Pasta with Peas, Bacon, and Ricotta Sauce

This past weekend’s visit to the local Farmer’s Market included bringing home a big bag of English peas. Have you ever eaten fresh peas? Waaaaaaaaaay better than the canned or frozen stuff. I managed to grow a few vines of peas last year, but after shelling them, I only ended up with a cup or so in total. Not much. And that was with multiple harvests. After each shelling session, I just kept storing each tiny batch in the freezer until the growing season was over. Then one day I took out my measly little bag of green goodies, boiled them in a bit of water for a couple minutes, tossed them with some butter, and I was in love. There is no going back now. I just planted more peas for this spring and hope to have more success.

In the meantime, the explosion of spring goodies at the Farmer’s Market happened this past weekend, including piles and piles of English peas–big fat ones. I stocked up on a gigantic bag of peas, not minding that I would have to shell them all. Now, what in the world was I going to make with all these chubby little green pearls? It is times like this when life throws a recipe at me just as I need it. Skimming through Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, a recipe using ricotta, which I had on hand, and peas fell open. Perfect!

So I whipped this up. Very easy. Makes a fantastic quick meal, perfect for a weeknight after a long day at work. The dish tastes light and flavorful. It contains chewy pasta, pungency from the parmesan-reggiano cheese, softness and sweetness from the peas, and a smoothness from the little bit of butter and the ricotta. Oh, and my favorite part: a salty chew from the bacon. Quite the mix of flavors, isn’t it? Yet all so easy to throw together.

I used conchiglie pasta, which I’ve usually seen as shell shaped. This particular bag I bought, though, was more like curved hollow tubes, and after mixing everything together, I found the peas hiding out in the tubes :  ) I can imagine that little kids would find that amusing. Okay, so I found it amusing, and it just made eating this potpourri of flavors even more fun.

Pasta with Peas, Bacon, and Ricotta Sauce

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INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb. fresh, young peas, unshelled weight OR 1/2 of a 10-ounce package of tiny frozen peas, thawed (I measured 5 ounces of freshly shelled peas, which equalled about 1 cup of peas)
• 1/4 lb. lean slab bacon (I used 3 1/2 slices to equal 4 ounces)
• salt
• 1/4 pound fresh ricotta
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1/3 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, plus additional for garnishing
• black pepper
• 1 pound pasta (conchiglie, fusilli, or rigatoni)

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare pasta. Begin by boiling 4 quarts of water. When it reaches a boil, add 1 1/2 tbsp. salt (this helps flavor the pasta). When it reaches a full, rolling boil again, add the pasta and cook according to package directions.
2. In the meantime, add the ricotta to a large bowl, breaking it up with a fork. Add the butter (I cut the butter into small pieces). Set aside.
3. Place peas in a small saucepan; pour in enough water to just cover them. Bring to a gentle boil for a couple of minutes, then drain and set aside.
4. Cut the bacon into small bite-sized pieces. Using a small saucepan, cook over medium heat until browned but not crisp. Pour off all but two tablespoons of the fat. Add the peas, stirring to coat. Cook at medium heat for 2 minutes, but time this to finish just before you drain the pasta.
5. Drain pasta and immediately put into the bowl with the ricotta, tossing until well mixed (my pasta & sauce looked a bit dry and I was wishing I had saved some of the pasta water to help smooth out the ricotta sauce). Add the peas and bacon, again tossing until well mixed.
6. Add the grated cheese, salt and pepper to taste, and toss again until well mixed. Serve immediately.

SOURCE: Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking

Orange-Glazed Chicken

Despite all the chicken recipes I have posted, hubby and I actually eat a lot more red meat and fish than the blog showcases. You see, my hubby is a fisherman and hunter at heart, a person born in the wrong era. He should have been a pioneer frontiersman.

He also usually cooks the meat and fish, liberally sprinkling on a variety of spices–whatever he is in the mood for. I, on the other hand, am a recipe follower. And I’m the one who experiments with the chicken recipes. Although we have freezers full of the game and ocean fish he brings home, we buy chicken just for the sake of having variety in our meals.

We had some drumsticks hanging around the freezer a few weeks back, and this Orange-Glazed Chicken recipe crossed my path around the same time I decided they needed to be cooked. Wow! This marinade packs a flavorful punch. It’s sweet from the orange juice and brown sugar; savory from the garlic and green onion; packs on more subtle spicy flavor with the ginger, anise, and cinnamon; and the addition of soy sauce and rice vinegar creates an Asian flair. Oh, and the final glaze of honey provides one more layer of sweetness.

I can’t get enough of these sweet things. They are so darn delicious that you just keep going back for more! I knew I would be making them again soon–both because I craved them and because I wanted to take photos for the blog (didn’t get around to that the first time).

Although I made these using only drumsticks, the marinade would work with all chicken cuts as well as with an entire roast chicken.

Orange-Glazed Chicken

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INGREDIENTS

• 10-12 chicken drumsticks (or one chicken, whole or cut up)
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp. honey
• orange slices for garnish

Marinade Sauce

• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp. freshly grated ginger (TIP: I keep 1-inch pieces of peeled ginger in a resealable bag in the freezer for recipes calling for grated ginger)
• 1 tsp. ground anise
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• zest of one medium-sized orange
• 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 3 medium oranges)
• 3 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. rice vinegar
• 1/2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 4 green onions, coarsely chopped
• 1 tbsp. sesame oil

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small saucepan, bring to a simmer all marinade ingredients except the sesame oil. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, allowing marinade to thicken, then remove from heat.
2. Stir in sesame oil and allow marinade to cool completely.
3. Set aside (refrigerate) 1/4 – 1/2 cup marinade for basting during roasting, then pour remaining marinade into a resealable plastic bag. Add chicken pieces and coat well. Seal bag, place in refrigerator, and allow meat to marinate anywhere from 2-24 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking pan with foil (otherwise you will have quite the mess to scrape up during cleaning time), and evenly spread chicken pieces onto pan. Sprinkle with ground black pepper, the place pan into preheated oven.
5. Roast chicken for 45-50 minutes, turning and basting 2-3 times with the marinade you set aside. During the final basting, brush with honey (TIP: if  honey is too thick to brush onto chicken, microwave it for 15-30 seconds).

SOURCE: Season with Spice

Peruvian Roast Chicken

The travel bug infected me eons ago in my early adulthood when a family friend from Australia stayed with us. She regaled us with stories of her escapades, and that’s when the symptoms began to eat away at me.

As a teacher, fortune smiles upon me every summer with time and freedom to explore. In my single years I would take off, either road trips exploring the Western region of the United States or exotic destinations like Egypt, Greece, Turkey… I even spent two years teaching in Japan, allowing me side trips to explore the Asian destinations of China, Korea, and Thailand. With hubby, we’ve spent time exploring the grand ol’ states with a few exotic destinations tossed in over the years.

This particular trip that I mentioned in the previous post, the trip that has us sooooooo excited that we awoke at 3 a.m. and couldn’t sleep anymore and got up and made breakfast at the ungodly hour of 4 a.m. — this trip is a bucket list trip item. As of tonight, we’ll be on the red eye flight to South America, with Peru as the first stop. Hubby’s bucket list item includes a visit to the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu. For me, the next leg of our trip includes Iguazu Falls in Argentina, incredible massive falls that far surpass Niagra (which I’ve never seen, by the way). I’ve wanted to visit Iguazu for almost a decade now, and it has taken three years of diligent monthly savings to arrive at this day. I feel about to burst with the anticipation.

So, in honor of our trip, I made Peruvian Roast Chicken. I had to. It called to me.

I mixed the marinade paste with a bit of trepidation. It uses habanero chile, tops in heat. And the little orange chiles are miniscule in size for packing quite a punch! I also wasn’t keen on using mint leaves in the recipe simply because I’m not a huge fan of mint (except in Peppermint Patties).  I forged ahead, though. The paste is very thick and reddish. The chicken got a good rub-a-dub-dub both under and atop the skin, then it sat in the fridge for a few hours. The final roasted bird did not taste as hot as I had worried it might. The combo of flavors was definitely on the spicier side but not overly so. Hubby really liked it. I liked it but, truthfully, prefer the Herb-Roasted Chicken I make.

Now, I must finish packing and cleaning the house. So much to do before departing for a big trip.

Peruvian Roast Chicken with Garlic and Lime

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INGREDIENTS

• 3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup lightly packed fresh mint leaves
• 2 tbsp. kosher salt
• 6 medium garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp. ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp. ground cumin
• 1 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. smoked paprika
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 2 tsp. finely grated zest and 1/4 cup juice from 2 limes
• 1 tsp. minced habanero chile
• 1 (3/12 to 4 pound chicken)
• not really an ingredient, but you will either need a vertical roaster or make your own using a 12-ounce can of beer

DIRECTIONS

1. Place all ingredients except chicken into a blender; mix until a smooth paste forms, 10-20 seconds. (FYI: use gloves when handling habanero chile or your hands will BURN!)
2. Gently loosen the skin of the chicken over the breast and thighs; remove any excess fat. Rub half the paste beneath the skin; spread remaining paste over entire outside of chicken. Place chicken in a large resealable bag, then refrigerate for 6-24 hours.
3. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 325 degrees F. Place vertical roaster (or half empty can of 12-ounce beer) onto a rimmed baking sheet (cover it in foil first to catch drips). Slide the chicken onto your roaster so it stand upright with breast perpendicular to pan. Roast until skin just begins to turn golden and instant read thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast registers 140 degrees, 45-55 minutes. Remove chicken (and pan) from oven, followed by increasing temperature to 500 degrees.
4. When oven is ready, place one cup of water in the bottom of the pan; return to oven. Roast until entire skin is browned and crisp and instant read thermometer registers 160 degrees inserted in thickest part of breast and 175 degrees in thickest part of thigh, about 20 minutes. If water evaporates, add more to keep pan from smoking. Rotate chicken halfway through cooking.
5. When cooked through, remove chicken from oven and allow to rest, still vertical, for 20 minutes before carving.

SOURCE: America’s Test Kitchen

Chicken Thighs with Garlic and Worcestershire

Want to cook some super tasty chicken thighs that only use two ingredients? Want some chicken thighs that cook up super tender and moist? Then read on, for I’m about to share with you my hubby’s simple yet scrumptious recipe.

These chicken thighs are one of his specialities. He liberally sprinkles them with garlic powder and Worcestershire sauce then cooks them low and slow. They come out super tender and flavorful–amazingly flavorful for only two ingredients, actually. Make lots because they shrink, first of all, and secondly, they taste fantastic as leftovers. You’ll be craving more, so go ahead and make extra.

The recipe below is a bit on the vague side in terms of ingredient amounts and cooking time. There are no hard and fast rules to this one; just go with what feels right to you in terms of flavorings and pay attention to the doneness of the meat for the actual cooking time.

Chicken Thighs with Garlic and Worcestershire 

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INGREDIENTS

• bone-in chicken thighs with or without skin–as many as you desire to cook
• Worcestershire sauce
• garlic powder

DIRECTIONS

1. Rinse chicken under cold water and pat dry.
2. Place chicken thighs in a large pan, packing them in there. Liberally sprinkle with Worcestershire sauce followed by a liberal sprinkling of garlic powder (of course, you can use less-than-a-liberal amount but we love these two flavors).
3. Turn heat to medium-low and cook chicken until bottom of meat begins to lose its pinkness, then turn over and cook other side. Add more flavorings, if desired, after turning thighs over. This takes about 30-45 minutes overall, depending on size of thighs. Sometimes we place a cover over the pan after turning the meat to keep moisture and flavors from escaping too much.

SOURCE: hubby’s recipe

Mini Meatloaves

Meatloaf. My mom only made it a couple times in my youth as far as I recall. Other friends have memories of dry, bland meatloaf akin to cardboard. Or slathered in just ketchup.

Well, this version is far from bland or dry. Nor is it smothered in plain ol’ ketchup.

This version sports pizazz. It screams savory. You’ll come back begging for more. You’ll dream about it all night long. You’ll wake up in the middle of the night to sneak a taste. You’ll wonder if the morning will ever cross over into noon to eat the leftovers your brought to work for lunch.

Okay, you get the picture. It’s tasty as all heck.

And to boot, they look darn cute in their individual meatloaf shapes. Besides, this way each piece gets more of the sauce to coat it. And the sauce on this recipe is my favorite part. It’s the part I dream about and that activates my salivary glands. Scrumdillyicious.

If you have nightmares about meatloaf from your childhood, it’s time to face them. And conquer them. This recipe is the solution. It’s your knight in shining armor.

Remember to coat your rack in foil…such a pain to clean up otherwise! I know!!

Mini Meatloaves

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INGREDIENTS

Meatloaves

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 3 cups chopped onion, yellow or white (I only used 1 medium onion and reduced the amount because I’m not overly fond of onions)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 3 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/3 cup chicken broth
• 1 tbsp. tomato paste
• 2 1/2 pounds ground beef (I used venison)
• 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Glaze

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1 tsp. hot sauce
• 3 tbsp. brown sugar
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. ground coriander

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Wrap a wire rack with aluminum foil (trust me, much easier clean up this way); using a skewer or fork, poke it with holes. Set this atop a baking sheet. (The raised rack with poked holes will allow some fat to drain off.)
2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper; cook until onion softens and grows translucent but not browned, about 8 minutes.
3. Remove from heat; stir in Worcestershire sauce, broth, and tomato paste.
4. Crumble the ground beef into a mixing bowl; add the onion mixture, breadcrumbs, and the lightly beaten egg. Using a fork, lightly combine, careful to not mash the mixture. A light touch prevents the meatloaves from cooking up dense and tough.
5. Divide the mixture into six equal portions; shape each into a loaf. Line them on the prepared baking sheet. (At this point, the meatloaves can be wrapped and refrigerated for several hours or even frozen.)
6. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until they reach 140 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.
7. While the meatloaves are baking, prepare the glaze by combining the ketchup, hot sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, and coriander in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook until the glaze is thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes.
8. Using half the glaze, brush the tops and sides of each meatloaf after the 25-30 minute cooking period. Allow to cook an additional 5-10 minutes or until they reach 150-155 degrees F internally. Brush with the remaining glaze and place under the broiler. Broil 5-10 minutes more; remove from oven. Allow to rest 10 minutes before serving.

Yield: Six individual meatloaves

SOURCE: Pink Parsley via Ina Garten from foodnetwork.com with glaze from Cook’s Illustrated

Albondigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup)

A few years back, I stumbled upon a website that had tons of soup recipes. Unfortunately, I don’t recall the site. I did, however, make a few of the recipes which have turned into keepers, this Albondigas Soup one of them. For years, hubby and I have highly ranked this in our soup repertoire. Recently, I came across another variation that includes a few more ingredients, so I’ve enhanced my original recipe.

This newer recipe includes chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, an ingredient I have only recently discovered (via the astoundingly scrumptious Shrimp Enchilada dish), which gives additional spiciness to the soup. I used to shun chipotles in adobo sauce because I didn’t understand what it was. It’s just a smoked-dried jalapeño in a red sauce comprised of tomatoes, vinegar, and various spices. Not so scary afterall once I learned more about it. By the way, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce sells in a small can, and often recipes only call for a small amount. You can easily freeze the leftovers. My preferred method is to freeze leftover chipotles in ice cube trays followed by storage in a sealable freezer bag once the cubes freeze.

As for the meatballs, they include tons of flavor and have  loads of goodies packed into them, adding flair to the already flavorful broth.

If you’ve never tried Albondigas Soup, give it a try. You may be surprised at how darn tasty it is. And easy, too. It’s also an easy-to-adapt-to-your-liking kind of soup: just keep the ingredients you like and omit the ones you don’t. Totally customize it to suit your tastebuds. Overall, Albondigas Soup is a user-friendly bowl of deliciousness.

Albondigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup)

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INGREDIENTS

Soup

• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion (yellow or white), finely chopped (my original recipe includes no onion and tastes great even without it)
• 8 cups beef or vegetable broth
• 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes (I used a quart jar of home-canned tomatoes, which equaled about 26 ounces, almost equivalent to two cans, so my soup was loaded with tomatoes)
• 1 (14 ounce) can corn, drained (this adds a touch of sweetness to the soup, and I only added it this last time because we had some leftover in the fridge)
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 2 medium carrots, grated or diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles and/or 1 chipotle chile, minced + 1-2 tsp. adobo sauce from a can of chipotle chiles packed  in adobo sauce (using both diced chiles and chipotle chiles provides quite a kick of heat!)
• 1/2 cup grated (or diced) zucchini
• 1/4 cup cooked rice
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro

Albondigas (Meatballs)

Yield: about 54 (1-inch) meatballs

• 3/4 pound ground lean beef (I used ground elk)
• 1/4 pound ground pork (I’ve often left this out and used all beef instead)
• 1/4 cup grated zucchini
• 1/4 cup cooked white rice
• 1 large egg
• 1 stale corn tortilla, finely chopped or 4 corn tortilla chips finely ground or 2 tbsp. bread crumbs (I used to make it without this and they came out fine)
• 1 tbsp. fresh cilantro, minced
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 tsp. salt (table salt or Kosher)

Garnish

• chopped fresh cilantro
• crumbled Queso Fresco (Mexican cheese)

DIRECTIONS

1. For the soup: If using onion, in a Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Add garlic and saute for one additional minute, until fragrant.
2. If using Dutch oven, add broth, tomatoes, corn, and spices (oregano, cumin, garlic powder, and pepper) to the onions and garlic; cover pan and bring to a boil. If you sauteed in a large saucepan, transfer the onion/garlic to a larger pot and proceed.
3. Once broth is boiling, add carrots, celery, diced chiles, chipotle chile and adobo sauce.
4. For the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients (I find using a fork to toss & mix the ingredients works well). Roll meat into 1-inch balls (or make them smaller or larger to suit your liking).
5. When the broth begins boiling, drop in meatballs. (Note: if you want to reduce fat from the meat, you can boil the meatballs in water first and drain before adding to broth.) Cover pan, reduce heat, and simmer until meatballs are cooked through.
6. Once meatballs are cooked, add 1/2 cup zucchini and 1/4 cup cooked rice to the soup.
7. Stir in green onions and cilantro.
8. When serving, garnish with cilantro and/or Queso Fresco, if desired.

SOURCES: adapted from unknown internet site from long ago & The Galley Gourmet via The Border Cookbook by Cheryl & Bill Jamison

Sumptuous Soups Round-Up

Southern California usually boasts warm weather year round, like high 60′s low 70′s for winter weather. Lately, however, the temps have dropped a bit and we’ve experienced some darn chilly weather–low 40′s in the early mornings and low 50′s the rest of the day. Well, that’s chilly for us but probably not for you who live in snow-laden winter environs! All this cold, though, makes me crave bowl after bowl of tummy-warming piping hot soup laden with sumptuous goodies. So, I gathered all the soup recipes I’ve posted thus far to give you some delicious options. And I have a few more lined up for posting in the next couple weeks. Enjoy!

P.S. I noted my favorites of the bunch with single and double asterisks :  )

P.S.S. Please pardon the horrible composition and lighting of many of these photos. I’m on quite the learning curve right now with picture-taking and am a bit embarrassed to share some of these, but I really want to share the recipes themselves.

 

Bean & Veggie Soup

Beef Barley Soup with Mushrooms

Broccoli Soup

Butternut Squash Soup

Cauliflower Cheese Soup

**Chicken & Dumplings

**Chicken Tortilla Soup

Clam Chowder

*Corn Chowder

Egg Drop Soup

French Onion Soup

**Italian Wedding Soup

Lentil Soup

Lentil Vegetable Soup (Crock Pot)

Minestrone Soup

Potato Cheese Soup

*Tortellini Soup

Chicken Pot Pie Casserole

I used to LOVE LOVE LOVE the chicken pot pie at Mimi’s Cafe, a chain restaurant across the nation. However, the more I cook at home, the less I like eating out. I can taste the superior flavor of home-cooked meals; plus, I like knowing what goes into my food.

Several months ago, I ate out at Mimi’s with a friend of mine; we both the love the chicken pot pie and would go there occasionally to get our fix. However, the last time I ate it, I knew it would definitely be the last time eating it there…or any other restaurant, for that matter. I’ve just gotten snobby about food! The pot pies I make at home as well as this particular dish taste supremely better!!

Today’s post is a variation on chicken pot pie, which I first made back in September 2010 when Cook’s Illustrated featured it in their magazine. Although I’ve made it since then, I’m finally getting around to taking photos of it so I can finally share it with you.

Rather than individual pies covered in pastry, this presents itself in casserole form with nuggets of peppery dough dotting the top, allowing an alternative to the pastry covering. These nuggets taste just as delicious as a pastry cover–if not more–because they have loads of spiciness in them from two types of pepper as well as Parmesan cheese. The dough nuggets, baked separately, are then added atop the actual filling for a final round of heating…that is, if you have any left; I have a hard time resisting snacking on these miniature “biscuits” while making the rest of the recipe.

The filling in this dish is very similar to the pot pies I’ve made before. It’s a bit of work but not overly time-consuming–just some chopping, dicing, and sautéing. Making the dough nuggets for the topping, though, is quicker and easier than a pastry crust. I imagine you could make the filling ahead of time, refrigerate it overnight, and make the topping the next day.

If you love chicken pot pies, I highly recommend you find time to make this dish. It’s high on the list of savory goodness as well as extremely hearty and filling–perfect comfort food for winter.

Chicken Pot Pie Casserole

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INGREDIENTS

Topping

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. table salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, but into 1/2-inch cubes and chilled
• 1 ounce (about 1/2 cup) Parmesan cheese, finely grated

Filling

• 1 1/2 pounds cooked, shredded chicken, which is about 3 cups (either cook your own or use store-bought rotisserie chicken; I keep shredded roasted chicken frozen in baggies for meals like this one)
• 1 3/4 cup frozen peas & carrots
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
• 2 small celery ribs, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 10 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced (TIP: I use an egg slicer to speed up this process)
• 1 tsp. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. tomato paste (TIP: if using canned paste, freeze leftover paste in ice-cube trays, then store in freezer bags; my trays make about a tbsp. size cube, which is handy to know when I need a particular amount)
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 tsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. To prepare topping: Turn oven to 450 degrees F and adjust oven rack to upper-middle position.
2. In a food processor, pulse flour, baking powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper until blended (this entire topping process can also be done without a food processor, but it is a little more labor intensive without).
3. Add cubed, cold butter; pulse until flour and butter mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.
4. Add Parmesan; pulse a few times until just combined.
5. Slowly add heavy cream while pulsing.
6. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, then crumble topping onto it in pieces about 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch in size.
7. Bake until starting to turn brown, about 10-13 minutes. Set aside.
8. To prepare filling: Dice or shred cooked chicken (roast chicken, Mel’s Kitchen Cafe method, or your favorite method for preparing chicken). Place in a large bowl.
9. Add frozen peas and carrots to the chicken; mix.
10. In a Dutch oven or large pan, heat oil over medium heat until hot. Add onion, celery, mushrooms, salt, and pepper; stir. Cover pot and cook until tender, 5-7 minutes, and mushrooms have released their juices.
11. Remove cover and increase heat to medium-high. Stir in soy sauce and tomato paste, stirring, until liquid evaporates and mushrooms are well browned and dark fond begins to form on surface of pan, about 5 minutes. Add vegetables to bowl with chicken, peas, and carrots; mix.
12. To prepare sauce: Mix chicken broth and milk in an easy-to-pour container; momentarily set aside.
13. Melt butter over medium heat, allowing butter to foam. When foaming subsides, stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.
14. Add milk/broth in small increments, whisking well after each addition (I find adding a bit at a time works for me; otherwise, I tend to develop lumps that stubbornly remain). Bring to a simmer until sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
15. Remove from heat. Add lemon juice and parsley; stir.
16. Add sauce to bowl with chicken and vegetables, mixing thoroughly; pour into 13 X 9-inch baking dish. Evenly distribute topping over filling.
17. Place baking dish on rimmed baking sheet (to catch any overspill during baking) and bake at 450 degrees F for about 15 minutes; filling should  be hot and bubbling while topping should be browned and crispy. Sprinkle with parsley for garnish and serve.

SOURCE: Cook’s Illustrated magazine, Sept/Oct 2010 issue

Shrimp Enchiladas with Roasted Poblano Sauce

I do hereby declare that this Shrimp Enchilada with Roasted Poblano Sauce represents my taste buds fully grown up…almost 5 decades after my birth…yep, took that long. I’ve always loved shrimp. However, onions? Ugh. Hot chili peppers of any kind? No way. And not only does this recipe have one type of chili, but a whoppin’ two! With one of ‘em visible in the white sauce…gasp!

But I ate it. And I loved it. And my taste buds are so proud of the big girl in me ;  )

Honestly, I feel like this is a very grown-up dish for me to eat because it contains so many things I run far far away from. Actually, I’ve grown to tolerate onions–but only when chopped very very very fine and sauteed until absolutely no crunch is left. My skin totally crawls with heebie jeebies from raw onions or any form of onion close to its raw state. I must admit that I did chop them very fine for the inclusion in this dish, though, to up the tolerance factor.

When I chopped the poblano chili peppers after roasting them (I actually used pasilla peppers–see Chowhound for a discussion of the two), I hesitated to toss them into the sauce. I felt it would ruin it and my slaving over this dish would be for naught. I took a deep breath, though, and forged ahead. So glad I did. A myriad of flavors barrel forth from these enchiladas and the sauce.

Let’s talk sauce first. Creamy. Tiny tang from the sour cream that offsets any heat from the chili peppers. Depth from homemade chicken broth. And a light freshness from the cilantro.

Now the sauce certainly enhances the enchiladas and in my opinion makes this delectable dish rocket out of this world, but the combo of shrimp, cabbage, onion, carrot, and spinach all complement each other. You get some crunch and sweetness from carrots, some chew from the shrimp, some kick from the chipotle peppers that lingers in a pleasing way. And I like that a handful of healthy veggies are incorporated; it makes me feel good eating this despite the fact that it gets doused in a sour cream sauce and layer of cheese.

I made homemade tortillas for the first time ever the day I made these. They came out very misshapen and rustic looking, but the taste–oh.my.god–tender and…well, just tastes like real food vs. chemicals. I’m never going back to store-bought again. Never! Anyhow, once you roll it up, the homely appearance makes no difference, for it all disappears into the roll.

And let’s not forget the layer of cheese on top–all bubbly and crusty and gooey…mmmmm!!

You won’t find this recipe categorized under “quick and easy,” nor is it overly challenging. It just has a bit of chopping and roasting and sauteing that takes some time. However, the end result makes all the effort worthwhile. Very worthwhile.

P.S. I do offer a couple of shortcuts in the recipe below for those desiring a quicker version of the recipe.

Shrimp Enchilada with Roasted Poblano Sauce 

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INGREDIENTS

Sauce

• 2 poblano peppers
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 4 tbsp. unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth or veggie broth
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• kosher salt and pepper, to taste
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Filling

• 2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp. oregano
• dash cayenne pepper (or more, if you like the heat)
• kosher salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 cups green cabbage, shredded
• 2 carrots, peeled and shredded

  (or you can use pre-packaged cole slaw in place of shredding your own cabbage and  

  carrots)

• 3 cups baby spinach
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (found in cans in the market), seeded and finely minced or 1 tsp. chipotle powder (tip: freeze extra peppers in ice cube trays & store in freezer bags)
• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined (save time by purchasing already peeled/deveined shrimp)

To assemble

• 10 to 12 (8-inch) flour or corn tortillas
• 2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. To roast peppers: Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Place peppers in a medium baking dish. Bake, turning every 6-8 minutes until the skin is blistered over most of the surface, about 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl, cover, and let sit 15 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel away the skin and discard. Remove the stem, seeds, and ribs. Coarsely chop the peppers and set aside.
2. To make the sauce: Melt butter in a medium saucepan, then stir in the chopped poblanos. Sprinkle in flour, cooking briefly just until golden, 1-2 minutes.
3. Whisk in the broth, adding a little at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add garlic powder. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture bubbles and thickens.
4. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream and cilantro.
5. To make filling: Begin by spreading shrimp on baking pan in one layer, then sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. kosher salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper (alternatively, you can sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. chipotle powder if you aren’t using actual chipotle peppers). Bring shrimp to one pile and pour 1 tbsp. olive oil onto shrimp. Toss to mix, then spread shrimp out in one layer. Roast at 400 degrees F. for 6-8 minutes, just until they are pink and cooked through. When cooled enough to handle, coarsely chop the shrimp.
6. Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, oregano, and cayenne; cook until onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Stir in cabbage, carrots, and spinach; cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach is fully wilted, 3-4 minutes.
8. Stir in chipotle peppers; cook just until fragrant, about 1 minute.
9. Add chopped shrimp; stir them into filling.
10. Allow to cool slightly, then stir in one cup shredded cheese.
11. To assemble: Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish.
12. Place 3-4 tortillas on a plate, cover with a light cloth, then heat them in the microwave for 20-30 seconds to make them pliable. Alternatively, wrap in foil and place in the oven for a couple of minutes. Place about 1/3 cup filling down the center of a tortilla. Roll up tightly and place in prepared pan, seam-side down. Repeat with remaining filling and tortillas.
13. When pan is filled, pour the poblano sauce over the enchiladas.
14. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup of cheese.
15. Bake until bubbling and slightly golden, 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle with additional cilantro. Serve immediately.

SOURCE: adapted from Annie’s Eats via Damn Delicious via the inventor, Gimme Some Oven

Turkey (or Chicken) Tetrazzini

Tetrazzini had never crossed my path until recently. Spotting it on Michelle from Brown-Eyed Baker’s blog, it jumped to the top of my must-try list. Well, it helped that she had posted about Turkey Tetrazzini prior to Thanksgiving, and I brought home the leftover turkey carcass to make stock and obtain the meat that so meltingly falls off the bone after making stock. Hence, I knew I wanted to use the stock and meat for this recipe.

Well, along comes the day after Turkey Day and the good folks at America’s Test Kitchen included a Turkey Tetrazzini recipe in their weekly e-newsletter. Although Michelle’s recipe sounds delectably delicious as it’s loaded with Gruyère cheese and cream, the ATK recipe caught my attention because it contained lighter fare. After overstuffing myself on Thanksgiving, lighter fare sounded more appealing, so I opted for that version.

So what makes it lighter? Less cheese, first of all. Second, the sauce is made with a veloute rather than as a béchamel. Difference? Bechamel is a sauce made with a roux, which is a butter and flour paste to which milk is added. Veloute, on the other hand, adds chicken stock rather than milk to the roux, making for a brighter texture and flavor, according to the ATK folks. Stock in place of milk–more savory for sure and lighter in calories, I think.

My-oh-my was the final dish ever yummy–savory layers galore. I had some for lunch, too, and will definitely have several more containers packed for my remaining lunches this week. That homemade turkey stock came out more flavorful than in past years, adding oomph to the Tetrazzini. Plus, I used homemade pasta, which far surpasses storebought, adding another layer of oomph. (I hope to share how to make pasta someday, but this was only my third and finally a successful attempt. In the meantime, if you are interested, here are the sites that have helped me: Annie’s Eats, The Italian Dish.)

Half the peas I used were also picked from our garden this summer. I had frozen them and this recipe was a perfect use for them. Homegrown peas are waaaaaaaaaay better than storebought ones.

Finally, sherry is added to the dish, which adds another oomph element. Lots of oomph, isn’t there? And let me tell ya, you can taste it all. It’s an oompha party going on for the tastebuds!

Oh, and one more oomph: a layer of crunchy breadcrumbs coats the top. Love the crunch factor in contrast to the tender noodles. Perfect pairing.

Basically, you can summarize all this by saying Tetrazzini is a noodle casserole with some goodies tossed in. The ATK folks describe it as “a casserole with a silky sauce, a generous portion of turkey meat, and noodles cooked just till done”–a bit more eloquent than my description :  ) And as per usual, they score again as they get all the ingredients and proportions just right.

If you are out of turkey, by all means, try this with chicken. It’s a dish worthy of trying, keeping, and repeating.

Turkey (or Chicken) Tetrazzini

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INGREDIENTS

Topping

• 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs (I used panko)
• pinch of table salt
• 1 1/2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• 1 ounce (about 1/4 cup) Parmesan cheese, grated

Filling

• 6 tbsp. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for buttering baking dish
• 8 ounces (about 3 cups) white mushrooms, clean and sliced (I used cremini mushrooms)
• 2 medium onions, chopped fine, about 1 1/2 cups (I used white onions)
• 3/4 pound spaghetti or other long-strand pasta, strands snapped in half (I used fettucine noodles)
• 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 cups turkey (or chicken) stock or low-sodium canned chicken broth
• 3 tbsp. dry sherry (I used cooking sherry)
• 3 ounces (about 3/4 cup) Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tsp. minced fresh thyme leaves
• 2 cups frozen peas (I used peas/carrots blend)
• 4 cups leftover cooked boneless turkey or chicken meat, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (check out Mel’s post about cooking & shredding chicken & this post on shredding chicken in your kitchen mixer)

DIRECTIONS

1. For the topping: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix breadcrumbs, salt, and butter in small baking dish; bake until golden brown and crisp, 10-20 minutes. Cool to room temperature and mix with 1/4 cup grated Parmesan in small bowl. Set aside.
2. For the filling: Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F. Heat 2 tbsp. butter in large skillet over medium heat until foaming subsides; add mushrooms and onions and sauté, stirring frequently, until onions soften and mushroom liquid evaporates, 12-15 minutes. Season with salt and ground black pepper to taste; transfer to medium bowl and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water, drain spaghetti, and return to pot with reserved liquid (I skipped the reserved liquid part).
4. For the sauce: Melt remaining 4 tbsp. butter in cleaned skillet over medium heat. When foam subsides, whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, until flour turns golden, 1-2 minutes.
5. Whisking constantly, gradually add chicken stock. Adjust heat to medium-high and simmer until mixture thickens, 3-4 minutes.
6. Off heat, whisk in sherry, Parmesan, nutmeg, 1/2 tsp. salt, lemon juice, and thyme.
7. Add sauce, sautéed onions & mushrooms, peas, and meat to noodles and mix well; adjust seasonings to taste.
8. Turn mixture into a buttered 9X13-inch shallow baking dish, sprinkle evenly with reserved breadcrumbs, and bake until breadcrumbs brown and mixture is bubbly, 13-15 minutes. Serve immediately.

SOURCE: America’s Test Kitchen weekly e-newsletter