Tuscan Bread and Vegetable Soup

Ribollita ("re-boiled" in Italian) generally refers to leftover hearty vegetable soup with stale bread added during reheating. In our version of this classic Italian soup, we combine fennel, carrots, green beans and kale with hearty cannelini beans, chicken and sourdough bread for a robust and satisfying meal.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 fennel bulb, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes, with their liquid
8 boneless chicken thighs
1 dried bay leaf
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided
1 sprig parsley
2 (15-ounce) cans cannelini beans, drained
Salt and pepper to taste
6 cups chopped kale or baby spinach
2 cups roughly chopped green beans
1 cup 1/2-inch cubes day-old sourdough or country bread
Grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

In a 6-quart Dutch oven heat oil over medium high heat. Add onions and fennel and cook, stirring from time to time, until fragrant and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add carrots and cook for another 2 minutes, then add garlic and cook for 1 minute more, or until fragrant. Add tomatoes with their liquid and let cook for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time. Add chicken, bay leaf, 4 cups of the broth and parsley and increase heat to high. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook for another 20 minutes.

Put 1 can of beans and remaining 1 cup broth into a blender and purée. Uncover pot and season with salt and pepper, bearing in mind that there will be some Parmesan cheese added at the end, so salt should be used lightly. Add bean purée, remaining can of beans, and kale and stir. Cook for another 3 minutes, then add green beans. Cook for about 3 more minutes, then add bread and stir. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes more.

If the soup is deemed too thick, add a cup of water, bring back to a simmer, taste and reseason with salt and pepper. Serve soup ladled into bowls and topped with Parmesan cheese and an extra drizzling of olive oil, if you like.

Maple Bourbon Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Well,  it's been a while since my last post but I haven't made anything new that was worth blogging about, until now.


We usually have those canned yams you get at the store because they're simple and don't take much effort, boring.  This recipe was an instant hit at my table and talk about easy.  It probably took about 20 minutes of  my time but this can be prepared a day or two in advance.  Try it, it's well worth your effort.

Ingredients
6 pounds sweet potatoes, washed
1 lemon, zested and juiced
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons bourbon
8 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
Pecan Crumb Topping


Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Place potatoes in foil lined baking sheet (otherwise the sugars from the potatoes will drip and make a mess of your oven). Roast for 1 hour 15 minutes, until they are very soft to the touch.  Remove from oven and let cool 20 minutes.
When potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut in half lengthwise and scoop out the potato into a large mixing bowl.  Mix in lemon zest and juice, maple syrup and brown sugar, you can use a mixer with a paddle attachment or just a potato masher.


Pour the bourbon in a small saute pan and place over high heat.  Let it come to a boil and then if you have a gas cook top, slightly tilt the pan away from you to set it aflame, otherwise use a long handle gas or barbeque lighter.  (it doesn't burn off the alcohol but does add to the flavor). Add to the potatoes along with the butter.  Mix well.  Add the salt and pepper and transfer to a 13x9 inch oven safe casserole dish.  Sprinkle topping over potatoes and bake for 20 minutes until the top is golden brown.


Pecan Crumb Topping
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup packed light sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
Pinch dried thyme
1/2 cup chopped pecans
5 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into bits (butter can be taken out of the fridge when after you take the potatoes out of the oven)


Mix all the ingredients together and work the butter with your fingers until you have the crumbly topping.

Dajat Tarat - The Chicken That Flew Away (Chickpea Stew)

This popular meatless tangine recipe can be found in many cultures adding different vegetables from tomatoes to spinach and with or without cayenne pepper. Rick doesn’t care for the cayenne pepper so I didn’t kick this one up.

This is a Moroccan recipe that is prepared on the more meager days.  Probably cooked on days when the family couldn’t afford chicken so maybe they told the children that “there was a chicken but it flew away”.  This is a hearty dish that is very fragrant with all the spices and coriander.

Dajat Tarat - The Chicken That Flew Away

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 extra large sweet potato or yam, peeled and cubed

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp allspice

Large pinch of saffron (about 20 threads)

1/2 cup fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped

sea salt and pepper to taste

rice or couscous

Directions:

Heat a large sauce pan over medium heat and add oil. Add the onion and cook until translucent, then add the sweet potato, chickpeas, spices coriander and salt and pepper to taste.  Pour in just enough water to cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, or until the sweet potato is tender. There should be a small amount of the fragrant broth left, but it should be significantly reduced. Serve with rice or couscous.

Grilled Vegetable Sandwich

I was watching a cooking show this morning were the chef was making a grilled vegetable sandwich I knew I could improve on it.  I had most of the ingredients on hand so this was a snap.  Rick loved it so I'm adding the recipe. (Note: if you don't have a grill then you can roast the vegetables at 375 degrees following the same directions).

Ingredients:
1 eggplant, sliced1/4 inch thick
1 red pepper, cut lengthwise into 3 or 4 large pieces
1 zuchinni, split in half lengthwise, then into 4 long slices
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
4 slices tomato
1 tbsp pesto (store bought is fine)
2 tbsp soy mayonnaise (or regular)
2 slices rice cheese, Swiss flavor (or real Swiss cheese)
fresh arugula
Olive oil
Salt
Ciabatta bread

Directions:
Toss the vegetables with olive oil and salt in a large mixing bowl or roasting pan. Heat grill to med high. Place eggplant and red pepper on grill (these vegetables take longer) and let cook for 15 minutes.  Turn eggplant and pepper and add zucchini and onions. Cook 10 minutes. After 5 minutes add the tomato slices.

Meanwhile mix pesto and mayonnaise together, and slice the bread lengthwise.  drizzle olive oil on bread and place on grill, cut side down.

Remove the vegetables to plate and keep warm. Remove the bread from the grill and spread pesto mixture.  Add the arugula to the sandwich and layer the vegetables. Top each sandwich with a slice of cheese.

Fassoulia - Giant Beans in Tomato Sauce

Fassoulia is the Greek name for beans in general, and any bean at all pairs beautifully with tomatoes. Gigandes Plaki is another name for this dish, specifically referring to the gigandes beans or elephant beans from Macedonia, in plaki or sauce. Butter beans are their closest cousins.

This dish is a regular feature on a Greek dinning table, but traditionally, not as part of mezedes , “little dishes”, or appetizers. Fasssoulia would actually be categorized as a small course or fagakia, when part of a multi-course meal, but it is hearty enough to make a meal themselves. When served with pita bread and a salad this could make for a great lunch or dinner. Fassoulia can be served warm or cold, and when left overnight the flavor improves.

Ingredients

4 tbsp olive oil

2 medium onions

4 plump cloves garlic, chopped

2 14 oz cans elephant beans, butter beans, or other white beans, drained and rinsed

2 14 oz cans diced Italian plum tomatoes

1 tsp dried oregano or 2 tsp fresh, chopped

1 tsp dried dill or 2 tsp fresh, chopped

2 tsp dried thyme or a small bunch of fresh thyme sprigs

1 tbsp honey

2 tsp red wine vinegar

sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

Toasted pita bread, to serve

Directions

Heat a large saute pan on low heat and add olive oil. Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent.

Add the garlic, beans, tomatoes, herbs, honey, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste, bring to a simmer, cover and cook for about 1 hour. Some of the beans will break up and thicken the mixture towards the end of the cooking time. If the mixture seems to be sticking to the bottom of the pan you ca add a tiny bit of water, but this dish is not supposed to be soupy - it should be thick enough to stay on one side of the pan when pushed to the side.

Serve warm, with toasted pita bread. The flavor of this dish improves the next day.

Pappardelle alla Pangratto e Noci (Pasta with Crumbs and Walnuts)

This dish is from the less affluent region of Puglia in the south of Italy, and is also know as Alla Molica.  This peasant-style recipe evolved not doubt, when nothing else could be found in the kitchen cabinets, and is wonderful (Rick loved it so what else can I say?).  In the poorer regions of Italy breadcrumbs would often be used to substitute the more expensive grated cheese. Any type of pasta works well with this dish but I used fresh pappardelle.

Ingredients

5 oz fresh of slightly stale country bread, such as ciabatta

5 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

3 large clove garlic

3/4 cups walnuts, chopped

Handful of fresh parsley, chopped

Fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Fresh ground black pepper

1 lb pasta

sea salt

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to boil and add salt (the water should taste salty)

Tear the bread into smallish pieces and place in food processor.  Process until you have light crumbs - you'll need about 2 cups - save to a small bowl. Add garlic and walnuts to food processor. Process for 30 seconds or until you have small pieces.

Heat a large saute pan over low heat and add 4 Tbsp olive oil. Add the breadcrumbs, increase the heat and stir frequently until the crumbs are crisp and golden brown.  Push the breadcrumbs to one side of the pan. Add the remaining oil and the garlic and walnut mixture. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant, then stir through the breadcrumbs.

Cook the pasta in the salted boiling water until al dente. Drain the pasta very thoroughly and lace back in the hot pot that the pasta was cooked in - the heat will help dry the pasta and keep the breadcrumbs crisp. Add the breadcrumb mixture and parsley to the pasta, toss and serve immediately with a big drizzle of olive oil and plenty of grated Parmesan cheese and black pepper.

Serve with roasted asparagus.

Grilled Vegetable Burritos

Hooray! A recipe where my husband will eat tofu. This sounds time consuming but it’s actually very easy. Substitute the pico de gallo for ready made salsa to cut down on prep time.

I just received a couple of vegetarian cookbooks and have found many recipes to try. Maybe I can become a vegetarian foodie, what do you think? My sister-in-law Rhonda (hi Rhonda) didn't think we'd make it past 3 weeks as vegetarians. BTW, it's been 4 1/2 now and I really don't miss meat, poultry or fish at all.


Grilled Vegetable Burritos

Ingredients

For the filling:
2 medium zucchini, cut into small chunks
1 red, 1 green bell pepper, cut into chunks
1 red onion, cut into wedges or chunks
7oz smoked, flavored, or plain tofu, cut into cubes
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp dried oregano
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

For the pico de gallo (salsa):
3 vine-ripened tomatoes, finely chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1-2 red chillies, or to taste, seeds removed, finely chopped
Handful of fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 tbsp lime juice
1/4 tsp salt

For the guacamole:
1 large or 2 medium ripe avocados
1 tsp lime juice
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
1 tsp Mexican chili powder
Tabasco sauce, to taste

To serve:
4 large or 8 small flour tortillas or “wraps”
Shredded lettuce
Alfalfa sprouts
Sour cream (or plain greek style yogurt)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425F. Place the vegetables and tofu in a roasting pan and add the oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and oregano. Toss well with your hands to coat everything evenly. Grill or roast for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and golden. Remove from oven and stir in the beans. Turn the oven to 225F and put the mixture back in the oven to keep warm. Separate the tortillas, then wrap in fiol and place in oven to warm.

Meanwhile, make the pico de gallo. In a bowl, mix the tomatoes, onion, chilies, cilantro, lime juice and salt together. Set aside until ready to use.

To make the guacamole, cut the avocado(s) in half and remove the stone (pit). Scoop out the flesh with a spoon into a bowl. Add the lime juice. Using a fork or potato masher, mash until fairly smooth. Put garlic through a garlic press. Add garlic, chili powder, Tabasco, and taste for seasoning. Set aside until ready to use.

To assemble each burrito, lay out a warm tortilla and place a spoonful of vegetables and tofu towards the bottom. Top with a handful of lettuce and alfalfa sprouts. Fold sides over and roll up. If tortillas are small it may be easier to roll up without tucking ends in.

Place on serving dish and top with pico de gallo, guacamole and sour cream.

RAVE - Schmave

Ok, so the Rave diet is a bit too extereme. Although we are continuing with the vegetarian lifestyle we have decided to add a few things back in to the pantry.

Oil - omg how are you supposed to cook without something to prevent your food from sticking to the pan? We have agreeded to add a bit of olive oil back into the diet.
Yogurt - plain yogurt only, the flavored yogurt has high fructose corn syrup and sugar or sugar substitute. Oh, the Greek yogurt you can get at the store is totally AWESOME!
Pamsean Cheese - Yes I understand, but it's the only cheese we're adding. (and it makes the polenta so much better)

I must say that I was pleseantly surpised today when Rick called me from work and said that

1. He was offered half a chocolate donut today and will power gave in and he accepted, to to have taken 2 bites and toss it out because he thought it was so sweet that it made him sick (wow, 2 weeks without refinded sugars and now it's just too sweet).

2. He told me they were having a fundraiser cookout at his work offering, burgers, hot dogs, brats with chips and a soda for $5 and corn on the cob for $1. He told them he was a vegetarian and asked to replace the burger for a corn, and had baked Lays and a water.

Way to go sweetie!

Grilled Garden Vegetables with Polenta

This was the first time Rick has ever had Polenta and the first time I have ever made it. I used instant Polenta (which I now know is a no-no). Yes I know, some of you are thinking, What? The first time? Well, like some may understand I had said something about making it in the past and Rick said eew. So that's where it ended.

I made the Polenta with vegetable stock and added a few cloves of crushed garlic, salt, pepper,and bay leaves. Then added fresh basil and parmesan after adding the polenta.


Ingredients
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
1 eggplant, sliced 1/3-inch thick
1 medium zucchini, sliced 1/3-inch thick
1 medium summer squash, sliced 1/3-inch thick
1 large red onion, peeled and sliced 1/3-inch thick
1 red bell pepper, quartered, stemmed and seeded
4 large whole mushrooms, optional
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional
basil leaves, for garnish

Directions
1. Preheat the grill.
2. In a food processor, combine the garlic, mustard and vinegar and puree. With the motor running, add the olive oil and chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper. Brush the vegetables with the garlic vinaigrette.
3. Grill the vegetables on a hot grill for 2 minutes on each side. (To keep the onions together, slide a spatula completely underneath each slice to pick up all the rings and turn carefully to grill the other side.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Spoon the warm polenta onto serving plates and arrange the slices of grilled vegetables and mushrooms on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, garnish with basil leaves and serve.

Garnish this bright coleslaw with toasted sesame seeds or chopped roasted peanuts. Or, for you meat eaters, toss it with shredded roasted chicken and serve it as the main course.

Ingredients

1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar (optional)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
4 cups finely shredded green and red cabbage
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup thinly sliced green onions
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, sugar, garlic, cumin, oregano and mustard just until sugar is dissolved. Add cabbage, carrots, green onions, salt and pepper and toss gently to combine. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours before serving.

The RAVE Diet -On the Road to Becoming Vegetarian

Rick and I have decided to eat very healthy and will try to go vegetarian. The dietary guide that Rick wants to try and follow is the RAVE diet. This means no animal products, which will be difficult because we do like dairy products such as cheese and yogurt. But after seeing a PBS special called "Eating" and seeing them take a section of an artery and pull out a long strand of the build up that comes from the typical American diet, we were both so horrified that we have decide to try our best to cut our consumption of all animal products. This RAVE diet also directs you to cut oils, processed foods and sugar from your diet. This will be difficult and I think it will be easier to start by cutting down at first.

So, my future posts until further notice should be titled, “On the Road to Becoming Vegetarian”. Wish me luck, especially since Rick doesn’t like mushrooms and they seem to be a major meat replacement.

Fusilli Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and “Hidden” Zucchini

As you eat this unique recipe the juicy, roasted tomatoes break apart into the pasta to make the sauce right on your plate. People at the table might not even notice the extra serving of vegetables you “hid” by grating squash into the pasta, but the flavor will make it a winner

Ingredients
6 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
2 teaspoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup 365 Everyday Value Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided
1/4 cup chopped basil
1/2 pound 365 Everyday Value Organic Whole Wheat Fusilli
2 zucchini or yellow squash, grated
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange tomatoes on a large parchment-lined sheet tray, cut-sides up. Drizzle with oil; season with salt and pepper. Scatter 2 tablespoons Parmesan and 2 tablespoons basil evenly over top. Roast until juicy and bubbling, about 20 minutes; set aside. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add fusilli and cook until al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add zucchini, lemon juice, remaining 6 tablespoons Parmesan and 2 tablespoons basil. Toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide pasta onto four plates, top with tomatoes and serve.

BBQ Shrimp

So I can occasionally kick-up my cooking too, and if anyone like a spicy dish try this or my Etoufee recipe. Now why they call this dish BBQ I’ll never know since it’s neither cooked on a BBQ or made with a BBQ sauce, but if you ever go to NOLA (New Orleans, Louisiana) this is the dish you’ll get if you order BBQ shrimp.  The best part of this dish is the sauce and bread; the shrimp come second. Use fresh head-on shrimp if you can find them; they lend the dish more flavor. (Just remember to remove the eyes before cooking, as they will turn the sauce black.) - This dish was created by Chef Jason Gronlund, the executive chef for Tabasco.

5 tbsp. butter, divided
1 tbsp. garlic, chopped
12 jumbo shrimp
1/4 cup clam juice
1/4 cup beer
3 tbsp. worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. rosemary
1 pinch oregano
1 pinch black pepper
1/4 Tsp. Tabasco sauce
1 loaf French bread

1. Melt 2 Tbsp. of butter in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Add garlic and shrimp to pan and sauté together until the shrimp starts to turn pink. Add remaining ingredients, except for the 3 tbsp of butter. Keep the shrimp moving around in the pan so they cook evenly.

2. Allow liquid to reduce by half, then add the remaining butter. Keep stirring the sauce so the butter blends into it evenly.

3. Serve immediately with slices of warm, crusty French bread.

Thai Beef Salad

Steak/Marinade

1 lb flank steak

1/3 cup of low-sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup of rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon chili sauce

Salad

6 cups of romaine lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces
2 tomatoes, sliced
3 green onions, sliced diagonally
1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
1/4 cup of fresh cilantro, chopped



Dressing:
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp soy sauce, low sodium
1 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp fish sauce, bottled
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 serrano pepper, seeded and minced (you can leave seeds for more spice)



Directions
Preheat grill or broiler.
Prepare marinade by mixing together the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and chili sauce. Place in a plastic container with the flank steak and let marinate for at least one hour.

Dressing: Combine all dressing ingredients in a jar or bowl; mix well. Set aside.

Place steak on a grill rack or broiler pan coated with vegetable oil spray. Cook 3-4 minutes on each side for medium rare or longer until desired degree of doneness. Cover with foil and let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Cut each slice into 2-inch pieces.

Prepare salad mixture (lettuce, tomatoes green onion, cilantro and mint leaves).
Combine salad mixture, steak and dressing in a large bowl, tossing to coat.

Berry Crumble

Looking for a 4th of July dessert the is red, white and blue? Try using raspberries and blueberries.

from blazinghotwok

makes 1 large pie-sized or 6 ramekins

For the filling:

1 ½ lbs (4 to 5 cups) berries 

¾ oz (3 tbs) cornstarch

5 ½ oz (2/3 cup) granulated sugar

2 tbs lemon juice

For the topping:

4 ½ oz (1 cup) all purpose flour

2 3/8 oz (1/3 cup) granulated sugar

2 1/8 oz (1/3 cup packed) brown sugar

pinch of salt

8 oz (1 stick) cold butter, diced

1 5/8 oz (½ cup) quick-cooking or regular rolled oats

1 5/8 oz (1/2 cup) sliced almonds

Begin by making the topping. In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt and butter until you get a coarse mixture. I like to add the oats and pulse a couple of times to break them up a little. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add the almonds. Mix in the almonds making clumps (although it will still be pretty loose).

In another large bowl, combine the granulated sugar and cornstarch and mix until all the cornstarch is mixed in with the sugar. Add the fruit and lemon juice and carefully mix, trying not to mash the fruit. Transfer the fruit into a large baking dish (or ramekins) and press the topping on. I like to make sure the fruit is completely covered. Bake in a 350F oven (on a sheet pan to catch the juices) until bubbly and the topping is golden.

Serve warm, with a scoop of ice cream.

Cioppino

Cioppino is a fish stew derived from the various regional fish soups and stews of Italian cuisine. Cioppino is traditionally made from the catch of the day, which in the dish's place of origin is typically a combination of dungeness crab, clams, shrimp, scallops, squid, mussels and white fish with fresh tomatoes in a wine sauce, often served over spaghetti or other long pasta and toasted buttered bread, either sourdough or baguette. This dish was developed in the late 1800s by Italian fishermen who settled in the North Beach section of San Francisco.  Originally it was made on the boats while out at sea and later became a staple as Italian restaurants proliferated in San Francisco. The name comes from ciuppin, a word in the Ligurian dialect of the port city of Genoa, meaning "to chop" or "chopped" which described the process of making the stew by chopping up various leftovers of the days catch.  At least one restaurant in San Francisco, the eponymous Cioppino's, uses the bogus story in which the name derived from the heavily Italian-accented cry of the wharf cooks for the fishermen to "chip in" some of their catch to the collective soup pot.

So, there’s your history lesson for the day. What I love about Cioppino is that you can alter this dish in many ways.  Change it up by using potatoes, chorizo, mussels, clams, shrimp, scallops, squid, crab, halibut, sea bass, or snapper.  Add a little heat with red pepper.  You can do practically anything to personalize this delicious dish.

Ingredients

1 1/2  tablespoons  olive oil

1/2  cup chopped onion

1 1/2  teaspoons bottled minced garlic

1/4  teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 pound mussels, scrubbed and debearded

8 ounces sea scallops

8 ounces peeled and deveined medium shrimp

1/2 cup clam juice

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

Directions

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and red pepper to pan; sauté for 2 minutes. Add mussels, scallops, and shrimp to pan; sauté for 1 minute. Stir in 1/2 cup clam juice, parsley, and diced tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes or until mussels open, and discard any unopened shells.

Serve with toasted garlic bread.

St. Louis Style Pork Ribs

My first attempt at spare ribs couldn't have been easier. I made let the ribs sit overnight with the rub.  This recipe can be cooked on the grill or in the oven.  I cooked these in the oven for 3 hours. They were easy and very flavorful. 

This is a "Down Home with the Neely's" recipe.  If you haven't seen them on the Food Network then you are missing out.  I made several of their recipes and the continually come out great.

Ingredients

2 slabs pork spare ribs, 3 pounds each

Kansas City Barbeque Sauce, recipe follows

Dry Rub:

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup dry mustard

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon salt

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Remove the thin white membrane off of the bone-side of the ribs. Mix together the brown sugar, dry mustard, cayenne, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Massage the rub into the ribs and let sit for 1 hour or up to overnight.

If cooking on the grill, place the ribs meat-side down next to medium-hot coals that are about 225 degrees F. The indirect heat will cook them slower, making them tender. Allow to cook for 1 hour. Turn ribs every half hour and baste with the Kansas City Barbeque Sauce. Cook until the ribs are tender, about 3 to 4 hours.

If cooking indoors, place in a roasting pan with a rack. Slather the ribs with the Kansas City Barbeque Sauce and tent a piece of aluminum foil over them. In a preheated 350 degrees F. oven, place the ribs, basting with the sauce every 30 minutes and removing the foil for the last 30 minutes and cooking until fork tender, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Kansas City Barbeque Sauce:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 (about 2/3 cup)small onion, finely diced

3 cups water

1 cup (2 (6-ounce) cans) tomato paste

1/2 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup molasses

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a small sauce pot on medium-high heat, heat the oil and add the onion, cooking until translucent.

Add the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix together. Add to sauce pan and let simmer for 30 to 45 minutes. Use to baste the pork spare ribs.

Yield: 3 cups

White Sangria

What's better on a hot summer day then sipping on a cool fruity glass of Sangria?

1 (750 ml) bottle dry white wine, like chardonnay

1 (6 ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate

1/2 cup light rum

1/2 cup Triple Sec

1 (15.25 ounce) can pineapple tidbits packed in juices

1 large apple, cut into chunks

Cherries, orange and lime slices or anything you'd like to use as garnish.

2 cups of lemon lime soda

Combine all ingredients in a pitcher, except for the soda, and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours or overnight.  When your first guests start to arrive then you can add the soda.  If you like a less sweet drink, use club soda instead of Sprite.  

Mediterranean Veggie Panini

What else can I do with the zucchini I get from my friends garden, seemed to be a question I had last year.  I can only make so much zucchini bread and my husband is not a big fan of it for a side dish.  Since I was also given a small eggplant I started thinking Mediterranean.  Hmm,  I love hummus... 

Ingredients:

2 zucchini (cut into thin slices)

1 eggplant (cut into thin slices)

* olive oil

oregano, salt and pepper to taste

4 roasted red pepers

1 cup feta (crumbled)

4 tablespoons hummus

8 slices of bread

balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Lightly brush the zucchini and eggplant in olive oil and season with oregano, salt and pepper.

Grill the vegetables until tender and nice and golden brown.

Assemble sandwich including a slash of balsamic vinegar.

Lightly brush the bread in olive oil and grill until golden brown on both sides.

Crawfish Etouffe

Wow, is this good!  Ok now, don't say eeww about Crawfish it tastes like little lobsters.  I buy mine at Whole Foods and it comes in frozen 1 pound packages (well I live in Colorado so it has to get here.).  If you like a little spice and want to kick dinner up a notch, this is an easy recipe that you really can't mess up.  If you don't want it too spicy then add a little less cayenne pepper, but it's perfect.

This recipe comes from a friend of my husband. They have it every year during their fantasy football draft. So ladies, men love it!

Ingredients

6 Tbsp butter

2 cups chopped onion

2 cloves chopped garlic

2 Tbsp chopped bell pepper (red or green)

1/4 cup chopped celery

1 lb crawfish meat 

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

2 Tbsp chopped green onion (green part only)

2 Tbsp chopped parsley

1 packet brown gravy mix

Directions:

In large pan, melt butter over medium heat. Saute onions, pepper, garlic, and celery until onions are translucent.  

Add 1/8 cup of water. 

Cover pan and let simmer until vegetables are cooked (about 15 minutes).

Add crawfish, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper.  Cover pan and cook for 15 minutes.

Add green onions and parsley. Sprinkle a little brown gravy mix to thicken.  Stir and continue cook 5 minutes.

Serve with rice.