Healthy and Hearty Pasta of the Month - Orecchiette with Sausage

 Usually, healthy in the eating arena means a stick of carrot or celery.  Hearty describes a soup or stew!  But, when you can attest to losing weight while eating delicious pasta that is healthy and hearty,  I'll be the first one to "belly up" to the table.

Trust me on this one....Instead of using olive oil, this recipe called for chicken broth.  You can also use kale or chard, but I used spinach.  With the addition of fennel seeds, red chili flakes, garlic and mushrooms, I transformed this, otherwise bland recipe, into a quilt free feast!

Orecchiette with Sausage

2 cups orecchiette, little hat or ear shaped pasta

large pot of boiling salted water

about 4 links of sweet or hot Italian sausage (I used sweet but added red chili flakes for heat and spice)

5-6 mushrooms, sliced

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tsp red chili flakes

1 tsp fennel seeds

2-3 cups fresh spinach, chopped

1 cup fat free chicken broth

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated


Method:

Cook the pasta in the boiling water according to the direction.

While the pasta is cooking, place the sausage which has been removed from the casing into a large skillet.  On medium heat brown and break up with a wooden spoon as you go.  Add the mushrooms, garlic, chili flakes, fennel seeds and spinach.  Stir until spinach is limp, for a few minutes.

Add the broth, scraping the bottom and sides of the pan to loosen all that flavor.  Cover and reduce the heat, cooking for a few more minutes (2-3).  Drain the pasta, add to the skillet and stir until mixed well.

This serves 4 servings of 1 1/2 cups each.  Sprinkle a bit  (1/8 cup) of Parmesan for one serving.  Enjoy!

Best Recipe of the Year - The Award Goes To...

I decided to look back through the year and come up with the "winning" recipes of my red kitchen carpet.  The Oscars of my food world!  The selection process wasn't as easy as I thought it would be.  These may not be your favorites, but they were mine for one reason or another.  Enjoy!

The award for most ambitious in preparation goes to:

Roasted Red Pepper Ravioli.  I admit this was a lot of work but definitely worth the effort.

The most votes for a repeat performance goes to my Flat bread Pizzas.  I NEVER get tired of pizza!

For the most innovative recipe, the award goes to Margarita Shrimp.  Light and tangy...perfect for that warm Summer dinner.

If you want a dish that's comforting...the award goes to Mushroom Hazelnut Tagliatelle.

Last, but not least, a dessert that will transport you to the the South of France or Amalfi Coast....my Lemon Lavender Bars!!  I guarantee, these will melt in your mouth! 

Vegetable Barley Soup

There's nothing like a steamy bowl of soup when the weather outside holds such a chill.  Just last week I was sitting in the yard soaking up some much needed sun.  This week..hello Winter!  So, I'm not ready to put away my soup pot, yet!

I haven't done much with barley in the past, but after researching its properties it could become a front runner in my kitchen.  Here's an excerpt from the Grain Council.

• Barley, like all whole grains, reduces blood pressure.
• Eating barley has been shown to lower LDL "bad" cholesterol and may help reduce the risk of heart disease.
• A flood of recent research indicates that barley's ability to control blood sugar may be exceptional, offering an important tool against rising rates of diabetes.
• Barley has more protein than corn, brown rice, millet, sorghum or rye, and is higher in fiber and lower in soluble (starch) carbohydrates than almost all other whole grains.
• Barley may help you feel full longer, and thereby help you control your weight.
• Barley – even pearl barley – may help reduce visceral fat and waist circumference.

Vegetable Barley Soup

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

3 button mushrooms, chopped (optional)

1/2 cup barley

1-2 cups water

4 cups chicken broth

1 cup or more of leftover cooked chicken thighs, cut up

handful of chopped spinach

2 Tbsp parsley

salt and pepper to taste

In a soup pot saute the onions, garlic, carrots, celery and mushrooms  in a small amount (1 Tbsp) of oil, until soft.    Add the barley and stir around for about 2 minutes.  Add the water and chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Add the chicken, spinach and parsley, cover and reduce heat to a simmer.  Cook for about 40-45 minutes or until the barley is done.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serves 4-6 people.

Tidbit for the day:  Barley is February's "grain of the month"...Who knew?

Spicy Home Made Black Bean Burgers

Yet, another "first" for me.  Making your own veggie burgers are simple, but, why haven't I made these sooner?  Mostly, because it's easier to pluck them from the store's freezer.  They are a great alternative to regular meat burgers packed with healthy ingredients.   If you have a food processor that's sitting in the deep dark shadows of your pantry, I challenge you to drag it out and whip these up.

Spicy Black Bean Burgers

1/4 yellow onion, chopped

1-2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup chopped mushrooms

1/2 cup quick cooking oatmeal

1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp egg beaters

1 tsp parsley

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/8 tsp chili powder

1/4 cup panko or seasoned breadcrumbs

Place ALL the ingredients into the food processor and begin to pulse, scraping sides when needed.  You still want a bit of texture so don't pulse into a puree.  

Form into patties and place each on waxed paper.  Put in the freezer for about 30 minutes, then remove and cook.  Spray a skillet with pan spray and grill on each side for about 5-6 minutes.  Make a better burger out of these.

Recommendation:  Since this was my first time creating these, I have some hints for next time.  I like more crunch so will be adding sunflower seeds, more spice and reserve about 2 Tbsp of the black beans to give them a chunkier texture.  Just a thought!

What's for Valentine's Day?

The jury is still out...I'm undecided on what to prepare for Valentine's day.  I pondered over meals from the past celebrations to get a few ideas.  Last year I prepared veal cutlets, orzo and asparagus, really nothing special.  But, the over the top creation was my "Kiss of Provence" cocktail with lavender and lemon flavors!

Two years ago, I prepared fillet mignon topped with prawns and a butterscotch mini bundt cake for dessert.  This year I'm at a loss for inspiration, believe it or not.  I'm leaning towards a seafood homemade pasta dish with a simple dessert.  I know, some of you are thinking, "Wait a minute.  Aren't you supposed to go out to dinner on Valentine's Day?"  Well, we've done that in the past and usually it's not a pleasant experience.  The service is never attentive because most good restaurants overbook on this day.  Chances of your food being cold are great.  And, last but not least, the ambiance is usually not as romantic as you can create at home.

With that said, why not create some tasty finger food items and feed them to each other.  Maybe these marzipan tartlettes could be included.  Marzipan is pretty much a thick almond paste.

Marzipan Tartlettes

1 ready made pie crust, or you can make your own

8 oz of marzipan paste

1 egg, beaten


I used my round ravioli cutter to get the shape.  Roll out the dough.  Starting at one end, place a teaspoon of the marzipan on the dough and fold the end over so it's covered.  Use the ravioli cutter to cut and seal at the same time.  Move on to the next.  Make as many as you can from the dough.  Bundle the leftover dough back into a ball and roll out to make more.  I did this a few times to use up the dough and marzipan.  Place each tartlette onto a parchment covered sheet pan.  Brush with egg and bake.  350 degrees until nicely browned.  Cool completely.  These are better the next day.  Just pop them into your lover's mouth!  Happy Valentine's Day whatever you decide to do or make!