Chicken With Sun-dried Tomatoes

The original recipe is from a 20011 calendar that has recipes, but I could not find a source.

It called for:
1lb fusilli pasta
8.5 oz jar of sun dried tomatoes (in oil)
1lb diced chicken
1 bunch asparagus (in 2" segments)
4 cloves of minces garlic
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

I modified the recipe slightly by seasoning my diced chicken with salt and white pepper, only using 2/3 of the jar of tomatoes, and adding sauteed mushrooms. This was more than enough for five people and only took around 30 minutes to make.

I started by cooking the pasta according to the package directions while I sauteed the chicken in the oil of the sun dried tomatoes. I suggest setting aside a cup of the pasta water in case you need it to loosen the pasta at the end. Once the chicken was cooked, I reserved it and began sauteing the asparagus. I added the mushrooms once the asparagus started to get tender. Next, I added the garlic and the tomatoes, and tossed in the pasta. I added about 1/4 cup of the pasta water which seemed to help distribute the seasoning and loosen the pasta. You will also want to salt and pepper and sprinkle the parmesan cheese over the pasta at this point.

Enjoy!

Mushroom & Artichoke Lasagna

I've been considering vegetarianism so I decided to give up beef, pork, and poultry for Lent. To be completely honest, it hasn't been easy. Not that I want to eat meat, it's just difficult to come up with meals that are varied and nutritious. I recently came across this recipe and thought I'd give it a try.

You will need:

1 lb sliced baby portobello mushrooms

2 cans of water packed artichoke hearts rinsed, drained and chopped

2 TBSP butter

3 cloves of garlic

1 cup white wine cheese

lasagna noodles

4 cups mozzarella

Salt & Pepper

Sauce:

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup organic unbleached flour

2 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese

1 cup white wine

Saute the mushrooms in butter, adding garlic, artichokes, wine and salt & pepper after the mushrooms are tender. Cook over medium heat until the liquid had evaporated.

For the sauce, melt the butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add the flour, stirring until smooth. Slowly add the milk, then bring to a boil. Allow the white sauce to cook for a minute before adding the wine and Parmesan cheese.

Add about a cup of the sauce to a greased baking dish before layering the lasagna noodles, another 1-2 cups of sauce, 1 cup of mozzarella and 1 1/2 cups of the artichoke mixture. Repeat this layer twice. Bake for 45 minutes at 350° covered. Uncover, sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese, and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.

French Onion Soup

Here's what your gonna need:

4 cups thinly chopped onion ( I used at least 6 cups)
3 tablespoons butter*
1 table spoon oil*
1/4 teaspoon sugar*
1 teaspoon salt*
3 tablespoons four*
3 cans a good beef broth (I used 5)
4 cups of water (I used 4)
1/2 cup white wine*
3 tablespoons brandy*
rounds of french bread
grated Swiss and Parmesan cheeses


This is my mother-in-law's (MIL) recipe. I have always loved it, so I know you will too. My MIL chopped the onions in her Cuisinart and I added them in the pan with the butter and oil. I had the heat on low stirring fairly often for about 15 minutes. Then I turned the heat up to medium and added the sugar and salt. For the next 40 minutes I had to keep a close eye on the onions, stirring frequently until they were an even brown.

I sprinkled in the flour as I stirred the browned onions for several minute then removed them from the heat.

After I heated the beef broth and water in a separate pan, I added the onions back in.

Next I added the wine and the brandy, covered the pot and let it simmer for approximately 30 minutes.

Now for the best part; turn your oven on to broil, fill your oven safe bowls with soup, sprinkle in some cheese, top with a piece of really good French bread and more cheese. Then let them brown off in the oven. Serve hot.

This will take you about 1 1/2 - 2 hours so plan accordingly.



*Of course I didn't actually measure anything.

Lemony Shrimp and Spinach

I found this recipe in the September issue of Southern Living. It didn't take more that 30 minutes, including the time it took to peal the shrimp.

You will need about a pound of shelled Gulf Coast shrimp (31/35 count), 3 cloves of minced garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 cup chicken broth, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper, 6 ounces of baby spinach and salt and pepper to taste.

The first thing you'll need to do is to saute the shrimp and garlic in the oil.

It shouldn't take more than 3-4 minutes for them to turn pink.

Set the shrimp aside where they will stay warm.

Next you'll want to add the chicken broth, the lemon zest, juice and red pepper.

Stir to loosen the yummy bits from the bottom of the pan.

After the liquid reduces by half, add the spinach.

As it starts to wilt you'll need to stir in the shrimp and add salt and pepper.

While this was cooking my DH made some organic couscous I had picked up at

The New Yokel Market.

Everyone enjoyed this dish, I hope you will too.

Butternut Squash Lasagna

In the most recent issue of Mother Earth News magazine there is a story by Roger Doiron titled Cozy and Comfy Fall Recipes. Being that I am trying to eat seasonally, I thought that I'd like to try out at least one of the recipes in the article. I spotted an appealing picture of Butternut Squash Lasagna that I was calling my name. Normally I wouldn't post a recipe I've never made before, but I felt like I could pull it off. So, here goes.

1TBSP olive oil
1 1/2- 2 lbs peeled seeded and cubed butternut squash
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
12 no-boil lasagna noodles
2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Of course I've already made alterations in the original recipe. I wanted to keep the ingredients as fresh and environmentally friendly as possible so I used organic whole grain flour and organic brown rice lasagna noodles. In addition, I purchased the milk from a local dairy and the squash from a local farmer.

I peeled and cubed the squash, placed it in a large skillet with the olive oil and added salt, pepper, and water. I then covered it and let it simmer on medium for about 20-25 minutes.


While the squash was simmering I put the pasta on to boil.

I have made my share of white sauces and never once have I measured the butter, flour or milk, but for the sake of this recipe I did.

Don't be afraid of making a white sauce, it's really not that hard. Simply melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour, making a paste and then slowly add in the milk. I like for my milk to be at room temperature.

You will need to stir it continuously over medium heat until it thickens up. Then add nutmeg, salt and pepper.

After the squash was tender, I transferred it into my food processor and pureed it and added more salt and pepper.

Then I began the layer process; starting out with a buttered 13x9x2 inch baking dish.

I added enough of the white sauce to coat the bottom of the dish. I then layered noodles, squash puree, mozzarella, and more sauce. I repeated it once more. I finished with a layer of noodles that I coated with the white sauce. I covered the pan with foil and baked it for 40 minutes at 375 degrees. I removed the foil adding the Parmesan and remaining mozzarella and baked an additional 15 minutes.

When I took it out of the oven the entire house filled with the most incredible aroma. I can't say that I will make this very often, but it was very tasty. From start to finish it took me about 1 1/2 hours to make. Enjoy!

Frozen treats

Last summer my husband bought me an ice cream maker for my birthday. I made ice cream and sherbet several times last year; feeling much braver, I started makign sorbets this summer. I'm going to tell you that eating ice cold strawberry or blueberry sorbet in 100 degree temperatures is one the the best ways to beat the heat. It's also so easy to make that I thought I share a couple of recipes with you so you can pick and choose what you want to make.

Now I'm not using the old fashioned ice cream maker that you have to have ice and rock salt; I'm using the type of ice cream maker where you keep the bowl in the freezer so it's ready whenever you feel like a cool treat. You can get an expensive "professional" one, but their are affordable varieties that you can pick up at most stores for $30.

Orange Sherbet

Mix 1 can of sweetened condensed milk with
1 lt of any orange drink like Orange Crush.

I find it best if both are chilled first. It's important that when you are mixing the ingredients that the milk is completely dissolved.

Turn the ice cream maker on and pour the mixture through the lid. Let it mix until the the unit stops.

Sorbet

Dissolve 1 cup of sugar into
1cup of water over low heat.

Place syrup into the refrigerator until chilled.

Puree 2 cups of fruit (I've used blueberries and strawberries) or a cup of fruit juice (I used fresh squeezed lemon) and mix with the syrup.

Once again you will want to have the ice cream maker turned on as you pour the mixture through the whole in the lid. Let it mix until the unit stops.

Chicken Enchiladas

2-3 cooked and chopped chicken breast (I like to saute them in taco seasoning)
1/2-1/3 cup chicken broth
2-3 chopped jalapeno peppers
1-10oz can of Cream of Chick soup
1-8oz container of sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (divided)
6-8 8in flour tortillas

In a mixing bowl combine the first 6 ingredients (using only 1 cup of the shredded cheese) Place about 2 tablespoons of the mixture in each tortilla and roll up placing each one seam side down in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Pour the remaining mixture over the top then cover with the remaining cup of cheese. Bake at 350 for approximately 40 minutes or until it bubbles on the sides and the cheese is melted.