Tag: very good recipes

Dinner vs. Supper and Fancy Farfalle with Sausage and Broccoli

What do you call your evening meal? Is it dinner or is it supper? Mama D isn’t quite sure what she calls it because she has called this meal by both names over the years. A little online searching revealed that Dinner generally refers to the largest meal of the day.  Supper is defined as “a light meal served in the early evening, if Dinner was served at midday…or it is the meal served late in the evening when Dinner was served in the early evening.” I’m still trying to wrap my head around that sentence, but it does seem, in this instance, size matters.

I’ve been giving a lot of thought to this lately because now that I am back to working a split shift, meal preparation is beginning to change. Here we eat the biggest meal of the day in the early evening, which by definition makes it Dinner which we are eating at Supper Time. Should I call it Sinner? Probably not. What if I call it Dupper? That just sounds silly. I think that I will leave the semantics to the linguists and come up with my own working definition.

The evening meals from Mama D’s Kitchen will be labeled by what is served. Dinner will be a more formal affair. It will consist of a protein served with various side dishes that require a good amount of time and several pots, pans and other appliances to prepare.

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THIS IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN DURING THE WEEK!  Weekends will be the time for Dinner when the time for preparing and enjoying meals are more flexible.

The meal that graces the evening table Monday through Friday, while made with just as much love, but far fewer pans and in much less time shall now be called Supper. Supper shouldn’t take too much more time than it takes to enjoy a glass of wine. It should be healthy and satisfying, but not too heavy and with just enough creativity to keep things from getting boring. That’s what this post is about and the recipe I’m sharing pretty much fits my definition. 2015-08-19 19.44.45This one dish supper required a pot (to boil the pasta) and a fry pan (to put everything together). It did also require a grill ( for the broccoli and sausage) which I left in the capable hands of Papa D.

2015-08-29 16.08.56The farfalle pasta I used was lemon flavored and sported bright yellow stripes. The lemon was noticable to the nose but subtle on the tongue. Lemon became one of the inspiration flavors for the dish. I found this pasta at Aldi along with a spinach and tomato basil variety. Not the type of thing one expects to find there, but it’s been my experience of late that Aldi is full of surprises. Don’t run out to your local Aldi, these went on closeout recently and very few stores have them. This is sadly the case with many of Aldi’s unique items…here today, gone tomorrow. I have, however, seen colored/flavored pastas in gourmet stores, so check them out if you want that extra festive look, but there is nothing wrong with going with the traditional variety.2015-08-19 19.37.52

I used pre-cooked Chicken Italian Sausage. This has appeared in so many of my recipes that I could become a spokesperson for the product. It’s convenient, quick, and is available in  flavors to match almost any cuisine. It seems that every store carries them and many of the larger stores have their own brand. I’m fickle as to what brand I like best, I honestly often choose by price and what I plan on making.

I cut some broccoli crowns into small florets, tossed them with a little olive oil and threw them in my grill basket. They joined the sausage on the grill. It is still summer after all and you know how Mama D feels about grilling….they turned out lightly charred and perfectly tender crisp.2015-08-19 19.29.42

Now for what held these three ingredients together. Onion and garlic were sautéed in some olive oil…could there be any other beginning? Some Chicken Stock, Lemon Thyme, and Cracked Black Pepper provided some flavor. The zest of a lemon went in along with the juice of said lemon. A little (fat-free) Half and Half added a bit of creaminess. Some freshly grated Romano Cheese added some bite. Everything got well acquainted in the skillet becoming a feast for the eyes, nose and tongue.2015-08-19 19.40.08

Farfalle with Grilled Broccoli and Chicken Sausage
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Farfalle with Grilled Broccoli and Chicken Sausage
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Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until it is just shy of "al dente". Drain and set aside. Prepare the sauce while the pasta is cooking.
  2. Toss the broccoli with one teaspoon of the olive oil. and place in a grill basket. Cook 8 - 10 minutes until it is just tender crisp and lightly charred.
  3. Cook the sausages on the grill whole until they are nicely browned. This takes about 10 minutes. Bring them in and allow them to cool slightly. Slice into 1/2 inch thick coins. Set aside.
  4. While the sausage and broccoli cook, heat a large fry pan over medium high heat. Add the remaining olive oil to the pan and swirl to coat the bottom. Add the onions and cook until they begin to wilt and become translucent. Add the garlic and saute another minute or two.
  5. Add the chicken broth and the thyme leaves to the pan. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the lemon zest and juice and allow to cook 2 more minutes.
  6. Add the sausage and broccoli to the pan along with the half & half. Simmer for a few minutes.
  7. Add the Romano Cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the cheese melts into the sauce. Serve in pasta bowls with a sprinkling of the finely grated cheese.
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My plan is to share more “Suppers” in the coming weeks and I hope that you will use these musings as a jumping off place to create your own perfect evening meal….whatever you choose to call it.

Mama D’s Garden Adventures

It’s harvest time in our community garden. This year won’t be remembered as stellar, but it was an adventure and ongoing learning experience. This isn’t farewell to the garden. I know there will be several more weeks of happy discoveries on each visit, but some of the splendor is gone. Plants that were once lush and full are now a little wispy, putting their strength into bearing fruit instead of leafing profusely. Recent harvests haven’t yielded bushels, but there were enough things to make for some interesting kitchen adventures.

As a tip of the hat to my son, I planted a Cayenne Pepper plant. While there aren’t enough to make vats of hot sauce or even a couple of bottles, there are plenty to liven up a dish with enough left over to dry. Yes, that is dental floss…gotta love the internet. I’m well into my second string now and the plant seems to be producing more peppers every day. Maybe there will be hot sauce in the future.

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On one recent trip to the garden I gathered a lovely cast of characters that would become a roasted vegetable side dish. Generous handfuls of grape tomatoes and green beans were joined by a few carrots, radishes, zucchini, and herbs. The result was a tasty medley that was really homegrown.

2015-08-18 16.44.09A RECIPE FOR ROASTED GARDEN VEGETABLES:               Gather the freshest vegetables and herbs you can find.   Clean and trim them. Toss them in olive oil, using one tablespoon of oil for every two cups of vegetables.Sprinkle with salt and pepper.                              Put them in a baking dish starting with those that will take the longest to cook. Place the dish in a three hundred seventy-five degree oven and roast, stirring occasionally and adding the veggies that take the least time. Check often to avoid burning.                                       When everything is tender crisp and the tomatoes (if you use them) are just beginning to break down, bring it to the table and let it bear testament to your green thumb.

I planted Spaghetti Squash and while the bees and other insects didn’t see fit to pollinate much of the zucchini, they did work their magic on the squash. They also were responsible for what I think is a cross-breed. Along with the lovely pale yellow spaghetti squash there are several green striped varieties on the same vine. I’m not a botanist and I don’t play one on TV, but I think that I grew the love child of a zucchini and a spaghetti squash. Was it good to eat? There was only one way to find out.2015-08-16 14.38.23

2015-08-21 12.24.24I conducted a non-professional experiment. I cut open the striped squash and compared it to its brother. The inside was more zucchini like while the seeds reminded me of other winter squash. It smelled like zucchini, it looked like zucchini, but it had a thicker skin. I decided I had to taste it to resolve the conundrum, but how to cook it? I cut it in half and roasted one side while I sliced and grilled the other. The roasted half tasted a little like zucchini and it didn’t become thread like when I raked across it with a fork. The grilled side tasted  zucchini like as well, but the skin was now hard like winter squash and the seeds fit more of the winter profile as well.2015-08-21 19.42.24 Let’s just say it was interesting. There is one more of these mutants still on the vine so I may give it one more try.

The true spaghetti squash, however, was wonderful.2015-08-16 07.18.05 The flesh was the palest of yellows and once it was roasted and raked it gave forth a mountain of “spaghetti” that was the sweetest I’ve ever tasted. I’ve shared other recipes for this squash that can’t seem to decide what it is. Hard shelled and slow growing like its winter cousins but with flesh that flakes into tender strings tasting a bit like summer squash. What ever it is, it’s fun to play with in the kitchen. Who can ever forget the fabulous Spaghetti Squash Lasagna adventure.DIGITAL CAMERALooking back, it is obvious that I tend to treat this squash like pasta though it has no resemblance in taste or texture to pasta. It is, however a gluten-free choice that packs a bit more fiber in its carbs than the real thing. These are facts that only make me love it more, not to mention that it is quite tasty with an interesting texture.

DIGITAL CAMERAI’ve topped it with lentils and tossed it with spinach and bacon. It alsoDIGITAL CAMERA makes a stunning side dish when combined with other vegetables. For all of these quick cooking dishes, the spaghetti squash must be pre-cooked. My favorite way to prepare it is to roast it in the oven. Okay, it’s also because I don’t have a microwave, which is a slightly quicker technique though I’ve found that squash explosions can be nasty to clean up. Experience has also taught me that boiling a large heavy squash in scalding hot water can cause some pretty serious burns. Kitchen mishaps not withstanding, it looks so pretty after it is roasted.2015-08-16 18.32.10

ROASTED SPAGHETTI SQUASH: Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Drizzle each half with olive oil and season with salt and cracked black pepper.                               Place cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet that has been lined with foil and lightly coated with cooking spray. Bake in a 375 degree oven for  30 – 40 minutes. The squash should give slightly when pressed.  Allow to cool slightly.                                                                                           Using a fork, rake the flesh. It should turn into thread-like ribbons. Use this golden wonder as a pasta alternative or let it be part of a vegetable stir fry. The possibilities are endless. 

Now that I have shared my garden adventures and two non-recipe, recipes, I’ll leave you to check out my earlier squash adventures. Just click on the red links to see where spaghetti squash has taken me. Oh, and do make every effort to enjoy these last few weeks of summer…you know what is just around the corner.

Soup For a Summer Evening: Grilled Broccoli and Cauliflower Soup

When I first thought about making this soup, I felt that the season and the veggies didn’t go together. Broccoli and cauliflower are usually part of a rich creamy soup that in Mama D’s Kitchen has bacon and cheese as  mandatory ingredients. It creates a soup that is perfect for crisp autumn days and cold winter nights. I love how the smokey salty flavor of the bacon brings out something special in the vegetables. Full flavored cheese has the same magical powers. We are in the hea(r)t of summer and as delicious as those flavors are, they are just too heavy when the thermometer is tickling the 90’s.

The question then becomes, can there be a summer weight broccoli and cauliflower soup? Why yes, yes, there can, and if I do say so myself, it’s very tasty and there isn’t a bit of bacon or cheese, or even cream for that matter. This could fit into a Vegan meal or star in a Meatless Monday one. I think it is also gluten-free, so whatever your dietary restrictions you can enjoy this soup.

It starts with vegetable stock. I always have bags of it in the freezer for just this kind of occasion. Obviously there was broccoli and cauliflower along with some onion, carrots and garlic. To create a more interesting texture I chopped up half of the broccoli and cauliflower including the stems and ends and let them sweat it out with the onion, carrots and garlic. I reserved the rest of the veggies to cut into bite size florets. More about them later.

I added the stock to the now sweaty veggies and allowed everything to come to a boil. I added a big bunch of lemon thyme as well as the peel of a lemon to the pot. I left the thyme sprigs whole and tied them to the handle of the pot. The leaves fall off during the cooking process and the stems get untied and put into the compost bin. I used a peeler to remove just the yellow part of the lemon peel. I kept it in one long piece that was easy to remove at the end of the simmer. I may have left a little in the pot, but it would soon become one with the soup.

The immersion blender did its magic and my soup base, beautifully thick, was ready. Salt, pepper and a touch of Worcestershire and hot sauce gave it a little more dimension. What to do with the remaining broccoli and cauliflower? Summer and the grill go hand in hand so I popped my reserved veggies in a grill basket along with some sweet onion and a drizzle of olive oil.

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I grilled them covered for maximum smokieness and in about 7 minutes they were ready to plunge into the soup base.

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The resulting soup was a perfect marriage of a hearty main dish soup with the smokey flavor of tender crisp veggies from the grill. We didn’t miss the bacon or the cheese. What could I add? Some sliced green onions were perfect, but a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream for the non-vegans would be nice as well.

DIGITAL CAMERAThis recipe would work beautifully with only one or the other of the cruciferous vegetables. As with most any soup, it freezes beautifully and is even tastier re-heated the next day.

Grilled Broccoli and Cauliflower Soup
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Servings
4
Servings
4
Grilled Broccoli and Cauliflower Soup
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Servings
4
Servings
4
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Chop one of the onions. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a soup pot. Add the chopped onions, garlic and carrots to the pot and sweat over medium heat for 5 - 7 minutes. The vegetables should be softened and fragrant.
  2. Add one cup of each the broccoli and cauliflower to the pot using as many of the stems as possible. Cook for 3 minutes or so.
  3. Pour the vegetable stock into the pot and increase the heat to high. Bring the mixture to a boil.
  4. Tie the bunch of thyme together with kitchen twine. Leave enough string to allow the thyme to be submerged in the soup and the twine to be tied to the pot handle.
  5. Using a potato peeler, cut the yellow skin off the lemon. You want the yellow part, not the white pith. Drop it into the pot.
  6. Reduce the heat to medium and cover the pot. Simmer for 45 minutes. The vegetables should be very soft, the leaves should be off of the thyme sprigs and everything should smell delicious.
  7. Remove the soup from the heat and remove the thyme bundle and the lemon peel.Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until it is almost smooth. Add the Worcestershire and hot sauces and stir. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.
  8. While the soup is simmering, slice the remaining onion lengthwise into the strips. Toss with the rest of the broccoli and cauliflower. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and toss to combine.
  9. Coat a grill basket with cooking spray and heat on the grill. Add the broccoli/cauliflower/onion mixture to the pan. Put the lid down on the grill and cook the vegetables for 7 minutes or so, stirring occasionally. Everything should be tender crisp and slightly browned.
  10. Add the grilled vegetables to the pureed soup and cook for a few minutes until everything is heated through.
  11. Ladle into bowls and top with a sprinkling of green onions.
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So another summertime soup is born. Give this a try. I think you’ll find the smokey taste delightful.

Greenie Beanie Salad with Warm Bacon, Shallot, and Garlic Dressing

Don’t laugh at the title of this post. Greenie beanies was how we always referred to this vegetable when my kids were growing up. Maybe it helped them eat them more willingly, maybe I just made up silly words because I was that kind of mom. Whatever the reason, we still refer to those lovely green spears as greenie beanies. They are still a family favorite and if you took a poll, half the family would like them as a salad and the other half would like them as a warm side dish, though everyone would eat them both ways.

The garden has given us a veritable bounty of beans. The beans have survived being nibbled down to almost nothing by deer, shivering through cold beginnings, basking in very warm sunshine and way more than enough rain. Thanks to care by many residents especially wonderful Lois, the beans are sweet and tender and just beg to be eaten simply. Green Bean Salad in Mama D’s Kitchen consists of blanched green beans in a dressing of olive oil, garlic, fresh basil, and balsamic vinegar. This is how my mother made it except that the beans were more than blanched and  the dressing usually featured mint as the herb of choice. I think she used mint because it was very plentiful in our backyard. Anyone who has grown mint knows that it knows no boundaries, so there was always a steady supply for bean salad and the requisite summer iced tea.

When I fix green beans as a side dish I fry up some bacon and add shallots. Then I toss the blanched beans in this deletable bath and heat until everything is happy. Green beans and bacon have a natural affinity and the shallots add a subtly onion-y flavor that is perfect with almost anything.

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I couldn’t decide which of my preferred preparations to make so I opted for a mash-up of the two.The beautiful beanies would be lightly cooked to the perfect tender crispness and dressed with a vinaigrette of garlic, olive oil and balsamic. The dressing would be further enhanced with shallots and bacon. While I decided to chill the beans slightly, the dressing would be warm.

Blanching green beans seems to work the best for me. Cooking them briefly in boiling water then plunging them into an ice bath, while seeming cruel and unusual punishment, results in bright green beans that crunch ever so gently when you bite into them. It sets the stage for whatever they will become.

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On this occasion, they chilled briefly  while I prepared the dressing. Two slices of chopped peppered bacon crisped up in a pan. Out came the bacon and away went the drippings. The pan was left with all those beautiful brown bits. They weren’t alone for long. I added some olive oil followed by some diced shallots. Once they were soft and fragrant I added some garlic and let them cook long enough to become really good friends. Then a bit more olive oil and some balsamic vinegar and the dressing was perfect.

By this time the beans were slightly chilled and ready to welcome their rich brown dressing. The bacon crowned the dish and a new family favorite was born.

Green Bean Salad with Warm Bacon Shallot and Garlic Dressing
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Servings
4
Servings
4
Green Bean Salad with Warm Bacon Shallot and Garlic Dressing
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Servings
4
Servings
4
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. In a large pot, bring a good amount of salted water to boil. Add the green beans and cook for 3 - 4 minutes (they should be just barely tender and quite crisp).
  2. Drain the beans and place in a bowl of ice water. Stir to cool as quickly as possible. Drain well and store in the refrigerator while you make the dressing.
  3. Chop the bacon and cook it in a small skillet until it is crisp. Remove the bacon and drain on a paper towel. Pour off all of the drippings but leave the browned bits.
  4. Add the olive oil to the pan and let it get hot. Add the shallots and cook for 3 minutes or so until they begin to turn golden.
  5. Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes, stirring often.
  6. Add the vinegar and reduce the heat to low. Let the dressing simmer for a few minutes. Check the flavor and add salt and pepper if needed.
  7. Put the beans in a serving bowl. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Sprinkle the reserved bacon on the top and serve.
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It looks as though there will be more beans to come as well as tomatoes and peppers (as long as the squirrels don’t sample too much).  In spite of everything our community garden is giving us lots of food and a different perspective on apartment living.

 

Smokey Grilled Chicken Thighs with Sage and Other Good Things

Chicken thighs are wonderful. Meaty, juicy and the perfect protein for the grill. While the boneless/skinless variety is everyone’s darling, the bone in/skin on version is not without its charms. The bone adds flavor and the skin, when carefully trimmed provides a nice little blanket of succulent juice.

These thighs come to the table like a little present. There’s a tasty surprise under the skin, herbs led by fresh sage leaves, garlic and olive oil. The grill provides a nice smokey flavor thanks to that skin and olive oil. In this case a small (very small) grill fire is a good thing. Where there is fire there will be smoke. Where there is smoke there will be flavor.

Figure on two thighs per person. My package had six and there were three of us eating so the equation worked. Just multiply and divide, or let the serving adjustment feature on this recipe do the thinking for you.

This went wonderfully with a Potato and Green Bean Salad the I will share with you soon. As the holiday weekend stretches before us, give this recipe a try. It’s perfect for an intimate gathering, but can easily adapt to feed a crowd.

Smokey Sage Grilled Chicken Thighs
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These little bundles of goodness make a wonderful dinner.
Servings
3
Servings
3
Smokey Sage Grilled Chicken Thighs
Print Recipe
These little bundles of goodness make a wonderful dinner.
Servings
3
Servings
3
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Mix the garlic, herb blend, and olive oil together in a small bowl. Allow to sit for an hour or so before assembling the chicken thighs. This allows the herbs to soak up the olive oil and become almost a paste.
  2. Trim the chicken thighs of extra fat and skin. They should have a nice little cap of skin when you're finished.
  3. Carefully loosen the skin and gently pull it aside. Leave one edge of skin connected to the meat.
  4. Divide the garlic herb paste evenly between the thighs. Spread it ever so gently on the flesh of the thighs.
  5. Place two sage leaves on each f the thighs and carefully pull the skin back in place.
  6. Use kitchen twine to tie up the thighs. I did this like ribbon on a package; crossing the twine on top and knotting it on the bottom.
  7. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper and place skin side up on a medium hot grill. Allow to cook 7 -9 minutes with the lid down until the bottom is nicely browned.
  8. Carefully turn the thighs skin side down. Close the lid and allow to cook for 5 minutes or so. Check the thighs at this point. Lifting the lid should cause a little fire. Blow it out and re-cover the grill. You've just set up your smoker.
  9. Let the chicken continue to cook/smoke for another 5 minutes or until they are cooked through (internal temperature should be 165 degrees).
  10. Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut the strings and plate the chicken.
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Love, Mama D