Roasted Asparagus and Red Onion Quesadillas
Roasted Asparagus and Red Onion Quesadillas
Serves 4
Quesadillas
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large red onion, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
eight 6- to 7-inch flour tortillas
1/2 pound pepper Jack cheese, coarsely shredded (can also use Mexican cheese or MontereyJack)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh coriander or cilantro
Cumin Lime Cream
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
For Quesadillas:
Preheat oven to 500°F.
In a large shallow baking pan, toss asparagus with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and salt and pepper to taste until coated well. In another large shallow baking pan, toss onion with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil until coated well. Roast vegetables in upper and lower thirds of oven, shaking pans occasionally and switching position of pans in oven halfway through baking, until tender and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Asparagus will roast faster than the onions. Keep checking them every 5 minutes.
Take out of oven. Mix asparagus, onion, and cilantro together.
Grease a large baking sheet. On sheet, arrange 4 tortillas in one layer and divide vegetables among them. Add cheese. Cover quesadillas with remaining 4 tortillas.
Brush top tortillas with oil and place back in the oven for approximately 3-4 minutes or until the quesadillas appear golden brown. Turn quesadillas over and bake further until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes.
Make cumin lime cream while quesadillas bake.
For Cumin Lime Cream:
In a small bowl, whisk together ingredients.
Cut quesadillas into wedges and serve with cumin lime cream.
Tasting Notes: Other variations include adding mushrooms, shrimp, or chicken. Also to make things easier, cut tortillas in half before assembling so wedges are easier to cut.
Salmon Melts
Salmon Melts
Makes 8 servings
1 can (14.75 oz) Alaska salmon
2 tablespoons margarine or butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon dill weed
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs yolks, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped pimiento-stuffed olives
8 slices sourdough French bread
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Milk
Drain salmon, reserving liquid; break into large chunks. Add milk to reserve salmon liquid to equal 1/2 cup. Melt butter in small saucepan oer low heat. Blend in flour, dill weed, and salt. Slowly stir in milk and salmon liquid. Cook and stir until thickened and smooth. Blend small amount white sauce into egg yolk; return mixture to sauce and heat throughly. Fold in salmon, Parmesan cheese, and olives. Spread approximately 1/4 cup mixture on each slice of bread. Sprinkle top of each sandwich with 2 tablespoons Jack cheese. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes or until cheese melts.
Taco Soup
Taco Soup
Serves 8
2 pounds ground beef
1 onion, chopped (1 cup)
3 (14.5 oz) cans tomato puree or diced tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 bag baby carrots
2 cups water
3 cups chicken broth
4 oz chopped green chiles
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
2 (1.25 ounce each) packages taco seasoning mix (Lawry’s)
2 packages ranch dressing mix
1.In a medium stock pot, brown beef, onion, and carrots; drain grease if needed.
2.Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, chicken broth, beans, corn, chiles, and seasonings. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.
3.Top with cheese, corn chips, sour cream and olives.
Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Serves 8-10
7 ounces (1-3/4 cups) uncooked macaroni
1 pound sharp cheese, grated
2 cups milk
1/4 cup butter
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper
Paprika
Cook macaroni until tender, place in a strainer, and rinse with cold water. In a 2-quart casserole, alternate layers of macaroni and cheese, ending with cheese. Bring milk to a boil. Stir in butter, egg, salt and pepper. Pour over the macaroni and cheese. Sprinkle paprika on top. Bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.
Provencal Tuna Melt
Provencal Tuna Melt
Yields 4 servings
4 cans of tuna in water, drained and flaked
5 to 6 sprigs tarragon, stripped from the stem and chopped
1/2 cup basil leaves, finely chopped
1/4 cup parsley leaves, finely chopped
12 black or green pitted olives, about a handful, finely chopped
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons capers, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 French baguette, cut into 4 sections and split on top
4 tablespoons butter, melted
4 ounces Gruyere or Swiss cheese, thinly sliced
Preheat the broiler. In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine the tuna, tarragon, basil, parsley, olives, shallots and capers. Squeeze the lemon over the bowl, being careful not to get any of the seeds in. Drizzle in the olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix thoroughly to combine. Reserve in the fridge until ready to serve.
Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. While the skillet is heating, brush the baguettes with the melted butter. Toast in the skillet until golden brown. Fill the baguettes with the tuna salad. Top with gruyere cheese and pop under the broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve with carrot and celery sticks, and healthy potato chips alongside.
Layered Spring Omelet
Layered Spring Omelet
Serves 6
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ripe tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste
21 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup grated Vermont cheddar cheese
3/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese
2/3 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, torn in half
8 ounces spinach, leaves picked and torn in half
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 small leek, julienned, for garnish
2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives, for garnish
In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add tomatoes, and simmer until almost all the liquid has evaporated, about 25 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Transfer tomatoes to a stainless-steel colander, and drain any excess liquid. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine eggs, salt, black pepper, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper. Lightly beat mixture with a fork. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a 10-inch heat-proof, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Pour one-third of the egg mixture, about 1 1/2 cups, into skillet. Using a rubber spatula, stir eggs until they just begin to set, about 1 minute. Sprinkle both cheeses on top. Using spatula, gently pull sides of omelet toward center so any uncooked liquid runs underneath. Cook until eggs have almost completely set, 3 to 4 minutes.
Transfer the skillet to oven, and bake until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove skillet from oven. Place a baking sheet on top of skillet, and invert skillet onto baking sheet, releasing the omelet layer; hold both baking sheet and skillet firmly so omelet doesn’t slide. Set aside in a warm place.
Carefully wipe out the hot skillet with a paper towel. Add 1 tablespoon butter, and melt over medium-high heat. Pour another third of the egg mixture into the skillet, and stir with the rubber spatula until the eggs just begin to set, about 1 minute. Add half of the reserved cooked tomatoes to the eggs. Using the spatula, gently pull sides of the omelet toward the center so any uncooked liquid runs underneath. When the eggs have almost completely set, spread the remaining tomatoes on top.
Transfer skillet to oven, and bake until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from oven, and place another baking sheet on top of skillet; carefully invert skillet to release second layer. Carefully slide on top of the first one, and set the two aside in a warm place.
Wipe out the hot skillet with a paper towel. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter, and melt over medium-high heat. Pour the remaining third of the egg mixture into the skillet, and stir with the rubber spatula until the eggs just begin to set, about 1 minute. Add half of the spinach and thyme; incorporate into the eggs. Using the spatula, gently pull sides of the omelet toward the center so any uncooked liquid runs underneath. When the eggs have almost completely set, spread remaining spinach and thyme on top. Transfer skillet to the oven, and bake until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Invert the third layer onto a baking sheet, and slide on top of the other two layers. Transfer the three-layer omelet to a serving platter, and garnish with leeks and chives. Serve warm.
Mini Meatball Sammies
Mini Meatball Sammies
Yield 8 servings
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 onion
1 small carrot
1 stalk celery
3 pinches fresh thyme
1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1/3 pound ground sirloin
1/3 pound ground pork
1/3 pound ground veal
1 large egg
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 cup grated cheese
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 pinches crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup chicken stock to thin sauce
4 hot dog buns
4 slices mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 400°F. Place a medium-size sauce pot over medium-high heat, add EVOO. Add the onion, carrot and celery, and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Add the thyme and cook for another minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, turn heat down to low and cook for 10-15 minutes.
In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine meats with egg, garlic, bread crumbs, milk, grated cheese, parsley, red pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper. Form into mini meatballs. Add the meatballs to the sauce and cook for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through. Thin the sauce with chicken stock as the sauce thickens, or as needed.
Cut about 1/4 inch off of each end of the bun and then cut in half so you 2 mini buns. Place a couple strips of cheese on each mini bun and then place a couple meatballs on that. Top with a little sauce and enjoy!
Chicken and Vegetable Casserole
Chicken and Vegetable Casserole
Yields 4 servings
1 pound egg noodles
Salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into bite-size pieces
2 cups shredded or grated carrots
1 large onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely grated or chopped
1 fresh or dry bay leaf
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups milk
1 10-ounce box frozen peas
20 leaves basil, roughly chopped or torn
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped
1 cup plain bread crumbs
1/2 cup shredded Italian 3-cheese mix
Preheat oven 375°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat to cook the egg noodles. Once boiling, add some salt and the noodles and cook until al dente according to package directions. Drain thoroughly. While the water is coming up to a boil for the egg noodles, preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat and drizzle the pan with two turns of the pan with EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Add the chicken pieces and brown on both side for about 4-5 minutes and remove to a plate.
To the same large skillet over medium-high heat, add the carrots, onions, celery, garlic and bay leaf, season with some salt and pepper and cook, stirring every now and then for 3-4 minutes, until the veggies start to get tender. Scoot the veggies to the sides of the skillet and add the butter to the center of the skillet. Once the butter melts, add the flour, stir to combine and cook about 1 minute. Add the white wine, chicken stock and milk and whisk together. Stir in the veggies, bring up to a bubble and simmer for 3-4 minutes until thick. Remove the bay leaf and then add the peas, reserved chicken pieces, basil, parsley and drained noodles, and toss to combine.
Transfer everything to a baking dish. In a bowl, mix together the bread crumbs and shredded Italian 3 cheese mix, sprinkle over the casserole and transfer to the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, until the top is brown. Serve with a simple green salad alongside.
Grilled Cheese with Pulled Short Ribs
Grilled Cheese with Pulled Short Ribs
Serves 8
2 tablespoons, plus 1 teaspoon grapeseed or canola oil
2 pounds boneless beef short ribs
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 carrot, chopped
1/2 rib of celery, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
6 medium cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon
Sachet (recipe follows)
3 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium canned beef broth
One 2-pound loaf sourdough bread, cut into 16 slices
12 ounces fontina or Bel Paese cheese, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons Pickled Red Onions (recipe follows)
4 teaspoons unsalted butter, room temperature
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large ovenproof saucepan with a lid over medium-high heat. Season short ribs with salt and pepper and add to pan. Sear ribs on both sides until caramelized, about 5 minutes. Remove ribs from pan; set aside. Add carrot and celery to pan and cook 5 minutes. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until caramelized, about 5 minutes more. Return short ribs to the pan and add wine and sachet.
Cook until the wine is almost evaporated, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Add the beef broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover and transfer saucepan to oven; cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 hours. Uncover and continue cooking the short ribs for 1 hour, basting ribs every 15 minutes with the cooking liquid. Cook 1 hour more, for a total of 4 hours cooking time. Remove short ribs from oven and let cool in their liquid, 30 minutes. Transfer ribs to a plate, and with two forks, slightly shred following the natural grain of the meat; set aside.
Raise oven temperature to 350 degrees. Top 8 slices of bread with about 1 1/2 ounces of cheese each. Add 1 teaspoon of pickled onion. Top with 1/4 cup pulled short ribs and a second layer of cheese. Top with remaining slices of bread to form 8 sandwiches. Brush both sides of each sandwich with 1/2 teaspoon butter.
In a cast-iron skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add sandwiches to skillet, and immediately turn so that all the oil is absorbed. Weight down sandwiches with a small ovenproof skillet; cook for 1 minute. Turn sandwiches, return weight, and transfer to oven. Cook 2 minutes, remove weight, turn sandwich, and continue cooking 1 minute. Remove from oven, and slice sandwich on the diagonal. Repeat process with remaining sandwiches.
Sachet
Makes 1
4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 fresh bay leaves
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
One 5-inch piece dark green leek top, washed
Wrap all ingredients in a small piece of cheesecloth. Tie to enclose with kitchen twine.
Pickled Red Onions
Makes 5 cups
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
3 medium red onions, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced
1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
1/8 cup sugar
3 fresh bay leaves
3 sprigs fresh thyme
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Toast the coriander seeds in a small, dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add mustard seeds, and toast 1 minute more; set aside. Soak onions in a large bowl of ice water, about 10 minutes. Drain, pat dry, and transfer to a medium heatproof bowl.
Place vinegars, sugar, bay leaves, and thyme in a small saucepan and slowly bring to a boil over medium heat; add reserved coriander and mustard seeds. If mixture seems too acidic, add a little water. Pour mixture over onions and let stand 5 minutes. Drain, discarding liquid, and season onions with salt and pepper. Toss onions with olive oil and store, refrigerated, in an airtight container until ready to use, 2 to 3 weeks.
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