to start off the soup. I used roasted red peppers instead of sun-dried tomatoes, simply because I had the roasted red peppers in the fridge. I really loved that this soup contains kale, one of my favorite dark greens.

The best thing about minestrone is that it is full of vegetables, but it is also hearty enough to be a complete dinner. We didn't need to have biscuits or breadsticks or anything else with this soup because it contained all the makings of a great dinner in one delicious bowl.


Recipe for Midwinter Minestrone
* I omitted the olive oil since pancetta lends enough oil to start off the soup, in my opinion
* I used jarred roasted red peppers instead of sun-dried tomatoes
* I omitted the mushrooms
* I used only 2 oz of chopped pancetta
* I used whole wheat shell pasta

Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club- New Year, New Food

For this month's Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club, I was given the opportunity to pick the theme. I love trying new foods, so I thought that a great theme for the beginning of a new year would be- New Year, New Food.

Each member of our Supper Club chose a CL recipe that included an ingredient/food that they had never tried before. I was thinking about what food I wanted to try and noticed that there were fresh chestnuts available at my grocery store. I have absolutely no idea what chestnuts are used for and I had never tried them. My only reference for this food was the line "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire", from The Christmas Song.

I wasn't sure if they were really an actual nut, or just happened to have "nut" at the end of their name. (turns out they are an actual nut)
Then I was browsing around the Trader Joe's that just opened recently in my area and saw a package of chestnuts that were already peeled and cooked. The recipe I picked- Farro Minestrone with Brussels Sprouts, Butternut Squash and Chestnuts called for bottled chestnuts and I figured this find at TJ's was as close as I was going to get to the product I needed.
I also have never tried Farro, but I couldn't find it anywhere, so I used barley instead.

This minestrone was absolutely amazing. The chestnuts were a great addition to this soup. They have a really interesting flavor and texture that blended in with the other flavors magically.
I know the ingredients sounds kind of strange, but I was blown away by how well all the different ingredients went together. I think the pancetta really added a great deal of flavor to the base of the soup. (Thank you Trader Joe's for carrying chopped pancetta, that is ready to use!).

I didn't want the tomatoes to be cooked, so I just stirred them into our individual bowls, leaving them out of certain family member's, who think that tomatoes are deadly.

I was really impressed with this soup. It was so flavorful, so healthy and so delicious.

Here are the new foods that the other members of our Supper Club tried for the first time this month. Jamie tried a recipe using fontina cheese, Sandi picked a roesti casserole (I've had my eye on that dish for awhile now), Val chose quinoa, and Helene wanted to make a flan for the first time- she was unable to participate this month, but we am still including the link to the recipe she was going to try.

Here is how the menu turned out-

Mary Ann -Farro Minestrone with Brussels Sprouts, Butternut Squash, and Chestnuts

Jamie - Onion and Fontina Beer Batter Bread

Sandi - Roesti Casserole with Baked Eggs

Val - Quinoa with Roasted Garlic, Tomatoes, and Spinach

Helene - Vanilla Caramel Flan

I hope this has inspired you to try some new ingredients or foods this year. I certainly will be!

Recipe for Farro Minestrone with Brussels Sprouts, Butternut Squash and Chestnuts
* I used quick cooking barley instead of farro
* I subbed chicken broth for the wine
* I stirred the cherry tomatoes in at the end, after the minestrone was off the heat

Vietnamese Salad

The other night when I made this delicious Vietnamese Soup, I decided that I wanted to make it a soup and salad night. I googled vietnamese salad and chose from the different links that came up. I have never looked at Goop before, but this salad sounded perfect because it included lots of the same flavors as the soup.

I had purchased a bunch of baby bok choy at the farmers market the weekend before I made this salad. The combination of the bok choy and napa cabbage made for a really great texture in this salad.
The flavors were unbelieveably delicious. So tasty. My whole family loved this salad.

Vietnamese Salad from Goop

This healthy, quick salad has great crunch and lots of refreshing flavors. It’s wonderful on its own and also takes well to simply prepared proteins; grilled fish, shrimp, chicken or tofu are great.

SERVES: 4
TIME: 15 minutes

• 4 large bok choy leaves, rough bottoms discarded, stems cut into ¼" bias and leaves shredded (I just sliced these very thinly)
  
• 4 big leaves Napa cabbage, shredded (I just sliced these very thinly)
  
• 1 bunch watercress (discard thick stems), roughly chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
• the leaves from about 8 stems each basil, mint, cilantro, roughly chopped
• ½ small cucumber, thinly sliced on the bias
• 1 red Thai chili (or more…or less), thinly sliced (I used less - omitting it from the kids)
  
• ½ cup roasted, salted peanuts, roughly chopped
• Vietnamese Dressing (see recipe below)
• grilled fish, shrimp, tuna, chicken, or tofu for serving (optional)

Toss the bok choy, cabbage, watercress, carrot, herbs, cucumber, chili and ¼ cup of the peanuts together with enough dressing to coat. Serve sprinkled with the remaining peanuts and whatever protein you like.

Vietnamese Dressing

A perfect balance of hot, sour, salty and sweet, this dressing is like a flavor knockout—also a great dip for summer rolls.

SERVES: about 4
TIME: 5 minutes

• ¼ cup fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• ¼ cup fish sauce
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon hot pepper sesame oil (I used plain sesame oil)
  
• 2 tablespoons agave nectar (I used honey)
  
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 2 tablespoons finely diced red onion or shallot

Mix everything together.

Savory Oats and Kale

Have you ever tried oats in a savory recipe? The first time I tried oats in this way was when I made this Steel-Cut Oat Risotto
and it was amazing.

I made this recipe for Savory Oats and Kale a couple of months ago and I can't remember quite how I came upon the recipe but we absolutely loved it. It has dark greens, which are always a hit- in this case kale and was just a really comforting dish.

I also noticed just a couple days ago in a food magazine that there were a bunch of recipes that used oats in savory ways, so I think the idea must be catching on.

Take a break from your usual morning oatmeal and try oats this way- it is a fun way to mix up your whole grains!

Recipe for Savory Oats and Kale
* this recipe called for oat groats, but I used steel-cut oats since that is what I had on hand
* I didn't have a leek, so doubled the amount of onion called for

Lentil Minestrone

I actually made this a couple of months ago, at the beginning of summer because I love minestrone and lentils anytime of year. I knew some people might have a bad reaction about a fall soup being posted in the summer, so I saved it until Sept. came along. My husband once told me- when I served him soup for dinner during summer a couple years ago- that no one wants to eat hot soup after being in the hot sun. (Well, it doesn't really bother me!)

This was just one of the recipes I tried from the newer version of Deborah Madison's wonderful cookbook- Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.

We absolutely loved it. I actually doubled it and froze some, so we could have a quick dinner. I end up doing that a lot when I make soups.
I will definitely make it again!

Recipe for Lentil Minestrone
* I used canned vegetable stock
* I used bowtie pasta
* I used spinach for my greens

Summer Veggie Salsa

First of all the winner of the TERRA Chip giveaway- comment #21- Gabrielle, who says they eat TERRA Chips with hummus. yummy!

Here are the results-

True Random Number Generator
Min: 1
Max: 29
Result: 21
Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Now on to today's recipe. I saw this recipe for Summer Veggie Salsa on Playing House
and all the veggies just looked so delicious. I added some chopped jicama and green bell pepper just because I was cutting them up anyway and I love the crunch that jicama gives to things.
I made a great big bowl of this salsa and it was really great with baked tortilla chips.

I also topped salad greens with this salsa and loved it that way. This was so fresh and delicious.
I am going to make it again while it is still nice and hot outside.


Recipe for Summer Veggie Salsa
* I added some jicama and green bell pepper
* I used cherry tomatoes

Carrot Ginger Dressing

If there was ever a salad dressing that would make you want to eat salad at every meal, every day for the rest of your life- this is it.
I saw this recipe on Prudence Pennywise a couple of weeks ago and Prudy served it with an Asian Steak Salad.
I don't eat steak, but I had a feeling that this salad dressing would be good on any type of greens and veggies.

I was sooo right.
I didn't really measure out the ingredients- except for the carrots and celery. I just estimated the amounts (I feel fairly confident doing this, given how much time I spend in the kitchen) and gave them a whirl in the blender.

I tasted it with a spoon and then I tasted it again.
This stuff was so good, I probably could have eaten it as soup or poured it in a glass and had it as a drink.
But really, it is so yummy. Nice and fresh, but also creamy from the pureed veggies.
It would be great as a dip for vegetables too.
Luckily, I doubled the recipe, so after we ate it one night, I was able to enjoy it for lunch over and over again.

Salad never tasted so good.

Recipe for Carrot Ginger Dressing from Prudence Pennywise
I didn't actually measure the ingredients, I just kind of eye balled it
I added 2 cloves of garlic and a couple Tbls of water

Chicken Parm Burgers and Carrot Fries

I saw this recipe for Chicken Parmesan Burgers in Bon Appetit magazine and thought it was a really fun twist on chicken parm and a burger.
We don't eat burgers very often or meat for that matter, but these just looked too fun to pass up.
I used some local, lean ground turkey (93 % lean) instead of ground chicken since it was from a local farm and I have switched the two before with great results.

I had also seen a recipe for Carrot Fries that I wanted to try and this was the perfect opportunity to have a classic "burger and fries" dinner, but without the classic part.
The burgers were great. I made them smaller than the recipe said because I used a whole grain baguette for the "bun" and didn't want the burgers to be too big for the bread.
I used basil from my basil plant (Yay!- I love having my own herbs!) and used provolone cheese instead of the fresh mozzarella called for since that is what I had in my fridge.

I think I overcook my carrot fries a little bit, but they were still delicious.
This was a fun dinner.

Recipe for Chicken Parmesan Burgers
* I used local, lean ground turkey (93% lean)
* I used a whole grain baguette
* I used provolone cheese

Recipe for Carrot Fries