Here’s a delicious meal to make using the “Good on anything” Fresh Herb Pesto (see recipe on previous post). I especially love pesto on gnocchi, because of it’s chewy texture! FYI I would serve this dinner in summer, spring, fall or winter. You can make the pesto fresh in the summer and freeze it into containers that suit your family size. Thaw the pesto out throughout the seasons as you need it. I would serve this with the Belgian Endive Salad (recipe on prior post) with a class of rich, buttery Chardonnay in spring or summer and a nice Barbera or Chianti in the colder months. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Cheers!

INGREDIENTS

4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless

1 3/4 cups fresh pesto

2 roma tomatoes, sliced into 8 pieces

1 small log fresh mozzarella, sliced into 8 pieces

4-8 slices prosciutto

olive oil

sea salt and ground pepper

1 17.6 oz package of Trader Joe’s shelf stable potato gnocchi

grated parmesan for sprinkling

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees on bake.

Take four rinsed chicken breast and spread a 1/4 cup pesto on the top of each breast.  Place two tomato slices on each breast, and place two mozzarella slices on each tomato.  Using the prosciutto, wrap the stacked chicken breasts.

Drizzle a little olive oil over the wrapped breasts and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place in oven, uncovered and allow 25-35 minutes for cooking.

While stacks are baking bring a pot of water to a boil.  Add some salt to the water and drop in the gnocchi.  When all the gnocchi have floated to the top, they are done.  Drain gnocchi and add back to the pot.  Pour 3/4 cup of pesto over gnocchi and reduce heat to warm until ready to plate.

Plate the chicken when it’s cooked through and spoon equal amounts onto each plate.  Sprinkle stacks and gnocchi with parmesan cheese and serve. (serves 4)

 

INGREDIENTS

6 medium garlic cloves

4 oz package Trader Joe’s fresh basil

1 shallot

1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley

1/4 cup fresh arugula

1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme

1/2 tablespoon oregano

1 teaspoon tarragon

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 cup raw pine nuts

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon ground pepper

1/2 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 pinch chili flakes

1 cup parmesan cheese, grated 

INSTRUCTIONS

Wash all the herbs and dry them thoroughly.  Pick off just the leaves of all the herbs and discard the stems.  Peel the garlic cloves and the shallot.

In a blender add the herbs, garlic, shallot, lemon zest, pine nuts, salt, pepper and vinegar.  Turn the blender on high and drizzle in one quarter of the olive oil, gradually.  Stop the blender, stir and start it again.  Add another quarter olive oil and repeat until all oil has been used and pesto reaches a blended consistency.

Stop the blender and pour out the pesto into a medium mixing bowl.  Stir the pesto and add a pinch of chili flakes and the parmesan cheese.  Stir again to combine and refrigerate for a week or freeze up to one month.

Serve pesto on rice, gnocchi, pasta, garlic bread, pizza, vegetables, panini, any meat and any seafood!

INGREDIENTS

3 endive, washed and hard ends removed, chopped

3 small cipollini onions, peeled and chopped

3 persian cucumbers, sliced

6 cocktail or cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup shredded carrots

2 tablespoons roasted, salted sunflower seeds, divided

DRESSING

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 – 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large bowl, add endives, onions, cucumbers, tomatoes and carrots.  

In a separate mixing bowl whisk together olive oil, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper.  Once dressing has combined, pour it over the salad and coat with your washed hands.  Divide salad onto four salad plates and sprinkle each with sunflower seeds.  Serve right away. (serves 4)

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons olive oil

12.8 oz package of fully cooked chicken   smoked andouille sausage (4 links), sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds

1 cup celery, diced

1 cup carrots, diced

1 cup onion, diced

4-5 cloves of garlic, chopped

14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground red chipotle

1 teaspoon Aleppo Pepper

1 teaspoon smoked spanish paprika

1 tablespoon cajun seasoning

sea salt and ground pepper

2 cups chicken broth

15.5 oz can of Trader Joe’s cuban style black beans

16 oz bag of Trader Joe’s Southern Greens Blend

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large stock pot over medium-high heat add the olive oil and brown the andouille sausage pieces.  After they have turned a golden brown and begin to show signs of crispness around the casing, add the onions, carrots and celery.

Let the four ingredients cook together for about five minutes, stirring frequently so nothing burns.

Once the vegetables have softened a bit, add the garlic, can of tomatoes and all the seasoning spices and salt and pepper.  Stir to combine.  While those flavors are setting open the beans and chicken broth.

Add the beans and broth and allow the soup to come to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Once it has come back to a boil, add half the bag of southern greens.  Stir and cover for a couple minutes.  Remove lid and stir in the rest of the greens.  Cover and reduce heat to a simmer.

Simmer for about 30-35 minutes to set the flavors, stirring occasionally.

Serve hot in a bowl with good crusty bread, over mashed potatoes or rice. (serves 6)

INGREDIENTS

3 – 15 oz cans baked beans

6 beef hot dogs, sliced into pennies

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup ketchup

3 shakes of worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

sea salt and ground pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large stock pot, over medium-high heat, add olive oil and onions.  Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.  Cook and stir onions until soft, reduce heat if they start to burn.

Add brown sugar and hot dog pieces to softened onions.  Continue cooking until onions and meat become caramelized.  Add ketchup, worcestershire, vinegar and beans to meat and onions.  Simmer for about 10 minutes to set flavors.  Stir a couple times to prevent sticking

Serve warm with thick Kettle potato chips. (serves 6-8 as a side dish)

Here’s a tasty way to make your own pho at home without all the crazy ingredients that go into traditional Vietnamese broth. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 pound fresh peeled and cleaned raw medium shrimp

1/2 – 6 oz bag of Saifun (mung bean noodles or rice or vermicelli noodles)

1 cup sliced mushrooms

5 green onions, chopped

1 red bell pepper, fresh or roasted, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

8 oz can sliced bamboo shoots, drained

1 cup seafood stock

4 cups soy ginger broth (you could use beef, chicken, seafood or vegetable broth)

1 tablespoon garlic chili sauce

FRESH HERB TOPPING:

1 bunch fresh cilantro

1 bunch fresh basil leaves 

2 cups bean sprouts

1 lime cut into quarters

1-2 serrano or jalapeno pepper, sliced

INSTRUCTIONS

If shrimp is frozen, thaw them out.  Following the instructions on the Saifun noodles, prepare half of the bag and save the other half for another dish.  Drain and set aside in a colander.

In a large stock pot over high heat add the seafood stock and soy ginger broth.  Bring to boil.  Once liquid has started to boil add sliced mushrooms, green onions, bell pepper, garlic, ginger, chili sauce and bamboo shoots.

Let the liquid come to a boil again, then reduce heat to medium-high and let simmer for about 10-15 minutes to allow vegetables to cook through and flavors to set.

For fresh herb topping, separate cilantro and basil leaves from stems.  Use kitchen shears to cut the larger basil leaves.  Place herbs evenly on four plates.  Slice up the serrano and distribute to each plate.  Put about half a cup of bean sprouts and a lime wedge on each plate.

Add the cooked noodles and half pound shrimp.  When shrimp have curled and turned a pink color, they are done (about 2-3 minutes).

Divide pho into four bowls and serve with the fresh herb plate for your guest to add to their soup as desired.  Serve immediately. (serves 4)

If your guest want to add salt and pepper, I like to put out soy sauce and red pepper flakes.

Don’t add the shrimp until right before you serve the Pho or they will get firm and over cooked.

INGREDIENTS

2 – 8 oz blocks of cream cheese, brought to room temperature

1/2 cup Trader Joe’s tartar sauce with dill and jalapeno*

3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup reserved for topping

2 – 15 oz cans quartered artichoke hearts, drained

2 – 12 oz cans of crab meat, drained

1/4 cup chopped nacho jalapenos

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 lemon, juiced

1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped fine

1 teaspoon ground pepper

fresh baked sourdough bread, broken into bite size pieces

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Add cream cheese, tartar sauce, 3/4 cup parmesan cheese, garlic, lemon juice, parsley and pepper to a large mixing bowl.  Mix until combined.

To the cheese mixture add the jalapenos, artichoke hearts and crab meat.  Combine all ingredients.

Transfer the dip to a baking dish.  Sprinkle with 1/4 cup reserved parmesan cheese.

Bake for about 30-40 minutes until dip is heated through, ingredients have set and top turns golden brown.

Serve warm with sourdough bread.

*You can substitute mayonnaise for the tartar sauce, but the flavor of the tartar sauce seems to compliment the crab really well.

I came up with this recipe while living in Vancouver, Washington. Contrary to popular belief it can get very hot there in the summer. This is a great dish to serve at a picnic because it serves a lot of people and tastes great chilled or at room temperature.

INGREDIENTS

16 oz bag multigrain fusilli pasta

1 red bell pepper, chopped fine

2 zucchini, chopped fine

1/2 red onion, chopped fine

3.8 oz can sliced black olives, drained

15 oz can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

14 oz can quartered artichoke hearts, drained

14.5 oz tub of Trader Joe’s fresh bruschetta

4 oz (about 28 pieces) salami, sliced thin into strips and separated

3/4 cup shredded quattro formaggio or parmesan cheese

1/2 cup deli sliced peperoncini

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

sea salt and ground pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente, roughly 8-9 minutes.  Salt your water.

While pasta cooks, add all the other ingredients to a large mixing bowl.  Toss gently to combine all the ingredients.

Drain pasta and allow to cool.  Add pasta to other ingredients and toss again to coat the pasta completely.  Season with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature or chill overnight.

My mother-in-law is having a birthday on Saturday. When asked what she’d like for her birthday dinner at our house she requested my onion soup. Some people may have difficult in-laws so when I discover something my in-laws like, I try to share it with others. A word to the wise however, before making this for your mother-in-law make sure she likes onions first!

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus some for baguettes

2 pounds (about 5 medium) sweet onions, cut into half and sliced

6-8 cloves garlic, chopped fine

8 oz tub mushrooms, sliced

sea salt and ground pepper

1 tablespoon Penzy’s Fox Point seasoning*

2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon garlic powder

12 oz bottle of pilsner beer

32 oz beef broth

4 oz bag Trader Joe’s cheese & garlic croutons

1 1/2 cups T.J’s shredded quattro formaggio cheese blend

1/2 cup heavy cream

1-2 cups shredded gruyere cheese, divided

12 slices of a fresh baguette

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large cast iron dutch oven, over medium-heat, add butter and olive oil.  As you slice the onions, add them to the dutch pot with butter and olive oil.  Add all onions and stir continuously to keep them from burning.  Season with a couple pinches of sea salt and ground pepper.  Cook them until caramelized, soft and golden, about 25-30 minutes.

After about 15 minutes add mushrooms, garlic, Penzy’s Fox Point seasoning, worcestershire and garlic powder.  Stir to coat all the onions and mushrooms.  Once onions are caramelized add beer, beef broth, croutons and 1 cup quattro formaggio.  Stir until it reaches a boil, then reduce heat to a steady low simmer.

Let flavors melt together for about 25-30 minutes more.  Stir throughout the process. While flavors set, slice baguette into 12 1/4 inch slices. Freeze the rest of the baguette for later use.  Line a baking sheet with foil and drizzle with some olive oil.  Evenly place the baguette slices onto the foil and drizzle tops with some olive oil.  Sprinkle reserved 1/2 cup of quattro formaggio cheese over the slices and bake at 350 degrees in oven until cheese starts to melt, about 6-8 minutes.  When cheese has melted, turn the broiler on to brown the cheese.  This process happens quickly so watch it under the broiler.

Leave the broiler on and remove baguettes and set them aside.  Grate about 1 1/2 cups gruyere cheese and sprinkle it over the soup in the dutch oven, don’t stir it in.  Using oven mitt, place baking rack on a lower setting, so you can fit the dutch oven under the broiler.  When cheese turns bubbly and golden brown, turn off the broiler and remove the dutch oven.

Spoon desired amount into 6 bowls.  Place two baguette slices atop each bowl of soup.

*Penzy’s fox point seasoning contains: salt, shallots, chives, garlic, onion and green peppercorns.