Sunday's Supper/Marukan Chicken

Yes, it's me, a real post!

This winter has been very quiet blog wise, but full of so many other adventures. Sadly, I have allowed blog posts to slide. A friend whom I met through the blog sent a note yesterday, "just checking on you!" Funny how something like a quick note can have such a huge impact. And so, I'm back :)

I do have a soup recipe to share. I'll post it later this week, but I just have to share this recipe with you! It is not my own invention, and I can't remember how I found it, but I am SO glad that I did. While my diet is basically a vegetarian diet, and one that tends to be even vegan, from time to time, I will make a chicken dish. My husband tells everyone that he is vegetarian by proxy, in other words, he eats what I cook ;) So, from time to time, I give in and give him a treat. 

Now, doesn't this look amazing?!!!

This is a picture that I took of my finished dish, and trust me, it's as delicious as it looks.

The recipe calls for bone in chicken thighs. I used boneless, and I don't think it affected the outcome in the least bit. I also used 6 oz. of dried apricots rather than the 8 oz. that are called for. I had most everything on hand, except for the olives. With all the grocery store shortages, I thought that I might not get what I wanted. What I found, and felt worked perfectly were Mezzetta Pitted Castelvetrano Italian Olives. 

*A note;
Do not leave out the apricots! I know the combination of ingredients sounds a bit strange, but it all works. My husband had seconds, and wanted more, but there was dessert :)

Marukan Chicken with Apricots and Olives

1 hour 30 minutes

6 Servings

1/2 Cup

Marukan Seasoned Gourmet Rice Vinegar

1/4 Cup + 2 Tbsp

Olive Oil

1 tsp

Thyme, dried

8

Chicken Thighs, bone-in

To Taste

Kosher or Fine Sea Salt

To Taste

Black Pepper

1

White Onion, cut in half then sliced

4 Cloves

Garlic, minced

1 1/2 Cup

Low Sodium Gluten Free Chicken Broth

4

Bay Leaves, small

8 oz

Apricots, dried

2 Cups

Sicilian Olives, pitted and smashed

For Garnish

Paprika

For Garnish

Parsley chopped

Instructions;

Combine Marukan Seasoned Gourmet Rice Vinegar with 1⁄4 cup olive oil and thyme. Set aside. Remove the skin and excess fat from the chicken thighs and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven or stock pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken, in batches, meaty side down, and brown well on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pot, add the onion along with a big pinch of salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring for 30 seconds. Add the vinegar mixture to the pot and cook, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan, for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and bay leaves, stir to combine and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the sauce is just beginning to thicken slightly. Add the apricots and olives, stir to combine, and nestle the chicken thighs into the mixture. Cover the pot and cook for 40 minutes. Remove the lid and cook for another 15 minutes. Sprinkle the top with paprika and chopped parsley and serve with rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice.

Recipe Credit: Simply Gluten Free

You can find a printable version of the recipe HERE

 This is a company worthy dish. I really think you'll love it. There are lots of interesting recipes on the Marukan website, so check  them out :) 

Hope you are all well!
Rhonda

Sunday's Supper/Eggplant Frikadellen

I  always find it interesting how one idea can lead to another, and sometimes, better than the first! Last week I shared an eggplant, kale, and chickpea stew. A few of you wrote in and said that you gave it a try and loved it. I'm so happy :) 

I LOVE eggplant! I think it's great in so many dishes. I have an eggplant casserole that I will share in the near future. Makes the perfect side dish. As I cooked the eggplant for the stew, the thought occurred to me, what if I pureed the eggplant and made it into patties?    

Well, I was not disappointed. What I ended up with was a patty that is great as a main dish, but will work well with pasta, and in a sandwich. When my husband tried the patty, he said, this is like Frikadellen, a German meat patty. 

To make the patties, begin with cubing the eggplant, and sprinkling it with salt. For this recipe, I allowed the salted eggplant to sit overnight in the refrigerator. The skin was left on the eggplant, why get rid of good vitamins? When I was ready to cook the eggplant, it was rinsed well and dried on paper towels.

Olive oil was heated in a large pan. The eggplant added and cooked until golden brown. 2 minced cloves of garlic were added and allowed to cook about a minute longer. 

The eggplant/garlic mixture  was then placed in a food processor and pureed until smooth.

Beaten eggs, minced parsley, Italian bread crumbs, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, chopped walnuts, green onions, and dried oregano were mixed together. 

Then the pureed eggplant/garlic mixture was added, mixed well, and formed into patties. 

The patties were then placed in a hot pan with olive oil and allowed to brown, about 3 minutes on each side
.

After cooking, I drained the patties on paper towels, and then dug in! The patties can be frozen prior to cooking, so cook what you would like, and save the rest for another meal.  

Eggplant Frikadellen
Makes about 10 patties

ingredients;
2 medium eggplant cubed (do not peel)
2 cloves finely minced garlic
1 tablespoon salt
2 eggs beaten
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup finely minced parsley
3 green onions thinly sliced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and black pepper to taste

directions;
Place eggplant in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon salt. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Drain and rinse eggplant well. Dry on paper towels, or a clean kitchen towel. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large nonstick pan. Add eggplant and cook until golden brown. Add garlic and saute another minute to release flavor. 
Place eggplant/garlic mixture in a food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.

Combine beaten eggs, shredded cheese, parsley, bread crumbs, walnuts, green onions, and oregano. Add pureed eggplant and mix well. Form mixture into hamburger sized patties. 

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in large nonstick pan. Place 5 patties in pan. Cook on each side until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Remove patties from pan and place on paper towels to drain. Repeat with remaining patties. 

Serve with mashed potatoes, or over pasta with your favorite tomato sauce. The patties are also delicious as a vegetarian burger! 

If you give the patties a try, I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!
Rhonda

Sunday's Supper/Zucchini Pie

I just love when all the fresh vegetables begin to make their way into the market. When I was growing up, we ate squash, but it was always yellow squash. I had never heard of zucchini squash until we moved to Chicago. But, it was love at first bite. There are so many dishes that can be made, everything from zucchini bread, to pasta dishes. 

I especially love Zucchini Pie, or some would say quiche. My recipe is super simple, and minus the crust!   

I begin by cutting up 3 medium size zucchini.

A little spice is always a good thing in my book, and I especially like this cheese from Boar's Head. It is a bit spicy, so if you would prefer, a colby/jack blend without the peppers will work just fine. 

The zucchini is sauteed in a little olive oil with garlic until tender. Salt, black pepper, oregano, along with the cubed cheese is added to the sauteed zucchini, and placed in a greased pie dish.

Three beaten eggs are then poured over the zucchini cheese mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 40 minutes, or until eggs are set.

Allow the pie to cool slightly, about 10 minutes before cutting. Slice, serve, and devour!

This pie is great for breakfast, lunch and dinner. If serving for breakfast, add a fruit salad on the side. For lunch or dinner, a nice green salad, or a cup of soup will be perfect. 

Here's the recipe...

Zucchini Pie

ingredients;
3 medium zucchini sliced into small pieces. 
2 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
1 cup colby/jack 
3 eggs beaten
2 tablespoons olive oil

directions;
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Saute zucchini and garlic in olive oil until tender, about 15 minutes. Combine zucchini with cubed cheese, salt, pepper, dried oregano and pour in greased pie dish. Pour beaten eggs over zucchini mixture. Stir slightly to distribute eggs evening through zucchini.
Place in preheated oven and bake for approximately 40 minutes, or until eggs are set and pie is browned.

Allow pie to cool slightly before slicing, about 10 minutes. 

Hope you enjoy your zucchini pie as much as I enjoyed mine!

Rhonda

Sunday's Supper/Chicken Pot Pie With Puff Pastry Crust

My husband tells people that he's a vegetarian by proxy, in other words, he eats what I cook :-) I think he may want people to feel sorry for him, but actually, it's worked out rather well as when he goes in for his yearly checkup, the doctor tells him that if all of his patients were like the 2 of us, he wouldn't have a practice! But, from time to time, I do feel a little sorry for him and make a none vegetarian meal. He's like a kid in a candy store...beyond excited!!
As I've shared in the past, I love the blog Design Sponge. It's just a well of great information and inspiration. From time to time, they do an article on a chef, or just share a recipe that sparks my interest. My husband absolutely loves chicken pot pie. If I'm out of town and he's on his own for supper, he is very likely to head to the store and buy a frozen pie. In my opinion, not the best. so when I saw this recipe, I decided to treat him to a lovely homemade chicken pot pie. He was in heaven!
Below is the pie featured on the Design Sponge blog. It does look great! You can find the original recipe HERE.  

Since the recipe calls for frozen puffed pastry, the pie is really quite easy to put together.  
As usual, I made a few changes, actually, just additions. The recipe calls for 2 Idaho potatoes, or as my grandmother always called them, Irish potatoes. I used only 1 potato and added a rutabaga turnip. I love the sharper taste of the rutabaga, and I especially like how it blends with the other vegetables. I also added a half pound of baby portobello mushrooms.   

Above is a picture of Chef Shields' pot pie ingredients, and below you see mine. The mushrooms were added after I cooked the onions, carrots and celery. In the picture below, I have yet to add the chicken. 

The addition of the rutabaga turnip was perfect and I liked the added color. 

So now an apology is in order as I completely forgot to take a picture of my pie before my husband tore into it. At least you can see that it was a hit! 

Be sure to add salt and pepper to taste. If you look closely, you'll see that I used quite a bit of black pepper. 
The recipe makes up quite a large batch of the filling for the pie. So much so that I had enough to freeze for a second pie. The dish that you see above is a fairly large size casserole bowl. 
The pie is so lovely when it comes out of the oven. This would make for a wonderful meal to serve for a casual at home dinner with friends. Pair it with a salad and I think all will be quite satisfied. Just a great comfort meal.  
If you give it a try, I hope you enjoy it as much as my husband did!
Rhonda
BTW, in case you are wondering about what I ate, I chopped up extra vegetables for me, and basically followed the recipe except using a vegetable stock. So more vegetables and no chicken. The recipe will adapt easily to a vegetarian version.

Sunday's Supper/Fettuccine with Walnuts, Lemon and Herbs

Happy Sunday All! I'm quite early with this post today, and it may be a good thing as it will give you time to pop over to the store and pick up any ingredients that you don't have and make this pasta for yourself. Trust me, your mouth will be happy if you do :) Aromatic herbs, lemon and walnuts over pasta? YUM!!!
The recipe that I'm sharing today comes from a very interesting website called, Not Without Salt. The blog is written by Ashley who began her career plating desserts at Spago in Beverly Hills. On her way to becoming a pastry chef, she found out she was pregnant, and life changed. Ashley believes that good food is simple, and her blog is about helping us eat well and enjoy the process of cooking. Her posts are beautifully written. 
This pasta is so easy to make and there are only a few ingredients, but the flavor almost jumps out of the bowl.

The recipe that is posted was adapted from a recipe found on another website, so changes are easy to make based on your tastes. Once again, I made a few changes.
You can find the recipe HERE, and my changes are below. 
*I used 2 cups of chopped parsley rather than just 1.
*Rather than just the rosemary, I used a mix of fresh rosemary and thyme.
*I added broccoli to my pasta
*I used Romano rather than Parmesan cheese. I like the sharper taste of Romano cheese.
*And finally, I added a little of my red pepper mix. I like to grow Habeneros, Cayenne, and Jalapenos in the summer. Once they are harvested, I let them dry and then I grind them down to use as seasoning.     

The fresh herbs and the grated lemon rind smelled heavenly as they cooked. 

When I add broccoli to my pasta, I like to add the broccoli to the boiling pasta 2 minutes before the pasta is ready to drain. Works perfectly. The broccoli is steamed and yet still has a bit of a crunch. 

All the ingredients have been combined and the pasta is ready to serve. 

My husband said that the addition of the walnuts made the pasta all the more special.
This is a pasta that not only your family will enjoy, but it would be lovely for a dinner party as well. In fact, I don't think anyone would miss not having meat. The pasta would be great paired with the Tomato and Roasted Lemon Salad that I posted HERE.
Enjoy!
Rhonda

Sunday's Supper/Mushroom, Kale and Wild Rice Casserole

I love going through Pinterest and finding dishes that look so good that I can almost taste them right through the screen. In fact, if I'm hungry, I'll pin recipe after recipe. Sometimes I look back and wonder what I was thinking ;) 

When I saw the recipe that I'm sharing today, I was hungry, but I didn't have time to make it at that point. Well, my wait was rewarded as this is a delicious meal. It's a little rich, as it includes butter, cream, and cheese. Oh well, a little butter, cream, and cheese is a good thing, every once in a  while :)

The picture below is from The Kitchen Paper website. Doesn't this look good?!!

And here's mine.

Full of mushrooms and kale!

I made just a few small changes. 
The recipe says to cut your onions into thin rings. I chopped my onions. 
I used a smoked Gruyere cheese. I really like the smoked flavor. If by chance you can't get Gruyere, mozzarella would be a fine substitute.
The recipe calls for fresh oregano. I forgot to buy fresh oregano, and I didn't have any dried oregano, so I substituted Herbs de Provence.  I think I might like the flavor better.
The recipe is fairly large, so rather than putting the entire amount into 1 large casserole dish, I divided into 2 and put 1 in the freezer for another time. I love cooking once and having multiple meals :)  

This is a dish you can make as a main course, or a side dish. If you are having someone come for dinner who is a vegetarian, this dish coupled with a salad will make them quite happy. And then serve it to the rest of your guests as a side dish. 

You can find a printable version of the recipe HERE. 

Hope you enjoy it!

Rhonda

Sunday's Supper

No soup today, but what I do have to share, YOU MUST MAKE!!!! It's beyond good!
I am trying to incorporate into my diet as many vegetables as I possibly can that contain vitamins that are good for my eyes, like carrots, sweet potatoes, any yellow or orange squash and lots of deep green leafy vegetables. Now you know how much I enjoy Design Sponge and I especially love reading the recipes they showcase, so when I came across this lasagna recipe, I couldn't wait to give it a try.

Doesn't it look good??? Well, it really is!.
The recipe is from a brand new cookbook The Yellow Table, A Celebration of Everyday Gatherings. Love the title. Design Sponge has featured 2 of her recipes in the past, sadly neither of which I've tried, but I will now. One of the things that drew me to this recipe is the vegetable packed sauce.

There are carrots, celery, onions, fresh basil and tomatoes. I added mushrooms and thought they made a nice addition. The ricotta is mixed with 8 cups of freshly sauteed spinach. So you can see, this recipe covers just about all the  vegetables that I'm looking for. You can find the original recipe here on the Design Sponge blog. As per usual, I did make a few changes, nothing earth shaking, but those will be highlighted in red.

Spinach and Turkey Lasagna

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 pound lean ground turkey (I used fresh chicken sausage and a full pound)
Fine sea salt and freshly ground  black pepper
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced (I used 2 large carrots)
2 ribs celery, diced (3 ribs of celery)
1 small onion, diced (1 large onion)
8 oz. small portobello mushrooms, sliced, sauteed with vegetables4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes with juices(and 1 small can of tomato sauce)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (I omitted the vinegar)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil, divided
8 packed cups baby spinach
8 ounces fresh ricotta (15 oz. of ricotta) 
8-10 no-boil lasagna noodles
2 cups shredded mozzarella
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, added to the sauce

In a heavy-bottomed, large pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and cook, using a wooden spoon to break up the meat, until it’s browned and no more pink remains, 6-7 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the turkey to a paper towel-lined plate to drain; do not clean the pot.

Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to the pot and place over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery, and onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Crush the tomatoes with your hand (or a wooden spoon) and add them, along with the juices, to the pot. Season to taste with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 30-45 minutes. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and sugar then taste the sauce, and season with additional salt and pepper if necessary. Stir in the turkey and ¼ cup of the basil. Remove from the heat.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add about 4 cups of the spinach and sauté, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper then use tongs to transfer the spinach to a colander to drain. Repeat the process with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and the remaining 4 cups spinach. Let cool slightly.

Transfer the wilted spinach to a medium bowl, add the ricotta and the remaining ¼ cup basil and stir to combine. (I also added garlic powder to the mixture) Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

In a small bowl, stir together the mozzarella and Parmesan and set aside.

Spread a thin layer of turkey-tomato sauce on the bottom of a 9×13-inch ceramic or glass casserole dish. Arrange 1 layer of lasagna noodles on top of the sauce (it’s OK if they overlap a bit). Spread half of the ricotta mixture over the noodles and sprinkle with 1 cup of the shredded cheese mixture. Spoon half of the sauce over the cheese. Repeat the layers — noodles, ricotta, cheese, and sauce — then top with the remaining cheese. (If you prefer to make 3 layers instead of 2, just create thinner layers and add an extra layer of noodles.) Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, about 15 minutes. If you want, broil the lasagna for 30 seconds to make the top a little bit crispy!

This recipe would work well as a vegetarian lasagna, just omit the meat.

I have not served the lasagna yet, but just to prove that I have taken a bite ;), here's a picture showing a hole of missing lasagna!!!

Based on this recipe, this might be a cookbook that I need to add to my library. If you love lasagna and you love vegetables, you'll love this version!!!

Sunday's Supper

When fall rolls around, one of my favorite dishes to make is a simple pasta with cabbage and sage. It's very easy to make and it nourishes my soul. A friend recently sent me a couple of cabbages from his garden and I immediately knew what I would do with them. If you love pasta, but would rather cut down a bit on the carbs, give this recipe a try! I cook the cabbage with the pasta. As the cabbage cooks, it flavors the pasta.
Be sure to use fresh sage and chives. I grow both, but you can also find the fresh herbs in your grocery store.
If you would like a meat option, bacon, ham or a chicken sausage makes a nice addition.

Cabbage Pasta with Sage and Chives

Ingredients;
1 small cabbage coarsely chopped
1/2 bag of whole wheat spaghetti
1/2 cup of chopped chives
3 tablespoons of chopped sage
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 large clove of garlic chopped
1 cup of milk
1 tablespoon of cornstarch
1 tablespoon of butter
1 cup of grated Asiago Cheese(Parmesan is a nice alternative)
salt and black pepper to taste
red pepper optional
Meat of your choice

1.Fill a large pot with water and add a tablespoon of salt to the water. Bring to a boil.
2.Saute chopped garlic in olive oil over medium heat, just until it begins to turn golden. Add sage, chives(reserve a little of the chives and the sage to sprinkle over pasta) and red pepper. Saute for a minute or so just to release flavors. Set aside.
3.In a separate pan, add the corn starch. Slowly add milk, stirring constantly. Add the butter and continue to stir until mixture just begins to thicken. Add garlic and herb mixture, 1/2 cup of cheese and set aside. If adding meat, cook separately and then add to sauce at this time.
4.Once water begins to boil, add pasta and cabbage. Boil until pasta is cooked. Drain cabbage and pasta mixture and place in serving bowl.

5. Pour sauce over pasta. Toss well to combine.
6. Sprinkle pasta with reserved herbs and cheese and serve.

Enjoy!!!
Rhonda