Springtime in a Bowl – Shrimp, Asparagus and Tomato Pasta

Posted on April 24, 2012 | 1 comment

It is really Springtime now and it just makes you want to lighten up the menu a bit, and my mind immediately goes to asparagus!  This recipe is a variation on my Summertime Tomato Pasta. I wanted to use some of those beautiful asparagus out there. Even though I knew Joel would pick them out , I still made this dish. The asparagus are large enough for him to easily pick out and put on my plate. This dish is light and delicious and pretty quick to prepare. It is like springtime in a bowl!  There are so very many things to do with asparagus but this just appealed to me tonite and if you leave the shrimp out you have a lovely vegetarian pasta dish. I used the shrimp.  I also used linguine in this , it just seems to hold on to the flavors nicely. Happy Spring and Enjoy. This recipe was inspired by Giada de Laurentis .

Ingredients:

1 lb. box linguine ( I used Fini Linguine , it was lighter than regular linguine and was just perfect)

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 containers of little grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, or any small tomato ( app. 20 oz. of tomatoes)  I cut tomatoes in 1/2.

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

* crushed red pepper ( we like the heat) use your own discretion depending on how you like it, totally optional

3 large cloves of garlic, chopped finely

1/2 cup dry white wine ( I use whatever I have open)

1 lb. Asparagus , trimmed, stalks cut on a diagonal into app. 1 1/2 inch pieces

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

fresh basil chopped ( app. 1/2 cup)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Directions:

Cook the pasta according to box directions.( Fini Linguine cooks in 6 minutes perfectly)

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the tomatoes, app.  1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and app. 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are soft , it takes about 5 minutes. Add the crushed red pepper and garlic. Cook for another few minutes ( don’t burn the garlic)keep on low heat and stir around. Add the wine and the asparagus. Bring to a low boil and simmer for at least 5 minutes . Taste for Salt and Pepper, if it needs more this is when I would add it, and I did. I added a bit more salt here, pepper was fine. You need to use your own discretion about the salt .

Sprinkle shrimp in a bowl with a little salt and pepper. Add the shrimp to the pan and continue to simmer until the shrimp is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Shrimp needs to be firm to the touch, and opaque if cut into. Stir in the chopped basil and the oregano.

Pour the sauce over the pasta and toss well to combine.  You can always add more crushed red pepper when finished.

This was really delicious and light. Joel of course picked out every piece of asparagus, and put them in my bowl. That was fine with me because I love asparagus.

*this dish will easily serve 4, if you like you can always add another 1/2 lb. of shrimp for 4 people.

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Ellen’s Challenge to Great Aunt Selma’s Banana Cake

Posted on April 20, 2012 | Leave a comment

g’morning-  i’d like to challenge Great Aunt Selma with  my MOTHER’S CHOCOLATE CHIP BANANA CAKE.  here’s my recipe, similar,  just a little different. (my secret is mixing the sour crm and bicarbonate (baking soda) together so they rise and that makes a fluffy, moist cake)

I received this after I published my Great Aunt’s recipe, I love that Ellen sent this to me and welcome any and all feedback, especially when you believe it to be so very good like Ellen obviously does! I am going to try this recipe as soon as I have some more rotten bananas to use. It certainly sounds great! Thanks so much Ellen for all your input and support!

preheat oven to 375

1 stick butter

2 cups all-purpose flour sifted

1/2 cup crisco oil

1 1/4 cup sugar

4 tbsp sour crm

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 teasp salt

2 eggs

2 overripe bananas- mashed well

cup mini choc chips (if you flour chips lightly they will not sink to bottom)

1.  mix sour crm and baking soda together in a small bowl and set aside

2.  crm butter and sugar

3.  add sour crm mixture and rest of ingredients

4.  pour into buttered loaf pan

5.  bake 375 for 15 minutes

6.  REDUCE heat to 350 and bake for 50- 60  minutes (testing, last 10 minutes)

kisses, El

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Great Aunt Selma’s Banana Coffee Cake – More Rotten Banana Tales/ Banana Bread

Posted on April 20, 2012 | 1 comment

A while back my Mom (G’ma Millie) gave me a bunch of recipes, and since then I’ve had some time to sift through them. I came across this one on type-written paper, which in and of itself was sort of amazing from my Great Aunt Selma. Selma was my grandfather’s sister and known to be a  very good cook, Hungarian Czech background. I scanned in recipe so you can see what the original looks like, I have been trying to scan all of my old recipes in so that I don’t lose them.  So I figured I’d try out the recipe, because it was different from mine and contained sour cream. How bad can it be? And since there is always the matter of rotting bananas in the house, this is a perfect use for them.  I guess what to do with those rotten bananas isn’t exactly a new problem!

*a few little notes on this recipe. If you are using a loaf pan and you find that in the past your breads are uncooked in the center, and you don’t want to burn entire cake to get the middle cooked, use an 8 x 8 pan and treat it more like a coffee cake! or if you’ve used a glass loaf pan, and you’ve tested center with a long cake tester ( which is a must for loaf type breads) you can try turning heat down 10 degrees and cook for another 10 minutes, or just put in microwave for a quick 1 – 2 minute zap after you remove from oven. If you leave in the oven too long the outside will burn and the inside may still be raw, so this can work.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter or margarine softened ( if you haven’t taken out of fridge, put in microwave for a few seconds just to soften not melt)

1 cup sugar

2 eggs ( room temp. always best) or cheat and let eggs sit in warm water for 15 minutes while you get all the ingredients together

1/2 cup mashed ripe (very) bananas ( between 1 and 1 1/2 bananas)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup Sour Cream ( Lite is fine , no fat-free)

2 cups sifted Flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

topping:

1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, etc.)

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Using Electric Mixer cream butter, gradually add sugar, beat in 2 eggs one at a time, add mashed bananas, vanilla and sour cream. Sift together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Fold the dry ingredients into cream mixture just to blend in a bowl. ( don’t overmix)

Grease a loaf pan or an 8 x 8 cake pan and sprinkle 1/2 of the topping mixture in bottom of greased pan ( I used loaf pan)  spoon in the batter, sprinkle remaining topping on top. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes. Check with cake tester, after 40 minutes. Let cake cool at least 10 minutes in pan. I usually just let it sit for as long as possible, till completely cool. I bake in a loaf pan. This is like a banana bread. Use a long cake tester, which is an inexpensive wonderful tool for loaf type breads/cakes.

*see notes above

Thanks Aunt Selma. xoxoxoo

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Lasagna Two Ways – Turkey Sausage or Spinach Filling (or Use Both)

Posted on April 18, 2012 | Leave a comment

photo 2 (15) photo 1 (19)My friend Susan and I made this recipe from the Barefoot Contessa many moons ago, it has since been my go-to lasagna. I love the goat cheese in it and I love the turkey. In the years since, I’ve made a few changes to the original recipe, including substituting spinach for turkey, which makes it a perfectly delightful vegetarian (not vegan) lasagna, and you all know by now that I am always looking for vegetarian ways of doing things for my daughter. I do use frozen spinach and the only thing I will say is that you really, really need to get all the water out of that frozen spinach, so let it drain well and then actually wring it out with your hands–really wring it out till there is no more water, it may take a while to do this and you can actually do all the other steps while you are doing that. Lasagna is always a lot of work, but well worth it. It can be made a few days ahead; I like to cook it almost all the way and then wrap it and leave it in the fridge until I ‘m ready for to eat it. It can also be frozen in portion size pieces which is really the best, and it will stay frozen for a while. I’ve actually frozen it in one season, come back to Colorado the next season and defrosted it and reheated it, and it tasted awesome! So here you go, my go-to lasagna. If you’d like to use both spinach and turkey go right ahead!!! I always say that I have never met a lasagna I didn’t like but this is one you’ll love. The secret ingredient is the goat cheese for sure.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 lbs. sweet (or if available, I do 1/2 sweet and 1/2 spicy) Italian turkey sausage, removed from casing (you can actually buy it this way) if you’d like you can use all pork sausage as well

If you are substituting spinach for turkey you’ll need about 4 boxes of frozen spinach, well-drained (read above) or use both the turkey  and spinach and then about 2 boxes of spinach

1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes in tomato puree

1 6 oz. can tomato paste

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

lasagna noodles (I use pre-cooked noodles…I love them)or use the regular boxed ones whichever you prefer (both are shown on photos) I really am loving those pre cooked ones though

15 ounces ricotta cheese (skim is fine but don’t use fat-free)

6 ounces creamy goat cheese (crumbled) this is what makes it so unique

1 cup grated parmesan, plus you may need a bit more for sprinkling on top

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 pound shredded mozzarella (However you can get this is fine; fresh is always delicious but the packaged ones aren’t bad for this purpose. I use skim here but never use fat-free cheese please.), but nice touch)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium low heat, until onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or so (don’t burn it.) Add the sausage and cook over medium-low heat, breaking it up with a fork, about 10 minutes or until it is no longer pink. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and if you’d like add some of the fresh basil, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper.  Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat until sauce thickens. Taste for additional salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, goat cheese, 1 cup of parmesan cheese, the egg, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside. Now if you were adding the spinach this would be the time, in with the cheeses.

In a nice lasagna baking dish or Pyrex–whatever pan comes closest to 9 x 12. Ladle some of the sauce over bottom of the pan, then add layers of noodles over. With the pre-cooked I usually use 3 or 4 depending on the size of the dish but you do not have to overlap as they cook up nicely. (I never use the other noodles anymore.) Next, layer mozzarella, half the ricotta, and one-third of the sauce. Add more pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, and finally sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of parmesan on top. Bake for 45 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling. I usually cook my lasagna covered for 30 minutes and uncovered for 15. If I am cooking it ahead of time, I only cook for 45 minutes covered and then I will brown it up when I reheat it. Also if you are reheating it, please take it out and let it sit at room temperature before putting it in the oven.

Obviously if you are using the spinach, that will be in your cheese layer, and your sauce will be without turkey. I mean…turkey and spinach would be pretty awesome, as well.

Good Luck! Have fun with this. Everyone loves lasagna.

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Chicken in a Mustard Cream Sauce

Posted on April 16, 2012 | Leave a comment

This was our dinner this evening. It was easy to prepare and quick to cook. Yes, it has cream in it, but once in a while it’s OK I figure. (If you really are opposed to the cream, then perhaps this recipe isn’t for you. But if you love mustard, chicken and everything else in here, then go for it.) I cooked about 1 1/2 lbs. of chicken breasts; they’re the thin ones. This was enough for 3 people. There were 5 thin breasts in the package and actually more mustard sauce than we needed. For more people, just double the chicken and squeeze as much as you can into the pan, or just do chicken in batches. I served this over rice pilaf with a green salad. Thanks to The Pioneer Woman for this recipe.

Ingredients:

1 package thin skinless chicken breasts

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter (unsalted)

3 whole cloves garlic, minced

1 cup brandy

1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 heaping tablespoon grainy mustard

1/2 cup heavy cream (you can add more for more chicken, if you think you’ll need it)

1/2 cup chicken broth (You can also add more cream here, to taste. I liked it just the way it was, though.)

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

Pat chicken breasts dry on both sides and sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat oil and butter in a large skillet pan over medium heat. Cook cutlets on both sides until nice and golden and cooked through, about 6 – 8 minutes. Remove chicken from the pan and keep on a plate.

Add the garlic to the pan, and quickly saute for about 1 minute but don’t burn. Pour in the brandy. Then just let it bubble up and cook until it’s reduced (about 1/2), then put mustards in and stir to combine. Next, add the cream and stir. Mine never got that thick. It was just perfect. Allow sauce to cook for a few minutes to just a slow bubble. Add in the chicken breasts and allow to cook for another minute or so. I prepared the sauce, and when the rice was ready brought the sauce to a low boil and then added chicken. Serve over rice with a little sauce on top. Very tasty.

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My Youngest Fan

Posted on April 14, 2012 | Leave a comment

This is just a very cute story. My sister-in-law called me the other day to tell me that I had a very young fan. Assuming it was one of her boys, I asked what she  meant.  It seems that my nephew RJ who is only 9 was very into my Thanksgiving Corn Bread Pudding and wanted to know how to make it himself or get his Mom to make it for him. He overheard her telling her friend about my blog and he went home, googled me, found the site, found the recipe and wrote out all the ingredients and handed them to her to buy for him so he could make the recipe! So psyched, so cute, so happy! I love that my nephew loves my cooking, and I love that he loved it so much he went to the effort of researching it on the web. Thanks to RJ, my youngest fan and my youngest nephew!

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Greek Salad

Posted on April 12, 2012 | 1 comment

I originally posted this way back and figured what a perfect day to re-post. This has become my go to Greek Salad and Salad Dressing when I want to make it at home. I of course love anchovies and feel free to put in there. I didn’t have any whole garlic cloves so I used garlic powder and you know what? it worked out just right. If you’d prefer to use chopped fresh garlic go right ahead. I am going to give you ingredients from tonite’s dressing because it tasted just right. This is salad , so please feel free to substitute and leave out whatever you don’t like and add in whatever you like. Joel only eats the lettuce and cheese, I ate all of the other ingredients.  I like to chop up a grilled piece of chicken and add in or a piece of salmon if you’re looking to make this more of a meal. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/2 head of iceberg and 1 whole head of romaine (you can use less lettuce and you’ll just have a little more dressing left over depending on how you like it) you can also use all iceberg or all romaine, I like the combo.

grape tomatoes cut in 1/2 ( about 1/2 the package that it comes in )

1 small cucumber diced up, I take the seeds out first and then slice it up with skin on, do it however you like

red onion diced, use as much or as little as you like

1/4 cup Kalamata Olives cut up without pits

3/4 cup of cubed Feta Cheese – I like it cubed for some wierd reason in this salad, again use whatever you prefer

Dressing:

In a small mixing bowl using a small whisk

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon of oregano, I love oregano so I used a heaping amount, if you don’t use less

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Mix spices and red wine vinegar and then slowly whisk in the olive oil, when you’re ready to serve pour over salad and mix. Add as much as you’d like. This dressing should dress the whole salad depending on how light or heavy you like your salad dressed.

Enjoy! this is a perfect meal with fish or chicken or any protein you like. I put it on top of chicken and it was really good. Sort of a spin on Chicken Milanese Greek Style.

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You don’t have to be Jewish to love Matzo Brei

Posted on April 10, 2012 | 4 comments

It’s all about the Matzo. Matzo and Eggs or so it seems. I always loved Matzo Brei since I’m a little girl, and I always wondered why it is that we only eat this delicious concoction during Passover.  It’s such a delicious treat why don’t we eat it more often? In our house we usually eat it till the matzo runs out. Usually for the week of Passover, then we stop. It’s so good. Everyone has their own little special spin on it.  Before I met Joel I always ate my matzo brei sweet with maple syrup sort of a matzo french toast. Joel loves it crispy and salty with a lot of pepper and since I know him he always asks for it this way. I sort of grew to love it this way as well. What’s not to love?  You definitely don’t have to be Jewish to love Matzo Brei. This is how we make it around our house.

Ingredients:

*serves 2 just barely (can and should be doubled)

3 Sheets of Matzo broken into little pieces

2 Large Eggs

Salt and Pepper

2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

Directions:

Break the matzo into little pieces and place in a bowl. Cover with very hot water from tap. Let it stand for a couple of minutes, and then drain it. ( I usually put a plate over bowl and pour out all the water) Beat Eggs in another bowl, season with salt and pepper. Use your own discretion here, Joel likes it with a lot of salt and pepper. Combine the eggs with the drained Matzo till a batter forms. Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium -high heat. I add the matzo mixture and start to fry it up scrambling it as I go, we like it in little pieces. ( you can make this batter into small pancakes as well and just fry up until golden brown) I cook it till it is all fryed up and crispy. It should cook up pretty quickly if the oil is hot enough. You can serve it with less salt and pepper and put jam on the side, maple syrup on it, cinnamon , whatever you like! Matzo Brei is awesome even when you feel like you can’t face another piece of matzo.

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Cooking Notes – Passover is Finally Here

Posted on April 6, 2012 | 2 comments

We are in the home stretch at least as far as cooking goes. I have literally been shopping and cooking all week and I am not even having the dinner in my house which is another job in and of itself. We are going to our daughter Jenn’s house tonite, and I am helping with her Seder.  Bringing a lot of goodies from my house.  Second night I am bringing everything to my Sister in Law’s family, we will just be 6 so it’s not overwhelming but I am sure I cooked enough for 26.   I go a little crazy as I’m sure we all do trying to please everyone with what they love and expect. Of course I’ve enjoyed making everything and am happy to do it. Will be pretty relieved Sunday morning when I can stop thinking about it all the time. We will observe the no bread rules for the week, and I have a few suggestions for that .  Nothing quite like the food storm I hit you with from the last 2 weeks. Also a special shout out to all of those who sent me recipes, I tried to make as much as I could. I am going to try all of them at some point this week, will post as I cook them. Special thanks to Marcy  ,Julie ,  Ellen , Jean , Cathy , Karyn  and of course to my daughter Kerri for all her help with this blog.

This is what I cooked:

Homemade Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls

Chicken Marbella

Happy New Year Brisket

Spinach Souffle

Peach Farfel

Grandma Regina’s Farfel

Fresh Cranberry Sauce

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Macaroons ( both dipped and non dipped)

Julie’s Brownies

Ellen’s Apple Cake

* of course Gefilte Fish which I have never made and buy at Shop Rite in Plainview. If you eat Gefilte Fish, I have to say this is the most delicious gefilte fish I’ve ever eaten, we’ve been buying it there forever. ( they make Kosher and Non- Kosher) we love the sweet one! (they have both sweet and regular)

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Matzoh Pudding – Sweet

Posted on April 4, 2012 | 1 comment

I have no idea where or who this recipe comes from but I’ve made it many times and it’s very tasty. This is sweet–once again with apples, eggs, oil , raisins, and of course, matzoh. Probably best in a rectangular Pyrex dish (9×12 should do it).  After I wrote this recipe, I received the same one from Marcy and she says she puts in a can of pineapple pieces or crushed, sounds good to me. You can serve this with meal or dessert. It’s a very good recipe. Worth keeping.

Ingredients:

12 sheets of matzoh (plain)

9 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 tsp. salt

6 large apples (you can use any kind you like) peeled, cored and cut into slices

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3 tsp. cinnamon

1 1/2 cup pecans

1 1/2 cup golden raisins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Break matzoh in a bowl into small pieces and pour warm water on top. Let it soak in and soften then drain well. You can use a colander and do it all in there. In a separate large bowl, beat eggs, then add salt, sugar and cinnamon. Add the drained matzoh then stir in nuts, apples, raisins and oil. Pour all ingredients into the greased Pyrex dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 – 60 minutes.

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