Chicken with Spinach, Tomato, and Bacon

Ok, maybe I've been a little soup and stew happy....but it's finally cold! For those of you who like a little more robust fare, here's a dish that you can really sink your teeth into. The bacon is optional, I guess, but why ruin a good thing?

Chicken with Spinach, Tomato, and Bacon
Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 2 largish, 4 small

- 1lb of chicken breast (either 2 large, thick pieces or 4 small,thin pieces)
- 1/4 cup Italian season bread crumbs (or plain crumbs with a shake of italian seasoning)
- 2-3 tablespoons parmesan cheese
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- one, 9-10 oz package of fresh spinach
- 2 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 6 strips of bacon
- salt
- pepper

In a large skillet, fry bacon to whatever crispness you like. If you want to save time, start the chicken in a second skillet. If you want to save dishes, go do something else while the bacon is cooking and then do each step in the same pan.

If you have large pieces of chicken, flatten to about 1/4 inch thickness. Many grocery stores sell thinner, pre-flattened or sliced chicken breast (usually labeled 'for Milanesa' at HEB). Mix about a quarter cup bread crumbs with the parmesan cheese. You can change the proportions if you prefer. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper (as much as you like) and then coat both sides of the chicken with the breadcrumb mixture. The mix should stick pretty well without eggs. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and saute chicken for about 4 minutes per side (it's done when it's no longer pink inside). Remove chicken to a plate.

Now, if you want to keep things lighter, saute the spinach and tomatoes in the chicken pan after adding another tablespoon of oil. If you really love bacon, pour out all but about 2 teaspoons of bacon grease and cook the veggies in the bacon pan. Turn the heat to medium and add the garlic and then add the spinach a little at a time because it won't fit in the pan until it starts to wilt. Stir and keep adding handfuls of spinach as the leaves cook down. Once all the spinach is in the pan, add the tomatoes and cook for about 3 minutes longer. Pile the veggies evenly on top of the pieces of chicken. Top with an even amount of bacon slices.

Guest star: Risi e Bisi

Today's delicious dish comes from Mara, who says "because this is one of the best soup/non-soups i've had in a while. Looks like risotto, huh?"
And I say, well yes Mara, you did this perfectly! Risi e Bisi is a traditional dish from Venice that is often described as a soupy or "wet" risotto. The original version contained only rice and peas and citizens were only allowed to cook the meal on days when the Doge (ruler) allowed it. Today folks enjoy risi e bisi whenever they like (though especially on St. Mark's day)and the simple dish has become a base for many variations, including seafood, cheese, and meat, like the one Mara shares.

Risi e Bisi with ham and parmesan
Time: about 35-40 minutes
Serves 4-5

- 6 tablespoons buttah
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 rib celery, chopped
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (we actually used a gewurztraminer)
- 2 quarts chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 3/4 teaspoons salt (we probably didn't use all this salt)
- 2 cups frozen petite peas, defrosted (10 oz bag)
- 1 -- 1/4 lb piece deli ham, small dice (black forest ham would likely rock)
- 2 cups grated parmesan (we like cheese. recipe originally called for 3/4 cup)
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

do this:
In a large pot, melt the buttah over moderately low heat. Add onion, celery and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, about 5 min. Add wine and boil until it almost evaporates, about 5 min. add broth and bring to a boil. boil until liquid is reduced to about 7 cups, about 20 min.

Add the rice, parsley and salt and cook at low boil, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender -- 10-15 minutes. Stir in peas, ham, parmesan and pepper.

Top with a bit more cheese and parsley, sprinkle a little olive oil on top, serve with crusty buttery bread. enjoy!

the photos were taken about 20 minutes after the soup was ready. if you let it sit, it gets awfully risotto-y

Pasta with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage

Broccoli Rabe is a wonderful veggie that doesn't get enough attention. It can be a little hard to find (i.e., try central market) and sometimes goes by the name "Rapini" (NOT Broccolini, which is sweet). It's a green, similar to mustard greens and collared greens and can be a little bitter, especially if underdone. It has no resemblance to broccoli, except for the little florets, and doesn't taste anything like it. However, I think it has an overall sophisticated flavor that pairs very nicely with other foods that have a heavy presence. Simple sauteed Broccoli Rabe is a classic Italian side dish that's starting to catch on over here (if you saute, make sure to cook until very tender, otherwise it will be bitter! It helps to slit the bottom of thick stems, too). In this quick and easy recipe, the flavor of the sauteed veggie is combined with pasta and Italian sausage.

Pasta with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage
Servings: about 4 large
Time: 20-30 minutes

- 8oz (half standard box) of linguine or other medium-thick spaghetti
- 4-6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- dash of crushed red pepper (optional)
- olive oil
- 1 large bunch of Broccoli Rabe (Rapini)
- 3 links of mild Italian sausage
- parmesan cheese

Fully cook the sausage in a skillet over medium heat (if you want to minimize time, do this when you start the water and use a separate skillet for the garlic/oil; if you want less dishes, cook the sausage before starting the water and use the same pan later). Bring about 3-4 quarts of water to boil (about three quarters of a large 4-5 quart pot). While waiting, chop the garlic and wash the broccoli rabe. When the water boils, turn the heat down to medium and add the pasta, stirring for the first minute or two to prevent sticking. The pasta will take about 10-12 minutes to become tender, but firm. During the final three minutes of cooking, add all of the broccoli rabe to the pasta and stir. In a skillet or frying pan heat the oil over medium and then saute the garlic and crushed red pepper for a few minutes. If you started the oil and garlic immediately after adding the broccoli rabe to the pasta, let the spices keep going while you drain the pasta/veggie. The garlic can get golden and crisp, but don't let it turn brown. Make sure you use a large colander to drain the pasta and broccoli rabe because it takes up a large volume and is pretty heavy. Return the pasta and veggies to the large pot, pour over the garlic and oil, and stir. Cut the sausage lengthwise and then cut into small slices. Mix the sausage into the pasta and broccoli rabe. Sprinkle with a little parmesan and enjoy!


If you're fortunate to have yummy exotic sausage flavors at hand, try a chicken variety. Central Market makes an excellent Chicken-Spinach-Feta (in photo) and a tasty Chicken-Garlic, both of which pair nicely with the Broccoli Rabe.

Stuffed Foccacia Cheat

While I sometimes make my own pizza crust, and occasionally bread, I don't usually have time for that sort of thing. However, you can still make some marvelously delicious foods with a home-made feel by beginning with a cheat. In this case, start with a simple pilsbury pizza crust in a tube, add any ingredients that you like, and end up with a super tasty stuffed foccacia bread. I'm pretty sure you could also do a sort-of-calzone by stuffing with sauce and cheese. Strombli is a possibility as well if you re-roll the whole thing with cheese and meat inside (just make sure to flatten a bit before baking).

Stuffed Foccacia
time: 20 minutes

- 1 pizza dough in a tube (original, thick crust)
- parchment paper or cooking spray
- tasty ingredients for the inside, like herbs, olives, cheese, bacon, etc.

Pre-heat oven according to package (usually 425 degrees). Line a cookie sheet with a piece of parchment paper, or lightly spray sheet with cooking spray. Open dough and carefully unroll onto sheet as one big rectangle. Arrange your tasty ingredients on one half of the rectangle (you're going to fold this like a newspaper, so the short ends of the rectangle should be on the sides while long ends are top and bottom). The ingredients should be placed as a single layer, otherwise it will be difficult to cook all the way through. Very carefully fold the non-ingredient side over the ingredients (this is where parchment comes in handy, because you can lift up that side of the paper, fold over, and then just peel the paper away). Seal the dough all along the edges where the two sides meet. Stab all over with a fork to release air bubbles. The more level and thinner the dough, the more evenly it will cook. Place in pre-heated oven for about 13 minutes. Check halfway through. You might need to reverse or rotate your cookie sheet if your oven bakes things unevenly. The bread is done when the crust is nicely golden brown all over.

Rob's favorite: kalmata olives and feta. Sometimes I sneak in fresh rosemary.

White Bean and Bacon Soup

A month and a half into fall...it has finally cooled down enough for some delicious soups. I think that when most people envision a soup with beans and bacon, they imagine something rather smoky, and perhaps creamy. This particular version is actually rather light, and full of vegetables. In fact, if you don't like bacon, substitute a handful of cooked chicken. If you're vegetarian, just leave out the meat entirely! And if you're not a fan of tomatoes, leave them out.

White Bean and Bacon Soup
Servings: about 6 bowls
Time: 45 minutes

- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow or white onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 cup finely chopped celery (about 2 stalks)
- 1 cup shredded carrots (get this pre-cut at the store!)
- 6 pieces center cut bacon (or 3 slices canadian bacon, if you like ham-flavor)
- 1 large tomato, chopped (get rid of the seeds)
- 1 can great northern beans (14.5-15oz), drained and rinsed
- 1 can cannellini beans (white kidney) (14.5-15oz can), drained and rinsed
- 5 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper (or more if you like spice)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (individuals can add more to their bowls later)
- 1 tablespoon dry sage
- 1 cup soup pasta, like small shells

Chop the celery, onions, and garlic. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pot (at least 4-5 quarts) and then add the celery, onions, garlic, and carrots. Cook the veggies until tender, about ten minutes. In the meantime, chop the tomato (set it aside for later) and then cook the bacon in a skillet. When the bacon is browned but not yet crispy, remove pieces and drain on a paper towel. Once the veggies are ready, add the tomato, both types of beans, water, sage, salt, and pepper. The bacon should be cool by now; pull off the meaty pieces leaving the fat behind, and break into 1/2 inch pieces to add to the other ingredients. Turn heat to medium-high and cook until just about to boil. Then turn heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Next add the pasta. Stir, and turn the heat back up to medium-high. Let the soup come to a boil, then lower to medium and cook for another ten minutes or so, until the pasta is tender. If the pasta absorbs too much liquid, go ahead and add water a little at a time. You might need to adjust the seasoning.


A little sprinkle of parmesan cheese goes a long way. The soup is surprisingly good with a dry white wine, such as an Albarino.

Taco Pie

And now for the recipe you've all been waiting for! Ok, at least Veronica has been waiting for Taco Pie to appear. This recipe comes from Rob's mom and is delicious and super easy to make. Taco Pie is basically a take on mexican pizza, but begins with crescent rolls. The crescent roll crust is a great time-saver and adds a crispy, almost buttery flavor that turns out to be an important part of the recipe. Similarly, make sure the tomato sauce does not contain herbs and other flavors because otherwise it will taste strangely after mixing with the taco seasoning. This is a fantastic potluck dish by the way. And if you are trying to eat healthy, you can easily substitute low fat crescent rolls, cheese, sour cream, and meat.

Taco Pie
35 minutes (20 prep, 15 oven)
6-8 servings depending on slices

- 2 packages crescent rolls (original)
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1.5 to 1.75 cups shredded cheddar or mexican blend cheese
- 1 package (or 1/4 cup) taco seasoning
- 2 cans plain tomato sauce (8oz each...the little Hunts or Del Monte cans)
- 2-3 small chopped tomatoes
- 1-2 cans sliced olives (2.5oz each)
- sour cream

Preheat the oven according to the crescent roll package. Grease or Pam a standard (9.5x15ish? cookie sheet (the kind with very low sides). Unroll the dough as a big sheet and press it into the bottom and sides of the pan (you might have 1-2 crescents left over. Make sure the seams between the crescents are pressed together well and prick all over with a fork. Cook the crust until just golden, about 7 minutes. When finished, pull out and leave to cool a bit. Turn the oven up to 375.
While the dough is cooking, brown the ground beef in a non-stick skillet. Drain the grease and then add the tomato sauce and taco seasoning. Stir well and simmer until just bubbling, about 5 minutes. Spread the meat and sauce onto the cooked crust. Top with olives and chopped tomatoes. Cover everything in cheese. How much cheese is up to you...we usually have a 1/4 cup left-over from one of those 2 cup bags of shredded cheese. Put in the oven for about 15 minutes or until the cheese melts. Serve with sour cream. That last step is really important if you like sour cream.


If you don't like tomato or olives, just leave them out. This is a beautiful tomato-less version put together by the "'obs". If those boys can do such a nice job, so can you!

Find of the month

Sorry for the lack of recipes lately...no time! But I did make it to Central Market this week, where I found a delicious new treat. I present to you, goat cheese yogurt. Yes. Delightful fruit, honey, and granola yogurts made from goat milk.

I assure you, if you like goat cheese, you will love these little snacks. I think technically it is more fresh cheese than yogurt, but the texture is all yogurt and the flavor is more mild than standard goat cheese. What about the fruit and other add-ins? Also yummy. Perhaps you've never had a nice soft goat cheese with a little bit of jam or even some herbs? Delightful, you should try it. And thanks to Margaret for introducing everyone to lovely local Texas goat cheese with equally awesome local jalapeno-raspberry jam.

So, if you like yogurt, and you like softer goat cheeses (like chevre, not feta), you must try these decadent, but surprisingly low in fat, little cups of goat fresh cheese. Liberte makes some nice fruit combinations.

Homemade Soup

Sorry for the hiatus! We were off in Scotland and England. I finally sampled some haggis, which was not at all what I expected, and delicious. Now for today's recipe...this is one straight from my mom, and done frequently from memory, so you'll have to understand that a lot of the measurements are approximate. This is a soup that my mom made when I was a kid in order to use up leftover tomato sauce and other tidbits. I suppose you could say this is a sort of vegetable soup, or Minestrone. In principle though it is truly a soup of leftovers because you can add anything you want, but I generally follow this formula: tomato sauce + potato + red bean + white bean + pasta + extras (usually green veggie). My mom often changed the "extras", sometimes adding frozen veggie medleys, leftover meatballs or sausage, or fresh veggies like zucchini. Of course, depending on what you decide to add, this is a generally well balanced and healthy meal.

Homemade Soup
time: about 45+ min(30 min prep)
servings: 6ish

- 1 jar (24oz) tomato sauce (yes, choice of sauce is really important because it adds seasoning. I love Classico Four Cheese - perfect blend of flavor and the traces of cheese add some salt. Use this if you can get it.)
- 96oz water (conveniently, fill up that jar 4 times and you get the proper amount, plus clean out all the sauce)
- 2 medium potatoes (russet baking work well)
- about 6-7oz soup pasta (less than half of a standard 1lb bag) like small shells, small bow ties, or ditalini
- 1 can (16oz) dark red kidney beans
- 1 can (16oz) great northern or garbanzo (chic peas) beans
- 1 can (14.5-16oz) cut green beans (or fresh, see "variations")
- white pepper (this can be a little expensive. Black pepper is a fine substitute, but I prefer the different flavor of white when available)
- italian seasoning
- 1 small bay leaf (or half large)
- salt

Dump the sauce into a large pot - at least 5 quarts. Add the water and stir until blended. Shake in some white pepper (about 4-5 good shakes) and italian seasoning (8-9 good shakes), add the bay leaf, and about 1/2 teaspoon of salt (more salt if you use sauce without cheese). All the seasoning is to taste, so you should really do this by adding a little, stirring, tasting, repeat, until you find what you like. Stir, cover, and heat on high until boiling. While waiting, peel, rinse, and cut up the potatoes. How small? Whatever you like, but the smaller the potato the faster it cooks (however tiny pieces really aren't appealing, I think). Boiling should take about ten minutes; when ready add the potatoes and turn the heat down to medium. Let the potatoes soften for about ten minutes (cover pot). After the wait, stir in the pasta. Continue stirring for a minute or two to prevent sticking and then stir occasionally while you wait another ten minutes (NOT covered). Meanwhile, drain and rinse all three beans. Combine in a medium bowl, mixing well. When the ten minutes has passed, add about 2/3 to 3/4 of the mixture to the soup. Turn the soup to low and let it simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes (or longer). I like to add a little grated parmesan to each bowl when serving. Cooling and storing: don't stick the whole pot directly in your fridge! Keep the lid off and let it cool for a couple hours. The pasta will continue to absorb water and expand, so don't be alarmed (but that's why you should be careful not to add too much pasta). Then divide in smaller containers for the fridge or freezer. P.S. don't eat the bay leaf.


variations
When I add extras, I usually replace the canned green beans entirely:
- if using tough fresh veggies like green beans, add after the potatoes and before the pasta. You'll need to wait another ten minutes in between each ingredient. By the way, kitchen scissors make snipping the ends and cutting up a breeze.
- soft fresh veggies like zucchini should go in with the beans
- very delicate fresh veggies like spinach or kale should go in about 5 minutes before serving
- frozen veggies can be added after the pasta, wait a few minutes before adding the beans
- cooked meats can be added a little before the beans



bonus: tri-bean salad
What to do with those leftover beans? Add some olive oil and balsamic vinegar, mix well, refrigerate for a bit, and enjoy!

Sausage Stuffed Zucchini

Last saturday Rob and I finally made it to the Austin Farmer's Market downtown. I hadn't really thought about dinner for the week, but then I came across these extra wide, striped zucchini. Just next door, another farmer had delicious looking grape tomatoes. Suddenly I remembered a dish my mom used to make, although I don't think she ever used the little tomatoes, just sausage and garlic. This recipe can also be made with regular zucchini or even the cute little round ones (What? You didn't know that there were so many kinds of zucchini?!), but remember to make less filling. Also, it can be a bit frustrating to try and stuff the smaller zucchini. Oh, and I should warn you that I sort of just tried things as I went, so the recipe is only approximate...use your judgement, you really can't go wrong.

Sausage Stuffed Zucchini
time: 40 minutes (20 prep)
servings: 2 dinners, 4 appetizers or sides

2 large, wide zucchini (the striped ones) or 4 regular, narrow
1/2 pound of Italian sausage (use bulk or release meat from casings)
1 cup of grape or pear tomatoes
2 garlic cloves
olive oil
salt

Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. Using a grapefruit spoon or a lot of effort, remove the seedy, soft middle of the zucchini. Save about half of the insides for the filling. Brush your little boats with some olive oil (oiled paper towel works if you don't have a brush) and put them in the oven on 350 for about 20 minutes (less for the narrow type of zucchini). I'm really not sure of the exact time and it will vary by zucchini anyway. Check after about ten minutes. You want the vegetable to become tender, but not to dry out or burn. While the zucchini are roasting, lightly mash the reserved zucchini insides, cook the sausage in a skillet, and cut all of the tomatoes in half. Combine these in a bowl and mix well. Dice the garlic as small as possible. If you like the flavor of raw garlic mix it directly into the bowl of other ingredients. If you like a milder flavor, first cook the garlic in the pan used for the sausage (mmm, drippings!), but not more than a minute. Salt the mixture to taste (I don't recommend more than 1/2 teaspoon, but it's to your taste). Add about half a tablespoon of olive oil and mix well. When the boats are tender, take them out of the oven and very carefully (ie, without burning yourself), fill each with a few spoon fulls of the mixture. Stuff them as much or as little as you'd like. If you end up with leftover filling just eat it. Sausage is always delicious! Return the boats to the oven and cook for about another 15 minutes. The tomatoes should start to look juicy and wilty.


If you want to add something special, sprinkle a little parmesan on top before serving.

onions, garlic, and oil....oh my!

Just a few tips on some very common ingredients and how to easily manage them. I'm sure some of you are familiar with these ideas already, but I'd figured I'd share for those who do a little less cooking.

Onions

Onions can be a pain, especially when you need to chop or dice a large quantity. From watching my mom and Rob's mom I've picked up this quick method to easily dispatch onions and end up with perfectly sized pieces:

1. After peeling, cut the onion vertically from stem end to root end. You should be cutting through both ends so that each half still has its own root and stem. If you do this incorrectly, you'll end up with one half with an intact stem, and one half with an intact root.


2. Place the cut side flat down on the board and slice off the stem end. Being careful not to cut through the hairy root node, make parallel vertical slices while moving from one side of the onion to the other. The spacing between the slices partly determines the size of your dicing. If you need very small pieces, make a few parallel horizontal cuts moving from top to bottom (you should be looking at the broad, flat surface of your knife, not the top edge).


3. Starting with what used to be the stem end, make vertical slices that run perpendicular to the vertical slicings you made in step two.



By the way, if you're just simply slicing or quartering onion, Mara recommends submerging them in water while cutting in order to reduce the pungent chemical release. Sharp knives always help because you crush fewer odor producing plant cells.

Garlic

I love garlic. I'm pretty sure that you can never have enough garlic in recipes that call for this ingredient, so if you have less of a fondness than I do, you might want to consider using a smaller amount in the recipes that I post. But I really don't recommend reducing your garlic! A lot of people don't like prepping garlic though because as with onions, garlic is very pungent and in addition can be quite sticky. It can also be a royal pain to remove the outer skin. That's why you need one of these:


It's just a little rubber tube that you can use to remove the papery outer skin. Simply insert clove into tube, roll around vigorously, and dump out your freshly disrobed garlic. Cut off the knobby root end of the clove and you're good to go. How to remove the sticky garlic ooze from your fingers? I've heard that rubbing your fingers in sugar works, but I've never tried that myself. If you rinse off with hot water and soap before your fingers dry, that should work. Also, surprisingly, washing up with toothpaste removes most icky things, including shark oil, which I'm sure only a small number of you ever have a problem with....

Olive Oil

You probably won't catch me using cutesy oil terms like "evoo" on here. One, olive oil is pretty much the oldest condiment on the planet and cooing "evoo" seems disrespectful in some way. Second, it reminds me of "evo", the dry food that my cats get. Third, it's really up to you if you want to buy and use this sometimes ridiculously expensive food item. Is it necessary? No. Does it really add more flavor? Yes. If money wasn't an obstacle would you use it all the time? No.

In fact, there are many situations where you should use regular or lite olive oil. One of these times is when you're going to be frying food in olive oil. Olive oil has a low smoking point, which means that when it gets very hot it burns unpleasantly. This is why olive oil is not used in deep fryers. Virgin and extra virgin have even lower smoking points than regular olive oil. In general, if you want to add a deep olive-oily flavor to food, use virgin or extra virgin. If that's not a big deal to you, or if the oil is only being used to add texture or moisture to a dish and the other ingredients will hide the flavor anyway, go ahead and use regular. Regular and lite olive oils have such a mild flavor that you can easily use them in place of canola, vegetable, and peanut oil....unless of course you're deep frying! Some quick guidelines:

- Virgin or Extra as a dressing in salads, as a condiment, in cold foods, in sauces that aren't cooked for a long time and you want the fruity olive flavor
- Regular or lite for lightly frying, sauteing, baking into foods, and for sauces where the oil is merely a vessel for holding other flavors like pepper, garlic, wine, etc.

By the way, I buy regular olive oil by the gallon or more because I use a lot if it. I buy small bottles of higher quality oil because virgin and extra don't keep as long and fresh oil tastes much better (if your oil actually goes bad, you'll know, whew). Different kinds of olives and different companies produce very differently tasting oils. Try some to see what you like. If you're really picky you might discover that you only like certain brands of oil in particular dishes! Personally I like Central Market's extra virgin because it has a nice flavor and is a super value for what you get (compare the unit prices because oils come in a ridiculous variety of bottle shapes and sizes). Always store in a cool dark place! Sunlight is evil.

Pesto

Fresh pesto, though seemingly sophisticated, is one of the tastiest and easiest recipes that you could ever ask for. Unless of course you don't like basil. There are lots of fun, modern takes on pesto using other base ingredients...sort of analogous to "italian salsa" or "mexican spaghetti", but the traditional version involves mostly fresh basil and olive oil. As I'm sure you know, pesto is great on bread or crackers as an appetizer or over pasta in place of other sauces. Other creative uses of pesto include as a topping for chicken or other meat, especially grilled, or swirled into soup as a garnish. The cheese in this recipe is optional but I think it adds a nice tang. Also I love cheese.

Pesto
Time: 5-10 minutes

2.5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh basil (must be fresh, NOT dried; very full tablespoons)
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese (grated blends better)
1 small or 1/2 large clove of garlic, peeled, "knot" cut off

Place all of the ingredients in a mini food chopper/processor or a blender. Go. If you double or triple the recipe, use proportionately less oil (don't double or triple the amount).

It's really that easy if you have a little chopper (1-3 cup electric type, see pic). If you don't have one I highly recommend getting one. They're pretty cheap and make many kitchen tasks go more quickly and easily. Also most have dishwasher safe parts. If you still refuse to get one, you can make the pesto by hand by slicing up the basil and garlic as small as possible, making sure the cheese is finely grated, and then combining everything in a bowl. By the way, it's also fairly important to use extra virgin or another good quality olive oil because the flavor is an integral part of the pesto.



For a special touch, mix in whole pine nuts (pignolis) after chopping and mixing. By the way, pesto apparently freezes really well. Many food-sites suggest freezing little portions in ice-cubes trays and then transfering the blocks to freezer bags for long-term storage. This is a great idea if you grow your own basil and want to have large amounts of pesto around for the winter. Actually, in Texas you can probably grow the stuff almost year round!

Pork Posole (sort of)

Posole is a traditional soup or stew from Latin America. It's usually associated with mexico, especially as a holiday meal, but the basic recipe predates Europeans in this hemisphere. Real Posole, the type Crystal and Mara's grandmothers probably made, is slow cooked and take hours to complete...delicious and special. I can envision Crystal and Mara giving me a lecture on why this cheat recipe really isn't posole, but hey, it's fast and tasty, and uses many of the same ingredients. I like to make a big batch on a sunday night and take leftovers for lunch during the week. This freezes pretty well, too, if you would like to keep a few pre-portioned lunches or dinners stored away for when there isn't time to cook at all.

Pork Posole (sort of)
Time: 1 hour (but half of that is "stewing" and you can go do something else)
servings: 4-6

olive oil (about one tablespoon)
1 medium-sized onion
2 celery stalks
2-3 medium carrots, peeled
4 garlic cloves
1 pound pork tenderloin (pork sirloin probably works, too, and is less expensive)
5 cups chicken broth
2 cans of hominy, 15oz each, drained (the name sounds weird, but it's just specially prepared corn; gold or white, your choice...sometimes I use both *gasp*)
2 cans diced green chiles, 7oz each (pick your hotness level)
4 teaspoons ground cumin
4 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 cup fresh cilantro (if you like cilantro, don't skip this, adds a lot of flavor)
salt (to taste, but you probably won't need any unless you get very low sodium broth)

Make sure your pot is at least 5 quarts. Chop the onion, celery, and carrots. You should aim for small pieces, about 1/4 inch cubes. Chop the garlic even smaller. (I'll write some tips for quickly dispatching onions later). Heat oil in the pot using medium-high heat and add all the ingredients you just chopped (It's totally ok to add the stuff to the pot as you chop and add oil and heat after. Just remember that it will take a few minutes extra cooking time, though it will also save some dish-washing. Cook the veggies until softened, about 6 or 7 minutes, stirring intermittently. While they cook, cut up the pork into 1/2 inch cubes. When the veggies are soft, add the pork to the pot, stir every once in a while, and cook until pork is no longer pink on the outside. Add the broth, hominy, chiles, cumin, and chili powder. Let this come to a boil and then lower the heat to something between medium and low. Simmer for at least a half-hour. You can go longer if you want, it can only get better and you can do other stuff while it cooks. Just before serving, add the cilantro and stir until wilted.



Sometimes I like to serve this with or over rice to give it a bit more substance.

Summer Pasta

Welcome to the Short Rib! For the first post I'd like to share a simple recipe that's perfect for the hot days of the summer. This is a pasta dish that can be served warm or cold and the leftovers are especially good after melding in the fridge over night. Consider this a basic plan with a lot of room for imagination. The possibilities are endless.

Orzo with Fresh Tomatoes, Chic Peas, and Feta Cheese
Total time: 20 minutes (really!)
Servings: 4-6

1/2 pound of orzo or other small pasta
3 large or 4 small tomatoes, ripe
1 can (14.5oz) chic peas (aka garbanzo beans)
Crumbled feta cheese
Olive oil (preferably virgin or extra-virgin)
salt

Fill a 5 quart pot (or something similar) halfway with water. Cover and bring to boil. Add pasta, stir immediately to prevent sticking, and turn the heat down to medium. While the water boils and the pasta cooks, cut up the tomatoes and add to a large bowl. It's really up to you how small or large to cut the tomatoes...either neat wedges or diced...I usually shoot for something in the middle. Include the juicy centers because they help coat the pasta. Next, drain and rinse the beans and then add those to the tomatoes. Add salt a few pinches at a time, to taste. You really must taste things or you'll never be able to figure out what your food is going to come out like. Same goes for the pasta, try a little as you think it's getting near done. Small shapes take about 10 minutes, but this always varies. Drain the pasta in a colander with very small holes to make sure the orzo doesn't slip through. A large strainer will work, too. Rise with a little cold water to stop the cooking process and to cool the pasta. Add the pasta to the bowl with the tomatoes and beans and immediately add olive oil and mix to prevent sticking. You can use any oil, but virgin or extra will add more flavor and you won't need as much. I used less than a quarter cup this last time. Add a little, mix, add a little, mix. Everything should be coated, but you don't want to end up with a puddle at the bottom. Taste! You should be able to taste the oil. Finally, mix in about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of feta. Again, this is really up to you. We like a lot of cheese. Eat now or chill for a while and eat later.

Feel free to tweak this as you go. Fresh herbs like basil are always great. This recipe also works really nicely with the addition of balsamic vinegar. One of my favorite variations is pasta, tomatoes, great northern beans (a type of white bean), oil, and balsamic. The northern beans tend to be less firm than other types of beans and lend a creaminess to the sauce. Get creative and change the vegetables, add chicken, try a new cheese. Other pastas that work great (and are easier to work with than orzo) are the classic italian soup pastas such as ditalini, tiny bow ties, and small shells.

Pre cheese-mixing. The pasta is ditalini.