Italian Salsa Pasta

July 24, 2023 By

It’s tomato season and my plants are producing the sweetest tomatoes this year. In addition to my own tomatoes, I’m also getting some from a local farm whose CSA program I’m a member of. So many tomatoes!!

I’m always looking for quick meals I can make using my produce, so that’s how this Italian Salsa Pasta recipe came from. I literally throw tomatoes, basil and garlic in the blender to create a salsa that I then toss in a pan with olive oil to quickly cook then toss with cooked pasta and diced fresh Mozzarella.

The plus is that it’s perfect for #MeatlessMonday and literally takes 15 minutes to make!

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups tomatoes
  • 10 fresh basil leaves
  • 1 large garlic clove
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ tsp. each red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper
  • ½ pound dry pasta, cooked one minute less than recommended on the packaging (I typically use penne)
  • ½ cup cubed, fresh Mozzarella
  • 2 Tbsp. freshly-grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

  1. In a blender or food processor, add the tomatoes, the basil and the garlic. Pulse until well blended, 15-20 seconds.
  2. Warm the oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat for 30 seconds. Add the oil and spices and cook for 10 seconds.
  3. Reduce heat to medium and add the salsa to the hot oil and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and gently stir to coat. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
  5. Take the pan off the heat and add the Mozzarella to the pasta and stir to combine. 
  6. Serve with a dusting of Parmesan cheese.

Makes 2 servings.

Filed Under: Cheese, Italian, Pasta, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , ,
19 December 2022 Easy Garlic Confit

Easy Garlic Confit

December 19, 2022 By

I have a jar of this fantastic concoction in the fridge at all times. I typically make it every couple of weeks and use the oil and the cloves in a variety of things ranging from adding to potatoes I’m mashing (see picture below) to simple crostini with smacked cloves and a drizzle of oil to adding to a tomato sauce for subtle sweet garlic taste.

There’s not an actual recipe, add whole cloves to olive oil in a small pot and cook slowly. Couldn’t be easier!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups olive oil

Whole garlic cloves, I use about 40 for this quantity of oil, but lower the count for less oil

Adding cooked cloves to mashed potatoes

Directions:

Heat oil on low in a small saucepan, add the garlic and cook for 45 – 60 minutes until the cloves are soft.

Store in a glass container in the fridge for up to 10 days. I use a mason jar.

Enjoy!

Veronique

Filed Under: Italian, Sauce, Sides, Snacks, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , ,
20 October 2022 Carrot, Apple and Ginger Soup

Carrot, Apple and Ginger Soup

October 20, 2022 By

At our home, we make soup nearly every weekend when the weather’s cooler. While we have some favorites that we often default to, we also like to try new flavors to change things up.

Carrot, Apple and Ginger Soup

This week, I did a velvety, stellar carrot, apple and ginger soup that was absolute fall in a bowl.

This recipe is super simple to prepare with just a few ingredients. After simmering all the ingredients in vegetable broth, I puréed the mixture in my Vitamix until perfectly smooth.

The results were outstanding.

Soup Ingredients

Ingredients:

  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, sliced
  • 4 cups peeled and sliced carrots
  • 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh ginger
  • 1 large garlic clove, chopped
  • 1 medium apple, peeled and diced (I used a Granny Smith)
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • ½ tsp. each salt and pepper
  • ¼ cup heavy cream, optional 
Soup Simmering
Soup in Blender

Directions:

  1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the oil and warm for 1 minute.
  2. Add the onion and the carrot and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
  3. Add the ginger, the garlic and the apple and sauté an additional minute.
  4. Add the broth and spices and simmer for 30 minutes.
  5. Pour the cooled mixture in a blender (could also use a food processor) and purée until very smooth. This may need to be done in two batches depending on the size of your blender.
  6. Pour the soup back in the saucepan over medium heat and bring back to a simmer. Turn off the heat and add the cream, if using.

Serves 6.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: American, Soups, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , ,

Gilding the French Onion Soup

December 8, 2021 By

At our home, we LOVE French onion soup. When we moved into our new home recently, we unpacked everything we owned, no more bins in the attic, no more boxes in the garage, we literally unpacked the equivalent of two full kitchens! In the process, I realized that we have 10 French onion soup bowls, so I decided we need to make it more often!

Cheesy Garlic Toast
Garlic Toast French Onion Soup

While I typically use my Traditional French Onion Soup recipe, I like to tweak it now and then. This past weekend, I replaced the regular toasted French bread I normally use with toasted cheesy garlic bread and it was fabulous. Yes, I know adding cheesy bread under the cheesy topping is gilding the lily, but, why not! 

Enjoy!

Filed Under: Cheese, French, Soups, Vegetables Tagged With:
7 December 2021 World’s Best Warm Spinach and Artichoke Dip

World’s Best Warm Spinach and Artichoke Dip

December 7, 2021 By

You’re at a party and appetizers are served. Every single time, the humble spinach and artichoke dip will be king. It’s warm, comforting, gooey and so….so delicious.

This version of the popular dip features fresh spinach, which makes a huge difference in taste and texture. Serve this with either toasted French bread or with scoop chips (my favorite).

Be sure the cream cheese is at room temperature BEFORE you assemble this dish.

Ingredients:

  • 5 ounces fresh spinach
  • 1 cup sour cream (don’t use low fat), room temperature
  • One 8-ounce package cream cheese (don’t use low fat), room temperature
  • One 15-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 12 ounces shredded Mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 5 ounces shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Two big pinches each of salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. To a large bowl, add the spinach, the sour cream, the cream cheese, the artichokes, the garlic, half the Mozzarella, the Parmesan and the salt/pepper. Mix until combined.
  3. Coat a 9×9 baking dish with cooking spray (of butter well) – could also use a cast iron skillet. Spread the spinach mixture in an even layer and top with the rest of the Mozzarella.
  4. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Then tun the broiler to high and broil for 1-2 minutes or until the top of the dip is golden brown.

8-10 servings (unless you’re my gang, then it’s 4-6 servings).

Inspired by this recipe.

Filed Under: American, Appetizers, Cheese, Snacks, Starters, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: ,
20 July 2021 Easy Zucchini Orzo

Easy Zucchini Orzo

July 20, 2021 By

This orzo was in last week’s Blue Apron box and it was delicious so I thought I’d share the easy recipe with you. This side dish was served with grilled chicken but it would be great with seafood and fish also.

Zucchini Orzo with Grilled Chicken

This zucchini orzo is a breeze to prepare and a great way to use up garden zucchini which can be plentiful this time of year. This recipe makes enough for two servings, but is easy to double or triple if you have guests.

Ingredients:

  • 4 ounces orzo
  • 2 scallions
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 medium zucchini
  • 4 tsp. olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp. verjus blanc (or white wine vinegar)
  • 2 Tbsp. Mascarpone cheese
  • 1½ Tbsp. golden raisins
  • 1 Tbsp Weeknight Hero Spice Blend (Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Smoked Paprika & Whole Dried Parsley)
  • ¼ tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 Tbsp. Capers

Directions:

  1. Over high heat, place a medium pot ¾ of the way full with salted water and bring to a boil.
  2. Small dice the zucchini. Peel and roughly chop the garlic. Thinly slice the scallions, separating the white bottoms and hollow green tops.
  3. Add the orzo to the pot of boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally, 7 to 9 minutes, or until tender. Turn off the heat. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot. Cover to keep warm.
  4. In a large sauté pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the diced zucchini in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the chopped garlic and sliced white bottoms of the scallions and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened. Add the verjus (or the white wine vinegar) and cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds. Transfer to the pot of cooked orzo, drizzle with the remaining olive oil and stir to combine.
  5. To the pot of cooked pasta and zucchini, add the mascarpone, raisins, and capers and stir to combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if needed.

Makes 2 side servings.

Filed Under: American, Greek, Pasta, Sides, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , ,
3 June 2021 Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

June 3, 2021 By

This isn’t really a recipe, more of a reminder to make this Mediterranean pasta salad more often. All the ingredients can be prepped in advance. I even cook the pasta, cool it and add to a zip top bag so I don’t have to boil water the day of my BBQ. The dressing I typically use is my Easy Greek Vinaigrette which is tangy and delicious and can be made and stored in a canning jar (or other small jar).

This image of my salad is just one version. I sometimes add artichocke hearts, garbanzo beans or skip the pasta – it’s just pretty and a salad everyone enjoys.

A pound of dry pasta with the various fixings will feed eight diners.

Enjoy!

Veronique

Filed Under: American, Cheese, Greek, Pasta, Salads, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , ,
8 December 2020 Easy Potato Latkes for Beginners

Easy Potato Latkes for Beginners

December 8, 2020 By

A couple of weeks ago, I was “challenged” by the team at Yarden Wines to make latkes that could be paired with some of their fantastic wines. If you’re not yet familiar with Yarden Wines, it encompasses Golan Heights Winery and Galil Mountain Winery, located in the Golan Heights and Galilee regions of Israel. Keep an eye out for more posts about wines from Israel.

What are latkes? According to Chabad.org Latke is Yiddish for “pancake.” On Chanukah, it is traditional to serve potato latkes fried in oil to celebrate the Chanukah miracle.

While I’ve made latkes once many years ago, I’m certainly no pro at making them so I turned to Pinterest for a good recipe and easy directions. The recipe I selected is by Sue from The View from Great Island (great blog by the way and amazing photography). Sue’s recipe, HOW TO MAKE PERFECT LATKES, was so easy to follow and featured lots of photos to help me along the way.

The results, if I may say so myself, were some of the best latkes I’ve ever eaten. Crunchy, crisp on the outside, moist and tender on the inside.

Here’s a link to the recipe and below are modifications I made:

  • Used two large Russet potatoes
  • Added a pinch of nutmeg
  • Used a ¼ cup scoop to measure out the latke ‘batter’ for each portion in my cast iron pan. I like the latkes a bit bigger and a little rounder in the middle to ensure a moist inside.
  • Replace the more typical chives with green onion.
  • Skipped the apple sauce since I’m not a fan and served the latkes with sour cream.
  • Grated the potatoes and onion by hand on a box grater. While more work, I actually like doing that step by hand.
  • Gave the lakes a nice sprinkling of salt after frying when I placed them on the paper towel.

I paired the latkes with the 2019 Gilgal Chardonnay by Yarden Wines and it was terrific match. This wine retails for around $15 a bottle and a great addition to your collection.

Don’t hesitate to try this latkes recipe, it’s super great and it’ll wow your friends and family.

Happy cooking,

Veronique

Filed Under: Appetizers, Israeli, Sides, Snacks, Starters, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , ,
13 November 2020 Mediterranean Spinach and Feta Quiche

Mediterranean Spinach and Feta Quiche

November 13, 2020 By

I recently hosted a Greek-themed dinner party when I overbought a ton of ingredients (surprise surprise). With a buttery pie crust in the freezer, lots of sautéed spinach, Feta cheese, eggs and red onions on hand, I decided on a Mediterranean quiche!

Quiches are so versatile as they’re a great way to use up leftovers. This version is a vegetarian quiche but adding cooked bacon, leftover roast chicken or diced ham would also be great.

I think the crust is the most important part of a good quiche and I provide the EASY way to make a fail proof crust below where you put all the ingredients in the food processor and let it do the work – try it!

You’ll see that I added some Mozzarella for that cheesy stringy pull but replacing with all Feta would also work well.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pie crust, homemade or store-bought
  • 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • ½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ½ tsp. each salt, freshly cracked pepper and oregano
  • Big pinch of ground nutmeg
  • 2 cups cooked spinach, squeezed dry
  • 1 cup crumbled Feta cheese
  • 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Add the pie crust to a 9″ pie plate and place in the freezer for 15 minutes.
  3. In a medium sauté pan over medium high heat, add the oil and sliced onion. Cook stirring frequently until the onions have softened, about 4 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream and the spices for 60 seconds.
  5. Top the pie crust with the sautéed onion, then the spinach, then the Feta and then the Mozzarella. Place the pie plate on a baking sheet in case of spills. Carefully pour the egg mixture over the cheeses and place the quiche in the oven to bake for 40-45 minutes. The quiche is done when the center is no longer giggly. If the surface of the quiche browns quicker than the allotted time, cover loosely with foil.
  6. Allow to cool 15 minutes before serving. The quiche is great at room temperature.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Filed Under: American, Cheese, Eggs, Entrees, French, Greek, Starters, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , ,

Easy Root Vegetable Salad

October 29, 2020 By

When the weather cools off, I roast vegetables almost every Sunday. Depending on what looks good at the market, I roast beets, various squashes (butternut would be my favorite), Brussels sprouts, turnips, carrots and more. Little drizzle of olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper and into the oven we go. I find that having these cooked veggies on hand during the week can be used in so many different applications from soups to simple side dishes to pastas and in salads.

This isn’t really a recipe, but more of a reminder that root vegetables can be amazing during the week as a salad. I use a pretty bowl and add a variety of veggies, some cheese– this time it was goat cheese crumbles, maybe some dried cranberries and chopped almonds….and a killer tangy dressing, like my Easy Greek Vinaigrette. Give it all a toss and voila, a delicious meal.

Hope this post gives you some new ideas for weekday lunch salad meals.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: American, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , ,
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