Curried Carrot Soup

This soup doesn't make sense. I don't know why it is so good! It's basically just carrots and broth pureed together, but something about this particular combination is magic. This soup is delicious and very healthy! Tip: Don't go crazy trying to chop your onions and carrots uniformly as they will just get pureed in the end.

Curried Carrot Soup
Source: Every Day Food's Great Food Fast
2 T. butter
1 c. chopped onion
1 t. curry powder
2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
2 cans (or 29 oz total) chicken broth (or vegetable)
2 lbs. carrots, peeled and chopped into 1" chunks
1-2 T. fresh lemon juice
optional garnish- chopped cilantro (I used a little basmati rice)

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion, curry powder, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add broth, carrots and 3 c. water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat , cover and simmer until carrots are tender, about 20 minutes.
Puree soup in batches in blender. *Only fill blender about half full since you are working with hot liquid.  Allow heat to escape by opening the hole in the lid and covering it with a towel. This will prevent hot liquid from splattering. Stir in lemon juice and garnish.


Greta and Miles rating; Miles wasn't a huge fan, but when Greta tasted it she said she was going to eat the whole pot full of soup!

Barley-Mushroom Risotto

We are true risotto lovers. What if I told you that you could make risotto with barley in the place of the starch-laden arborio and it would taste just as good even better than the original? My entire family adores this recipe. I'm not sure that you would be able to sub barley for arborio in every recipe, but the earthiness of the barley really works with the natural flavor of the mushrooms. If you are a risotto fan, I challenge you to try this!

Barley-Mushroom Risotto
Source: Brown Eyed Baker
2 T. olive oil
1 c. onion, chopped
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 t. dried thyme
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. barley
6 c. broth (veggie, chicken or beef)
1 T. butter
1/2 c. Parmesan, shredded

Heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and sautee until beginning to brown. Add mushrooms and cook until juices are released (about 5 minutes). If mushrooms are sticking to pot, you may add 1-3 T. of water. Add thyme, garlic and barley. Stir well and cook for about an minute. Add 4 c. of broth and turn bring to boiling over high heat. Boil until liquid is almost completely gone. Turn heat down to medium and add 1/2 c. of broth at a time stirring until liquid is mostly absorbed each time. When barley is tender (you will probably use all of the liquid), remove from heat and add butter and Parmesan. Serve!

Greta and Miles rating: Like I said, this is a family favorite. They have no idea that it is barley!

Skillet Gnocchi with Chard & White Beans

I love eatingwell.com. Every recipe I've made from this website has been not only healthy, but fantastic! When I received some Swiss chard in our CSA box this week, I knew I would be trying a new recipe. At first, I wasn't sure that I would like the taste of gnocchi and beans together. Somehow, in this dish the beans take on a more buttery, almost cheesy taste and it just works! This was a snap to throw together and was my first time using pre-made gnocchi.

Skillet Gnocchi with Chard & White Beans
Source: Eatingwell

1 T. plus 1 t. Olive oil
1 (16 oz.) pkg. shelf stable gnocchi
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 c. water
6 c. chopped chard leaves
1 (15 oz. can) white beans, rinsed
1 (15 oz. can) diced tomatoes with Italian seasoning
1/4 t. pepper
1/4 c. shredded Parmesan
1/2 c. shredded Mozzarella

Heat 1 T. oil over medium heat in non-stick skillet. Cook gnocchi, stirring until plumped and beginning to brown. About 5-7 minutes. Transfer to bowl. Add remaining 1 t. oil and onion. Cook, stirring for about 2 minutes. Add water and garlic. Cover and cook until onion is soft, 4-6 minutes. Add chard and cook, stirring until greens begin to wilt. Add rinsed beans, pepper and tomatoes. Stir. Bring to simmer and stir in gnocchi. Top with cheeses and cover. Cook until cheese is melted and sauce begins to bubble. About 3 minutes.

Greta and Miles rating: They really liked the gnocchi. Greta liked the chard and Miles liked the tomatoes. Overall, a success!

Asparagus & Goat Cheese Risotto

Have you ever made risotto? I used to be so intimidated by risotto. Eventually, my love for this dish won out and I tried a recipe. What I didn't anticipate was how much my children would love it.  Really, what's not to love about rice and cheese? Since I've conquered making risotto, we have tried mushroom risotto, roasted red pepper risotto,  and just plain old Parmesan risotto. I've made risotto so much this past year, that I now feel comfortable creating my own recipe.  Here is the result! It was so creamy and turned out just perfectly.

Asparagus & Goat Cheese Risotto
1/4 c. onion, chopped
4 T. butter
12 oz.  Arborio rice
1 qt. chicken broth
2 c. water
1 c. chopped fresh asparagus
2 oz. goat cheese
Chop asparagus and place in microwavable bowl. Cover with saran wrap and set aside. Chop onion.  Heat butter in medium sized pot over medium heat. Saute onion until translucent.  Meanwhile, combine chicken broth and water in separate pot and warm over medium-low heat.  Add Arborio and stir well, coating with melted butter. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add 1/2 c. broth and stir well. Continue to cook, stirring, until broth is mostly absorbed. Repeat in 1/2 c. increments until rice is done, but al dente. You will not use all of the liquid. This should take about 2 1/2 c. - 3 1/2 c. total.  When rice is almost done, microwave asparagus for 45 seconds to 1 minute, until just beginning to soften.  Remove risotto from heat and stir in asparagus, cheese and season with salt and pepper.

Greta and Miles rating: The kids LOVE their risotto. Greta loves asparagus, but this was a great way to get Miles to eat asparagus as the pieces are small.

Baby Bella Pizza

Don't you just love recipes that are happy accidents? A few weeks ago, I gathered all the ingredients to make this recipe for Shaved Asparagus Pizza. When I went to make it, I realized that there were some nasty mold spots on my asparagus. Insert plan B--- We had some leftover baby bella mushrooms from my daughter's most requested meal, Mushroom Risotto. I substituted mushrooms for the asparagus and the result was fantastic! This is an easy, quick meal that is delicious and has mass appeal.

Baby Bella Pizza
Adapted from: Annie's Eats

1 homemade (or good quality) pizza crust
Olive oil for brushing
Salt and Pepper
5 oz. Boursin Garlic and Herb spreadable cheese
5 oz. Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
2/3 c. Parmesan, shredded

Roll pizza crust out and brush with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Using a fork, crumble Boursin Cheese over top of crust (like you would with feta). Top with sliced mushrooms and Parmesan. Season again with fresh black pepper. Bake at 450 for 10-13 minutes.

Stove Top Mac & Cheese

No, this is not the most exciting recipe, but I have made it about six times since I discovered it. I think that says enough. This is an easy, crowd pleaser. Personally, I am a fan of Mac and Cheese with a bubbly crusty top, but this smooth and creamy version also has a place in my heart. Don't be intimidated by the raw eggs. They cook up with the heat from the pasta and make all the difference in the world. My favorite part of this recipe is not that everyone loves it or that I always have the ingredients on hand, but that you make it in one pot!

Stove Top Mac & Cheese
adapted from: The Food Network

2 c. whole wheat macaroni
4 T. butter or margarine
6 oz. skim milk
2 eggs
1/2 t. hot sauce (Frank's or Tabasco)
1 t. salt
3/4 t. dry mustard powder
freshly ground black pepper
10 oz. shredded sharp cheddar

Cook pasta as directed on package. Whisk milk, eggs, hot sauce, salt, pepper and mustard together. Set aside. Toss drained pasta in butter and return to pot. Pour Milk mixture over hot pasta and stir well. Mix in cheese and stir, cooking over medium heat until cheese is completely melted.

Greta and Miles rating: What could be bettter???

Bang Bang Shrimp

Welcome to the post where I talk about Hooter's!  Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined blogging about Hooter's, but here we go...My parents recently took us out to dinner for my Father's birthday (NOT at Hooter's). We all raved about this appetizer! This recipe is the combination of a few copycat recipes that I've found online, mainly this one.  
I was amazed at how simple this recipe was, and I actually already had all of the ingredients on hand, with the exception of the Hooter's breading mix. I had no idea that the whole Hooter's chain was even still in existence. Thankfully, I only had to make a trip to the grocery store to get my mix :) This was absolutely delicious!! Serves 4.

Bang Bang Shrimp
1 lb. raw shrimp, deveined and peeled
3/4 c. Hooter's Brand breading mix (a lot of the recipes simply use cornstarch)
vegetable oil for frying

1/2 c. mayo
1/3 c. sweet chili sauce
2 t. siracha sauce

2 heads of romaine, roughly chopped
scallions for garnish

Mix mayo and chili sauces to make dressing. Set aside.

Peel and devein shrimp. Heat oil 350-375 degrees  in large skillet (I used my electric skillet). Use enough oil to cover shrimp completely. Bread shrimp in mix and fry until golden brown.  Transfer fried shrimp to plate with thick layer of paper towels to absorb the oil.
Toss shrimp in dressing and serve over romaine. Garnish with scallions.

Crock Pot Enchiladas

I love enchiladas- my husband, not so much. So, over the years I have made a lot of enchilada recipes in search  of "the one" that the hubby would really like. This is it! I use home made enchilada sauce from this recipe. I really think the homemade sauce is the key. This is a versatile recipe that can be used to make traditional enchiladas, or as a casserole type dish in the crock pot. You can also use ground beef, shredded chicken, or ground turkey like we do.

Crock Pot Enchiladas
Source: Passionate Homemaking

1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1lb. ground turkey
29 oz. enchilada sauce (I use a little less than 29 oz.)
2 c. black beans, drained and rinsed
1 c. greek yogurt (or sour cream)
8 whole wheat tortillas
shredded cheddar (about 2 1/2 c.)

Heat small amount of oil in large skillet. Saute onion and garlic until lightly browned. Add meat and brown. Stir in enchilada sauce, beans and greek yogurt. Spread thin layer of sauce in bottom of crock pot. Then layer tortilla, sauce and cheese repeating until sauce is gone and ending with cheese. Cook on low for 3-4 hours.

Greta and Miles rating: They both love this recipe. It is a little spicy, but they just drink a lot of milk with it!

Chicken in Mustard-Cream Sauce

Ok. This is a really, really good recipe. I would be very pleased to be served this dish in a restaurant. I can not believe how simple it is. This would be the perfect dinner to serve to last minute dinner guests. It is elegant and packed with flavor, but extremely simple to make. Oh, and did I mention that I don't even like mustard?? :)

Chicken in Mustard-Cream Sauce
Source: Fresh Food Fast

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 T. Olive oil
1/4 c. dry white wine
1/2 c. heavy cream
2 T. Dijon mustard
1 t. dried tarragon

Season each chicken breast liberally with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.Add chicken and saute until cooked completely- 10-12 minutes, turning once. Transfer to plate and keep warm.

Pour the wine into hot skillet and cook stirring until reduced (about 1 minute). Whisk in cream, mustard and tarragon. Cook, whisking about 2 minutes, or until thickened. Right before serving drizzle sauce over chicken.

Greta and Miles rating: (5 year old and 3 year old) They could not eat this fast enough!

Asparagus & Gruyere Tart

This recipe is simple and impressive. It is elegant, yet easy enough to throw in the oven at a moment's notice. Nothing says spring like asparagus and our family could not get enough of this dish. While this may not be the most healthy thing you'll eat all week, I guarantee it will be one of the best!

Asparagus & Gruyere Tart
Source: Martha Stewart

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 1/2 lb. asparagus, cleaned and rough edges trimmed
11/2 c. Gruyere, shredded
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll pastry dough into a 16x10" rectangle. With sharp knife, score dough 1" in from outside and using a fork prick the dough every 1/2".

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden and remove from oven. Sprinkle with cheese, top with asparagus, alternating end and tip. Brush with oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until asparagus is tender.
Greta and Miles rating: They loved this and we actually ran out. I think they would have ate an additional 2 pieces. Best way I've found to get Miles to eat asparagus.

Skillet Lasagna

The fabulous Joelen strikes again! My lasagna hating husband loves this lasagna. I just love how little effort this dish requires. It's also a little more interesting than your run of the mill lasagna. I have made a few changes to the original. This is how we like lasagna at our house...

Skillet Lasagna
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 t. salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 t. red pepper flakes
1 lb. ground turkey
10 whole wheat lasagna noodles (dry and broken into 2" pieces)
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1/2 c. mozzarella, shredded
1/2 c. Parmesan, shredded- plus additional for garnish
1 c. ricotta cheese
3 T. chopped basil

Pour undrained diced tomatoes  into 1-qt. liquid measuring cup. Add water until mixture measures 1 qt..  Set aside.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and 1/2 t. salt. Cook until onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add ground turkey (beef or sausage would work as well) and cook, breaking apart meat, until no longer pink.

Scatter pasta over meat but do not stir. Pour diced tomatoes with juices and tomato sauce over pasta. Cover and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low.Simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender, about 20-22 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in cheeses. Season with additional salt and pepper. Dot with heaping tablespoons ricotta, cover, and let stand off heat for 5 minutes. Garnish with basil and additional Parmesan.

Greta and Miles rating: OK, so my kids really do not care for red sauces. They did OK with this one.

Roasted Shrimp with Feta

Another hit from Annie's Eats! I even botched this recipe by accidentally opening and dumping in a can of tomato sauce instead of diced tomatoes. My little glitch didn't matter though because the flavors in this dish are divine. I served this over cous cous, but it would have been wonderful over pasta as well!

Roasted Shrimp with Feta
3 T. Olive Oil, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 c. dry white wine
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce (original calls for diced tomatoes, plus 2 t. tomato paste)
1 1 /2 t. dried oregano
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1 c. bread crumbs (I used panko)
1 t. lemon zest
1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
5 oz. crumbled feta
juice of lemon
lemon wedges for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Saute onion in 2 T. of oil over medium heat for 5-8 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant or about 1 minute. Add wine and cook until liquid has reduced by half.

 Add tomato sauce, salt, pepper and oregano. Cook, stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes.
Combine lemon zest, bread crumbs and remaining 1 T. of oil.

Pour tomato sauce into baking dish and place shrimp, tail side up, in tomato sauce. Top with feta and then bread crumb mixture.

Bake 10-15 minutes or until shrimp is done and topping is browned. Squeeze lemon juice of dish and serve with additional lemon wedges.

Greta and Miles rating: Greta loved this, and Miles loved the flavor of the sauce, but is not a fan of shrimp that has not been breaded :)

Best French Dip

The best French dip I've ever had! I found this recipe a few weeks ago on Joelen's blog. I've since made this recipe THREE times! Throw everything into a crock pot and when the meat is ready, just grill up some buns. FABULOUS.

Best French Dip
4 lb. Chuck Roast
1 c. soy sauce
6 c. water
1 T. dried rosemary
1 T. minced garlic
3 bay leaves

Cook all ingredients in a crock pot set to low setting. Cook at least 4 hours (or until meat is done) but the longer, the better! Serve on grilled buns with au jus. Serves 10.

Greta and Miles rating: They are normally not big fans of red meat and they adored this!

Brothy Chinese Noodles

I was recently fortunate enough to get to visit my sister in Switzerland! She is a fabulous cook! I promise to share some of the wonderful meals she made for us. This is a recipe she prepared for us that came from the EatingWell website. If you have not visited this site, it is a must! It is one of the few websites with healthy food that are actually tastes good! My sister substituted ground chicken for the ground turkey. I've made it both ways and the chicken is the best! Thanks, Jill for this recipe :)

Brothy Chinese Noodles
2 T. sesame oil
1 lb. ground chicken
1/2 C. chopped onion (or scallions)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 T. ginger, minced
8 oz. dried Chinese noodles
4 C. chicken broth
3/4 C. water
4 C. thinly sliced bok choy
3 T. soy sauce (I used Bragg's Aminos)
1 T. rice vinegar

Heat 1 T. oil over medium heat. Add chicken, onions, garlic and ginger. Cook until no longer pink and transfer to plate. Add noodles, broth, water, bok choy, soy sauce, vinegar and 1 T. of oil to pot. Cook, stirring until noodles are tender. Approximately 5 minutes. Return chicken mixture to pot and serve.

Greta and Miles rating: The whole family loved this comfort dish!

Roasted Red Pepper & Parmesan Risotto

The only thing you need to know about this recipe is that I made it twice in one week! The only change I made from the original was to used roasted red peppers that were in a jar vs. roasting my own. We are on quite the risotto kick here, and this one was wonderful!

Roasted Red Pepper & Parmesan Risotto
4 c. vegetable (or chicken) broth
2 t. olive oil
1 large shallot (or 1/4 c. onion) finely diced
1 c. arborio rice
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 large red bell pepper roasted, or 1 canned roasted red pepper
1/2 c. dry white wine
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan
1 T. butter
salt and pepper to taste

Heat broth over low heat. Meanwhile, chop pepper, onion and garlic. Set each aside separately. Heat olive oil in medium pan. Saute shallots (or onion) until translucent. Add rice and garlic and saute for an additional minute. Add wine and chopped pepper. Cook until most of the liquid is absorbed. Add 1/2 c. broth and cook until almost absorbed. Repeat until rice has cooked for about 25 minutes or is al dente. You will not use all of the broth. Remove from heat and add butter, cheese and season with salt and pepper.

Greta and Miles rating: They adored this!!

Mushroom and Parmesan Risotto

Don't you love getting a new cookbook? I very rarely buy cookbooks, so I usually only receive them as gifts. For Christmas this year, I received the cookbook, Fresh Flavor Fast. I recently borrowed this book from the library and immediately added it to my Amazon wishlist! Needless to say, I was very pleased to receive this book. This next recipe was an absolute hit. I will be adding it to our family's favorites for sure. I made a few changes to the original recipe and the recipe below is how I prepared it at home.

Mushroom and Parmesan Risotto
29 oz. chicken broth
2 c. water
3 T. butter
10 oz. mixed fresh mushrooms (I used baby bellas and white buttons)
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 c. Arborio rice
1/2 c. sherry
1/2 c. grated Parmesan

In medium saucepan heat chicken broth. Meanwhile, in large saucepan, heat 1 T. butter over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender about 3-5 minutes. Transfer to plate. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add 1 T. butter and onion to large saucepan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring until tender, about 3-5 minutes. Add rice and stir. Cook 1 minute.Add wine; cook, stirring until absorbed, about 1 minute.
Ladle 2 c. of hot broth into saucepan with rice. Stir occasionally and cook until almost completely absorbed, about 5 minutes. Repeat, adding 1 c. of broth at a time and cooking until liquid is almost absorbed before adding next cup. Cook until rice is al dente and creamy (about 25 minutes). You may not use all of the broth.
Remove from heat and add Parmesan, 1 T. butter, and half of mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with remaining mushrooms and additional grated cheese.

Greta and Miles rating: They both LOVED this. Greta even asked if she could have it for snack a couple of hours after dinner!

Root Vegetable Cobbler

Comfort food. Mmmmmmm.  I was recently very blessed to receive a lot of free produce and a bunch of other goodies! Few things are more exciting to me than free food!! One of the things I received was a few bags of winter vegetables; turnips, parsnips and rutabagas. My search for the perfect recipe began. I found several that sounded good, but ended up coming up with my own concoction. This meal is perfect for a winter's day. You could really use any combination of  root or winter vegetables- butternut squash, potatoes, carrots or any combination would be lovely. This is a new favorite!


Root Vegetable Cobbler
6 c. cubed root vegetables (enough to cover the bottom of  a 9x13 pan) I used carrots, parsnips, rutabagas and turnips
1 small onion, diced
1 t. olive oil
1 1/4 c. vegetable broth
2 T. flour
2/3 c. milk
1 t. dried rosemary
For the topping:
2 C. flour
1 T. baking powder
1 t. salt
6 T. butter
2 eggs
1/2 c. sharp cheese, shredded
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Steam vegetables and place in 9x 13 baking dish. In saucepan over medium heat, saute onions in oil. When onions are tender, add broth and milk (reserve a small amount of milk to mix 2 T. flour in, then add to saucepan as well). Simmer until thickened and pour over vegetables.
To make the topping, combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Cut butter into pats and combine with flour mixture using pastry blender. When mixture resembles coarse meal, add eggs, milk and cheese. Stir gently just until combined. Shape into small biscuits and cover vegetables. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until topping is golden brown.

Greta and Miles rating: They both adored the biscuit topping. Greta enjoyed the veggies and Miles had a few.

Mom's Clam Chowder

My Mother is a fabulous cook! One of my favorite things that she makes is Clam Chowder soup. She makes it every year for Christmas. I usually only get to eat it once a year. I got the recipe from her last year and decided to make it at home. When the weather got colder this fall, I knew what I must do...make Mom's Clam Chowder!!! This is the recipe that she emailed me. I have kept it in her words because her descriptions make me smile :) If you are a Clam Chowder fan, you have to try this!

TURNER FISHERIES RESTAURANT'S CLAM CHOWDER

--- Made famous by Mom

16 cherrystone clams, preferably fresh  (I use around 4 cans of diced or minced clams)

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup clarified butter - I clarify the butter somewhat

1 large clove garlic, minced - I use 2 cloves

2 ribs celery, diced

1 medium onion, diced

1/4 tsp thyme - I use my lemon thyme if I have it - and probably more of it

Optional:  white pepper

Optional: 1 bay leaf --  I use one

Approximately 32 oz. clam juice, including that reserved from steamed clams ----& chic broth if you need to

1 large potato, diced - I like 2 potatoes

1 pt whipping cream

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Wash clams thoroughly.  Place them in a heavy-bottomed pot with water.  Cover tightly and steam until clams open, approx three - five minutes.  Remove clams from shells; chop coarsely and reserve, along with broth in a separate container. I have never done this but it sounds like fun -  fresh clams in Nebraska - kind of scary

In the same pot, gently heat clarified butter and add garlic; saute two to three minutes. Add onion, celery, thyme and optional spices. Saute until onions are translucent.

Add flour to make a roux, stirring constantly to avoid lumps and cooking one to two minutes.  Be careful that mixture does not brown or burn.

Slowly add clam juice, stirring to avoid lumps. Simmer one minute.  Add potatoes and cook until tender.  Stir well to avoid clumping.  Add cream and clams; return to a quick boil and season to taste with pepper.  Makes  8-10 servings.

-------------------------------------------- My version:

I start by draining the 4 cans of clams and saving all the liquid - you need 32 oz of liquid, I usually use a combination of liquid from the cans, bottled clam juice and/or chicken broth. It is best to get at least one bottle of clam juice, but if you can't find it, just use chicken broth to get the liquid up to 32 oz.   Just set this all aside.

Next melt in your soup pot - 1/2 cup butter  - I usually clarify it a bit, but I quickly get tired of doing that, so I don't do it completely or properly -- add 2 cloves of garlic minced and saute just a couple of minutes, Add chopped onion, chopped celery, lemon thyme, and optional spices -- saute until onions are translucent.

Add 1/2 cup flour in little bits at a time,  to make a roux, stirring constantly, and cooking 1-2 minutes - don't brown it-  or you have to start all over

Slowly add the 32 oz of liquids, stirring to avoid lumps.  Simmer one minute, stirring constantly.  Add potatoes and cook until tender. Stir well to avoid clumping.  Add the cream and clams; return to a quick boil and season with pepper & salt to taste.
Greta and Miles rating: Greta loved this so much. Miles ate his crusty bread soaked in the soup, but wouldn't eat the soup with a spoon. Interesting kids.

Cuban Sandwiches

Mmmmmm! Here is another recipe I created to copy something from a restaurant. We'll just call this particular restaurant...um...Rock Town. :)
I love this sandwich. It has a bunch of things that I don't usually care for individually; pork, ham, and mustard.  But, put them all together and something magical happens! This is definitely not an authentic Cuban sandwich, but I'd venture to say that it is an authentic copy of  "Rock Town's" version.
Cuban Sandwiches
3 lb. pork sirloin roast
juice of one lime
1/3 c. sherry
3 T. Olive Oil
2 t. salt
1/4 t. crushed black pepper
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1 t. oregano
Combine marinade ingredients and pour over roast in crock pot. Cook on low for 5-6 hours, or until meat is done.
6 slices deli ham
6 slices provolone cheese
6 ciabatta rolls
Prepared mustard (use your favorite, I used Grey Poupon, yes that name still makes me giggle :))
sliced dill pickles
Garlic Aioli:
1/3 c. mayo
3 garlic cloves, pressed
juice of 1/2 lemon
Cook pork in crock pot. Remove from heat. Mix ingredients to make aioli.
When pork is warm, slice into 1/2" thick slices.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice  and toast ciabatta rolls. Spread top slice with mustard and bottom slice with aioli. To assemble sandwiches: top the bottom slice of ciabatta with a layer of pickles, pork, ham, then provolone.  Place on cookie sheet. Leave top slice of ciabbatta (with mustard) off of sandwich, place mustard side up on cookie sheet. Bake open faced sandwiches and sandwich tops for about 10 minutes, until cheese is melted. Place top slice of ciabatta on sandwich and serve.
Greta and Miles rating: Miles at his entire sandwich! Greta just kind of nibbled.

Mushroom and Pecorino Tarts

Here is another hit recipe from the cookbook Fresh Flavor Fast. Puff Pastry and I don't have the best history. What I mean to say is that I absolutely LOVE the taste of puff pastry, but my previous attempts working with it have not been the most successful or attractive feats. This meal was quick and incredibly delicious. These would be great made into miniatures for an appetizer as well. The only change I made from the original recipe is the amount of mushrooms used. The original calls for 1 1/4 lbs. of mushrooms, and I used an 8 oz. package and even had extra.

Mushroom and Pecorino Tarts
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed (mine took about 45 minutes)
1 T. olive oil
8 oz. fresh mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, button) thinly sliced
3/4 c. grated Pecorino Romano cheese
2 T. fresh chives, chopped

Preheat oven to 400. Roll puff pastry out and cut into 4 equal squares. Score each square, leaving a 1" border and pierce the dough inside the border using a fork. (see example below). Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Bake until golden, turning sheet halfway through. About 10-12 minutes.
Meanwhile in medium-high skillet heat oil. Add mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender 6-8 minutes.

Sprinkle 1/2 c. of the cheese evenly over the center of the 4 squares. Top with mushrooms and remaining cheese. Return to oven until lightly browned. Sprinkle with chives to serve.

 

Greta and Miles rating: They both loved this and ate every last bite! Greta even ate some of my extra sauteed mushrooms.