Pappardelle with Vegetable "Bolognese"

I adapted this recipe from one I found on epicurious.com. I think my version is a little heartier!

2 medium carrots, quartered lengthwise, then cut into 1-inch pieces
2 celery ribs, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 medium shallots, quartered lengthwise
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
package of baby portobello mushrooms
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup dry red wine
1-2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
3/4 lb dried pappardelle
1 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/2 cup) plus additional for serving

Pulse carrots, celery, shallots, bell pepper and mushrooms together in a food processor until chopped.

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Add chopped vegetables, rosemary, salt, and pepper and sauté, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are golden brown and tender, about 12 minutes.

Add tomato paste to skillet. Cook over moderate heat, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine and boil until wine is reduced by about half, about 2 minutes.

While sauce is cooking, cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta-cooking water in a heatproof measuring cup, then drain pasta in a colander.

Add chicken stock to sauce and bring to a simmer. Add pasta and 1/2 cup reserved cooking water to sauce, tossing to coat (thin sauce with additional cooking water if necessary). Stir in cheese and serve immediately.

Baked Egg Strata

Original recipe was given to me from Gail Sherva when we lived on Bristol in Arlington Heights. Always a Christmas morning favorite!

16 slices white bread, crusts trimmed
8 slices each: ham, turkey, cheddar and swiss
6 eggs
3 C milk
1/2 t onion salt
1/2 t dry mustard
2 C Cornflakes cereal, crumbled
1 stick butter, melted

Make single layer of bread in a greased 9 x 13 pan. Top each slice with ham turkey and cheeses. Top with remaining slices of bread. Mix eggs, milk, onion salt and dry mustard. Pour over "sandwiches". Refrigerate overnight. Before baking next day, top with mixture of Cornflakes combined with melted butter. Bake at 350 for 1 1/4 hours. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Slow Cooker Corn Chowder

I was attempting a silent protest -- no new recipes from me until some of ya'll started posting some. But, last night's dinner was so good and healthy that I can't resist adding it to our blog!

*Bonus: this is vegetarian.
*2nd Bonus: this is super easy -- total time spent working on it was about 4 minutes (plus an additional 5-6 hours of cook time, during which you can paint your nails, watch TV, go shopping, etc)!
*3rd Bonus: this is a perfect meal for the winter months, especially when a panini is served along with it!

1/2 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
3 celery ribs, diced
2 russet potatoes, peeled & diced
3 cups of frozen sweet corn
1 bay leaf
salt & pepper
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 cup heavy cream

Put the onion, carrots, celery, potatoes, corn and bay leaf into the slow cooker. Sprinkle salt and pepper, then pour in 2 1/2 cups of water. Cook, covered, on the low setting for 4-5 hours (until vegetables are soft).

Ladle some of the liquid into a small cup and add the flour to the cup, stirring until smooth. Pour the slurry back into the soup and stir to combine. Cook on high setting for another 30 minutes.

Stir in the cream. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Serve hot.

Aunt Margie's Corn Casserole

Meghan and I were just talking about corn casserole (yes, we are weird) and we remembered this one from Margie. I found it in my email just in time for Thanksgiving!

Here is the recipe:

2 cans of corn

1 can of cream corn

1 stick of butter(melted)

1 cup of sour cream

1 package Jiffy corn muffin mix
cheddar cheese

Stir together and spread into 9x11 greased pan.

Bake at 350 for 40 -50 minutes uncovered, till lightly browned.

Sprinkle top with cheddar cheese and bake for 10 more minutes.

Serve hot!
YUMMY!!!!!

I would say we could drop the butter to 1/4 stick easily.

Garlicky Broiled Salmon with Tomatoes

This recipe is beyond easy -- 10 minutes to assemble and 10 minutes to cook! I served dilled orzo on the side.

4 six-ounce pieces skinless salmon fillet
4 medium tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper
8 sprigs fresh thyme or a good shake of dried thyme
4 cloves garlic, sliced

Heat broiler. Place the salmon and tomatoes, cut-side up, in a broilerproof roasting pan or on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle the salmon with the paprika.

Drizzle the salmon and tomatoes with the oil and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Scatter the thyme and garlic over the top.

Broil until the salmon is opaque throughout and the tomatoes are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Carrot Soup

I made this for dinner tonight along with a big healthy salad of baby romaine, tomatoes, shredded zucchini & carrots, poached chicken and provolone. Yum!

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
4 cups carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 cup white wine
1 quart chicken stock
1 teaspoon cumin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add onion and garlic and saute until softened, about 4 minutes. Add carrots and saute for 2 minutes. Carefully add the white wine, chicken, stock, and cumin. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and puree with an immersion blender or, in batches, in a blender. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Healthy Dessert Parfait

A simple and satisfying dessert :) I came up with this one night when Chris requested a healthy after-dinner treat. Plus, most of the ingredients are things I usually have in the pantry -- pretty much any fruit can be used depending on what you have on hand.

Ingredients:

green grapes, frozen and sliced

sliced strawberries

low-fat vanilla yogurt

walnuts, broken into small pieces

maple syrup

Directions:

Spoon out a desired amount of yogurt into a dish. Top with remaining ingredients and enjoy!

I think some chocolate chips would be good, too!

Basil Vinaigrette

An easy salad dressing and a great way to use up extra basil before it goes bad. Goes nicely with a simple salad of romaine, tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella.

-1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
-1 tablespoon roasted garlic
-1-1/2 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese
-1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
-3/4 cup olive oil
-salt and pepper to taste

Blend all ingredients together in a food processor or blender.

My Friend Janet's Chocolate Chip Cookies

I know we all love Meghan and Margie's chocolate chips, but this recipe is worth a try, too. These cookies turn out quite differently.

Ingredients:
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 bag semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray
2. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl; set aside.
3. Mix butter and all sugars until thoroughly blended. Beat in egg, yolk, and vanilla.
4. Add dry ingredients and beat at low speed until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips
5. Roll dough into balls using a scant 1/4 cup for each ball. Place them 2.5 inches apart on baking sheets.
6. Bake 15-18 minutes, cool on baking sheets.

Chris' Favorite Salad

This salad was in a dream I had the other night! So, I decided to give it a try and Chris declared it to be the best salad I have ever made -- wow!

1 eggplant, peeled and cubed into bite-size pieces
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
1 red pepper, chopped into bite-size pieces
red pepper flakes
1 1/2 pounds chicken, poached and shredded
1 can garbanzo beans (chick peas), rinsed
fresh mozzarella
basil leaves, torn into small pieces
romaine or red leaf lettuce

olive oil
balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Combine eggplant, tomatoes and red pepper in a bowl with a generous amount of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste. Mix well. Spread evenly on a cookie sheet and roast for 25-20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

Make a simple balsamic vinegarette with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Mix very well.

Portion out lettuce into individual bowls. Top with garbanzo beans, vegetable mix, chicken, cheese and basil. Finish off with the homemade dressing.

So delish and so healthy!

Easy Peanut Butter Cookies!

Yes, just FOUR ingredients!!!

Ingredients

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375° F.

Mix all four ingredients until smooth and well combined. Drop by spoonful onto parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 12 minutes. Cookies may seem a bit soft, but they are best that way (especially once they cool!)

Quiche with Hash Brown Crust

I made this for dinner last night and Chris loved it! I'll definitely add this to my brunch repitoire!

Ingredients

3 cups peeled and grated Idaho potatoes, squeezed dry in towels or frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed and squeezed dry in towels

1 tablespoon melted butter

1/2 plus 1/8 teaspoon teaspoon salt

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

4 large eggs

1 1/2 cups half-and-half(I used 1 cup of skim milk and 1/2 cup whipping cream)

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup grated Gruyere or Swiss cheese

4 ounces baked ham, chopped(I used crumbled bacon)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425° F. Lightly grease a 9-inch round glass pie pan and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the potatoes, butter, Essence, and 1/8 teaspoon of the salt and toss to combine. Add the Parmesan and toss to combine. Press the potato mixture into the prepared pan, spreading with your fingertips to evenly cover the bottom and up the sides. Bake until the potatoes are set and golden brown, 22 to 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350° F.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Add the half-and-half, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper and whisk to combine. Add the Gruyere and ham, stir, and pour into the prepared potato crust. Bake until the center of the custard is set but still slightly soft, puffed, and golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes before serving. Slice and serve.

White Bean Bruschetta from Meghan's Bachelorette

• 1 cup cooked canellini beans
• 4 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons black olive paste
• 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 Tablespoons basil leaves, cut in narrow ribbons (chiffonade)
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• Salt and pepper
• 4 1-inch thick slices Italian peasant bread, grilled

Method:
Preheat the grill or broiler.

In a mixing bowl, gently stir together the beans, olive oil, vinegar, red pepper flakes, rosemary, basil and garlic. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Spoon bean mixture onto 4 freshly grilled bread slices and serve immediately.

Lemon-Roasted Chicken with Arugula Salad and Dilled Orzo

Honestly, this is the easiest dinner recipe I know -- and it is a true Bruzer pleaser!! He LOVES this dinner!!!!

1 chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds), cut into 10 pieces (I usually just get a package of bone-in chicken breasts with the skin-on)
6 garlic cloves, smashed
2 lemons, quartered
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup orzo
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
3 bunches arugula (12 to 16 ounces total), thick stems removed, washed well

*Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Set a large saucepan of water to boil.
*On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss together chicken, garlic, lemons, oregano, and 1 teaspoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast chicken, skin side up, until golden and cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes.
*Meanwhile, generously salt boiling water. Add orzo, and cook until al dente; drain well, and return to saucepan. Add dill and 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper, and mix gently to combine.
*In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar and remaining 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper. When chicken and orzo are ready, add arugula to bowl; toss to coat. Drizzle chicken with pan juices, and serve with lemon wedges, orzo, and arugula salad.

Roasted Cherry and Almond Cake Trifle

I saw this recipe in Cottage Living recently and can't wait to try it!

Ingredients

1 cup cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
7 ounces almond paste, broken into pieces
1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, softened
4 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
6 large eggs, at room temperature*
3 pounds frozen cherries, thawed
6 tablespoons Cognac
3 cinnamon sticks
1 vanilla bean, split in half
1 pint whipping cream
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
1/2 cup whole almonds, coarsely chopped and toasted

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 10-cup Bundt pan.

2. Sift together first 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Process almond paste and 1 1/4 cups sugar in a food processor until blended. Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed 1 minute. Add sugar mixture and 1 teaspoon vanilla, and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down sides. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing just until blended.

3. Pour into prepared Bundt pan, and bake 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into cake center comes out clean. Remove from oven, and let cool.

4. Toss cherries with Cognac, cinnamon sticks, 3 teaspoons vanilla, 3 tablespoons sugar, and vanilla bean halves in a bowl; pour into a roasting pan. Increase heat to 425°, and bake cherry mixture 10 minutes. Place vanilla bean halves and cinnamon sticks in a small bowl, and let cool. Strain cherries, and reserve all cooking liquid.

5. Scrape vanilla beans with a spoon, and place seeds in bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer. Add whipping cream. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, add cardamom, if desired, and whisk until stiff peaks form.

6. Assemble trifle in 16 (10-ounce) individual glasses. Slice cake into 3/4-inch pieces. Layer cake pieces, 1 1/2 teaspoons cherry liquid, cherries, and 3 tablespoons cream; repeat layers, ending with 1 tablespoon cream. Chill 2 hours, sprinkle with almonds, and serve.

*To bring eggs to room temperature safely, remove from refrigerator and place in a bowl for 30 minutes.

Makes 16 servings

Berry-Lemon Shortbread Tart

Just about any berry can be used in this -- my favorite is blueberry, but raspberries are really good, too!

3 cups frozen blueberries, raspberries, etc...

1 stick + 6 T cold butter, cut into pieces

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1 3/4 cups flour

3 large eggs

Zest & juice of 2 lemons

Powdered sugar, for dusting

*Preheat oven to 400.

*Using your fingers, combine the butter, 1/2 cup of sugar, and 1 1/2 cups of flour -- blend together until coarse crumbs form. Pour the mixture into an ungreased non-stick springform or removable bottom tart pan. Press down evenly to form a crust. Bake until lightly golden -- about 20 minutes.

*Remove shortbread from the oven and reduce the heat to 325. Scatter the frozen fruit on top of the crust.

*Beat the eggs with remaining 3/4 cup sugar until thick & pale yellow. Whisk in lemon zest, lemon juice and remaining 1/4 cup flour. Pour the lemon cream over the fruit/shortbread and bake for 30 minutes or until the custard is set.

*Let cool, then dust with powdered sugar.