Monthly Archives: September 2014

Chicken and Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce

September 29, 2014Meat/ Poultry, Pasta and GrainsChicken, cream sauce, pastadmariebates

I am not a huge pasta fan like my family but I am slowly coming around to putting it close to the top of my list. Especially after I came up with a chicken and pasta dish that is slightly creamy with a hint of lemon.

Usually when I make pasta it is as a side dish unless we are having spaghetti. When I pulled together the chicken and pasta with lemon cream sauce I wanted to create a meal rather than a side dish. I love making one pot meals whenever I can. This one only takes a couple of pots so … that is close enough.

As my culinary skills continue to grow I have discovered that things I thought were difficult to prepare are relatively easy. The idea of making cream sauce was somewhat intimidating to me until I figured out the sauce really makes itself. With the right seasonings and a little patience you can create a savory sauce that will elevate your meal.

Chicken and Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce

Ingredients:
1 box rotini pasta
3 small broccoli crowns sliced
1 lb precooked chicken breast cubed
10 oz pkg mushrooms sliced
3 cloves garlic chopped
½ cup parmesan cheese
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp basil
½ tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup half and half
zest and juice from 2 lemons
1 cup arugula
large bowl of ice water

Bring 4 quarts water with a pinch of salt to a boil. Add broccoli to boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove and place in ice bath to stop the cooking process for 5 minutes then drain. Bring water back to a boil and cook pasta according to package. Drain pasta and place in a large bowl. Add broccoli, seasonings and parmesan cheese then set aside.

Add olive oil, butter and mushrooms to a sauce pan over medium high heat and saute until lightly browned. Add garlic and be careful not to let garlic burn. Add heavy cream lemon zest and lemon juice. Stir and let cook for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium then add chicken and mushrooms. Cook for another 5 minutes until sauce thickens slightly stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and pour over pasta. Toss pasta until coated with sauce. Add arugula and continue tossing. Arugula will wilt slightly from the heat. Sprinkle with a little more parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Slow Cooked Pork

September 28, 2014Meat/ Poultryporkdmariebates

Slow and steady wins the race when fixing slow cooked pork. I know most of my recipes are designed to be quick and easy but this one is just easy.

After you season the meat and stick it in the oven you can go about your business and not fuss over what to do next. Once the pork is fork tender and pulls apart easily the dish is almost complete.

Pork, apples and pears. I have always thought the combination of these three foods was a match made in heaven. Add some fennel and it is out of this world. The apples, pears and fennel can be served warm with the pork or as a cool side salad. Depending on which one you choose the seasonings used with the fruit will be a little different. I like making the warm version in the fall and winter and the cool version during hotter weather. Pork? I can eat it any way any time of the year.

In this case, I will let you be the judge. Try making both the warm and cool version and see which one you like best. You may just be surprised. Another great way to serve the pork is in chili. I have a wonderful recipe for Chili with Slow Cooked Pork at dmariedining.com.

Slow Cooked Pork

Ingredients:
1 small pork shoulder
1 large onion sliced
1 large green pepper sliced
1 tbsp thyme
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp Adobo seasoning
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp basil
1 tsp parsley

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Layer onions and green peppers in the bottom of a roasting pan. Sprinkle with a little salt. Sprinkle pork with seasonings and place on top of onions and peppers. Pour 1 cup of water into pan. Cover with foil and cook for 3 hours until pork is fork tender and easily pulls apart.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Sweet Potatoes

September 28, 2014Vegetablesbutternut squash, sweet potatoesdmariebates

Roasting has become one of my favorite things to do when cooking. Roasting brings out the natural sweetness and flavor of vegetables. Especially, butternut squash and sweet potatoes.

Most people I know tend to boil sweet potatoes then mash them up with some butter and cinnamon. Boiling only drains the flavor and nutrients out of the sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are called “sweet” for a reason. If you boil them, they will lose some of that sweetness in the water. Butternut squash also loses something when you boil it. Usually, I only boil butternut squash when I want to make it into a soup. Then, I can use the broth created from boiling the squash and retain all the nutrients and flavor for an amazing tasting soup.

In the past, I have roasted sweet potatoes and I have roasted butternut squash. However, until recently I had never considered combining the two. Once I mixed the two veggies together I was pleasantly surprised at how well they complimented each other. Each veggie has its own unique taste and a different type of sweetness. When combined, the butternut squash and sweet potatoes play off of each other and make your taste buds pop.

The hardest thing about roasting vegetables is deciding what seasonings to add to enhance the natural flavors. Butternut squash and sweet potatoes call out for cinnamon and nutmeg. Besides those two seasonings it is best to keep it simple so that you don’t overwhelm the dish.

So, the next time you want to add color to a nice meal consider roasting butternut squash and sweet potatoes together. This is one dish even veggie haters will like.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:
1 lb butternut squash cubed
1 lb sweet potatoes cubed
½ cup shelled walnuts (optional)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 small hot pepper sliced (optional)
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ cup brown sugar
½ stick melted butter
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Coat with cooking spray. Toss all the ingredients together in a large bowl until squash and potatoes are well coated with butter, brown sugar and seasonings. Spread mixture onto the baking sheet for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and tender. Transfer to a serving dish.

Serves 4-6

Roasted Zucchini and Tomatoes

September 25, 2014Vegetablestomatoes, zucchinidmariebates

Ham hocks, fat back and salt pork are some of the key ingredients to southern cooking. Whether you are fixing beans, stews, collard greens or other vegetables you will probably find one of those ingredients in the recipe. Growing up, all the women in my family would flavor parts of the meal with either salt pork or ham hocks. Back then I did not hesitate to eat anything my mom fixed unless it was wild game. Now? It is a different story. I still like ham hocks but I have found better ways to flavor food.

Instead of sauteing zucchini and tomatoes in salt pork and bacon grease I now roast zucchini and tomatoes in the oven with a little olive oil . The end result is the same except it has a lot less calories and a lot less fat. The one thing this dish did not lose was flavor.

The natural flavor of the zucchini and tomatoes along with sliced onions comes through and is enhanced by a few herbs and seasonings. Simple sometimes says it best and this dish is definitely simple. Slice, sprinkle, drizzle and roast. What could be simpler than that?

Roasted zucchini and tomatoes might just become your go to side dish whenever you need a little something extra bursting with flavor!

Roasted Zucchini and Tomatoes

Ingredients:
2 zucchinis sliced
1 large onion sliced
1 lb Campari tomatoes seeded (can use plum tomatoes)
2 cloves garlic chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp pepper
½ tsp basil
½ tsp sugar
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Spray a rime cookie sheet with cooking spray. Layer sliced onions on bottom of cookie sheet. Add zucchini and tomatoes. Sprinkle with garlic, salt, pepper, sugar and basil. Drizzle olive oil over veggies. Place in oven and roast for 25 to 30 minutes. Stir veggies mid way through roasting.

Chili with Slow Cooked Pork

September 21, 2014Meat/ Poultry, Soups/ Salads / StewsBeans, chili, porkdmariebates

Chili is one of those dishes that packs in everything you need in a meal. Meat, veggies and protein. How can you can wrong? Usually, I make chili using ground turkey but I decided to shake things up a bit and added slow cooked pork instead. My original plan for the pork was to make shredded BBQ pork sandwiches but my family was not in the mood for BBQ. So I figured I would try the pork in a pot of chili to see how it would taste.

After trying chili with slow cooked pork I am not sure I will ever make chili with ground turkey again. The tenderness of the pork combined with the beans and chili seasonings turned the chili into a delicious flavorful meal. Sports fans would love this chili after any “big” game especially with a side of cornbread.

Chili with Slow Cooked Pork

Ingredients:
1 small pork shoulder cooked and shredded (see recipe below)
1 28 oz can black beans undrained
1 14 oz can small white beans undrained
1 14 oz can cannellini beans undrained
1 14 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
1 12 oz bottle beer
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 packet chili seasonings
½ tsp cayenne pepper

Add all ingredients to a large pot and let simmer for 1 hour on medium heat. Stir occasionally. Serve with corn bread.

Slow Cooked Pork

Ingredients:
1 small pork shoulder
1 large onion sliced
1 large green pepper sliced
1 tbsp thyme
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp Adobo seasoning
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp basil
1 tsp parsley

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Lemon Berry Parfait

September 21, 2014Dessertsblackberries, dessert, lemon, raspberries, yogurtdmariebates

Light and refreshing is how I would describe Lemon Berry Parfait. I wanted to make a quick summer dessert that would be tasty on the lips and not too much on the hips. Summer is a great time to find all kinds of berries. My family use to grow raspberries and strawberries when I was growing up so I love to mix them in salads and desserts. Fruit helps to brighten up certain dishes and also makes them a little bit healthier.

Lemon curd. The first time I asked for lemon curd at the grocer the clerk looked at me like I had too heads. Not many folks know what lemon curd is or how to use it. I became familiar with lemon curd only because my mom is a wonderful chef and has made fantastic desserts over the years and sometimes used lemon curd. Lemon curd reminds me of lemon pudding but has a more intense taste of lemon. Plus, the consistency is a little thicker than lemon pudding. I added lemon curd to Greek yogurt and mascarpone cheese to create a rich flavor of lemon and subtle tartness to the parfait.

Parfaits are all about layering. Lemon Berry Parfait consists of layers of Greek yogurt, berries soaked in limoncello and granola. Pull them all together and you will have a light, bright, refreshing dessert that takes only minutes to create.

Lemon Berry Parfait

Ingredients:
16 oz Greek yogurt
8 oz mascarpone cheese
1 pint raspberries
1 pint blackberries
10 oz jar Dickinson’s lemon curd
2 tbsp sugar
½ cup limoncello liqueur
½ cup granola

Place berries in a medium bowl and add limoncello liqueur and sugar. Gently smash berries and then stir to mix sugar and limoncello. Set aside.

In a large bowl add yogurt, mascarpone cheese and lemon curd. Mix together until well blended.

Place two spoonfuls of yogurt mix in the bottom of a parfait glass. Add a layer of fruit then granola. Repeat each layer ending with fruit. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 2 – 3 hours before serving.

Spicy Tuna Salad

September 11, 2014Appetizers, Seafood/ Fish, Soups/ Salads / StewsSalad, tunadmariebates

Tuna is one of those foods you either love or hate. I actually love tuna but often forget about it when it comes to making a meal. Of course tuna is also one of those foods that requires lots of tender loving care to jazz it up and make it delicious.

I thought I would jazz up my tuna by making it spicy. A little cayenne for heat and a few sliced almonds helped to give the tuna salad a nice texture and an extra kick of flavor. Sometimes folks like to just have the basics when they fix tuna salad – eggs, mayo, salt and pepper. I like to mix it up with the crunch of celery, the sweetness of relish, the nuttiness of sliced almonds along with the usual eggs, mayo, salt and pepper.

One of the best things about tuna salad is that it can be turned into a few different recipes. You can eat it as a sandwich, use it to top a nice green salad, put it on crackers, add it to pasta or create an appetizer. No matter how you decide to eat tuna salad think about spicing it up and give your taste buds a reason to tingle.

Spicy Tuna Salad

Ingredients:
2 small cans of albacore tuna well drained
2 boiled eggs chopped
1 stalk celery diced
1 small can green chiles well drained
2 tbsp roasted red peppers chopped
1 tbsp Italian parsley chopped
1tsp dill
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cilantro
1 tbsp spicy brown mustard
2 tbsp mayonnaise
5 dashes hot sauce
½ toasted sliced almonds
Juice from 1 small lemon

…..
Mix all ingredients In a large bowl. Chill for 30 minutes. Enjoy as a sandwich, on crackers, on a green salad or a tasty appetizer.

Carrot Soup

September 11, 2014Soups/ Salads / Stews, Vegetablescarrots, soupdmariebates

Who knew carrots came in different colors? I didn’t until a recent trip to Trader Joe’s. I was surprised to see something other than orange carrots and of course intrigued with the thought of what I could do with them. A nice soup came to mind and I could only imagine what flavors the various carrots would produce.

Soups are one of those dishes that no matter what you throw into the pot it can come out all right. I have had a few failures when making soup (my first attempt at miso soup with rice noodles) but most of the time it works as long as the soup is full of flavor.

The carrot soup I created was a winner with the family using only a few basic ingredients. Keeping it simple also works. Especially in this case.

If you like carrots and you like soup, try bringing the two together for a delicious appetizer or meal. If you are willing to walk on the wild side, try mixing up a variety of carrots to brighten up your pot of soup.

Carrot Soup

Ingredients:
2 lbs mixed carrots sliced
1 large onion diced
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup water
½ cup heavy cream
¼ cup ½ and ½
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp smoked cumin
½ tsp cilantro
3 dashed hot sauce
1 baby hot pepper sliced thin (optional)

Place all ingredients in a large pot and cook over medium high heat for 30 – 40 minutes until carrots are fork tender. Turn off heat and puree carrots with an immersion hand blender or place in a blender and puree. Add cream and stir until well blended. Add a little more salt if needed. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Rolled Lasagna

September 11, 2014Pasta and Grainslasagna, pastadmariebates

Many, many years ago when I was still living at home lasagna became my specialty dinner to make for the family. My cousin Shirl taught me how to make an “authentic” Italian sauce. Needless to say it took hours of simmering the sauce and layering seasonings to make the dish taste absolutely wonderful. It also took a while to assemble the lasagna between the pasta, sauce, meat and cheese.

Fast forward to today and I can honestly say I do not have the same amount of time to cook as I did many, many years ago. I still love lasagna but now I prefer a lighter version of my old layered lasagna. The new recipe is filling but does not make you feel sleepy or bloated after you eat.

Rolled Lasagna is just a simpler way of layering lasagna without losing all of the wonderful flavors you find in a typical lasagna casserole. To keep it light, I replaced the ground meat with prosciutto and added spinach which gives the lasagna a nice finish.

Besides flavor, one of the best things about my Rolled Lasagna recipe is that each lasagna noodle is individually portioned. Getting seconds is easy and so is clean up.

Rolled Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 lb lasagna noodles

2 cups ricotta cheese

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup mozzarella cheese

1 box frozen chopped spinach thawed

2 pkgs prosciutto

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

2 tbsp chopped parsley

2 tbsp chopped basil

1 jar tomato sauce

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cook lasagna noodles according to package then lay out flat to cool. Drain spinach and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a small bowl mix ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley and basil. Take one lasagna noodle a spread the cheese mixture over the noodle. Add two pieces of prosciutto to cover the cheese then add dollops of spinach on top of the prosciutto. Roll up the lasagna noodle from one end to the other. Place the rolled lasagna seam side down in a casserole dish. Repeat rolling with remaining noodles. Pour sauce over lasagna and then cover with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until cheese is melted and slightly browned.

Smoked Salmon Bites

September 11, 2014Appetizers, Seafood/ Fishappetizer, smoked salmondmariebates

On quiet Sunday mornings my hubby and I like to sit out on the porch and have a nice breakfast of bagels, smoked salmon and cream cheese. Smoked salmon bites are a version of those Sunday breakfasts put into one little bite.

Whenever we entertain family and friends it takes me a while to plan out the menu. I try hard not to serve the same ol’ thing to repeat guests and often rack my brain to come up with at least one new entree and appetizer for each party. There are always crowd favorites but sooner or later folks want something besides dip, chips and a veggie tray.

Smoked salmon bites pack a lot of flavor into one tiny bite. The first time I tried them out on guests I was pleasantly surprised that the smoked salmon bites went like hot cakes. I actually ran out of them in a short period of time and had to resort to putting together a small veggie tray.

The next time you have a few friends over try making these tasty little bites and see how your guests react. Better yet, give yourself a nice little treat on a quiet weekend while you work on the Sunday morning crossword puzzle.

Smoked Salmon Bites

Ingredients:

1 8 oz pkg smoked salmon chopped

1 pkg mini fillo pastry shells (thawed)

4 oz softened cream cheese

2 tbsp sour cream

2 tbsp capers

5 cherry tomatoes chopped

½ tsp finely chopped red onion

1 tsp parsley

1 tsp dill

1 tsp spicy brown mustard

½ tsp black pepper

½ tsp salt

3 dashes hot sauce

Add all ingredients except pastry cups to a large bowl except fillo shells. Gently combine the ingredients but do not over mix. Fill each pastry cup with some of the salmon mixture. Top with a small sliver of red onion or parsley.

dmarie-dining

Healthy, Quick and Easy

Monthly Archives: September 2014

Chicken and Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce

Slow Cooked Pork

Roasted Butternut Squash and Sweet Potatoes

Roasted Zucchini and Tomatoes

Chili with Slow Cooked Pork

Lemon Berry Parfait

Spicy Tuna Salad

Carrot Soup

Rolled Lasagna

Smoked Salmon Bites

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