Category — Recipes

Yowza, did we get some snow on Saturday night and Sunday!  I love me a good weekend snowstorm, though – nowhere to go first thing in the morning . . . we just hang out inside and watch it fall.  And then later, I hang out inside and watch my intrepid husband wrangle our giant snow-blower around for a while.  L. played in the snow a bit, but we also took the opportunity to whip up a batch of her favorite Christmas cookies, along with a big pot of this soup.  

Kale, Kielbasa & Tortellini Soup 

Heat the oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add the kielbasa, onion, garlic, thyme and red pepper and sauté until the onion is translucent and the kielbasa is brown, about 12 minutes. Add broth and bring to boil. Stir in kale and cannellini. Reduce heat to low and simmer until kale is wilted, about 4 minutes. Add the tortellini to soup*.  Simmer until pasta is just tender but still firm to the bite, about 5 minutes.  Add the soy sauce, and salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle soup into bowls. Serve, passing cheese separately. Serves 6.

*A note:  If you think you’re going to eat all the soup at once, prep it this way.  But if you think that you’re going to want to have soup as leftovers, I’d cook the tortellini according to the package directions and then add it to individual serving bowls.  Otherwise, next day you’re going to have lifeless, bloated tortellini floating in your soup, and that’s just gross.

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It’s Friday!?  It’s the last weekend before Christmas . . . breathe deeply.  I’m looking for ways to cut corners with dinner right now.  That, and the fact that very chilly winter weather has finally settled into the Boston area has me rediscovering my Crock-Pot.  I’ll be honest, I have a love-hate relationship with the thing.  Love the convenience, hate a lot of the recipes that are out there . . . mmmm, canned cream of mushroom soup, anyone? 

So where does this girl go for inspiration? 

• The number one resource I’ve found on the ‘net for slow cooking recipes is this one.  This mother set out to prep something in her slow cooker every single day for a year – so there’re lots of recipes to choose from here.  At the end of every recipe she gives a (sometimes very funny) report on what the family thought about the recipe, including the kids’ reactions.
• For more inspiration, the Better Homes & Gardens site has a whole section devoted to slow cooker recipes.
• Here’s a good thread from the Chowhound Home Cooking board re interesting slow-cooker recipes.
• This Lora Brody recipe for Moroccan Chicken With Couscous in the slow cooker is fantastic – I took the book out of the library years ago, made this, and it went immediately into the recipe box.
• Some of these recipes might be a little more complicated than what you want to make in a slow cooker, but they look very tasty – the veggie leek beef barley soup is one I want to make soon.
• OMG!  There’s an app for that . . . Crock-Pot has its own iPhone appthat’ll allow you to search for recipes.  I’m going to add this to my phone for comic relief - “look how far I’ve devolved from my lawyer-days now, people!”  You can also search recipes on the Crock-Pot site itself.
• Here are two of my own favorites, from this site – if you haven’t tried them, now might be the time.
• Or, you can take the easy way out like I did on Wednesday.  For some reason, we’d accumulated 3 open jars of spaghetti sauce in the fridge.  I took a pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, dumped them in the slow cooker, poured the various spaghetti sauces on top, set it to low, and left for a few hours.  Later I cooked up some whole wheat spaghetti and made a couple tossed salads and we had a super quick, hot, and reasonably tasty meal.  See?  We’re not always uber-creative and fancy over at chez Semi-Sweet.  Some nights you just need to get the job done.

Have a good weekend, everyone!

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Homemade gifts are always meaningful . . . just ask L.  I tear up every time she gives me a homemade card.  Yes, even a brass-balled former-litigator like me.  And while today’s gifty goody isn’t guaranteed to elicit tears of joy, it’s easy, delicious and from the heart. And best of all, it uses a childhood favorite of mine, Marshmallow Fluff . . . made locally in Lynn, Massachusetts.

Peppermint Never-Fail Fudge (adapted from the Marshmallow Fluff Yummy Book)

Butter an 8-inch square baking pan; set aside.

In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine sugar,butter, milk, Fluff and salt . Microwave, uncovered, on medium high for 2 1/2 minutes; remove and stir until blended. Microwave on medium high for 5 minutes; remove and stir until blended. Microwave on medium high for 5 minutes; remove and stir. Microwave on medium high 2 1/2 minutes; remove and stir again. Still using medium high microwave for 6 minutes more. Stir in chocolate and vanilla and until blended. Pour into pan. Top with crushed candy canes.  Using a plastic baggie or a piece of waxed paper, very gently press the crushed cane pieces into the top of the fudge. Let stand to harden.  Makes 2 1/2 pounds.

A note on the fudge process . . . don’t get crafty and just set the microwave to run for minutes on end . . . do you know why I keep having you get your bowl out to stir?  Because otherwise, all that gooey goodness will get super hot, bubble up, and erupt all over the inside of your microwave.  And once it sets, this stuff could probably be used to mortar your front walk . . . so don’t cut corners on this one – you’re already using the microwave to make candy, for goodness sake.

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Happy Wednesday, friends!  Been a long time since I put up some hotlinks . . . . Here’s a nice collection of holiday links for you – focused on sweets.  I haven’t tried them, yet, but if you do, will you post in the comments and let us know what you think? 

Here’s a great-looking recipe for peppermint cookie bark. (Macheesmo)

This cookie made with pistachios, dried cranberries and candied ginger shouts “Christmas!” (Luna Cafe)

Perhaps you’ll want to loosen your belt and serve The Kitchen Witch’s rendition of Ina Garten’s luscious croissant bread pudding. (The Kitchen Witch)

Go free-form with this fabulous looking cherry almond galette- no hardcore baking skills needed. (The (Wicked) Awesome Whisk)

Here’s a collection of delicious-looking cookie recipes adapted from local bakeries. (Globe Magazine)

And last, but not least, a yummy sweet kugel recipe . . . if you’ve never had sweet noodle pudding, you need to try this one out . . . and you know?  It’d be great (yet decidedly not traditional!) with your Christmas ham. (Bitten)

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I am such a fan of the frittata.  They’re quick, easy, and you can utilize whatever ingredients you happen have on hand . . . . potatoes, leftover ham, various greens, onions, leeks, salami, the kitchen sink.  Today’s recipe uses leeks from my CSA share, along with refrigerator staples in our house: baby spinach and egg-substitute.  Add to this some sun-dried tomatoes and a bit of cheese and voila!  A light, veggie-full dinner in 30 minutes.

Spinach & Leek Frittata

Preheat the broiler.

Put the tomatoes in a bowl and cover them with boiling water.  Let stand for 10 minutes.  Drain and chop.

Heat the oil in a medium cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the leeks and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are lightly browned, 6-7 minutes.  Add the spinach and tomatoes; cook, sirring occasionally, until the spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes.  Distribute this mixture evenly in the skillet, and sprinkle the cheeses over the top.  Generously pepper the skillet, and sprinkle a little salt evenly over the top (the Romano is a bit salty, so watch it).  Drizzle the substitute over the whole lot; cook, without stirring, until the eggs are set, about 5-7  minutes.  Transfer the skillet to the broiler and broil until the top is lightly browned, about 3 minutes.  Let stand at least 5 minutes before cutting into 4 wedges and serving. 

Serves 4.

A few thoughts.  One, this would be delicious served with some crusty bread – we didn’t have any on hand (I often buy and freeze a small loaf from Iggy’s, but alas, I’d already used it for something else).  Next, you might not be a fan of egg-substitute – so please, sub in regular eggs, egg whites, or some combination of any of these, just make sure it’s equivalent to 5 eggs.  Last, you can make this ahead of time and put it in the fridge to eat cold, or at room temp.  It will make a lovely lunch paired with a salad, which is what I intend to eat today!

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This recipe is full-flavored, hearty, cheesy and satisfying.  Add a fresh green salad on the side, and you have a warm delicious winter weeknight meal.

Rustic Cod Casserole (adapted from Eating Well)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Heat 1 T. olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onions and cook, stirring often, until just starting to soften, about 5-7 minutes.  Add wine, increasing the heat to high, and cook stirring often until the wine is slightly reduced, about 2-4 minutes.

Place the cod on the onions and sprinkel with the thyme, salt and pepper.  Coer the pan tightly with foil and transfer to the oven and bake for 12 minutes.

Toss the bread with the remaining 1 T. of oil, paprika and garlic powder in a small bowl.  Spread the bread mixture over the fish and top with the cheese.  Bake, uncovered, until the fish is opaque in the center, about 10 more minutes.

Serves 4.

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We are in the final 2 weeks before Christmas.  Dunno about you, but we don’t even have our tree – D.’s insane travel schedule has kept us from our usual merry-making so far this year.  That’s on tap for this weekend – much to L.’s delight.  She is SO ANGRY that we don’t have any decorations up – especially since our new neighbors have not one, but TWO giant inflatables in their yard . . . .

All that’s to say that it’s busy, we’re drained, and the temptation is to go for fast food or takeout when the chips are down.  Today’s recipe uses all pre-prepared ingredients, even for the chicken, so that you can throw together a delicious, healthy meal with greens and protein (and some extra fiber too) in a snap.   It’s not local, it’s not fancy or ethnic, but it’ll fill you up and you’ll feel good after you eat it.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

White Bean & Chicken Salad

Place all of the above ingredients together in a large bowl and toss to combine.

Combine the above ingredients in a jar or small bowl, and drizzle over the salad, tossing gently to coat.  Add additional Kosher salt and black pepper to taste.

Divide the greens among 4 large salad bowls and divide the bean & chicken mixture amongst the bowls, placing it on top of the greens.

Serves 4.

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Back on the butter train, folks . . . if you’d like to find vegan cookie recipes with whole wheat pastry flour or flax meal . . . please point your browser elsewhere today.  ‘Cause for me, the real culinary spirit of Christmas is in a wide array of buttery, sugary treats.  But what do I always say?  Moderation in everything . . . so during this indulgent season, pick your battles.  Don’t eat a sweet roll for breakfast, a heavy mayo-laden sammie for lunch and a rich prime-rib dinner, OK?  If you’ve got a gathering in the evening, balance the apps, dinner and cookies with a light, fruit- and veggie-rich breakfast, a high fiber lunch that contains a bit of protein (think big green salad with some chicken, tofu or beans on top) and then have whatever you like later.  Consider, however, having only what really looks super delicious and special to you – blindly grazing on all the options is a bigger deal fat- and calorie-wise.  But here’s the thing – this is a once-a-year thing and you should ENJOY yourself, too . . . so if that means that if you really love indulging here and there, then I say, have at it.  Life is waaay too short to deny yourself all that pleasure.

Today’s recipe evokes warm memories in me.  My Grandma Helen’s walnut snowballs are a riff off Mexican Wedding Cakes, Russian/Swedish Tea Cakes, and a Lebanese cookie called mamoul.   And while I’ve tweaked her recipe a bit over the years, no one can touch my Grandma in the cookie-baking department.  Every Christmas, Grandma whipped up about 8 different kinds of cookies, placing them neatly in between sheets of waxed paper in Currier & Ives tins that she’d collected.  Before guests came over, or after a meal, we’d haul out the various tins of goodies and pick and choose our favorites.  Going to her house at Christmastime and eating all those different cookies is one of my top-ten childhood memories.

This recipe is my favorite of the lot.  Rich and crumbly and not over-the-top sweet, with a great toasty walnut flavor.  Best ever is that they also happen to be L.’s favorite Christmas cookie.  So the traditions of my Swedish-American grandmother, who married my Lebanese-American grandfather, are living on through her Chinese-American great-granddaughter.  Life is good.

Helen’s Walnut Snowballs

Beat the butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy.  Add 1/2 c. powdered sugar and the vanilla; beat until well blended.  Beat in the flour, then the walnuts.  Divide dough in half; form each half into a ball.  Wrap each ball separately in plastic wrap and chill until cold, about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Place the remaining 1 1/2 c. powdered sugar into a pie plate.  Set aside.

Working with half of the chilled dough, roll the dough by 2 teaspoonfuls between palms into balls.  Arrange the balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment, about 1/2-inch apart.  Bake until golden brown on the bottom and just pale golden on the top, about 18 minutes.  Cool cookies 5 minutes on the sheet.  Gently toss each warm cookie in the powdered sugar to coat completely.  Transfer the coated cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.  Repeat the same procedure with the other half of the dough.

Makes about 4 dozen.

Here’s a little tip – did you know that most Christmas cookies can be baked and then frozen?  It’s true!  So if you’re a compulsive over-achiever planning type like me, you can start cranking out the goods weeks in advance, then layer them in air-tight containers (parchment or waxed paper in between layers, please) and pop ‘em in there for later.  Cookies make welcome gifts and you’ll always have some on hand for company.

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