LOW CARB DAY - PORK TENDERLOIN

5 carbs...5 carbs....

I hear you Bernie....just substitute the peppers for other vegetables like, green beans, asparagus, zucchini..you catch my drift. It won't change the carb number. This is also low in calories (215 per serving) and offers some iron, and calcium....go for it!!!

Ingredients:
1 lb pork tenderloin cut into 1 inch medallions
1 red pepper cut into strips
1 yellow pepper cut into strips
2 tsp fresh chopped rosemary
1 tsp fresh chopped thyme
1 shallot minced
3 garlic cloves minced
4 anchovy fillets mashed (or 3 tbl minced olives)
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbl olive oil
salt
pepper

Heat oil in a saute pan. Lightly season the pork with salt and pepper. Add pork to pan and saute for about 3 minutes. Reduce heat and flip pork. Add shallot, garlic, 1 tsp rosemary, thyme, anchovy and peppers to the pan and cook until peppers are soft...about 8-10 minutes. Add vinegar and toss. Serve with remaining rosemary sprinkled on top. Great with roasted red potatoes, mashed potatoes...or a nice salad to keep the carbs down.

HEADING FOR KEY WEST..IN A CAR THANK GOODNESS!!!
ENJOY!

CLAM TOMATO STEW

Roasting the garlic first helps add a smoky flavor to the broth. To roast garlic, cut the top 1/4 inch off the garlic. Cover with olive oil and place in foil. Bake at 425 degrees for an hour. Cool and squeeze garlic into a bowl and mash.

Always discard any clams that remain open even when you try to close them. Make sure you have some nice bread to "sop" up the "brothy" goodness.

You can certainly add some smoky andouille sausage to this or evn some bacon or pancetta.

4 lbs clams scrubbed
1 (14oz) can diced San Marzano tomatoes
3 tbl roasted garlic puree
2 tbl cornmeal
4 tbl olive oil
3 shallots minced
1 cup white wine
1 tbl fresh chopped Italian parsley
1 tbl fresh chopped chives
1/4 tsp red pepper flake (more if you want more spice)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper


First place clams in a bowl of cold water and sprinkle the cornmeal over the water. Let them sit in the water for a half hour then drain and rinse clams. Heat oil in a saute pan. Add shallots and cook about 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes, wine, garlic, parsley, chives and salt and pepper to taste. Heat to a simmer and add red pepper flake.
Add the clams and cover tightly. Steam until all the clams open. Serve in a nice big soup bowl with lots of broth. A must is nice crusty Italian bread!

So good on a cold night!
ENJOY!

LOW CARB DAY - POACHED HALIBUT IN HERB SAUCE

You won't believe this but just 1.3g carbs...yes...1.3g of carbs!!!!!
You can use any firm white fish like grouper and even salmon. The sauce adds so much citrus flavor and all the fresh herbs make it delicious. Just add all kinds of free carb veggies on the side and you will have a great meal. This serves 4

Ingredients:

4 (6 oz) halibut fillets
4 tbl olive oil
1 tbl chopped seeded jalapeno (optional) or 1/4 tsp red pepper flake
1 tbl lemon zest
2 tbl lemon juice
3 tbl chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/2 tsp salt
3 lemon sections minced
7 cups water
1 shallot chopped
2 garlic cloves chopped
2 sprigs Italian parsley
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black peppercorns

Combine, olive oil, jalapeno or red pepper flake, lemon zest and juice, chopped parsley, 1/2 tsp salt and lemon sections in a bowl. In a saute pan combine water, tsp salt and peppercorns, shallot, garlic, sprigs of parsley and thyme. Add the fish to the pan and cook at a low simmer for about 10 minutes until done. Remove fish and drain on paper towel. Spoon sauce over fish and serve.

Start to finish 20 minutes and 1.3g carbs!!!!!!!
ENJOY!

LOW CARB DAY - CHICKEN SALTIMBOCCA

While I am not in favor of a super low or no carb diet for the long term, it is okay for a jump start. The foods that are associated with low/no carb are usually high in cholesterol and sodium. These things will eventually lead to high blood pressure and a rise in cholesterol. So make sure you are a good candidate for this kind of diet.

Having said that, it can help a diet get started. however when you reintroduce carbs like pasta, rice and bread you have to careful not to let yourself get right back to where you were before you started.

The secret to a low carb diet is adding FLAVOR! Most people think you boil a chicken breast and steam a bunch of vegetables and just try to get through the meal. No need for that. Herbs, fresh lemon or lime juice, low sodium chicken stock are all no or super low in carbs...use them. Here is a great recipe which you can add salad or some sauteed vegetables. It has 2.3 g of carbohydrate for the chicken dish alone. That is LOW! This serves 4

Ingredients:
4 (4 oz) chicken cutlets
2 oz very thin sliced prosciutto (8 strips)
2 cloves garlic minced
12 fresh sage leaves
1/3 cup low sodium chicken broth
5 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
pepper

Sprinkle chicken with pepper (you can add a pinch of salt if you like). Place three sage leaves on each cutlet. Wrap 2 prosciutto slices around each cutlet over the sage leaves. Heat a saute pan with 1-1/2 tbl olive oil. Add chicken to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until done. Remove chicken from pan keep warm. In a bowl combine, broth, lemon juice, garlic and cornstarch in a bowl and whisk until cornstarch is incorporated. Add cornstarch mixture and remaining olive oil to the pan. Cook for about 1 minute to a boil until slightly thickened whisking constantly. Spoon sauce over chicken.

FLAVOR and 2.3 g of carbs!
ENJOY!

SIMPLE PASTA WEEK - SHELL PASTA AND SNAP PEAS

I have been finding out from a few fans that they are on low or NO carbs and would like some recipes. So I will blog this last simple pasta dish and move Wednesday and Thursday to no carb days. Of course Friday is still COCKTAIL FRIDAY!
For now lets talk simple pasta. This takes 20 minutes total to make and the flavors are delicious. May sound like a lot of onion, but when you caramelize them, which I LOVE, they reduce in size dramatically. You could certainly add chopped chicken to this as well or other vegetables.

Ingredients:
3 cups chopped Vidalia onion (or nice sweet onion)
8-10oz chopped snap peas, trimmed of string
1/2 cup whole milk ricotta
1/2 cup grated fresh mozzarella
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, some leaves for garnish
4 tbl olive oil
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 pkg small shell pasta (orecchiette)

Heat oil in a large saute pan on med-high heat and add onions. Saute for about 5 minutes at this temperature then reduce the heat to medium and saute for about 15-20 minutes until they are a deep golden brown. Add the peas and cook about 3 minutes and remove from heat.

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain but reserve a cup of pasta water.

Add pasta and 1/2 cup of the reserved liquid to the onion mixture. Stir over medium heat for a minute and add ricotta, basil and lemon zest. Add more pasta water if needed. Serve with shredded mozzarella on top and parmesan cheese if you like.


Simply Delicious!
ENJOY!

SLOW COOKER WEEK - PULLED PORK SANDWICHES

Nothing says "slow cooker" and "save-my-pocketbook" like pulled pork. There are so many great variations to the recipes. I like this one because of all the soft drinks out there, I love root beer and you can taste it in this sauce. You can make this recipe and chill it overnight or even freeze it in ziploc containers for up to a month. Then just thaw the night before, put in a sauce pan and reheat. If the sauce is too thick just add a little water.

This does call for browning the pork first in a pan, so for you busy people this may be a weekend dish....still super easy but one added step.

Ingredients:

2-1/2 to 3 lb pork roast

2 onions chopped

2 tbl minced garlic

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp ground cumin

4 cups root beer

1 cup chili sauce

2 tbl vegetable oil

salt

pepper

hot sauce (optional)

rolls, sandwich garnishes

You should trim the fat off the roast if there is a lot. Cut the meat to fit into your cooker. Salt and pepper the roast and brown it in a skillet in the oil. Drain the fat. Place meat in the cooker and add onion, 1 cup of the root beer, thyme, cumin and garlic. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high 4-5 hours.

In a sauce pan combine remaining root beer and chili sauce. Bring to a boil and then reduce and boil slowly for about 30 minutes until it reduces. If you want a little hot sauce add it here.

When pork is done remove it and discard the cooking liquid. When it is cool, take two forks and pull apart the pork to shredded pieces. Then make your sandwiches. Top rolls with your garnishes, pork and finally that great root beer based sauce. Sounds like a football game day meal.

Happy Playoffs!

ENJOY!

SLOW COOKER WEEK - CHICKEN WILD RICE SOUP

Nothing like a bowl of soup that eats like a meal for all you "New Englanders" covered in SNOW today! So throw this in the pot and cover yourself with a blanket, watch a movie all while dinner is cooking.

You can use rotisserie chicken or other previously cooked chicken you may have. Before the chicken gets to the slow cooker it has to be cooked.

Ingredients:

2-1/2 cups cooked chicken

2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms

2 medium carrots chopped

2 stalks of celery chopped

1 can reduced fat and sodium cream of chicken or mushroom soup

1 (6 oz) pkg long grain and wild rice mix

5 cups reduced sodium chicken broth

5 cups water

In a slow cooker, combine the cooked chicken, mushrooms, carrots, celery cream of chicken soup, packet of rice with seasoning mix. Gradually stir in the chicken broth and water. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. You can garnish with the leaves from the celery stalks. Serve with nice crusty bread.

Stay Warm In New England Today!

ENJOY!

SLOW COOKER WEEK - BEEF SHORT RIBS WITH POTATOES

Another great slow cooker dish. Short ribs taste best when slow cooked in a bunch of great vegetables, wine, YES WINE, and herbs. You can serve any variety of sides to this from polenta to pasta to potatoes. I like potatoes.

So I quarter some nice red potatoes, sprinkle with olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper and put in a baking pan and bake at 350 for the last hour the ribs are cooking.

Ingredients:

2-1/2 to 3 lbs boneless beef short ribs
2 onions coarsely chopped
2 carrots coarsely chopped
2 celery stalks coarsely chopped
1 small fennel bulb cored and coarsely chopped
5 cloves garlic minced
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes, San Marzano preferably
1 cup dry red wine
2 tbl tomato paste
1 tsp salt
2 tsp dried rosemary crushed
1 tsp ground pepper
2 tbl quick cook tapioca (crushed)*

Trim fat from meat. In your slow cooker combine onion, carrot, celery and fennel. Place meat on top. In. a bowl, combine tomatoes with juice, wine, tapioca*, tomato paste, garlic, salt rosemary and pepper. Pour over meat and vegetables. Cover and cook at low for 9-10 hours or high for 4-1/2 to 5 hours. Serve with a side of nice roasted potatoes.

*Quick cook tapioca can usually be found in the baking section of the grocery isle. It is a thickening agent. If you can't find it, after the meat and vegetables are cooked, remove and add a tbl of cornstarch mixed with a tbl of water to the gravy if you find it is not thick enough. Stir for a few minutes and turn off heat.

Snow days mean slow cook days!
ENJOY!

SLOW COOKER WEEK - SAUAGE POTATO CHOWDER

This is a week with recipes for busy, busy people to just combine ingredients in your slow cooker and come home from work with DINNER DONE!!! These recipes work especially well in winter, because most of the recipes are just great warm comfort foods.

Always be careful handling chili peppers, they are so spicy. Either wear gloves when chopping them or wash your hands right away. Trust me I have made the mistake to wipe my eye first....not pretty!

Ingredients:

1 lb sausage, casing removed

1 lb red potatoes chopped

1 sweet onion, chopped

1 green and red pepper chopped

1 jalapeno pepper seeded and chopped

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried oregano

3 cloves garlic minced

1/2 tsp pepper

28 oz reduced sodium chicken broth

Shredded sharp cheddar cheese for garnish

Canned shoestring potatoes for garnish

In a saute pan, cook sausage until brown and drain fat. In your slow cooker, combine sausage, potatoes, onion, peppers, cumin, oregano, garlic and pepper. Stir in chicken broth. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.

While hot, top individual servings with cheese and shoestring potatoes. If you want to make fresh potatoes for topping, cut potatoes into matchstick size and cook in canola oil until brown. Remove and salt while they are still hot. Serve with a nice crusty bread.

It's What's for Dinner!

ENJOY!

RESOLUTION WEEK - PORK CHOPS WITH SAUTEED ONIONS

A perfect one-pan meal. If you can find really thick pork chops they are the best and will stay nice and juicy. They should be about 1-1/2 inches thick. The recipe calls for very few ingredients, which we should all have. It is very light and I just serve with a nice salad in a vinaigrette, so it is perfect for a lighter meal.

Ingredients:

4 bone-in center cut chops (1-1/2 inches thick)

1 large red onion sliced thin

3 tbl olive oil

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tbl fresh thyme

Salt

Fresh ground pepper

In a large saute pan heat 1 tbl olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and stir frequently until caramelized about 20 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. In the same pan add 2 tbl olive oil. Pat chops dry and season with a tbl salt and 2 tsp pepper. Cook the chops 3-5 minutes on one side until brown then flip and cook for 2-4 minutes until done. (You can make a small cut near the bone and look inside..light pink is done..if it is redder cook more). If all the chops do not fit in your pan, cook two at a time and add a bit more olive oil for second batch. Transfer to a plate and keep warm,

Put the same pan back on the stove and add balsamic vinegar and onions. Simmer scraping the pork chop bits off the bottom of the pan about 2-3 minutes. Add the thyme and season with salt and pepper. Serve the balsamic-onion mixture over the chops.

Sweet and Juicy!

ENJOY!

RESOLUTION WEEK - MEXICAN RICE, BEANS AND TOMATO

In the Chicago Tribune today in the "Good Eating" section, there was an article about "ways to eat better in 2011".

Some suggestions are; try to eat one vegetarian meal one day each week. Try proteins that are from plants rather than animals like lentils, beans or tofu. Use more whole grains like whole grain brown rice, quinoa or whole wheat pasta. Of course adding more fruits and vegetables, especially raw. Finally, eliminate hydrogenated fats and margarine and use olive or canola oil..READ LABELS!!!!

Here is a recipe that incorporates many of these ideas.

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked whole grain brown rice

1 (15 oz) can petite diced tomatoes

6 medium chopped cloves of garlic

1 medium jalapeno, cored and finely chopped. If you like spicy, leave ribs in with seeds

1 (15 oz) can black beans drained and rinsed

1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano

1/4 cup fresh chopped Italian parsley (or cilantro if you like)

2 tbl olive oil

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp chili powder

salt

Cook rice according to package instructions. While the rice cooks, drain the tomatoes, reserving the juice into a measuring cup. Add water if necessary to reach 1 cup total liquid.

In a saute pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and jalapeno until garlic browns, about 1 minute. Add the beans, cumin, chili powder and 2 tsp salt. Stir to incorporate for about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato juice and bring to a boil. Cook at a low boil until the beans absorb most of the liquid, about 5-7 minutes. Add the tomatoes, oregano, parsley and rice. Stir until rice is warm and serve immediately. You can add other vegetables if you like to make it even healthier!

Hearty Meal!

ENJOY!

RESOLUTION WEEK - SALMON, POTATOES AND OLIVES

This is a very balanced meal that has great flavor with the olives and balsamic vinegar. Limit the potatoes if you want. You can really use any firm fish for this recipe.

Ingredients:

4 (5 oz) salmon fillets

4 small red potatoes sliced to 1/4 inch thick

1/2 cup kalamata olives

3 tbl chopped fresh Italian parsley

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

3 tbl olive oil

1 tbl balsamic vinegar

salt

pepper

lemon wedges for garnish

In a medium saucepan, boil potatoes in enough water to cover them by an inch. Cook until tender about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Pat the fish dry and season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Heat 1-1/2 tbl oil in a saute pan. When oil is hot add the fillets skin side down. Cook undisturbed for about 3 minutes. Turn once and cook until done about 2-3 minutes. Transfer the fish to a warm plate and cover with foil.

In the same pan add the remaining oil and heat. Add potatoes and rosemary and cook until potatoes are tender and crisping. Add the olives, parsley, balsamic vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange the potato mixture around the fish and garnish with lemon.

Fast and healthy!

ENJOY!

CHICKEN TETRAZZINI

There are few baked pasta dishes that I like and I love this one! The cream and milk combined with the nutmeg to make a bechamel is so delicious and the added spices are wonderful! It seems like a lot of ingredients but you only have to chop 5 of them!

Ingredients:

4 tbl olive oil

12 tbl unsalted butter

4 boneless chicken breasts

1 lb white mushrooms, sliced

1 sweet onion chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup Italian parsley chopped

3/4 cup frozen peas

1 tbl fresh thyme chopped

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/3 cup flour

4 cups whole milk, warm

1 cup heavy whipping cream, room temp

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup parmesan cheese

1/4 cup italian breadcrumbs

salt

pepper

1 lb linguine

1/4 cup slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Grease a 13 x 9 pan with 2 tbl butter. In a saute pan melt 2 tbl butter and 2 tbl oil. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and add to the pan. Cook until golden on both sides about 4 minutes per side. Let cool on a plate and shred into a bowl.

In the same pan melt 2 tbl butter and 2 tbl oil. Add the mushrooms and cook over medium-high heat about 12 minutes. Add the onion, garlic and thyme and saute about 8 minutes until the onions are soft. Add the wine and simmer until it mostly evaporates - a couple minutes. Transfer this mixture to the bowl with the chicken.

Melt 3 tbl of butter in the same pan over medium-low heat and add flour. Whisk for about two minutes until the flour is incorporated. Whisk in milk, cream, broth, nutmeg and season with salt and pepper. Increase heat to high and cook uncovered until the sauce thickens - about 10 minutes..stir often.

Cook linguine according to package directions, but not completely about 8 minutes and drain. Combine the linguine with the sauce, chicken mixture, peas and parsley. Pour into the baking dish. Combine cheese and breadcrumbs and sprinkle on top. Dot with remaining 3 tbl of butter and bake until golden and bubbly - about 25 minutes. Let cool a few minutes and dot with slivered almonds.

Serve with a nice glass of Chardonnay!

ENJOY!

ASPARAGUS, PROSCUITTO AND MOZARELLA PASTA

This is a great dish that can be ready in about 20 minutes....REALLY! So in the time it takes to uncork a nice bottle of wine after work and get caught up with your family, dinner is ready.



I love asparagus and it LOVES YOU! Nice dark greens have all kinds of great antioxidants for you and as I mentioned in a previous blog, asparagus helps prevent a hangover, just in case you find the wine bottle empty after dinner!!!!






Ingredients:

2 lbs asparagus cleaned and ends trimmed

5 cloves of garlic minced

1 large shallot minced

6 oz prosciutto thinly sliced and cut into strips

6 oz smoked mozzarella cheese, diced (regular mozzarella works too)

4 tbl fresh basil thinly sliced

5 tbl olive oil

1 box pasta (spaghetti is fun here)

salt

pepper

red pepper flakes



Boil asparagus in a pot of salted water for about 3 minutes and immediately remove them with tongs and toss in an ice water bath to stop the cooking process. In the same boiling salted water cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain the pasta and reserve 1 cup of pasta water.



When the asparagus cools cut into 1 inch pieces. Heat olive oil in a saute pan and add garlic and shallots and cook for about a minute. Add the asparagus and season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Add the pasta and if you want, some of the pasta water. Add the prosciutto, mozzarella and basil and combine. Take the pan of the heat and taste for seasoning. DONE!



Of course, serve with Parmesan cheese and nice crusty bread!

ENJOY!




Love You Laurie!!!!

HALIBUT WITH TOMATO, OLIVE AND CAPERS

I love fish, but it can be a tricky thing. At first I overcooked everything. Then I tried to cook it in the serving sauce. I have found in very few circumstances should you bake fish in a sauce. Swordfish works very well baked in sauces, but for the most part you really should cook the fish and sauce separately.

Ingredients:

1 lb Halibut fillet

1 tbl olive oil

salt and pepper

Sauce:

2 tbl olive oil

2 cloves garlic minced

15 oz can peeled tomatoes

1/4 cup kalamata olives, halved

1 tbl fresh chopped basil

1 tbl capers, drained and rinsed

dash of red pepper flakes

fresh lemon slices

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Coat the fish with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes turning once. (Internal temp should be around 135 degrees).

Sauce:

In a large saute pan heat oil and add garlic for a minute. Then add tomatoes with juice, olives, capers and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer and cook about 10 minutes stirring frequently.

Spoon the sauce over the fish and garnish with basil and lemon slice. Very easy and great flavor!

I serve this with some basmati rice and a good chardonnay! I know what you are thinking!

ENJOY!

CHICKEN AND BASIL STIR FRY

Stir Fry...great flavors and pretty much a one pot dish...except for making the rice. Speaking of rice there are a lot of them out there so don't cut yourself short on flavor by going with white rice...try basmati, jasmine or brown. If you don't have the fish sauce, you could just use chicken broth. You could add other vegetables to this or substitute the chicken with shrimp!

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless chicken tenders cut about 1 inch wide

4 shallots, chopped

4 cloves of garlic finely chopped

1 cup fresh basil coarsely chopped

1 tbl fish sauce

1 tbl lime juice

1 tbl light brown sugar

2 tbl canola oil

1/2 cup water

salt

pepper

pinch of red pepper flake

In a large pan heat oil and add shallots, garlic and red pepper flake. Cook about a minute and add chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Cook chicken about 4-5 minutes.

Combine the fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar and water. Add mixture to the chicken and cook until the liquid reduces and makes a sauce. Remove from heat and add the basil. Serve over rice.

Another simple recipe!

ENJOY!

HERBED TENDERLOIN WITH MUSTARD SAUCE

I don't eat much beef, but when I do I love a good beef tenderloin with a crust of great herbs, mustard sauce and RARE just like the picture above. I know many of you like your beef more well done so when you are roasting, use an instant read thermometer to measure doneness. 120 degrees is rare, 125-130 is medium rare, 135 for medium, +135 is hockey-puck or shoe leather! Rare to Medium takes between 40-50 minutes.

Ingredients:

One 2-1/2 to 3 lb beef tenderloin roast, fat trimmed

1 tbl olive oil

1 tbl fresh finely chopped rosemary

1-1/2 tbl ground fennel seed

salt

fresh cracked pepper

1/2 cup creme fraiche

2 tbl dijon mustard

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees with rack in the center of the oven

Combine olive oil, rosemary, fennel, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. Stir to make a paste. Pat the tenderloin dry and rub the paste over the surface of the meat. (You can season the beef and refrigerate up to 4 hours in advance)

Put the roast on a rack on a baking sheet or in a shallow roasting pan. Roast to your desired doneness. Meanwhile, whisk together creme fraiche, mustard and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer the roast to a cutting board and try to reserve juices. Let it rest about 10-15 minutes. Carve and serve with juices on top. Pass the mustard sauce for your guests to portion as they desire.

Serve with mashed potatoes and asparagus as the sauce is delicious over these sides too.

ENJOY!

BUTTERNUT SQUASH LASAGNA

Driving down our beach town roads, I saw trees already changing color while the wind howled all around. The surf is WAY UP, the clouds have settled in and I think I might even be cold....so sad as summer nears its end...it has been a great one.

I am hoping for some clearing and the skies to once again give way to magnificent sunshine...they say by Thursday.....

But for today, I need to blog something WARM and I cannot believe I have forgotten this gem until now. I have blogged my butternut squash tortellini, but never the lasagna. This is a great side dish or main course as a vegetarian option.

Preparing the squash/ingredients: (preheat oven to 400 degrees)
2 large butternut squash
3 tbl olive oil
1 tbl chopped fresh sage
3 tbl fennel seed, ground in a spice grinder or mortar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

Using a peeler, remove the squash shell. Trim top and bottom and cut lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Coarsely chop the squash into 1/2 in cubes. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Toss squash cubes with oil, sage and spices (above). Spread the squash on a single layer on the baking sheet and roast in the oven for 40-50 minutes or until browning. Stir the mixture once or twice. Remove the squash from the oven and let cool a bit.

Puree the squash in a food processor then mix with:
1 tsp grated nutmeg
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup fresh parmesan cheese
2 large eggs
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble the lasagna. In a large pot of salted boiling water cook lasagna sheets (about 24 sheets..I always cook a few more in case they break). Drain the sheets and spread them on wax paper or baking sheet. Drizzle a little olive oil on them.

Preparing the sauce/ingredients:
2 quarts whole milk
6 tbl unsalted butter
1 tbl minced fresh sage
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup flour
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh nutmeg
pepper

In a large saucepan, bring milk to a simmer over medium heat. Melt the butter in a pot or microwave. Add the sage and garlic to the butter then add flour and stir. Add 3 cups of the warm milk to the flour and whisk to remove any flour-lumps. Bring to a boil and whisk continuously while adding the rest of the milk. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg. Adjust the heat and cook over medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes (I seem to need to cook this longer to thicken so don't worry about timing). You will want the sauce to be like a gravy and stick to the back of a spoon. Remove from heat.

Other ingredients:
1-1/2 lb grated mozzarella
2 cups fresh grated parmesan
4 tbl butter

ASSEMBLY: (preheat oven to 375 degrees)

Grease a 13 X 9 pan with butter. Spoon the sauce into the bottom of the pan and coast the whole thing. Add a single layer of lasagna noddles. Spread some squash mixture over the lasagna noddles making sure you get and even spread over whole pan. Sprinkle this with a layer of mozzarella/parmesan cheese. Repeat this until you reach about 1/4 inch from the top of the pan. Finish with cheese and sauce on top. Bake on center rack for one hour with tin foil on the top of the pan. Remove the foil and dot the top with about 4 tbl of butter cut into small chunks. Bake uncovered for about 15-20 minutes longer until it starts to get brown and is bubbling. Let it rest before serving for about 10 minutes.

So rich and creamy
ENJOY!

OH TERESA'S SPICY YUMNESS

Off to Boston for a family "thing", so I am borrowing a wonderful recipe from my good friend Teresa...hope she doesn't mind. She made it last night and it sounds wonderful. She probably had most of the ingredients IN HER PANTRY!!!!....the vegetables may have taken her to the market.

In no exact measurements chop together:

Fresh tomatoes, one large serano pepper, and some kalamata olives. Add corn cut from a freshly cooked cob and simmer all together with olive oil, minced garlic, balsamic vinegar (go easy on this ingredient), fresh ground pepper, and fresh basil. Simmer about 15 minutes.

Then use a potato masher to mash the ingredients to your likeness and continue to simmer for about 15-20 minutes. She serves it over her favorite whole wheat pasta - you choose.

I might even add some feta cheese crumbles, this cheese goes so well with the olives and pepper.

THANKS TERESA!
ENJOY!

MOM'S FAVORITE - SHRIMP AND BROCCOLI

Mom's favorite dish and I plan to make it for her when she visits soon.

Shrimp is usually sold by "count". The count suggests about how many shrimp you will get if you order a pound. So if you buy 21-25 count, expect 21-25 shrimp. If you buy 31-50 count the shrimp are obviously smaller. For this recipe I try to use the 21-25 count at a minimum. For my Mom, I would easily go for the 16-18 count since they are the star of the meal.

Ingredients:

2/3 cup clam juice

1 tsp cornstarch

2 tbl minced garlic

2 tbl olive oil

1 lb raw peeled and deveined shrimp

4 cups broccoli chopped

2/3 cup water

2 tbl fresh basil chopped

1 tbl lemon juice

red pepper flakes

salt

pepper

In a bowl., combine and whisk the clam juice, 1 tbl garlic and cornstarch. Set the bowl aside.

Heat 1 tbl olive oil in a pan. Add 1 tbl garlic and red flakes to taste. Cook about 30 seconds. Add the shrimp and a pinch of salt. When the shrimp is pink on all sides use a slotted spoon and remove them from the pan to a bowl.

Add 1 tbl olive oil to the same pan and add the broccoli. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about a minute. Add the water and cover the pan. Cook the broccoli until it is tender but still crispy. Using the slotted spoon remove the broccoli from the pan and add it to the shrimp bowl.

Add the clam juice mixture to the pan.. Cook over medium high heat for about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the basil and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Add the shrimp and broccoli back to the pan and heat through. Serve over rice or pasta.

A nice crusty bread... a glass of chardonnay...total comfort food!

ENJOY!