Corn, Sausage & Leek Chowder. A warm hug in a bowl.

If I was one of those organized people who hosted holiday open houses with Vince Guaraldi playing in every room and Mistletoe hanging above the doorway, I'd serve this soup. Comforting yet not too rich with its brothy stock laden with all kinds of textures, it has everything going for it. And that's before you add toppings!

You can use sweet sausage instead of spicy but I love a little heat against the sweet corn. And if you want it 'meatier' feel free to up the sausage to one pound. I find the ratio below makes this a perfect guys and gals soup though. The dudes feel like they're eating a hearty meal and us gals can still hold our head up and say we had soup for dinner. But if you're in the camp of 'mo sausage, mo betta' cheers to that.

Maybe one year I'll be organized enough to actually host that holiday party of my dreams. Until then I'm just happy knowing I already have the perfect recipe.

Corn, Sausage and Leek Soup
* This soup is great to make ahead and tastes amazing reheated.
* I can't stress rinsing your leeks thoroughly enough. This is best to do once you've halved them lengthwise so you can get the water in between the leaves where fine grit hides.
* Serves 6.

Ingredients:
3/4 pound spicy Italian sausage, loose
2 tablespoons salted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 med sweet onion, chopped
3 leeks, white and light green (not tough) parts only, well rinsed, halved lengthwise then chopped into thin strips crosswise
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus extra to taste
pinch pepper
10 oz frozen corn
32 oz low sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup half and half

Shredded cheddar cheese, for serving
Chopped Fresh cilantro, for serving
Tortilla chips, crushed up, for serving

Directions:
In a large dutch oven, break up the sausage with a wooden spoon and cook over medium heat until cooked through and some bits have become nice and brown and crispy, about 8 minutes. Remove sausage with a wooden spoon and set aside.

To the dutch oven, add 2 tablespoons salted butter and a tablespoon of olive oil. Allow the butter to melt then add the onion. Cook stirring often for 3 minutes then add the leaks. Season with coriander, salt and pepper and continue cooking and stirring over medium heat until the onion is translucent and the leeks are super soft, about 10-12 minutes.

Stir in the corn, chicken stock, and cooked sausage and raise heat slightly so the soup comes to a simmer. Simmer for a few minutes, then reduce heat to low and stir in the half and half. Taste for seasoning. If it's not the most delicious thing you've ever eaten, it needs more salt so make gradual adjustments until it is.

Serve with chopped fresh cilantro, crushed tortilla chips and shredded cheddar and or/any other toppings you see fit.

Slow Cooker Pork Tikka Masala with Tomato, Coconut Milk and Cilantro

                                      

This is my new favorite thing to make and eat. I usually keep a bag of chopped onion in my freezer which makes this something I can put together in five minutes in the morning before work.

The following statement may officially make me the lamest person on the planet but remembering that dinner is already made when the work day comes to a close and I get that panicked feeling (baby needs a bath! I need a bath! What are we eating? Why is my underwear on the TV?) is the best. thing. ever. As they say a baby changes everything.

Two notes: I actually like sushi rice with this (rinsed before cooking) but any variety would work. Also this freezes beautifully even with the rice included.

Slow Cooker Pork Tikka Masala with Tomato, Coconut Milk and Cilantro

Ingredients/How to:

To a slow cooker, stir together and cook for 4 hours on low:
1 to 1 1/2 pounds thin cut boneless pork chops, trimmed of fat and cut against the grant into thin 1/8 inch thick strips (you can often buy it already prepared this way or have your butcher do this)
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch piece whole ginger, peeled and grated
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons garam masala
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon paprika or curry (I prefer curry but both are great)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes

Big handful cilantro (no need to chop) plus extra chopped for garnish

After 4 hours, stir in the following and cook another 30 minutes while you make 2 cups of prepared rice:

1 (14 oz) can coconut milk
1 (14 oz) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

After 30 minutes, turn the cooker off and stir in:

1 tablespoon honey

Serve over rice and with additional cilantro for garnish.

Turkey, Pancetta and Parmesan Meatloaf Subs

Turkey, Pancetta and Parmesan Meatloaf Subs
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
1 3 oz package diced pancetta
2 eggs, beaten
1 large shallot, minced (about 1/3 cup)
1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup shredded parmesan
1/3 cup chopped, drained artichokes from a jar of marinated artichoke hearts (be sure to discard any 'tough' bits)
2 heaping teaspoons roughly chopped capers (kind packed in brine/liquid, drained)
1 heaping tablespoon chopped fresh herbs (preferably parsley and basil)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
lemon zest from a small lemon
black pepper
good pinch red pepper flakes
good grating fresh nutmeg
1 (1.25 lb) package ground turkey, preferably 93% lean

6-8 best quality hoagie, sub or sandwich rolls, or French bread
Butter
Salt and Pepper
Several slices (8-10) Provolone cheese
Mayo, mustard, or other condiments, as desired

Directions:
Place the pancetta on a medium cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil lightly sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake the pancetta at 400 for 13-15 minutes until golden and just lightly crisp. Set aside to cool and lower the heat to 375.

Meanwhile in a large bowl, gently beat the two eggs. Stir in the breadcrumbs, parmesan, chopped artichokes, capers, fresh herbs, oregano, salt, lemon zest, black and red pepper flakes and nutmeg until well combined. Add in the cooled pancetta (use a slotted spoon so you get some of the fat but not all of it . No need to pat dry first with paper towels as some of that fat is good flavor) and ground turkey and combine until just mixed together. Do not overwork!

Transfer the meatloaf mixture into a sprayed loaf pan.

Bake at 375 for 45-50 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

While the meatloaf cools, slice your sandwich rolls and spread lightly with butter on each half. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Place in the oven cut side up and toast for 6 minutes. Add the Provolone cheese to the 'top halves' (go for double slices if thin, folding in half if necessary) and bake another 2-3 minutes until melted.

Slice the meatloaf into 1/2 inch thick slices and serve in the rolls with any condiments preferred.

Sausage Stuffed Baked Potatoes with Arugula. Not as weird as it sounds.

When Giada made this a couple of years ago on her show I thought - "Nope."

Granted it's hard to make sausage look pretty, particularly when thrown in a baked potato drowning in marinara. But more than that I just thought the whole idea was messy and weird. Arugula? Tomato Sauce? Sausage? Potato? It reminds me of something a pregnant person would crave after accidentally eating a pot brownie.

But as they say, time changes everything. I ordered her latest book (official cookbook hoarder - HELP!), saw this recipe again and went huh, that looks pretty good actually. Just for the record I'm not pregnant nor do I have a stash of pot brownies lying around. Sadly.

Just to blow your mind a little more, I subbed cottage cheese for the mascarpone because I didn't have any on hand. It sure as hell didn't make it prettier but it passed the husband test and my thighs were grateful for the little switcharoo. I also added a slice of fresh mozzarella to the split potatoes before covering them in sauce (sorry thighs.) The cheese melted like butter giving the sauce a nice little place to get cozy in.

Speaking of the sauce it's pretty dang great on its own and would be delish in a more traditional environment. Like say, pasta.

Cheers to facing our fears. And eating them.

Baked Potatoes with Sausage and Arugula
Lightly adapted from Giada De Laurentiis.
Serves 4.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed or chopped
1/2 pound sweet or spicy Italian-style turkey sausage, casings removed
1 1/2 cups tomato-basil or marinara sauce
3 cups baby arugula or basil
freshly grated nutmeg (my addition, out of habit)
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese (4 ounces), at room temperature OR low fat cottage cheese or ricotta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, or to taste
4 baked russet potatoes, 8 to 10 ounces each (see Cook's Note, below)
4 thin slices of fresh mozzarella cheese, optional
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or basil

Directions:
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the sausage and break up the meat into 1/2-inch pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the marinara sauce and arugula (or basil). Stir in a good pinch fresh grated nutmeg. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until the arugula has wilted, about 2 minutes. Add the mascarpone cheese (or cottage cheese or ricotta) and stir until the mixture forms a creamy sauce. Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.

Cut a slit in the top of each baked potato and gently squeeze the ends to form an opening in the top. Lay over the slices of mozzarella if using, then spoon the sausage sauce into each potato. Garnish with parsley or basil.

Cook's Note: To bake the potatoes: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Using a fork, prick the skins of the potatoes all over. Wrap each potato in foil and bake until tender, about 1 hour. To cook the potatoes in a microwave: Using a fork, prick the skins of the potatoes all over. Place 2 potatoes at a time on a dinner plate. Microwave on high for 8 minutes. Turn the potatoes over and microwave until soft, 6 to 8 more minutes.

Italian Pepperoncini Beef for Lots and Lots of Sandwiches.

This is one of those recipes that is so simple your first instinct is to just skip it altogether or try and give it some jazz hands. But you'd be crazy to do either. It's perfect just the way it is.

It makes a TON so it's ideal for laid back parties (my favorite kind) or for when you want something you can make a lot of meals out of during the week when you're really busy.

A few years ago we had house guests staying with us and they went through the whole batch in one day while Kris and I were at work. Needless to say I don't recommend eating it all in one sitting unless you want to volunteer for a meat sweats study, but this will keep in the fridge for up to five days to make sandwiches out of. Go for the best quality sourdough rolls you can get your hands on and don't forget to toast them. Sourdough + Italian Beef + Melted Provolone = Mama Mia!

Italian Beef, For Sandwiches
* From Charlotte Wixom.
* You can adjust the heat if serving to kids. I.E. only use half the jar of pepperoncini and juice and add 1/2 cup of water or beer to the crock pot make up for the moisture.

Ingredients/Tools:
1 (3-4 lb) beef roast (sirloin, shoulder or rump)
2 (1 oz each) packages dry Italian dressing mix (Good Seasons brand)
1 (16 oz) jar pepperoncini peppers, whole or sliced
Slow Cooker
Provolone slices, for sandwiches
Sourdough rolls or buns, toasted, for sandwiches

Directions:
Rinse the beef off with cold water and pat dry. Add the beef to your crock pot then sprinkle the packets of seasoning over and pour the jar of peppers - with the juice - all over and around the meat.

Put the top on and cook on low for about 10 hours or until the meat shreds easily with a fork. (You could also start this in the morning for the first two hours on high, then put on low for the remainder of the day if making for a party that night.) Once the meat pulls apart easily, let it cool for 20 minutes before shredding with two forks. If using whole pepperoncini, remove the stems and slice them up a little if desired.

Serve the meat on toasted sourdough rolls with slices of provolone cheese.

Let cool before storing leftovers. Leftovers should keep for up to 5 days in the fridge well sealed.

Farrotto. Purely simply fabulous.

Happy Meatless Monday y'all! I have to admit, I haven't posted a Meatless Monday recipe before because we eat a LOT of meatless meals and not just on Mondays (I like to see how many in a row I can get away with before Kris complains.)

Farrotto is simply farro (whole grains of wheat) cooked risotto style. What I love about it is it's healthier than traditional risotto yet heartier at the same time. You can eat it as a meal without the guilt of ducking into a bowl of creamy rice (or at least I believe you can.) And as an extra bonus, you don't need to heat the chicken stock before adding it throughout the cooking process. You can pour it straight from your measuring cup or from the box, as I do;)

Feel free to sub roasted butternut squash for the acorn squash. I'm telling you - there's something bizarrely amazing about the natural sweetness of roasted squash with the subtle roundness of maple syrup a with the salty kick of gorgonzola. I know it sounds weird if you've never tried it in a savory context but I promise you it's not.

PS animal lovers - you can make this completely vegetarian if you sub veggie stock for the chicken stock.

Farrotto with Lovely, Lovely Things
Serves 6.

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup Farro
2 1/2-3 cups low sodium chicken stock
olive oil
1 acorn squash, peeled, cut in half and seeds removed
3/4 cup cherry tomatoes
1 cup thawed frozen corn
1/4 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup gorgonzola plus extra for garnish
2 tablespoons maple syrup
fresh cracked pepper and salt to taste
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400.

In a medium/large dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the onions and saute for 4 minutes stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and saute 2 more minutes until onions are completely translucent. Season with a bit of salt and pepper, then bring the heat to high and add the white wine. Stir constantly as the wine evaporates and bubbles - 2 or so minutes. Once mostly evaporated, stir in the farro and reduce heat back to medium. Stir constantly for 2 minutes, then add in a half a cup of chicken stock, stirring in. Let softly simmer, stirring occasionally, until mostly evaporated (soaked up by the farro) before adding another half cup. Continue this process until the farro is to the risotto-style consistency you like (start checking the consistency after you've added a little over 2 cups.) If you happen to run out of stock and need more, you can add water. Like the mom says in Friday - 'It won't hurt.'

Meanwhile, cut the halved squash into quarters, then into eights. Turn the sections sideways and cut them crosswise into thin, 1/8 inch thick pieces. Grease an aluminum-lined large baking sheet with nonstick spray and add the squash pieces, evenly distributing them. Drizzle with olive oil just to coat, add in the cherry tomatoes and toss all to lightly coat with oil before patting back down to get them all spread out again. Season with salt and pepper and roast for 16 minutes. Turn over with a spatula and roast another 8 minutes or so until nice and caramelized, but not blackened. Remove and add into the farrotto (once it's to the consistency that you like.)

Gently stir in the corn, black beans, maple syrup, pinch salt and pepper, gorgonzola and basil. Taste for salt and pepper and make any adjustments necessary (I actually like a lot of pepper with this and I'm not a pepper person.) Serve in deep bowls, garnished with additional gorgonzola and basil.

A new take on tacos.

We ate this last night. I am now kicking myself because there were no leftovers. You can sub 2 regular hothouse tomatoes for the Zebra Stripes, but the Zebras' distinct flavor give the taco mixture a mellow twang - almost like that of slow cooked tomatillos. I love the fact that the fried bacon gives a little crunch when you bite into them. You won't even miss the cheese!

More back-dated posts coming soon...


Crispy Bacon, Chicken and Heirloom Tomato Tacos
Serves 2 hungry people

Ingredients:
6 corn or whole wheat tortillas, double wrapped in aluminum foil

5 slices bacon (preferably Applegate Farms brand), snipped into 1/2 inch chunks
2 chicken breasts (about 3/4 lb), cubed into 3/4 inch chunks
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
pinch ground dried coriander
fresh grated nutmeg
red pepper flakes, to taste

4 Zebra Stripe Heirloom tomatos, diced
pinch sea or kosher salt
pepper
1 teaspoon Balsamic vinegar

Fresh thyme - about 1/8-1/4 teaspoon freshly picked leaves.

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 225 and place the aluminum protected tortillas inside to heat through.

Meanwhile, heat up a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add a small splash of olive oil, then the bacon, stirring around to disperse. Fry, stirring every so often for 5-8 minutes, until the edges have curled up and they've become nice and crispy. Use a slotted spoon or spider to transfer them to a holding plate.

Drain off the majority of the bacon fat, reserving in a heat proof bowl or glass. Add the chopped shallots to the pan, lowering the heat a little if they're spitting too much. Sprinkle over with salt and pepper, and cook until softened and translucent - about 4 minutes. Transfer them to a separate holding plate or chunk of aluminum foil, then put the pan back on over the heat and add a tablespoon of the reserved bacon fat.

Now add the chicken to the pan. Season with a little salt and pepper (and red pepper flakes, if desired), ground coriander and grated nutmeg. Cook stirring frequently for about 7 minutes, until cooked through and the edges have browned a little.

In a small bowl, mix the diced tomatoes with a bit of salt, pepper and the balsamic vinegar, then add them - juices and all - to the cooked chicken. Return the bacon and shallots to the pan stirring to incorporate, and let simmer away stirring frequently so that the tomato juice and balsamic reduce down - about 5 minutes. Just before serving, stir in the fresh thyme.

The mixture is ready when the tomatoes have broken down a bit and the entire mixture is no longer soupy looking, but rather the consistency of a thick sauce or stew.

Serve immediately on hot tortillas.

An Introduction to Farro

If you're one of those people that believes pasta is evil and to be avoided at all costs, yet miss diving into a bowl of warm, comfort filled with all sorts of textures and flavors, meet your new best friend.

Farro is a type of wheat, also called emmer, that was among the first plants to be domesticated in the Middle East. And while obviously you're not going to be able to wrap it around your fork like spaghetti (the grains are about the size of peas), it comes pretty damn close to pasta in other respects. For instance, you can put anything into it you would pasta. It's the perfect canvas, as its nutty whole grain texture is lovely with everything from vegetables to meat to cheese to nuts.

The only two drawbacks are that you have to soak it first (for a minimum of 20 minutes) and it's definitely pricier than a box of rigattoni. But again, if you're on an anti pasta kick, it's well worth it to be able to relive your Olive Garden days, sans the guilt. (And yes - I realize they make whole wheat pasta nowadays - but I'd rather eat cardboard. The texture literally makes me gag;)

Farro with Salami, Sundried Tomatoes, Artichokes, and Basil

Ingredients:
1.1 lb farro

32 oz chicken stock
32 oz water
2 garlic cloves

12 oz jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained
3 tblspns olive oil, or to taste (you can use fresh or the oil from the artichokes if desired)
16 sundried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and halved
1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
1/3 cup diced Parmesan (slightly larger than pea-sized chunks)
1/4 cup diced salami (cut into about pea-sized chunks)
1 large bunch (3 handfuls) fresh basil, torn
1/3 cup toasted walnut pieces
1-2 tablespoons kosher salt


Directions:

Place the farro in a large pot or dutch oven. Cover with water and let soak for 20-30 minutes, then drain, returning to the same pot. Now add 32 ounces of chicken stock plus 32 ounces of water along with 2 garlic cloves to the pan, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to reduce down to a simmer, and cook uncovered for 25 minutes. Drain, discarding the garlic cloves, then return to the pot once more to stir in the rest of the ingredients (the artichoke hearts through the walnut pieces.) Stir in 1 tablespoon of the kosher salt, and taste before adding more (it'll depend on how salty the chicken stock was you cooked the farro in as to how much you need.)

Serve warm, in big bowls full...

Coriander Crusted Chicken with Sauteed Mushrooms and Oven Roasted Tomatoes

I made this up as an homage to one of my favorite neighborhood restaurants, Snack Taverna. Their coriander pork is lethally good. But while theirs has an accompanying Avgolemono sauce made out of egg yolks that I could bathe in if unchaperoned, my version is much lighter.

And yes - I realize I'm cooking with a lot of cumin seeds lately, but they're addictive little things. They have the scent of cumin, but are oddly mellower with a slight nuttiness about them. Go on - live a little and try cooking with them sometime.

Coriander Crusted Chicken with Sauteed Mushrooms and Oven Roasted Tomatoes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of your skillet) plus 1 teaspoon
1 chicken breast, bone-in and skin on, split (for 2 people)
salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried coriander
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
10 oz baby bella mushrooms, washed and quartered
1/2 cup white wine or vermouth
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 ripe tomatoes, quartered and seeds/pulp removed
1/4 cup low sodium chicken stock, plus extra on standby in case your pan dries out while the chicken bakes
1 sprig fresh dill, plus a teaspoon of minced

Directions:
Pick out a medium/large, rimmed skillet or Le Crueset type dish to make this in - it will need to go in the oven after being on the stove top so make sure it is suitable for this.

Preheat your oven to 350.

Season your chicken breasts on both sides liberally with salt and pepper, then the coriander and cumin seeds (the seeds will stick better on the skin side, so I usually just put them on that side only.) Add a heaping tablespoon of olive oil to your skillet and turn on to medium high heat, letting the oil get nice and hot before adding your chicken.

When the oil is HOT, add the chicken, skin-side down. Lower the heat if the chicken spits too much, and let cook for 4-5 minutes to get a nice, golden crust. Flip to the other side and cook another 4-5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the flame, and transfer the chicken to a plate or baking sheet. Using a paper towel, carefully remove any blackened seeds left in the pan (trying to leave in as much oil as possible.) Add any more oil, if necessary, to coat the bottom again, then put back onto a medium heat.

Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and saute for 5 minutes, until they've begun to wilt and cook down a little. Add the vermouth or white wine and lemon juice, bring to a simmer, and cook until liquid has reduced by half. Carefully stir in the quartered tomatoes, dill and 1/4 cup chicken stock. Make room for the chicken breasts, and return to the pan, skin side up, arranging the vegetables around them as necessary for them to all lie as evenly as possible.

Place in the middle of your 350 degree oven, and bake for 40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through (if you have particularly big breast pieces, this could take up to 55 minutes.)

Check midway through baking to see if you need to add more chicken stock to prevent the bottom of the pan from burning.

Serve with buttered orzo or rice, sprinkling over the extra dill, or in a pinch, some crusty French bread.