Ingredient: Onion

Sort of Southwestern Minestrone

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Sort of Southwestern Minestrone
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A hearty soup that isn't too heavy. A little like minestrone, but with a definite Southwestern flavor.
Servings
4
Servings
4
Sort of Southwestern Minestrone
Print Recipe
A hearty soup that isn't too heavy. A little like minestrone, but with a definite Southwestern flavor.
Servings
4
Servings
4
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. If you are using the chicken sausages, grill or broil them until they are nicely browned. When cool enough to handle, cut in half lengthwise then slice. Set aside.
  2. Heat a soup pot over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the onions, garlic, jalapenos, cumin, and carrots and cook until the veggies begin to soften, 5 minutes or so.
  3. Add the corn, sausage (if using), and sun dried tomatoes and cook for a minute or two. Add the stock. Bring to a boil, add the oregano, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
  4. Add the rinsed and drained beans and the lime juice and simmer for 5 - 7 minutes. Ladle into soup bowls. Serve with a lime wedge if you'd like.
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Chicken and Wild Rice Risotto

DIGITAL CAMERAI love Chicken and Wild Rice Soup. I’ve even shared my recipe for it, a beautiful thing, filled with cream and butter. As you may have noticed, my recipes are taking on a lighter healthier attitude, so I DIGITAL CAMERAdecided to see if I could wave the light and healthy magic wand and come up with something new. The result was a one pot meal that had the flavors of my decadent soup with the added benefit of less fat and a five grain rice blend for extra fiber. Oh, and it is eaten with a fork instead of a spoon.

Risotto is a wonderful dish. It is creamy, a little chewy, and very comforting. Light and healthy it is not…usually. I made a few simple changes and a new light dish was born. I started with a rice blend that I found at World Market. Made by “In Harvest,” brown and wild rice combined with red rice, sprouted brown rice and grano (pearled durum wheat) creating an interesting blend. When making risotto traditionally, the rice cooks in a good bit of butter. I opted to spray the rice blend lightly with butter non-stick cooking spray. It imparted a little flavor but mostly kept the rice from sticking to the pan (this is optional).  All told, I used one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to saute the vegetables and the rice. For a recipe that serves four, that’s not too bad.

Wine is used to de-glaze the pan as well as providing another layer of flavor. Whatever risotto I make, my wine of choice is dry vermouth, it’s not just for martinis anymore. DIGITAL CAMERA

Dry Vermouth has an herbacious and off dry flavor that enhances whatever it is added to. I’m currently infatuated with Trader Joe’s brand. It is imported from Italy, comes in a full liter bottle and is very reasonably priced. It’s also good on the rocks with a twist of lemon.

I had some Semi-Homemade Chicken Broth in the freezer that provided the bath that cooked the rice. The broth started as a box of chicken stock enhanced with onion, garlic, and herbs that I used to poach chicken for another dish. I strained the broth and froze it for just this kind of occasion.DIGITAL CAMERA

The chicken came from the freezer as well. Saved from a Beer Butt Chicken, it was the perfect protein addition with no effort on my part. Mama D Tip: Any time you are preparing a whole chicken using any technique, always make at least one extra. It doesn’t take any extra time and your future recipes will thank you.

Risotto is a labor of love and takes time to do it right. This version took about an hour because of the rice blend that I used…even using traditional Arborio takes a while, so factor that into your meal planning. Risotto usually has butter, cheese, and sometimes cream added to up the luscious factor. I opted for a small amount of light onion and chive cream cheese spread to give that creamy mouth feel.

All in all I deemed this recipe a success. It gave me the best of all worlds, creamy, healthy and satisfyingDIGITAL CAMERA

 

Chicken and Wild Rice Risotto
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Chicken and Wild Rice Risotto
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Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. In a large deep fry pan heat the olive oil. add the onion and cook for three minutes until the onion begins to be translucent. Add the carrot and garlic to the pan and cook for 3 minutes more.
  2. Lightly spray the rice mixture with butter flavor spray and toss to coat. Add the rice and seasonings to the pan and cook stirring often for 3 - 5 minutes. Don't let the rice brown!
  3. Carefully add the vermouth to the pan and allow to completely cook into the rice.
  4. Heat the broth to a simmer in a separate pan or use the microwave. Add the broth to the rice mixture a ladle at a time. Allow the rice to soak up the broth before adding more. continue until all the broth is incorporated. The risotto should have a little bite, almost Al Dente.
  5. Depending on the rice blend you use, you may need more or less than the quart of broth. A little water or stock can be added if needed.
  6. Add the cream cheese to the pan and stir to incorporate and allow the cheese to melt. Serve in shallow bowls.
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Penne with Asparagus, Gorgonzola and Prosciutto

Penne with Asparagus, Gorgonzola and Prosciutto
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Servings
4
Servings
4
Penne with Asparagus, Gorgonzola and Prosciutto
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Servings
4
Servings
4
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Cook pasta according to the package directions, cooking one minute less than directed. While the pasta cooks, prepare the sauce.
  2. In a large fry pan, heat the olive oil. Add the chicken pieces and brown stirring often, 3-4 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  3. Add the onions to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and asparagus and cook for 3 minutes more. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  4. Add about a 1/2 cup of the broth to the pan and stir to loosen any brown bits. Add about another 3/4 cup of the broth and bring to a simmer.
  5. Add the cream cheese and stir until it melts into the broth. Add half of the gorgonzola to the pan and stir until it melts in.
  6. Return the chicken, and vegetables to the pan and stir to coat with the sauce. Cook over low heat for several minutes. Add about half of the prosciutto to the pan.
  7. Drain the pasta and add to the pan. Toss to mix everything together and cook for a minute or two. If the sauce seems too tight, add a little more chicken broth until the desired consistency.
  8. Serve in shallow bowls topped with the remaining cheese and prosciutto and a sprinkling of the toasted walnuts and a few grinds of black pepper.
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Whole Wheat Pasta with Sausage, Beans and Kale

DIGITAL CAMERAWe all love pasta. It’s versatile, quick to prepare and cheap. It’s also  “carb heavy” which makes it a bit of a double edged sword for many of us. As with everything in a healthy diet, moderation is the key here and if the choice of pasta can be a little healthier, I’m all for it. This recipe uses Whole Wheat Penne which contains more than twice the fiber of its white counterpart. This recipe also keeps the pasta to a minimum. A cup or so of dry pasta will feed two lavishly.DIGITAL CAMERA

Turkey Italian Sausage and Cannelini Beans provide a generous serving of protein that is lower in fat than many other choices. Kale, the current golden (or is it green) child of the food world makes itself known along with garlic onions and red bell pepper. The sauce is low sodium chicken broth base to keep it light and let the other flavors shine through. DIGITAL CAMERAAs with so many of the recipes I share, this one is open to interpretation. It would be wonderful with some herbs. Basil or rosemary come to mind. Garbanzo beans could fill in for the Cannellini and any other veggies you have on hand could be added as well. Doubling the recipe would be easy, too. In fact, this recipe as posted allows you to do just that

Whole Wheat Pasta with Sausage, Beans and Kale
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Servings
2
Servings
2
Whole Wheat Pasta with Sausage, Beans and Kale
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Servings
2
Servings
2
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Cook the pasta one minute less than the package directions, Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining. Prepare the sauce while the pasta cooks.
  2. Cook the sausages in the broiler completely. When cool enough to handle slice 1/2 inch thick and set aside.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a large fry pan over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook 3 - 4 minutes until softened. Add the kale and garlic and cook until the kale has wilted and the garlic is fragrant. This should take 4 - 5 minutes.
  4. Add the chicken broth and the sausage to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes or so. Add the beans and the reserved pasta water. Cook another 3-4 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Drain the pasta and add to the pan. Toss and cook for a minute or two to blend everything together. Serve topped with shaved Romano Cheese
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Spinach and Artichoke Soup with Chicken Sausage

Spinach and Artichoke Soup with Chicken Sausage
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Servings
4
Servings
4
Spinach and Artichoke Soup with Chicken Sausage
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Servings
4
Servings
4
Ingredients
Stock Base
Soup
Servings:
Instructions
  1. For the Stock: Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and garlic and cook stirring frequently for 5 minutes or so. Add the stock to the pan and raise heat to high. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to simmer, Cover and cook 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Using an immersion blender puree until smooth. Add the Italian herb blend stir and set aside.
  2. While the stock cooks, prepare the soup ingredients. Heat the olive oil in a medium fry pan. add the chicken in a single layer and cook 2 minutes or until lightly browned on one side. Turn and brown other side. Remove the sausage from the pan and set aside.
  3. Add the onions and red pepper to the drippings in the pan. Cook about 5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the garlic and spinach to the pan and cook another 3 minutes or so. Remove from heat and set aside.
  4. To Broil the Artichoke Heats: Pre-heat broiler.Spray a rimmed baking sheet with the non-stick spray. Lay the artichoke hearts on the tray making sure they are not touching. Spray lightly with the cooking spray and sprinkle with the Italian herb blend. Broil for 5 minutes. Turn the artichokes spray the other side lightly and sprinkle with a little more herb blend and broil another 5 minutes. Remove from broiler and allow to cool. Slice in half length-wise. Set Aside.
  5. Once all of the ingredients are prepared, return the pan of stock to the heat. Bring stock back up to temperature and add the onion spinach mixture, the sausage, and the artichoke hearts. simmer everything for 10-15 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
  6. Serve with shaved Parmesan or Romano cheese.
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