(Usually) Tortellini Soup

Fall has come, although we're having quite the Indian Summer here.  It was in the low 90s here today!  That said, I've been inside most of the day working on my sermon and doing laundry.  The glamorous life never ends!  I knew I needed something simple, filling, and super-tasty for supper, and if I could eat off of it for a few days, all the better.  I had been thinking about my tortellini soup and thought that would hit the spot so that's what I made.  Ok, ok, so I actually made raviolini soup since that's what I had, but you get the gist, y'all.


This soup is so simple and so good.  Tweak it to your liking.  It's very easy to make it vegetarian, and you can add some kind of meat to make it heartier.  It's a winner for your recipe repertoire.  I didn't have a recipe the first time I made it so I just threw together what looked and sounded good.  Baby spinach adds nutritional value and tastes great in the soup.  Sautéing the onion until it is translucent adds a lovely depth.  I like to add a handful of grated cheese so I try to keep the salt in the rest of the recipe to a minimum.  Want it spicy?  Crushed red pepper flake does the trick.  (I generally do a palmful.)

The best part?  It'll taste even better the next day as the flavors meld.  Nom nom nom.

Without further ado, here's the recipe for (Usually) Tortellini Soup:

• 1 carton unsalted chicken or veggie stock (I like Kitchen Basics)
• 1-14.5 oz can Italian style diced tomatoes (basil, garlic, oregano)
• up to a 9 oz package of tortellini, raviolini, or other small stuffed pasta (I generally use cheese but will try some meat varieties as the weather cools, and I generally recommend using about 2/3 of the package so you have more broth.)
• 1 palmful each dried basil, oregano, and crushed red pepper flake, adjusted to your taste preferences
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 bag baby spinach, using as much as you'd like
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt, adjusted to your taste
• grated cheese, if desired (I like parmigiano)

In a minimum 3 quart pot, saute the diced onion in the olive oil over medium heat until it is translucent.

Add the stock, then tomatoes, herbs, and crushed red pepper flake.  Give it a taste before adding the salt, then taste again after adding the salt to see if you need more.  Add the spinach to your liking, then cover and let simmer for 15 minutes.

Give the broth a taste again, adjusting your seasonings as necessary.  Add as much pasta as you'd like out of the package, then cover and let cook for the recommended cooking time on the package, generally 3-5 minutes.

Ladle into bowls and serve with the grated cheese on top.  Mangia!

Learning To Love Brussels Sprouts

As a child, I did not like brussels sprouts.  Let me amend that statement: I would say that I hated them.  As the years have passed, my tastes have changed and expanded, including many foods that I had not thought I'd ever choose to eat, but I still thought, "Brussels sprouts-- yuck!"  Family and friends kept touting these miniature cabbages, over and over again, until I wondered if I might have them one day and actually find they were tasty.

As I shopped one day at Little House Green Grocery in Richmond, Virginia, I found myself in front of a stalk of incredibly fresh brussels sprouts.  They intrigued me and persuaded me to buy them so they could convert me to a sprout lover.  Oh, how glad I am that I did!

I first tried to roast them with garlic and olive oil, following Mark Bittman's recipe.  Things were proceeding perfectly until I checked on them and found them burnt!  My house smelled like failure...very tasty failure.  Encouraged by the few that emerged uncharred, I tried again and tasted success.  Needless to say, I now ask people how they like to fix these little guys so I can learn new tricks.  Thankfully, they are available in the produce section of many stores, washed and ready to steam, saute, roast, or whatever you prefer.  Trader Joe's even has them julienned for you.  Yum.

This is my most recent preparation: julienned and roasted with olive oil and bacon.  So easy.  So good.

Julienned Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

• Fresh brussels sprouts (serving size is 4 per person as a side, but I do at least 8 if I'm making a meal out of them)
• Olive oil
• Bacon (I used the Trader Joe's precooked applewood smoked bacon to cut out on some of the fat and mess)
• Salt and pepper to taste

If your brussels sprouts are not prewashed, wash and dry them well.  Preheat your oven to 425.

After cutting off the base, cut each sprout in half, then cut each half into thirds.  Set aside.  Chop your bacon into bite-sized pieces.  If you're not using precooked bacon, it will be easier to chop if it is colder, and make sure to use a different cutting board so there's no cross-contamination.  

Add about a tablespoon of olive oil to an overproof skillet.  I like to use a cast iron skillet, but if you do, make sure to watch the sprouts in the oven!  This is where I went wrong the first time.  Turn to medium-low and add the bacon to the pan.  When the bacon begins to sizzle, add your sprouts.  Season with salt and pepper to your liking.

Stir the sprouts and bacon so that they are evenly coated with the olive oil (and yummy bacon fat), then sauté until they're turning a nice, bright green.  Put the skillet in the oven, checking after about 8 minutes.  

Give them a stir, then cook for another couple of minutes until the bacon is crispy, and the sprouts have begun to brown.  Watch them carefully!  They're good crispy and brown, but if they're getting too dark, take them out.

I like to serve them in a bowl with a spoon so that I can scoop up every bit.  Oh, they're so good!

Vegetarian variation: substitute butter for half of the olive oil.  You can also add garlic, and I imagine shallots would be delicious in this.  You can drizzle with balsamic vinegar or toss with some parmesan cheese as well.  Enjoy!

Potato Soup

Certain weather just calls for certain foods.  Today was cool and rainy, and I thought, "Aha!  Potato soup day."  It had been some time since I had made my potato soup, and I needed something warm, substantial, and comforting.  This fits that description nicely!  It's a pretty easy soup as well, and there's more than enough to share or freeze, making it a good company soup or make-ahead meal.  There are basics: potatoes (go figure), onion, a bit of butter, a bit of olive oil, some milk or cream, and cheese.  Other than that, you can play with it to your heart's content.

Have fun!

Potato Soup a la Anne Lane
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- about 6 Yukon Gold potatoes, each about the size of your fist (or my fist, since it's not that big), diced-- you can use them peeled or unpeeled, but I like them unpeeled
- 1 carton good chicken or veggie stock
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1- 8 oz. block good cheddar cheese, as sharp as you like it, chopped into small pieces (I use Cabot's Seriously Sharp White Cheddar-- yum)
- about 2 tbsp milk or cream
- bacon bits and extra cheese to top, if desired


In a Dutch oven or good sized pan (I used a 4 qt pan), heat the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat until the butter has melted and everything's bubbling.  Add the diced onion, sautéing until translucent.

Add a bit of your stock and deglaze the pan, scraping the pan with a nylon or silicone spatula or spoon to get the browned bits up into the stock.  Add the rest of the stock, then add your potatoes.

Season with some salt and pepper.  Don't go overboard as the flavors will concentrate.  Give the pot a good stir, then set your timer for 30 minutes and let the potatoes, onion, and stock cook so that the potatoes get tender.

When the potatoes are good and tender, use either a potato masher (for a chunkier texture) or an immersion blender (for a velvety texture) to get them to the consistency you prefer.  Swirl in your milk or cream and your cheese.  Stir and adjust seasonings.  Let this simmer for a couple of minutes to make sure the cheese melts, then give it a good stir to blend.

Serve in bowls with your preferred toppings.  I like some bacon and extra cheese personally.  This makes about 6 decent servings.

Enjoy!

Taco Seasoning

I have long looked to tacos as a super-quick and comforting meal. Grab your chosen protein (beef, chicken, pork, turkey, or tofu), some taco shells, toppings, and a packet of taco seasoning. Done. Or so I thought.

Recently, my longtime friend Sarah told me how she and her family make their own taco seasoning. They control what goes into it, which means it is gluten-free and tweaked to their tastes. This intrigued me, but I had forgotten about it until I was wandering the aisles at the grocery store and found myself lingering in front of the taco fixins. I grabbed a pound of ground beef (93% lean and organic, as well as local), some Horizon organic Mexican cheese, and some soft taco shells, and I decided that I would make my own seasoning. I was salivating as I left the store!

I found a suitable recipe on AllRecipes.Com, and I read the comments for suggested tweaks. The original recipe is from Bill Echols. I tweaked it according to a couple of commentors' suggestions, and it was delicious!! Here is the recipe with my tweaks, as well as what I think I will do with it in the future.

Taco Seasoning:

• -1 tablespoon chili powder
• -1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• -1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• -1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (I think that next time, I will use 1/8 teaspoon of red pepper flakes and 1/8 teaspoon of chipotle pepper powder)
• -1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• -1/2 teaspoon paprika
• -1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• -1 teaspoon sea salt (I think you could use about a 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon)
• -1 teaspoon black pepper
• -2 tablespoons cornstarch

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl (a small plastic container with a tight-fitting lid works well).

When you go to make your tacos, cook your protein, then add 3 tablespoons (approximately) of seasoning per pound along with a half cup of water, more if needed. Bring to a simmer and let everything reduce. Serve immediately. This should serve about 3 people, fewer if you're really hungry!

Play with this according to your liking, and please let me know what you come up with!

Salad Days

I go through phases with salads. Once upon a time, I was a vegetarian and grew tired of salad being the only non-meat option, which led to their being long-absent from my diet. Fortunately, I'm happy to eat them now! Sometimes, I will eat them for weeks on end without tiring of them; other times, I can go for months without eating them or wanting them. Sometimes, it takes a fantastically fresh and delicious salad to get me back on the kick. Now that the weather is warmer, it's an excellent time to get back on the salad kick.

At a recent brunch, I was served a fantastic salad of baby spinach, mandarin oranges, toasted almonds, and a simple vinaigrette. Yum. The other day, a friend gave me some lettuce from his garden. I washed it, spun it in my salad spinner (yes, they make a difference), tore it, and tossed it with some yummy toppings-- dried cranberries, walnuts, goat cheese, and raspberry vinaigrette. It was so good!

When I do salads, I like to combine the greens, a fruit of some sort, cheese (more often than not), a nut or something crunchy (like noodles), and a light yet flavorful dressing. Look for what's in season and what looks good. Experiment! Throw on some grilled steak, chicken, or shrimp if you want-- I recommend marinating it first, or at a minimum, seasoning it well. There are so many possibilities.

Tell me: how do you most enjoy your salads?

Egyptian Red Lentil Soup

I have always loved lentils. Among my early memories, I remember my mother serving us lentil soup, which I devoured. In the years that have followed, I have learned that there are different types of lentils, with different qualities. While living in New York City, I came upon red lentils and decided I needed to cook with them. They were too pretty to leave in the store!

With some help from the Google, I came upon a recipe on the blog Dove's Eye View, which came from Claudia Roden, an Egyptian Jewish food writer now residing in Britain. I have tweaked it slightly, something to which this recipe lends itself very easily. Play with it. I have in the past used chicken stock at some times and veggie at others, with bouillion cubes at others. If you're not concerned with making this vegan, the addition of some rinds of parmigiano reggiano is quite tasty. Make it your own!

And without further ado, here is my basic recipe:

- 1 large onion, chopped as finely as you can get it (I generally can't get it too fine, thanks to the tears!)

- 1 3/4 cups red lentils

- 7 1/2 cups meat or chicken or veggie stock or water (if you use the water, add a couple of bouillion cubes for flavor as you will need it)-- I've used the Kitchen Basics line of unsalted stocks, and their veggie stock gives this a lovely, deep color.

- salt and pepper, to taste

- 1 tsp cumin

- juice of 1 lemon

- about 2 tablespoons of olive oil (more if you'd like to drizzle some extra virgin olive oil on top)-- you can also do half olive oil, half butter

Using a minimum 2 1/2 quart pot, add the olive oil or olive oil/butter to the heated pot. Add the chopped onion and saute until it is translucent.

Add the liquid, lentils, and salt and pepper. Bring up to a simmer, then cover and let simmer on low for 30 minutes, or until the lentils have mostly fallen apart.

Check for seasoning, then add the cumin and lemon juice. Serve!

Makes 6 servings.

Chicken Piccata

I have been negligent in posting this recipe, but I assure you that it will be delicious! It is easy and tasty and easily expanded for company. For those who are gluten intolerant, you could use something else to coat the chicken before cooking it. Trader Joe's now has almond flour, and that might work (and up the nutritional factor!). Whatever you do, feel free to tweak it to your tastes. I began with a recipe from The Stuffed Cougar and adjusted it to my preferences. Add additional seasonings. Make it crispy! Do what you want. As long as it tastes good to you, great. I'd love to hear your tweaks!

Here it is, at long last...chicken piccata. This recipe makes one serving (just because it's easy quantities). Multiply as needed.

Oh, and this is not a lowfat recipe, but it surely is good. It's one of my treats!

Chicken Piccata
- 1 chicken breast (preferably thinly sliced or pounded to a nice thinness and not too big since you want it to cook quickly)
- enough flour to very lightly coat the chicken (about 1 tablespoon), seasoned with whatever you choose since it'll be really bland otherwise. (I recommend seasoned salt and garlic powder)
- bread crumbs to coat the chicken, with seasonings added, about 1 tablespoon (again, seasoned salt and garlic powder work nicely)
- 3 tablespoons butter (or less if you do not like butter, but I am partial to butter, and adjust the salt if you use unsalted)
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dry white wine (make sure it's one you would drink and not swill)
- half a lemon (or more if it's not juicy since you need to end up with about a tablespoon)
- 1 tablespoon capers (more or less depending upon your taste for capers)

Start by letting the chicken come up to room temperature.

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a skillet with the olive oil. If you're using enameled cast iron or the like, medium heat is what you need. If it's not, then you might have to go hotter in order to get a really good browning of the chicken.

Dredge the chicken lightly in the seasoned flour, shaking to remove the excess, then dredge in the seasoned bread crumbs. Getting the excess flour off is really important as too much makes the chicken gummy. Make sure to press the chicken into the crumbs so the breast is really well-coated.

When the butter is fully melted, place the chicken breast into the pan. Cook it for about 4 minutes on the first side, then flip and do about 3 minutes on the other side. Check for even browning. When both sides are nicely browned, remove the chicken from the pan.

Deglaze the pan with the white wine and lemon juice, scraping the browned, chickeney bits from the bottom of the skillet. Taste for seasoning and add as needed. Add one more tablespoon of butter and the capers and check for taste again (especially if you get some of the brine into the sauce). If needed, add the final tablespoon of butter to round out the sauce. It should taste rich, lemony but not too tart, and a bit buttery.

Add the chicken back to the pan to warm it through, turning it to coat it in the sauce. Serve it on a plate that can hold the sauce, or if you choose to serve with pasta or rice, in a bowl. Mangia!!!

Spicy Roast Chicken with Grape Tomatoes and Marjoram

...aka my go to dish for company!

I found this recipe originally in my Bon Appetit calendar and thought it sounded delicious. Trial proved that right! I've made a few changes, namely putting the quantities for serving two people. The original recipe also called for cherry tomatoes and for using a baking sheet, which I can't imagine as you'd risk losing some of the sauce. The tomatoes get extra sweet and intensely flavored, and the garlic and marjoram provide a nice balance.

If you can't find fresh marjoram (and it must be fresh), use oregano since they are similar in flavor. I was able to find a nice little marjoram plant at Whole Foods the other day, along with some exquisite Hanover grape tomatoes.

You'll need a small or medium glass baking dish (which will hold two chicken breasts plus a pint of grape tomatoes), a garlic press (mine is Zyliss-- reasonably priced and works very well), and crusty bread to sop up the sauce (or use rice if you have someone with a gluten allergy). Tweak the amount of salt to your taste and dietary needs. This has always been a hit in my experience!!

Words cannot express how good this dish is so make it straight away. You don't have to tell anyone how easy it is!!

Spicy Roast Chicken with Grape Tomatoes and Marjoram
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts-- not too big!! Cutlets would also work. Make sure to let them come to room temperature before cooking!!
- 1 pint grape tomatoes (Lucky you if you can get some yummy local ones!!)
- 1/4 cup olive oil plus 2 tbsp (add more if you feel you need it)
- 3 garlic cloves, pressed (chopped will not work anywhere near as well so don't even try it, and don't go overboard on the garlic as there is such a thing as too much of it in this recipe)
- a palmful of crushed red pepper flake (adjust to your desired spiciness)
- 1 tbsp fresh marjoram, chopped (plus more if you want some for garnish)
-salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

Season your chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides, placing them in your baking dish.

Wash your tomatoes and marjoram, draining the tomatoes and letting the marjoram dry on a kitchen towel.

Place the 1/4 cup of olive oil in a mixing bowl. Press your garlic cloves right into the bowl, scraping every bit of garlic into the bowl. Measure a palmful of crushed red pepper flake and crush with your thumb to release more of the heat. Add a bit of salt and pepper to your liking. Add the grape tomatoes.

Chop the marjoram. A mezzaluna works really well for this, and I recommend getting one if you don't have one. Throw it into the mixing bowl, reserving what you want for garnish. You will want at least a tablespoon's worth in the tomato mixture.

Toss the tomato mixture and then pour over the chicken breasts, making sure to spread the tomatoes out as evenly as you can get them. Drizzle a bit more olive oil over the top and then place the baking dish in the oven.

Bake at 450 degrees for 35 minutes. It will not dry out, thanks to the olive oil and tomato mixture!

Serve on plates or in pasta bowls with crusty bread alongside. Enjoy!!

Tri-Tip Steak

I love tri-tip, ever since my boyfriend introduced me to it. It has so much flavor and requires so little to prepare it for cooking. Trader Joe's has both tri-tip roasts, marinated and unmarinated, as well as trip-tip steaks, which are thinner and smaller slices off of the roast. There is not much marbling so it's a lean cut. You can also ask a butcher if they'll give you one. Try it out. I think you'll really like it. I ate this with some peewee potatoes (aka smaller than new potatoes!) tossed with a bit of butter, salt, and pepper. It was so good and so easy.

Tri-Tip Steaks

- One package tri-tip steaks (I got a pack of 4)
- garlic salt
- freshly cracked black pepper (or multicolored if you'd like)
- olive oil

Preheat a grill pan or grill. Pat both sides of the steaks dry, then season the top side liberally with the garlic salt and pepper. Drizzle a bit of olive oil on the seasoned side.

Place them seasoned side down on the grill pan or grill, repeating the seasoning process on the unseasoned side.

Let them cook for about 3 minutes per side, more if you want them more done. This will get you medium rare steaks, which I generally do not like but are delicious with tri-tip.

Let them rest for a few minutes before cutting them, then dig in!

Steak Diane (a la Marian Rey!)

Christmas in my family means food-- lots and lots of food. One of the things we love is beef tenderloin, which always seems to get bought in massive quantities. Of course, I don't consider it to be a chore to have to come up with ways of eating the stuff, especially since my sister in law showed me how she makes Steak Diane. Marian Rey makes it for them a lot since it's easy, tasty, and satisfying.

When I don't have beef tenderloin available, I find inexpensive steaks, cut pretty thin since you want a quick cooking dish. Sirloin works great! This is an excellent dish to make when you don't have many supplies on hand. As long as you have butter, olive oil, shallots, and lemons, you have the basic makings.

Here it is for two people. It's a great dish for company. Just increase everything to your liking.

Steak Diane (a la Marian Rey)
- 2 steaks (sirloin, about a half inch thick)
- 2 good sized shallots, minced fine (more or less, according to your taste)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (more if you need it when you saute the shallots)
- 2 lemons, each about the size of your fist
-salt and pepper

Pull the steaks out of the fridge at least an hour before you plan on cooking them. They need to come up to room temperature in order to cook properly. I mean it!

Mince the shallots as finely as you like. Your food processor or a large grater are good for this, too.

Salt and pepper one side of each steak.

In a skillet large enough to fit the steaks comfortably (not crowding as they need to sear and not steam), melt 1 tablespoon butter with the olive oil. Once the butter has melted and begun to foam, add the steaks. Leave them alone for a while! To be specific, this means don't touch them for at least 3 minutes. Salt and pepper the top side.

After your 3 minutes (or a little more if you like your steak a little more done) are up, use tongs to flip the steaks, being careful not to splash the hot oil and butter on yourself. Tongs give much more control than a spatula here. Again, leave the steaks alone for at least 3 minutes.

You'll be able to feel them getting firmer. You can measure doneness by the webbing in between your thumb and index finger-- both fingers together with webbing very flaccid equals rarer, mid-way spread is medium rare, about 2/3 spread is medium, and fully spread is well done. Put them on a plate to rest once they're done to your liking.

Add 1 more tablespoon of butter to the pan, then adding the shallots. Saute them until translucent, scraping the bottom of the pan either with your tongs or a heat-resistant spoon that won't damage your skillet.

Juice the lemons and add the juice to the pan. I prefer to juice them through a strainer to get the seeds, using a reamer to get as much juice as possible. If they feel really firm, microwave them for about 20 seconds, and you'll get more juice out of them. Deglaze the pan with this juice, and taste the sauce. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter if you want (I always want), and adjust the seasonings should you need to. With the salt and pepper on the steaks, you will have given this good flavor already.

Add the steaks back to the pan, warming them through on each side (about 1 minute per side). Serve on a plate with bread on the side for the sauce. Enjoy!

Scampi!

I finally figured out what to do with those shrimp: a good, garlicky scampi. It was easy and so, so good. Next time, I'll make it spicier since I like that, and I'll make sure to have bread on hand for the sauce or serve it over pasta or rice. Tweak it to your liking.

Scampi (for two)

- 1/2 pound shrimp, tail on but preferably deveined (get them as big or as little as you prefer)

- 3 large cloves garlic, pressed or minced

- crushed red pepper flake, to taste and crushed in your palm to release more oils (I did a small pinch this time and would do more like a small palmful next time!)

- 2 tbsp. olive oil (2 turns around the pan)

- 3 tbsp. butter

- salt if you do not use salted butter, or to taste

- pepper-- freshly ground, if possible!

- about a 1/4 c. of chicken stock, or extra white wine

- a splash of white wine (or more if you don't use the chicken stock)

About an hour or so before cooking, pull the shrimp out of the fridge so that it can come up to room temperature. You run the risk of shrimp that are cooked on the outside and raw inside if you don't do this.

Pull out a skillet, and turn the heat on medium-low. Add the olive oil and 2 tbsp. of the butter, letting the butter melt and foam. Turn the heat down at this point.

Add the garlic and saute until fragrant. Burnt garlic gets bitter so make sure to keep a close "nose" on your skillet! As soon as it is fragrant, add the shrimp, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flake. Flip the shrimp after about 2 minutes.

After about 1 1/2 more minutes, making sure the shrimp is curled and pink, remove it from the pan. Keep it warm if possible. Add the stock or wine and the remaining butter. Turn the heat to medium so that the sauce begins to simmer and reduce.

Once the sauce has reduced and thickened to your liking (my preference is about the consistency of melted butter, which is appropriate here), put the shrimp back in the pan, giving it a couple of turns so that it gets coated in the sauce and is definitely warmed through.

Serve in a bowl (over the pasta or rice if you desire). Enjoy!