Monthly Archives: January 2015

Curried Butternut Squash and Coconut Soup

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Sunday night was one of those nights I needed to make dinner but didn’t want to leave my house to do it! I had a butternut squash and a can of coconut cream, which was enough to convince me that I didn’t need to go to the grocery store. This soup ended up being delicious! Some of the best unexpected meals start with one simple thought – what can I make without having to remove these pajamas and go to the store?!

Ingredients:
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 shallots, chopped
1 inch chunk of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large apple, peeled and chopped
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon powdered sage
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (or more if you like the kick!)
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup water
1/2 cup coconut cream (coconut milk works, too)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Olive oil

In a large heavy pot, saute the garlic, shallot, and ginger in some olive oil for a minute or two. Add the butternut squash, carrots, and apple. Drizzle with a little more olive oil then add the curry, cumin, sage, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 5-7 minutes then add the chicken stock and water. Bring to a boil and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the carrots and squash are fork tender.

Turn the heat off, then using a hand blender puree the soup until smooth. Alternatively, you can blend in a blender in batches. Add in the coconut cream and mix until fully incorporated. Serve with an additional swirl of coconut cream and a sprinkle of paprika.

 

Leek & Roasted Garlic Galette With Sweet Potato

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You can never go wrong with a galette- they’re so easy to make and the filling options are endless! I like to make them for dessert sometimes, using ingredients like Nutella and fresh berries. This one was for dinner with friends, we had it with a simple salad and a big bottle of wine!

Tart Crust:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon cold water (plus more as needed)

Filling:
1 cup leeks, light parts only, sliced thin
1/2 cup chopped Swiss red chard
5 large garlic cloves, roasted
1 large sweet potato, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup feta cheese
Olive Oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Start by making the crust. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter, or use your hands. If using your hands, you simply want to roll the butter chunks between your fingers with the flour until it resembles the texture of small peas. Next, stir in the egg/water mixture and mix with a fork until dough forms. If the dough is too dry and not forming easily, add tiny bits of cold water until the texture is able to stick together and hold when pinched. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and place in the fridge for at least an hour.

For the filling, start by preheating the oven to 375 and roast the garlic cloves for about 15-20 minutes, or until soft. In a large skillet, cook the leeks in some olive oil until softened, about 5 minutes, then add the Swiss chard, cooking another 3 minutes or so. Next, mash the roasted garlic into the ricotta cheese, then add the leek/chard mixture.

On a floured surface, roll out the dough to about the size of a medium pizza. Spread the ricotta mixture in the center, leaving a 2 inch boarder around the edges. Top with the sliced sweet potato and feta cheese. Cook for 30-40 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the potatoes can easily be pierced by a knife. Top with some fresh cracked black pepper!

 

 

 

Homemade Basil Fettuccine With Sun Dried Tomatoes & Mushrooms

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My mom gave me a pasta machine recently which I’ve been excited to use, so when I got some basil in my CSA this week, I figured I’d get fancy and make some basil fettuccine! I’ve never made my own pasta before and had a lot of fun doing it. It was a lot easier than I thought it would be, and it came out pretty good for my first try! You can add any herbs you like, or even beet juice to give the pasta a beautiful color- the options are endless!

Ingredients: Serves 4

Basil Fettuccine:
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (semolina is another option)
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons fresh basil, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil

Other:
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, diced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 large shallot (or a few mini ones like I had), chopped
1 cup crimini mushrooms, sliced
Olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon capers
1/2 small lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper, to taste
Fresh basil, for garnish
Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Start by making the pasta. Place the two cups of flour on a clean surface and make a little well in the center. Add the eggs, fresh basil, and olive oil to the center and whisk the eggs until well incorporated. Start scooping in bits of the flour to the center, mixing to incorporate a little at a time. I made the mistake of breaking the circle and my eggs started to spill out, but I just simply used my hand to hold it back until I mixed enough flour into the eggs to keep it from running any more. Once all the flour is mixed into the egg, start shaping it with your hands. It’s going to be very sticky at this point, but continue kneading for about 10 minutes. There’s really no wrong way to knead the dough, just keep folding it over onto itself and massaging it like crazy! After a while you’ll notice that it pretty firm and no longer sticky. Wrap in saran wrap or with a kitchen towel and set aside for 30 minutes.

Once the pasta is ready, cut it into quarters. One chunk at a time (while the others stay covered as to not dry out) run it through the pasta machine on the thickest level, and continue running it through the other levels until you have the thickness you like (I started on 1 and ended on 5.) Lastly, run the pasta sheet through the fettuccine blades and toss onto a baking sheet with some corn meal to keep it from sticking. Cover the pasta with a dish towel and get a large pot of salted water boiling.

In the meantime, make the sauce! In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the garlic and shallots in some olive oil until translucent. Add the sun dried tomatoes and cook for a minute or two before adding the mushrooms. Once the mushrooms have cooked down a little, add some of the chicken stock and cook for about 5 minutes. Next, add another splash of stock, followed by the capers, red pepper flakes, sherry vinegar, lemon, salt and pepper. Cook for another 10 minutes, adding more stock every once and a while.

Place the pasta to the boiling water, making sure to swirl it around the pot to not get stuck. Cook for about 3-5 minutes depending on the consistency you like. Drain and add to the sauce, mixing well to cover the noodles. Add a splash of chicken stock or pasta water if it starts to dry out. Serve with some fresh grated Parmesan cheese and chopped basil. Enjoy!

Lemony Italian Wedding Soup With Chicken Meatballs

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I’ve been fighting a cold all week and decided to make some homemade soup to help knock it out a little faster. I had some ground chicken on hand, so I went with an Italian wedding type soup and added a lot of lemon and garlic, knowing those are two great cold-fighting ingredients. It was delicious the first night, but even better for lunch the next day! There’s just nothing like a homemade bowl of soup when you’re feeling a little under the weather…

Ingredients:

Meatballs:
1 lb ground chicken
1/2 small white onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup breadcrumbs (or more as needed to form meatballs)
Good pinch of salt and pepper
Olive oil

Soup:
1 leek, lighter parts only, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups chicken broth
1 lemon, juiced
1 can white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups cooked ditalini pasta
1 cup chopped spinach (I used frozen this time but fresh is great if you have on hand!)
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste

Start by making the meatballs. Cook the garlic and onion in a little olive oil until translucent, about 1-2 minutes. In a large bowl, mix together (with your hands) the ground chicken, cooked onion/garlic, parsley, oregano, red pepper flakes, Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, egg, salt and pepper. Form the mixture into little meatballs and place on a plate until ready to cook. Add some olive oil to a large skillet and cook the meatballs in two batches over medium heat, turning them constantly to avoid sticking to the pan. Plate and set aside.

Get a large pot of salted water boiling and cook the pasta as directed on the box. In the meantime, sauté the garlic in some olive oil for about a minute then add in the leeks, cooking for another 3 minutes or so. Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, sherry vinegar, cayenne pepper, spinach, beans, and cooked meatballs. Salt and pepper to taste. Let the soup simmer for about 5 minutes before adding in the pasta, then continue simmering for an additional 5-10 minutes. Serve with a pinch of fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!